The Observer 03-03-2022 E-edition

Vol. 14, No. 21

Thursday March 3, 2022

Opelika, Alabama

166 N Gay Street, Suite 12, Auburn, AL 36830 334-821-5050

Covering Lee County, Alabama

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

Investments | 401K Rollovers 166 N Gay Street, Suite 12, Auburn, AL 36830 334-821-5050 Investments | 401K Rollovers

PHOTO BY ROBERT NOLES/ THE OBSERVER

Remembering March 3, 2019 The photograph above was taken during a home dedication service on March 3, 2021. The Chattahoochee Fuller Center in partnership with 'mend' presented Carol Dean keys to a new home.

March 3, 2022, marks the third anniversary of the devastating tornadoes that ripped through Beauregard and Smiths Station, killing 23. Turn to A3 for more information on the recovery efforts.

Little Free Libraries to be Installed in Smiths Station Libraries to be constructed and placed at the following locations: Main Street in downtown Hurtsboro; ADOBE STOCK PHOTO USED WITH PERMISSION

The East Alabama Chamber of Commerce’s 2021-2022 Leadership Program is leading an initiative to provide more access to learning and the love of reading through the installation of “Little Free Libraries” in local cities and communities.

The annual program consists of 22 leaders whose businesses, companies and organizations are chamber members. As a part of the curriculum, program participants are asked to come together to conceptualize, develop and implement

a region-wide service project that will have a lasting positive impact.

This year’s class selected Little Free

Smiths Station Sports Complex; Phenix City Youth Sports Complex; Ice Dreams Ice Cream and Coffee Shop in Fort Mitchell; and Ladonia Elementary School.

“It is always a highlight for me to see these great community representatives come together with vision, alignment and execution to leave an imprint on the region,” said Chamber President Dennis Beson.

Dr. Dionne RosserMims, vice chancellor of Troy University’s Phenix City Campus and member of this current leadership See LIBRARIES, page A3

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

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

SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY. . . . . A7

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

RELIGION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A14

CLASSIFIEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B13

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

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

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

CONTRIBUTED BY CITY OF SMITHS STATION

Lee County’s Wonder Woman: Linda Farmer

BY HANNAH LESTER HLESTER@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

Linda Farmer is everything the world needs more of. That’s

what her husband, Kermit, said of her after her death from stomach cancer on Feb. 15.

“She’s an amazing See FARMER, page A6

A2 March 3, 2022

Opelika Announces New Anti-Litter Campaign, Event — ‘Don’t Be An Ope-loser!’

CONTRIBUTED BY THE CITY OF OPELIKA

Ope-loser! anti-litter campaign and Slam Dunk The Junk event in an effort to educate and encourage visitors and citizens to keep the community clean. There will soon be brightly painted trash cans throughout the city with educational, basketball-themed messages about anti-littering.

“Littering is one of my biggest pet peeves. It continues to be a huge issue in Opelika,” said Opelika Mayor

Gary Fuller. ”I just wish folks would take pride in our community and throw their trash where it belongs.

Litter is harmful to human health, safety, welfare, the environment and it has a negative effect on economic development.

We need to all do our part to keep Opelika looking beautiful.”

The Slam Dunk The Junk community clean-up event will be on March 19, 2022 and will begin at Covington Recreation Center at 9 a.m.

PHOTO BY ROBERT NOLES/ THE OBSERVER

As part of the "Don't Be An Ope-loser" campaign, the city of Opelika will place brightly colored trash cans (like the one pictured above) around the town to raise its citizens' awareness of littering.

Participants will pick up their supplies, provided

by Keep Opelika Beautiful, at the recreation center and will be given a list of locations to pick up litter. This is a great opportunity for friends and family to give back to the community.

After the cleanup, participants are encouraged to come back to Covington by 11 a.m. for a friendly free throw competition, food, fun and prizes! Register on the city website (www.opelika-al. gov) to secure your spot in the competition and see rules.

Lee County’s own John Thomas will show off his skills in a Slam Dunk Exhibition after the free throw competition. Thomas is a retired professional overseas basketball player and Slam Ball National Champion.

For more information, please contact Leigh Krehling, Community Relations Officer at lkrehling@opelika-al.gov.

Russell Jones Receives Certified Municipal Clerk Designation CONTRIBUTED BY THE CITY OF OPELIKA

City of Opelika announces Russell Jones, city clerk, recently received his Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC) designation from the International Insititute of Municipal Clerks (IIMC).

The CMC program is designed to enhance the job performance of the clerk in small and large municipalities. To earn the CMC designation, a municipal clerk must attend extensive education programs. The CMC program prepares the applicants to meet the challenges of the complex role of the municipal clerk by providing them with quality education in partnership with institutions of higher learning, as well as state / provincial / national associations.

Jones received his designation within the required minimum timeframe of two years.

Originally from Beauregard, Jones attended Trinity Christian School in Opelika from kindergarten to eighth grade. Jones then moved to Albertville, Alabama, and graduated from Albertville High School before

JONES more than five years.

In March 2020, Jones took over as city clerk/ Treasurer after Robert “Bob” Shuman retired with more than 30 years of service to the city of Opelika. Jones has been married for almost eight years and has a 6-year-old son and a 2-year-old daughter.

Jones and his family recently built a new house in Opelika and love to take family outings to downtown, Tiger Town and Municipal Park to ride the Rocky Brook Rocket.

moving back to Auburn to attend Auburn University. After receiving his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Finance) in 2006 from Auburn University, Jones began a career in banking. After more than six years in retail banking, Jones began working for the city of Opelika, starting as a customer service representative for Opelika Power Services for a year, and then moving to the city’s accounting department for

Alfa Insurance Agent Billy Farr Earns Distinguished Service Award and managers for their dedicated service and commitment to policyholders.

Farr has served as an Alfa agent since 2014. He represents the company›s full line of insurance for auto, home, life and business.

Alfa and its affiliates provide insurance and other financial services for a million customers in 13 states. Learn more at AlfaInsurance. com.

CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

Alfa Insurance agent Billy Farr of Auburn was recently honored with the Distinguished Service Award — Silver for Alabama during the company's annual awards ceremony in Montgomery. The ceremony, held Feb. 15 at the Montgomery Performing Arts Centre, recognized the company’s best agents Farr is pictured third from left.

Sports Editor: Wil Crews Live Lee Editor: Hannah Lester Phone: 334.749.8003 editor@opelikaobserver.com Michelle@opelikaobserver.com

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A3 March 3, 2022

A Look at the Rebuilding Efforts Three Years Later

BY MICHELLE KEY AND HANNAH LESTER Today, March 3, 2022, marks three years since the devastating EF-4 longtrack tornadoes roared through Lee County, killing 23 and affecting nearly 800 homes, with almost 50% of those being either completely destroyed or sustaining major damage.

It was sometime during the next day that Laura Eason, chaplin for East Alabama Health, realized that the community was going to be grieving for a long time and would need a lot of assistance to get through the days ahead.

“That Monday afternoon, we gathered at Providence Baptist with the families who had lost loved ones as they met with the coroner, local clergy, counselors and social workers,” Eason said. “It was then that I knew the healing process was going to be a marathon and not a sprint.”

Over the few days, mend[sic] was “birthed” as Eason recalled. “We knew it was going to take all of us working together and communication between groups was going

to be vital,” she said. “The right hand had to know what the left hand was doing as to not duplicate efforts. We needed to throw the net really wide and include as many organizations as possible in the recovery efforts.”

‘Rebuild Lee County; One Life At A Time’ became the motto of the newly formed organization. mend partnered with national disaster response groups and numerous lee county organizations, agencies and businesses. Major Partners included: EAMC, EMA, the cities of Auburn, Opelika and Smiths Station, Lee County Sheriff’s Department, United Way, Community Foundation of East Alabama, A.R.M., Chattahoochee Fuller Center, High Socks of Hope, Red Cross, FEMA, VOAD, Samaritans Purse, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Eight Days of Hope, Team Rubicon, Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief, UMCOR, Home Depot, Lowes, Walmart, Auburn Athletics, AU Building Science and Auburn University.

More than 80 churches, schools, funeral homes,

civic clubs, banks, realtors, social workers, counselors, contractors, furniture stores, restaurants and businesses also joined forces to assist mend in its efforts to rebuild Lee County.

The organization received a tremendous amount of donations, all of which were depleted by the end of 2021. At that time, mend requested financial assistance from the Governor’s Emergency Relief Fund (GERF) in order to complete its recovery efforts. It did receive those needed funds and were able to complete all of the projects and is no longer accepting donations.

Alabama Rural Ministry (A.R.M.) recently completed some final home repair cases and with those completed, Eason said that mend feels as though the tornado recovery effort has finished.

“We have spent the last year finishing up those needed home repairs that were damaged by the 2019 tornadoes," Eason said.

“We hear from some of the survivors from time to time, that still have a few needs and try as

best we can to connect them to resources in the community to help meet their ongoing needs.”

The recovery efforts initially focused on search and rescue efforts and clearing the roadways and getting power restored by the rescue, public safety and utility personnel.

Those efforts quickly changed to focusing on the grieving families laying to rest their loved ones and healing the injured, to make sure the survivors had food, clothing and shelter. Temporary housing and furniture needs became a major focus in the early weeks.

Counseling sessions and support groups for the survivors were also set up.

As supplies and donations poured in the warehouse and distribution center that had been set up, mend went to work making sure those supplies were distributed to the ones in need. Next came the clearing of the downed trees and debris with heavy equipment and volunteer teams from local churches as well as teams from all over the country that traveled to Lee County to assist with the massive clean-up effort.

Partnering with the Fuller Center, mend was able to build 20 new homes for families that lost everything. Samaritan’s Purse provided 13 mobile homes and one house to survivors of the storm.

During the last three years, there have been tens of thousands of volunteer hours, by more than 10,000 individuals, spent on repairing damaged homes.

“The outpouring of love and compassion this community has shown our neighbors in Beauregard and Smiths Station has been truly amazing,” Eason said. mend has formed relationships with many of the families that were so heavily impacted three years ago, and Eason said the organization will continue to assist them as needs arise. When asked what is next for mend, she said that it will be here to continue to support the community when and where needed.

“We hear from some of the survivors from time to time, that still have a few needs and try as best we can to connect them to resources in the community to help meet their ongoing

needs,” Eason said. “I believe mend provided a great opportunity for Lee County to ‘Love our Neighbors’ by ‘Putting OUR Faith into Action.’

Please continue to pray for the families who lost loved ones on that terrible day as they continue their grief journey.”

Eason has served as the chairperson of mend since its inception.

“It has been a wonderful journey — and a sacred honor to serve as the mend chairperson over the last three years,” Eason said.

According to Eason, a revisioning of the Lee County VOAD (Volunteer Organizations Assisting in Disaster) is underway with the Lee County Emergency Management Agency (LCEMA) leading this effort.

LCEMA Director Rita Smith said that VOAD is a component of the EMA and faith-based volunteers are members of VOAD. “The Lee County VOAD was and continues to be a great asset when disaster strikes,” Smith said. “We are so thankful for the fantastic relationships we have with all of our VOAD partners.”

Storm Preparedness and Response Workshops Planned CONTRIBUTED BY ACES

BY WES ELLARD

Alabama is no stranger to bad weather.

The southern part of the state contends with hurricanes every two and a half years.

The northern part of the state is slammed with over 50 tornadoes each year, with those numbers rising. That’s not even mentioning the above-average amount of heavy thunderstorms that cover the state regularly.

All of the wind, lighting and debris flying through the air

LIBRARIES >>

FROM A1

class, said the group’s purpose in selecting this project is two-fold. “… I am very proud

can cause significant property damage. In the recent decades, historic hailstorms and tornadoes have led to more and more people storm proofing their homes.

However, homeowners often forget one crucial aspect of protecting their homes: trees.

To help prepare people for treerelated severe weather events, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System is holding several storm preparedness and response workshops throughout the state.

These educational

opportunities include tree risk assessment workshops and chain saw safety workshops.

“The primary goal of these workshops is to improve the storm response knowledge of municipalities, emergency response personnel and homeowners,” said Beau Brodbeck, an Alabama Extension forestry specialist.

BE PROACTIVE TO REDUCE TREE RISKS It is important to be proactive when it comes to tree risks. Obviously, a whole tree falling onto property will

cause massive damage.

What homeowners may forget is that larger trees can have massive limbs as well. If these limbs fail at any time, it can be devastating or even fatal. Foresters call these large dead or detached tree limbs “widow makers” for a reason. The tree risk assessment workshops will include information on identifying structural defects in trees, tree health, potential hazards around trees and legal information.

CHAIN SAW SAFETY SAVES LIVES According to

Brodbeck, the number of chain saw related injuries that happen after storms is much higher than injuries caused by the storm. Improper technique, lack of safety equipment and general lack of caution with chain saws often lead to serious injury.

The chain saw safety workshops scheduled throughout the next few months aim to reduce these injuries. They also have the goal of providing some proper training to people who have little or none.

These workshops will cover topics such as

personal protective equipment, safety features on chain saws, saw handling, tree felling plans, limbing and saw bucking and dangerous cutting situations.

MORE INFORMATION These workshops are located all across the state, running from February through May. For information on dates, times, locations and registration, visit the Storm Preparedness and Response Workshops webpage on the Alabama Extension website at www.aces. edu.

of our class and how we have come together to promote and strengthen literacy in our community,” Rosser-Mims said.

On of March 5, from, from 9 a.m.

to 2 p.m. EST in the front parking lot of the Troy UniversityPhenix City campus, program participants will be assembling the libraries and preparing them for installation.

Information on the planned dedication dates for each library will be announced in the coming weeks.

A final component of this project is a contest to determine

the region’s favorite library constructed as a part of this project.

Once finished, photos of the libraries will be posted on the сhamber’s Facebook page and the community can

select their favorites by contributing a like.

Dates for this contest will also be announced in the coming weeks.

For more information, call the сhamber at 334-298-3639.

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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

A4 March 3, 2022

Thin Mints

T

SEAN DIETRICH

he two girls knocked on my door. They wore Kelly green berets and green vests. I greeted them.

The two Girl Scouts went through their spiel.

“We’re selling cookies, sir,” they began.

“Do you have any identification?” said I. They exchanged looks.

“Wait, what?”

“Well,” I said amiably, “how do I know you’re really Girl Scouts? A little proof would be nice. Dangerous world out there.”

I have a deep appreciation for Girl Scouts, and each year I buy a LOT of Thin Mints, which has made me quasi-famous in local Girl Scout circles.

Last year, for example, my salesgirl won a pink Cadillac.

So the tallest girl gave me her name, rank and serial number. “And this is my new American flag badge,” she added. “We had to iron it on because my mom can’t sew.”

“How about you?” I said to the girl with pigtails. “Got any ID?” Pigtails had no ID, but she did proudly display her proficiency badges, her Junior Leadership pin, her Junior Aide Award, her Daisy Safety Award pin and her Purple Heart.

Then Pigtails described in painstaking detail how she earned her Junior First Aid badge, a process wherein she not only

learned how to care for injured persons, but she rode shotgun in an ambulance, toured an emergency room and extinguished a three-story residential fire single handedly.

I pointed to another badge. “And what’s that badge for?”

“Oh, this one?” she said. “This is the Junior Inside Government badge.”

The Junior Inside Government merit badge requires Girl Scouts to explore the ethics of American government.

To do this, girls are given faux countries and charged with the task of making up fun, nonsensical, whacky laws for their countries, sort of like Congress.

I asked what kinds of laws they came up with for their faux countries.

“Um,” said one girl.

“Well, my country was called the United States of Amandica. I had a law where you got to eat candy with every meal.

Oh, and each house was required to have one swimming pool. Vegetables were illegal. And all dads had to have a permit

before eating beans.”

I pointed to another badge. “What’s this one?”

“This my Lifesaving badge. This one was really hard. I had to basically swim in a pool for-EVER and learn how to save someone’s life in the water. I learned about things like spinal injuries, rescuing a drowning person and how to give CPR.” “You mean you know CPR?” I said.

She nodded proudly.

I pointed to another badge.

“This one?” said Pigtails. “This is the Playing the Past badge. I got this one when I was little.

This is when you pick a period in history and you pretend you’re back in that time.

“I picked Colonial America. Me and my mom dressed up like colonial people and we had a party and ate colonial food.”

“Trust me,” her friend added, “you do not want to know what the colonists ate.”

I asked about another badge.

“This is the Social

Butterfly badge,” the girl said. “It’s where you learn how to talk to people at, like, a dinner party or something. You have to make conversation and not be awkward, and be super polite. You have to use your manners, learn how to use the right silverware and learn table manners from other countries, like, eating with chopsticks.”

“Yeah,” said Pigtails.

“And then we had to write a BUNCH of thankyous afterward. My mom said it was just like Junior League only with shorter people.”

After they explained several more badges, including the Practice with Purpose badge, Digital Leadership badge Simple Meals badge, Staying Fit badge, Robots badge, and the Financial Management badge, I asked about another patch.

“This one? This is the Starts With Kindness badge.”

The girls explained that to earn this particular merit badge, Scouts are expected to hold the door for someone, give hugs at random, leave

happy notes around town, make gifts for others or call someone who is not feeling well.

“For my badge, I wrote chalk messages of encouragement on the sidewalks,” said Pigtails.

"Cause I’m really good at art. So I wrote on the sidewalk, ‘you’re an amazing person,’ or ‘you can do this’ or ‘you are loved.’”

The other girl said, “For my badge, my mom and I baked desserts for everyone at my grandpa’s nursing home, and, honestly, we just showed everyone that we care about them, and how special they are, and everyone wanted their pictures with me.”

After our pleasantries, my sales professionals got down to cutting bait like two savvy businesswomen.

“So how many cookies can we put you down for this year, Mister Dietrich?”

I paid in cash. I hope those girls win a few Coupe DeVilles.

beyond its limits.

My alarm goes off, and I roll over to silence the noise. And then I see it — through the blinds and into the back yard, on the other side of the chain-link fence, in one of the daylily beds we built ourselves — a burst of red. Within a minute, I am unlocking the gate and stepping into our daylily garden. And there it is — our Shakespeare’s Red — with its bloom of crimson so deep it almost glows in the gray morning.

“Well, hi,” I whisper, bending down to touch the petals. It’s wet with dew and warm, as if it soaked up last summer’s sun and kept it buried with itself underneath the soil all this time.

If you know anything about daylilies, you know it’s way too early for a bloom. Even here in the south, where Mother Nature fools us with a few days of spring only to throw winter right back at us the next week, daylilies don’t bloom until April at the very earliest.

But, then again, this particular plant … our Shakespeare’s Red … has surprised us before.

It was the first to bloom last year, though not quite this early, and it had several offshoots that are now planted in other areas in the yard. It’s been prolific and hardy and just gorgeous. This was the first daylily we ever bought, Tim and I together. And here it stands, open to the sky, on this ugly gray morning.

Standing there in my fuzzy bathrobe and

well-worn sneakers, with the neighborhood quiet around me, I remember all the hours we’ve spent in this very spot surrounded by the beauty that is a blooming garden. And I smile, all thoughts of war and gray hair put behind me.

“Thank you,” I say and turn to go inside, planning to return before leaving for work to take at least a dozen pictures.

Walking back inside, I look around at our home — at the beloved green boat parked in the driveway, the lavender flowers on the table that Tim gave me for Valentine’s Day, the shiny new kitchen appliances, and the photos on the fridge of smiling faces surrounded by autumn leaves and sunshine — and I am brought low by how badly I’ve missed the mark this morning. The world has more than its share of gray. It always has and always will. But, oh, it has stunning colors too.

We cannot surrender to the gray because it will diminish us with every passing day. We must find the color, find the light and hold onto it with both hands.

Before leaving for the day, I take the box of hair dye out again and set in plain sight so it will be waiting for me this evening, and I go back to our Shakespeare’s Red and take one perfect photograph. This one I will print out and frame and put next to the bed as a reminder of the beauty that’s waiting for me right outside the window.

GRAY

WENDY HODGE

T

his morning I woke up and stumbled to the bathroom mirror, groggy from a lack of sleep. It’s never a good idea to look at yourself at 5 a.m. under harsh lights, especially if you spent the last seven hours watching the digital minutes tick by. But I did look, and oh my goodness … who was that old lady looking back at me?

She had fatigue etched into the crinkles around her eyes and hair more gray than black.

I open the cabinet underneath the sink and take out the box of black hair color I’ve had for weeks now

and ask that well-worn question: To Dye or Not to Dye? Maybe it’s time to surrender to the gray, just let it do its thing and say goodbye to being a brunette? But I’m too exhausted even to answer that question, so I return the box to the cabinet, pull on my fuzzy bathrobe and go back to bed. “I’ll just watch the news for a minute,” I tell myself.

“That will make me feel better.”

In the dark of the room, I shake my head at my own naivete.

When has the news ever made me feel better?

The talking heads are busy this morning. It seems while I lay in bed watching the ceiling, the world was watching Russia invade Ukraine.

We knew this was coming, but the images are still a shock to the senses. Violence has a way of doing that — stunning you, no matter how prepared you are to face it.

A video replayed from last night that showed a news reporter standing in front of a cathedral in the capital city of Kyiv. The reporter was an older gentleman, bundled up against the cold, and wearing a helmet. His hands were shaking as he held the microphone, and he looked to his right every few seconds. You could feel his fear. Explosions echoed in the distance. While he talked, the cathedral’s lights went out, and the city was draped in a blanket of gray.

It was just before dawn in that part of the world, but the sun was not expected to show up for the day. The forecast for Ukraine was cloudy … sunless ... gray … as if the weather knew what the day held in store and planned to withhold the sunlight until humans finished their ugly business.

War. Again.

It appears to be the

nature of humans to be forever in conflict with each other, forever at war over who has more or who owns what. The love of money and of power leads to this … every single time. And the rest of us, down through the ages, worry and struggle and hope that the good will survive and that innocent ones will not be lost.

It is those of us leading normal, everyday lives who will pay higher prices and face empty shelves at stores and wonder how to stretch the money we work so hard to bring home.

It is the masses who will watch death play out on our televisions and then work even harder and longer to buy milk and bread and gas and medicine.

We’ll count ourselves lucky to be safe in our homes but frustrated and exhausted because the middle-class dollar will undoubtedly be stretched and pulled

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Let’s grow Tomorrow Together.

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A5 March 3, 2022

Ivey Signs House Bill 231, Provides Tax Relief to Families Gov. Kay Ivey on Wednesday signed House Bill 231, sponsored by Rep. Jim Carns (R – HD 48) and Sen. Dan Roberts (R – SD 15), into law, providing tax relief for Alabama families.

By putting her signature on this important piece of legislation, it is being projected that Alabamians will save tens of millions of dollars.

“I am proud to sign this needed tax relief into law so that money will return directly into the hands of

hardworking Alabamians,” Ivey said. “I commend the Alabama Legislature for their work on this and look forward to this benefitting Alabama families this tax season.”

Effective for the tax year ending on Dec. 31, 2021, this act allows individual taxpayers to calculate their federal income tax deduction without consideration of certain items allowed under the American Rescue Plan Act. Any reductions to the federal income tax attributable to the federal child tax credit, the earned income tax credit

and federal child and dependent tax credits, will be calculated under the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code in effect on Dec. 31, 2020. The increased federal income tax deduction will reduce the amount of tax due on an Alabama individual income tax return.

For more information on how to receive this additional tax deduction or how to amend a current return if already filed, visit the Alabama Department of Revenue’s 2021 Federal Tax Deduction fact page: wwwrevenue.alabama. gov/arpa-tax-relief/

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

CONTRIBUTED BY THE OFFICE OF GOV. KAY IVEY

Ivey signs HB231 with Revenue Commissioner Vernon Barnett and Alabama families.

Electronics Repair Shop uBreakiFix Opens in Auburn PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

Leading tech repair provider uBreakiFix by Asurion has opened its newest franchise location in Auburn at 1550 Opelika Road, across from the Auburn Mall.

The store offers professional repair services for anything with a power button, from smartphones, tablets and computers to game consoles, smart speakers and drones — and everything in between.

While common repairs include cracked screens, battery issues and water damage, uBreakiFix repair experts have fixed more than 14 million devices and can help with most any tech mishaps, with most basic repairs completed in two hours or less. uBreakiFix Auburn is locally owned by Mahmoud Elqishawi

and Jihad Hassan, who also own a store in Montgomery. “uBreakiFix Auburn is comprised of a team of people who will go the extra mile for our customers,” said Elqishawi. “With topnotch customer service and a 90-day warranty, we are committed to making sure our customers’ devices get back up and running as smoothly, and quickly, as possible.” uBreakiFix repair experts fix all types of electronics, regardless of make or model, and uBreakiFix is an authorized repair provider for some devices, including Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel smartphones.

Customers can book a repair appointment online or stop by the store for walk-in service. uBreakiFix offers free, no-obligation diagnostics on all

gadgets, as well as a low-price guarantee and 90-day warranty on all repairs. uBreakiFix was founded in 2009 after Co-founder Justin Wetherill dropped and shattered his own smartphone, sparking the idea for a convenient, affordable repair option. Wetherill partnered with David Reiff and Eddie Trujillo to bring the concept to life, and it has since grown from a single storefront in Orlando, Florida, to more than 700 locations across the U.S. and Canada. uBreakiFix joined the Asurion® family in 2019 and now operates as a subsidiary of the tech care company.

“We are excited to serve more people in Auburn with fast and affordable tech repair,” said uBreakiFix CEO Dave Barbuto. “We all rely on our phones and

OPELIKA CITIZENS POLICE ACADEMY

LEARN HOW YOU CAN HELP MAINTAIN A SAFE COMMUNITY The Opelika Police Department invites Opelika citizens to join them for an eight-week hands on learning course.

Each week will cover various aspects of police work within the City of Opelika.

EVERY THURSDAY MARCH 31 TO MAY 19 6-8 P.M.

FREE 8 WEEK PROGRAM TOPICS COVERED • PATROL DIVISION • DETECTIVES • TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT • K9 UNIT • SWAT TEAM • APEX

laptops more than ever before, and at uBreakiFix our mission is bigger than repairing shattered screens and broken charge ports. We fix tech because people rely on tech to stay connected to things that are important to them. I look forward to serving this community through our new Auburn location.”

For more information, to view a service menu, or to book a repair appointment, visit ubreakifix.com/locations/auburn. uBreakiFix Auburn is located

at: uBreakiFix 1550 Opelika Rd Space 26, Auburn. 334-780-1700 ABOUT UBREAKIFIX BY ASURION uBreakiFix® by Asurion specializes in the repair of small electronics, ranging from smartphones, game consoles, tablets, computers and everything in between.

Cracked screens, software issues, camera issues and most other problems can be repaired by visiting uBreakiFix stores across the U.S. and Canada. Since 2016,

uBreakiFix has served as a walk-in repair partner for Google Pixel customers. In 2018, uBreakiFix became a Samsung Care authorized service provider offering same-day, in-person support for Samsung Galaxy customers across the U.S. In 2019, uBreakiFix joined the Asurion® family and now operates as a subsidiary of the tech care company while still maintaining the franchise model. For more information, visit ubreakifix.com.

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.

APPLICATION DEADLINE IS MARCH 21

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT OPELIKAPD.ORG

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

A6 March 3, 2022

Creekwood Resources Holds Private Groundbreaking Ceremony PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY CREEKWOOD RESOURCES LLC

Creekwood Resources held a groundbreaking event last Wednesday at the site of the potential quarry in Beulah.

According to a Creekwood representative, the event was not open to the public. Two citizens waited at the edge of the property, but did not enter due to ‘no trespassing' signs. Creekwood released the following statement: “Creekwood Resources reaches a significant milestone in the development of the Shady Grove Quarry. Site development has begun and a groundbreaking was held on site on Wednesday, February 23, 2022 to commemorate the achievement. " Pictured from left to right are Scott Creel of Creel Brothers Inc., Tim Wallace, Patrick Kagle-Director Alabama Mining Association, Jeff Major-Creekwood Resources, Thomas and Lois Wallace, Allan and Pam Wallace and Mark Lott of Creel Brothers Inc.”

FROM A1

individual, amazing inside and out,” he said.

“Her smile is contagious to anybody that’s ever met her. Never met a person with a higher integrity or stronger work ethic. She’s just a phenomenal person.”

Linda was committed to her work as an oncologist at East Alabama Health, treating patients with cancer.

She would wake up each morning at 3:45 a.m. to begin reviewing charts and radiology exams before she began seeing patients at 9 a.m.

“She just goes the extra mile to ensure that she’s ready for that first patient and the last patient to walk through her clinic doors,” Kermit said. “… The lucky ones, and there’s only a small percentage of the lucky ones, actually find a thing that they’re supposed to do for their career that gives them passion, that gives them purpose and my wife was one of those. And how she was able to administer quality health education and service to her patients over that many years, I still have no idea.”

Kermit said oncology has the highest burnout rate for physicians, but Linda loved her work. And she made a difference in her patients’ lives.

“Linda was the epitome of what I consider the ‘perfect’ physician,” someone commented on Facebook. “There will never be a human being, professional or not, who even comes close to having the many superior qualities your precious brilliant wife extolled upon all those individuals who were impacted by her love, care, grace, hugs, wit and overall, presence in their lives.”

Another commenter said that because of

Linda, she had a second chance at life.

“In the summer of 2017, I told Dr. Farmer I would do whatever she recommended to have another go at this life on earth. The protocol and surgeries weren’t easy and when I wanted to throw in the towel at halftime she personally called me at 9:30 p.m. one Thursday night and talked me through the darkest hours of my life.

I’m forever changed by Dr. Farmer’s servant's heart, dedication to medicine, cancer research, her grace, her humor, hugs and love for UNC. May each of us continue to shine Dr. Farmer’s light through our daily lives and feel her warmth on the tough days.”

Dana Hicks, RN, said she met Linda in 2004 when she came to East Alabama Health as a nurse.

“She was one of the few physicians in the room, she held your hand,” she said. “She listened to you. She knew her patients, knew their name, knew exactly what was going on.”

Julie Stallions, RN, said her first experience with Linda was in 2008 when she contacted her about one of her patients.

“I had to call her because we were doing report and [the] lab had called to give us a critical lab value and our policy is you call the doctor within an hour of receiving them,” Stallions said. “So it’s 6:30 in the morning and I call her and I’m like, ‘Hey, my name is Julie. I’m new here but I had a critical white blood count on your patient.’ And she said, ‘Just so you know, I get up at 4 a.m. and look at my patients’ labs so you never have to worry about whether I know about them or not because I guarantee you I looked at them way

CONTRIBUTED BY OPELIKA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Each year, the Opelika Chamber of Commerce’s 20 Under 40 class selects a service project to honor their commitment to the city of Opelika.

The 2022 20 Under 40 class selected O Grows Farmers Market to raise money to facilitate improvements to one of its outdoor classroom areas.

Built upon the history of Alabama agriculture to sustain its citizens, O Grows began in 2012. They install and maintain gardens, as well as provide related programming. Their gardens serve as outdoor classrooms, allowing children and adults to pursue life-long learning and civic engagement.

The 2022 20 Under 40 class plans to create a shade structure that PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY KERMIT FARMER

FARMER >>

20 Under 40 Class Selects Service Project

Kermit and his son Spencertake a monent to snap a photo during Linda's memorial service on Feb. 26. Kermit's caption for this photo is "This is what love looks like my peeps." before you ever got his information about it.’

And she said, ‘That’s one of the things I do.’ And she said, ‘Thank you for calling me.’ “… So then she came up here later on and she said, ‘Hey, I just wanted to introduce myself so that way you would know who I was and I would know who you are.’ And she asked me about my background and stuff like that. And that was how we met the first time.”

Linda was available at all hours for her patients, Stallions said.

Stallions told the story of one of Linda’s patients who was expected to pass away.

“Another nurse had the patient because I was a charge nurse so I don't always take patients,” she said. “She was a new nurse, and she came and got me and she said, ‘Hey, I think the patient’s passed.’ And I said, ‘okay, Dr. Farmer likes to be notified as soon as it happens.’ And I said, ‘So, we need to call her and let her know, she wants to be up here for the family.’

So the nurse called and Dr. Farmer called me and she said, ‘Julie, I just got the phone call, is the family still there?’ And I

said, ‘Yes ma’am.’ And she said, ‘I’m getting dressed, I’m on my way.’

And I was like, ‘Dr. Farmer, it’s 8 o’clock at night.’ And she was like, ‘I’m on my way.’ “… She comes up here and she goes into the room and she comes back out and I was like ‘That was quick.’ And she said, ‘Julie, I don't know this nurse. Did somebody do chest compressions on my patient?’ And I said, ‘What, no, what are you talking about?’ And she said ‘I think the nurse is mistaken.’ And I said, ‘No, I personally went and verified there were no respirations, there were no heartbeat and she goes, ‘Then tell me why my patient is sitting up on the side of the bed?’ And I said, ‘No way.’ And so I went in there, by the time we left that night, the lady was walking in the hallways. And [Linda] went back in there and she talked to the patient and she said, ‘I just was curious as to what happened.’

“And [the patient] said, ‘All I remember was, it got really bright and a voice told me to turn around.’ And I said, ‘Dr. Farmer, I think we just saw a miracle.’ And she

goes, ‘You get it, don’t you?’”

Linda didn’t only deeply care for her patients but for the nurses and doctors she worked with.

“We’ve all been a family,” Hicks said.

Linda would check in on staff members and nurses to make sure they were well emotionally and mentally.

“She is a remarkable woman and Kermit said it best that we’re the lucky 3% that got to know her,” Stallions said. “Imagine everyone else in this world who didn’t and how sad that is that they’re not getting to meet that wonderful lady.”

Kermit said that his wife received about 1,000 get-well cards.

Linda found oncology after exploring different specialties of medicine and ruling out the ones that didn’t fit.

“She knew she didn’t want to do general medicine,” Kermit said.

“She spent about 30 seconds in pediatrics … she knew that wasn’t right for her and looked at cardiology, looked at different things,” Kermit said. “It wasn’t until she got to oncology,

includes a misting system to enable more effective use of their outdoor classroom during the hottest parts of the year.

There are multiple sponsorship opportunities ranging from $100, $500 and $5,000, but every donation helps achieve their fundraising efforts for this project. Donations can be made via check to the Opelika Chamber Foundation or via PayPal at @OpelikaChamber.

Donations are tax deductible. Please include 20 Under 40 in the memo line.

We hope you will consider donating to this service project. Thank you for your support!

If you have questions or concerns, contact Mackenzie at Mackenzie@ opelikachamber.com to learn more. which she equated to a chessboard that really mentally challenged her.

“There’s so much nuance to treating not only the patient’s physical needs, but the emotional needs and the family’s needs that she gravitated toward it, because it is a hard craft and she wanted to exercise her brain in that and thought she was up for that.”

Kermit and Linda met in Birmingham when they lived in the same condominium complex.

They would see one another walking their dogs.

“She had a wild child [dog] and I was like, ‘hey, you need help walking that beast of yours?’ And one thing led to another.”

Their 20th wedding anniversary would have been in May. Kermit and Linda adopted a son, Spencer, from Korea, who is now 15.

Linda moved to the United States when she was 14-years-old, without any knowledge of English, but she taught herself.

“When she was coming to the U.S., she didn’t want to go by her first name which is Hyoseon, so standing in the federal building or whatever, ‘well what name do you want to be called?’ And the only thing that came to mind was Wonder Woman,” Kermit said.

“And she said, ‘well who is that?’ And her name is Lynda Carter. ‘I want to be Lynda.’ She didn't know the spelling of the name, which has actually bothered her all this time that she didn’t spell Linda the way that Lynda Carter did.

“That is how she came to the U.S. When we have adversity, like going to a new country that you didn’t know you were going to, right, and you figure it out and you set a gauntlet like ‘I'm going to be Wonder Woman in this community.’ And she is.”

E vents, Food, & SocietyNews

UPCOMING EVENTS MARCH 5: MICHELLE MALONE AT THE SOUND WALL MARCH 9: JAKE BLOUT AT STANDARD DELUXE

Family, Community Top Priorities For Former Teacher Jean Heath PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

Ann Cipperly

Southern

Hospitality

W

ith a family history in Opelika going back for generations, Jean Heath, having a love for children, followed in the footsteps of her grandmother and mother by becoming a school teacher. Jean and her husband, Bruce, are both enjoying time in retirement with their three children and seven grandchildren, while continuing their top priorities of family and being involved in the community.

Jean’s parents were Jean and Jack Meadows, and her grandparents were Gertrude and Jack Meadows Sr. Her mother taught

for 30 years at Northside School, while her father was a cotton broker and also had his own company, Spot Cotton.

Her grandmother, Gertrude Meadows, taught English at Opelika Junior High School and was on the Board of Education.

Grandmother Meadows taught both of Jean’s brothers, Bob and Rainer, but she retired before Jean was in junior high school.

Grandfather Jack Meadows Sr. was a banker at First National Bank.

Growing up, Jean knew she wanted to follow in her mother and grandmother’s footsteps as a

teacher. Both of the ladies were respected and loved by their students. After graduating from Opelika High School, Jean attended Auburn University.

When she graduated from Auburn, Jean followed her mother and grandmothers as a school teacher. After Jean and Bruce married, they lived in Enterprise, Troy and Eufaula with his work before moving to Opelika.

Jean retired from Opelika City Schools after teaching 32 years. She taught at Opelika Middle School as the instructional resource.

“I think Opelika schools are among the best, if not

Starry Night Senior Prom Friday, April 22 Auburn Parks and Recreation will host its inaugural senior prom on Friday, April 22, starting at 6 p.m. The prom will be at Frank Brown Recreation Center and is open to adults 50 plus.

Come enjoy an evening under the stars at the Starry Night Senior Prom.

Join us for music, dancing, dinner and the crowning for prom See PROM, page A8

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY CITY OF AUBURN

CONTRIBUTED BY THE CITY OF AUBURN

Family and community are most important to the family of Jean and Bruce Heath. Pictured are front row, from left, Stacey Heath, Joseph Heath, Luc Heath, Sadie Heath, Clark Heath, Bruce Heath, Jessie Heath; and back row are Will Heath, Turner Heath, Jean Heath, Bruce Heath, Beth Heath, Rad Heath, Jack Heath and Whit Heath. Photo special to The Observer

the best, in the state,” Jean said. “We don’t realize what a jewel we have in Opelika schools. If you go outside of Lee County, you might see something different.”

Bruce grew up in Enterprise, and one set of grandparents lived close by on a farm, and the

other grandparents lived in Headland. Bruce spent a great deal of time with his grandparents on the farm and helped with the garden. They also grew peanuts and had cows as well as other animals.

He helped his grandmother with canning and freezing vegetables from

the garden and boiling peanuts. Bruce also watched his mother and other grandmother cook and developed an interest in cooking, too.

Over the years, Jean and Bruce shared the cooking responsibilities, but since he retired from See CIPPERLY, page A10

Send Team Alabama to 2022 Special Olymics USA Games Jersey Mike’s 12th Annual “Month of Giving” Celebrates Special Olympics Athletes Nationwide CONTRIBUTED BY JERSEY MIKE’S SUBS

The 2022 Special Olympics USA Games is joining forces with 22 Jersey Mike’s Subs locations throughout Alabama for its 12th Annual March “Month of Giving” campaign. During the month of March, customers can make a donation at any Jersey Mike’s restaurant to help nearly 200 local Team Alabama athletes and the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games, held June 5 to 12, in Orlando, Florida.

Athletes will compete

in 19 sports including athletics, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, basketball, flag football and many more.

The Month of Giving campaign will culminate with Jersey Mike’s “Day of Giving” on Wednesday, March 30, when local Jersey Mike’s restaurants

will give 100% of the day’s sales — not just profit — to the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games and the local state Programs attending the USA Games.

For the first time in the 12-year history of Month of Giving, Jersey Mike’s owners See GAMES, page A8

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

221 9th St, Opelika • 334.741.0808

A8 March 3, 2022

Making the Grade: On the Road to Lanett, Alabama PHOTOS BY MIKE WALLACE

STACEY PATTON WALLACE

B

ack when my husband Mike and I were teachers in LaGrange, Georgia, we traveled to 202 S. Gilmer Ave. in Lanett, Alabama, quite often to dine at El Rio Grande, our favorite Mexican restaurant on the planet.

Even when we moved to Auburn in November of 2015, we continued to eat at El Rio Grande, often on late Friday afternoons after leaving Long Cane Middle School. Since Lanett is on Eastern or fast time, we arrived there at about 4:30 p.m. Eastern. Now, I know that that sounds really early, but I had eaten lunch at 10:50 a.m.

Eastern (That’s 9:50 a.m.

Central, or God’s time; we called it brunch.).

Also, as I’ve mentioned before, Mike usually didn’t eat lunch, so we were ravenous by that time.

Incidentally, I’ve always thought it was ridiculous that my beloved home state of Alabama is in two different time zones when we’re the 28th state in geographic

GAMES

>>

FROM A7

and operators nationwide will support a single cause. The company hopes to surpass last year’s record-breaking $15 million raised for charity. Jersey Mike’s Month of Giving has raised more than $47 million for local charities since it began in 2011.

“We’ve been involved with Special Olympics since 1975, and it is an honor for Jersey Mike’s to be the presenting partner of the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games,” said Peter Cancro, Jersey Mike’s founder and CEO. “We support the organization’s mission to foster inclusivity, and help its athletes shine on and off the field. I invite everyone to join us and celebrate our country’s Special Olympics athletes during Month of Giving.”

Every four years, more than 5,500 athletes and coaches from all 50 states unite to compete in one of the most beloved and inspiring sporting events in the US — the Special Olympics USA Games. It is all part

size. In my opinion, ALL of Alabama should be on Central Time, including that sliver of the eastern side of the state.

My sweet husband told me that cities such as Lanett, Valley, Phenix City, etc., were on Eastern Time because many people who lived there actually worked in Georgia, which is on Eastern.

Big deal; they would adjust, as did we. We lived geographically in the Central Time Zone but worked on Eastern Time. However, I don’t think the lawmakers in Montgomery will go for my idea. But, I digress.

Awhile back, Mike, our sweet friend Lynda and I went to dine at El Rio Grande. Besides being one of the best Christian women I know, Lynda, as I’ve mentioned before, is an AMAZINGLY talented pianist at our church, Central Baptist of Opelika, and, bless her heart, she is teaching me to play. However, I’ve been playing the piano for a little over a year, while Lynda has been playing for about 58 years. Therefore, in education terms, I’m in Pre-K, and Lynda has several Ph.D.s. Also,

Lynda has great taste in restaurants because she loves El Rio Grande as much as we do.

When we arrived, we, of course, requested to sit in Jose’s, a.k.a.

“Nacho’s” area. Jose is the best. server. ever.

Also, he’s so sweet and helpful; in addition, he has the most amazing memory for remembering what we love to order.

For our appetizer, we, as usual, ordered El Rio Grande’s delicious cheese dip with our chips and salsa. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m a serious dripper. Well, I really outdid myself that evening. An outline of cheese dip decorated the table as I tried valiantly to mop up my mess.

(Remember, I love alliteration.)

For his entrée, Mike ordered his favorite dish, burritos bravos with beef (Diners may also choose chicken.). This dish consists of two beef tip burritos covered with cheese sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and guacamole. However, Mike asked Jose to hold the lettuce, tomato and guacamole. I know; I don’t understand leaving out those three delicious

of a global movement using sports to end discrimination and empower people with intellectual disabilities. Jersey Mike’s is the presenting sponsor of the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games.

Throughout March, customers can make donations through the Jersey Mike’s mobile app or in-store. On Day of Giving, Jersey Mike’s restaurants will donate their resources and every single dollar that comes in — whether in-store, on-line or through the app — to the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games and the local state Programs attending the USA Games.

For a list of participating restaurants in your area please visit our location listing by state.

ABOUT JERSEY MIKE’S Jersey Mike’s Subs, with more than 2,000 locations nationwide, serves authentic fresh sliced/fresh grilled subs on in-store freshly baked bread — the same recipe it started with in 1956. Passion for giving in Jersey Mike’s local communities is reflected in its mission statement: 'Giving ... making a difference in some-

one’s life.” For more information, please visit jerseymikes. com or follow us on Facebook (facebook. com/jerseymikes), Instagram (instagram. com/jerseymikes) and Twitter (twitter.com/ jerseymikes.com).

ABOUT SPECIAL OLYMPICS USA GAMES The 2022 Special Olympics USA Games is scheduled for June 5-12, 2022, in Orlando, Fla. Jersey Mike’s Subs is the Presenting Partner and the event is hosted by Disney.

During this magical week, more than 5,500 athletes and coaches from all 50 states and the Caribbean will travel to Florida to unite in one of the country’s most cherished sporting events.

The USA Games is hosted once every four years and showcases 19 Olympic-style team and individual sports and 30 events throughout the week including forums and VIP receptions. For more information, please visit www.2022USAGames.org or follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/SpecialOlympicsUSAGames), Instagram (instagram. com/specialolympicsusagames) and Twitter (twitter. com/2022USAGames).

items either, but I love him anyway.

I also chose my favorite dish, No. 55 — chicken fajita quesadilla (Diners may also choose steak.). This dish includes chicken with melted cheese, tomatoes, onions and bell pepper.

This girl orders it all the way: with guacamole, pico de gallo and sour cream.

Since I raved over this dish, Lynda ordered it, too, but with steak instead of chicken. Oh, my three times. As usual, our food was too delicious to describe. I’m ready to go back there now just writing about it.

Now, since we commuted for four years, three months and two weeks up and down I-85 before we retired in 2020, we aren’t too fond of that particular highway. However, trust me; El Rio Grande is worth the trip.

Besides our delectable cheese dip appetizer, El Rio Grande also

PROM >>

FROM A7

king and prom queen.

Guests can purchase tickets at the Harris Center

serves diners: nachos with beans, cheese or beef, nachos supreme, guacamole dip, bean or beef dip, Mexican guacamole, choriqueso and chorizo dips. In addition, the restaurant serves a large variety of salads and soups. Last, as the menu says, “If variety is the spice of fine dining, then El Rio is sure to please, with over 140 food dishes to choose from.” I couldn’t agree more. Run and do not walk to El Rio Grande.

Lynda, sweet friend, this one was for you; we love you!

El Rio Grande is open on Sunday from 11 a.m.

to 8 p.m. (Eastern Time); on Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Eastern Time) El Rio Grande makes the grade with an A+ from this retired English teacher. Remember, “Pooh-sized” people NEVER lie about food.

Enjoy!

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

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

for $25 per person.

Please refrain from wearing high heels to avoid damaging the gymnasium floor.

For more information, contact Sarah

Cook at scook@ auburnalabama. org, visit the city of Auburn’s Facebook page at facebook.com/ CityofAuburnAL or go to auburnalabama. org/parks.

Trinity Christian School Drama Presents

Showtimes: March 18, 2022 at 6:30 pm March 19, 2022 at 1 pm & 6:30 pm Performances at The Southside Center For the Arts 1103 Glenn Street, Opelika Tickets on Sale NOW in the school office! Call 334.745.2464 Tickets $5

A9 March 3, 2022

• March 3 — Whiskey night featuring Knob Creek Single Barrel (Hound Pick) for half-off at Sneak & Dawdle • March 3 from 6 to 9 p.m. — @chubbybellynoods pop-up at Sneak & Dawdle • March 4 at 8 p.m. — George Harrison, Ford Rangers at Rock ‘N Roll Pinball ($5 cover) • March 4 from 7 to 10 p.m. — Kasey Kaschak performing at Resting Pulse Brewing Co. • March 5 at 8:30 p.m. — Hassleinone at Rock ‘N Roll Pinball ($5 cover) • March 5 from 7 to 10 p.m. — Kasey Kaschak performing at Whistle Stop Bottle & Brew • March 6 from 5 to 10 p.m. — Industry Night at Z&Z Cigar Co. OTHER INFORMATION:

This past week, Bryan Elmore who is vice president for Budgets and Business Operations at Auburn University, spoke to the Opelika Kiwanis Club. He gave the group a peek behind the curtains on the inflows and outflows of funds. The speaker for next week has yet to be determined.

- Six Dollar Cafe will be cooking up Nashville hot chicken sandwiches, chicken fingers, and catfish sandwiches, sides, French fries, cole slaw, baked beans at Rock ‘N Roll Pinball on Friday.

- Z&Z Cigar Co. is kicking off March with drink specials on Tuesday to Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m.

- CoLab has office work spaces readily available.

- Tart & Tartan's menu includes caramelized onion chicken, chicken Alfredo, cream cheese spaghetti and poppyseed chicken this week.

MAFFIAS ITALIAN RESTAURANT

- Fringe Consignment is having 50% off boots and coats this week.

NOW OPEN: TUESDAY - SUNDAY 11 A.M. T0 9 P.M. LUNCH SPECIALS STARTING AT $8 TUESDAY - FRIDAY 11 TO 3

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

Bryan Elmore Visits Opelika Kiwanis Club

A10 March 3, 2022

Mardi Party!

The city of Auburn held its annual Mardi Gras Parade Saturday.

CIPPERLY >>

FROM A7

USDA - Rural Development, he does more of the cooking. Bruce generally cooks on the grill three times a week. One of their favorites is when he cooks a Boston butt or pork roast and a chicken enhanced with his favorite rub. He allows the pork to drip on the chicken. He serves this with a barbecue sauce from a recipe in a 1970s Auburn Extension Cookbook.

When the children and grandkids visit, Bruce

will cook on the grill, while Jean prepares the sides and desserts.

The Heaths have three sons and seven grandchildren, “The Sensational Seven.” They are Will and Stacey, who live in Leeds and have two children, Sadie and Joseph; Jack and Beth, who live in Atlanta and have three children, Luc, Clark and Turner; and Whit and Jessie, who reside in Opelika with two children, Bruce and Rad. All three sons graduated from Opelika High School.

Their oldest son Will is following in his family’s

footsteps as a teacher. He is teaching communication and journalism at the college level.

As a busy school teacher when the boys were growing up, Jean preferred quick and easy recipes like her mother.

All three of the boys were active in sports and involved in after school activities.

A teacher friend in Eufaula gave her the quick chicken pie recipe that her sons enjoyed. When possible, Jean had the family gather at the table for dinner after coming home from activities. Everyone

had to share something from their day when they were sitting around the table.

They always had dinner together on Sunday after church and enjoyed visiting grandparents. Her mother’s family is from Union Springs, and they visited there often on weekends.

“We are family oriented and love our community,” Jean said.

“We try to be involved in the community and at the First United Methodist of Opelika.”

Bruce has been on the Keep Opelika Beautiful

Board for ten years and is the president, while Jean serves on the board at the Museum of East Alabama. “The museum is a hidden treasure,” said Jean. “A lot of people don’t know what all is there.” The museum recently had a stunning mural painted on a side wall.

One of Jean’s brothers, Rainer, is owner of Victory Designs, and Jean sometimes helps out at the store. Her other brother, Bob, is a local attorney.

Jean is sharing favorite recipes from her moth-

er and Bruce’s mother as well as friends. The Reuben Dip is a family favorite. Jean prepares this recipe to take to family get togethers.

At Easter, Bruce will cook a ham after church, and Jean will prepare the mac and cheese, the grandchildren’s favorite, as one of the sides. The congealed salads are favorites of her children for holidays.

“We are all about our family and community,” Jean said, as she carries on family traditions and starts new ones for their seven grandchildren.

A11 March 3, 2022

Yardi-Gras - A Unique Way to Celebrate Mardi Gras

PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER

JOIN US FOR

THE SANDWICH SITUATION

Hear a 4 person panel discussion on how to navigate being in the "caregiving sandwich generation" caring for both children & parents!

MARCH 10 | 4-6PM ALL OVER HIGH TEA & PASTRIES AT THE WELL 824 AVE A, OPELIKA AL Brought to you by the Chamber's Women's Business Council

SPONSORED BY:

A12 March 3, 2022

CIPPERLY RECIPES >> SPECIAL BARBECUE Bruce cooks on the grill about three times a week. One of their favorites is a Boston butt or pork roast and a chicken with his favorite rub. He allows the pork to drip on the chicken, as he cooks the meats on indirect heat and checks the temperature for doneness.

It generally takes at least two hours cooking time. Bruce uses a barbecue sauce recipe from a 1970s Auburn Extension Cookbook. ½ lb. butter 1 cup vinegar 2 cups tomato catsup 4 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 1 Tbsp. Tabasco sauce 1 Tbsp. salt 3 Tbsp. prepared mustard Dash red pepper Juice of 1 lemon Melt butter; add vinegar. Then add other ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil, and let it simmer for a few minutes. Makes 3 ½ to 4 cups.

CHICKEN SPAGHETTI Recipe is from Polly Jernigan, who was a family friend. Recipe was in her cookbook, “Good, Good, Good.”

3 cups cooked chicken, cubed 1 onion chopped 1 cup celery, chopped 2 cans mushroom soup 1 soup can chicken stock 1 bell pepper,

chopped 2 Tbsp. pimientos 2 cups grated sharp cheese About 6 oz. thin spaghetti ½ cup Parmesan cheese Sauté onion, celery and bell pepper in oleo until tender. Mix with chicken, mushroom soup, cheese and pimiento.

Cook spaghetti in stock or salted water.

Drain. Mix all together. Pour into a casserole and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes covered.

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE WITH COCONUT AND PECANS Recipe is from Bruce’s mother, Virginia Heath.

3 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes 1 cup sugar 2 eggs ½ cup milk 1 tsp. vanilla ⅓ cup butter Pinch salt Mix until smooth Pour into a casserole dish. Top with the following (mix and sprinkle on top) 1 cup brown sugar ⅓ cup flour ⅓ cup melted butter 1 cup coconut, shredded 1 cup chopped pecans Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes.

FRUITCAKE COOKIES

Recipe is from Jean’s mother, Jean Meadows.

1 ½ cups sugar 1 cup butter 3 large eggs 1 tsp. vanilla 3 cups flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1 lb. candied fruit 4 cups chopped pecans 1 cup raisins Pinch salt Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Beat sugar and butter at medium speed until creamy.

Add eggs one at a time. Stir in vanilla.

Sift together flour, baking soda and salt.

Gradually add to the sugar mixture. Stir in fruit and pecans.

Drop by tablespoons on the cookie sheet. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Cool for 20 minutes before removing from cookie sheet.

REUBEN DIP Recipe is a favorite at the family Christmas Eve party every year. ¾ lb. corned beef, chopped 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, room temperature 15 oz. can sauerkraut, chopped 12 oz. grated Swiss cheese 1 ½ cups sour cream Round sourdough loaf or Hawaiian bread for serving Combine all ingredients except bread and heat to get the mixture well combined.

Serve in a round of sourdough or Hawai-

ian bread. Cut hole in the center and serve the mixture in the bread bowl. Use the pieces of bread from the center to dip in the bread bowl. Have crackers available too.

CHOCOLATE CHIP CHEESE BALL Recipe is from Colleen Alsobrook.

8 oz. cream cheese ½ cup real butter ¼ tsp. vanilla ¾ cup confectioner sugar 2 Tbsp. brown sugar ¾ cup mini chocolate chips ½ or ¾ cup chopped pecans Cinnamon graham crackers for serving Let cream cheese and butter soften. Mix all ingredients together, except for pecans and crackers. Let sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Mold into a ball with your hands and sprinkle pecans on top. Serve with cinnamon graham crackers.

MACARONI AND CHEESE All of Jean’s and Bruce’s grandchildren like Mac and Cheese. This favorite recipe is from Terri Neighbors.

8 oz. elbow macaroni , cooked according to package directions and drained Small can mushrooms 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1 jar pimientos 1 cup mayonnaise 1 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, grated Topping: Ritz crackers Melted butter Mix all ingredients together, except topping. Pour into greased baking pan.

Top with crumbled Ritz crackers and melted butter mixed together. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

HAM DELIGHTS Recipe is from Anna Asbury.

3 pkg. party rolls ½ lb. margarine, softened 3 Tbsp. prepared

mustard 3 Tbsp. poppy seeds 1 medium onion, chopped 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 1 lb. ham, shredded ½ lb. Swiss cheese, sliced Split party rolls open. Combine margarine, mustard, poppy seeds, onion and Worcestershire sauce; mix well. Spread top and bottom of rolls with blended mixture.

Add ham to rolls and top with Swiss cheese. Place halves of rolls together.

Wrap tightly in foil in the aluminum roll trays. Heat 10 minutes at 400 degrees.

EASY CORNBREAD MUFFINS Recipe is from Jean’s grandmother, Gertrude Meadows.

1 cup self-rising cornmeal 1 cup buttermilk 1 egg ½ stick oleo, melted Mix all ingredients together. Spray muffin pans with Pam and put mixture in muffin tins. Bake 20 minutes at 400 degrees.

TIRED MAMA CHICKEN PIE Recipe is from Barbara Martin.

2 deep dish pie crusts 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 can Veg•All 1 - 2 cans of chicken chopped (or 2-3 cups of boiled chicken) 1 chicken bouillon cube Drain Veg•All and boil vegetables in water with a bouillon cube until the cube dissolves completely.

Drain but save the water. Mix vegetables with other ingredients. (If the mixture seems dry, add some of the water you saved and put some celery salt in the mixture, too).

Pour the mixture into one of the pie crusts and cover with the second one.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes or until the crust is

golden. (If you have leftover vegetables, you can add them instead of Veg•All.) LIME CONGEALED SALAD Recipe from Jean’s mother, Jean Meadows. This is a holiday favorite.

1 pkg. lime Jell-O ½ cup warm water 1 small can crushed pineapple, drain and save the pineapple juice 10 marshmallows or 20 little ones 1 small pkg. cream cheese, room temperature ½ pint whipping cream, whipped 1 cup chopped pecans Mix Jell-O and water. Add pineapple juice. Melt marshmallows with Jell-O. Cool.

Mix cream cheese and whipped cream.

Add other ingredients and mix well. Put in dish and cool.

CRANBERRY CONGEALED SALAD Recipe is from Bruce’s mother, Virginia Heath. This is a holiday favorite.

3 oz. pkg. cherry Jell-O (any red will do) 2 cups hot water, divided 16 oz. can whole cranberry sauce 3 oz. pkg. lemon Jell-O Small can crushed pineapple, do not drain Small pkg. cream cheese, room temperature ⅓ cup mayonnaise ½ cup whipping cream, whipped 1 cup tiny marshmallows ¼ cup chopped pecans Dissolve red Jell-O in 1 cup of hot water.

Stir in cranberry sauce and pour into a 3 qt rectangular glass dish.

Chill until set.

Dissolve lemon Jell-O in 1 cup of hot water. Cool. Whip cream cheese and mayonnaise together until fluffy. Add lemon Jell-O mixture and pineapple. Add the whipped cream, marshmallows and pecans.

Spread over the cranberry layer and chill until firm.

A13 March 3, 2022

A14 March 3, 2022

We Are Glad

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

I

t’s been a long time, but I can still remember an occasion when our son, Nathan, was young — about kindergarten age. It was early on a peaceful Sunday morning in Sumter, South Carolina.

We were going to a men’s breakfast before church at a local restaurant named Cole’s.

Nathan was known to the men at church and the people at the restaurant as The Waffle King. He loved waffles.

There was no need to go over the menu with him — everyone knew what he wanted. On this particular morning as we were headed to Cole’s, I remember doing a question-response thing with him that we sometimes did.

Where are we going?

Cole’s!

What are you going to eat there?

Waffles!

Do you love eating waffles?

Yes! And what do we love even more than eating waffles?

God! That’s right. And what is the most

important thing in life?

To love God and other people!

That was the gist of it. As I said, I remember doing something like this on several occasions with him. It was one of the ways I tried to implement Deuteronomy 6:4ff and to help him understand, even at his young age, what life was meant to be about. We could layer in the details later.

That’s what God was doing at Sinai when he told His people, “You shall have no other gods before Me.” He wanted them to understand what life was meant to be about. The rest of the law would layer in the details.

And when Christ told His questioner that the greatest command was

ABOUT BRUCE GREEN

to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and the second greatest was to love your neighbor as yourself — well, He was doing the same thing, wasn’t He? Paul would speak to Timothy about a God “who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment” (1 Timothy 6:17). That’s all I was trying to do that Sunday morning. In the context of us enjoying some good things from God (eating waffles at Cole’s, fellowship with the men of the church), I wanted Nathan to understand Who it was from, and how we said “Thank-You.” That’s really what God was doing at Sinai.

It’s an ominous scene I understand, but if Israel

listened to the words of v. 2 before the command of v. 3, they were reminded of the glorious liberation God had given to them in their rescue from Egypt. And out of the context of His goodness they were being told how to say “Thank-You.” When we begin to think and look at it that way, it’s really a game changer. Rather than viewing God’s commands as burdensome, they become ways of expressing our gratitude to Him. They become ways we celebrate His goodness in our lives.

We have no other God, and we are glad.

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:www. a-taste-of-gracewith-bruce-green.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

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. — 1 John 4:18

Got Questions?

Come Study With Us

THE CHURCH OF CHRIST AT CUNNINGHAM DRIVE 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.

CHURCH DIRECTORY

APOSTOLIC HOLINESS

Emmanuel Temple of Deliverance Inc. 28 Sanford Ave., Opelika 334-745-0210 God’s House of Prayers Holiness Church 301 Highland Ave., Opelika 334-749-9672 True Deliverance Holiness Church 936 N. Donahue Dr., Auburn 334-502-4700

BAPTIST

Bethesda Baptist Church 201 S. 4th St., Opelika 334-745-7528 Beulah Baptist Church 5500 Lee Road 270, Valley 334-705-0538 Cooperative Baptist Fellowship 128 East Glenn Ave., Auburn 334-887-8506 Friendship Missionary Baptist Church 3089 Judge Brown Rd., Valley 334-710-2117 Greater Peace Missionary Baptist Church 650 Jeter Ave., Opelika 334-749-9487 Green Chapel Missionary Baptist 390 Lee Road 106, Auburn

(334) 749-4184 High Hope Baptist Church 227 Lee Road 673 334-524-8750 Lakeview Baptist Church 1600 E. Glenn Ave., Auburn 334-887-7094 Pepperell Baptist 2702 2nd Ave., Opelika 334-745-3108 Providence Baptist Church 2807 Lee Road 166, Opelika 334-745-4608

EPISCOPAL

Union Grove Baptist Church 4009 Lee Road 391, Opelika 334-749-0461

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

CHURCH OF CHRIST

Church of Christ at Cunningham 2660 Cunningham Dr., Opelika 10th Street Church Of Christ 500 N. 10th St., Opelika 334-745-5181 Church Of Christ 2215 Marvyn Pkwy., Opelika 334-742-9721 Southside Church Of Christ 405 Carver Ave., Opelika 334-745-6015

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Good Sheperd Anglican Church 3015 Opelika Road, Opelika

Emmanuel Episcopal Church 800 1st Ave., Opelika 334-745-2054

METHODIST

Auburn United Methodist Church 137 South Gay St., Auburn 334-826-8800 Beulah United Methodist Church 5165 Lee Road 270, Valley 334-745-4755

NON-DENOMINATIONAL

PRESBYTERIAN

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

SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST Opelika Outreach S.D.A. Church P.O. Box 386, Opelika 334-749-3151

OBITUARIES MARGIE REE DELEE Mrs. Margie Ree DeLee Thrift age 77, a resident of Millbrook, Alabama, passed away on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022, at a local hospital. Funeral services for Mrs. Thrift were held on Friday, Feb. 25, 2022 at 2 p.m. from the chapel of Brookside Funeral Home with Rev. Adam Rackliffe officiating. The interment followed at Brookside Memorial Gardens. Margie was preceded in death by her parents Albert and

Lucille Shores DeLee. She was retired from Sears after working many years. She is survived by her son Lynn Thrift (Lisa), daughter Judy Thrift, brothers Leonard Cronan, Woody Cronan (Pat), grandchildren Justin Thrift, Amanda Thrift, Audrey Harbison (Brandon), Olivia Thrift, great grandson Brooks Harbison.

Brookside Funeral Home, Crematorium & Memorial Gardens of Millbrook, Alabama directed.

See OBITUARIES, page A15

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

A15 March 3, 2022

No Wiggle Room for Prejudice

WALTER ALBRITTON

“Y

ou sorry dog!” The use of those insulting words sometimes led to a fist fight when I was growing up.

Little did I realize this was not a new way to demean someone. The Jews called Gentiles “dogs” 2500 years ago.

Even Paul called the Judaizers “dogs” in his letter to the Philippians.

Prejudice has always divided people. It remains a harsh reality in our time. The temptation to scorn other ethnic groups is forever with us. Bigotry stands at the threshold of every heart, ready to walk in whenever self-righteousness leaves the door ajar.

I was not only saved from my sins by trusting Jesus, I was also saved from racism by the grace of God. Growing up in central Alabama I embraced the racism of my parents. Fortunately, the

Lord changed them and me. He taught us that we could not truly love Jesus and remain bigoted toward people of a different color.

Jesus leaves his followers no wiggle room for racism. Either we give it up or forfeit the privilege of being his disciples. We cannot love people and discriminate against them at the same time. John illuminates this truth: If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God who he has not seen. And

this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also (1 John 4:20-21).

Paul reminds us that the Church is made up of all flavors of people: There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28).

Jesus and his disciples were Jews. The disciples were not happy when Jesus insisted on going “through Samaria.” Loving the despised Samaritans into the Kingdom was not on their agenda.

But Jesus took them

through Samaria anyway. There he ignored social custom by talking to a Samaritan “street” woman who was ostracized by other women.

The conversation resulted in the woman, who was thirsty for God’s grace, learning to drink of “living water” that quenched the thirsting of her soul. She was so blessed that she ran into the village to share with others the joy of meeting Jesus.

Many of us who are white have learned to go beyond sending money to missionaries serving in Africa; we are discovering the joy of loving, and serving with,

our black and Hispanic neighbors in our own community. That’s what, according to the New Testament, Jesus wants us to do — extend our love to all people, not just those of our own race. Doing so validates the certain truth that if Jesus died for anyone anywhere, he died for all people everywhere.

If we truly walk with Jesus in today’s culture, we will celebrate our oneness in Christ and also demonstrate it by overcoming prejudice with love. There is, after all, no wiggle room for racist attitudes or bigoted behavior.

motherhood with Navy wife life obligations.”

Marilyn was the fire behind every one of Mike’s, Jessica’s, and Mackenzie’s successes. Her proudest accomplishments live on through each of them.

Marilyn will be desperately missed by all those that she’s left behind.

Our hearts are so broken by this unexpected loss. She was one of a kind.

To be loved by her was to be truly blessed. To say that she will be missed is a colossal understatement.

A funeral mass was given for her at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Auburn on Saturday, Feb. 26. There was a reception after the mass.

If Marilyn had one weakness in life, it was in her difficulty in saying “goodbye”. She was consistently an inconsolable sobbing mess and saying goodbye was always difficult for everyone around her. She felt so much love that it would hurt.

Right now, we are inclined to believe she had it exactly right. So rather than say goodbye, we will instead take comfort in knowing that we will with certainty see her again and feel her warm embrace in Heaven.

In lieu of flowers, Marilyn would like you to: Register as a bone marrow donor. It is easy and all you have to do is

give a small vial of blood.

There are multiple sites for information, here is one www.bethematch.org/ support-the-cause/ Be a blood donor.

Donate to St. Jude Children’s Hospital at www. stjude.org/content/sites/ www/en_US/home/donate/ donate-to-st-jude-today.html

OBITUARIES JACK WALKER Jack Walker, 92, of Auburn, went home to be with the Lord on Feb. 21, 2022. He was born in Tuskegee, Alabama, on Jan. 28, 1930, to Opal Thompson Walker and Doyle Whatley Walker, Sr. The Celebration of Life service was held on Feb. 27, 2022 at Prattville Memorial Chapel at 2 p.m. with Rev. Dave Burns officiating and Prattville Memorial directing. The family received friends at Prattville Memorial on Sunday from 1 to 2 p.m.

Mr. Walker is preceded in death by his parents; his beloved wife of 58 years, Jeanette Davis Walker; his sister, Sara Frances Ingram; brothers, Thompson Walker, Doyle Whatley Walker, Jr. and Bennie Walker; sistersin-law, Mary Ann Walker, Lucy Walker, Lottie Davis Blanck, Juanita Davis Gunter and Jerry Davis Etheridge; brothers-in-law, Newt Ingram, Gene Blanck, HT Gunter, and Vernon Etheridge and nephew, Charles Blanck. He is survived by his sister-in-law, Cordelia (Deedie) Walker; nieces and nephews, Nona Ingram (David) Parkman, Hattie Ingram (Scotty) Lett, Troy Walker, Rodney (Kim) Walker, Derek Walker, Gail (Edward) Clendenin, Vernon (Shelly) Etheridge, Wally (Sherry) Etheridge, Stanley Blanck and Gerry Blanck; numerous great nieces and nephews and special friends, Pat and J D Brothers.

He is also survived by his 16 year old dog “baby”, Roxy, who has been lovingly adopted! Jack was an army veteran and served active duty in Korea, after which, he received three medals of honor. He and Jeanette married on Dec. 25, 1958 and lived most of the time in Opelika and briefly in Albany, Georgia, until they moved to Houston, Texas, in November 1962 (where Jeanette’s family lived).

In Alabama, he delivered Pepsi-Cola to four counties and worked selling insurance in Alabama and in Georgia. After moving to Texas, he worked for year in a garage and then worked the rest of the time with Ryder trucking until he retired and they moved to Prattville, Alabama,

(where his brother lived) in 1997. Jack was tall (6’ 4”) with strikingly blue eyes!

He enjoyed car racing, CB radios, fishing, camping and later gardening which he did until two years ago.

Jack was a believer in Jesus and he asked that when he goes to heaven, we celebrate his life and remember the good times.

His family has many memories of gatherings and being recipients of their hospitality and fun times.

He was loved and will be greatly missed. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Jack’s honor to: Tunnel2Towers 2361 Hylan Blvd.

Staten Island, NY 10306 or to your favorite veterans’ charity.

––––––– JACKIE MELLEEN SMITH THOMPSON In loving memory of Jackie Melleen Smith Thompson, 78 of Beauregard. She passed away on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022.

Jackie was a devoted wife to Robert “Bobby” T. Thompson, Jr for over 50 years and a loving mother to Robert Reed Thompson and Mary Beth Thompson Helms, a “Granny” to three grandchildren and soon to be three great-grandchildren.

She battled Parkinson disease the last five years of her life, but she always believed God is faithful to bring good from even our hardest times. Jackie was not only a loving wife and mother but a wonderful friend to all who had the opportunity to meet her.

A time for visitation with Jackie’s family took place on Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022, from 2 to 4 p.m. A private celebration of life service will be planned at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Michael J. Fox Foundation and/or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home directed.

––––––– MARILYN HELMKE HORSEFIELD Our beloved Marilyn Helmke Horsefield passed away suddenly on Feb. 22, 2022, after bravely battling

leukemia for nearly seven years. She was born on May 9,1963, in Columbus, Ohio.

Her life was a precious gift to so many, including her maternal grandfather who rejoiced over their shared birthday.

Marilyn’s spirit is carried on by her adoring husband Mike, daughters Jessica and Mackenzie, sons-inlaw Spencer and Jonathan and two grandchildren Ruby and Logan. Marilyn is also survived by her loving parents, Henry and Shirley Helmke, brothers Rick (and Pam), Tom (and Kim), Rob (and Roselle), a single cousin Nick and an extended family of relations and friends from every walk of life. Marilyn LOVED her family.

A native of Auburn, Marilyn attended both Auburn High School and Auburn University. In her college years, Marilyn studied Political Science, and served as an intern for U.S. Sen. Jeremiah Denton and Congressman Bill Nichols in Washington, D.C. Marilyn was also a talented musician. She played in the marching band throughout high school and was also a member of the Auburn University Marching Band. It was there where Marilyn met fellow bandmate, Mike. Together, Mike and Marilyn’s souls became one, and their love ignited an unstoppable force best described as pure magic. They were incredibly happy and married for 36 short years.

Mike and Marilyn’s love multiplied over the years when they were blessed with two beautiful daughters, Jessica and Mackenzie, whom Mike and Marilyn describe as their “treasures.” Their family life was dynamic and ever-changing, often full of new places and faces from all over the world. Marilyn embraced being a Navy wife wholeheartedly. She enjoyed interacting with other wives regardless of their spouse’s rank or job and loved her adventures with them. She always went out of her way to make sure that everyone was included in the fun.

Marilyn immersed herself in every adventure, radiating a pure and selfless love wherever she went. An avid traveler with an insatiable appetite for adventure,

nothing was too unusual or unfamiliar. She was willing to try anything. Marilyn had a heart for teaching and became a beloved English language teacher to a colorful array of Japanese, Korean, French, Belgian and Dutch students. While living in Japan, one student often described her as “sunshine.”

She loved her ESL students at St. Michaels and did everything she could to make her classes fun.

Marilyn valued kindness and love. She enjoyed music; all of it; everything from Michael Jackson to Josh Groban and Flo Rida.

She danced often and everywhere, passing that same love and appreciation for good music and dance parties onto her daughters.

When Marilyn’s grandchildren, Ruby and Logan, were born in 2020, their lives initiated a whole new chapter for her. ‘RuRu’ and ‘LoLo’ were her whole world, her little loves and her pride and joy. Their time together may have been cut short, but we are hopeful that “Lolly” will live on as our guardian angel.

In the days since her passing, Marilyn has been described by many as an angel among us, a cherished friend, an amazing woman and a beautiful soul. Another so aptly said, “Gentle as a dove yet protective like a hawk. She taught me how to balance

Pre-Need Services Available Call 334-749-8700 for an appointment.

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––––––– ROGER DALE HARDY The Lord has received a beautiful soul in heaven, Roger (Pawpaw), our beloved dad, mentor, friend and Pawpaw. He left this world a little less bright on Feb. 21, 2022. Roger was a very hard working, compassionate, loving man.

To know him was to love him.

He was preceded in death by his parents John Hardy and Lois Hardy and sister Judy Cofield.

He leaves behind to cherish his memory his children: Tommy (Brianna), Danielle, Rusty (Kristy); six grandchildren: Brianna, Jackson, Myles, Jerry, Hudson, Carson; and a host of nieces and nephews and extended family and friends.

Funeral services were held on Feb. 25, 2022, at Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home Chapel.

Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home directed.

A16 March 3, 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

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

SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS LEE COUNTY: MAR. 8 AT 6 P.M. AUBURN: MAR. 8 AT 6 P.M. OPELIKA: MAR. 22 AT 4:30 P.M.

AHS Eyeing Back-to-Back Titles

ON THE MARK D. MARK MITCHELL

Opelika Athletics Complete Busy Week

T

RBI. In the circle, Yountz, Harrelson and Stringer combined to pitch five innings in the circle. Game two was a 13-4 loss to the Indians, behind 10 hits. OHS only recorded two hits, singles from Yountz and Lyles. Jasper beat OHS, 5-4, behind 12 hits.

Savannah George recorded the only two hits of the game.

Stringer took the loss in the circle.

Lastly, the Pelham Panthers beat Opelika 15-0 in the final game of the tournament. For the third straight game, the Lady Bulldogs mustered just two hits, singles

by Jones and KD Lee. Jones took the loss in the circle.

OMS SOFTBALL The Opelika Middle School team finished third in the "Opelika Preseason Tournament" at West Ridge Park. The Lady Bulldogs beat Tuskegee 15-6, Prattville 5-4, Sanford 6-2, and lost to Smiths Station 1-10 and Floyd Middle School 4-2.

JV / OHS BASEBALL The OHS Junior Varsity baseball team beat Benjamin Russell 14-6 in Alex city.

Opelika's varsity beat Smiths Station 0-2, and lost 8-7 to Benjamin Russell last week.

The Bulldogs shutout the Panthers 0-2 behind strong pitching from JT McArdle and Jackson Harris. McArdle pitched four innings, allowed zero runs, recorded See SPORTS, page B5

Cimo said. “Everybody else is new. We’re just trying to figure things out right now.”

Despite the imminent challenge of starting five new players in the field, the skipper must also tend to the state of his pitching staff.

“We lost a lot of good

pitching last year,” Cimo said. “So we’re just taking things as it comes and hoping we do well.”

For the program as a whole, it appears to be a bit of a juggling act.

“We’re still playing a bunch of guys in different

positions,” Cimo said.

“Different pitchers, we’re just trying to figure it out.”

The good news for Cimo’s coaching staff: the culture buy-in has taken care of itself.

See AHS, page B5

Smith Station Baseball Gaining Experience, Confidence

BY HARRISON TARR FOR THE OBSERVER High school baseball is a difficult place to have habitual success.

Between naturally occurring roster turnover, consistent transfers of players and the challenge of operating within a 7A classification, maintaining the status of an annual contender is no simple feat.

Smiths Station head coach Mike Ferry is no stranger to the process.

The silver and black entered the 2022 campaign having graduated a slew of talent and have been forced to reconfigure themselves to return to winning form.

The Panthers have shown promise in the early going, winning four of their first five contests and

PHOTO BY MATT AUSTIN / FOR THE OBSERVER

he Opelika High School varsity soccer teams swept Valley in Fairfax last week.

The Lady Bulldogs beat the Rams 10-0 in their first area game behind a hat trick (three goals) from Scarlet Posadas.

Ana Garcia, Amiya Brown, Ashley Hilyer, Morgan Watts and Marlee Story scored one goal apiece. Karly Phatsadavong led with three assists.

The OHS boys beat Valley 10-1 at the Sportsplex in Valley, last week. The Bulldogs were led by Said Rujuana and Moe Forbes (three goals apiece). Single goals: Vincent Thammavong, Nathan Faison and Ethan Neman. Assists were by: Dexter Graham, Luke Roberts, Moe Forbes, Ethan Newman, George Meyers, Jadon Gamble and Mathew Awbrey.

The Bulldog varsity soccer teams then defeated future 7A foe Central, 2-1 and 11-1, respectively, at the W James Samford Complex. In the boys’ game, Meyers served the ball in front of Forbes who scored the first goal.

Newman scored a goal off an assists from Roberts.

SOFTBALL The OHS Lady Bulldog softball team (3-5) lost four games in the "Pelham Tournament" at Pelham High School, last weekend.

Opelika managed one hit in a 9-1 loss to Satsuma. Nya Thomas recorded the hit and

Following it’s securing of an AHSAA state title in 2021, the Auburn High school’s baseball program has been in the national spotlight throughout the past year. The Tigers were named the preseason No. 1 team in the state of Alabama, press around the organization has been at an all-time high and fans have been anxious to see their hometown team return to the diamond.

Auburn head coach Matt Cimo and company have been doing their best to rebuild a gutted program while maintaining atop the baseball world, starting the season 5-1 and continuing to monitor the state of the squad.

“I have four position players who played last year,”

PHOTO BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER

BY HARRISON TARR FOR THE OBSERVER

making positive strides every step of the way.

“We got a long way to go,” Ferry said. “But we’ll take the wins where we can get them.”

The inexperienced group most recently captured an 8-1 win over non-area opponent Eufaula in a contest

which encouraged their skipper.

“We hit the ball pretty decent,” Ferry said.

“We’ve got a young team.

I say young, but that’s because four of our starters are returning from last year that were 10th graders last year. The rest of them are seniors that

didn’t play a lot last year.”

Despite having a roster which is constructed of just four juniors, Ferry claims that the team is actively working to get the older group comfortable in their system.

“Even though we’ve got some older kids, we don’t have a ton of experience,” Ferry said. “It’s a growing process. We try to get to where we peak around spring break time because that’s when the games start really mattering.”

Although the vast majority of the 2022 senior class has little to no experience at the varsity level, the Panthers will continue to rely upon their only returning upperclassman starter: standout shortstop Logan Collins.

“We really only have See SMITHS, page B5

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B2 March 3, 2022

Lee-Scott Girls Soccer Looks at Last Season for Direction The Lee-Scott varsity girls’ soccer team is looking to the model set by last year’s state championship winning side as the team works its way through the beginning of the 2022 schedule.

“Last year I had no expectation because we were so young, and then throughout the season we just started figuring it out,” said head coach Eric Faison. “There is no pressure on this team to be last year’s team, but it’s the same situation of having a lot of players who can be good once we figure it out. It could be a rebuilding year, it could be something like last year that comes out of nowhere.”

Through three games, the Warriors began their season an even 1-1-1.

Against powerhouse

Tuscaloosa Academy last week, Lee-Scott was rocked with an 8-2 defeat; However, Faison won’t let his team linger on that feeling for long.

“I’m not even worried about that loss,” Faison said. “They were full of older players, they have like four college commits and like two-thirds of our lineup is ninth grade and below.”

To help combat the inexperience and youth on his team, Faison said he has turned to a core group of three girls who make up the Warrior’s midfield: senior Cheyenne Butler, junior Blair Pelham and freshman Delaney Faison.

“Those are the three we have kind of built this whole team around,” Faison said.

“I’m telling them, ‘yall have to be the leaders, you have to organize the field, you have to organize during the game.

Y’all kind of have to run

PHOTO BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER

BY WIL CREWS SPORTSCREWS@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

The photo above was taken from last year's Maddie McClendon game at Lee-Scott Academy. this thing.’ So I’m kind of trying to build that into them.”

The Warriors also have confidence in their four-person defensive back line, in which LeeScott deploys two ninth

graders and two eighth graders.

“All these girls that are eighth and ninth grade that start, they play year round,” Faison said. “We are just young.”

Although Faison said he

hasn’t hammered down where everyone will play full-time, perhaps an area where the team’s youth shines through brightest is at the top of the offense where sixth grader (Yes, you read that right.) AJ

Spillman leads the attack.

“She’s small but shifty and good, and legit earned a place among the players we have,” Faison said. “She’s scored one or two goal already. She fits right in. She’s too young to know any better. She’s not physically strong but quick and elusive. She’s too young to panic.”

With the ample amount of youth on this team, Faison reiterated how much growth his team can incur throughout the schedule. Getting into the playoffs, and peaking then, is the head coach’s chief concern.

“It’s kind of the same as last year,” he said. “I don’t think we were even .500 after the first half of the season. My goal this year is figure it out in the process of the season, and peak when we go into the playoffs. I think chemistry and putting people where they can play their best is going to be important.”

OHS Outdoor Track Wins Opelika Invitational

PHOTO BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER

The Opelika High School outdoor track & field team held its annual Opelika Invitational last week. The boys and girls both finished first in the team rankings with a score of 287 and 229.5, respectively. The OHS boys' and girls' middle school teams also won in the overall category.

B3 March 3, 2022

Bulldogs Bully the Red Devils

PHOTO BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER

The Opelika boys' and girls' varsity soccer teams last week defeated the Central Phenix City Red Devils by a score of 11-1 and 2-1, respectively. For more information on the soccer teams, turn to D. Mark Mitchell's column,"On the Mark", beginning on B1.

B4 March 3, 2022

OHS Softball, JV Baseball Off to 'Swinging' Start PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER

Before its game against Auburn on Tuesday, the Opelika softball team sat at 3-5 overall in head coach Jessica Thornton's first year. Pictured is action from the "Pelham Tournament" last week. The team had a region game against Valley on Wednesday but results were not available come press time. For more information on the softball team, turn to D. Mark Mitchell's column, "On the Mark", beginning on B1.

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B5 March 3, 2022

AHS >> FROM B1 “Our kids, they work hard,” Cimo said. They believe in each other and that’s half the battle.”

From a rotation standpoint, Auburn will look to Senior Ryan Olsen to set the precedent for his teammates.

“Ryan Olsen will be our leader on the pitching staff,” Cimo said. “He’s been with me for four years and he’s the one who got the last out for us in the state championship last year. Olsen’s senior leadership and his hard work is what a lot of those pitchers are going to follow.”

Leadership responsibilities in the field will be assigned to senior Patrick McGlon.

“In the field you’ve got Pat McGlon,” Cimo said. “He’s been with me four years and was MVP of the state championship game. Hopefully his leadership will carry over and help the younger kids out.”

Keeping confidence in one another and blocking out external expectations will

SPORTS >> FROM B1 four strikeouts and allowed one hit. Harris pitched three innings of one-hit baseball.

Offensively, Jake Chase recorded two hits and Harrison Long and Trent Fields added singles.

Benjamin Russel scored the game-winning run in the bottom of 7th inning to make the final score 8-7. Harris

likely prove imperative for this year’s group.

“We’re ranked preseason No. 1 in the state which doesn’t really mean a whole lot because it doesn’t really matter until you get in the playoffs,” Cimo said. “Our area is so hard and when it comes down to playing four games that matter, if you go 1-1 against each team, you have to win the tiebreaker to get in the playoffs.”

Cimo believes his team has handled the taske well, given the precedent laid before them.

“I think they’re doing pretty well,” Cimo said.

“This team has a little more pressure because of what our team did last year.”

Navigating pre-area play has long been a period of time for Cimo to gain an understanding of where his team is and how to execute his formula for a complete season.

“I always divide my year into three seasons,” Cimo said. “This is kind of like our spring training where we try different things, then

we go into area play where hopefully we can win and get in the playoffs. The third season is the playoff run.”

Although winning games is certainly at the forefront of Auburn’s agenda, the Tigers’ head coach is also hopeful to see a renewed passion for playing cross-town rivals such as Opelika which he believes has faded since the induction of showcase baseball.

“The last few years, it hasn’t meant a whole lot,” Cimo said. “Because of travel ball, it’s kind of ruined our cross-town rivals.”

Cimo wishes that local kids still faced off against those in neighboring communities.

“Our kids used to play Dixie against each other in Dixie Youth and compete,” Cimo said. “So everybody kind of knew who each other was and it was always such a big rivalry.”

As a longtime member of the rivalry, Cimo recalls how passionate the contests have been in years past.

“It was so intense in the

early 2000s and when they were in our area,” Cimo said.

“When they got out of our area — because of travel ball — the rivalry is not as big as it used to be.”

According to the skipper, the lack-luster regard expands beyond the parameters of Opelika.

“I think it got kind of ruined, even with Smiths Station and Central,” Cimo said. “Our kids used to play against each other in Dixie Youth and all that when they were young. I think the travel ball kind of hurt all of that stuff a little bit.”

In short, Cimo wishes to see a refreshed take on community pride.

“I think travel ball kind of stinks in the sense that it takes away from your hometown,” Cimo said.

Following up a state title is never an easy task; according to their head coach, the Auburn Tigers have the opportunity to not only reclaim what is currently theirs, but reestablish a culture that is beneficial to the community as a whole.

slugged three hits to lead the ‘Dawgs. Long, Brooks Bryan, Chase, Jake Smith, Paul Goodman, Taylor Fields and Brantley Davis recorded hits.

On the mound, McArdle and Kadylion Ligon pitched one inning apiece. Caleb Chisum pitched three innings,Davis pitched two innings and Luke Murray pitched 1- and-1/3 innings.

The five pitchers allowed nine hits, allowed four earned runs

and recorded 13 strikeouts.

The Dogs ended the week with 3-2 record.

TENNIS Opelika's girls tennis team beat Enterprise, 6-3, last week. The following won matches for the Lady Bulldogs: Luci Long (10-1) , Emma Brown (10-5), Vera Smith T (10-1) and Martha Pugh (10-4). Doubles winners: Vera Smith T / Addison Kemp (8-1) and Emma

Brown / Cara Montel.

The OHS boys defeated Enterprise 6-3. Single winners: Conner Mullins (10-2), Charles Gagliano (11-10) and Roman Gagliano (11-10).

Doubles winners: Charles Gagliano / Roman Gagliano (8-1), Connor Mullins / Will Fuller (8-2) and Jake Walters and Dru Gagliano (8-6).

OPELIKA DIXIE BOYS Registration is underway for Opelika Dixie Boys

SMITHS >> FROM B1 one senior who was a starter last year, that’s Logan Collins” Ferry said.

“He was probably the best hitter in the area. The kid hit close to .500 last year.”

Behind Collin’s onfield example, Ferry has seen improvement of his unproven group, claiming that — while some have picked up quicker than others — he expects the entire group to progress.

“Some of them are doing well,” Ferry said.

“Some of them, it just takes a little longer to figure out the timing and the speed of the game. They’ll be fine, it’s just a growing process.”

As the silver and black look ahead to the remainder of their non-area schedule, Ferry looks forward to a weekend-long trip to face high-caliber opponents in Mobile.

“This weekend, we’ll be tested,” Ferry said. “We go down to mobile this Baseball, ages 13,14 and 15, at the Opelika Sportplex.

Anyone interested in playing organized summer baseball can register Monday through Friday (8 a.m. to 9 p.m.)

Saturday (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m. to 5 p.m.)

Cost is $45 if you live in the city of Opelika and $50 if you live outside the city limits. Registration covers your cap and jersey; players must furnish, pants, glove and

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

Member of the Opelika Chamber of Commerce

helmet. Every player will be placed on a team. For more information contact D.Mark Mitchell at foxonthemark@ yahoo.com or 334-787-1514.

D. Mark Mitchell is the sports director at iHeartMedia, host of “On the Mark” Fox Sports the Game 9101310, co-chair of the AuburnOpelika Sports Council, chairman of the Super 7 and Dixie Youth Baseball state director.

334-744-7509

weekend and we’ll play Mobile Christian — who’s a defending state champion — and UMS-Wright, who’s very good all the time, and then we play Gulf Shores down there as well.”

Taking an overnight trip to either Mobile or Huntsville has become a staple of the long-time skipper’s scheduling regimen, as he believes having the experience makes his team better prepared come later in the season.

“Every year, we try to get three or four games in a weekend and spend the night,” Ferry said. “We’ve got to make sure those guys can handle spending the night before we get in a situation where we have to do that and it matters.”

Smiths Station will have the opportunity to bolster its resume — and begin the weekend on the right note — when the Panthers take on the Leopards of Mobile Christian on Friday, Mar. 4 at 4:p.m. CST.

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B6 March 3, 2022

Southern Union State Community College Celebrating a Century of Community CONTRIBUTED BY SUSCC

BY KATIE JACKSON

From its very beginnings in 1922, Southern Union State Community College has been rooted in community, and it is that sense of community that SUSCC will celebrate over the coming months as it commemorates 100 years of service to the citizens of east Alabama and beyond.

Chartered on June 2, 1922, by the Southern Convention of Christian Churches (which later became the Congregational Christian Church), SUSCC began in Wadley, Alabama, as Bethlehem College, a

private bible school established to provide two years of coeducational college training to local residents at a minimum of expense.

Today, SUSCC is the second-oldest community college in the state with three campuses serving an eight-county area of east central Alabama and parts of Georgia.

“While it has changed and adapted since its early days, that same spirit of community on which the college was founded remains its driving force,” said SUSCC’s Director of Public Relations Shondae Brown.

“Throughout Southern Union’s long history,

community has been at its core. This college was not only founded to serve our community, it has thrived — and sometimes only survived — because local citizens have continually supported, guided and joined with us.”

The story of that century of community service, which will be featured in a commemorative coffee table book to be released in September, began when town leaders of Wadley heard that the Southern Convention of Christian Churches was interested in creating a new feeder school in Alabama or Georgia for their flagship four-year North Carolina school, Elon

College.

Seeing a chance to bolster educational and cultural opportunities for the town and surrounding community, Wadley’s leaders aggressively lobbied to bring the new college to their town. They succeeded in large part because of the generosity of local residents. Among them was John M. Hodge, a cashier at the Bank of Wadley who donated 44-plus acres of land for use as the school’s campus, as well as many others in the community who helped raise some $22,000 to support the school’s startup.

When Bethlehem College’s first 51 See SOUTHERN, page B7

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED BY SUSCC

From the first buildings to today, community has been the heart of Southern Union for 100 years.

Shown are Kimbell and Elder Halls from the early years and the administration buildings on today’s three campus locations.

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Indoor shooting range is open to the public

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B7 March 3, 2022

Smiths Station Powering Through Non-Region Schedule PHOTOS BY MATT AUSTIN / FOR THE OBSERVER

The Smiths Station varstiy baseball team beat Eufaula on Monday to improve its record to 4-2 on the young season. The 7A Panthers are seeking to win the area (which consist of them, defending state champions Auburn High and Central Phenix City) for the frist time since 2017-18, according to AHSFHS.org.

SOUTHERN >> FROM B6 students arrived for classes in September 1923, the campus was still under construction, but its five-member faculty was there, eager to provide their students with a comprehensive, affordable education. Students were just as eager to learn, and their families willingly scrimped, saved and sacrificed to pay tuition costs for their sons and daughters.

By 1925, enrollment had doubled, but the school, which had changed its name briefly to Piedmont Junior College then to Southern Union College (a name chosen in honor of the merging of the Congregational and Christian denominations), still struggled financially. In 1933, faced with a looming bankruptcy, it temporarily closed its doors, but the community and the school’s leaders rallied together again to reorganize the college.

Within a year it reopened as The Southern Union College.

Thanks to its committed students, faculty and local citizens, Southern Union made it through many lean years, including the Great Depression, fueled by cooperation, ingenuity and tenacity.

School leaders developed work-study programs and exchanged food, farm animals and other supplies for tuition, all of which helped keep the school afloat while allowing students to continue their educations.

Local citizens pitched in to help, too, some even mortgaging their farms to underwrite the college’s debt, and members of the Congregational Christian Church, both those local and from afar, also helped by sending donations of everything from food and clothing to money.

Even during those hard times, students received an exemplary education from the college’s highly qualified faculty members, some of whom came to Wadley from Ivy

League and prestigious art and music schools.

Almost all of those early students went on to further their educations and establish successful careers in fields ranging from education and the ministry to farming and business to doctoring and lawyering.

All the while, students and faculty pulled together to create what one alumnus described as “a community within a community.” Within that close-knit setting, students learned the value of hard work but also received a well-rounded educational experience complete with an array of extracurricular activities including sports teams, performing arts ensembles and numerous academic, church and leadership organizations.

Over the years, the campus, which began with a single multi-purpose building, grew along with its student numbers.

More and more buildings were added to the site and, by 1956, the plot of land Hodge donated more than a half-century earlier was home to a new gymnasium, swimming pool and president’s home, as well as an expanded library.

That growth continued under the direction of the Congregational Christian Church until, on Oct. 1, 1964, a new era dawned

at Southern Union when the church deeded the school over to the state of Alabama. Renamed Southern Union State Junior College, the community-focused private bible college became the first school to join a newly created public two-year college system governed by the Alabama State Board of Education.

In the face of this change, the school’s commitment to serving its community only deepened. Southern Union was accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in 1970. The college expanded its educational offerings, added an emphasis on specialized technical, vocational and healthcare career tracks, and grew its distance learning and evening programs tailored to assist students, including veterans, who were juggling jobs and families while trying to complete their educations.

The original campus in Wadley remained at the heart of the Southern Union community and is still today, serving as home to SUSCC’s worldclass performing arts and academic programs and the Southern Union Bison athletic program, which fields teams in baseball, softball, volleyball, men’s and women’s basketball, golf and cheerleading.

But Southern Union’s

community also grew to include two additional campuses.

The Valley campus, which opened in 1974, was established to offer academic courses for transfer as well as the home for the college’s nursing program.

Southern Union offered higher educational opportunities to the citizens of Lee county beginning in 1971, when classes were started in response to requests from area industries. First housed at Opelika Technical College, Southern Union purchased the site for a full range campus in Opelika in 1982.

In 1993, Southern Union merged with Opelika State Technical School and the Opelika location established itself as the hub for the college’s vocational and health science education programs. Following that merger, the college’s name changed once again, this time to

Southern Union State Community College, a moniker that fully embraced its past, present and future dedication to the people and places it serves.

Today the resilient little college that began with 51 students and five faculty members has an enrollment of more than 4,000 students and more than 200 full-time employees and continues to work within — and with — its communities to meet their everchanging needs.

Among its many projects, SUSCC is collaborating with regional business leaders to create new workforce development programs preparing local residents for high-paying jobs in the region’s fast-growing manufacturing economy.

It is also expanding options in health sciences, introducing new opportunities in that area such as the Physical Therapy Assistant program.

According to SUSCC

President Todd Shackett, this powerful connection to community is and always will be integral to the college’s mission and efforts.

“Community isn’t just part of Southern Union’s long history or even its name,” he said. “It’s what drives and inspires us.

We are committed to continuing that partnership to help make our communities stronger through education, and we look forward to the next 100 years of growing and advancing together.”

The college has several activities planned throughout the year including a Distinguished Alumni recognition event in April, an alumni picnic in September, and a million dollar campaign for scholarships by the SU Foundation.

To learn more about Southern Union’s history, its centennial celebration and its long-range future plans, contact Brown at 256-395-2211, ext. 5145.

SUSCC Adult Education

Free Pre-Apprenticeship program

Those who enroll in the free PRE-AP will take the Ready to Work course and the MSSC Safety courses. Students who complete the free program with a 70% or higher will earn: ACT’s National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) Alabama Certified Worker Certificate (AWC) One free college course (up to 4 credit hours) College credit (3 credit hours) for MSSC

For more information, scan the QR code or email ged@suscc.edu.

B8 March 3, 2022

Snowmen or Sunshine

H

ello March! In my early childhood classroom, this teacher and her students always left a snowman banner up through the middle of March. The children and I decorated the snowman’s nose with a snowflake in January, a heart in February and a shamrock in March. I lived in south Alabama where we didn’t see a lot of snow, but we always hoped to see snow and our snowmen always encouraged the children in this dream. And yes, I do remember a rare snow event in south Alabama in March. We as a class agreed that the snowman’s dream really did come true.

First of all, I want to say how much I love “The Observer”. Our community is so blessed to have an outstanding local newspaper that covers and celebrates the people in our community. “Newspaper in Education Week” is this week. Our newspapers are such valuable tools in teaching young children about our community and world. Sit down with your young child, show them the newspapers and what is happening all around them. This is a good way to teach some reading and comprehension skills from the newspapers.

This week we celebrate Dr. Seuss, an American children’s author who is known for his work writing and illustrating more than 60 books. He has delighted children over the years with his imaginative characters and rhymes. We celebrate Dr. Seuss’ Birthday on

March 2 by celebrating “Read across America Day”. Teachers in their classrooms are celebrating Dr. Seuss’ books by creatively planning themes all week. For example, on “Green Eggs and Ham” Day, children wear green, teachers add green food coloring into scrambled eggs and yes, ham is included.

Children love this special day. Other special books

by Dr. Seuss that are celebrated are “The Cat in the Hat”, “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish,” etc.

March 3, 2022 is National Anthem Day. Francis Scott Key, a young lawyer, wrote a poem after witnessing the British attack on Baltimore harbor during the war of 1812. This poem was put to music which became “The Star Spangled Banner” which became the official national anthem of the United States.

March blows in with a lot of wind but also a gust of neat ideas for young children as they take advantage of the seasonal characteristics of this month. One is reminded of “Mary Poppins” singing “let’s go fly a kite up to the highest heights” and the looks of joy and glee on the children’s faces as they dashed outside to the fun, freedom and amazement of watching their kites fly and dance in the wind. I witness that same joy and smiles in young children’s eyes today as they join family or their friends on an afternoon kite adventure.

Where did kites come from? Kites have

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been around for two or three thousand years in celebrating special events and occasions.

According to records and legends, China was the country that invented the kite. Thailand and Japan have used kites in their celebrations. We especially notice that brightly colored kites are used in The Cherry Blossom Festival in Japan and Children’s Day in Japan as well. Too, it has been used for scientific purposes, as we remember.

Benjamin Franklin discovered there was electricity present during a storm. Too, it’s been used to record temperatures and for military purposes.

Our environment in Opelika and Auburn provide wonderful places and parks to go fly kites. I love the lakes and streams in our area where families can catch winds off the water to fly kites.

There are so many sites on the web to show parents how to make simple newspaper kites, box kites and other forms of kites with their children. It’s so much fun to work together on a project like this.

Too, some times it is just better to purchase a kite if you don’t have time to make one. This spring entertainment object is not expensive and well worth the investment for memorable family fun.

I’d like to remind my readers of just some common sense safety rules: (1) Remember Benjamin Franklin’s discovery, in the rain the line can carry electricity. So don’t fly kites in a thunderstorm, electricity has already been discovered.

(2) Never fly a kite near electric lines or poles.

(3) With kite materials, don’t use metal parts or lines which will attract electricity. Too, fishing line or wire can cut a young child’s hands.

(4) Fly the kite in a safe location, not near trees, ditches or steep hills.

(5) If a kite gets caught up in a tree or pole, just leave it alone.

As I look at my March

Teacher calendar and my lesson plan book, there are other neat events that happen during the month of March. Here are some events that you might want to jot down for you and your child to celebrate. This month is American Red Cross Month. Take time to explain to your young child how important the American Red Cross is to our community in helping to take care of us after crisis hits. Explain that they provide needed items and take care of us

after bad weather or other times when we need help. Too, this is Music in Schools Month where you can make a lot of easy, homemade music instruments out of empty boxes, paper plates, rattles, etc. Lastly, March celebrates “National Nutrition Month”. Take time to explain what are good foods to eat versus foods that are not good to eat. During this month, I love to bring fruit and vegetable trays to my classes to guide students on good nutrition.

Not only do we think of flying kites during this month, but we celebrate National Bubble Week in March. What fun it is to blow bubbles or wave that wand through the air and see your little ones chase the bubbles all around. I love to have my students do this at recess.

With your new kite, whether made or bought, have a grand old afternoon with the family. Don’t forget the picnic. Let’s go fly a kite!

Beth Pinyerd Classroom Observer

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L ee County & A labama Politics

B9

Nov. 24, 2021

Thursday, March 3, 2022

Inside the Statehouse

U

STEVE FLOWERS

sually in a gubernatorial year the governor’s race grabs the spotlight.

However, with our open senate seat with the avalanche of Washington dollars flooding into the Heart of Dixie, the governor’s race has become overshadowed.

It is also an obvious fact of political life that an open senate seat is certain to be more competitive than a race with a popular incumbent governor running for reelection. Incumbency is a tremendous advantage. You get free daily publicity just by governing.

My prediction from the onset was that Gov. Kay Ivey would win reelection to another term and now with three months to the May 24 election, my prognostication is still that Ivey will win a reelection victory.

Furthermore, my guess is that she wins without a runoff.

The best barometer of a gubernatorial outcome in a race with an incumbent governor running, is to look at how they ran the last time. Four years ago, Ivey was a semi-incumbent. She had served over a year of Gov. Robert Bentley’s last term and was running for her first full term.

In that 2018 race, she trounced the entire field of GOP candidates and won without a runoff. Folks, that field she beat in 2018 was much more formidable than the one she faces this year. If for no other reason, she beat Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, one of the most qualified thoroughbreds to seek the brass ring in years. He was well liked and from a vote-rich area of the state and had grown his city to one of the fastest growing and prosperous cities in America. Battle was well-financed and a good campaigner.

Many of us wondered why he was seeking a job that was probably a demotion from being mayor of Alabama’s largest and most prosperous city.

Battle was just one of the carnages that Ivey destroyed in the 2018 GOP Primary.

Also left in the wake were popular Birmingham Evangelist Scott Dawson, as well as well-financed Mobile State Sen. Bill

Hightower.

She went on to trounce the last viable Democratic candidate to run for governor, Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox, who was well-financed and a viable candidate. Ivey beat Maddox 60% to 40% in the general election. This Maddox race wrote the book for what is the benchmark level for what a Democratic candidate can get in an Alabama state race. The bar is set at 40% for a Democrat. Doug Jones’ 39% to 61% loss for Senate in 2020 confirmed that threshold.

There are six unknown candidates who qualified to run as Democrats this year. The general election is irrelevant. The winner of the May 24 GOP Primary will be governor.

The big question in the governor’s race is not whether Ivey wins, it is whether or not this 2022 field of candidates can force her into a June 21 runoff? The answer is probably not.

There are only two viable opponents, Lindy Blanchard and Tim James. The reason they are viable is that they have personal wealth to spend. Both are spending their dollars, which shows a commitment.

James and Blanchard are both working hard. One of them will finish second.

However, that only counts in horseshoes and marbles. Running second was good in the old days of Alabama politics, because the governor could not succeed themselves.

Therefore, whoever ran second would win four years later. It was called running a “get acquainted race.”

In addition to Blanchard and James, there are six other candidates vying to beat Ivey. They all have some credentials and they are not all, “run for the fun of it” candidates. Lew Burdette is a successful businessman who heads the King’s Ranch in Birmingham. Dean Young is an ultraright-wing candidate who has run several times for office in Mobile and is known in that area of the state. Dave Thomas is a former state representative and current Mayor of Springville in St. Clair County.

Some voters may think he is the founder of Wendy’s. Dean Odle is an Opelika minister.

Stacey George is a former Morgan County Commissioner who has run for governor before.

If Burdette gets 6%, Young gets 5%, Thomas gets 4%, and George and Odle get 3% each, that adds up to 21%. That many candidates could force a runoff. We will see.

See you next week.

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

Local Business Out In Place of County Plan

BY HANNAH LESTER HLESTER@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

The County’s Trash Collection Plan is in place — curbside pickup with an exclusive contract with Arrow Disposal.

However, this has forced other businesses, that were providing trash pickup in the county, to no longer be able to service citizens in this way.

Willie Philpot, owner of local business ViroTek Services, announced he would have to stop servicing the county for trash pickup at the end of February, due to the county’s contract.

The county’s trash

collection plan went into affect Tuesday night, March 1.

Citizens have been offered a 95-gallon trash can that will be picked up once a week.

Bulk pickup would be handled with twice-amonth pickups, said County Engineer Justin Hardee. If citizens need bulk pickup more often, they can call the county and request a pickup and pay a fee in advance.

Hardee said this could eventually be transitioned to once a week, but for now, the county will stick with twice a month.

The cost for the first couple of years will remain the same as what residents currently pay — $222 a year.

Several businesses that have served the county for years asked to continue servicing residents.

Philpot said he first became aware of changes to the county’s plan in March 2021.

“The county sent out letters asking certain vendors to attend kind of like a private session where they could kind of discuss everything when it comes to the trash situation,” he said.

However, Philpot’s business was not included, along with other small businesses.

He said he showed up to the meeting anyway.

“I put my name down, See BUSINESS. page B11

CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

Auburn Mayor Ron Anders today is officially announcing that he is seeking reelection in the city’s Aug. 23, municipal election.

Anders is a lifelong resident of Auburn and is a longtime small businessman. He is serving his first term as mayor, having been elected in October 2018. Anders previously served six years on the Auburn City Council, including four as Mayor Pro Tem. “I am thrilled to announce my candidacy to continue serving as our mayor,” Anders said. “It is the honor of a lifetime to have this privilege. Our community — the one in which I was raised, built

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

Kay Ivey Still Favorite to Win Reelection

Auburn Mayor Ron Anders Running for Reelection

my career and now raise my family — means everything to us, and I am excited at the progress we are making together.

While we have already begun building a stronger,

safer 21st century Auburn, I know that the future of our city can be even brighter.

“I remain steadfastly See MAYOR, page B11

Opelika Approves Special Appropriation for Indian Pines

BY MICHELLE KEY PUBLISHER The Auburn University Regional Airport will be getting a runway extension, taking land from the Indian Pines Golf Course in order to do so. The city of Opelika approved a resolution for a special appropriation to the Indian Pines Recreation Authority in the amount of no less than $1,151,000 payable over the next five years as part of an agreement with the city of Auburn, A-O Tourism, Auburn University, FAA, Indian Pines Recreation Authority and Lee County.

The money from the joint agreement will pay for the land and the rebuilding of the

18-hole golf course at the facility.

The airport runway extension is expected to be completed in 2024.

OTHER BUSINESS - The council approved a request for the 11th Annual Going Blue for Autism event to be held at Courthouse Square on April 1.

- The council approved a request from Opelika High School softball for a 5K/1 Mile Run to be held at the Sportsplex on April 16.

The council approved a request for the 10th Annual Kid's Triathlon to be held at the Sportsplex on Aug. 6.

- The council approved a bid for the removal of dead, dying or dangerous trees and stumps with pruning.

- The council

approved a bid for the Environmental Services Complex.

- The council approved a resolution to designate city personal property surplus and authorize its disposal.

- The council approved a resolution for the purchase of one 2022 Ford Explorer.

- The council approved a resolution to purchase office furniture for Opelika Environmental Services.

- The council approved a resolution to approve an agreement with ALDOT for the Anderson Road Railroad Crossing upgrade.

- The council approved a resolution to approve See OPELIKA, page B10

Lee County Conditionally Approved Smiths Station Fire Protection District

BY HANNAH LESTER HLESTER@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

The Lee County Commission conditionally approved a resolution to establish a Smiths Station Fire Protection District.

The resolution is conditional on Lee County Attorney Stan Martin’s approval following his review of the documents.

Smiths Station recently announced that it would need to discontinue ambulance services

due to a lack of funding and staffing.

“We’re not able to compete with the wages being offered by other local services, some of which, of the private services, were offering as much as $10,000 signon bonuses,” said Daniel Sexton, deputy chief of the Smiths Station Fire & Rescue. “This is because of a nationwide paramedic shortage that was in existence before COVID but COVID just exacerbated that shortage.”

The fire fee is

$50 per house and hasn’t changed in 10 years, Sexton told the commission.

“I think we all know that 2012 funding does not buy the things it did in 2012,” Sexton said.

Lee County already utilizes a fire district system, Sexton said.

Beulah is a fire district.

Sexton said this will not cost the county any money. Without approving this, citizens in Smiths Station have to wait up to 30 minutes or an hour as-is for an See COMMISSION, page B10

B10 March 3, 2022

Oakwood Boys’ Basketball Team Thrown for Loop, not Hoops

GREG MARKLEY

T

he religious principles at the heart of a controversy in Huntsville involving a parochial school boys’ basketball team remind me of a 1981 movie. Chariots of Fire is based on Olympic runners in 1924. A pious Scottish Christian runs for the glory of God and an English Jew runs to advance tolerance. (Who is NOT familiar with the film’s electronic theme tune

by Vangelis?)

Christian runner Eric Liddell (actor Ian Charleston), finds his

100-meter race is on a Sunday, but he is committed to never run on the Lord’s Day. The Prince of Wales and high-level Olympic officials pressure Liddell to run then, to no avail. An Olympian who won a Silver Medal gives his 400-meter spot to Liddell. He and Jewish runner Harold Abrahams (actor Ben Cross) win gold medals, separately.

Nearly a century since the 1924 Olympics, we must ask how shabbily did Oakwood Adventist Academy’s boys’ basketball team get treated at the

Class 1A Boys’ Northeast Regional Basketball SemiFinals? And, of course, why? The time slot of 4:30 p.m. was unacceptable for Oakwood’s team — it conflicted with their observing the Sabbath: Sundown Friday evening to sundown Saturday. Gov. Kay Ivey was “profoundly concerned” about the players’ treatment.

“Although Oakwood’s opponent and the two teams set to play during the 7:30 p.m. game all reportedly were willing to swap time slots, I’ve read that the AHSAA denied Oakwood’s simple request — not once but twice,” she said in a public letter to Alvin Briggs, executive director of the Alabama High School Athletic Association.

The governor continued: “And the result, for the team, was surely agonizing: It was forced either to play a game against the dictates of its players’ and coaches’ faith or to forfeit the game entirely, and thereby lose the chance to continue a hard-fought and hardearned successful season.”

Ivey also sent a letter to Judy Chiles-Dent, Principal of Oakwood Adventist Academy, highly praising the players and coaches.

Letter to the Editor: Beulah is a great place to live

T

he Beulah area is a great place to live. Small area, spread out and very different people. Neighbors saying kind things to each other. If you didn’t have a kind thing to say, you didn’t say anything at all because your momma raised you right.

That stopped happening awhile back. Folks became focused on people making decisions about their property, fixated on a company bringing careers to the area. Hateful comments to folks, threatening action against people who’ve lived in this community for generations.

Maybe the community will take their anger and frustration out on the one who’s actions are showing

how he feels about his community.

Robert Ham has been county commissioner for around 10 years or so. We all know he owns a company and dump trucks previously seen on the quarry property. He doesn’t respond to comments or emails from his constituents and makes decisions we as a community don’t support.

I’ve seen people being called greedy, selfish, nuisance and a lot more unsavory things on social media. For someone who doesn’t want the quarry here, Mr. Ham can’t wait to line up to collect. He won’t respond to comments, emails and the last time I checked, his voicemail was full.

His actions show that his business is more important than community. How many other times in the past has it seemed the decisions favored someone or something other than the community? This quarry was in the works for some time, getting permits and other things needed to start.

Stop attacking your neighbors who had no choice. Stop attacking people who are trying to make a living for their family.

Stop attacking a company bringing jobs into the area.

Our local government has stopped working with our best interests in mind.

Rudy McCumsey District 4 Beat 13 taxpayer

COMMISSION >> FROM B9 ambulance.

“The purpose of [this] is to save peoples’ lives and improve outcome,” he said. “We need to get our ambulance back running as soon as possible.”

Other needs in the fire department include a new fire engine to replace the 1991 fire engine that has broken down.

Additionally, the department needs full-time firefighters, which it can’t currently afford.

JONES “We need that; they currently have it at Beulah because

of their fire setup,” Sexton said. “We run about 50% of the calls

She expressed solidarity with them, praised team captain Raynon Andrews who hopes the unfortunate experience won’t ever reoccur, invited the boys basketball team and coaches to the Capitol to meet with her, and expressed admiration for their solid religious faith.

According to USLegal. com, many situations involving sports and religions call into question whether a violation has occurred in separating church and state.

There are other scenarios still being analyzed and litigated. More types of sports versus religious issues arise regularly.

Six common ones are: A coach asks his or her players to join hands in prayer prior to a sports contest; a school broadcasts a prayer over the stadium loudspeaker; fans in the stands pray together by bowing their heads in prayer; students at a sporting event hold their own prayer; a player reads from a religious book, alone, in the team’s locker room; and a player preaching to other members on the sidelines encouraging unity and support from a higher power.

Attorney and professor Adam Epstein writes Sports Law (2003) that

OPELIKA >> FROM B9 an Encroachment Agreement with CSX for the Veterans Parkway Extension project.

- The council approved a resolution for a Professional Services Agreement for the design of the Mill Village roundabout.

This roundabout will be located at the intersection of Cunningham Drive and 1st Avemue.

The city will also realign 28th Street to create a straight path from 28th Street to Cunningham Drive.

- The council approved a resolution to approve Change Order No. 2 to contract with Incapsulate, LLC. This change order will increase the total contract amount for professional services by $25,860, resulting in a new contract in the county and the other 50% spread out over everyone else.”

The charge per house would likely go up $11 a house based on the model Beulah uses.

AUSTIN JONES: The Lee County Commission approved a promotion for Austin Jones to deputy director of the Lee County EMA Monday night.

Jones has been serving the Lee County EMA since 2017 but been working in the county since 2015, serving as a CERT Member and Instructor for citizen preparedness. He took on the

“Players at all levels of sports continue to express their religious beliefs and are often not penalized for doing so. For example, Sandy Koufax, a Jewish left-handed pitcher, made headlines in 1965 when he refused to pitch the first game of the World Series for the Dodgers because it fell on holiday of Yom Kippur.”

In a like manner, Shawn Green of the LA Dodgers did not play in a late-season game because it conflicted with celebrating Yom Kippur. Vince Lombardi, the coach of the Green Bay Packers, often took his team to Catholic mass every Sunday before football games. In Alabama, as Ivey noted in her letter to the AHSAA, the faith of Alabamians is not to be taken lightly.

“Few things are more important to Alabamians than their faith,” Ivey said.

“And from my perspective as governor, this is a very good thing. Indeed, a sincere commitment to faith is one of the defining hallmarks of our great State.”

A 2015 Pew Research Center study showed that 86% of or state’s citizens are Christian, 12% are unaffiliated and the last 2% are of other faiths.

amount of $210,860.

- The council approved a resolution to designate Mayor Fuller as the city's voting delegate at the 2022 ALM annual convention.

- The council approved an ordinance for the annexation petition by Patrick C. Davidson to annex 12.6 acres located on Sellers Drive into the city of Opelika.

- The council approved an ordinance to approve the pre-zoning of 12.6 acres located on Sellers Drive to a retail and entertainment district.

- The council approved the appointment of Bill Parker, Jr. to the Opelika Industrial Development Authority for a term ending March 8, 2026.

- The council approved the reappointment of Jayne Gunter to the Opelika

position as communications officer for the Lee County EMA in 2019.

“I am proud to promote Austin as the deputy director of our agency and looks forward to a continued partnership serving the citizens of Lee County,” said Lee County EMA Director Rita Smith. *PUBLISHER'S NOTE: The Observer mistakenly reported Jones’ promotion in a story on Feb. 17, when that promotion had not been finalized.

OTHER BUSINESS: - The commission

As a presenter at a variety of academic conferences, I always read in the Request for Proposals that if a panelist has a specific day or time that he cannot be on a panel, that organizers will try mightily to put my talk on another day or time. lo-and-beyond, many conference coordinators will write that days can certainly be designed to accommodate religious concerns.

Then why was the high-falutin AHSAA unable to assist the boys from Oakwood Adventist in making a small change that would keep their dream alive? The governor provided many questions for the association. If AHSAA officials don’t respond well, they may need prayer to get through the public embarrassment. Maybe they can put on the Vangelis tape from Chariots of Fire for inspiration.

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

Industrial Development Authority for a term ending March 8, 2026.

- The council approved the reappointment of Ronnie Ware to the Opelika Industrial Development Authority for a term ending March 8, 2026.

- The council approved the reappointment of Ronnie Wilson to the Opelika Industrial Development Authority for a term ending March, 8 2026.

- The council approved the appointment of Jim Akin to the Board of Parks & Recreation for a term ending March 15, 2027.

- The council approved the reappointment of Tony Hoyett to the Board of Parks & Recreation for a term ending March 15, 2027.

The next Opelika city council meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 15 at 7 p.m.

approved the annual evaluation of EMA Director Rita Smith, along with a 5% raise.

- The commission approved the FY 20222034 Annual Levy of Alcoholic Beverage Fees.

- The commission approved legislation to increase Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones compensation to $125,000.

- The commission approved the plat approval for Boo’s Landing II Subdivision.

- The commission approved the Lee County Sports Complex Use Agreements.

B11 March 3, 2022

Mo Brooks Asks Opelika for Its Vote Mo Brooks, one of the leading candidates for the U.S. senate seat left open by retiring Republican Sen. Richard Shelby, visited Opelika recently to pitch his candidacy to some of his potential constituents.

Brooks, who currently serves as the congressman for Alabama’s 5th district, spoke about his platform and took questions from the public at the Opelika Public Library.

“Our foundational principles have combined to make us the greatest nation in world history,” Brooks said in his opening statement. “Our foundational principles are under attack and by-golly, I’m going to defend them. Hopefully I will have the courage

BUSINESS >> FROM B9 then they got my email address and by me attending, they had to send me information too,” he said. “So, that’s when I began talking back and forth with Mr. John McDonald … Mr. John McDonald said that the county cannot make it mandatory that the citizens participate in the curbside program.”

In documents obtained by The Observer, McDonald is quoted in an Addendum to Bid number 2021-10 Section 6 as saying, “Vendors should be aware that citizens could contract for private garbage

MAYOR

>>

FROM B9 committed to transparent, accountable and responsive government, and I will always put public service over politics.”

Utilizing public-private partnerships, innovation and commonsense government, Anders will serve hardworking families and small businesses across our community.

“I am going to continue working tirelessly to make Auburn the best possible place to live, worship, work, go to school and raise a family,” he said.

From economic development and public safety investments, to public space revitalization and infrastructure investments, the city has seen Auburn achieve landmark milestones. Anders’ leadership thus far has led to more than $1 billion in economic development projects, including the construction

and the strength and the capability to defend them as well as our ancestors have and as much they have sacrificed to make America the greatest nation in world history. And I say that with pride, that I am a part of the United States of America … but for 75 years we have been the greatest nation in world nation.

Economically, no one has matched us. Militarily, no one has matched us.

Liberty and freedom, no one has matched us.

“I’ve never had such fear for the direction we are going,” he continued.

“Socialism is on the march and its winning. Amoral values are on the march and its winning. Collectively, we as a people better wake up and or we are going to lose the country that we know and love.”

Following Brooks’ opening statement, attendees asked the candidate a variety of questions, the first of which was about the candidate’s view of the pressing situation between Russia and Ukraine.

“I believe we should help the Ukrainians … with military capabilities,” Brooks said. “I also believe that we should not have any boots on the ground unless it is to assist Europe — our allies.”

Brooks further emphasized the need for Europe to take the lead on this issue, explaining that America cannot be the sole “policing” country in all corners of the world and that American sacrifices at the behest of others oftentimes go unappreciated. He then eluded, however, to the negative consequences that could come from European

inaction, and the risk that comes with that regarding Russia’s and communist China’s imperialists expansion.

Brooks then answered more questions in which he reiterated his lack of faith in democrats, which he repeatedly warned were more leftist and socialist than ever. Brooks aligned himself with other Republicans such as Florida governor Ron DeSantis, downplayed the significance of climate change and stressed the importance of energy independence. He questioned America’s election integrity due to foreign influence and special interest groups, and expanded on the work ethic which has helped him win a number of elections as the underfunded candidate,

removal and disposal and the county could not mandate that they participate in the County’s curbside program.”

Philpot said at that point he had hoped to continue his business.

In June, Philpot said that the County Attorney, Stan Martin, reached out to his attorney.

“They wanted us to submit a customer list, a full customer list, the service agreement to the full list, where do we take the trash and dispose of the items and insurance and stuff like that,” Philpot said.

“So we had to submit that information by Oct. 15.”

Philpot said he submitted his information by the

deadline but has yet to hear back from the county or commission on that information.

However, later on, following the approval of the contract with Arrow Disposal, the county said that citizens would need to participate in the county’s plan.

“My understanding is the county is not telling private vendors they cannot provide the service to citizens if the citizens wish to continue to use them,” said County Engineer Justin Hardee.

“They can still use them if they wish to but they will be also participating in the county system.”

This means that while citizens can use a private vendor,

they will also have to pay the county’s fees.

“That situation is forcing the citizens to have to pay twice if they wanted to use a local vendor to service their home,” Philpot said.

This forced Philpot to ask how many of his customers would continue utilizing his service.

“When you wake up to [emails] saying, ‘Willie, you’ve been with us so long.

We hate to have to leave you, we just feel like we have no choice. The county is forcing us to do this. I don’t understand why would they would do that to you or us?’

When you wake up to 70% of your business leaving

due to the county’s actions, it just doesn’t make any financial sense [to remain in business].”

Philpot said he will still be offering roll-off dumpsters, however.

“I won't be providing curbside garbage pickup but I will still be offering roll off dumpster services,” he said.

“The curbside garbage pickup was my main source of income but I will still be offering roll-off dumpsters and junk removal services.”

ViroTek Services can be found online here: www. facebook.com/search/ top?q=virotek%20services.

However, the community has rallied behind Philpot

and his business.

“You have people out there that don’t know me from a can of paint and they’ve been following the story all along, all this time, and the support has just been awesome,” he said. “Just the fact that people want to support local.

So when somebody pays for my service, my money goes back to the community …

They took away the rights of the citizens by telling them who they want to service their homes. And me, as a local citizen, if I want to shop local, I should be able to do so.”

Philpot said of the commissioners, “I’m going to see them all in 2024.”

of East Alabama Health’s Auburn hospital and ER. These efforts will benefit families and job creators throughout the city for generations to come.

Auburn has also upgraded a significant amount of public safety infrastructure, from fire and police vehicles to a highly functional public safety center located downtown.

Additionally, the city has spent more than $30 million on parks and recreation investments. Major improvements include Dinius Park, the inclusive playground at Town Creek and a major expansion of the Auburn Soccer Complex.

It should also be noted that, under Anders’ tenure, the city has spent roughly $15 million per year on new roads and infrastructure improvements to keep up with the pace of Auburn’s phenomenal growth. This includes the addition of significant new parking

downtown. The city has also utilized federal and state grant funding to increase connectivity with sidewalks, green spaces and bike lanes.

“I am proud of what we have accomplished together, but please know this: we are just getting started,” Anders said.

“The incredible support from across the Auburn community is humbling,

and I would be truly grateful to earn your vote on Aug. 23.”

A 1982 graduate of Auburn High School and a 1986 graduate of Auburn University, Anders has been an active member of the community and an ardent supporter of youth athletics. His efforts were foundational to bring the Alabama State High School Football

Championship to Auburn.

He was also instrumental in recruiting and chairing the 50th Anniversary Dixie Youth World Series hosted in Auburn.

The mayor is past chair, president and member of innumerable civic, community, recreation and charitable organizations in the community. Some notable roles include the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, Auburn

Planning Commission, Boys & Girls Clubs, Auburn Research and Technology Foundation, Auburn University Airport and Advisory Board and Auburn University Presidential Search and Advisory Team, amongst others.

Anders lives in Auburn with his wife, Becky, with whom he has three children: Joshua, Patrick and Camille.

PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER

BY WIL CREWS THE OBSERVER

See BROOKS, page B16

WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTOR Plumbing & Heating Supplies Pipes - Valves - Fittings 334.625.3384 800.625.3384 1975 MALL BLVD. STE. 106, AUBURN, ALABAMA

Hunley Group Lambert Transfer and Storage An Interstate Agent for North American Van Lines 1102 Fox Trail Opelika, Alabama 36801 334-745-5706

B12 March 3, 2022

JOIN US FOR

e thJUNK

A community clean up and

fun day COVINGTON CENTER

MARCH 19, 2022

TRASH PICK-UP • FREE THROW COMPETITION • SLAM DUNK EXHIBITION

9 a.m.

9- 11 a.m.

11 a.m.

11- 12:30 p.m.

12:30 p.m.

Pick up your supplies at Covington Litter/Trash pick-up Return to Covington with trash and unused supplies Free Throw Slam Dunk Exhibition in gym John Thomas, Professional Basketball Player overseas for 17 years/Slam Ball National Champion

3 Ways to Register: • • •

Online at www.opelika-al.gov Fill out form on back of flier and return to lkrehling@opelika-al.gov Show up day of event

SEE WEBSITE FOR RULES. www.opelika-al.gov

Hotdog, Chips & Drink provided for those who pick up trash.

Prizes include an autographed basketball from AU Coach Bruce Pearl and various gift cards.

Litter continues to be a huge issue in Opelika. It’s sad to look around our city and see trash along the roadways, in parking lots and in our creeks. Litter is harmful to human health, safety, welfare and the environment.

It can impact water quality and can be a fire hazard and attract rodents. It also has a negative effect on economic development. Our Don’t Be An Ope-Loser campaign and Slam Dunk The Junk event are efforts to raise awareness about litter. Soon, you will begin seeing brightly painted trash cans throughout the city with educational, fun messages about anti-littering. As a part of the campaign, we are asking that if you see trash on the ground, pick it up. It is a point of civic pride to keep Opelika clean and beautiful. Be part of the solution, not the problem. LITTERING IS A FLAGRANT FOUL! Don’t be an Ope-Loser.

B13 March 3, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICES NOTICE BY PUBLICATION Adam Troy Knotts, whose whereabouts are unknown, must answer Aliya and Micah MacGregor’s Complaint and Summons. Said Answer must be filed on or before April 3, 2022 or there after a judgment of default may be entered against him in Case No: CV2021 000154.00 in the Circuit Court of Lee County, Alabama.

Done this the 3rd day of February, 2022.

Mary Robertson Clerk of Circuit Court Lee County, Alabama OF COUNSEL: Ben C. Hand 114 North 8th Street Opelika, AL 36801 334-741-4077 Legal Run 02/10/22, 2/17/22, 2/24/22 & 3/3/2022 ------------IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF BETTY JEAN SHELL, DECEASED IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA CASE No. 2022-053 NOTICE TO CREDITORS TAKE NOTICE that Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to Daniel Wayne Shell, on the 4th day of February, 2022, 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 the time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

Daniel Wayne Shell, Personal Representative LEGAL RUN 2/17/22, 2/24/22 & 3/3/22 ------------IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF EDDIE WAYNE SHELL, DECEASED IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA CASE No. 2022-053 NOTICE TO CREDITORS TAKE NOTICE that Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to Daniel Wayne Shell, on the 4TH day of February 2022, 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 the time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

Daniel Wayne Shell, Personal Representative LEGAL RUN 2/17/22, 2/24/22 & 3/3/22 ------------IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN RE: THE ESTATE OF HARRY J. CLAPPER A/K/A HARRY JAMES CLAPPER, Deceased

CASE NO. 2022-015 NOTICE TO CREDITORS TAKE NOTICE that Letters Testamentary of the Estate of HARRY JAMES CLAPPER a/k/a HARRY J. CLAPPER, deceased having been granted to JAMES CLAPPER on the 13th day of January, 2022, by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of Probate of Lee County, Alabama.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within the time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

Legal Run 2/17/22, 2/24/22& 3/3/22 ------------IN THE MATTER OF THE ADOPTION PETITION OF JASON DOUGLAS KILGORE AND AMY MARIE KILGORE IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA CASE NO.: 2021-667 PUBLICATION NOTICE TO: William Kyle Payne, address unknown Please take notice that a petition for adoption was filed in the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama by Jason Douglas Kilgore and Amy Marie Kilgore on December I, 2021, for the adoption of K.L.V., on March 4, 2014, to Veronica Ann Adams and William Kyle Payne in Carrollton, Georgia.

A hearing has been set in the Lee County Probate Court, Opelika, AL 36801. Should you intend to contest this adoption you must file a written response with the attorney for the petitioner, Hon. Margaret A. Mayfield, P.O. Box 809, Opelika, AL 36803 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.

Dated on this the l lth day of February 2022.

HON. BILL ENGLISH JUDGE OF PROBATE LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA Legal Ru 02/17/2022, 02/24/2022, 03/03/2022 & 03/10/2022 ------------IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF ROBERT M. LOFTON, DECEASED IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA Case No.: 2022-060 Letters Testamentary on the estate of said decedent having been granted to the undersigned on the 11th day of February, 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.

LELA MELSON LOFTON Personal Representative PERSONAL REPRESENTATVE Robert H. Pettey Samford & Denson, LLP

Post Office Box 2345 Opelika, AL 36803-2345 334-745-3504 Legal Run 2/24/22, 3/3/22 & 3/10/22 ------------IN THE MATTER OF THE ADOPTION PETITION OF SEAN PATRICK MCNAIR AND ASHLEY LYNN MCNAIR IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA CASE NO.: 2022-25 PUBLICATION NOTICE TO: Any potential fathers, address unknown Please take notice that a petition for adoption was filed in the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama by Sean Patrick McNair and Ashley Lynn McNair on January 24, 2022, for the adoption of M.G.M., born on January 19, 2022, in Columbus, Georgia to Shannon Paige McNair.

A hearing has been set for the 2nd day of May 2022 at 10 o'clock a.m.

Central time in the Probate Court, Lee County Courthouse, 215 South 9th Street, Opelika, AL 36801. Should you intend to contest thiss adoption you must file a written response with the attorney for the petitioner, Hon. Jason C. Riggs, P.O. Box 954, Auburn, AL 36831 and with the Clerk of the Porbate 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 24th day of January 2022.

HON. BILL ENGLISH JUDGE OF PROBATE, LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA LEGAL RUN 2/24/2022, 3/3/2022, 3/10/2022 & 3/17/2022 ------------NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT ESTATE OF DAREL LOUIS TROBY, DECEASED COURT OF PROBATE LEE COUNTY Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to the undersigned on the 17th day of February, 2022, by the Hon. Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

Witness our hands, and dated this the 17th day of February, 2022.

WILLIAM LOUIS TROBY Legal Run 02/24/22, 03/03/22, 03/10/22 ------------IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF LARRY CARROLL MOTLEY, DECEASED. IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA Case No: 2022-067 Letters Testamentary on the estate of said decedent having been granted to the undersigned on the 15th day of February, 2022, by the Hon. Bill

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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.GLENDA M. GOODEN and ANGELA DENISE JONESCoPersonal Representatives D. Carter Weeks Samford & Denson, LLP P.O. Box 2345 Opelika, AL 36803-2345 Legal Run 02/24/22, 03/03/22 & 03/10/22 ------------NOTICE OF COURT PROCEEDING IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA Notice of the filing of Petition for Summary Distribution In the Estate of DARLENE F. RIDGLEY, deceased Notice is hereby given that a Petition for Summary Distribution has been filed in the LEE COUNTY Probate Office by John J. Ridgley on January 31, 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 03/03/2022 ------------NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City Council of the City of Opelika will hold a Public Hearing on Tuesday, April 5, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. in the Courtroom of the Opelika Municipal Court Building, 300 Martin Luther King Boulevard, Opelika, Lee County, Alabama.

PURPOSE The purpose of said Public Hearing will be to consider the adoption of an ordinance to amend Ordinance Number 124-91 (entitled “Zoning Ordinance of the City of Opelika”) adopted on September 17, 1991. At said Public Hearing all who desire to be heard shall have the opportunity to speak for or in opposition to the adoption of the following ordinance: ORDINANCE NO. ________ AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE ZONING ORDINANCE AND ZONING MAP OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council (the “City Council”) of the City of Opelika, Alabama (the “City”) as follows: Section 1. That Ordinance 124-91 entitled “Zoning Ordinance City of Opelika, Alabama”, adopted on September 17, 1991, and the Zoning Map of the City of Opelika provided for and referred to therein, as previously amended and/or modified, be and the same is hereby amended by rezoning or redistricting the parcel of land hereinafter in this section described, so as to change such parcel from one class of district to another class of district as follows, to-wit: From a C-2 District (Office/Retail District) and a R-1 District (Rural District) to a C-2 District (Office/ Retail District), the parcel of land hereinafter described: A tract or parcel of land located in Section 24, Township 19 North, Range 26 East, Lee County, Alabama and being more particularly described as follows: Commence at the southeast corner of said Section 24; thence N89°58’22”W 783.90 feet to the west right-of-way limit of Society Hill Road, the point of beginning; thence leaving said right-of-way limit N89°58’22”W 2078.79 feet to the east line of Lot 1 of Broad Metro, LLC Plat No. 1 as recorded in Plat Book 42, Page 41 and 42, Probate Office, Lee County, Alabama, thence N42°46’46”W 381.76 feet along the east line of said Lot 1; thence N38°54’12”E 736.91 feet along the east line of said Lot 1 to the southwest corner of Lot 2 of Helen Mitchell Subdivision as recorded in Plat Book 18, Page 160, Probate Office, Lee County, Alabama; thence along the south line of said Lot 2 the following bearings and distances: S88°59’08”E 478.12 feet; N88°53’53”E 237.89 feet; N88°59’08”E 291.63 feet; N88°08’11”E 500.42 feet; S89°08’39”E 89.83 feet to the northwest corner of Lot 2 of Elaine Subdivision as recorded in Plat Book 10, Page 221, Probate Office, Lee County, Alabama; thence S19°31’02”W 395.80 feet to the southwest corner of Lot 2 of said Elaine Subdivision; thence N89°04’03”E 589.63 feet along the south line of said Lot 2 to the west right-of-way limit of Society Hill Road; thence S19°28’48”W 538.21 feet along said right-of-way limit to the point of beginning.

The above-described property contains 40.0 acres, more or less, and is located on the west side of Society Hill Road and north of Gateway Drive, Opelika, Alabama.

Section 2. Any ordinance or part thereof in conflict with provisions of this Ordinance be and the same are hereby repealed.

Section 3. This Ordinance shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the City of Opelika, Lee County, Alabama.

All interested persons are invited

to attend the public hearing and be heard. Written comments concerning the above matter may be mailed to the City Clerk at P.O. Box 390, Opelika, AL 36803 at any time prior to the public hearing and may be further submitted to the City Council at the meeting and the public hearing.

Please contact Brian Weiss, the City’s ADA Coordinator, at 334-705-5134 at least two (2) working days prior to the meeting if you require special accommodations due to any disability.

WITNESS my hand this the 3rd day of March, 2022. /s/ Russell A. Jones, CMC CITY CLERK OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA, ALABAMA Legal Run 03/03/2022 ------------ORDINANCE NO. 006-22 ORDINANCE ANNEXING CERTAIN PROPERTY INTO THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA (Property located on the east side of Sellers Drive) WHEREAS, Opelika Investment Properties, LLC, a Florida limited liability company (hereinafter referred to as the “Petitioner”) being the owner of the property hereinafter described, heretofore filed a Petition for Annexation (the “Petition”) with the City of Opelika, Alabama, a municipal corporation, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit “A”, requesting the annexation of certain property owned by the Petitioner as more particularly described below; and WHEREAS, Petitioner is the owner of all of the lands described in its Petition; and WHEREAS, the territory to be annexed is contiguous to the existing corporate limits of the City of Opelika and does not embrace any territory within the corporate limits of another municipality, and when annexed into the City of Opelika will form a homogenous part of the City; and WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Opelika did find and determine that it is in the best interest of the public that said property be annexed into the City of Opelika and it did further determine that all legal requirements for annexing said real property have been met pursuant to Sections 11-42-20 through 11-42-24, Code of Alabama (1975).

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

Section 2. The following described property be, and the same is hereby annexed into the corporate limits of the City of Opelika, Alabama, and the boundary lines and corporate limits of the City of Opelika, Alabama shall be extended, altered and rearranged to include within the corporate limits of the City of Opelika, in addition to the territory now included therein, all the following territory, to wit: 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 12.636 acres, more or less, and is located in the 2800/2900 blocks of Sellers Drive Section 3. A map or plat of a survey describing the territory annexed and showing its relation to the corporate limits of the City of Opelika shall be attached to this ordinance, marked Exhibit “B” and made a part hereof.

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

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

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

ADOPTED AND APPROVED this the 1st day of March, 2022. /s/ Eddie Smith PRESIDENT OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA, ALABAMA ATTEST: /s/ Russell A. Jones, CMC CITY CLERK TRANSMITTED TO MAYOR on this the 2nd day of March, 2022. /s/ Russell A. Jones, CMC CITY CLERK ACTION BY MAYOR APPROVED this the 2nd day of March, 2022.

Gary Fuller MAYOR

ATTEST: /s/ Russell A. Jones, CMC CITY CLERK Legal Run 03/03/2022 ------------ORDINANCE NO. 007-22 ORDINANCE TO PRE-ZONE PROPERTY LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF SELLERS DRIVE WHEREAS, Opelika Investment Properties, LLC, a Florida limited liability company, as the owner of certain real property located on the east side of Sellers Drive (2800/2900 blocks of Sellers Drive) within the unincorporated area of Lee County, Alabama has requested that said property be pre-zoned to a R/E District (Retail/Entertainment District) prior to annexing into the City of Opelika; and WHEREAS, said 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 ; and WHEREAS, at the regular meeting of the Planning Commission on December 21, 2021, the Commission did recommend to the City Council that said property be zoned to R/E; and WHEREAS, due notice of said proposed pre-zoning has been provided to the public as required by law through publication; and WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Opelika after due consideration, and upon consideration of the recommendation of the Planning Commission, finds and determines that the application for pre-zoning of the above described real property is proper and in the best interest of the citizens of the City of Opelika, Alabama.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Opelika, Alabama as follows: Section 1. Zoning. That the abovedescribed real property is hereby pre-zoned to a R/E District (Retail/ Entertainment District). Upon annexation of said property, the property shall be assigned the R/E district and the zoning ordinance and zoning map shall be amended to reflect said zoning. Should the annexation not occur prior to the expiration of this pre-zoning as set forth in Section 4, this pre-zoning shall have no effect and the property shall remain in the unincorporated area of Lee County, Alabama.

Section 2. Repealer. All other City ordinances or parts thereof in conflict with the provisions of this Ordinance, in so far as they conflict, are hereby repealed.

Section 3. Severability. The provisions of this Ordinance are severable. If any provision, section, sentence or part thereof shall be held unconstitutional or invalid, such decision shall not effect or impair the remainder of said Ordinance, it being the legislative intent to ordain and enact each provision, section, paragraph, sentence or part thereof separately and independently of each other.

Section 4. Effective Date and Expiration Date. This Ordinance and, in particular the pre-zoning shall take effect after the date of its approval by the City Council of the City of Opelika and publication as required by law. Pursuant to the Code of Alabama (1975), §11-52-85, the zoning of the property shall become effective upon the date the territory is annexed into the corporate limits.

If any portion of the territory is not annexed into the corporate limits within 180 days of the initiation of annexation proceedings as provided by law, then this pre-zoning shall be null and void. Should the pre-zoning become null and void, the applicant may reapply for pre-zoning at any time as long as an annexation petition is pending.

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

ADOPTED AND APPROVED this the 1st day of March, 2022. /s/ Eddie Smith PRESIDENT OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA, ALABAMA ATTEST: /s/ Russell A. Jones, CMC CITY CLERK TRANSMITTED TO MAYOR on this the 2nd day of March, 2022. /s/ Russell A. Jones, CMC CITY CLERK ACTION BY MAYOR APPROVED this the 2nd day of March, 2022.

Gary Fuller MAYOR ATTEST: /s/ Russell A. Jones, CMC CITY CLERK Legal Run 03/03/2022

B14 March 3, 2022

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B15 March 3, 2022

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B16 March 3, 2022

Indians Pines to Close for One Year Due to Airport Renovations

BY HANNAH LESTER HLESTER@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

The city of Auburn approved a contract with the Indian Pines Recreation Authority for over $1.1 million for the Auburn University Regional Airport Runway Extension Project.

The total contribution of $1,151,000 is only the city of Auburn’s portion of the funding. The golf course itself, the city of Opelika, the Lee County Commission, the state of Alabama, AO Tourism and Auburn University are all also contributing.

The Auburn University Regional Airport is in need of a runway extension but this means the airport will need to cut into Indian Pines land.

“We have to expand our safety area,” said Bill Hutto, airport executive director, at a Lee County Commission meeting.

The north end of the runway at Country Club Road and Indian Pines Golf Course needs an additional 700 feet to bring it up to FAA safety standards. The south side already has a 1,000 foot safety area. The north end only has 300 feet.

“If we do not do this project, we will be required to shorten our runway,” Hutto said.

“And our runway is 5,264 feet which is right at a mile. It’s a good length, but with the

aircraft that we’re seeing today, if we have to shorten it and go under 5,000 feet it will severely impact our aircraft users and our ability to be able to serve the community.”

The land will come from Indian Pines Golf Course, however, and the total cost for that land and rebuilding the golf course will be $6.8 million, said Auburn Mayor Ron Anders.

The project will be completed, as requested by the FAA, by 2024.

The funding will emanate from Indian Pines Golf Course and the money from each entity will be allocated to Indian Pines each year.

Indian Pines, which is the city’s only public golf course, will have to close for a year to renovate.

“I really believe [Indian Pines] is an important amenity to our community,” Anders said Tuesday. “… This golf course really meets the need of a lot of people in our community who probably don’t belong to a private club and could only afford maybe to go to Robert Trent Jones a finite amount of times during the year. They can go out to Indian Pines.

“If you go to Indian Pines, you’re going to see all ages, and stages, and careers, and races and interest that descend on that course. They’ve had an incredible number of rounds that have been played in recent

years and I believe it’s a great, great recreational amenity to both of our communities.”

OTHER BUSINESS: - The council approved a board appointment to the Downtown Design Review Committee.

- The council approved a board appointment to the Historic Preservation Commission.

- The council approved alcohol beverage licenses for Family Dollar Stores of Alabama, LLC, and Pooch Porch Auburn, LLC. - The council approved temporary street closures, closing the Gay Street Parking Lot and invoking the Entertainment District for 2022 events.

- The council approved a contract with Alabama Power Company and Tallapoosa River Electric Cooperative for street lights on North Donahue Drive for over $33,000.

- The council approved a contract with Dell Marketing L.P. for the purchase of 20 Dell Latitude 5420 Rugged laptops with auto adapters for over $47,000.

- The council approved a contract with JACOBS for consulting engineering services for the H.C. Morgan Water Pollution Control Facility (WPCF) Clarifiers No. 1 and No. 2 Weirs and Baffles Replacement Project.

- The council amended the commercial development agreement with

BROOKS >>

RECS Flint’s Crossing, LLC for Flint’s Crossing.

- The council approved a contract to purchase athletics uniforms for youth sports.

- The council approved a contract with TTL, Inc. for construction materials testing and special inspection services for the Soccer Complex Project for $32,500.

- The council approved right‐of‐way, drainage and utility easements, and drainage, utility, sidewalk and pedestrian lighting easements for Robert A. Fucci for property on the southwest corner of the Harper Avenue and North Debardeleben Street. The council approved a redivision for parts of lots 13 and 14 in the Williamson Subdivision Final Plat.

- The council accepted right‐of‐way and drainage and utility easements for Robert A. Fucci, for property on the west side of North Debardeleben Street between Harper Avenue and East Glenn Avenue.

- The council approved a commercial development agreement for RECS Flint’s Crossing, LLC. for Flint’s Crossing/The Plains.

- The council voted to approve a chance in meeting times. The council will now meet at 6 p.m., with the Committee of the whole at 5:30 p.m., unless otherwise stated.

FROM B11 among other things.

In closing, Brooks addressed his comments that predated the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection.

“I gave a roaring speech to try to motivate people to understand in America how we are at risk, and what they need to do is focus on the 2022 and 2024 elections,” he said. “Fake news media, the Democrats … they twisted that and into ‘well it was inspiring the attack on the Capitol.”

According to a list of “issues” on Brook’s website, the first thing he hopes to do if elected is to “Drain the Swamp.” Former President Donald Trump coined Washington, D.C. as “The Swamp” and Brooks is running with it.

Additionally, Brooks’ website lists “National Security, Debts and Debits, Foreign Affairs, Healthcare, The Second Amendment, Immigration and Right to Life” as priority topics for the candidate.

Brooks has been given endorsements by Trump, the longest-serving female Alabama Republican Party Chairman Terry Lathan, former Alabama Republican Chairman Marty Connors, Arizona State Senator Wendy Rogers, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, Georgia Congresswoman Majorie Taylor Greene and Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, among others.

For his near-lifetime commitment to conservative activism, Brooks has earned numerous awards and recognitions, including top marks from a number of conservative organizations including: Heritage Action, the NRA, Club for

Growth, Numbers USA, American Conservative Union and FreedomWorks.

Brooks grew up in the Tennessee Valley and graduated from Duke University, where he met his wife Martha, in three years with a double major in political science and economics. He then pursued law at the University of Alabama and had a successful career as an attorney before entering public works. Brooks has been elected as a county commissioner four times, served under two attorney generals and first entered the House of Representatives in 1982, earning reelection in 1983, 1986 and 1990. He has been serving as congressman for the last six terms, since 2010.

“Hopefully you will be able to take some confidence in the job that I will do for you as a united states senator based on what other say about me having represented them,” Brooks said.

“Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of folks who don’t like me in the Tennessee valley, in the state of Alabama and around the country. That’s because I am a conservative. I’m not just a conservative, I fight for those values that we stand for as a people. I don’t surrender them. I don’t yield to the socialist.”

Brooks and his wife Martha have been married for 46 years and share four children and 13 grandchildren together.

Brooks’ main competitors in the Senate race are Business Council of Alabama CEO Katie Britt, and former Army aviator and Alabama businessman Mike Durant.

For more information, visit: www.mobrooks.com/

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