The Observer 04-06-2023

A Mother's Love, A Mother's Sorrow

BY MICHELLE KEY MICHELLE@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

OPELIKA —

Amore Jo’Veah

Wiggins was born on Jan. 1, 2006, to Sherry Wiggins — a mother that loved her and named her accordingly.

Six years later, the remains of a small child were discovered in a wooded area in Opelika. The female child became known as Baby Jane Doe. The Opelika Police Department and many others spent the next 11 years diligently searching for answers as to what had happened to her, where she had come from and most importantly, who she was.

For 11 years, the Opelika community watched and waited for updates about Baby Jane Doe. Members of

Buc-ee’s to Celebrate Grand Opening in Auburn April 10

CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

AUBURN — Buc-ee’s, which prides itself on having “the world’s cleanest bathrooms, freshest food and friendliest beaver,” will unveil its newest travel center in Auburn on Monday, April 10. Doors will open to the public at 6 a.m. Central Daylight Time, and a ribbon-cutting ceremony will follow at 9:30 a.m.

Located at 2500 Bucee’s Blvd., Buc-ee’s Auburn occupies more than 53,470 square feet and offers 120

Buc-ee's'

tion

fueling positions just outside its store with thousands of snack, meal and drink options for travelers on the go. The new travel

center also offers the same award-winning restrooms, cheap gas, quality products and excellent service that have won the hearts,

trust and business of millions in the South for nearly 40 years. Buc-ee’s favorites —

See BUC-EE'S, page A3

the community came to love this child as one of their own and grieved for the unknown little girl who suffered great abuse during her brief time on Earth. Even though they did not know her name, she was loved.

In January 2023, the police announced that her family had been found, and that her name was Amore Jo’Veah Wiggins — A fitting name for the child loved by many who have never even met her. A child whose tragic circumstances brought a community together for a common cause — to find those who had hurt her and bring them to justice.

Amore was laid to rest in her mother’s hometown of Norfolk, Virginia, in February.

Just as the community held vigil for this child

See AMORE, page A2

BY WIL CREWS SPORTSCREWS@OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

OPELIKA —

What makes a hero? That is what former Lee County District Attorney Brandon Hughes explores in his debut novel, “The Hero Rule: Is It Justice…

See BOOK, page A5

Sherry Wiggins, mother of Amore Jo'Veah Wiggins — the female child formerly known in Opelika as Baby Jane Doe — mourns her daughter. For more photos from the memorial service turn to A2.

newest location in Auburn is set to open April 10. The Texas-based gas sta-

and country storeS will be located on Buc-ee's Boulevard off of I-85.

for 11 years — waiting for answers — it came together one more time to honor her life and to share her mother’s sorrow. A memorial for Amore was held Sunday, April 2. Candles were lit, prayers were lifted and tears were shed.

Opelika Police Capt.

Johnathan Clifton opened up the service and read a scripture from the book of Matthew in the Bible.

Let little children come

to me, do not hinder them for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these — Matthew 19:14.

“I wanted to welcome everybody here to pay their respects to this beloved child,” Clifton said. “She has been a part of our family for so many years; it is hard to believe that it has been 11 years.

Throughout all these years we have sought answers … we wanted to know her name and her story. We had nothing but silence for so many years. But finally, we found

her voice; we found her name.”

Her mother, Sherry, spoke of her love for Amore.

“Every day I pray for strength as I grieve,” Wiggins said. “It hurts my heart that we had to part, but there is a little place in my heart that is filled when I receive the overpouring love from Opelika. My heart is filled. … Amore, I may not be able to carry you in my arms anymore, but I will forever have you in my heart.”

Amore will not be forgotten by Opelika. There are plans to have a bronze statue of Amore crafted. She will be sitting on a bench — an invitation for the community to come and sit with her. An opportunity for community members to show their respect and love for the little child that spent 11 years here, waiting to be laid to rest.

Opelika Police Chief Shane Healey was unable to attend the service but recorded a message for the event.

“I want to thank each of you from the bottom of my heart for the outpouring of love and support you have shown Amore and our department,” Healey said. “This is what makes Opelika such a special place to live.”

Healey also had a message to Amore.

“To Amore, I thank you for touching our lives and reminding us daily of the 'why' behind the sacrifices we make for this community. You will forever hold a place in our hearts and [will] be a beacon of hope

for us when we are tired and frustrated. You will remain the example of why we never give up and drive us on into the darkness to seek justice for those who cannot speak for themselves. Thank you for that. Rest in peace sweet girl.”

Amore may be at rest in Virginia but found a home in Opelika. “Amore, [the] Opelika community became your family over the years,” Wiggins said.

A crowd of community members gathered at Courthouse Square in downtown Opelika Saturday, April 1, for a memorial service for Amore Jo'veah Wiggins. Several attendees wore pink in honor of the young girl.

Fuller Talks Making a Difference During State of the City

BY KENDYL HOLLINGSWORTH KENDYLH@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

OPELIKA —

In his 2023 State of the City address, Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller encouraged citizens to “be intentional” and be “difference makers.”

Fuller addressed a crowd of community leaders and business professionals at the evening event, held March 29 at the Bottling Plant Event Center in downtown Opelika. The event, hosted by the Opelika Chamber of Commerce, featured a cocktail hour, followed by remarks from Fuller and Opelika Chamber President and CEO Ali Rauch. The evening concluded with music and dancing.

“I’m humbled and proud to be the mayor of such a great city,” Fuller said. “… We had a great year in 2022.”

BIG PICTURE

Fuller, now in his fifth term as mayor, noted Opelika’s growth and improvements not just in 2022, but since he first took office in 2004.

“Some … 18 years later, we’ve added 5,000 new jobs and $2 billion … in capital investment, so that’s folks like y’all and us making a difference together,” he noted.

Fuller said Opelika has recently seen improve-

ments to the community in terms of safety, lifestyle, recreation, workforce and infrastructure. Some of these include a new police department and municipal court, library and senior center, as well as sidewalk improvements and renovations to the Covington Recreation Center.

In addition, Opelika has celebrated a slew of new businesses from downtown to Tiger Town, including QuikTrip, Crumbl Cookies, the much-anticipated Botanic and many more.

Existing heavy-hitters like Golden State Foods and Hanwha Cimarron also announced plans to expand, investing millions of dollars in the community and adding

more jobs.

“We’re extremely fortunate to have these industries and businesses that continue to invest in our community,” Fuller said.

The city continues to support its “first-class school system” as well, he added.

But all of these and more are the result of citizens and city employees being intentional in their efforts to make a difference — something Fuller said he strives to do each day.

“My personal goal each day when I go to work at city hall … is to try to make a small difference in the life of our community, and I’ve been doing that since 2004,” he said. “Just a

Opelika to Host Alabama Senior Olympics Pickleball Tournament

CONTRIBUTED BY OPELIKA PICKLEBALL CLUB

OPELIKA —

The Opelika Pickleball Club will be hosting the Alabama Senior Olympics pickleball tournament April 14 through 16 at the Opelika SportsPlex. Participant sign-ups are now full, but spectators are welcome and encouraged. Volunteer sign-ups for the tournament are open at pickleballbrackets.com/ pts.aspx.

at almost $309 million,” he added.

Over 600 new single-family homes were permitted and built — 113 more than the previous year. Opelika also recorded about 15,000 total Opelika Power customers, a result of the growth.

Rauch also spoke on the progress of Forward Opelika, which has raised nearly $2.57 million of its $2.77 million goal to help the chamber tackle community issues.

PUBLIC SAFETY

small difference — but if all of us are working to make a small difference, think of what that will mean to our community, to our churches, our schools, our business and our families.

“… I think the city of Opelika is very intentional about the decisions that we make so that we can make a difference in the lives of our citizens in our community.”

FINANCES

Fuller spoke to the importance of having a balanced budget in the city, which allows these changes and improvements to be implemented.

“Folks, I know where the money comes from,” he said. “… It comes from you and it comes

from me. It comes from taxpayers. This is your money that we’re spending, and we’re very much aware of that — not only myself, but the city council and all of our departments.”

The year 2022 saw some “great numbers,” he added. Actual revenue came in at nearly $156 million — well over the expected $149 million — and included over $48 million in sales tax and more than $5 million in property tax.

Opelika also saw a record-breaking year for residential housing, which Fuller referred to as a growing workforce in the city.

“We had the highest number of activity ever with construction value

In Public Safety, Fuller praised the “Safety Shanes” — Opelika Police Chief Shane Healey and Fire Chief Shane Boyd. The new firefighter training center hosted 21 classes in its first full year and issued more than 330 certifications. The Fire Department also streamlined its response procedures, responding to about 6,200 calls in 2022. A brand-new station is in the works, which will help improve response times.

Fuller also praised first responders for their response to the July fire at Maffia’s in downtown Opelika.

“Thankfully, due to a quick response, a lot of well-trained firefighters and assistance from our friends in Auburn, we were able to avoid a

Outstanding Tree Award Nominations Open

CONTRIBUTED BY THE CITY OF AUBURN / DAVID D. DORTON

AUBURN —

For more information or to sign up for future tournaments, visit the Opelika Pickleball Club website at opelikapickleball.com/ or

Community members are invited to nominate their favorite tree for the city of Auburn's third annual Outstanding Tree Awards. Managed by the Landscape and Sustainability Division, the awards celebrate Auburn's beautiful urban forest and its stewards. Those interested in nominating a tree are invited to share their story about the tree along with a photo from now through April 21. The Auburn Tree

Commission will evaluate submissions and announce a winner during the last week of April. The winning entry will capture the importance a tree can have and the role trees play in making Auburn the Loveliest Village on The Plains. Nominations can be submitted at auburnalabama.org/trees/awards. including Texas barbecue, homemade fudge, kolaches, “Beaver Nuggets,” jerky and fresh pastries — are all available as well.

Local leaders attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony will include Auburn Mayor Ron Anders, City Council Member Tommy Dawson, Auburn City Manager Megan McGowen Crouch, city of Auburn Economic Development Director Phillip Dunlap, Lee County Commission Chairman Bill English and others.

Founded in Texas in

1982, Buc-ee’s operates 45 stores across Texas and the South. Since beginning its multistate expansion in 2019, Buc-ee’s has opened travel centers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina and Tennessee. Buc-ee’s recently announced the brand is headed West with store groundbreakings in Colorado and Missouri. The first Virginia location was announced in March of this year.

“Our partnership with Alabama couldn’t be stronger, and Auburn is the perfect place for a Buc-ee’s,” said Stan Beard, real estate direc-

call the Opelika SportsPlex at 334-705-5560.

tor at Buc-ee’s. “The home of the Tigers is ideally located along I-85, making it the perfect stop for travelers headed to Georgia or down to the Alabama Gulf Coast. We can’t wait to become even more involved in this beautiful community.”

Buc-ee’s Auburn is set to bring 200 new jobs to the area with starting pay well above minimum wage, full benefits, a 100% matching 401k up to 6%, and three weeks of paid vacation.

ABOUT BUC-EE’S Buc-ee’s is the world’s most-loved travel center. Founded

in 1982, Buc-ee’s now has 34 stores across Texas, including the world’s largest convenience store, as well as 11 locations in other states. Buc-ee’s is known for pristine bathrooms, a large amount of fueling positions, friendly service, Bucee’s apparel and fresh, delicious food. Originally launched and still headquartered in Texas, Buc-ee’s has combined traditional quality and modern efficiency to redefine the pit stop for their customers. For more information, visit www.buc-ees.com.

Senior pickleballer at a tourament held at the Opelika SportsPlex last year.

Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller addresses the crowd March 29 at the 2023 State of the City event.

A statue of Buc-ee's mascot, Bucky the Beaver.

See CITY, page A4

Alabama Doctors Praise FDA for Making Narcan Available Without Prescription

CONTRIBUTED BY THE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION OF THE STATE OF ALABAMA

MONTGOMERY —

Alabama physicians are commending the Food and Drug Administration’s decision last week to allow a nasal spray version of Narcan to be available as over-thecounter medication.

“Making Narcan available without prescription

is an essential step to save lives from fentanyl and other opioid-related overdoses,” said Dr. Julia Boothe, president of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama.

“We encourage all Alabamians to learn how to recognize, prevent and respond to an opioid overdose by using Narcan.”

Narcan rapidly reverses an opioid overdose and can quickly restore normal breathing to a

April Is Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month

person if their breathing has slowed or stopped because of an opioid overdose.

A report released last October showed that the number of opioid prescriptions in Alabama have declined for eight consecutive years. This same report also showed that prescriptions of naloxone in Alabama rose 851% between 2012 and 2021. Naloxone is the generic name for Narcan.

Junior League Lee County to Host Mad Hatter's Tea Party

CONTRIBUTED BY JUNIOR

LEE COUNTY —

The Junior League of Lee County (JLLC) is thrilled to invite all members of the community to purchase tickets for the Mad Hatter's Tea Party on Sunday, April 16, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Moore’s Mill Club Pavilion (1957 Fairway Drive, Auburn, 36830). This event promises to be a magical afternoon full of entertainment, refreshments and exciting activities for children and families of all ages. Here are some of the exciting things to expect at the event:

• Raffle tickets will be available for purchase at the door. For only $5 per ticket or $20 for five tickets, you can enter to win packages worth hundreds of dollars. Tickets will be available via Venmo or cash at the event. Don't miss your chance to win spa packages, restaurant gift cards and professional photography packages.

• Sandwiches and tea will be available and attendees will have opportunities to take photos with Alice and

other characters via Auburn Area Community Theatre (AACT) Young Performers. There will be multiple photo stations, balloon art and face painting.

• Madeline Rigdon, Miss Cotton State 2023 for the Miss Alabama Organization, will be making a special appearance as well. Her platform is children’s literacy — a perfect match. You won't want to miss meeting her.

“We are so excited to host the Mad Hatter Tea Party and spend the afternoon with the Lee County community,” said Lexy Payne, JLLC president. “We can't wait to host an afternoon of whimsy and wonder, complete with story time with Alice and other great activities. This is such a great community event and it has been amazing to see it come together to encourage literacy and support our mission to support the women and children of Lee County.”

Spaces are limited, and only about 30 pairs of tickets left. Don't miss your chance to join us in Wonderland.

ABOUT THE JLLC

The Junior League of Lee County is an organization of

much of that success to Healey’s leadership and commitment to his staff and community.

women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. Per the community impact area of focus, the Junior League of Lee County members are committed to strengthening the leadership, power and voices of schoolage girls and young women in Lee County to result in increased confidence, courage, knowledge and personal development.

Ways to join or support the JLLC:

The local nonprofit, JLLC, recruits new members — women who live or work in Lee County — every summer and coordinates an annual poinsettia flower fundraiser in late summer and early fall. Both membership and donation forms are available online, and all those interested in joining the League or learning more about the organization may go online to www.juniorleagueofleecounty.com/.

CONTRIBUTED BY THE PARKINSON ASSOCIATION OF ALABAMA

BIRMINGHAM —

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has officially proclaimed April as Parkinson’s Awareness Month across Alabama.

It is estimated that more than 16,000 people are living with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) in Alabama, with more than 800 diagnosed every year, according to the Michael J. Fox Foundation.

Every nine minutes, someone in the U.S. is diagnosed with PD. Due to Alabama’s aging Baby Boomer population, combined with occupational exposures from farming, industry and military service, the number of Alabamians impacted by Parkinson’s grows drastically year after year.

The Parkinson Association of Alabama (PAA) is on a mission to improve the quality of life for patients, caregivers and families affected by Parkinson’s in the state of Alabama.

“Most people don’t realize that the PAA was founded in 1978,” said PAA President Brian Corbett. “Our key initiatives are ‘Care, Community and a Cure for Parkinson’s’ — it’s what we do.”

Corbett was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2014.

“At the PAA, we believe in access to quality care for all Alabamians, providing awareness to make the

best-informed decisions with the latest advancements,” he said. “We also believe that comprehensive wellness is the key to living well with Parkinson’s.”

The PAA has recently launched an online resource center at parkinsonalabama. info to provide those living with Parkinson’s the resources they need to navigate PD, extending access to resources throughout rural Alabama. The PAA also offers care navigation sessions to those recently diagnosed and living with Parkinson’s, as well as their caregivers.

“We also believe community connectedness through support and camaraderie [that] equips those impacted by Parkinson’s and their caregivers is critical,” Corbett said. “We offer a network of resources that inspires optimism and encouragement to ensure no one travels this journey alone.”

The PAA partners with a network of more than 20 in-person support and movement groups across the state, also hosting virtual support groups over Zoom so that everyone can have access to a PD community.

The PAA provides more than $30,000 in scholarships to those impacted by Parkinson’s to attend movement-based programs throughout the state.

“Most importantly, we believe in supporting Alabama’s quality research initiatives to find a cure for Parkin-

son’s Disease,” Corbett

said.

The PAA has contributed more than $2.9 million in support of PD research at UAB, resulting in over $20 million leveraged in research funding. The UAB Udall Center for Excellence is one of five PD research facilities specializing in Parkinson’s in the United States. Also, more than $35,000 has been provided annually since 2014 to support UAB predoctoral scholars in their research.

Nearly everyone now knows someone impacted by Parkinson’s. Choosing to support and partner with the PAA guarantees that all donations and resources stay local to provide a positive impact to Alabamians living with Parkinson’s, their families and caregivers. Anyone who wants to support the PAA and its mission can donate online at www.parkinsonalabama.com.

PAA’s annual Parkinson’s research fundraising event is happening soon. Taste for a Cure will be hosted on Thursday, April 27, at the B&A Warehouse in Birmingham from 5 to 8 p.m. This evening will feature amazing food and spirits, a live and silent auction, wine pull drawing and live music. Learn more and purchase tickets at www.parkinsonalabama.com/2023tfac.

All proceeds remain local to support Parkinson’s Disease research and care navigation services in Alabama.

catastrophic outcome and extinguish the fire without too much damage to adjoining structures,” Fuller said.

Opelika police in 2022 continued efforts with Together, Opelika and several nonprofits to bring about “sustainable changes in the community.”

The Police Department is also implementing its new “Knowledge Is Power” program, building relationships with community members and educating students and adults.

“While the rest of the country seems to be trending up [in crime statistics], Opelika is trending down,” Fuller said, attributing

LIFESTYLE Parks and Recreation stayed busy with several building projects and renovations. It added an archery park and pickleball facility, renovated the softball park and Opelika Sportsplex weight room and broke ground on two new disc golf courses and several Floral Park renovations and additions.

Opelika also hosted the 2022 ARPA swim meet in the spring, bringing almost 1,000 swimmers to the area, and is preparing to host a large pickleball tournament this June.

“That kind of activity is good for our restaurants, our hotels and our businesses, and it’s

also good to generate a little sales tax,” Fuller said.

The Opelika Public Library saw success in 2022 with more than 500 programs, including its new author visit series. The library also recorded more than 270,000 visits and will soon add a new “Mak -

erspace” to its offerings, set to include four 3D printers, a button maker, an engraving machine and more.

Fuller praised the city’s communications team, which includes Leigh Krehling and Caitlin Allen, for keeping the public informed and educated about

new developments. The department is also responsible for the city’s United Way campaign, which raised more than $50,000 in 2022 — a new record. They also plan to start a podcast soon.

Downtown also received recognition, with Opelika Main Street earning multiple awards in 2022 and the city celebrating a month of successful Christmas events.

Multiple other city departments have much to tout as well, Fuller said. The city is in the process of upgrading its recycling center, the courtroom welcomed three new members and the Engineering Department completed several projects in 2022 to help Opelika become more sustain -

able, livable and safe. The city also fulfilled well over 30,000 work orders across all departments.

Lastly, Fuller named City Administrator Joey Motley, City Attorney Guy Gunter, City Clerk Russell Jones and Administrative Assistant Barbara Arrington for making a difference in his life and the community.

“I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together,” Fuller said at the close of his remarks. “… We do this together as a team, and I look forward to continued success in the years to come. I think our city is strong, but we cannot rest on our laurels. We must remain future-focused, and I think that our future is bright.”

LEAGUE OF LEE COUNTY

CITY >> from A3

Fuller, left, shakes hands with an attendee following his address.

Or Murder?”

Set to release on Amazon April 11, “The Hero Rule” follows local prosecutor Barclay Griffith, of the fictional Towne, Alabama. Griffith operates under the Hero Rule — which means doing the right thing for the right reason. He inserts himself into a case centered on Charlie Calvin Clements, a man accused of murder and facing the verdict of the death sentence. The web of lies surrounding the case brings Griffith’s own moral code into question, blurring the line between innocent and guilty. What follows is Griffith’s own metamorphosis from noble prosecutor seeking the truth, to a man with one thing on his mind: justice.

“It was this idea of a prosecutor who believes in that,” Hughes said of The Hero Rule. “No matter what, he just wants to do the right thing, no matter what form that takes. But when someone close to him is murdered, and the justice system appears to fail him personally, he finds that following his own moral code to be more difficult than he ever imagined. He tries to live in this black and white world,

but comes to realize that the answers he seeks require him to get into the gray.”

Just days before his debut book releases, Hughes reflected on the 10-year journey he has taken to get his work published and available to the public.

“I started it back in 2013,” he said. “I had this notion that I could write something. I had a nugget of an idea floating in my head and just sat down and started. I had no expectations.”

Possessing a love for creative writing that predates his book-publishing goals, Hughes said he was surprised at how the story of “The Hero Rule” evolved on his journey to finishing the book.

“You get to a point where you say, ‘Am I doing it right?’” Hughes said. “I knew how I wanted to end it. But sometimes as the story evolves, the characters evolve, your ending may stay somewhat how you like it, but it also evolves. To some extent, the book somewhat writes itself. I felt like anytime I sat down to write, the next thing you know I had written 5,000 to 6,000 words.

“… One of the things I agonized over writing this was everything had to be real. Even though it is fiction, it still had

to be right. What are the holes here? That took a lot of time, just making sure I had everything buttoned up.”

One of Hughes’s favorite writers is John Sandford, from whom he takes much inspiration and reflects in his own writing.

“I really enjoy his writing style probably above anybody else’s,” Hughes said. “It’s some grit, it’s some humor. It’s interesting — sometimes as I am writing I can hear his literary voice, so to speak. There are certain scenes where I sit back and I feel like that is something he would have written … that voice, the style, that sound.”

Hughes served as the district attorney for Lee County from 2017 to 2021. And while he enjoys reading crime thriller books, his experience as a prosecutor oftentimes reveals inconsistencies or errors that could only be spotted by someone who has real-life exposure to these types of cases. That is one of the main reasons he sat down to write “The Hero Rule,” he said.

“I am a pretty voracious reader, particularly in a genre that this novel is set in,” he said. “You read a lot, and sometimes they are good stories but mechanically

and logistically, they are written by people who don’t understand how police operations, the legal process, whatever. So I get frustrated reading them. I thought about how much better a book in that genre can be when its written by somebody who understands it.”

Hughes said he is looking forward to seeing how the book will be received.

“Any time you put

something out, especially creative stuff, you hang yourself out there,” he said. “There are going to be people who like [it] and some who don’t.”

Ultimately, however, he said his fear of failure is far outweighed by his fear of regret.

“I don’t want to look back and say, ‘what if,’” Hughes said.

That’s why he had to finish this book, and why he’s already writ-

ing follow-up stories. With “The Hero Rule,” Hughes said he aims to make the reader think, and by book’s end ask, “Did [the protagonist’s] actions accomplish the Hero Rule?”

“I’m just excited to put my work out there and let folks judge for themselves,” he said. “I hope they enjoy it.”

Readers can order books via Hughes website www. brandonhughesbooks.com.

S Food ociety & News vents, E

the

panel of travel writers.”

Not surprisingly, the online article mentioned beautiful Lake Martin as a popular attraction in its description of Alex City.

Recently, Mike and I traveled to Alex City to meet our friend Rhonda for dinner (supper) at Castelluccio Fine Italian Dining, located at 107 Main St.

As I’ve mentioned many times in this column, I was born and raised in Alexander City, Alabama (“Eleck” City to the locals). Therefore, I was very proud when I heard that “Alexander City is the second best Southern small town in the country, according to a poll conducted by USA Today.”

Also, the “poll was completed using reader suggestions, as well as a

Rhonda is also an Alex City native and was a year behind me in school. In 1987, she and her husband Ricky moved next door to my parents and me. They lived there until 1995 and had two pretty daughters named Ashley and Hillary.

Rhonda and I were both Auburn grads, and we decided to go back to the Loveliest Village on The Plains to get our Master of Education degrees, she in elementary education and I in secondary English education. She spent her teaching career in Alex

A cannoli served at Castelluccio Fine Italian Dining.

City while I moved away to teach in LaGrange, Georgia. In fact, Rhonda now teaches part time at

Sundilla To Present The Rough & Tumble April 13

William L. Radney Elementary, where she taught full time before retiring; she is a real woman.

Besides teaching, Rhonda enjoys spending time with her pretty 7-year-old granddaughter Eloise.

I

Uptown Columbus Begins Market Days on Broadway

CONTRIBUTED BY UPTOWN COLUMBUS

COLUMBUS, GA —

The Uptown Columbus Market Days on Broadway started back last Saturday, April 1.

The new season will run from April 1 through the end of November. Market Days on Broadway are from 9 a.m. to noon every Saturday on the 1000 to 1200 blocks of Broadway.

CONTRIBUTED BY SUNDILLA

AUBURN —

The Rough & Tumble returns to Sundilla on Thursday, April 13. Showtime at the AUUF, located at 450 E. Thach Ave. in Auburn, is 7:30 p.m.

Advance tickets are just $20 and can be found at Spicer’s Music, Ross House Coffee and online at sundillamusic.com.

Admission at the door will be $25. Free coffee, tea, water and food will be available,

and the audience is invited to bring their own favorite food or beverage.

Six years ago, Sundilla brought The Rough & Tumble to town with the prediction that the See SUNDILLA page A11

Market Days feature over 150 regional vendors selling everything from homemade bread and pastries to homegrown products, including local and organic produce, as well as home goods, jewelry, crafts and eclectic

gifts and clothing.

Products from participating vendors must be homegrown or handmade.

Market Days reflect the creative prowess in the Columbus area and have grown into an incubator of new businesses.

Tracey Green, director of communications and

events for Uptown Columbus, said the Market is the perfect place to test a new idea. Becoming a vendor costs only $200 for the entire year, which “makes it approachable for people looking to try a retail concept.”

Some vendors have built their booths from See MARKET, page A11

Rhonda sure looks young to be a grandma. But

THE ROUGH AND TUMBLE

See WALLACE, page A8

SEAN DIETRICH

Buc-ee’s convenience store sits outside Athens, Alabama, like a giant squatting beaver.

This Texas-based gas station place is not a mere gas station. Buc-ee’s is a dwarf planet. You’re looking at Six Flags Over Circle K.

And the place is packed today.

“We’re packed every day,” says an older employee wearing a cowboy hat. “Every day is like a Who concert in here.”

If you go to Buc-ee’s, be prepared to wait in a line of traffic. There are 120 gas pumps jammed full of SUVs, compact cars and oversized trucks. They come from all over. The license plates read Maine, Nebraska, Nevada, Vermont and Alaska.

Walking into the store is like going into an Alan Jackson concert, only less organized. We’re talking 53,470 square feet of commercial retail space.

You see people from all walks. Rich and poor. Old and young. Yoga pants and partial nudity.

They have everything here.

Buc-ee’s features a Texas-style barbecue pit with line cooks wearing cattleman hats. The brisket is good. The employees call you Sugar, which is sweet, but also weird inasmuch as some of the employees are old enough to be your greatgrandchildren.

The food is good. They roast nuts here. Try the cinnamon-glazed pecans; they taste like licking the throne of the risen Savior.

time. Sharing is a great way to discover your favorite entrees.

Buc-ee's

restrooms.

They have fudge in every shape, color and political party. The mint fudge has been legally classified as a narcotic in three states.

Buc-ee’s serves banana pudding, which isn’t bad. They have ghost pepper jerky that will utterly ruin your bowels.

They sell baby onesies, vape pens, barbecue grills, deer feed, machetes, fishing kayaks and tactical helicopters. There is a wall of beer.

Also, Buc-ee’s sells the kind of crafty merchandise you’d find in a Hobby Lobby. There are American flag cutting boards, for example. They sell bejeweled steer head skulls. There are Buc-ee’s underpants.

I see a bumper sticker reading, “I bet Jesus would have used HIS turn signals.”

I find myself falling under the impulse-buying spell when, on a whim, I purchase an arts-and-crafts plaque that reads, “Alcohol — because no great story ever started with someone eating salad.”

But nothing — and I mean nothing — compares to the world-famous

salads and desserts are also available.

Walking into a Buc-ee’s restroom is a lot like visiting the Vatican for the first time. You’re not ready for the emotions. They hit you all at once. You might cry a little.

Visualize this:

You walk into a surgically clean bathroom. Bright lights. Shiny floors. This is a room sterilized so thoroughly you could eat supper off the toilet seats.

Employees are mopping. Reba is singing overhead to help you relax your urethral sphincters. And the whole place smells like warm apple pie sanitizer.

“How often do you clean these bathrooms?” you ask an employee who is scrubbing a latrine beside yours.

“I don’t ever stop cleaning this bathroom,” he says, elbow-deep in a urinal. “Cleaning toilets is my full-time job.”

“God bless you,” you say. “Same to you, sir.”

In the store, I poll a few customers. I’m asking people how they feel about Buc-ee’s country store. The reactions are downright passionate.

“I freaking love Bucee’s,” says one college-age girl. “I come here all the time. Coming to Buc-ee’s just relaxes me.”

“This place put Athens on the map,” remarks a young 21-year-old. “Before Bucee’s, we had like 27,000 people in Athens.”

I ask the man how many people Athens has now.

“Well, we still have 27,000, but now we have a Buc-ee’s, too.”

I meet a woman and her husband from Llano County, Texas. They claim to have visited nearly every Buc-ee’s in the nation.

The wife has iPhone pictures to prove it. They’ve been to Buc-ee’s in Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Virgina.

“Only ones we ain’t been to is the Buc-ee’s in Wisconsin and Colorado.”

As I walk out of the Buc-ee’s, I am greeted by six young men dressed in beaver costumes. They are from west Michigan. We get our picture together.

These young men have dressed in beaver costumes because this is their first

visit to Buc-ee’s. To say they are excited is like saying Mother Theresa was an OK person.

“I’ve been waiting my whole life to come to Bucee’s,” says one giddy young man.

“Your whole life?” I say. Then I ask how old he is.

“Fourteen.”

Before I get into my vehicle, I see a young mother helping a little girl into a car. The girl is using a wheelchair, wearing a T-shirt with a Buc-ee’s logo.

“This was our third time coming to Buc-ee’s,” the mother tells me.

“How did you like it?” I ask.

“We love it here,” the girl replies.

“We are always looking for positive energy,” the mother says. “And inside Buc-ee’s, everyone is always so happy.”

“When you have spina bifida,” the girl says, “you need to be around happy people.”

I ask if they’ll be coming back.

“Will we?” says the mother. “Have you seen those toilets?”

Case closed.

digress. When Mike, Rhonda and I entered Castelluccio Fine Italian Dining, we were greeted by tantalizing aromas. The restaurant has a relaxing atmosphere and a very attractive interior.

I admired the old brick composing one wall and an attractive accent wall.

Harley, our server, was delightful, patient and helpful. Mike ordered the fettuccini alfredo with a side of asparagus, and I chose the beef ravioli with asparagus. Rhonda selected the chicken fettuccini alfredo with a vegetable medley as a side.

It was great catching up with Rhonda. However, the conversation slowed considerably when the food arrived. I politely asked Mike if I could have a taste of his dish, and he agreed. It was really creamy and delicious, and that will probably be my choice next

By the way, in the Patton/Wallace family, no one ever reaches to sample someone else’s food before asking permission. Otherwise, you might lose a hand. We are very serious about our food in my family.

However, I did offer to share the rich, amazingly scrumptious cannoli, which I ordered for dessert. We all savored it because the dish was slap-your-grandma-twice good.

Castelluccio Fine Italian Dining also serves a variety of appetizers, some of which include fried ravioli, bread baguette, calamari, stuffed artichoke heart and fried zucchini.

Besides our tasty entrees, the restaurant also serves chicken parmigiana, chicken marsala, spaghetti with meatballs, filet with red wine mushroom risotto and lasagna, among other dishes. A selection of sides,

Rhonda, this review was for you. It was wonderful dining with you in our award-winning hometown. Love you bunches!

Castelluccio Fine Italian Dining is closed on Sunday and Monday. The restaurant is open Tuesday through Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m.

Castelluccio Fine Italian

Dining 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 every

other week in The Observer. Stacey may be reached at retiredlangartsteacher2020@gmail.com

PHOTO BY MIKE WALLACE / FOR THE OBSERVER

Jamba, Auntie Anne’s Celebrate Auburn University’s A-Day With Pretzels, Smoothies for a Year

CONTRIBUTED BY

K SQUARED GROUP

AUBURN —

Jamba, a global lifestyle brand that serves freshly blended fruit and vegetable smoothies, made-to-order bowls, fresh-squeezed juices and shots and boosts, and Auntie Anne’s, the world’s largest hand-rolled soft pretzel franchise, are celebrating Auburn University’s A-Day in a big way. On Saturday, April 8, starting at 9 a.m., guests at the dualbrand Jamba and Auntie

Anne’s store located at 316 W. Magnolia Ave. in Auburn will be treated to giveaways, swag and the chance to win free pretzels and smoothies for a year. And the store will be offering a special promotion where customers who bring in their purchase receipt from April 8, 2023, within 30 days will receive the same order for free.

“This is a big year for Auburn University football with a new coach and revamped roster, and we want to show our support by helping fans

celebrate on A-Day,” said Kurt Wilson, the local franchise owner. “We invite everyone to join us before they head to the game for some delicious treats and fun giveaways.”

The Auburn store is open Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, please call the store at 334-246-2388 or visit the Auburn Jamba/ Auntie Anne's Facebook page.

ABOUT JAMBA

See FOOD page A10

Art Haus Opens Doors to Its Second Facility

Saturday, April 1. From 6 to 8

FOOD >>

FROM A9

Jamba is the global lifestyle brand leader serving on-the-go freshly blended fruit and vegetable smoothies, made-to-order bowls, fresh-squeezed juices and shots, boosts and bites. Jamba has more than 850 locations operating in 36 U.S. states, as well as the Philippines, Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand and Japan. For more information

and to stay connected, follow @JambaJuice on Twitter and Instagram or visit jamba.com. For more information about Jamba, please visit www. jamba.com and follow us on social on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

ABOUT AUNTIE ANNE’S

With locations in 49 states and more than 25 countries, Auntie Anne’s mixes, twists and bakes pretzels to golden brown perfection all day long in full view of guests.

Auntie Anne’s stores can be found in malls and outlet centers, as well as in non-traditional spaces including universities, airports, Walmarts, travel plazas, military bases and food trucks. Fans can now also order their favorite pretzel snacks for delivery, pickup and catering in the Pretzel Perks app. For more information, visit AuntieAnnes.com, or follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Easter

Egg

Decorating at Opelika Public Library

April 7, 2023 3:45 to 5 p.m.

Grades K through 5 1100 Glenn St., Opelika

The Opelika Art Haus held its Art Haus Studios Opening & Exhibition event last

p.m., locals visited the six new private studios, were given a tour, met the resident artists and enjoyed some wine and cheese while they perused the art selection. The Opelika Art Haus is located at 500 N. Railroad Ave. in Opelika.

Hoppin' for Breakfast

Auburn Parks and Recreation held its second annual "Breakfast with Bunny" Easter event Saturday, April 1.

Center due to inclement weather. There, families and children ages 3 and under enjoyed a day full of activies such as

MARKET >>

FROM A7

SUNDILLA >>

FROM A7

band would “take the stage as unknowns and leave the stage as somebody’s new favorite.” Based on all the “You can bring these guys back anytime!” comments that were heard after the show, it looks like they were right. Since then, The Rough & Tumble has only gotten better and has added four new CDs, a Listening Room Artist of the Year award, two SERFA Official Showcases and an Official Showcase at Folk Alliance International to its already impressive resume.

The Rough & Tumble is as easy to detect as a stray dog on your doorstep — and as difficult to send home. The dumpster-folk, thrift store-Americana duo, consisting of Mallory Graham and Scott Tyler, began hobbling around the country in their 16-foot camper in 2015 when their Nashville landlord left them without heat during an ice storm for 12 days. Then, she

a side gig into a full career.

“With regular attendance into

tried to hike the rent.

Enough was enough, and The Rough & Tumble gave their 30 days’ notice at their jobs and their lease, sold most of what they owned and hopped into their shoddily built camper, in spite of the lot salesman’s advice. They picked up a couple of actual strays along the way — two 100-pound dogs, Puddle and Magpie Mae — and have been making themselves at home in living rooms, bars, theaters and festivals across the country.

“Their Americana music is restorative, their performance highly entertaining, their orchestra of unusual instruments intriguing, and … jokes and stories are worthy of an HBO special,” said Linda Bolton of Cozy Cabin House Concerts. Red Line Roots said, “... They sure as hell are peaking high and mighty in this music and songwriting game.”

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

the thousands, the Market’s three blocks can get busy but yet provide ample room

for multiple people to succeed, even with similar products,” Green said.

To learn more about Market Days on Broadway, or to apply as a vendor,

contact Uptown Columbus at info@ uptowncolumbusga. com.

The event was moved from Kiesel Park to Frank Brown Recreation

balloon animals, face painting and a petting zoo.

Opelika Goes Blue for Autism

RELIGION —

Two disciples who attended the Passover Feast are headed toward Emmaus (about seven miles from Jerusalem). As they travel, their conversation is dominated by events of the last few days — how this year’s Passover was unlike any other they have attended due to the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth. Other people have been crucified, but no one like Jesus. They have heard from some who were at

Seven Miles from Jerusalem

the trial that Pilate actually wanted to release Him, but the Jewish leaders and people there were insistent that He be crucified.

The crucifixion itself was a horrific sight. His mother and disciples were present and obviously distraught. Others were jeering and taunting Him. The only person who seemed to be calm was Jesus. Now, to make matters even worse, it’s the third day since this occurred and apparently, something has happened to His body. His tomb has been disturbed and His body is nowhere to be found.

While they are discussing these things, the resurrected Jesus joins them — only they are “kept from recognizing Him” (Luke 24:16). I suppose it’s natural for us to wonder why this concealing is done.

Haven’t these two suffered enough? Wouldn’t the sensitive thing to do be to immediately reveal Himself and deliver them from their

despondency? While I think you could make a case for that, Christ regards it as a teachable moment — one that would not occur if He revealed Himself immediately to the two. He’s taking the long view of things with them. And by recording this episode years later, Luke is doing the same for Theophilus and others who will read his gospel.

This view interestingly points away from personally encountering the resurrected Christ as the apostles and a substantial amount of other people did (1 Corinthians 15:5-8) and toward the witness of scripture. It’s the same thing that Jesus tells Thomas when He says to him, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed (John 20:29). John segues from this event to explain that he has written his gospel so that people who haven’t seen Jesus

might believe in Him and find life (v. 30-31). While we are to appreciate those who bore witness to the risen Christ, they are very much the exception rather than the rule. That’s why a blessing is attached to those who come to faith through the witness of scripture.

Returning to Jesus and the two disciples, it’s important to note that the issue for them is more than the resurrection of Christ. They are stumbling over something else that in many ways is just as fundamental: the suffering of Christ. They understood being the Messiah and suffering to be mutually exclusive. Peter thought the same thing (Matthew 16:21-23). It is this point that Jesus develops as He explains the scriptures to them (Luke 24:26-27).

It is not insignificant that this misunderstanding has them seven miles from where they need to be (in Jerusalem — 24:47,

BIBLE VERSE OF THE WEEK

334-745-4608

ANGLICAN

The Good Shepherd

Anglican Church

3015 Opelika Road, Opelika

APOSTOLIC HOLINESS

God’s House of Prayers Holiness Church 301 Highland Ave., Opelika

334-749-9672

BAPTIST

Beulah Baptist Church

5500 Lee Road 270, Valley 334-705-0538

AFB - 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

Pepperell Baptist 2702 2nd Ave., Opelika 334-745-3108

Providence Baptist Church

2807 Lee Road 166, Opelika

CHURCH DIRECTORY

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

CHURCH OF CHRIST 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

CHURCH OF GOD

Lakeside Church of God 3295 Lee Rd 54, Opelika 334-749-6432

EPISCOPAL

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 Church At Opelika

1901 Waverly Pkwy., Opelika 334-524-9148

Connect Church 2015 West Point Pkwy., Opelika 334-707-3949

Southern Plains Cowboy Church 13099 U.S. Hwy. 280 Waverly

334-401-1014

PENTECOSTAL Gateway Pentecostal Sanctuary 1221 Commerce Drive, Auburn 334-745-6926

PRESBYTERIAN Providence Presbyterian Church 1103 Glenn St., Opelika

52). They’re close, in the vicinity, within walking distance — just not where they should be. I can’t help but think that there are many today who are seven miles from Jerusalem. They believe in the Christ and wish to follow, but they don’t want the cross that Jesus brings (Matthew 16:24-25). They embrace the glory of Jesus, but not the suffering that goes with it (Romans 5:2-5, 8:17-18).

I remember about four believers in Nigeria who were killed by Fulani herdsmen. Now the people of this particular village slept outside so they could get away quickly when they heard the herdsmen or members of Boko Haram coming at night to raid their village. Church leaders were discussing with disciples "what if" scenarios (“What if you were threatened with death if you didn’t denounce Christ?” and other

See GREEN, page A15

256-405-8697

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

BRUCE GREEN

Teaching Minister at 10th Street Church of Christ in Opelika

For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength. — 1 Corinthians 1:25

Suppose Jesus Went Home with You Today

Vacation Bible School. They had learned the story told in Luke’s Gospel of the wealthy tax collector who met Jesus while sitting on a tree limb. The little man must have been shocked when Jesus said, “I want to go home with you today.”

WALTER ALBRITTON

RELIGION —

"Zacchaeus was a wee little man, a wee little man was he. He climbed up in a sycamore tree for the Lord he wanted to see. And as the Savior passed that way, He looked up in the tree, and He said, ‘Zacchaeus you come down, for I’m going to your house today!’”

That’s the song I heard happy children sing in

MADDLINE WHITE FOSHEE

Maddline White Foshee, 89, of Opelika, passed away on March 31, 2023, at her home.

Maddline was born Aug. 25, 1933, to William Cary and Freddie Farrow White in Tallapoosa County, Alabama.

Maddline was a longtime member of Pepperell United Methodist Church. She was employed as a personal shopper for Jans Town and Country, along with Gayfers and Dillard's. She was the matriarch of the family. Her love for her family was like no other.

She is preceded in death by her loving husband of 73 years James Albert Foshee, parents and grandson Jason Barrett King.

She is survived by her children: Charlotte Hughes (Paul) of Waverly, Sue Turner (Ronnie) of Opelika, Faye Kirk of Opelika and Sherry Pair (Ray) of Trussville; grandchildren: Scotty Turner, James Hughes (Casey), Cleve Kirk, April Waldrop (James), Jennifer Hughes, Christy Taylor (Ryan) and Jonathan Pair (Kalee); great-grandchildren:

Luke does not describe Zacchaeus’ reaction, only that he welcomed Jesus “gladly.” But I can imagine Zacchaeus was seized with a moment of panic at the thought of Jesus entering his home. Were there things he would have hidden, things he did not want Jesus to see? And he had no time to warn his wife he was bringing a well-known preacher to dinner.

I don’t have to wait until Easter to remind you

Destiny, Kaitlyn, Dale, Maddline, JJ, Carter, Emily, Hudson, Jude and Mila.

A funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 5, at Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home. Visitation will be prior to the service beginning at 1 p.m. also at Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home. The Rev. Scott Grantland will be officiating, and burial will follow at Garden Hills Cemetery.

DONALD "DON" ELLIS MCCONNELL

Donald “Don” Ellis McConnell, 86, of Opelika, passed away March 27, 2023.

Born and raised in Opelika, Don graduated from Opelika (Clift) High School and attended Auburn University. Don owned and operated McConnell Cleaners for over 40 years with his wife Margaret. He valued hard work and family and dedicated himself to his church, First Baptist of Opelika. Don cherished spending time with family and mostly his great-grandson Ellis. Travel was his passion, and he dedicated his retirement to spending

that ever since his Father raised him from the dead, Jesus is alive. And ever since his resurrection, Jesus has been wanting to go home with every last one of us. He wants to do for us what he did for Zacchaeus; he wants to change each of us into the person God destined us to become.

There is little doubt that Zacchaeus despised himself. And for good reason. He was a Jew who worked for the Romans collecting taxes from his own people; so the Romans had no respect for him. His fellow Jews loathed him for getting rich at their expense. Even worse, his greed drove him to swindle some of his own people.

Jesus changed all

that. There in his home that day, Zacchaeus surrendered his life to Jesus, and Jesus transformed the greedy little man into a generous man. In that moment, Jesus was the “Truth” setting a man free from avarice so he could begin sharing God’s concern for the poor. He was so free that he was willing to repay those he had cheated four times the amount he had stolen. Now Zacchaeus could break free from selfdespising and become a man who could affirm his worth as an unselfish steward of his resources.

Move on from Zacchaeus to yourself. Suppose Jesus, the living, redeeming Christ, said he wanted to go home with you today. Believe

OBITUARIES

summers traveling the country in his RV with granddaughters Lynsey and Matty.

Don is survived by his wife of 60 years Margaret McConnell, daughter Susan Smith, grandchildren: Lynsey Smith, Matty Smith and great-grandson Ellis Taft; his sister Gwen Ballard and nieces and nephew Angie Funk, Cathy Indykiewicz and Pete Green. He is preceded in death by his parents Ellis and Opal McConnell, sister Charlene Green and daughter Lynn McConnell.

Don’s family would like to express their appreciation for First Baptist Church of Opelika and all members for their love and support during his last months.

A visitation was held Sunday, April 2, 2023, at First Baptist Church in Opelika.

ROGER DALE MCCRELESS

Roger Dale McCreless, 72, passed away from aplastic anemia on March 25, 2023, at Bethany House in Auburn. He was born Dec. 28, 1950, in Haleyville, Alabama,

the son of Hollis Aaron McCreless and Mildred Gore McCreless. Roger graduated from Haleyville High School in 1969 where he was salutatorian and then went on to obtain his business degree from Auburn University in 1973. On March 5, 1983, he married the love of his life, Lessie Odom McCreless, and together delighted in raising their daughter, Laura McCreless. Roger had an affinity for automobiles, airplanes and motorcycles that started as an adolescent, and ended up developing into his career as a manager at Glynn Smith Automotive where he worked for 31 years. Roger enjoyed going to automotive shows such as Barrett Jackson, the Mecum car shows and “Cruisin’ the Coast” automotive event with his honorary son, Austin Negus. Roger was also a proud supporter of Auburn University and attended many events including football and basketball games. Most importantly, Roger loved the Lord and his family.

Roger was preceded in death by his mother, Mildred Gore McCreless and his father, Hollis

me, if you asked him to become Lord of your life, he would change you in every way you need to be changed. He would transform everything about you — what you say, what you do, where you go, what you read, what you allow into your brain, what you put in your mouth and what comes out of your mouth. He would transform your ugliness into kindness, your sadness into joy, your anxiety into peace, your bad habits into good habits.

His transforming power is so great that instead of fretting about our culture, you would get excited about living in the Kingdom of God. You would no longer live in the grip of fear and depression; Jesus would

Aaron McCreless. Surviving family members include his wife Lessie Odom McCreless, daughter Laura McCreless, stepmother Margaret McCreless Tidwell, sister Iris McCreless Roberts (Kenny), brother Gary McCreless (Yvonne) and many beloved cousins, nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank the staff of Spencer Cancer Center for their loving care of Roger, especially the staff of Dr. Johnson and the infusion therapy staff. Also, to Dr. Pankit Vachhani and the staff of UAB Kirkland Clinic.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to Spencer Cancer Center in Opelika, First Baptist Church Opelika Missions Fund or Woof Avenue Rescue in Auburn.

Visitation was held at First Baptist Church of Opelika on March 29, followed by a memorial service in the sanctuary.

Frederick-Dean Funeral Home handled the arrangements.

MILDRED B. DAVIS

fill you with his living hope. You would begin shouting with Saint Peter, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead!”

Here is the truth: The living Jesus wants to go home with you, and if you will let him, he will change everything about you from the inside out! The wisest decision I ever made was to accept Jesus’ invitation to go home with me so he could change me, my home and my family. If you have never said, “Come on, Jesus,” do it today. I promise you will never regret it!

Mildred B. Davis passed away peacefully on March 27.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Sally Bellflower, and brothers Elbert, Bennie and Dan. She is survived by her husband William Davis, daughter Karen Gage (William), granddaughter Brandy Evans (Wade), grandson Hank Renfrow (Nikki), three greatgrandchildren and several nieces, nephews and family members. She worked at Ampex for 27 years before retiring. She loved working in the yard and planting her garden with Bill. She liked sitting outside and family cookouts. She never met a stranger and was full of love and laughter. A memorial service was held Friday, March 31, at Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home.

ELIZABETH VAIL LINDAHL (LIZ)

Elizabeth Vail Lindahl (Liz) passed away on March 31, 2023, in Auburn, of natural causes. She was 96. She was born in

See OBITUARIES, page A15

What's Happening in Lee County

NAMI MEETING

All are invited to the Christ is Alive Community Sunrise Service at Garden Hills Cemetery on Easter Sunday, April 9, at 6 a.m.

Al Jackson, pastor emeritus at Lakeview Baptist Church in Auburn, will deliver the message. A special music performance and congregational singing will follow.

Free refreshments will be served before and after the service. Handicapped parking is available.

The event is sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Opelika with assistance from the Lee County Ministers Alliance, Opelika Parks & Recreation, Opelika Public Works, cemetery and other areas, ESG, A-O Emblem Club, iHeart Media Inc., Fredrick-Dean Funeral Home, Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home, Opelika-Auburn News, The Observer, Opelika Police Department, Pilot Club of Lee County, Tom Beard, Trinity Methodist Church in Opelika and other local groups.

COFFEE & CONVERSATION WITH VFW POST 5404

VFW Post 5404, 131 E. Veterans Blvd., Auburn, next to Ray's Collision off of South College Street, will be open on Wednesdays, 8 to 11 a.m. with coffee, donuts, cake and conversation about service and benefits for all veterans and spouses to stop by.

FROM A14

Brooklyn, New York, on July 21, 1926. She was predeceased by her parents, Wallace and Marian Vail of Kansas City and Glen Ellyn, Illinois, and her sister, Dorothy Scheck of Stockton, California. Surviving are: David (son) and Brenda Lindahl of Opelika, Kathryn Lindahl (daughter) of Sun City West, Arizona, Bruce Lindahl (son) and Laurie of Gardnerville, Nevada. She is also survived by her grandchildren Wesley Lindahl of Houston, Texas, and greatgranddaughter Eleanor Rowan Lindahl of Houston, granddaughter Beth Lindahl Wade (Travis Wade) and greatgranddaughter Lily of Cumming, Georgia.

Liz was a lifelong lover of all things music. She

GREEN >> FROM A13

NAMI East Alabama, the local affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), will meet April 17, 2023, at 7 p.m. NAMI supports families dealing with mental illness through mutual support, education and advocacy. There will be a time for sharing. The public is invited. Meetings are held at 714 E. Glenn Ave. in Auburn.

LEE/RUSSELL COUNTY LOW VISION SUPPORT GROUP

The group meets every month on the third Wednesday from 1:30 to 3 p.m. The meeting will be held at the AIDB-Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind Opelika Regional Center on 355 Dunlop Drive in Opelika. Every month different topics are discussed to make life more manageable living with low vision.

Contact Shiquita Fulton, M. ED/Vision Rehab therapist for additional details at 334-705-2024, or Melody Wilson, case manager for the blind, at 256-368-3258.

O GROWS — SATURDAYS AT THE GARDEN

attended Culver Stockton College as a vocal music major. Her uncle wrote music on Broadway and Liz sang on the radio in the 1940s. She continued a passion for music and spent many years as a choir director, soloist and pianist. She sang for the Stockton Chorale in Stockton, California, for many years. She worked for the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration and introduced the Midwest to a new safety feature: the “airbag car.”

She was a wicked bridge player, and understood the impact and value of her volunteer work.

Liz recalled moving nearly 40 times in her lifetime with many of the moves while married to Wesley B. Lindahl. Her major life-changing stops included Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Glen

might be a teachable moment for us or that He might be putting us in that situation to transform us and/or to bear witness to others.

Luke would have us to know that Jesus was with two disciples in Emmaus, but when He opened their eyes, they were no longer satisfied to be seven miles

Ellyn, Illinois; Logan, Utah; Angola, Indiana; Peekskill, New York; Elburn, Illinois; Hayward, Wisconsin; Madison, Wisconsin; Homewood, Illinois; Stockton, California; and Auburn, Alabama.

While living in Hayward, she and her then husband, Wesley, owned Lindahl’s Sporting Goods for many years.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Kathy Lindahl McCheer-Off Scholarship at Michigan State University at Online Giving (msu.edu) or with a check made out to Michigan State University (in check memo, note for The Kathy E. Lindahl McCheer Off Scholarship) and mailed to University Advancement Spartan Way 535 Chestnut Road, Room 300 East Lansing, MI 48824.

from Jerusalem. Neither should we. Green has written a book on the model prayer called “Praying in the Reign.” It is available through 21st Century Christian.

Find more of his writings at his website: www.a-taste-of-gracewith-bruce-green.com.

Every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon outside the Southside Center for the Arts, located at 1103 Glenn St. in Opelika. Activities include planting, story time, crafts or art projects for children and hanging out with the goats.

The Shepherds will be at First Freewill Baptist Church for a gospel sing/revival on Saturday, June 3, at 6 p.m. and Sunday, June 4 at 11 a.m. Find more information on them at www. theshepherdsonline.net and on Facebook. The church is located at 103 19th St. at the corner of 1st Avenue in Opelika. Call the church at 334-703-3333 for more information.

Our

Just

similar situations). In light of this, our desire (at times) for God to take away any pain or discomfort the moment it dots our horizon is embarrassing, as well as ill-informed. We never seem to consider that it

chools & S S

Thursday, April 06, 2023

ON THE MARK

BY D. MARK MITCHELL

Dawgs

OPELIKA —

Opelika High School spring athletics — baseball, softball and soccer — were all in action last week.

BASEBALL

Opelika's varsity baseball team (1310) won two games, beating Handley and Dothan on the road last week.

The Bulldogs defeated Handley, 8-4, in nine innings last Thursday in Roanoke. The game was tied at four in the top of the ninth when Davis Ford singled on a 0-1 count, scoring two runs.

Ford earned the win on the mound, pitching three and two-thirds innings in relief, allowing one hit, no runs and striking out four.

Jackson Killcreas started the game on the mound, going five and a third innings, allowing three hits and four runs while striking out two.

Parker Killcreas, Christopher Floyd, Taylor Fields, Bryce Speakman and Ford all had one hit to lead the Dogs.

The Dogs scored 14 runs on 11 hits to down Dothan 14-7 last week on the road. Ford led the offense with three hits, followed by two hits apiece from Brodie Jones, Jake Smith and Speakman. Fields and

Dig In

Trent Henderson added singles.

Floyd earned the win, pitching five innings, allowing seven hits and six runs while striking out eight and yielding no runs.

Opelika started area play Wednesday against Central in Phenix City, but the game was not completed by press time.

Central travels to Opelika for two games Thursday, April 6. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m. at Bulldog Park.

SOFTBALL

The Lady Bulldog softball team (10-11) lost to Brewbaker Tech and beat Russell County last week.

Brewbaker Tech downed OHS 14-1 in a 5-inning mercy rule game. Brewbaker

Tech slapped 14 hits and scored 14 runs in five innings while only allowing OHS one run on four hits. Sanai

Stringer recorded two hits for Opelika, followed by singles from Karsyn Yountz and KD Lee.

The OHS Lady Dogs thumped Russell County, 17-2, last week in Seale. Opelika scored five runs in the first inning, two runs in the second and 10 runs in the third to win by 15 runs in three innings. The following players recorded hits

See SPORTS, page B3

Southern Union Introduces Soccer Programs

BY WIL CREWS SPORTSCREWS@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

OPELIKA — Southern Union State Community College (SUSCC) of Opelika held a press conference Monday morning announcing the inception of the school’s men’s and women’s soccer programs.

WOMEN’S

Mac Matthews was introduced as the head coach of the Southern Union women’s soccer team at Monday’s press conference.

Matthews has been coaching soccer since graduating from Samford University — where he played soccer and volleyball — in 1987. He has coached at the high school, club and college levels and helped build the Auburn High School girls soccer program from 2002 to 2013. Matthews also has experience since 2014 working for ESPN and the SEC Network as a color analyst. The

opportunity to build Southern Union’s women’s soccer program from the ground up is an opportunity that Matthews said he doesn’t take for granted.

“We have an opportunity to kick it off, to corner the market, to be a blessing to tons of players who

are assuming their soccer time is done after high school,” he said.

The head coach has already signed a number of players to compete for Southern Union this fall. One key thing Matthews said he looks for in his recruits is integrity.

“You get that kind

of collective mentality, where it’s about leading sideways, and you’ll ruin some teams you shouldn’t have the right to be on the field with,” he added.

Matthews is new to recruiting but said he is looking forward to the process. Right now, he See SUSCC, page B2

Penta Extending Dominance into SEC Play

BY NOAH GRIFFITH FOR THE OBSERVER

AUBURN —

The No. 23-ranked Auburn softball team (28-10) has won its past two SEC series over Missouri and Ole Miss. Maddie Penta threw four complete game shutouts across those six games. In those 28 innings, she struck out 42 batters, allowed just seven hits and two earned runs while improving to 16-4 with four more wins.

Penta ran into some tough luck in three losses to No. 1

Oklahoma and a tough Northwestern team in Oklahoma City early in March, but this season has a chance to be her best yet. And she set the program sophomore strikeout record last season with 269.

Now fourth in program history with 557 career Ks, Penta is already at 183 Ks through 118.1 innings pitched with over 15 games remaining in the regular season. She sits at third in the NCAA in strikeouts, but where she has really improved her game from last season is

command.

The junior already had a strikeout-to-walk ratio better than 5.0

last season, but now it’s well above 9.0.

See PENTA, page B2

The administration building on Southern Union's Opelika campus. To learn more about Southern Union Athletics, visit www.suscc.edu/athletics/suscc-athletics.cms.

Maddie Penta during the game between Auburn and Ole Miss at Jane B. Moore Field April 2, 2023.

Freeze Previews Auburn’s Annual A-Day Scrimmage

Tigers to Play in 2024 Maui Jim Maui Invitational

CONTRIBUTED BY AU ATHLETICS

AUBURN —

Auburn will make its second all-time appearance at the Maui Jim Maui Invitational as the 2024 tournament field was unveiled on Tuesday.

The Tigers are joined in the field by Colorado, Dayton, Iowa State, Memphis, Michigan State, North Carolina and Connecticut. The tournament will be held Nov. 25 through 27, 2024, at the historic Lahaina Civic Center.

BY DANIEL LOCKE FOR THE OBSERVER

AUBURN —

The Auburn Tigers are just two days away from the annual A-Day scrimmage that marks the end of spring practice each season. It has been a year of transition for the program, but newly hired head coach Hugh Freeze has wasted no time trying to restore the Tigers to their status as a perennial contender in college football.

Auburn will be debuting a new format for the spring game this year. Instead of the traditional method of dividing the team in half and having a normal game structure, it will be the offense against the defense. The defense will start with a set number of points, with the

SUSCC >>

FROM B1

said his main strategy has been scouring smaller schools for hidden talent.

“It’s a brand new world to me,” Matthews said.

“From my end, it’s been connecting with the many contacts I’ve built over many years. All I’ve done thus far is scour our smaller school programs. Everybody has got one player who is just incredibly good, especially if they are a small school.

I’ve been in Alabama since 1977 and I didn’t know they existed. Every one of them has got a player who has not gotten any consideration — and they are almost always their team captain. Give me 24 team captains on one team and we will take care of business. So that has been my angle so far. I

PENTA >>

FROM B1

Her 9.72 strikeout-towalk ratio ranks sixth nationally, and only one pitcher above her has thrown more than 100 innings (Emma Lemley – Virginia Tech).

Getting out to a dominant start, Penta threw 62 innings and struck out 107 batters before giving up an earned run this

opportunity to gain more through returning fumbles or interceptions for touchdowns. The offense will try to come back from the deficit.

“As it stands right now, I think we’re healthy enough to do that format,” Freeze said.

As for the players, Robby Ashford, the starting quarterback for most of last season, has missed some time in spring practice due to a shoulder injury, but is nearly back to full health.

“I thought Wednesday in practice he was fairly close to full speed,” Freeze said. “(He felt) well enough to take reps and I thought he had a good practice.”

Auburn’s tight-end position has been an important topic of

will continue to adjust and learn.”

The opportunity to help those who may have otherwise gone unnoticed is a big reason why Matthews chose this opportunity, he said.

“Soccer is called ‘the beautiful game’ for a reason, but it’s the opportunity to bless players who might otherwise just disappear off everyone’s radar,” Matthews explained.

Ultimately, Matthews seemed confident in the talent pool surrounding East Alabama, West Georgia and all of the Southeast. Although this fall will inevitably present some challenges, the head coach said he believes in his vision and what the Lady Bisons can do.

“We are playing quality soccer and recruiting quality players,” he said.

“We have quality coaches and administration and

season, and while the home run ball has been her one and only downfall in SEC play (eight homers allowed), she still ranks in the top 10 in the nation in ERA. Her 0.89 ERA is good for ninth in the NCAA, and again, only one pitcher ranked above her has tossed on the upside of 100 innings. She led the SEC in ERA last season with a 1.76, but she currently

discussion all off-season. Freeze has been known to use the position in his offense in the past and that is not likely to change. Auburn landed Rivaldo Fairweather, a 6-foot-5 tight-end from FIU, in the transfer portal and new position coach Ben Aigamaua has been coaching alongside Freeze for over a decade.

“There’s been some inconsistencies,” Freeze said. “I believe in our schemes offensively, the tight-end room has the most on their plate. It is the hardest job that our offense has.”

Quarterback has been the position with the most chatter surrounding it. Freeze praised redshirt freshman Holden Geriner early on in spring

See A-DAY, page B4

support; it’s been unbelievable. So, yeah, we will play anybody.”

MEN’S

Taylor Jones is the head coach of the Southern Union men’s soccer team.

Jones spent last season as an assistant at Tennessee Southern and spent 2018 through 2021 as the head coach of the Andrew College men’s soccer program. Jones also brings with him experience coaching at the club and high school levels (Auburn and Smiths Station). Jones said he has seen the sport of soccer grow firsthand and is eager to continue that at Southern Union.

“The sport has really grown in the last 10 years especially,” he said. “I think the addition of these programs is an obvious sign. Hopefully us starting a program inspires other junior colleges in the state

sits fourth among SEC pitchers, trailing a pair of Tennessee hurlers and Ole Miss’s Catelyn Riley, who has only thrown 22.1 innings this season. She has given up less than half the number of hits she allowed last season (59) and is already over halfway to her number of complete games from last season with eight now. Four of those have been shutouts, already doubling the

bolster a total of 218 NCAA Tournament appearances, 45 Final Four berths and 13 NCAA Tournament titles. Half of the teams competing rank within the top 40 of the winningest programs of all time in men’s college basketball.

respected up-and-comers. We are confident when we say that the Maui Jim Maui Invitational does not disappoint, and we think fans back home and on-island will be in for an epic few days of college basketball with this stacked field.”

Teams that have participated in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational throughout the event's history own 72 of the 83 NCAA championships, including 2023 national champion UConn.

“There is simply no other early-season college basketball tournament that rivals the spirit, talent and overall ‘magic’ of the Maui Jim Maui Invitational,” said Tournament Chairman Dave Odom. “The 2024 field is not only going to bring top-tier programs representing eight of the most dominant conferences in the sport, but also fans from all corners of the country.

“Whether it’s your first time on-island or you’ve made packing into the historic Lahaina Civic Center an annual tradition, this tournament experience is on every college basketball fan’s bucket list — and this loaded 2024 field is going to make it hard to resist.”

The 2024 teams

to follow suit.”

Jones said he hopes other schools will follow in Southern Union’s footsteps because as of now, there are no other men’s soccer programs in the Alabama Community College Conference. Jones said he plans for the Bisons to play several teams from Mississippi this fall.

“This first season is definitely going to be heavy on the away games,” he said. “The one perk of that is … region champs first year!”

The fact that Southern Union is located just one city away from Auburn University is another big pull for student-athletes to come play for the Bisons, Jones said.

“Being able to sell the city and the college experience of a big SEC school definitely helps with the recruiting process,” he added.

number of shutouts she recorded in 2022. She has also proven herself more than capable of escaping danger. She hasn’t gotten into much trouble this year, but on Friday versus Ole Miss, she escaped a bases-loaded, no-out jam by only allowing one unearned run to cross on a passed ball before inducing a pair of popups and a K.

With her escape-artist

All eight teams have been to the Maui Jim Maui Invitational at least once, with North Carolina holding the most previous trips at eight. Memphis will be making its sixth trip, first since 2011, while Dayton, Michigan State and UConn will return for their fifth appearances.

Iowa State heads to the island for the third time (first since 2018), while Auburn (2018) and Colorado (2009) are headed back for the programs’ second appearances.

Additionally, half of the teams have previously won the Maui Jim Maui Invitational: North Carolina has won four times, UConn twice and Michigan State and Dayton each hold one coveted title apiece.

“The goal of the Maui Jim Maui Invitational is and always has been to bring together the top programs in college basketball in one of the most stunning places in the country,” said Tom Valdiserri, executive vice president of KemperLesnik, the operator of the Maui Jim Maui Invitational.

“The 2024 field will accomplish that and more. The field includes a variety of iconic programs and coaches, as well as

And the men’s team head coach said he agrees with Matthews that there is ample overlooked talent in the region and across the state from which Southern Union can mutually benefit.

“One of the big priorities for me is exposing the talent here in the state and in the Southeast,” Jones said. “We have a deep pool of players and talent to pull from in the state. A lot of guys get looked over here. When coaches think of Alabama, soccer is not exactly the first thing they think of. At Smiths Station, we had several guys who were division one talent that never played anywhere. Why? Because nobody is looking at small places like that. It’s all about getting eyes on kids and relationships.”

Jones said the main character traits he looks for in his players are

potential and her playoff experience from last season, she looks primed to lead the Tigers to a deep playoff run. She is never afraid of the big moment, as she showed in the Clemson Regional last season and as she has continued to prove this season. She not only has 16 wins, but No. 9 has two saves under her belt.

Sitting at fourth in the conference, series with Florida, LSU,

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ABOUT THE MAUI JIM MAUI INVITATIONAL

In December 1982, thenNo. 1-ranked Virginia, led by National College Player of the Year Ralph Sampson, played little-known NAIA Chaminade University in Honolulu while on the way back from a trip to Tokyo. The Silverswords stunned top-ranked Virginia 77-72 in one of the greatest upsets in college basketball history. Two years later, in 1984, Chaminade University hosted the first Maui Jim Maui Invitational and it has proven to be the premier early-season college basketball tournament for 36 years running. Each year, the Maui Jim Maui Invitational attracts the top programs, best-known coaches and most outstanding players to compete in an exciting atmosphere at the Lahaina Civic Center near the beautiful beaches of Maui.

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passion and accountability. The human aspect of the game is crucial for both players and coaches. Ultimately, Jones said he wants to develop his student-athletes to be not just great players, but great people, too.

“I think it’s the ultimate team game,” Jones said of soccer. “For us to be successful, we all have to be on the same page. We are a bridge to the next level. Finding the kids who don’t have the opportunity — that’s what we are here for. Knowing that I have, in my opinion, the ability to help them get [to the next level] and positively impact their life forever, and be a part of their life forever, that’s big for me. That’s the biggest part of recruiting. I preach I am here to make your son a better player, obviously, but a better student and better man.”

Alabama, South Carolina and Mississippi State remain before going to the SEC Tournament in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on May 13. Penta will need to continue to be a workhorse for the Tigers if they hope to be a top-four seed and get a first-round bye.

Auburn Head Coach Hugh Freeze during spring practice at the Woltosz Football Performance Center in Auburn, AL.

PHOTO BY AUSTIN PERRYMAN

Beulah Football Releases 2023 Schedule

BY WIL CREWS SPORTSCREWS@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

BEULAH —

The Beulah Bobcats varsity football team last week announced the release of its 2023 schedule.

Beulah finished 2022 with a 1-9 record, finishing fifth in Region 4 of Class 3A in the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA). Head coach Matthew Johnson has compiled an 8-30 record over his previous four seasons with the Bobcats.

The varsity football schedule is as follows:

• Jamboree | vs. Woodland and Gaylesville | Aug. 17

SPORTS >>

FROM B1

for OHS: Lee, Kennedy Soltau, Jade Jones, Katie Harrelson, Yountz, Jancyn Thompson and Kali Harper.

SOCCER

Opelika's boys soccer team (8-3) lost to St. James, 1-4, in Montgomery last week. Dexter Graham scored the lone goal on an assist from Nathan Faison for the Dogs. St. James scored two goals in the first and second halves.

Opelika girls and boys traveled to Dothan Thursday night.

FOOTBALL UPDATE

Opelika head football coach Erik Speakman appeared on my morning show, "On the

Opelika Softball Getting Tough First Taste of New Division

BY NOAH GRIFFITH FOR THE OBSERVER

OPELIKA —

Opelika High School

attacking each game with the same mentality rather than playing up or down to our opponents.”

• Week 0 | @ Abbeville | Aug. 25

• Week 1 | vs.

Loachapoka | Sept. 1

• Week 2 | vs. Saks |

Sept. 8

• Week 3 | @ Wellborn | Sept. 15

• BYE WEEK:

Sept. 22

• Week 5 | vs. Prattville-Christian

Academy | Sept. 29

• Week 6 | vs. Dadeville | Oct. 6

• Week 7 | @ Childersburg | Oct. 13

• Week 8 | vs. Randolph County |

Oct. 20

• Week 9 | @ Weaver |

Oct. 27

• Week 10 | @ Horseshoe Bend | Nov. 3

Mark,” last week. The AHSAA announced last week that Opelika and Thompson will play in the AHSAA Kickoff Classic, to be held at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery Aug. 25. OHS lost the opening game with Callaway because Georgia's start date does not match up with Alabama's start date, which left the Dogs without an opening game.

Speakman said playing Thompson in the opening game of the season is a great opportunity for the Bulldogs. The Warriors are coming off four straight 7A State Super 7 championships.

The Dogs are running and lifting while awaiting spring practice.

Speakman said the Dogs

Softball has all six of its seniors batting over the .300 mark, but the Bulldogs are still finding their identity as a firstyear 7A team.

At 10-12, OHS is 0-3 in region play with two double-digit losses to Central and one to Auburn. However, head coach Jessica Thornton said she thinks the team’s best play is yet to come. They’re getting major contributions from their seniors, but the Bulldogs are still trying to piece that individual success together.

“I hope that we peak at the right moment and find [our identity] in the next couple of weeks,” Thornton said. “We’ve learned that consistency really is key, and it’s

will practice seven days and have a RED/BLACK scrimmage at the end of spring, May 19. He added that spring is mainly for the young guys, not the returning starters.

"We know what our returning starters can do, so it helps to see the younger kids,” he said.

Speakman, starting his sixth season as head coach, said he hopes to have 100 players at the start of spring, not counting the kids that will try out.

OPELIKA DIXIE BOYS BASEBALL

Opelika Dixie Boys Baseball league is currently holding registration for anyone ages 13, 14 or 15 years old that is interested in playing baseball. Those interested can register at the

That individual success all starts with senior two-way player McKay Yountz. She leads the team, hitting for a .423 average, while striking out 66 batters across 65 innings.

But it doesn’t stop there. Seniors Nylen Thomas (.407), Memoree Lyles (.319), Rylee Long (.312), KD Lee (.306) and Sanai Stringer (.304) have helped Opelika rally for five double-digit scoring games. In region play, on the other hand, Opelika has scored just six runs in three games.

The Bulldogs boast wins over Beauregard, Horseshoe Bend, Pike Road, Russell County, Eufala, BRHS and Dadeville, while they have fallen victim to Holtville, Brewbaker Tech, Moody,

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Registration costs $45 for Opelika residents and $50 for those living outside the city of Opelika.

Registration ends April

Marbury, Tallassee, Beauregard, Beulah, Central and Auburn.

“I think the biggest challenge [moving to 7A] is just that area games mean more, so where it used to just be a rivalry, now it really means something,” Thornton said. “So, we’re kind of just adjusting to that mentality.”

Through a challenging season in a new division, Thornton noted that her team’s strength is that they stick together

15. If you have questions, please email D. Mark Mitchell at foxonthemark@yahoo.com.

D. Mark Mitchell is the sports director at iHeartMedia, host of

“through thick and thin.” With three area games remaining in a pair of matches with Smiths Station and a rematch on the road at Auburn, Thornton said she knows her team will continue to build on their glimpses of success to this point in the season. “We want to attack each team that we come across,” Thornton said. “So just getting that mentality down and taking each game head on.”

“On the Mark” Fox Sports the Game 9101319, co-chair of the Auburn-Opelika Sports Council, chairman of the Super 7 and Dixie Boys Baseball state director.

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Chaminade University is a private, Catholic university offering more than 25 undergraduate and graduate programs and is federally designated as a Native Hawaiian serving institution. Guided by its Catholic, Marianist and liberal arts educational traditions, Chaminade prepares students for careers in an evolving global marketplace rooted in the development of moral character, personal competencies and a commitment to build a just and peaceful society. Please visit chaminade.edu for more information.

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Opelika senior pitcher McKay Yountz.

PHOTO BY ROBERT NOLES THE OBSERVER

Auburn Equestrian Team Earns Nine All-American Recognitions

CONTRIBUTED BY AU ATHLETICS

AUBURN —

Nine student-athletes on the No. 2 Auburn equestrian team earned National Collegiate Equestrian Association

Ariat All-America honors, the NCEA selection committee announced last Thursday.

“I’m so proud of the hard work these individuals have put in this year,” said head coach Greg Williams. “We tell our student-athletes that if they buy into the system and put the team first, then the individual awards will follow. This group is a true representation of that.”

All five Jumping Seat competitors earned national recognition, while four Western riders

picked up honors for the squad.

Senior Ava Stearns and junior Ellie Ferrigno were placed on the first team for Fences, as both are 11-2-0 on the year in the event. Ferrigno has a team-best six Most Outstanding Performer (MOPs) honors on the year and the pair have each scored a team-leading 90 on the season.

Sophomore Sophee Steckbeck picked up the first All-America honor of her career, earning second-team recognition in Fences. The Clarksburg, New Jersey, product also holds an 112-0 record on the year.

Also receiving firstteam recognition was senior Maddie Spak in Horsemanship. The Waukesha, Wisconsin,

product led the team in the event with a 101-2 overall record. She earned the first MOP of her career in October and scored a season-best 75.5 three times in the year.

Five Tigers earned honorable mention honors in three different events. Leading the way was graduate student Emma Kurtz, who secured the eighth honor of her career with an honorable mention nod in Flat. The Hudson, Ohio, native has a 9-3-1 record in the event with three MOPs.

Sophomore MaryGrace Segars earned the first All-America honor of her career as she also finished honorable mention in Flat. She holds a 9-4-0 record with two

Derrian Gobourne to Represent Auburn at NCAA Championship

CONTRIBUTED BY AUBURN UNIVERSITY

AUBURN —

Fifth year Derrian Gobourne will represent Auburn gymnastics at the 2023 NCAA Championship as an individual competitor, the NCAA announced Monday.

Gobourne will compete on floor as she finished first in the first session last Thursday in Los Angeles with a 9.925. Her finish, as well as her National Qualifying Score, moved the Sarasota, Florida, product on to the national meet.

A DAY >>

practice and has continued to speak highly of him.

“I think he has a real chance to be a solid quarterback,” Freeze said. “But I think the other two, again, had good days also. The interesting thing will be their response to the competition that is created and that will continue to go on. Being the quarterback to me, at an SEC school, at a place like Auburn carries a lot of weight with it. That weight doesn’t end when spring practice number 15 is over.”

Running back is another position that has the high expectations surrounding it in 2023. Jarquez Hunter will be in his junior season and

“We are so excited for Derrian to advance to nationals once again,” said head coach Jeff Graba.

“We couldn’t be more proud of her and all that she has accomplished already at Auburn. What a way to bookend your career, and we are going to continue to help her finish this thing off in a great way as she represents Auburn one last time.”

Gobourne earned a spot as an individual in 2019 on vault as a freshman and went on to finish tied for first to win Auburn’s first national championship in the sport.

is expected to lead the way after playing second fiddle to Tank Bigsby for the first two seasons of his career. Demari Alston will be expected to take more carries this season. South Florida transfer Brian Battie and incoming freshman Jeremiah Cobb will also have a role to play.

“I think Jarquez (Hunter) is special,” Freeze said. “I think he’s probably the best running back I’ve ever coached. I’m excited about his demeanor and the way he goes about his work, keeps his mouth shut and goes to work. If you want him to play kick-off team or punt team, he’s all “let’s go, let’s do it.

“I’m real excited about Damari (Alston) too. I think Brian (Battie) adds a different

Jay & Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center Presents the

In her final season on The Plains, Gobourne earned All-America honors with a 9.940 NQS on floor. She was honored as the 2023 Southeastern Conference Specialist of the Year for the thirdstraight season and was All-SEC in the event for the Tigers.

The championships will be held at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, April 13. Gobourne will rotate with Utah and will compete in the first rotation during the second semifinal on April 13. Competition is set to start at 8 p.m. CT.

dimension to that group. Hopefully, we can stay healthy there.”

It will be interesting to see what exactly things look like in the first public viewing of the Hugh Freeze era of Auburn football. Freeze talked in a press conference this week about what he is ultimately looking to get out of A-Day.

“I want our fans to be excited about the momentum that is being created here,” Freeze said. “Do we still have a way to go? Yes, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be excited about where we are currently. Somehow, I have to figure out a way that I want all of those things to occur.”

Kick-off Saturday is set for 1 p.m. CT inside Jordan-Hare Stadium.

MOPs on the season and has one of the top scores on the team with a 93 this year.

A pair of Tigers in juniors Kate Buchanan and Isabella Tesmer secured the first honors of their careers, being placed on the Reining Honorable Mention team. Tesmer has a team-best eight wins with one MOP for the squad. Buchanan is second on the squad with seven wins.

Freshman Alexia Tordoff was named to the honorable mention squad for Horsemanship. The Powell, Ohio product holds a 9-3-1 mark in the event with one MOP. Her 78.5 in the event is tied for first on the squad this season.

AMBUSH 2023 Dates, Locations Announced

CONTRIBUTED BY AU ATHLETICS

AUBURN—

AMBUSH, the Auburn Alumni Association's annual engagement tour, will feature four locatios in 2023 and include appearances from Auburn head football coach Hugh Freeze, head men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl, Athletics Director John Cohen and other guests. The AMBUSH tour will provide a social meetand-greet with alumni and, in the process, help raise scholarship funds for future generations of Auburn students.

Join us for an

AMBUSH at these

destinations:

• Atlanta Auburn Club (Atlanta, Georgia) –

Tuesday, April 25, 2023

| JW Marriott Atlanta Buckhead (3300 Lenox Road NE, Atlanta, Georgia, 30326).

The deadline for reservations is April 18, 2023.

For tickets and more information visit www. aub.ie/ambushatlanta.

• Huntsville-Madison County Auburn Club (Huntsville, AL) –Thursday, April 27, 2023 | Stovehouse (3414 Governors Drive, Huntsville, Alabama 35805).

No. 12 Auburn Gymnastics Concludes Season at NCAA Regional Semifinal

CONTRIBUTED BY AU ATHLETICS

AUBURN —

No. 12 Auburn concluded its season in the opening round of the NCAA Regional at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion, scoring 195.9 to finish fourth in last Thursday’s afternoon session.

Needing to finish in the top two of the four-team session to advance to Saturday’s Sweet 16, Auburn was in an excellent position halfway through the meet until three consecutive falls on bars created a deficit too big to overcome.

“When you get to this meet, you have to be really good to move on,” said Auburn coach Jeff Graba. “You can’t have an event like we did on bars. We picked a bad night to have our worst night of the year.”

Beginning on floor, Auburn delivered throughout the lineup. Derrian Gobourne anchored with a team-high 9.925 to earn a share of the session event title. Gabby McLaughlin led off with a 9.875, a score equaled by Olivia

Hollingworth. Sophia Groth and Cassie Stevens each added 9.85s to give the Tigers a team score of 49.375, comfortably ahead of Washington (49.050 on vault) and Southern Utah (48.950 on bars), trailing only Utah (49.5 on beam).

Auburn moved to the vault for its second event, with Caroline Leonard leading off with a career-high 9.875. After Sara Hubbard followed with a 9.850, Hollingsworth and Stevens each earned 9.8s before Gobourne equaled Leonard’s 9.875 in the anchor spot, giving Auburn 49.2 in the event and 98.575 through two rotations.

Trouble arrived on bars, the Tigers’ third rotation, with three straight falls at the top of the lineup. Aria Brusch regained momentum for Auburn, earning a 9.9 in the fourth spot before Stevens tied her career high with a 9.925 to finish third in the session and Gobourne anchored with a 9.85.

Finishing on beam, freshman Hannah Hagle scored a career-high 9.9, earning

a 10 from one of the four judges, for Auburn’s top score. McLaughlin anchored with a 9.875, Brusch earned a 9.825, Hollingsworth scored a 9.8 and Groth added a 9.775 for a team score of 49.175.

Leonard and Hagle capitalized on their opportunities, producing career bests to bolster a lineup missing Sunisa Lee for the season’s final month.

“For (Hagle) to do that on beam was a huge deal,” Graba said. “Caroline on vault, going 9.875 on a 9.95 (start value) vault. Derrian was great on floor. We got some really good performances, but as a group, not as consistent as we want.” Stevens (39.325) finished third in the all-around, while Hollingsworth and Groth finished fifth and sixth, respectively. Depending on other regional teams and individual results, Stevens (bars) and Gobourne (floor) could potentially advance individually to the NCAA Championships on April 13 through 15 in Fort Worth, Texas.

See AMBUSH page B7

Walk-Off Winners

PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES THE OBSERVER

The varsity Beauregard baseball team defeated Tallassee, 5-4, after a walk-off single in extra innings. According to Scorebook Live, the Hornets sit at 6-11 overall, with the AHSAA playoffs set to begin April 21.

BY DANIEL LOCKE FOR THE OBSERVER

AUBURN —

The Auburn Tigers have had an up-and-down season so far in 2023. The Tigers are 18-9-1 overall, and 3-6 in conference play at this point. The lack of depth in the pitching rotation is a large part of the reason why Auburn has experienced inconsistencies thus far.

Auburn has been missing star pitcher Joseph Gonzalez since he started the season's first game. Gonzalez has been sidelined due to soreness in

Pitching Woes Haunt Auburn

his right arm that has been persistent since early spring practice. Auburn head coach Butch Thompson said he was hopeful that Gonzalez would be ready to go during the series against the Arkansas Razorbacks a few weeks ago but then announced that Gonzalez would miss up to six more weeks.

The Tigers also lost a lot of important arms to the MLB Draft last season, which makes Gonzalez’s absence even more detrimental to the team.

Blake Burkhalter, Mason Barnett, Trace Bright,

Carson Skipper and Hayden Mullins were all important pieces of the Auburn pitching staff, both in the starting rotation and out of the bullpen. The lack of experience in the position has been evident as the Tigers have not been able to hold leads consistently since starting conference play.

On March 25, Auburn was facing off against the Georgia Bulldogs in the finale of a three-game series. The Tigers won the first two games and were looking for their second sweep of a conference opponent since 2019. The Bulldogs

On Your Mark... Get Set... Go!

took an early lead, but the Tigers battled back and only trailed by one run going into the eighth inning.

Georgia ended up scoring 16 runs in that inning and run-ruling Auburn 24-7 after eight innings.

If Auburn had more depth in its pitching staff, this likely would not have happened. Experience matters the most when working out of a jam, and it takes no expert to see that the Tigers clearly lack it.

Auburn traveled down to Gainesville this past

PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER

PHOTO BY JACOB TAYLOR AU ATHLETICS

See BASEBALL, page B7

Left-handed Auburn pitcher Drew Nelson, a freshman from Troy, Alabama. See B7 for more photos of the AU baseball team.

Tigers Go Down In Gainesville

AMBUSH >>

FROM B4

The deadline for reservations is April 20, 2023.

For tickets and more information visit www.aub.ie/ ambushhuntsville.

• Greater Nashville Auburn Club (Nashville, Tennessee) –Tuesday, May 16, 2023 | Loveless Barn (8400 TN-100, Nashville, Tennessee 37221).

The deadline for reservations is May 9, 2023.

For tickets and more information

BASEBALL >> FROM

B6

weekend for a three-game series with the Florida Gators. The Tigers picked up a convincing 10-1 victory to get the series started on Friday night. The Tigers held a 3-2 lead going into the bottom of the third inning in the second game, however, the pitching gave way again and the Gators took control with a five-run rally and never gave control back. Florida went on to win 12-5.

The series had been acceptable up to that point. Auburn had gone into one of the toughest places to play in college baseball and managed not to get swept. The series finale, however, revealed just how problematic this pitching staff is. The Tigers held an 8-3 lead going into the bottom

visit www.aub.ie/ambushnashville.

• West Georgia Auburn Club (LaGrange, Georgia) – Wednesday, May 17, 2023 | Great Wolf Lodge (150 Tom Hall Parkway, LaGrange, Georgia 30240).

The deadline for reservations is May 10, 2023.

For tickets and more information visit www.aub.ie/ambushwestga.

Press time will be from 5:30 to 5:45 p.m. Ticket price depends on location.

For more information, please visit the Auburn Alumni Association website www.aub.ie/ ambush.

of the fifth inning. The Gators went on to score 13 unanswered runs and secured the game three and series victory by a score of 17-8.

A large part of the problem stems from inexperience. Thirteen of the 20 pitchers on Auburn’s roster are underclassmen. Missing Gonzalez is also hurting as Auburn must rely increasingly upon pitchers such as freshman Drew Nelson and sophomores Will Cannon, John Armstrong and Chase Allsup.

The pitching staff will likely improve as it gets more innings under its belt, and Gonzalez will provide a spark when he returns from injury. The SEC is arguably the toughest conference in collegiate baseball, so solid pitching is a must-have if Auburn wants to make another trip to Omaha in 2023.

The Auburn University baseball team travelled to Gainseville, Florida, last weekend and lost a series to No. 2 Florida, two games to one.

Auburn University Continues to Address United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals

CONTRIBUTED BY AUBURN UNIVERSITY

AUBURN — Auburn University continues to address the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals through teaching, research and outreach, according to a newly released campus report.

The document, released by the Office of Sustainability and Hunger Solutions Institute, highlights the extent to which Auburn is engaged with each of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs, between 2019 and 2021. Auburn’s initial SDG report demonstrated engagement from 2016 to 2018.

The U.N. adopted the goals in 2015 as a path to address global challenges and achieve a better, more sustainable future for all by 2030.

Auburn demonstrated moderate or most engagement in 11 goals:

Zero Hunger; Reduced Inequalities; Responsible Consumption and Production; Sustainable Cities and Communities; Good Health and Wellbeing; Life on Land; Gender Equality; Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure; Climate Action; Life Below

Water; and Clean Water and Sanitation.

“This report tells an important story that would otherwise remain largely unnoticed,” said Mike Kensler, director of the Office of Sustainability. “Auburn is making meaningful contributions to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, from the local level to the global, and the report is a way to recognize and appreciate these efforts by students, faculty and staff. It is another measure of Auburn’s value to the global community.”

Auburn’s Academic Sustainability Program, Hunger Solutions Institute in the College of Human Sciences and Office of Sustainability collaborated to measure the university’s engagement with the goals. They collected and analyzed data related to the goals in teaching, research and outreach from every college, school and department, including courses, majors, minors, graduate programs, faculty research, centers and institutes, and student organizations at the university from 2019 to 2021.

In both reports, Auburn demonstrated high engagement in SDG 2, Zero Hunger, mostly through

teaching. The most recent report stated Auburn has at least 40 courses that address eradicating hunger.

The Office of Sustainability will continue to collaborate with academic and nonacademic units across campus to address and move forward on all goals, with the Hunger Solutions Institute, or HSI, continuing to lead on SDG 2.

“From teaching to research to outreach, the Hunger Solutions Institute serves as a springboard for students, faculty and staff to support a Zero Hunger world,” said Alicia

Powers, HSI’s managing director. “HSI is encouraged by the collective university efforts to impact SDG 2 on campus, in our surrounding community and throughout Alabama, the country and the world.”

Auburn took a major step in its commitment to addressing the goals in 2019 when it joined the U.S. chapter of the U.N. Sustainable Development Solutions Network, or SDSN. Auburn’s involvement allows faculty to collaborate with network scholars and organizations around the world in efforts to fulfill the SDGs at local, national and

Rep. Rogers Invites High Schoolers to Participate in Congressional Art Competition

CONTRIBUTED BY THE OFFICE OF MIKE ROGERS ALABAMA — U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (AL-03), recently announced that his office is accepting entries from high school students in Alabama’s 3rd Congressional District for the annual Congressional Art Competition.

“I’m excited to announce that my office is accepting submissions for the annual Congressional Art Competition,” Rogers said. “This is a great opportunity for local high school students to have their art displayed in the U.S. Capitol, and for visitors from around the world to see the talent housed right here

in Central Alabama. I encourage all interested high schoolers to visit my website for guidelines.”

Winning pieces from each Congressional District are displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year. This nationwide competition is a tremendous opportunity for young artists to demonstrate their

talent.

This year’s theme for the artwork is “Land of the Free, Because of the Brave.” Artwork must be submitted by April 14, and additional guidelines for the competition can be found here: www.mikerogers. house.gov/services/ third-congressional-district-art-competition. htm.

global scales.

The Office of Sustainability maintains a landing page for the SDGs at Auburn, which illustrates the university’s work in each of the 17 goals through teaching, outreach and research.

The report also is designed to raise awareness of the SDGs so faculty and students may join the movement to achieve a better, more sustainable future by 2030.

labama Politics ee County & A

Thursday, April 06, 2023

Inside the Statehouse

The Presidential Race Has Begun

Auburn Council Zips Through Discussion On Scooters

STEVE FLOWERS

OPINION —

The presidential race has begun, and rightly so because 2024 is just around the corner. The early primaries are less than 10 months away.

We in Alabama have an early presidential primary 11 months from now on March 5, 2024.

Actually, the Republican challengers are slow getting out of the gate. The obvious elephant in the room is the looming presence of one, Donald Trump. He seems intent on running. His ego will not allow him to read the tea leaves, as well as every scientific poll, which tell him that he is yesterday’s news; over 75% of American voters detest him and he cannot defeat anyone in a presidential race. In fact, polling reveals that any Democrat or foreign dictator would beat him by landslide proportions by a much larger margin than the overwhelming defeat he received from the listless, almost lifeless Joe Biden in 2020.

The problem for Republicans is that Trump is sitting there with a hardcore 25% base of Republican voters. Therefore, if six or more substantial Republican presidential entrants get into the battle for the nomination and they average getting 12% of the GOP

primary votes, then Trump could prevail with his 25% minority base — thus giving him the nomination and ultimate electoral disaster for Republicans. They would lose the presidential contest so badly that it would take down a host of Republican congressional seats. Republicans would suffer dramatically from the negative Trump coattail effect. Republicans would most certainly lose their slim margin in the House of Representatives but would also lose precious seats in the U.S. Senate.

The Republican Party strategists and insiders are keenly aware of the Trump debacle scenario and are rallying around Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Rankand-file GOP primary voters are flocking to him in droves. If the money is there to offset the Trump machine and gutter attacks that come with it, DeSantis will probably prevail.

The reluctance of other major GOP candidates to get into the fray is a sign that the conservatives in the country are working behind the scenes to orchestrate and discourage “also ran” candidates from getting into the race, which would give DeSantis a clear, undeterred victory to face Biden in November. Minor candidates like Mike Pence and Nikki Haley will run, but polling shows them with a 3% threshold. Haley is probably angling to be DeSantis’ vice-presidential choice. DeSantis will probably be the Republican nominee and face Biden in the fall of 2024.

Make no mistake about it — Biden will be the Democratic nominee. It is far too late in the nominating process for a Democratic challenger to get into the race against an incumbent president. Therefore, Biden will skate to the nomination of his party without taxing his diminished stamina. In fact, his handlers will probably keep him out of sight during the entire campaign, which is a tried-and-true, effective campaign strategy to elect ol’ Biden.

Biden’s age is his biggest albatross toward reelection. Even Democratic voters who tend to be younger are concerned by it. His demeanor and gait accentuate his diminished capacity and advanced age. Indeed, 82 is a pretty advanced age to be in the Oval Office.

However, if you watched his February State of the Union Address, his performance dispelled naysayers. His delivery, appearance and lucidity were on par with any 60-year-old president.

I have seen quite a few State of the Union speeches of sitting presidents, and his performance was one of the most brilliant and well-delivered I have seen. It was shocking and amazing.

Forty million Americans were watching not to hear what he had to say, but how he said it. Most Americans were looking for a stumbling, tongue-wagging, incognizant old “Uncle Joe.”

Instead, he was on script, lucid and glib who came off script

See FLOWERS, page B11

BY HANNAH LESTER HLESTER@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

AUBURN —

The Auburn City Council heard an update on the “scooter phenomenon” Tuesday night during the council meeting.

“The issue that we have is that neither state legislation nor city code directly or effectively regulates and defines the electronic scooter that is so widely used around the university’s campus,” said Public Safety Executive Director Will Matthews.

These scooters are often privately owned, which isn’t defined state-wide, Matthews said.

Matthews’ and the city’s recommendation was to amend the city

code to both define an electronic scooter and ban its use downtown.

Police Chief Cedric Anderson said that there had been citizen complaints of being almost struck by scooters in the downtown area.

One option would be to limit electric scooters to the road, like a vehicle.

Ward 3 Council Member Beth Witten asked about electric bikes, which Matthews said are held under the limitations of regular bikes.

Ward 2 Council Member Kelley Griswold said he recommends the scooter be held under the definitions and limitations of a bicycle.

Matthews said the accident rate is probably 50% on campus

and 50% off campus, but in areas adjacent to campus.

Ward 8 Council Member Tommy Dawson was in conflict with Griswold’s desire to define the scooter and limit it. Dawson said he could foresee a child receiving a scooter for Christmas, riding it on the sidewalk and being ticketed.

He also expressed a desire not to put any more responsibility on officers.

“I’m not sure I understand why the motorized scooter would be treated as a motor vehicle and the electric bicycle would not be treated the same way,” said Ward 4 Council Member Tyler Adams. Matthews said this is

See AUBURN COUNCIL, page B11

Opelika Passes a 'Brunch Bill' Expanding Hours of Alcohol Sales

BY MICHELLE KEY MICHELLE@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

OPELIKA — The Opelika City Council passed what has been called "The Brunch Bill" during Tuesday night's city council meeting. The bill was introduced for its first reading but then the council made a mo-

tion to suspend the rules requiring two readings and voted to pass the proposed ordinance.

The amended ordinance [Section 3-7] will allow Opelika on-premise and off-premise alcohol licensees to serve alcohol from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Sundays.

Opelika restaurant owner Timothy Lowery spoke at city council

urging it to pass the proposed changes.

After the meeting, Lowery, who owns Next Level Cafe, discussed what it means for his restaurant and the city of Opelika.

"It puts us in a better position to compete with our neighboring community and it will

See OPELIKA, page B11

Pictured above are "Bloody Mary Flights" offered by Next Level Cafe. Restaurants with alcohol licenses, like Next Level Cafe, will soon be able to expand the hours alcohol is available once the amended ordinance goes into effect.

The Auburn City Council meets on the first and third Tuesdays each month. It meets at 141 N. Ross St. in Auburn and meetings start at 6 p.m.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY NEXT LEVEL CAFE

Hartsfield-Jackson Has a Human Trafficking Problem. Let’s Help Reduce It.

Trafficking Month on Jan. 31. Major airports appeal to trafficking predators (see below).

Alabama does not have a human trafficking situation as Georgia has. Nonetheless, in 2019, Gov. Kay Ivey signed into law an important bill sponsored by the Alabama Trucking Association. Ford Boswell, senior advisor for communications and marketing, was pleased that Ivey had a role in getting those changes effected.

of the opportunity in Georgia to wipe the slate clean and focus on healing.”

Georgia Senate Bill 425, known as “The Survivors First Act,” has remedies for individuals to clean up their criminal history in that state if they have survived sex trafficking or labor trafficking. The goal: to remove individuals’ barriers to employment, housing and other opportunities, but also to help heal the trauma they have experienced.

ship, and I appreciate that.”

Ivey signed a proclamation for Human Trafficking Month last December. She noted that, among other points, “The United States government estimates that between 600,000 to 800,000 individuals are trafficked across international borders each year and exploited for forced labor and forced sexual activity.”

phrases from a Supreme Court Justice is “I will know it when I see it.” It is usually attributed to Justice Potter Stewart; he was referring to prostitution. The implication is not to get stuck too much with minutia when something is clear to most people.

OPINION —

Hartsfield-Jackson is the largest airport by number of travelers in the world. People feel they must hurry to get to their gate. Many never think of traveling leisurely. They are tied to their smartphones every minute (it seems). They do not think they can help out the public, or they just don’t want to. If they saw someone at the airport resembling Mabel “Madea” Simmons of six popular movies, they would not blink an eye.

“If you think you have

witnessed a trafficking situation, keep careful track of your observations; do this especially where people gather, like at airports,” said Tyler Perry, producer and actor shown in a PSA currently running on the monitors at Atlanta’s famous airport. Perry, of course, portrayed Madea in those funny films.

State of Georgia and city of Atlanta politicians, as well as other key players in the battle against human trafficking, presented a yearly report. The event was held at the airport to symbolically close Human

In the Yellowhammer State, all new students studying to obtain a commercial driver's license (CDL) have to complete trafficking awareness training. This applies whether attending a CDL trade school or a training program. Upon earning a CDL, they learn “red flags” of human trafficking.

“Unfortunately, some survivors of human trafficking still carry around the weight of a criminal record while trying to heal from the trauma they’ve experienced,” explained Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr. “We are proud to work with Georgia's first lady, Marty Kemp, to ensure all survivors are aware

Andre Dickens was elected Atlanta mayor in 2021. He was a council member and a chemical engineer. There were 14 candidates, with high crime the big issue. Dickens was second, but as Felicia Moore did not achieve 50%, there was a runoff. Both Moore and Dickens are African Americans, but Dickens captured the white vote in an upset.

The Atlanta airport became part of the tapestry of the anti-human trafficking campaign organized by Dickens and Georgia First Lady Marty Kemp.

“If I remember correctly, the mayor said so proudly last year that he considered us friends,” Kemp said. “I knew then that we were going to have a great partner-

Dickens said, “Traffickers use violence, threats, lies or other forms of control to manipulate their victims and coerce them to acts against their will. Unfortunately, trafficking hides in plain sight. Keep careful track of your observations for the authorities to report. If the victim is in danger, call 911.”

Sex trafficking has been found in fake massage businesses, brothels, street prostitution and strip clubs. Labor trafficking has been discovered in domestic work, large farms and factories. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall emphasizes that, “Many times, traffickers place their victims at truck stops and outside convenience stores with high traffic.”

One of the most famous

The next time you are at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, don’t hurry too much without seeing what is happening outside your smartphone. You may not be able to determine if something you gaze at is human trafficking or not.

Unlike Stewart, you may not be able to “know it when I see it.” But if you see something bad, and you don’t tell the authorities, not even Mabel “Madea” Simmons will join you.

Greg Markley moved to Lee County in 1996. He has a master’s in education from AUM and a master’s in history from Auburn University. 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 since 2011. He writes on politics, education and books. gm.markley@charter.net.

GREG MARKLEY

The Perfect Opportunity to Repeal the Grocery Tax is Before Us; We Must Take Action Now

OPINION —

For all of my adult life, politicians in Montgomery have talked about the need to remove the state sales tax from groceries, but they always find excuse after excuse that prevents them from actually doing it.

The potential loss of budget revenue, the false claims that replacement taxes must be passed and the looming threat of economic downturns are just a few of the excuses politicians have used to do nothing and continue walking in place. The time for excuses is over.

Alabama is currently enjoying the greatest and most robust economy in its history, more people are employed with wellpaying, secure jobs than ever before and our state budgets currently have a combined surplus of roughly $3 billion.

The conservative budgeting practices that Republicans put in place after taking control of the legislature in 2010 allowed Alabama’s economy to weather the COVID-19 pandemic better than almost all other states, and our already impressive

FLOWERS >>

FROM B9

and handled heckling from right-wing, backbench Republicans with aplomb. He deviated from the teleprompter with candid, sincere comments. He made a brilliant opening campaign appearance that will resonate with voters throughout the campaign when he is described as a doddering old fool who should be in a nursing home.

WILL AINSWORTH

success in attracting economic development and industrial recruitment prospects is growing by the day. Alabama’s business sector — ranging from the largest employers to the smallest, momand-pop operations — remains healthy and is sending unprecedented revenues to the state. All of these economic factors and dozens more like them have created a perfect opportunity for Montgomery to finally put action before words and begin the process of making grocery purchases tax-free. And the best news is that we can end the sales tax on groceries without having to shift the burden or raise taxes elsewhere. If anyone claims otherwise, they are simply not shooting

He has also been in politics long enough to know to trust his handlers and stay away from voters, and just parrot the old-line, liberal Democratic talking points that say Republicans are against Social Security, which by the way is the most demagogic liberal lie ever espoused. Republicans are not for cutting Social Security; most of their voters would starve to death.

If DeSantis is indeed the Republican

straight with you. But we must take action now. Alabama is one of only three states that taxes groceries at the full rate — South Dakota and Mississippi are the others — and we are one of only 13 states in the nation that levy any tax on groceries. Our sister southeastern states of Georgia and Florida do not tax groceries, and Tennessee taxes them at a reduced rate.

As the cost of food increases because of the Biden administration’s skyrocketing inflation, Alabama’s working families are devoting even more of their household income to the grocery tax. Eggs alone cost a third more than they did last year, and each time the price

nominee, it will be a close presidential race in November 2024, which is not that far away.

See you next week.

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

be a great addition for our guests and for the city."

Opelika Chamber of Commerce President

Ali Rauch also advocated for the passage of the ordinance and said she is thrilled at its passage.

"We at the Opelika Chamber are thrilled that the city council elected to extend alcohol sales to 10 a.m. on Sundays," Rauch said. "We strongly believe this is better for our businesses, citizens, visitors to our community and it brings us in line with many other communities across the state. We are grateful to the council members who have worked behind the scenes to encourage this to happen, especially Council President Eddie Smith, and to our businesses who have been advocating for this for years, like Cafe 123, but also new businesses like Botanic. I know they are excited and ready to start serving."

The amended ordinance will go into effect following publication.

OTHER BUSINESS:

- Mayor Gary Fuller presented Attaboy and Attagirl awards to the Accounting Department for its efforts that led to a positive and successful audit.

- Fuller presented awards to the 20 Under 20 Student Exploratory Program graduates.

- Fuller presented a proclamation in honor of Black Maternal Health Week — April 11 through April 17.

- The council approved a restaurant retail liquor and retail beer on premise license for SUN IL 22 LLC doing business as Mandarin House.

- The council approved a restaurant retail liquor and retail beer on premise license for Seafood Opelika Inc. doing business as Kpot Korean BBQ and Hotpot.

- The council approved a temporary street closure for New Spirit Missionary Baptist Church for a Family Fun Day on April 8.

- The council awarded a bid for emergency debris removal for the Public Works Department to D&J Enterprises.

- The council awarded a bid for switches for substation No. 10 for Opelika Power Services to Substation Enterprises Inc.

- The council approved the expense reports from various departments.

- The council designated city personal property as surplus and authorized its disposal.

- The council approved the purchase of 16 OptiPlex 5400 AIO desktop computers from the state of Alabama for a little over $19,200.

- The council approved the purchase of a Marathon RJ-250 Self Contained 34-cubic-yard compactor from OES through the Sourcewell Contract for a little over $41,600.

- The council accepted a proposal from Sain and Associates for the Northern Perimeter Corridor Feasibility Study.

- The council approved a construction inspection services agreement with CDG for the Andrews Road Improvement Project for the Niagara Bottling Plant. Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) has agreed to participate in the cost of construction and consultant fees for engineering and inspection at a maximum cost of $771,100 and the estimated compensation due to CDG under the proposal is nearly $111,000, with said compensation to be paid from the unassigned fund balance.

- The council approved the final closeout change order No. 1 for the Sportsplex Intersection Roundabout.

- The council approved the final closeout change order No. 2 for the North Uniroyal Bridge Replacement Project to increase the total contract amount by over $128,200.

- The council approved a professional services agreement with True South Properties for a right-of-way acquisition.

- The council approved a motion to

amend the Cemetery Rules and Regulations, which can be found on the city’s website and then approved the amended regulations.

- The council approved an employment contract with Joel D. Motley as city administration for another three years.

- The council approved a request for a refund of occupational taxes paid in error by Chase Christian.

- The council approved a special appropriation of $1,000 to the Chamber of Commerce 20 Under Forty for the current class project for the Boys and Girls Club.

- The council approved a special appropriation of $2,500 to Keep Opelika Beautiful for the 2023 Garden in the Park.

- The council approved a special appropriation of $7,500 to the Arts Association of East Alabama.

- The council left the proposed ordinance to amend the Zoning Ordinance and Map for 1531 and 1617 1st Ave., rezoning 8.928 acres, from M-1 to a planned unit development (PUD) on the table to address at a future meeting.

- The council voted to amend Sections 5.7-11,12,13 and 5.7-17 of the City Code of Ordinances: Prescribing Charges and Fees for Cemetery Lots and Services and then voted to approve the newly amended ordinance.

- The council amended the Zoning Ordinance & Map at the 3200 block of Columbus Parkway, rezoing nearly 210 acres from Annexation to a PUD, which would consist of 600 residential units.

- The council approved the annexation petition by Rodney and Laurie Jones to annex nearly 210 acres on Columbus Parkway (U.S. Highway 280) into the city of Opelika.

- The council reappointed David McCain to the Lee Russell Council of Governments MPO Citizen Advisory Committee for a term that will expire in April 2025.

due to the state defining the electric bicycle as a bicycle.

Witten suggested the electric scooters be subjected to the same laws as a bicycle — not allowed on the sidewalk but allowed in the multi-use lane on the road at the users’ own risk.

The council members agreed the conversation should be ongoing and no agreement was reached Tuesday night.

OTHER BUSINESS:

- The council recognized AHS for the flag football championship.

- The council

approved a contract with Inline Electric Supply Inc. for the purchase of traffic signal poles and mast arms on North Dean Road and East University Drive for the Intersection Improvements Project for over $172,700.

- The council approved a contract with Pump & Process Equipment Inc. for the replacement of parts for pump No.4 at the Northside Water Pollution Control Facility Transfer for over $25,700.

- The council approved two positions to the Auburn Public Library Board.

- The council

approved a tax abatement for SCA Inc. at 764 W. Veterans Blvd. in the Auburn Technology Park North.

- The council approved a contract with D & J Enterprises Inc. for the Annalue Drive and East University Drive Intersection Improvements Project for over $1 million.

- The council approved the adoption of the Community Development Block Grant 2023 Annual Action Plan and funding recommendations. The next council meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 18.

AUBURN >> FROM B9

IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF JULIA MAE FANNING

A hearing will held on April

12, 2023 at 9 a.m. at the Lee County Justice Center, located at 2311 Gateway Drive, in Opelika, Alabama involving said estate.

To all heirs and those noticed below that you may attend said hearing but are not re -

quired to do so.

Mae Ella Presley

Marcus Calloway

Belinda Ligon

Dorothy Stringer

Hattie Parker

Bernice Gunn

Robert Carlton

Gloria Marbury

James Hughley

Henrietta Wright

Nathanel Gibson

Rosa Ann Menafee

Wayne Gibson

Henry Gibson

Larry Gibson

Carolyn Finley

Eugene Gibson

Alma McKenzie

Brenda Gibson Dumas

Wanda Faye McCowan

Hattie Mae Torbert

Jessie Mae Hixon

Marshall Thomas

Willie Thomas

Patricia Jones

Melvin Kirk

Calvin Kirk

Richard K. Kirk

Kelly Summer

Beretha Flakes

Vera Townsel

Catherine Kirk

Bemice Hall

Janice Jemison

Sharon Jones

Karen Simmons

Brenda Armand

Jean Kirk

Tryone Wells

Delores K. Turner

Virginia Wells Albert

Legal Run 003/23/2023, 03/30/2023 & 04/062023

IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF SAUNDRA EVELYN ALDRIDGE, DECEASED IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA

CASE No. 2023-125

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

TAKE NOTICE that Letters

Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to Adrienne Sonora Aldridge, on the 15th day of March, 2023, 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.

Adrienne Sonora Aldridge, Personal Representative Legal Run 03/23/2023, 03/30/2023 & 04/062023

IN THE PROBATE COURT FOR LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF DAVID

LEE TYNER, deceased, Case No.: 2023-122

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to Benjamin H. Parr, Personal Representative on the 14th day of March, 2023, by Honorable Bill English, Judge of Probate Court of Lee County, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barre_d.

Benjamin H. Parr Legal Run 03/23/2023, 03/30/2023 & 04/062023

INVITATION TO BID

23026

Sealed bids for the construction of the Access Accommodations to Floral Park Fields shall be received at the Opelika City Hall 2nd Floor Conference Room, 204 South Seventh Street, Opelika, Alabama, until 2:00 p.m., local time on April 10, 2023, and then publicly opened and read aloud. All interested parties are invited to attend. Only bids from competent general contractors will be considered. At the time of contract award, the successful bidder must be a properly licensed general contractor.

The attention of all bidders is called to the provisions of State law governing “General Contractors” as set forth in the Ala. Code §34-8-1, et.seq. (1975) and rules and

regulations promulgated pursuant thereto. Bidders must be licensed by the Licensing Board for General Contractors when bids are submitted.

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

Drawings and Specifications may be examined at the Office of the City Engineer located at 700 Fox Trail, Opelika, Alabama, and phone number: 334-705-5450. Bid documents may be obtained from the Office of the City Engineer at no charge as an electronic file if the bidder supplies a storage drive or as an email attachment or electronic drop box. The bidder’s proposal must be submitted on the complete original proposal furnished to him/her by the City of Opelika. All information in the proposal must be completed by the bidder for the proposal to be accepted.

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

Envelopes containing bids must be sealed, marked, addressed as follows, and delivered to: Lillie Finley, Purchasing/Revenue & Codes

Compliance Director, City of Opelika, 204 South 7th Street, P.O. Box 390, Opelika, Alabama, 36803-0390. Attn:

Access Accommodations to Floral Park Fields

LILLIE FINLEYPURCHASING/REVENUE & CODES COMPLIANCE DIRECTOR

CITY OF OPELIKA 204 SOUTH SEVENTH STREET (36801) POST OFFICE BOX 390 (36803-0390) OPELIKA, ALABAMA

PH: (334) 705-5120 Legal Run 03/23/2023, 03/30/2023 & 04/062023

STATE OF ALABAMA IN THE PROBATE COURT - LEE COUNTY CASE NO. 2023-026

RE: ESTATE OF SANDRA

F. OLIVER, DECEASED:

NOTICE OF PUBLICATION

Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to the undersigned on the 16th day of March, 2023, by the Judge of Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

/s/ Kristy O. Evans Kristy O. Evans, Executor Claud E. (Skip) McCoy, Jr., Esq. Attorney for Executor Johnson, Caldwell & McCoy, LLC 117 North Lanier Avenue, Suite 201 Lanett, Alabama 36863 (334) 644-1171 Legal Run 03/23/2023,

PUBLIC NOTICES

Lee County Probate Court at 334-737-3670 for access to the electronic hearing should you intend to take part in the hearing of the Petition to Probate the Last Will and Testament of the Estate of W.

T. TABLE, deceased.

Bill English Judge of Probate, Lee County, Alabama Robert H. Pettey Samford & Denson, LLP P.O. Box 2345 Opelika, AL 36803-2345 (334) 745-3504 Legal Run 03/23/23, 3/30/23 & 04/06/23

Notice of Action by

Publication: Michael L. Maddox et al. v. LeRoy Moss, et al., Civil Action NO. 43-CV-2023-900058. was filed in the Circuit Court of Lee County, Alabama on to-wit: February 9. 2023, seeking by Declaratory Judgment to Quiet Title in rem and for a Sale for Division to the property located in Lee County, Alabama and described as follows:

From a point where the apparent south boundary of the Northeast Quarter of Section 28, Township 20 North, Range 24 East, in Lee County, Alabama, intersects the centerline of an 18-foot-wide unpaved road, run thence on a magnetic bearing of North 72 degrees 29 minutes East for 19.9 feet to a point which is 19 feet east of the centerline of said unpaved county road, which is the point of beginning of the parcel of land here intended to be described; thence run along said road North 09 degrees 49 minutes East 300 feet to a point; thence leaving said road run East 290.4 feet to a point; thence run South 09 degrees 49 minutes West for 300 feet to a point; thence run West 290.4 feet to the point of beginning, containing 2.0 acres, more or less, and being situated in the Northeast Quarter of Section 28, Township 20 North, Range 24 East, in Lee County, Alabama

TO: ALL PERSONS claiming present, future, contingent, remainder, reversion, or other interest in said lands or any portion thereof, claiming any title thereto or lien thereon:

You are hereby notified that the above-styled action was filed against you on February 9, 2023, and that by Order entered by the Court, you are hereby commanded to plead, answer, or otherwise respond to the complaint within 30 days of the last publication, the 1 5 t h day of May, 2023, or thereafter suffer judgment in rem to be rendered against you because this notice shall be used to perfect service against all parties who cannot be personally served with a copy of the complaint, Your response must be filed with Mary B. Roberson, Clerk, Circuit Court of Lee County, Alabama, Lee County Justice Center, 2311 Gateway Drive, Suite 104, Opelika, AL 36801, and served upon attorneys for the Plaintiff, Agricola Law, LLC, 127 South 8th Street, Opelika, AL 36801. Plaintiffs' attorney's telephone number is (334) 759-7557

Done this March 24th day of 2023.

/s Mary B. Roberson Clerk, Circuit Court of Lee County, Alabama Legal Run 03/30/2023,04/06/2023 & 04/13/2023

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT ESTATE OF ELLEN ELIZABETH BRYANT, DECEASED COURT OF PROBATE

LEE COUNTY

Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to the undersigned on the 23'd day of March, 2023, by the Hon. Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred. Witness our hands, and dated this the 23rd day of March, 2023.

VICKIE MARIE HORNE

Legal Run 03/30/2023, 04/06/2023 & 04/13/2023

IN THE PROBATE

COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF DORIS D. MAPLE, DECEASED. CASE NO.:2023-169

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Take Notice that Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to Vickie Jo Wilds on the 29th day of March,, 2023, by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama. Notice is hereby given to 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.

J. TUTT BARRETT P.O. Box 231 Opelika, AL 36803-0231 Legal Run 04/06/2023, 04/13/2023 & 04/20/2023

IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN RE: THE ESTATE OF MONETTE B. COCHRAN, DECEASED

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT

Letters Testamentary under the Last Will and Testament of said deceased having been granted to Mona Cochran Silvey on or about the 14th day of March 2023, by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all person having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within the time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

Mona Cochran Silvey

Personal Representative

Josh J. Mitchell, Esq. BOULOUKOS, OGLESBY & MITCHELL, LLC

Attorney for Personal Representative 2017 Second Avenue North, First Floor Birmingham, Alabama 35203-3703 Phone: 205/322-164 l Legal Run 04/06/23, 04/13/2023, 04/20/2023

IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF S.J.R., a minor in need of a Conservator CASE NO: 2021-676

NOTICE OF PARTIAL

SETTLEMENT

Notice is hereby given that Samantha Johnson, Conservator of S.J.R., a minor child, has filed in the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama, her accounts, vouchers and statements for a Partial Settlement of the Conservatorship of S.J.R. A hearing has been set for the 25th day of May, at 1:00 p.m., Central Time, electronically via "ZOOM." Please contact the Lee County Probate Court at 334-737-3670 for access to the electronic hearing should you intend to take part in the said hearing. Done this the 31st day of March 2023.

Bill English Judge of Probate Legal Run 4/6/23, 4/13/23 & 4/20/23

IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA

IN RE:THE ESTATE OF KATRICE ANN WILLIAMS, DECEASED CASE NO. 2023-088

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

TAKE NOTICE that Letters of Administration having been granted to LARRY JEROME WILLIAMS, as Administrator of the Estate of KATRICE ANN WILLIAMS, deceased, on the 30th day of March, 2023, by the Honorable BILL ENGLISH, Judge of Probate. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a11 persons having claims against the said Estate are hereby required to present the same within the time allowed by Jaw or the same will be barred.

LARRY JEROME WILLIAMS, Administrator of the Estate of KATRICE ANN WILLIAMS, deceased. Legal Run 4/6/23, 4/13/23 & 4/20/23

IN THE MATTER OF THE ADOPTION PETITION OF JAMES RONALD HALL AND WANDA COX HALL

PUBLICATION NOTICE

TO: Randy Lamar Lynn Jr.,

Address Unknown

Please take notice that a

Petition for Adoption was filed in the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama by James Ronald Hall and Wanda Cox Hall on March

22, 2023, for the adoption of L.M.L. born on September 7, 2012, in Opelika, Alabama to Christina Leigh Lynn and Randy Lamar Lynn Jr.

A hearing has been set in the Lee County Probate Court, Opelika, Alabama.

Should you intend to contest this adoption you must file a written response with the attorney for the petitioner, Hon. Jason C. Riggs, P.0. Box 954, Aubumn, AL 36831 and with the Clerk of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama, P.O. Box 2266, Opelika, AL 36803 as soon as possible but no later than thirty (30) days from the last day this notice is published Dated on this the 23'd day of March 2023.

HON. BILL ENGLISH JUDGE OF PROBATE LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA Legal Run 4/6/23, 4/13/23, 4/20/23 & 4/27/23

IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF MICHAEL WILDRED LORD, DECEASED IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA

Case No: 2023-151

Letters Testamentary on the estate of said decedent having been granted to the undersigned on the 22nd day of March, 2023, 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.

PHILLIP CLINTON LORD

Personal Representative

Robert H. Pettey Samford & Denson, LLP

P.O. Box 2345

Opelika, AL 36803-2345

(334) 745-3504 Legal Run 4/6/23, 4/13/23 & 4/20/23

IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF CAROLYN SUE LORD, DECEASED IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA

Case No: 2023-152

Letters Testamentary on the estate of said decedent having been granted to the undersigned on the 22nd day of March, 2023, 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.

PHILLIP CLINTON LORD

Personal Representative

Robert H. Pettey Samford & Denson, LLP

P.O. Box 2345

Opelika, AL 36803-2345

(334) 745-3504

Legal Run 4/6/23, 4/13/23, 4/20/23

ORDINANCE NO. 012-23

AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 3-7 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA

REGULATING THE HOURS OF SALE OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

WHEREAS, pursuant to §283-25(b)(1), Code of Alabama, the governing body of any wet municipality is authorized to regulate the sale of alcoholic beverages on Sundays; and

WHEREAS, the owners and operators of local restaurants, hotels and other businesses have requested that the City of Opelika adjust the start time for selling alcoholic beverages on Sundays to 10:00 a.m.; and

day; and

WHEREAS, the City Council desires to amend Section 3-7 of the Code of Ordinances to allow the sale of alcoholic beverages in the City of Opelika after 10:00 a.m. on Sundays; and

WHEREAS, the City Council desires to expand the hours of sale for off-premise retailers.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council (the “Council”) of the City of Opelika, Alabama (the “City”) as follows:

Section 1. Amendment of Section 3-7. That Section 3-7 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Opelika is hereby amended as follows:

Sec. 3-7 Hours of Sale

(a) On-premises. It shall be unlawful for any retail licensee, its owner, licensee, manager, servant, agent or employee to sell, offer for sale, or to serve or dispense for on-premises consumption, or to allow consumption of alcoholic beverages on the licensed premises between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. on any day except Sunday and on Sunday between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.

(b) Off-premises. It shall be unlawful for any retail licensee, its owner, licensee, manager, servant, agent or employee to sell, offer for sale, trade or barter alcoholic beverages for off-premises consumption on Sunday between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. There are no prohibited hours for off-premises retailers for any day, except Sunday.

(c) Other licensees. It shall be unlawful for any manufacturer, importer, wholesaler or Class II lounge liquor retailer, its owner, manager, servant, agent or employee to sell, offer for sale, or to serve or to dispense or to allow the consumption of alcoholic beverages upon the licensed premises between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. on any day except Sunday, and on Sunday between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.

(d) Hours prescribed by zoning ordinance.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this section, where the City’s zoning laws, which includes variances and special exceptions granted under the authority of the zoning ordinance, provide for more restrictive hours than set forth in subsections (a), (b) or (c) of this section, such hours shall apply in lieu of the foregoing and it shall be a violation of this chapter for any licensee, its owner, manager, servant, agent or employee to sell, offer for sale, or to serve or dispense, or to offer to sale or dispense or to allow the consumption of alcoholic beverages upon the licensed premises during the prohibited hours established by the zoning laws.

Section 2.Severability Clause. If any section, subsection, clause, sentence, phrase or word of this ordinance is declared or judged to be invalid or unconstitutional such declaration or adjudication shall not affect the remaining portions of this ordinance which shall remain in full force and effect as if the portion so declared or adjudged invalid or unconstitutional was not originally a part of this ordinance. Section 3. Effective Date. This ordinance shall become effective upon its passage and publication as required by law.

Section 4. Publication. The City Clerk of the City of Opelika, Alabama is hereby authorized and directed to cause this ordinance to be published one (1) time in a newspaper of general circulation published in the City of Opelika, Lee County, Alabama.

ADOPTED AND APPROVED this the 4th day of April, 2023.

/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 5th day of April, 2023.

/s/ Russell A. Jones, CMC CITY CLERK ACTION BY MAYOR APPROVED this the 5th day of April, 2023.

/s/ Gary Fuller MAYOR ATTEST:

IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA CASE NO.: 2023-149

WHEREAS, an earlier start time will help local restaurants and hotels to better meet customer demands, grow their businesses, create jobs and bring patrons into business districts earlier in the

/s/ Russell A. Jones, CMC CITY CLERK Legal Run 04/06/2023

See PUBLIC NOTICES, page B14

OPINION —

Dear Lee County Commission, I hope this letter finds you in good health and spirits.

However, I am writing to you with a concern that has been bothering me for some time.

As a resident of Lee County, I’ve noticed that the commission’s

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Commission Woes

lack of response on multiple issues seems to indicate a lack of multitasking skills required to speak for the public they represent.

I was recently trying to reach out to some of you through the email addresses provided on your website. However, to my dismay, I found my email lacking a response from

any commissioner. This isn’t very reassuring, as it gives the impression that the communication channels are not being monitored properly.

Furthermore, your website is quite difficult to navigate on mobile devices. Considering the fact that most people nowadays use their mobile devices for

Auburn Rotary's Magical Guest

nearly everything, this is not very userfriendly. It’s critical that the county commission ensures access to information for all citizens, regardless of which device they use.

Finally, I am concerned that not all public documents are available to the public online. As taxpayers, we pay for

servers that house Lee County Commission information, and it is only fair that all information be available to us with the click of a button. This would help to promote transparency and keep us informed about the issues affecting our community.

I urge you to look into these issues and make sure that these

concerns are addressed. As a commission, it’s your duty to uphold the rights of the citizens you represent. I hope that you’ll take these concerns seriously and make the necessary changes to ensure that every citizen of Lee County feels like they are being heard and represented.

Sincerely, Rudy McCumsey

Samford Outreach Group Remembers MLK

Pastor Carolyn Morton and Samford Community Outreach Group presented their 5th annual event Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Sanitation Workers In Memphis, Tennessee, April 1, 2023, at Christian Care Ministries in Opelika. Along with them, the Opelika and Auburn Moms Demand Action Group, Opelika Police Department with Capt. Tony Amerson and Allison Duke, and attendees Maquenta Barnett, Dr. Herbert Demark and Evenly Haw-kriz. The guest speaker was minister Alicia Ogletree. Attendees also did a Unity Walk in the Samford Community.

OCM Continues Outreach

OCM Ministries Inc. celebrates a bowling event each year, bringing bowlers of all ages together to eat and have fun. The outreach ministry is a 501(c)(3) organization that helps the community through donations alone. Although many people are skeptical of participating, everyone is always welcomed. As this event grows larger in numbers each year, we welcome the community to include your children. There are several disabled bowlers, special needs bowlers and elderly bowlers. This event is all about having fun. Each participant does receive a T-shirt. Thank you AMF Auburn Lanes, 719 Opelika Road in Auburn. It is always a pleasure working with the management staff. Everything was awesome; the employees were so nice and respectful. You all are the reason that OCM Ministries continues to come back each year. More events are in the process of coming to the community.

Opelika Kiwanis Gets Economics Lesson

increases, the amount of sales taxes you pay on them rises in proportion.

Take a moment to add up the total sales tax you pay on groceries each year, and you will find it equates to roughly one month’s worth of groceries. Now contrast those statistics with the fact that revenues in the Education Trust Fund, which is where sales taxes are earmarked, have grown steadily for almost a decade. Estimated total receipts for the ETF in the upcoming fiscal year amount to almost $11 billion alone. In addition, we began

the year with a $3 billion carry forward, and we have billions of dollars in savings accounts. Given those figures, claiming we cannot sustain the loss in revenues that would result from a grocery tax repeal defies simple arithmetic, violates basic common sense and opposes the conservative beliefs and values that guide the vast majority of Alabamians. Over the past few weeks, I have met with various groups, including tax experts, legislative leaders and even the grocers who collect the tax at the point of sale, and I am working with allies to begin the repeal of the grocery tax

once and for all. In my opinion, the grocery tax repeal must be fiscally responsible, include safeguards to ensure classroom education dollars are protected and incorporate roadblocks to prevent cities and counties from nullifying the effort by raising local taxes on groceries. By seizing the moment and stopping the politicians from making more excuses, Alabama can provide historic tax relief to today’s working families and the generations of working families that will follow. If we do not take action now when the stars are aligned in our favor, when will we ever take action?

It was a “magical” program indeed when Mark Johnson visited the Auburn Rotary Club last week. Johnson is a magician/mentalist from the Atlanta area. The club was highly entertained by Johnson, who is also the immediate past president of the Buckhead Rotary Club. Pictured with Johnson (right) is club president Judd Langham (left).

The speaker at this week's Opelika Kiwanis Club meeting was Steve Pelham (left). He spoke on the Alabama economy, how Auburn University contributes to the local economy and where the Alabama economy is heading. For more information on Pelham visit www.cws.auburn. edu/ovpr/Staff/Details/138. Next week on April 13, the guest speaker will be Lee County District Attorney Jessica Ventiere.

AINSWORTH >> FROM B11

Auburn Public Library to Host Job Fair April 13

CONTRIBUTED BY THE CITY OF AUBURN CYNTHIA L. LEDBETTER

AUBURN —

The Auburn Public Library is partnering with the Goodwill Career Center to host a hiring event on Thursday, April 13. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to noon at the Auburn Public Library located at 749 E. Thach Ave. in Auburn. More than 20 employers will be in attendance.

Job seekers should bring multiple copies of their resume and be

ready to interview on the spot. The Goodwill Career Center located at 3740 Pepperell Parkway in Opelika offers assistance for those who may need to refresh their resume or those who are interested in taking a free career readiness workshop before the event.

For more information, email Library Events at libraryevents@ auburnalabama.org or contact the Goodwill Career Center at 334275-4815.

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Library was established in 1947 to serve the residents of Auburn. Today, the library inspires, enriches and delights residents with vital and valuable resources, services and experiences. The Auburn Public Library provides residents with a collection that reflects the diverse and dynamic interests of our community, with access to public technology and information resources and with programs and activities that contribute to an engaged, literate and informed society.

The City of Opelika is currently accepting applications for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding for PY 2023 (October 1, 2023-September 20, 2024). Activities considered for funding include housing and public services that benefit low-to moderate income residents. Applications are available at the Community Development office or by contacting Lisa Thrift, Community Development Administrator. Applications must be completed and returned no later than Friday, May 5, 2023, at 4:00 p.m.

The City of Opelika invites public comment on actions to be taken with the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program funding. Your ideas and suggestions for projects are essential in the planning process. This meeting is an opportunity for staff, citizens, and non-profit organizations to express community needs prior to setting the PY2023 budget.A public hearing will be held on Tuesday, April 11, 2023 @ 4:00 p.m. in the Municipal Meeting Room, 300 Martin Luther King Boulevard. Public comment and questions are invited either in writing or in person and will be accepted until Friday, May 12, 2023.

Comments may be sent to: Lisa Thrift - CDBG Administrator P.O. Box 390 Opelika, AL 36803 (334)705-5155 or lthrift@opelika-al.gov

If special accommodations are needed to participate at the hearing by persons with disabilities please call the City’s ADA Coordinator, at 334-705-2083 at least forty-eight hours in advance.

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IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA

Case No.: CV-2023-900076.00

CLAUNCH WAYNE, CLAUNCH MELISSA, Plaintiffs, V. A PARCEL OF LAND IN LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA, UNKNOWN PERSONS

WHO MAY CLAIM AN INTEREST, Defendants.

NOTICE OF ACTION

To: All Defendants herein, whose whereabouts are unknown and which cannot be ascertained after the exercise of reasonable diligence.

You are hereby notified that on the 28th day of February 2023 a Bill to

Quiet Title was filed in the Circuit Court of Lee County, Alabama, regarding the following described real property: Commencing at the Southwest comer of Section 21, Township 19 North, Range 27 East, Opelika, Lee County, Alabama; thence North 89°12' East, a distance of 1320 feet; thence North 00°42' West, a distance of 1969.6 feet to a found 5/8" capped rebar, said point being the Point of Beginning of said parcel described herein: from this POINT OF BEGINNING, thence South 01°19'18" West, a distance of 68.65 feet to a found 1/211 solid iron pin; thence North 79°52'3611 West, a distance of 157.54 feet to a found 1/2" open top pipe; thence North 02°35'23" East, a distance of248.23 feet to a set 1/2" rebar by Precision Surveying (CA788) located in the

Southern right of way of Old Columbus Road and the beginning of a curve; thence following the right of way for Old Columbus Road along said curve concave to the Southwest having a radius of 1764.39 feet and a chord which bears South 79°19'3511 East 149.90 feet, for an arc distance of 149.94 feet to a found 5/8" capped rebar located in the Southern right of way for Old Columbus Road; thence leaving the Southern right of way for Old Columbus Road, South 00°35'3311 West, a distance of 179.28 feet a 5/8" capped rebar and the Point of Beginning. Said Parcel contains 0.87 acres, more or less, and is located in the Southwest corner of Section 21, Township 19 North, Range 27 East, Opelika, Lee County, Alabama. All persons having an interest in said lands or any portion thereof,

claiming any title thereto or any encumbrance or lien thereon, are hereby directed to plead, answer, or otherwise respond to the Complaint on or before the expiration of 30 days after the last publication of this notice, or thereafter suffer judgment by default to be rendered against them it being intended that this notice shall be used to perfect service against all parties who cannot be personally served with a copy of the Complaint.Done this the 14th day of March, 2023. Mary Roberson Circuit Court Clerk, Lee County Benjamin H. Parr 830 Avenue A, Suite A Opelika, Alabama 36801 Telephone Number: 334-749-6999 Fax: 334-203-1875 ben@benparrlaw.corn Legal Run 03/16/2023, 03/23/2023, 03/30/2023 & 04/062023.

IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF ANNETTE H. HARDY, DECEASED.

IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA

Case No: 2023-124

Letters Testamentary on the estate of said decedent having been granted to the undersigned on the 14th day of March, 2023, 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. ANNETTE HOFFMAN THARDY and ELIZABETH HARDY SCHMITT

Personal Representatives

Robert H. Pettey Samford & Denson, LLP P.O. Box 2345 Opelika, AL 36803-2345 (334) 745-3504 Legal Run 03/23/2023, 03/30/2023 & 04/062023

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