Vol. 14, No. 34
Thursday June 9, 2022
Opelika, Alabama
Covering Lee County, Alabama
An award-winning publication created 'For local people, by local people.'
vs.
Hovey
BY HANNAH LESTER HLESTER@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
ALABAMA — There were congratulations all around — Jay Hovey looked to be beating incumbent Tom Whatley for State Senate District 27 by one vote. But now, the election results have been contested. Hovey and Whatley were four votes apart following the primary vote on May 24. However, after provisional ballots were counted on May 31, Hovey had unofficially beaten Whatley by one.
The State Senate District 27 seat is one of four being contest with the ALGOP, including Alabama house District 2, Alabama House District 28 and Alabama House District 29. According to the secretary of state website and official election laws, the contest must be made within one day of the results being declared. “Such contest shall be heard and tried by the county executive committee as to candidates for county offices and by the state committee as to candidates for all other offices,” the law said.
The grounds for contesting the results can include corruption on “ the part of any inspector, clerk, returning officer, canvassing board, or other person,” on the idea that Whatley or Hovey is not eligible to run, on the basis of illegal votes, of legal votes not being counted, in the case of bribes or intimidation or a mistake in counting. The state committee will have the authority to ask for witnesses and materials used in the election. A hearing will be held June 25 and both Hovey and Whatley will present their case and any sup-
‘Inclusive’ Playground at Town Creek Now Open PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY AUBURN PARKS & REC
BY KENDYL HOLLINGSWORTH KENDYLH@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
AUBURN— Play time just got a lot more fun for everyone.
Auburn officially opened its new inclusive playground at Town Creek Park June 1, and according to Parks and Recreation Director Becky Richardson, the
community response has been positive. “We’ve had a lot of visitors since it opened last Wednesday,” she See PARK, page A6
4 1 e n u J . m . p 7 at
e u l B d d i K
porting documentation. The state executive committee is required by law to meet within five days of the filing of the contest. They have until 83 days before the general election to provide the determination of the contest, however, which would be Aug. 17. If a judgement is not provided, it will be equivalent to a dismissal of a contest. If the committee can’t determine a winner, a new primary can be held. Therefore, it may be some time before there is a clear winner for the Hovey vs. Whatley State Senate seat.
Dozier Smith T Receives Spirit of Opelika Award PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY THE OPELIKA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER
Contested State Senate Race Whatley
BY HANNAH LESTER HLESTER@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
OPELIKA — Last week the Opelika Chamber of Commerce held its annual meeting and presented awards to local businesses and influential members of the community. The Spirit of Opelika
award was presented to Dozier Smith T by Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller. Smith T graduated from Opelika High School, then went on to receive his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Auburn University. Although he moved to Birmingham for as short period of time, Opelika called him home, See AWARDS page A5
Cleanup to Take Place at Giddens Cemetery BY JUSTIN TRAUSCH FOR THE OBSERVER
OPELIKA — This Saturday, June 11, the public is invited to come out to 2500 Frederick Road in Opelika to help restore and prepare the historic George and Addie Giddens Cemetery for Auburn University’s Research to Preserve African American Stories and Traditions (rPAAST). The cleanup will be held between 9 a.m. and noon with the help of the Lee County Cemetery Preservation Commission. Anyone is welcome to volunteer. Dr. Robert Bubb, a lecturer and the coordina-
tor of rPAAST at Auburn University, has been organizing and participating in cemetery cleanups in the Auburn/Opelika area for about five years now. He and his research team have helped restore half a dozen cemeteries for the purpose of conducting GPR, or ground-penetrating radar, to better understand the lost history at these historic African American burial sites. “The history of the cemetery is what I really want to highlight,” he said. “It is the reason we do this work.” Bubb said he has his own personal connection to this line of work that stays close to his heart. His twice-
BUBB
great grandmother was a pillar of her community in Brenham, Texas, after the emancipation of slavery, but her story and burial site were lost over time. See CEMETERY, page A3
CONTENTS
OPINION ..................... A4 ENTERTAINMENT ........... A7 OBITUARIES ............... A12 RELIGION ................... A13 COMICS ....................... A16 SPORTS ........................ B1 POLITICS ...................... B9 CLASSIFIEDS ................ B14 PUBLIC NOTICES ........... B14 PUZZLES ..................... B15
A2 June 9, 2022
DYW Lee County Holding 2023 Program CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER LEE COUNTY — The Distinguished Young Woman of Lee County Program will host its 2023 program on June 11, 2022, at 4:30 p.m., at the Opelika Performing Arts Center.
High school senior girls from across the county will join together to participate and compete for college scholarships as well as the opportunity to represent Lee County at the Alabama Distinguished Young Woman Program in January of 2023. Lee County Distinguished Young Woman,
Shivani Babu High School: Auburn High School Career Goals: Dermatologist College Choices: Vanderbilt University Activities/Honors: Science Olympiad • UNICEF • Science Fair • Mu Alpha Theta • Key Club • Biology Club • UNICEF • Technology Student Association • Alabama Junior Academy of Sciences Talent: Indian Fusion Dance Selection: Dholida
Caroline Glennon High School: Auburn High School Career Goals: Director of Marketing College Choices: Auburn University Activities/Honors: Auburn Varsity Singers Show Choir • AHS DECA • Variations Dance Studio Dancer 2008-Present • AHS Student Council • AHS Spanish Club • Church Youth Group • AHS Key Club • AHS Kindness Club • AHS World Literacy Club • AHS Model United Nations Talent: Dance Selection: I Didnt Know My Own Strength
Anslee Tatum, has represented Lee County for the 2022 year. The young women competing will be evaluated by a panel of five judges in the following categories: Scholastics (25%), Interview (25%), Talent (20%), Fitness (15%) and Self-Expression (15%). Interview and talent
Ambitious, Be Involved, Be Responsible, Be Studious. Special guests will join and share with the young women participating in the program. This year, the program will also host a DYW Darlings program for girls in second through sixth grade. The Distinguished Young
workshops will be held in June. Participants will learn the group fitness and self-expression routines with choreographer Kasey Shepherd from Nix Dance Studio. All workshops and events focus on the “Be Your Best Self” program which includes: Be Healthy, Be
Emma Childs High School: Opelika High School Career Goals: Physical Therapist College Choices: Auburn University Activities/Honors: Competitive Dance (10 years) • Diamond Darling (baseball volunteer) • Opelika High School Varsity Golf • Student Government Association • Opelika High School Varsity Cheer • Member of The Church Of The Highlands • Opelika High School Varsity Competitive Cheer • HOSA club Talent: Tap Dance Selection: Rhythm
Keely Rider High School: Opelika High School Career Goals: Environmental Engineering College Choices: University of Georgia Activities/Honors: Competitive Dance- (14 years)- Make Your Move Performing Arts • Opelika High Theatre Society • OHS HOSA (Future Health Professionals) • OHS SGAPresident • OHS Key Club-Vice President • OHS Tennis (2 years) • OHS FBLA(Future Business Leaders of America) • World Language Club • OHS Emissary • Lee County Young Leaders Talent: Jazz Dance Selection: "Rhythm is a Dancer"
Women is a national scholarship program that inspires high school girls to develop their full, individual potential through a fun, transformative experience that culminates in a celebratory showcase of their accomplishments. Tickets can be purchased online at https:// myevent.com/dywleeco.
Susannah Couey High School: Opelika High School Career Goals: International Business and Marketing College Choices: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Activities/Honors: Opelika High School Varsity Cheerleader • Student Government Association, Vice President (2021); Historian (2020) Health Occupations Students of America, President (2021); Treasurer, Opelika High School Theatre Society • Future Business Leaders of America, Activities Director (2021) • Future Farmers of America, Treasurer (2021) • Opelika High School Morning Broadcaster • World Language Club • One Accord Youth Choir • Fellowship of Christian Athletes Talent: Theatrical Monologue Selection : Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Holly Roberson High School: Auburn High School Career Goals: Engineer College Choices: Auburn University Activities/Honors: Auburn High School Ambassador • Auburn High School Varsity Softball Team (2022) • 2nd and 3rd Grade Sunday School Teacher - Cornerstone Methodist Church • German Club -Member • Auburn High School Track and Field Team (2020) • Auburn High School Junior Varsity Softball Team (2020-2021) • Leadership Team Fellowship of Christian Athletes (2020) Talent: Dance and gymnastics Selection: Ease On Down the Road, from The Wiz
Delacey Wilkerson High School: Auburn High School Career Goals: Reconstructive Plastic Surgeon College Choices: Lagrange College Activities/Honors: Health Occupational Students of America • Key Club • Class of 2023 Senior Representative for Lauren Beesley Photography • Student Athletic Trainer • Health Science Internship • 2022-2023 Lee County Young Leaders • The Sheet Talent: Monologue Reading Selection: Coffee Slave, an excerpt from the one act play Hello, Goodbye, Peace
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A3 June 9, 2022
The Hotel at Auburn University Wins 2022 Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards CONTRIBUTED BY ITHAKA HOSPITALITY PARTNERS
AUBURN — The Hotel at Auburn University & Dixon Conference Center, managed by Ithaka Hospitality Partners, LLC. has been recognized as a 2022 Travelers’ Choice award winner for Hotels as one of the best in the world based on 2021 traveler reviews on Tripadvisor. This award celebrates businesses that consistently deliver exceptional experiences to guests from around the globe, having earned great traveler reviews on Tripadvisor over the last 12 months. Through changing times, The Hotel at Auburn University & Dixon Conference Center stood out by continuously delighting guests.
The 2022 award marks the Hotel’s ninth year in a row to win this award as one of the top 10% of hotels globally. “We are honored to have received this award from Tripadvisor,” said Hans van der Reijden, Ithaka founder and managing director of The Hotel at Auburn University & Dixon Conference Center. “Our team has worked tirelessly to enhance the guest experience over the years, and this award shows that our efforts do not go unnoticed.” “Congratulations to the 2022 Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Winners,” said Kanika Soni, chief commercial officer at Tripadvisor. “The Travelers’ Choice Awards recognize the best in tourism and hospitality, according to
those who matter most: your guests. Ranking among the Travelers’ Choice winners is always tough –– but never more so than this year as we emerge from the pandemic. Whether it’s using new technology, implementing safety measures or hiring outstanding staff, I’m impressed by the steps you’ve taken to meet travelers’ new demands. You’ve adapted brilliantly in the face of adversity.” ABOUT THE HOTEL AT AUBURN UNIVERSITY Centrally located near the shops and restaurants of downtown Auburn, Ala., The Hotel at Auburn University & Dixon Conference Center is just a short walk from the excitement
of Auburn University and a diverse array of cultural and entertainment attractions. Whether in town for the big game, a special party, or a productive business meeting, the hotel’s 236 guestrooms and suites offer true Southern hospitality in an ideal setting. For authentic Italian cuisine, visit Ariccia Cucina Italiana, located inside the Hotel. Adjacent to Ariccia, enjoy Piccolo: Auburn’s only true jazz lounge, with specialty cocktails and a large variety of appetizers and desserts. The property is owned by Auburn University and managed with Heart and Soul by Ithaka Hospitality Partners. For additional information or reservations, please call (800)
228-2876 or visit www. auhcc.com. ABOUT ITHAKA HOSPITALITY PARTNERS Ithaka Hospitality Partners is a hospitality management company focused on all aspects of hotel, resort, restaurant, and food hall management as well as special event and catering management. Ithaka consults with owners and developers to deliver strategic and tactical methods to achieve overall profitability, guest satisfaction and employee engagement. Additionally, Ithaka is proud to partner with the Hospitality Management Program at Auburn University to assist in educating the next generation of leaders in our industry. For additional information, visit www.ithakahp.com.
ABOUT TRIPADVISOR Tripadvisor, the world’s largest travel platform*, helps hundreds of millions of travelers each month** make every trip their best trip. Travelers across the globe use the Tripadvisor site and app to browse more than 878 million reviews and opinions of 8.8 million accommodations, restaurants, experiences, airlines and cruises. Whether planning or on a trip, travelers turn to Tripadvisor to compare low prices on hotels, flights and cruises, book popular tours and attractions, as well as reserve tables at great restaurants. Tripadvisor, the ultimate travel companion, is available in 49 markets and 28 languages.
PHOTO BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER
PHOTO BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER
Glynn Smith Chevrolet Buick GMC Hits Milestone
Yeeun Cho receiving The Tom Woodward Visual Arts Scholarship.
Community Foundation Honors Local Art Steward CONTRIBUTED BY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF EAST ALABAMA
OPELIKA –– On Monday, May 23, Kathy Woodward, sister of Tom Woodward, and Oliver Gilmore surprised Jack Swarthout with one of Woodward’s framed drawings. This drawing is to be placed in the office of the Community Foundation of East Alabama in his honor and to thank him for creating the scholarship in Woodward's memory and his continuance of promoting it. The Tom Woodward Visual Arts Scholarship Fund was created in 2014 and has awarded nine scholarships to deserving art students. The fund was the brainchild of Jack Swarthout, a graduate of Opelika High School and a longtime resident of Opelika. Swarthout alone inspired many of his fellow classmates to honor Woodward by creating a fund to recognize art students. Woodward's art is recognized for mastering graphite pencil drawings. Woodward endured many challenges during his life after a car accident
that left him as a quadriplegic for almost 40 years. Overcoming the challenges of rehabilitation, he continued pursing his love of art in his drawings. His work today graces many homes, businesses and public places. He participated in art exhibits in Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina and other southern states. Each year, high school students in the Lee County and the East Alabama area are given the opportunity to apply for the scholarship. The scholarship fund is managed by the Community Foundation of East Alabama President Barbara Patton. Swarthout spends many hours contacting schools, school counselors and more, trying to get the scholarship out so many students can learn about this scholarship. He has helped in numerous ways to keep the scholarship ongoing. This scholarship would not have been possible without Swarthout’s many efforts. He has always been a part of the Woodward’s family, and there are no words for them to show their appreciation for all he has done.
PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER
Pictured on the left: Swarthout receiving a framed drawing (pictured on the right) by Woodward.
The community celebrated Glynn Smith Chevrolet Buick GMC's 30th anniversary with a ribbon cutting June 1 at 10 a.m. The dealership has won numerous awards in categories such as sales, training and customer satisfaction.
CEMETERY >>
FROM A1
His inability to help with the cemetery restoration in Brenham fueled his passion, and he now regularly checks on about 30 historic African American cemeteries in Lee
County. Work at Giddens Cemetery this Saturday will include raking debris, marking potential field stones, string trimming and hand-clearing the southern border of burial site 3. All are encouraged to bring
gloves, rakes, tarps, string trimmers, loppers or any other tools that may be useful in clearing vegetation. For more information about the cleanup event, contact Bubb at 334-3320059 or email him at robert.r.bubb@auburn.edu.
A4 June 9, 2022
Andy
H
SEAN DIETRICH
e was born the same year Ty Cobb retired. The same era The Bambino was selling Old Gold cigarettes in the back pages of “The Saturday Evening Post.” It was a period in American history when cowboy movies were silent, radios were loud and Charles Lindebergh was still considered to be a little off. The boy was born to Carl and Geneva, two average North Carolinians in an average house in an average town. They lived modest
lives. They lived beneath the water tower, for crying out loud. He was their only child. He got all their attention. “I loved my father,” he once said. “He lived to be eighty. He smoked cigarettes every minute of his life.” His father had a notoriously wet sense of humor. He was the kind of guy who tended to be popular in places like barbershops, feed stores and any place where old geezers play checkers. Years later, when the boy started performing
his one-man comic routine before Rotary Clubs, civic leagues and Elks Lodges, the boy admitted that his brand of hayseed humor came from simply impersonating his old man. His mother, Geneva, was known by her friends to be sugar sweet. She was born just over the North Carolina state line in Old Virginny. To get to her hometown you’d have to hop on the Blue Ridge Parkway and head north from the Carolinas. After about an hour you’d arrive in the meadows of Patrick County. If you veer onto County Highway 602 and follow it into the sticks, eventually you will find the remnants of a tiny mountain hamlet so remote they have to mail-order sunshine from the Montgomery Ward catalog. It is here where an ancient general store/post office still stands. It has white clapboards and a
rusty Gulf Oil sign out front. The structure was built in 1892, and still does business today. You can still go inside and buy el-cheapo tourist crafts, or apple butter that was cooked on site. The boy’s maternal grandparents once bought their groceries here. For over a century, it’s been called the Mayberry Trading Post. The trading post is only walking distance from Mayberry Creek, and the Mayberry Presbyterian Church. Long ago, the Mayberry Creek Community was sort of like a town. Today, it’s just a wide spot in the road. It’s hard to believe that it’s been 54 years since Mayberry went off the air. Since then, the show has become even more popular than it was in the 1960s. Each year, reruns bring in an estimated 36.9 billion minutes of viewing time from American and international audiences. Simply put, this show
still has lots of fans. Take me. I am a lifelong fan. A few years ago, I visited the boy’s childhood home the way many slightly unstable fans do. It was a dinky house. My wife and I spent the night there. To be honest, it was strange, knowing I was staying in the home where he grew up. His height chart was likely inscribed on one of these door jambs. These were the same kitchen linoleum floors where he used to ice skate in his stocking feet. This porch was where he cleaned his fish. This was the exact toilet where… Well, never mind. My wife and I slept in his bedroom. That night, I stared at the same ceiling he stared at. I imagined what he was like as a kid. What kind of guitar did he play? Was it a Silvertone, purchased from the back of the Sears, Roebuck & Co. catalog, for $11.75? How about the first
time he got his heart broken? Did he sit in this kitchen with his father, who smoked 20 miles of Luckys while his son wept? Did his dad say, “There are plenty of fish in the sea, son” the way dads have been saying since Eve? I grew up watching him on television just like everyone else. I had no father, so he stepped in and raised me, although he never knew it. His show was on every day. Twice. Once at 5 p.m., and again at 5:30. I sat cross-legged before our RCA console and cranked the volume so loud that our tweed speaker distorted. I was there with him. I was in Mayberry. And he loved me. I knew he loved me. Because that’s just the kind of guy he was. And that’s the kind of man I aspire to be someday. Happy 96th birthday, Andy Griffith.
the day just ending and the next day to come. And we laugh … always, we laugh. Looking back, it is the gap that got me here. Those years between that first trip to Europe and today. They were busy and happy and disappointing and hard work. They, often, were heartbreaking. People disappointed me. I disappointed myself. But without those gap days, I would not be living in these golden ones. The gap days are the days of growing up, of becoming who you truly are, of learning how to be someone to love. They are the days you discover that the smell of cinnamon toast in the morning and a baby’s neck right after bath time are just about perfect. They are the days your heart expands to let in people you love more than yourself. They are the nights you learn what worry truly is and how slowly the minutes can tick by. They are the years of study, when
the world opens itself to show you how small you really are. It is the gap that becomes a bridge from yesterday to today. Mind the gap. Margaret walks every day to the subway station near her home to hear a voice. She perches on a bench on the subway platform and waits. After 50 years of Oswald’s words echoing through dozens of London stations, it was replaced by a recording. But because humans have such a capacity for compassion, the authorities at the subway station near Margaret’s home did not switch to a recorded voice. They continued to play Oswald’s recording. They continue to do so to this very day. And so Margaret walks every day and waits and hears the voice she loves telling her to “Mind the gap.” That precious voice. That priceless gap. Mind the gap, for the gap is your life.
To Hear A Voice
WENDY HODGE
M
argaret lives in London. She walks a few blocks every day … every single day … just to hear a voice. She walks to the subway station in her neighborhood and perches on the edge of a bench on the platform waiting for her husband’s words to fill the air. His name is Oswald and he passed away several years ago. He recorded the message that, for more than 50 years, looped countless times a day over the PA system in all London metro subway stations – “Mind the gap.”
I was in London myself, more than once, and heard that voice say those words. It’s one of the memories that stuck with me over the decades. It wasn’t so much the tone of his voice, although it is a pleasant voice, soothing and calm. It wasn’t the accent, even though a British accent has always made my knees weak. It’s the words themselves. “Mind the gap.” Intended to be a warning to passengers to pay attention to the space between the train and the platform, it also has such a deeper meaning. Mind the spaces. Pay attention to the distance between the here and there. When I was first in London, I was 17 years old. My dreams were as big as that city itself. I had ambition and plans and goals. The future was flung out in front of me like an endless road of possibilities. What I didn’t have was an education beyond high school or an
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experience beyond my small southern town. London was the first taste of what the world held, and I fell in love with all the places and things I had yet to see. More than three decades later, my life is not what I had planned. I am not a doctor. I have not traveled the globe. I do not possess great wealth. But … Oh, how glorious my life is today. While it’s not perfect, because no human life is ever perfect, I truly could not ask for a more contented and comfortable day to day. I am with the person I wish I’d known my whole life. We live in a house with a wall of windows that lets in the afternoon light and affords us a view of the prettiest yard in town. Our garden is bursting with color, and the hummingbirds, butterflies and bumble bees enjoy it almost as much as we do. Every morning we stroll through the blooms, marveling at what beauty is ours
to take care of. The hummingbird feeders are the local hot spot for dozens of hummers. The lawn is lush and thriving. The trees are full and stretch toward the sky, providing shade and blossoms. The house we live in has air that is cool when we come in from the blazing sun. The kitchen is a favorite spot for us. This is where we talk and laugh and cook and gaze out at the view. We feast on BLT’s with fresh tomatoes and bacon cooked to perfection. Every day, when I come home from work, Tim has a dinner made with skill and served with love. And I make a mean banana pudding, if I do say so myself. From our spot on the couch, we watch our neighbors stroll by, the flowers showing off in the sun and occasionally the rain soaking the ground. With our feet propped up and our bellies full, we binge-watch our favorite shows and movies. We talk about
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A5 June 9, 2022
Opelika Chamber Issues Annual Awards PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER
Distinguished Service Award — Becky Benton
Small Business of the Year — Christie Hill
Community Partner of the Year — Curtis House
Tourism Parnter of the Year — EasterSeals
Young Professional of the Year — Evan Crawford
Shirley Flora Award — Lela Lofton
Large Business of the Year —Mando
Ambassador of the Year — Nakeda Woods
Visionary Award — Tiffany Gibson
Chairman’s Award — Mark Neighbors
Legendary Award — Piedmont Fertilizer
Minority Business of the Year — Twice Baked
Downtown Business of the Year — RockNRoll Pinball
AWARDS >>
FROM A1
Fuller said. “It has been the joy of his life to both work with his father and then, as the owner/ operator of Winston Smith T Building Supply since his father’s death in 2007,” Fuller said. “While in Opelika, Dozier Smith T has been very active in multiple civic organizations.” Some of these organizations and boards include the Rotary Club of Opelika, EAMC’s board, Bancorp’s Board and the Dixie Youth Board. He also served as the Ward 3 Opelika Council Member. “His service to Opelika
on the city council was motivated by his love of our community,” said a statement from his wife and sister. “It kept him busy but he rarely missed a baseball game, a piano recital or a tennis match for his six children. “I’m sure most of you can think of examples where he has stopped what he was doing to listen, or to pray with you or to laugh with you, because he really is a lot of fun. But most importantly, Dozier lives out his faith as a friend, as a brother, as a father and a husband. He would be the first to tell you, each of you, that he is who he is only because of his savior Jesus Christ. And to Him give all the glory.”
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A6 June 9, 2022
PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER
A Rock Solid Performance
Last Tuesday, May 31, Conner Lorre – singing Neil Diamond & Friends – gave Opelika a rock-solid. performance at Summer Swing. Summer Swing will continue every Tuesday night at 7 p.m. until Aug. 2. The free concert series takes place at Monkey Park in Opelika. For the performance lineup, visit: www.opelika-al.gov/746/Summer-Swing
FROM A1
said. The playground’s opening has also generated significant buzz on social media, with several residents praising the park for being “awesome,” “beautiful” and “a dream come true.” Other eager parents tagged friends and family in the comments to alert them to the news and schedule playdates. The playground features five large playground pods and a total of more than 30 play structures, according to Therapeutic Programs Coordinator Elizabeth Kaufman. Richardson said each pod features different activities. “One pod has all musical equipment, and another pod has a really, really big play structure and climbing walls and other things, and some of the other pods have other types of equipment with a lot of it having things that are handi-
cap-accessible,” she said. “It also has a selection of fitness exercise equipment that are both accessible and regular equipment.” Other highlights include a zip line and a Gaga Ball Pit. Richardson said the playground also features artificial turf under each play structure, which is more friendly to wheelchairs and other mobility devices, and extra-large transfer stations make it easier for all children to get to each pod. Accessible seating and other accessible play structures are also present. “We have done handicap accessibility work in all of our playgrounds, but the inclusive playground has a higher degree of that,” she added. The variety in physical and entertainment structures also seeks to cater to individuals of different ages, interests and abilities. In addition to the play equipment, visitors can find multiple shades and
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY AUBURN PARKS & REC
PARK >>
Auburn’s new inclusive playground at Town Creek Park features five pods with more than 30 total play structures. The playground aims to have “something for every age, ability level and interest,” according to a press release from Auburn Parks and Recreation.
benches, a restroom building, two pavilions and additional parking on site. While the playground is open to the public, the Parks and Recreation Department advised that some areas will be closed off at first as crews perform some finishing work. According to Richard-
son, the idea for a more inclusive playground came about 10 years ago when a group of citizens went to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board to ask about incorporating something similar. “We started working on it, and it gradually grew into this idea,” she said.
“Of course, as Auburn has grown and gotten bigger, the need for it to be a bigger facility has grown as well.” In January 2021, Auburn City Council approved construction and equipment contracts and voiced its support for the project. Ward 6 Council Mem-
ber Bob Parsons, whose district covers Town Creek Park, thanked the Parks and Recreation Department and Parks and Recreation Advisory Board for bringing the vision to life this year. “I am thrilled about the inclusive playground,” he said. “Auburn has a lot to be proud of by making this commitment to its citizens. I hope our city continues to develop in this type of direction.” The new playground is located at 430 Camellia Drive in Auburn. It is free to all and open daily from sunrise to sunset. Overflow parking is available at the park’s overflow lot on Gay Street. Anyone wishing to reserve the pavilions may do so by contacting the Harris Center at 334-5012930 or webparksrec@ auburnalabama.org to discuss available dates and times. A grand opening ceremony for the park will be held at a later date.
E vents, Food, & SocietyNews
UPCOMING EVENTS: JUNE 10: SUMMERNIGHT DOWNTOWN ART WALK JUNE 12: LUCY'S DISCO BRUNCH JUNE 16: MUSIC FOR A SUMMER'S EVE
Enliven Summer Meals with a Variety of Seafood Dishes PHOTO BY ANN CIPPERLY / FOR THE OBSERVER
Ann Cipperly
Southern
Hospitality
J
une has always been one of my favorite months. Growing up in Opelika, June was a time to pick blackberries and plums on dusty country roads, to chase June bugs, gather eggs at the chicken house and help shell peas under the shade of a Chinaberry tree. Food was always best with fried chicken and garden-fresh vegetables with thick slices of tomatoes. At the end of June, we visited family in Pensacola, Florida, where we dined on fresh red snapper and hushpuppies at my grandparents’ home.
For most of my life, June has been a time to go to Florida and enjoy fresh seafood. After Don and I married and had children, we went to the Clearwater, St. Pete and Tampa area to visit his parents after they left New York. Our kids could hardly wait for school to be out and go spend lazy days at the beach. While visiting one June, we decided to go to Sanibel for a week to enjoy time exploring the island. The kids’ time at the beach ended in the middle of the week when heavy rain arrived
that quickly turned into a tropical storm. As evening approached, the storm was expected to become a hurricane. We were staying on the beach, and as the skies darkened, wind pounded the windows, and we lost electricity. As we were trying to decide if we should leave or stay, Don ran to the car to listen to the news on the radio. He learned the three-mile bridge connecting Sanibel to the mainland was underwater. We were stuck at the condo. Since we had been dining out on seafood, there wasn’t anything in
Lucy’s Announces New Summer Events Series Starting This Month Weekly Live Music CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER AUBURN — Lucy’s, a modern American restaurant in Auburn, will be kicking off a new summer events series in celebration of its four-year anniversary on Sunday, June 5. The series will run through the summer season featuring Sunday disco brunch and weekly live music. “We are so excited to celebrate our fourth anniversary with a brand
new summer event series at Lucy’s,” said Lisa van der Reijden, owner of Lucy’s. “When I founded this restaurant, I knew I wanted to create an atmosphere where everyone felt wel-
come. What better way to remember why we got started than to kick off some fun, memorable events to bring the Auburn community together?” Disco Brunch Commencing on June 5, disco brunch will be held every Sunday throughout the summer months of June and July from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lucy’s will have Studio 54 vibes with disco decor and See LUCY'S, page A9
the refrigerator except milk for the kids and cold sodas. We had plenty of snacks and cereal, which became our supper. We didn’t sleep much, and the next morning we were amazed to see how rough the waves were and the piers and items that floated by. Once the wind subsided, we drove to Captiva to find the curve in the road
had completely changed. Sanibel and Captiva are often called shell island, and after the storm beautiful shells covered the beaches. The storm moved quickly up the coast causing damage, and someone lost their life near Madeira Beach. The storm was referred to as the “no name hurricane.” We were fortunate
all the years we went to Florida in June that we only had experience with one hurricane. We had never seen a tropical storm form so quickly. While we still enjoy seafood at favorite restaurants in Florida, we have been savoring more seafood at home in the past couple of years. Many local grocery See CIPPERLY, page A12
Virtuosic Duo Coming to Sundilla June 23 CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER AUBURN –– To listen to April Verch and Cody Walters is to be immersed in tradition. To watch them perform is to be transported. Be it regional Canadian roots, American old-time, 50s Country, Scandinavian folk music or something original that sounds as though it’s been around for a century — the one common thread is their love and reverence for the music and traditions that have been passed down to them. The husband and wife
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER
The Series Will Feature Sunday Disco Brunch and
Shrimp and Corn Salsa is a tasty appetizer to serve with a seafood meal. While the recipe calls for canned corn, use fresh cooked corn during the summer months. Look over recipes for creating scrumptious seafood dishes.
duo is a true partnership of kindred musical spirits, each a world-class musician in their own right. Combining their unique backgrounds from Verch’s native
Ottawa Valley and Walters’ heartland roots in Kansas, their music showcases endless creativity and versatility — See VIRTUOSIC, page A11
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A8 June 9, 2022
Making the Grade: On the Road to Pine Mountain, Georgia PHOTOS BY MIKE WALLACE
STACEY PATTON WALLACE
W
hen Mike and I taught in LaGrange, Georgia, we loved to travel to the pretty little town of Pine Mountain, population 1,216 as of 2020. This special place was a mere 18 miles from us; however, once we arrived at the Pine Mountain Club Chalets to spend a few days, we felt as though we were a world away from the stress of teaching and life in general. Over the years, Mike and I have had numerous adventures in Pine Mountain. On one of our earliest trips, I was happily feeding bread to some ducks at a nearby pond. When I ran out of bread, the ducks started advancing on me. As I whirled around to make my escape, Mike thoughtfully took my picture. “Run up the steps; ducks can’t climb steps,” Mike said. On the contrary, ducks CAN climb steps, but I finally managed to escape the frenzied, famished fowl (Remember, I love alliteration). We also had fun when we took Mama
and Daddy to Pine Mountain. Once we went there when the weather was cold. Now, Mike and I are pretty stingy with the heat, preferring to turn it down and burrow under multiple blankets. My parents, however, were cold-natured. When we got up the next morning, Daddy said, “I may climb in the freezer to get warm.” We bumped up the heat a little bit for him. In addition, we took the Fearsome Foursome (Mama, Daddy, Aunt Jenny and Aunt Betty) to Callaway Gardens, one of Pine Mountain’s most popular attractions. During spring, we enjoyed touring the gardens, admiring the blooming azaleas, Butterfly House and countless other breathtaking flowers. As you know, there’s nothing like spring in the South, even though I sneeze my way through it. We also enjoyed the beautiful Fantasy in Lights display at Christmas with them and smile every time we talk
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about our trips. Years ago, Mike and I had twin little brothers from the Big Brothers, Big Sisters of LaGrange. One December, we rode the Jolly Trolley with the boys through Fantasy in Lights. Then we went to the Christmas Pavilion where the boys had their picture taken with Santa Claus. “I think he’s the real one,” one of the boys said in wonder. One place that Mike and I ALWAYS went to dine was at the Callaway Gardens Country Kitchen Restaurant at 17800 U.S.-27 in Pine Mountain. Recently, we visited this delightful restaurant for dinner (lunch). We were lead to our table, which looked out over a spectacular view of the mountain. Jess, our waitress, was so sweet, helpful and patient. When she brought us those amazing muscadine preserves with homemade biscuits and sweet cornbread muffins, sparks flew from our spoons and knives.
Oh, my three times. We surely had missed this treat. Believe me, the preserves and bread alone are worth the trip. Incidentally, the restaurant also gets bonus points for serving soft, smoothly spreadable butter for the bread. I can’t stand cold butter that’s as hard as a rock. Mike ordered the hamburger steak, mashed potatoes with gravy and spiced, glazed apples. I chose the golden fried chicken fingers, cream corn and collards. Everything was just as delicious as ever. Also, the Callaway Gardens Country Kitchen Restaurant received more bonus points because my collard greens had plenty of pot liquor in which to dip my cornbread. Years ago, I once asked my students if they knew what pot liquor was, assuring them that it wasn’t anything illegal; I didn’t want parent phone calls. Sadly, most of them hadn’t heard the term,
which refers to juice from collard or turnip greens. We really need to educate young Southerners about this part of our food culture, in my opinion. Besides our delectable dishes, the Callaway Gardens Country Kitchen Restaurant also offers diners fried fish, country fried steak, chicken fried chicken, a vegetable platter and fried pork chops. The restaurant also serves salads and sandwiches. For dessert, diners may choose from fried apple pie, praline bread pudding, strawberry shortcake, Southern pecan pie and ice cream. Since Mike and I planned to buy two jars of the incredible muscadine preserves, we decided to forego the dessert. After enjoying our fabulous dinner (lunch), Mike and I browsed the Country Store, which sold candy, fudge, various preserves and every kind of gift idea imaginable. We chatted with two sweet ladies who
worked there. They were kind enough to let Mike take their picture. It was so great to visit our old stomping grounds again. Run and do not walk to the Callaway Gardens Country Kitchen Restaurant. Mike and I surely will. Currently, the Callaway Gardens Country Kitchen Restaurant is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Eastern Time). However, the restaurant will soon expand its hours of operation. The Callaway Gardens Country Kitchen Restaurant makes the grade with an A+ from this retired English teacher. Remember, “Pooh-sized” people NEVER lie about food. Enjoy! Stacey Patton Wallace, who retired from teaching language arts for 30 years, is a professional diner. Her column, “Making the Grade,” will appear each week in The Observer. Stacey may be reached at retiredlangartsteacher2020@ gmail.com
A9 June 9, 2022
Offering potting services that includes arranging pots and planters plus planting them for customers. 4300 HWY AL 147 N. Auburn, AL 36830
334-209-0144
LUCY'S
>>
FROM A7
apparel, and there will be a DJ spinning the best dance tunes from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lucy’s will also be offering
groovy cocktail specials like the Dancing Queen and the Super Freak and 70s inspired dishes like the Pigs-in-Bellbottoms, which are basically pigsin-a-blanket. Live @ Lucy’s
Live music will be held every Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the patio. The first live music event will take place on Wednesday, June 8. About Lucy’s Lucy’s is a modern
THE MARKET AT AG HERITAGE PARK Every Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m. at AG Heritage Park located at 620-A S. Donahue Dr. in Auburn
O GROWS FARMERS MARKET Every Tuesday from 3 to 6 p.m. outside the Southside Center for the Arts located at 1103 Glenn St. in Opelika.
SUMMER SWING - EVERY TUESDAY NIGHT Opelika's Summer Swing is back! June 14 – Kidd Blue Concerts are held at Municipal Park at 7 p.m. Hamburgers and hotdogs provided by Opelika Band Boosters and lemonade provided by SouthState Bank will be available from 6:15 to 7:30.
Camp Hill Marketplace Come out and buy your fresh produce, honey, jams and hand-crafted items at the Camp Hill Marketplace, a state-certified farmers market Every Thursday, 8 to 11 a.m., June 2 through Oct. 20, rain or shine, at Mount Lovely Baptist Church at 21900 Senator Claude Pepper Dr., Camp Hill, (AL Hwy 50). Potential vendors contact Sharon at 256-749-5100 to apply to join.
American restaurant based in Auburn, Alabama, offering locally sourced and seasonal contemporary California-inspired cuisine. Lucy’s menu is filled with modern classics in
addition to shared plates, award-winning cocktails and an extensive wine list with wine on tap. Lucy’s is open for dinner on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
and Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Brunch is served on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information about reservations, visit http:// www.lucysauburn.com/.
SECOND SATURDAY AT PIONEER PARK This month’s Second Saturday event will begin at 9 a.m. June 11 at Pioneer Park and will feature a “Garden Walk and Talk” led by Dr. Charles Mitchell. The event is free and open to the public. All buildings at the park will also be open for children and adults alike to marvel at demonstrations of 1850s crafts. Lunch will be served at noon on the grounds. Mitchell will continue leading the Garden Walk and Talk on second Saturdays throughout the summer. Pioneer Park is located at 6500 Stage Road in Loachapoka.
COFFEE & CONVERSATION WITH VFW POST 5404 VFW Post 5404, 131 E. Veterans Blvd., Auburn (next to Ray's Collision off of S. College St.) will be open on Wednesdays 0800 1100 with coffee, donuts, cake and conversation about service and benefits for all veterans and spouses to stop by. Lee/Russell County Low Vision Support Group are embarking on starting up the local support group on Wednesday, June 15, 2022 from 1:30 p.m. 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 Dr., Opelika, Alabama 36801. The first meeting will be MEET AND GREET. Every month there will be different topics discussed to make life more manageable living with low vision. Meetings will be held on the third Wednesday of each month.
“Alone we can do so little: together we can do so much.” –
Helen Keller Contact: Shiquita Fulton, M. ED/Vision Rehab Therapist for additional details at 334-705-2024, Melody Wilson, Case manager for the blind at (256)-368-3258
A10 June 9, 2022
Burger Wars Heats Up Downtown Opelika PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER
Burger Wars
Burger lovers, young and old, flocked to downtown Opelika on June 4 to chow down on a wide array of creative and delectable burgers. The annual competition, hosted by Opelika Rotary Club, doubles as a fundraiser to combat food insecurity in the area. Zazu Gastropub won the Pro Division,SouthState Bank won the Corporate Division, Team John Sweatman won the Tailgater Division and AU Tiger Dining won the Crowd Favorite Division.
A11 June 9, 2022
High Steaks Competition PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER
The Opelika Fire Department smoked the Auburn team during the Big Bite Challenge on Saturday.
VIRTUOSIC >>
FROM A7
transitioning effortlessly from traditional Ottawa Valley step dancing and fiddle tunes, to old-time fiddle-banjo duets with tight-knit vocal harmonies, to innovative sandpaper foot percussion, all contrasted against Verch’s sweet soprano voice. Verch and Walters began playing together in 2007 when Walters joined the April Verch Band as their bassist. Initially formed as a pickup band centered around Verch’s own fiddle and dance stylings in 2000, the band grew and blossomed into an established trio
of world-class musicians, spanning several musical traditions and backgrounds, yet all united in their mission to share the music they love. Together they have traveled to four continents, performed in 14 countries and played everywhere from tiny pubs and dusty festival workshops all the way to legendary stages such as the Kennedy Center and the Ryman Auditorium. In 2018 — fittingly amidst their ever-busy tour schedule—Verch and Walters were married. During the heart of COVID lockdowns in 2020, the couple began performing as a duo
out of necessity, and learned firsthand that sometimes, art born of necessity can yield unexpectedly beautiful results. They developed new material, arrangements and a concert performance that hum with the ease and playfulness that can only be cultivated through deep understanding and trust — as musicians and as partners. The duo’s diverse repertoire and unbridled passion come to life on stage with a presence that is versatile, robust and masterfully executed. Audiences remark at their sincerity in sharing stories between tunes. Verch’s delicate voice, energetic foot-
work, sand paper foot percussion and stunning playing (sometimes combined all at once!) are jaw-dropping. Walters’ melodic banjo stylings, solid rhythm guitar accompaniment and tasteful vocal harmonies are at once understated and brilliant, dueting with Verch’s skills in glorious harmony. Their ability to preserve the authentic folk traditions of the past and reintroduce them into the musical landscape of the present is a testament to their masterful musicianship and widespread appeal. Even now, after more than two decades leading her own band and with 14 albums in
her name (two of which were nominated for JUNO Awards, among other honors), there is nothing that fulfills Verch or gives her more joy than playing and sharing her music with the world. “It’s like the reward for everything else,” she said. Together, she and Walters are exemplary tradition-bearing performers: never forgetting the roots of the music, that connection to the people out there in the audience or on the dance floor, to the community sparked by a good song. “It’s about joining together to celebrate everyday life, through
music. We’re all in this together.” And so together they press onward: diving deep into musical tradition, bringing people together and forging connections and sharing their insight and genuine love for the music they play so well. Verch & Walters are looking forward to returning to Sundilla Concert Series, having performed there previoulsy as “The April Verch Band.” This will be their first duo performance for the audience and they can’t wait. Advance tickets are $20; at the door they are $25. For more information, visit sundillamusic.com
A12 June 9, 2022
CIPPERLY >>
FROM A7
stores now have a seafood market, and we are also finding wild-caught grouper and mahi in the freezer section. They have been excellent and easy to cook quickly. We pull the amount needed and place in the refrigerator to thaw the day before cooking. Don has taken an interest in cooking seafood. He
CIPPERLY RECIPES >>
lived for years on the Chesapeake Bay where he fished and trapped crab. Don will also cook scallops to go with the fish. He recommends buying dry pack scallops. He will pull a few from the bag and thaw them in cold water. The scallops are then patted dry with paper towels. The scallops need to be completely dry in order to brown nicely in butter. Serve with tortilla chips.
COCKTAIL SHRIMP WITH TOMATO CHIVE SALSA Chef Eron Bass 1 1/2 lb. Gulf white shrimp, peeled and deveined Cook shrimp in salted water for around 2 minutes until pink. Immediately chill in an ice bath. Refrigerate. Salsa 2 cups finely diced fresh tomato without juice or seeds 3 Tbsp. finely sliced fresh chives 2 minced scallions, white part only 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil Salt Freshly ground black pepper Toss tomatoes, chives, scallions and olive oil together. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let salsa sit for 20 minutes for flavors to meld. Serve in chilled martini glasses and garnish with cilantro.
CRAB CAKES WITH MUSTARD SAUCE After trying several recipes, I decided to make my own. This is a family favorite. 2 slices sourdough bread ½ cup plus 1 Tbsp. Duke mayonnaise 1 egg, beaten 1 tsp. yellow mustard 1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning 1 lb. lump crabmeat Breadcrumbs In a bowl, crumble sour dough bread; add mayonnaise and mix well. Add beaten egg, mustard and Old Bay seasoning; mix until well combined. Carefully fold in crabmeat, being careful not to break up lumps. Make crab cakes by placing mixture into one-third measuring cup, then drop into hand to shape. Can be prepared ahead and kept in refrigerator. When ready to cook, heat oil in skillet on medium or low-medium until hot. Roll crab cakes in breadcrumbs and cook for about three minutes on each side until golden brown. Serve with Mustard Sauce. Note: Breadcrumbs can be made by crumbling sourdough bread and placing on a cookie sheet in a 300 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until dry. Mustard Sauce: ½ cup Duke’s mayonnaise 1 heaping Tbsp. grainy Dijon mustard ½ tsp. or more minced garlic Combine ingredients. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.
SHRIMP AND CORN SALSA Janine Simmons ¼ cup lemon juice ¼ cup sour cream ¼ cup mayonnaise ¼ cup cilantro ½ tsp. salt ½ tsp. cumin ½ tsp. crushed pepper 1 lb. shrimp, cooked, peeled, chopped 15 oz. can corn, drained or fresh corn, cooked ¾ cup chopped red onion Combine all ingredients; let set in refrigerator 2-3 hours or overnight. Salsa is easy to double for a crowd.
HONEY AND SOY GLAZED SALMON ¼ cup honey ¼ cup soy sauce 3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice 2 Tbsp. water 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. Dijon mustard 1 to 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil 4 (6-oz.) pieces salmon fillet, skin removed In a small bowl, whisk together honey, soy sauce, lime juice, water and mustard. In a small non-stick skillet, heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not
PAN SEARED SCALLOPS Don Cipperly Per serving, depending on remainder of meal: 2-4 dry pack sea scallops, dried thoroughly 2 Tbsp. olive oil Salt Pepper 2 Tbsp. butter Thaw scallops and dry thoroughly with paper towels. Coat scallops in olive oil. Salt and pepper the scallops. Heat a pan to medium-high to high heat. When the pan is hot, add scallops and cook them for 1 ½ minutes. Flip the scallops and cook for an additional minute, basting with butter the final 30 seconds.
Fish, scallops and shrimp have always been favorites to order at restaurants, but now we are enjoying them more at home. Generally, we have fish once a week since we have found it locally. The frozen packs of seafood are great for cooking for two. My longtime friend Anne Carpenter recently requested ideas for singles and cooking for two. These packs of fish that are individualsmoking and cook salmon 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden and just cooked through. Transfer salmon to 4 plates. Add honey mixture to skillet and simmer, stirring occasionally, until it reaches a glaze-like consistency. Pour the glaze over salmon.
DIJON CRUSTED FISH Deborah Broughton 3 Tbsp. reduced-fat mayonnaise 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese, divided 1 Tbsp. lemon juice 2 tsp. Dijon mustard 1 tsp. horseradish 4 fish fillets (5 oz. each) ¼ cup dry breadcrumbs 2 tsp. butter, melted Combine mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, mustard and horseradish in a small bowl. Place fish on a greased baking sheet. Spread mayonnaise mixture evenly over fish. In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs, butter and 1 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle the mixture over the fish fillets. Bake at 425 in a preheated oven for 13 – 18 minutes until fish flakes easily with a fork. GROUPER WITH LEMON GARLIC BUTTER Don Cipperly 1¼ lb. grouper fillets Olive Oil Salt and pepper 2 Tbsp. or more lemon garlic butter, cut into quarters Lemon Garlic Butter: 1/2 cup butter, softened 2-3 tsp. grated lemon zest 1 garlic clove, minced or ½ tsp. minced garlic 1 tsp. minced fresh parsley 1/4 tsp. salt, optional Pepper to taste Preheat oven to 350F. Heat a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 Tbsp. olive oil to the pan and allow to heat up. Season fish with salt and pepper and add fillets, flesh side down, to the pan. Allow to cook until a nice golden-brown crust has formed, 3-4 minutes. Turn fish, al-
ly wrapped are great to keep on hand since you just thaw the amount you need to serve with a salad and crusty bread. Anne knows a great deal about cooking herself, as she was the Lee County Extension agent for many years. We became friends when I was an editor and she dropped her column off once a week. Her husband Bill had the first restaurant in lowing to sear on the other side for a couple of minutes. Dot fish with lemon garlic butter and move to oven to finish cooking, approximately 10 minutes or so. Add a squeeze of lemon before serving. Reserve and heat some of the garlic butter for plating.
RED SNAPPER LOUISIANA Susan Stewart 2 onions, minced 2 green peppers 1 clove garlic, crushed 2 Tbsp. salad oil 6 fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped 1 Tbsp. parsley ½ tsp thyme 1 bay leaf 3-4 lb. red snapper Salt and pepper to taste Cook onions, peppers and garlic in oil for a few minutes. Add tomatoes, parsley, thyme and bay leaf; cook slowly for 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Salt and pepper fish. Place in slightly greased baking dish. Add sauce over fish. Bake 30 minutes at 360 (correct temperature). PINE NUT CRUSTED FISH Terry Love ½ cup pine nuts (finely chopped or ground) ¼ cup all-purpose flour ¼ tsp. dill weed ¼ tsp. lemon pepper 1 egg 2 Tbsp. lemon juice 1 tsp. honey 4 (6 oz. each) skinned fillets (any mild fish works well) 2 Tbsp. butter More honey (optional) In a shallow bowl, combine pine nuts, flour, dill and lemon pepper. In another shallow bowl combine egg, lemon juice and honey. Dip fillets in the egg mixture then coat with nut mixture. In a large nonstick skillet (we use a well-seasoned cast iron skillet), cook fillets in butter over medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Drizzle with additional honey, if desired.
the Haynie’s building in downtown Opelika where Café 123 is currently located. After Bill passed away, Anne helped take care of her twin sister Carolyn. A few years ago, they moved to Gadsden to be near Carolyn’s son. Now, Carolyn is in an assisted living, and Anne is cooking for one, which can be boring. It often means cutting a recipe in half and sometimes
MARY SAMFORD’S CRABMEAT SEA SHELLS 3 Tbsp. butter 3 green onions, chopped 1½ stalks celery, finely chopped 1 tsp. dry mustard 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce ½ tsp. salt Dash of pepper 1 cup mayonnaise ½ cup evaporated milk, undiluted 2 Tbsp. sherry 1 lb. lump crabmeat 3 Tbsp. butter, softened 1 clove garlic, minced 1 cup breadcrumbs Melt 3 Tbsp. butter in pan; sauté onions and celery until tender. Stir in seasonings, mayonnaise, milk and sherry. Add crabmeat and pour into six individual seafood shells or ramekins. Combine remaining butter with garlic and breadcrumbs. Sprinkle over seafood. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. GARLIC SHRIMP Lynn Tatum 4 dozen large fresh shrimp ¼ cup olive oil 4 oz. Gourmet Garden Parsley or ¼ cup fresh parsley 1½ - 2 tsp. minced garlic ¾ tsp. dried crushed red pepper ½ tsp. pepper ¾ cup butter, melted ½ cup Progresso Italian-Style breadcrumbs 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese Rice Peel shrimp. Place in 9 x 12 inch baking dish. Combine parsley, garlic, red pepper and pepper; stir into shrimp. Cover with foil and bake in 300 degree oven for 15 minutes. Remove foil and drizzle butter over shrimp. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and cheese. Bake, uncovered 5-10 minutes, or until shrimp are pink and tender. (If cooked too long, shrimp will get tough.) Serve over rice with a salad and toasted French bread. EASY SUMMER SHRIMP PASTA Diane Glanzer 1 or 2 cups large chunks of yellow summer squash 1 or 2 cups large
halving it again. With the packs of frozen fish, scallops and shrimp, you can thaw enough for one or as many as you need. They also create a scrumptious meal that is a pleasant change. Hope Anne will be able to find them in Gadsden. If you mostly enjoy seafood at the beach, try cooking it at home this summer. Look over the recipes to enliven mealtime this coming week. chunks of zucchini squash 1 or 2 cups large chunks of Portobello mushrooms ¼ to ½ stick butter 1 tsp. garlic salt Pinch or two of dried basil 1 cup broth 1 Tbsp. olive oil 2 pkg. small light Buitoni four-cheese ravioli 3/4 or whole jar creamy Alfredo sauce (not cheesy Alfredo) 20-25 jumbo shrimp (I used already cooked and peeled frozen jumbo shrimp, defrosted, with tails removed.) Bring water to boil in large pot; add olive oil. Put shrimp in bowl of cold water to defrost if using frozen. When defrosted, remove tails, if necessary. Melt butter in large skillet. Sauté squash and mushrooms in butter, add garlic salt and basil; stir. Cover and let simmer on low for about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth to vegetables, cover, let simmer about 3 to 5 more minutes. When water is boiling in pot, add ravioli. Boil gently, stirring often, about 8 or 9 minutes. Taste for doneness; drain. Return drained ravioli to pot, cover with creamy Alfredo sauce and stir. Pour defrosted, cooked shrimp over creamy ravioli and stir. Pour vegetables and broth juices over everything; stir. Serve immediately. Serves about 4.
ANN “SNOOKIE” RENFRO’S SHRIMP CREOLE Ann Renfro Smith 1/3 cup oil 1 cup onion, finely chopped 1 cup celery, finely chopped ¾ bell pepper, finely chopped ¾ tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. black pepper 1 tsp. sugar 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 1 Tbsp. plain flour ¼ cup chili sauce ½ cup ketchup 2 cups tomatoes 2 cups cooked shrimp 3 cups cooked rice Heat oil. Add onions, celery and bell pepper. Cook until tender, but not brown. Add seasonings, flour, chili sauce and ketchup. Then add tomatoes and cook until thick. Add shrimp ½ hour before serving. Serve on top of rice.
A13 June 9, 2022
He Walked Away with a Heavy Heart
WALTER ALBRITTON
A
RELIGION― nnually, Americans spend about $40 billion on storage units. With nearly 50,000 storage facilities across the country, there are about 7 square
feet of self-storage for every person in the United States. The truth is, many of us have too much “stuff” and our possessions can become a serious problem. That’s actually what Jesus said after a sad conversation with a wealthy man who had asked him what he must do to be sure of eternal life. When Jesus raised the question of the commandments, the rich man responds with a smirk on his face, saying “Why, I have mastered those commandments since I was
a boy.” In his Gospel, Mark tells us Jesus looked at the man, and “loved him.” Then Jesus said, “One thing you lack, go sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Realizing that the man loved his wealth more than he loved God, Jesus proposed radical surgery: Sell all your stuff and give your money to the poor. The rich man was speechless. His face fell. And without saying another
word, he walked away with a heavy heart. He could not part with his stuff. Foolishly, he turns away from the greatest opportunity of his life –– to love and obey Jesus. He walks away from the Light of the world into the darkness of greed. The problem with stuff is that you wake up one morning and realize that you don’t own your stuff, it owns you. But worse than that is the danger that your possessions can prevent you from knowing, loving and serving
God. After the rich man turned away from Jesus, Jesus said to his disciples, “How difficult it is for those who have great possessions to enter the kingdom of God.” Another sobering aspect of this story is that Jesus allows the man to walk away. He does not run after him, begging him to reconsider. He does not plead with him to change his mind nor does he cut a deal with him by reducing the demands of discipleship. I say that is sobering because since he did
not lower the bar for the rich man, he does not lower the bar for the rest of us. He sets the standards. They are not subject to amendment. Life will work in only one way –– and that is the way spelled out by Jesus. So I must ask myself: Do I love my stuff too much? Do I own my possessions or do they own me? Am I hoarding stuff instead of using stuff in order to have “treasure in heaven”? My answers to those questions have eternal significance.
his daughter, Prudence Sarai; sisters Sandi Hagans Patton (Mike) and Barbara Keel Lunsford (Ken); brothers Rick Hagans (Kim) and Edward Hagans; numerous nieces, nephews, grand nieces and nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins and his two pups, Rosey Toes and Sugar. Visitation was on Wednesday, June 8, 2022, from 11 a.m. until 12:45 p.m. CT at Frederick-Dean Funeral Home, followed by a Celebration of Life service at 1 p.m. with Rev. Clay Cardone officiating. A GoFundMe account has been established to secure educational funding for Prudence. Contributions can be made at www.gofundme. com/manage/schlorshipfund-for-prudence. Mike will be remembered most as a wonderful father and a sweet soul.
ented in woodwork and loved cooking for his family and friends and listening to music with his baby girl. He loved to travel with the beach being his favorite place on earth, a close second would be his recliner watching Bama win another national championship. Junior was a jack of all trades and excellence in anything that he tried. He was full of knowledge and fun facts, and he was a plethora of useless knowledge. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Ella Faye and Omer Whitlow; brother, Eric Lawler; nephew, Ricky "Lil Rick" Faulkner, and father-in-law, Jerry Newborn, Sr. Junior was survived by his wife of 35 years, Wanda Newborn Clark; daughter, Summer Clark; fur babies, Belle, Sissy, and Franny; one grand dog, Cash; bonus father, Bobby Bradshaw; sisters, Debbie Faulkner (Rickey), Kim Barber, Becci Bradshaw, Natalie Clark, and Bonnie Lomeli; brothers, Dallas Clark, Stephen Bradshaw, Mac Walden, and Gary Wayne Warren, as well as a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and other family members. Memorial service was held in the Chapel at Frederick-Dean Funeral Home Sunday, May 29, 2022, at 2 p.m. with brother, Scottie Faulkner officiating.
OBITUARIES DOROTHY JANE RUDDELL “DOT” THOMAS Our mother, Dorothy Jane Ruddell (Dot) Thomas, age 89, passed away the morning of May 26, 2022. She had battled heart and kidney problems for several years. She was preceded in death by her parents, Mattie and Leslie Ruddell, her husband of 63 years, James Oliver (J.O.) Thomas, her siblings, Frank Ruddell, Kate Bagley, Evelyn Ruddell, and Broughton Ruddell, and her step-daughter, Faye Hall. She is survived by her brother, Ford (Martha) Ruddell of Resaca, Georgia, her step-daughter Terry (George) Farr, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, her four children- Nancy (James) Ross of Tunnel Hill, Georgia, Greta (Bruce) Yandle, of Opelika, Alabama, David Thomas (Hallie Schodowsky), of Ashland, Ohio, and Mark (Bridget) Thomas, of Dalton, Georgia- and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Our mother was a
remarkable woman of whom we are very proud. She was a homemaker, a scout leader, a Meals-on-Wheels volunteer, a seamstress, a golfer, a band booster, a farmer, a horse racing aficionado, a renowned cook, and much more. She was a walking Foxfire encyclopedia of practical knowledge. We will forever miss her humor, her energy, and her love, which she expressed eloquently through acts of service to others. A memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Dalton First United Methodist Church. MAX STEVENS Max Huey Stevens, Sr., 86, of Opelika, Alabama, passed away on Wednesday, May 25, 2022, surrounded by family. Born on April 3, 1936, in Murphy, NC to John H Stevens and Mamie Johnson Stevens. Max married Cora S. Smoot
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on November 26, 1960. Max joined the Marine Corps in 1953 and the Army in 1956. He served for 20 years, retiring in 1973. He was a decorated veteran of the Korean War and Vietnam War. Max was a member of First Baptist Church of Opelika for 37 years. He volunteered through My Jerusalem, Vacation Bible School, Sunday School, GAs, Children’s Arts and Crafts, and he was an active community member. He loved to play golf, photography, woodworking, gardening, dancing, bird watching, his dog Peppy, and especially spending time with family and friends. He is survived by his beloved wife, Cora, of 61 years and two children, Max Jr. (Kitty), and Susan Lee (Jeffery), his siblings, Elizabeth, Juanita, Larry, and Brenda, his grandchildren, Katie, Whitney, Kai, Alex, Karis, and Kacie, and his great grandchildren, Cooper, Kayden, Maverick, Leo, Gracie, Alivia, and Kyler. The memorial service was held on Monday, May 30, at 2 p.m. at
First Baptist Church of Opelika. In lieu of flowers the family has asked that donation be made to Samaritan’s Purse. PATRICK MICHAEL "MIKE" HAGANS Patrick Michael “Mike” Hagans, 59, of Opelika, died peacefully in his sleep on Saturday, June 4, 2022. Born in West Point, Ga. on July 17, 1962, Mike was raised in Opelika. He graduated from Opelika High School in 1980 and went on to earn an HVAC associates degree from North Harris College in Houston, Texas. He was an avid reader, enjoyed scuba diving, was a fan of the Grateful Dead band and was an active member of Lakeview Baptist Church in Auburn. But the pride and joy of Mike’s life was his daughter, Prudence, 10. As a single father, Mike poured every bit of his being into Pru. The two loved being together and shared a very special father-daughter bond. Mike is survived by
CLARENCE LEE CLARK, JR. Clarence Lee Clark, Jr. of Cusseta was born to the late Clarence Lee Clark, Sr. and Gloria Whitlow Bradshaw on May 23, 1968 and passed away at his home on May 25, 2022. He was 54 years old. Junior was a DIE HARD ALABAMA FAN, he was an amazing bowler and fisherman. He was very tal-
A14 June 9, 2022
Wisdom as a Tree of Life
BRUCE GREEN Teaching Minister at 10th Street Church of Christ in Opelika
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isdom is spoken of as a tree of life in Proverbs 3:18. What a picture! It takes us back to the beginning when the newly created Adam and Eve lived in the glorious garden of Eden. This was before the earth was cursed (Genesis
3:17-18; Romans 8:2021), so it was unlike anything we have ever seen. What an abundant, glorious existence they had! God had richly provided for them, He was present among them, and they ate from all of the trees in the garden, including the tree of life. (The only tree they weren’t allowed to eat from was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil – Genesis 2:16-17). The tree of life renewed them physically — it sustained their lives. Returning to Proverbs 3:18, when the writer speaks of wisdom as being a tree of life, he is celebrating wisdom’s
life-sustaining qualities. In Proverbs 9:11 we’re told, “For through wisdom your days will be many, and years will be added to your life.” Like much of Proverbs, this is not to be taken as an absolute (there are righteous people like John the Baptist, the apostle James, and others who don’t live long lives), but as a general principle. As such, it’s not hard to grasp. By following God’s revealed wisdom, we avoid a destructive lifestyle and its life-shortening consequences and so add years to our lives. But the writer isn’t finished with the tree of life imagery. He employs
it three more times. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and the one who is wise saves lives (11:30). Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life (13:12). The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit (15:4). A couple of things should be clear. “Tree of life” seems to be a favored image of the writer and would certainly resonate with his Jewish audience. For our purposes, the things associated with the tree of life in these verses (righteousness and the soothing tongue), are
ABOUT BRUCE GREEN
products of wisdom, while the longing fulfilled is a blessing from God, which certainly comes as a consequence of following the path of wisdom. So, we should look at verses like these as providing some meaningful specifics and layering in our understanding of wisdom. In the end, this is a beautiful, powerful, redemptive image of wisdom that refreshes us and fills us with the desire to pursue God’s wisdom in all aspects of our lives. You can find more of Bruce’s writings at his website: a-taste-of-gracewith-bruce-green.com
You can find more of Bruce’s writings at his website:www. a-taste-of-gracewith-bruce-green.com
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BIBLE VERSE OF THE WEEK The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights. — Habakkuk 3:19
CHURCH DIRECTORY
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APOSTOLIC HOLINESS God’s House of Prayers Holiness Church 301 Highland Ave., Opelika 334-749-9672
334-887-8506 Friendship Missionary Baptist Church 3089 Judge Brown Rd., Valley 334-710-2117
334-749-0461 CHURCH OF CHRIST Church of Christ at Cunningham 2660 Cunningham Dr., Opelika
BAPTIST Bethesda Baptist Church 201 S. 4th St., Opelika 334-745-7528
Greater Peace Missionary Baptist Church 650 Jeter Ave., Opelika 334-749-9487
10th Street Church Of Christ 500 N. 10th St., Opelika 334-745-5181
Beulah Baptist Church 5500 Lee Road 270, Valley 334-705-0538
Green Chapel Missionary Baptist 390 Lee Road 106, Auburn (334) 749-4184
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship 128 East Glenn Ave., Auburn
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High Hope Baptist Church 227 Lee Road 673 334-524-8750
Church Of Christ 2215 Marvyn Pkwy., Opelika 334-742-9721 Southside Church Of Christ 405 Carver Ave., Opelika 334-745-6015
Pepperell Baptist 2702 2nd Ave., Opelika 334-745-3108
COMMUNITY OUTREACH Good Sheperd Anglican Church 3015 Opelika Road, Opelika
Providence Baptist Church 2807 Lee Road 166, Opelika 334-745-4608
EPISCOPAL Emmanuel Episcopal Church 800 1st Ave., Opelika 334-745-2054
Union Grove Baptist Church 4009 Lee Road 391, Opelika
METHODIST Auburn United Methodist Church 137 South Gay St.,
Auburn 334-826-8800 Beulah United Methodist Church 5165 Lee Road 270, Valley 334-745-4755 NON-DENOMINATIONAL Church At Opelika 1901 Waverly Pkwy., Opelika 334-524-9148 Connect Church 2015 West Point Pkwy., Opelika 334-707-3949 St. Ellis Full Gospel Church 5267 US Hwy 80W, Opelika 334-298-4319 PRESBYTERIAN Trinity Presbyterian Church 1010 India Road, Opelika 334-745-4889 SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST Opelika Outreach S.D.A. Church P.O. Box 386, Opelika 334-749-3151
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A15 June 9, 2022
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A16 June 9, 2022
COMICS
“Life is worth living as long as there’s a laugh in it.” ― Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
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INSIDE B1 - B8:
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• AUBURN CITY SCHOOLS • AUBURN UNIVERSITY • COMMUNITY SPORTS • LEE COUNTY SCHOOLS • OPELIKA CITY SCHOOLS • SUSCC
SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS AUBURN: JUNE 14 AT 6 P.M. LEE COUNTY: JUNE 14 AT 6 P.M. OPELIKA: JUNE 24 AT 4:30 P.M.
OHS Track Alum Earns NCAA Championship Chance PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER
BY WIL CREWS SPORTSCREWS@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
ON THE MARK D. MARK MITCHELL
Opelika’s Summer Schedule
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Youth All-Star teams will begin tournament play this weekend. The 7U, 7- and 8-year-olds and 11- to 12-yearolds will play in a practice Sub-District in Montgomery on Friday and Saturday. The 9- to 10-yearold Minor All-Star team and the 11- to 12-year-old Ozone all-star team will play in the District June 21 and 22 in Auburn. The 7- to 8-year-old traditional state tournament will be held in Troy, July 9. The 7U Rookie All-Stars will play in the state tournament on June 23 in Russellville. Each state tournament winner advances to the World Series in July. AHSAA SUPER 7 RETURNS TO AUBURN-OPELIKA The 2022 AHSAA Super 7 Football Championship returns to Jordan-Hare Stadium on Nov. 30, Dec. 1 and 2. This will be the seventh Super 6/7 to be held in JordanHare Stadium on the Auburn University campus. The cities of Opelika and Auburn joined together in 2007 with a See SPORTS, page B3
automatic qualifier. It was definitely the best race of my life.” Before settling at Samford, Garner developed as a runner under the tutelage of
head coach Jimmy Johnson and assistant coach (Garner’s distance coach) Tony Benitez. “I wouldn’t be here today really without either of them (Johnson and
Benitez), mainly without coach B. because he was like more of father figure in my life,” Garner said. “I think the best See OHS, page B5
Hornets Invest in Future of Baseball BY HARRISON TARR FOR THE OBSERVER BEAUREGARD –– Summertime has officially arrived in eastern Alabama; temperatures have begun to reach the mid-90s, pools are fully operational everywhere and children are out of school until August. For many of these excited youngsters, summer break is an opportunity to relax and unwind from a jam-packed school year. For several 7- through 12-year-olds in the Beauregard and Opelika communities, the months of June and July will be full of no such thing; this summer is about perfecting their craft on the baseball diamond, a journey which began at Beauregard High School's annual baseball camp on May 30. The group of young talent had a week full of fundamental baseball and
plenty of fun. “It was a ball,” said Beauregard head coach Seth Nolen. “We had 51 kids from the Beauregard-Opelika
baseball skills,” Nolen said. “We talk about how to field a ground ball, we talk about the triangle, how to field the ball out front. We talk about how
area. We talked a lot of ball and we learned a lot. The kids had a ball, my players had a ball running it, it was great.” Nolen noted that — although the group didn’t forget to enjoy themselves — the camp’s mission was to develop their future athletes from a fundamental standpoint. “It’s only a week and it’s kind of just basic
to throw and catch at a high rate.” According to Nolen, the approach is similar to that which he takes with his varsity group each spring and the results are equally as enjoyable to observe. “It’s the same thing with the high school guys and the middle school guys, the guys I’m with in the spring,”
PHOTOS BY HARRISON TARR / FOR THE OBSERVER
OPELIKA — ummer has arrived! Opelika schools are officially on summer break until Aug. 8, when students return. The athletic department stays busy through June and July, with every sport following Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) rules. Each sport has a few weeks to participate in team camps, workouts and scrimmage/ practice games. It is very important that multi-sport athletes are allowed to workout with their teammates, no matter the team. Normally, teams are off during the July 4 holiday and the AHSAA All-Star week. The All-Star week takes place July 18 to 22 in Montgomery. Two OHS student-athletes were chosen to participate in All-Star Week: McKay Yountz — who will be on the South softball team — and Amiya Brown, who will be a part of the girls’ soccer team. The two Opelika athletes will play in Montgomery during the five-day event. OPELIKA DIXIE YOUTH Opelika Dixie
OPELIKA — Out of the nine Samford University Bulldogs to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field East Regional, only three performed well enough to advance to the championships. One of those athletes was former Opelika High School track and field star Ben Garner, who ran for Opelika from 2013-17. “I went in ranked 15th, and they take top 12 to national,” Garner, a fifth-year senior, said. “I was close coming in and I told myself I was going to get the
Nolen said. “When you’re doing something and a kid is working, and then all of a sudden he figures it out. He figures out what you’re trying to get him to do or he figures out a better way to do what he was doing.” The coach noted that there is no greater feeling than watching a young mind absorb and comprehend what they’re actively trying to learn. “They’ll look at you,” Nolen said. "There's this look of like ‘oh, I get it now, I understand’. I’m sure it’s the same for a math teacher or a history teacher or a mom and dad trying to teach their kid how to tie their shoes, that kind of stuff. You get that look of ‘oh, I get it now.’ That’s what it’s all about.” While the camp is certainly geared towards fundamentals, the Hornet program See HORNETS, page B2
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B2 June 9, 2022
LCERA Awards Scholarships
Left to right is Anna Cosby, senior at Smiths Station High School, and Kay Spriggs, LCERA scholarship committee member. Not pictured is Carson Yancey, a senior at Auburn High School, and Betty Letlow, LCERA scholarship chairman. Each student received a $1000 scholarship sent to the college/university of his/her choice.
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER
PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER
The Lee County Education Retirees Association (LCERA) recently awarded scholarships to three outstanding high school seniors this year. Left to right is Alissa Willett, a senior at Opelika High School, with Patsy Jones, LCERA scholarship committee member.
OHS Black Alumni Class of ’83 Awards Scholarship
The Opelika High School (OHS) Black Alumni Class of 1983 recently awarded its inaugural Scholarship Award of $500 to Lauren N. Landry, an OHS Class of 2022 graduate. Landry will be attending the University of Alabama in the fall. Landry is pictured with the award presenter, Rev. Veronica Davis (left), her mother, Cynthia Landry-Booth (right) and surrounded by other members of the OHS Class of 1983. For further information, please contact Rev. Veronica Davis at 334-663-2300.
Community Foundation Awards Scholarships PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER
Barber-Vallely Family Scholarship: Sydney Lowe - Opelika High School, University of Alabama. Left to right: Lowe, Anne Whittlesey and Lauren Nicole Landry, who received the Nancy Parker Educational Scholarship
Peggy and Bill Lazenby Scholarship: Breckin Leigh Gould - Opelika High School, Auburn University. Left to right: Breckin Gould; Barbara Patton, Community Foundation; Vera Smith T.
Wayne Murphy Scholarship: Brad Harper - Auburn High School. Left to right: Barbara Patton, Community Foundation; Brad Harper; Andrea Harper.
Tom Meadows Memorial Scholarship: Trace William McCaleb - Benjamin Russell High School, University of Alabama. Left to right: Melinda Meadows, Trace McCaleb.
HORNETS >> FROM B1 continues to place emphasis on developing themselves not just as ball players, but as leaders. “We talk about it all the time amongst ourselves and on the team,” Nolen said. “We talk about being a team leader, older guys showing younger
Joe Beckwith Memorial Scholarship: Todd Clay - Auburn High School, Pensacola State College. Left to right: Bill Ham, Bailey Divers, Todd Clay, Lee Beckwith, Reynolds Tatum
Nancy Parker Educational Scholarship: Lauren Nicole Landry Opelika High School, University of Alabama. Left to right: Debbie Allen, Community Foundation; Lauren Landry; Patsy Parker.
John E Melson & Margaret Linch Melson Scholarship: Sydney Lowe - Opelika HIgh School, University of Alabama. Left to right: Sydney Lowe, Lela Lofton.
guys how to do things and bringing them along and all that.” Nolen emphasized that the summer training session is a perfect opportunity to develop a leadership style based on the examples set by the current high-school players. “When it’s your peer, when it’s someone that’s your same age or a year younger, sometimes it’s
hard to look at this kid that’s in the same group as a leader sometimes,”
Wayne Murphy Memorial Scholarship: Ny’Arien Lyiah Spruill - Auburn HIgh School. Left to right: coach Courtney Pritchett, Spruill, coach Alison Link.
Johnny Adrian Scholarship: Aaron Conner Pearson - Auburn High School, Auburn University. Left to right: Barbara Patton, Community Foundation; Kaye McDonough, Aaron Pearson, Lauren Pearson, Todd Pearson, Dylan Pearson.
Kelleigh Meredith Memorial Scholarship: Emma Nichol McSpadden - Opelika High School, SUSCC. Left to right: Laura Meredith Pepper, McSpadden.
Nolen said. “But when the older guys are teaching the younger kids and
National Village Ladies Club Scholarship: Vera Elizabeth Smith T - Opelika High School, Auburn University. Left to right: Amy McAllister, Smith T.
the younger guys are hanging on every word they say, it gives them a better understanding of how to lead.” The head coach was sure to note that the camp is not just designed for the betterment of the youth, but for the personal development of his current group. “It helps my players figure out how to relate to each other, be a better
teammate and a better leader,” Nolen said. “It also shows younger kids a little bit of what it’s going to be like when they’re at the high school setting.” With camp officially at its conclusion, the 50-plus young men who attended are sure to have left with a sharper set of skills, a greater appreciation for the game, new friendships and a smile from ear to ear.
B3 June 9, 2022
PHOTOS BY ED SIKORA / FOR THE OBSERVER
A Special Sendoff
Local law enforcement agencies support Lee County Special Olympics through fundraising, coaching and the annual Law Enforcement Torch Run. This year, they also supported the organization with a National Athlete Send-Off on Friday, June 3, just before 3 p.m. Five Lee County Special Olympics athletes are attending the National Games in Orlando, Florida, this year on June 4 through 10, including Justin M., Gabby G., Brooke O., Tyler S. and Denise A. The athletes will compete in powerlifting, bowling and track. Join us as we wish them good luck with a grand send-off. The send-off will be held on the front steps of the Auburn Police Department at 141 N. Ross St. in Auburn.
SPORTS >> FROM B1 clear vision to lure Super 6 away from Birmingham’s Legion Field. Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller and then Auburn Mayor Bill Ham agreed to form a group through AO Tourism with the task of making it a reality. Ham and Fuller agreed to choose one person to represent each city during negotiations. Mayor Ham picked Ron Anders (current Auburn Mayor) and Mayor Fuller chose me (D. Mark Mitchell) to partner with each other and pursue the dream. AuburnOpelika Tourism
President John Wild joined us, so we would have all the basics covered. We joined forces with Don Staley from the Tuscaloosa Tourism and Convention Association. We knew it was important for us to have the University of Alabama as a part of our team, so we can rotate the championship between the two campuses. We felt it was best to keep our discussions quiet and under the radar, in order to pull off hosting the event. After two years of meetings and negotiations, AHSAA Executive Director Steve Savarese submitted our bid to the AHSAA Central
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Board of Control, the board that would make the final decision. Ron, John, Don and I knew we had the backing of Savarese but we were not sure if the board would agree to leave Legion Field. I remember waiting to see the results of the board’s vote with Anders and Wild in the AO Tourism office in Auburn. Auburn Athletic Director Jay Jacobs waited in his office in the AU Athletic Department. If we won the right to host Super 6, a press conference would be needed to make the announcement. Later in the afternoon, my phone rang. One of members of the central board of control
called to inform me (off the record) our proposal passed and that Savarese would be calling with the news. All of us jumped for joy like we had just hit the lottery! We did not hit the lottery, but hosting Super 6 for the first time in 2010 seemed bigger than winning a lottery. The four of us accomplished something that was unthinkable, bringing the Alabama High School Athletic Association Super 6 (now Super 7) to Opelika-Auburn and Tuscaloosa every other year. The year 2010 seems like a long time ago, but I will never forget the day we were awarded the
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high school football championship games. We now have a new, 12-year contract which includes the city of Birmingham, Tuscaloosa and Auburn-Opelika. This year’s Super 7 will be the first of four championships at Jordan-Hare Stadium. This event requires hundreds of local volunteers to make it happen. Each time we host the event, it gets better and better. There are so many people to thank. I will miss someone if I tried to name everyone. Auburn University’s Jeremy Roberts played a huge role in the success of the AHSAA Super 7 in JordanHare Stadium. Thank
you Mayor Fuller, the Opelika City Council, Auburn City Council, Robyn Bridges at AO Tourism, Mayor Anders, parent host, public safety and many others. Hosting the AHSAA Super 7 Football Championship is a major event hosted by Opelika and Auburn! See you at Jordan-Hare. D. Mark Mitchell is the sports director at iHeartMedia, host of “On the Mark” Fox Sports the Game 910-1310, co-chair of the Auburn-Opelika Sports Council, chairman of the Super 7 and Dixie Boys Baseball state director.
B4 June 9, 2022
Auburn Ranked No. 1 University on Forbes List of ‘America’s Best Employers for New Grads’ CONTRIBUTED BY AUBURN UNIVERSITY
AUBURN –– Auburn is the No. 1 university on Forbes magazine’s 2022 list of “America’s Best Employers for New Grads,” which once again recognized Auburn as a premier workplace. Auburn ranked No. 15 out of 300 employers on the national list, rating ahead of worldwide companies, such as Google, Microsoft, American Express, Lockheed Martin and Delta Air Lines, to name a few. As the top-ranked
university, Auburn placed ahead of Yale, Notre Dame, Michigan, Alabama, University of Alabama at Birmingham and approximately 20 other colleges. “I am thrilled that Auburn University ranked 15th overall on Forbes’ national list, but I am not at all surprised,” said Auburn President Christopher B. Roberts. “We work hard to meaningfully invest in our faculty and staff, and that includes our newest employees. Auburn is committed to not only delivering a worldclass education for our
students, but to providing an exceptional working environment for our employees. Additionally, Auburn ranked first out of the 25 institutions for higher education on the list. I am happy that the hard work by so many across our campus is recognized and appreciated.” Auburn’s placement on the list is the third time in the past five years that it has been recognized by Forbes as a top employer. In 2021, Auburn was named one of the Best Employers in Alabama, and in 2017, it was named one of America’s
Best Midsize Employers. Auburn works hard to demonstrate its commitment to full-time employees. In addition to health care and retirement benefits, full-time employees receive four weeks of paid vacation each year, paid parental leave, 11 paid holidays, a full tuition waiver for undergraduate and graduate course work, a 50% tuition waiver for spouses and dependents who take undergraduate courses, a zero-dollar co-pay for most generic medications and discounted season tickets for athletics events,
among many other benefits. “Recent graduates have lots of opportunities in the workforce, and we are honored that they choose to start their careers with us” said Karla McCormick, associate vice president for Human Resources. “Auburn is a great place to work, and this ranking serves as confirmation of that. Our employees value Auburn’s commitment to offering competitive pay and benefits, career development opportunities and the ability to positively impact our campus, our state and the
world.” To compile the most recent list, Forbes partnered with market research company Statista to identify the 300 companies most liked by new workforce entrants. Twenty-thousand Americans with less than 10 years of professional experience, and who work for businesses with at least 1,000 employees, were surveyed. Auburn is hiring for positions at all levels across campus. For more information on how to join the Auburn Family, visit its Human Resources website.
Opelika Adds Pickleball Courts PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER
Opelika Parks and Recreation hosted a grand opening for the Point Broadband Pickleball Facility on Saturday, June 4, at 9:30 a.m. The facility is located adjacent to the original pickleball facility and houses 12 additional tournament regulation courts. The SportsPlex now houses a total of 24 pickleball courts, allowing Opelika to host tournaments with 800 to 1,000 players, up from the current 300 capacity. Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller announced three tournaments to be held at the SportsPlex this June, July and October.
Thunder and Lightning: Auburn Baseball Advances to Super Regionals AUBURN –– Lightning delay after lightning delay pushed back the start of the regional final between Auburn and UCLA on Sunday. The game was originally scheduled to start at 6 p.m. CST but did not get under way until after 8 p.m. CST. After six innings of play, a rain delay forced the game to be suspended until Monday afternoon.
PHOTO FROM SEC MEDIA / USED WITH PERMISSION
BY JAKE GONZALEZ FOR THE OBSERVER
Co-SEC Player of the Year, Auburn infielder Sonny Dichiara, reacts after a homerun in the SEC Tournament in May.
Even with those delays, the Auburn bats stayed hot as the Tigers thundered past the UCLA Bruins, 114, to win the Auburn Regional and advance to the Super Regional round of the NCAA Tournament. “Super proud of our team,” said Auburn coach Butch Thompson. “Getting to host this finally, I think we’ve proved to ourselves that we can absolutely play well in See BASEBALL, page B6
Southern Union’s Caldwell Named President Elect of New Board
CONTRIBUTED BY SUSCC OPELIKA –– Southern Union State Community College
Emergency Medical Services instructor and Health Sciences Dual Enrollment See SOUTHERN, page B6
B5 June 9, 2022
A Community Carnival
PHOTOS BY ED SIKORA / FOR THE OBSERVER
Opelika's Covington Children's Carnival took place on Saturday, June 4, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 213 Carver Ave. Activities at the carnival included games, door prizes, food and concessions, giveaways, dancing to music from a DJ and more. The event was free and open to the public.
Auburn’s Connor Cosby Named AHSAA All-Star
BY JAKE GONZALEZ FOR THE OBSERVER
AUBURN — For the second year in a row, Auburn High baseball has had a player selected to the AHSAA North-South All-Star game. Rising senior Connor Cosby was one of 36 players selected to particpate in the games played over the AHSAA All-Star week from July 18 through 22. “It means a lot,” Cosby said. “I’m blessed. I’m really excited for this. I worked hard for this and I’m glad play alongside a bunch of great talented players.” The north and south teams are comprised of 36
rising seniors and are selected by the Baseball Coaches Committee comprised of representatives selected by and representing each of the eight districts. The players were selected from nominations received from AHSAA member school coaches. Cosby was a key piece to the semi-final run for the Tigers as he hit in the leadoff position and lead them in batting average with .385 and an on-base percentage of .486. The outfielder was second on the team in doubles with 10 and was able to hit three home runs last season. “He got us going a lot,” said Auburn head baseball coach Matt Cimo. “He is a
really good baseball player. I wasn’t really surprised that he made it.” Last season, Patrick McGlon represented Auburn in this game and the Auburn program is starting to become a powerhouse according to Cosby. “We work so hard,” Cosby said. “Hard work pays off and I’m so happy to be here. I want to be a good representation for my whole school.” The north team leads the series 23-15-2 heading into this years series and has been happening since 1997. The south won game one last year before the two teams tied in the second game.
OHS >> FROM B1 thing coach Johnson did was, he really just let me do my thing. Him kind of taking his hands off, and letting coach B. work with me was like a major reason I think why I had success in high school.” During his time at OHS, Garner was a four-time individual Alabama State Champion, three-time team State Champion and two-time team MVP. Additionally, Garner gathered attention from collegiate programs as the Opelika record holder in the 1600 and 2 mile races, among other accolades. “Growing up in Opelika, it was very different from Birmingham and Samford,” Garner said. “I think also the biggest thing is my teammates in high school, it was just so much fun. We kicked everybody’s butt.” At the NCAA East Regional
at Indiana University last week, Garner, 23, recorded a personal best time of 8:40.15 in the men’s 3000-meter steeplechase to secure eighth place and send him to the championships. “The 3k is kind of my wheelhouse,” Garner said. When he crossed the finish line and realized he had qualified for the championships, the moment almost seemed too good to be true. “It’s something I wanted to do even before I went to Samford,” Garner said. “It took a while to set in, but at the same time, I was blown away. It was insane. Having my teammates and family there, too, it was unreal.” Garner and his teammates Ashton Domingue (men’s javelin) and Brittany Bishop (women’s pole vault) will compete in the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships which are currently being held in Eugene, Oregon, through June. 11.
B6 June 9, 2022
Youth Baseball Takes Spotlight
PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER
To read more about Opelika's current Dixie Youth Baseball scene, read D. Mark Mitchell's column on B1.
Lee County Schools Offering Free, Daily Summer Breakfast/Lunch Certain days from June 6 – 30, 2022. Dates: June 6-10; June 13-17; June 21-24; June 27-30. Participating Schools: Beauregard Elementary School; Beauregard High School; Beulah Elementary School; Loachapoka High School; Smiths Station High School; East Smiths Station High School. Breakfast: 7:45 to 8:30 a.m. CST; Lunch: 10:30 a.m. to Noon CST. Transportation must be provided to and from the location for the children unless they are enrolled in the summer program at these sites. Contact each school for any additional information.
BASEBALL >> FROM B4 this setting. A ton of players contributed, top to bottom of our lineup and defensively. Our offense was the No. 1 key. No. 2 was our three starting pitchers. It’s nice when you’re at this stage and you play your best baseball of the year, and I thought we did that.” Auburn’s offense was electric not only in this game but in the entirety of the Auburn Regional as they outscored their three opponents 51-18. In the game against UCLA, Auburn was able to put up 11 runs on 10 hits.
The offense in this game was led by CoSEC Player of the Year Sonny DiChiara as he went 3-for-4 with four RBI’s and walked twice. The Hoover, Alabama, native was able to tally three total bases and stepped on the plate once in the win. “It’s just surreal,” said DiChiara, the SEC Co-Player of the Year. “We’re so close. I’m happy to be a part of that. To win this regional and go to the next step of a Super Regional, we’re out there competing and it’s so fun.” Junior Mason Barnett started on the mound for Auburn and dazzled in his winning performance.
The Cartersville, Georgia, native pitched into the sixth inning before the game was suspended and he allowed zero runs and only one hit. Barnett struck out 10, the most of his career, in the winning effort. “The nerves settled down, and I was able to really focus and go pitch by pitch,” said Barnett, who improved his season record to 3-2 with the victory. “Once your name is called, you’ve got to be thankful for the opportunity and take as much advantage of it as you can.” When play resumed on Monday, Carson Skipper and Blake Burhalter finished the
game on the mound for Auburn. Both Skipper and Burhalter picked up two earned runs in their closing effort. This is the first time in 23 years that Auburn has “dogpiled” inside Plainsman Park, and it is the third time in the last four seasons that Auburn has advanced to the Super Regional round. This time, Auburn will be heading to Corvallis, Oregon, to take on Oregon State this weekend. The first of the best-of-three series will take place on Saturday, June 11. First pitch is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. CST.
SOUTHERN >> FROM B4 Coordinator Anthony Caldwell has been named chairman-elect of the Alabama HOSA and Health Science Education Board of Directors. The newly-formed board will oversee the design and execution of health sciences curriculum on the secondary level. The purpose is to help facilitate conversation among teachers to ensure the quality of instruction, therefore better equipping future healthcare providers with the tools they need to be successful in their education/jobs after high school. “I am honored to be
a part of this board to help shape the direction of health sciences programs in the state K-12 system,” said Caldwell. “We hope to support secondary educators so that their programs can reach their full potential.” The Board is composed of Career Technical Directors and Health Science Instructors from different school systems around the state, as well as representatives from various health care systems in Alabama, and instructors from several post-secondary institutions in Alabama. For more information on the Health Sciences Programs at SUSCC visit suscc.edu.
B7 June 9, 2022
OPD Hosts Youth Summer Camp PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER
Every year after school gets out, the Opelika Police Department hosts a youth camp. This year, the camp was held May 31 through June 3. The annual camp is for fourthgrade students, going into fifth grade, and for children who might not otherwise get to participate in a summer activity. At the OPD youth camp, activities included: playing organized games, crafts, competitions and swimming every day at Covington Rec Center. Guest speakers also attended and talked about the importance of staying in school, building character and making the right decisions in life. Lunches and snacks were provided by the courtesy of many area businesses and restaurants.
FunCarts of Opelika 0660 funcart.opelika com
CLIPPERS
B8
June 9, 2022
PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER
Touch-A-Truck Thrills
L ee County & A labama Politics
B9
Nov. 24, 2021
Thursday, June 9, 2022
Critical Insights Consulting is Awarded New Contract Very Impressive, High Steppin’
Inside the Statehouse Victory for Gov. Ivey
STEVE FLOWERS
O
OPINION –– ur popular high steppin’, pistol tottin’ Gov. Kay Ivey won a very impressive reelection victory for governor on May 24. Ivey turned back eight GOP primary challengers to win the Republican gubernatorial nomination without a runoff. She garnered an amazing 54% of the vote and carried every county in Alabama. That is a feat not often accomplished, especially considering she had eight folks running against her. However, her popularity is probably the reason she had no serious thoroughbreds challenge her in the gubernatorial derby. Any knowledgeable political pro could look at the odds of defeating one of the most popular incumbent governors in the nation with plenty of campaign resources and walk away from that uphill battle. After all, she had beaten a more impressive field in 2018, which included Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, without the need for a runoff. Six of her male opponents were “also ran” unknown and still unknown candidates. The seventh male in the race, Tim James, whose claim to fame is that his daddy was governor, is becoming a perennial candidate. He has run three times and finished third three times. He got a respectable 15%, but he spent $5.7 million to get that amount. If he tries again, he will be considered in the Shorty Price category. The only other female in the race was first-time candidate Lindy Blanchard. She finished second to Ivey with 18%. Therefore, the two females running for governor finished first and second. However,
there is a world of difference in getting 54% and 18%. Blanchard is a nice lady. If you meet her, you cannot help but like her. She spent an amazing $11 million of her own money. That equates to about $100 per vote. That may be a new record. That should tell her that she just might not be cut out for politics. Neither she nor James ever got any traction or resonated. The fact that Blanchard and James spent most of their $16 million combined on negative ads, and I might add disingenuous ads against Ivey, is even more of a testament of how popular and resilient Ivey remains. I said from the get-go that Ivey would win without a runoff and felt that way to the end. I have to admit that the night of the election when it appeared that the turnout was going to be lighter than expected, I wondered privately if she might dip below 50%. However, she outperformed and got about 54%. Ivey and her team ran a flawless campaign. Her TV ads were folksy and effective. She did not take anything for granted. She never said a bad word about any of her opponents. In fact, she never acknowledged them or called their name. Even in her victory speech, she said we have got to keep running hard against our Democratic opponent. Even though winning a statewide gubernatorial race as a Democrat is extremely unlikely. Winning the GOP primary for governor in the Heart of Dixie is tantamount to election. Kay Ivey’s 2022 reelection victory is almost as remarkable as her mentor and idol and our only other female governor, Lurleen Wallace’s 1966 landslide victory. There are several other constitutional offices that will be decided on June 21. The Secretary of State runoff race will be the closest to watch. State Rep. Allen and twoterm State Auditor Jim Ziegler are notched in a dead heat. Both got about 40%. Ziegler has name identification, having run a dozen times statewide. Wes Allen has the qualifications. He has been a probate judge for over a decade prior to his House term. This one will be close See FLOWERS, page B10
BY MICHELLE KEY PUBLISHER
OPELIKA — The Opelika City Council met Tuesday night for its regularly scheduled meeting. During the work session prior to the meeting, Dr. Chenavis Evans, founder of Critical Insights Consulting LLC, (CIC) presented the council members and Mayor Gary Fuller with an overview of the Policing and Me curriculum and other programs that were implemented in Opelika in partnership with the Opelika Police Department last year. "We built a program called Knowledge is Power and [also] Policing and Me and put them into the school system and our young people love it," Evans said. "We had over 117 young people give us feedback and 76% of them said that it should be mandatory in school system."
CIC also created the 20 Under 20 Program, a Leadership Development program and the Ambassador of Change program and works closely with the OPD with all of these programs. Police Chief Shane Healey, who was unable to attend the meeting due to other obligations, sent a letter to the council, which was read to the council members by Capt. Tony Amerson. "You always hear me say that we will change the world, starting in Opelika," Amerson read. "The projects, programs and initiatives we have started with Dr. Evans have already impacted many in our city." Healey's letter went on to discuss the future of the programs. "The upcoming year is only going to bring more positive [results]; by continuing the work we are doing with Critical
Insights, we will not only sustain the momentum we have but we will pick up speed." During the regular meeting, the council voted 3-to-1 to approve a new engagement letter with CIC for professional services at a cost not to exceed $659,750. Ward 2 Council Member and President Pro-Tem Erica Baker-Norris stated that she has concerns about the cost of the program and subsequently voted against approving the resolution. "I appreciate the information she [Evans] provided, unfortunately the school system is not providing any funds with this and that is concerning," Baker-Norris said. "I am also concerned that the price of over $600,000 dollars did not go down, but went up even after this program has been in place for a year." See OPELIKA, page B10
Discussion Continues on Ward 4 Council Member Replacement BY HANNAH LESTER HLESTER@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
AUBURN — The Auburn City Council has yet to name a replacement to finish out Ward 4 Council Member Brett Smith’s term. Smith moved to Florida which means the council has to appoint a new member. However, in discussion tonight, the council could not vote on a candidate with a five-member majority and pushed the vote to the June 21 meeting.
NOW OPEN
There were four Auburn Ward 4 residents who showed interest in serving as the replacement until November: Ray Huff, Ethan Purdue, Jennifer Stevens and Brent Beard. At the last council meeting, Auburn Mayor Ron Anders said that he would encourage anyone who wanted to fill this spot to not run for the seat in the August election, saying that would be an unfair advantage to other candidates. Huff was nominated by Ward 5 Council
Member Steven Dixon during the council’s committee of the whole meeting Tuesday and Beard was nominated by Anders. Beard is a former Auburn City Council member who served four previous terms. He chose not to run in 2018. “I believe with the short time that this person will be serving the city of Auburn, four months, having an experienced member sit up here with us and go through these decisions is advantageous,” See AUBURN, page B12
Indoor shooting range is open to the public
2195 FIRST AVENUE • OPELIKA
B10 June 9, 2022
Herschel Walker Could Benefit From Mike Hubbard’s Advice
OPINION — hen running back Herschel Walker became a strong candidate for the 1982 Heisman trophy, a student on a journalism scholarship was assigned as his roommate at University of Georgia (UGA). That sophomore, Mike Hubbard, instituted a public relations effort that gained Walker the coveted award. Walker’s skills and stats were great and Hubbard handled the press adroitly. Hubbard eventually moved to Auburn, Alabama; the rest is political history.
Walker won the trophy with 1,926 points; John Elway of Stanford came in a distant second, with 1,231 points. When Walker won at the ceremony, the first person he hugged was Hubbard, for his top-notch work and friendship. On May 24, Walker won the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate from Georgia. Yet past personal failings, occasional lies and a critical press have dogged his campaign. Also, Democratic incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock has a record $40 million in the bank. It would be interesting if Hubbard, once
speaker of the Alabama House, could consult with him, as in days of old. But Hubbard is serving jail time in Limestone County. He was charged in Lee County on 23 ethics violations, but is serving time for two felonies. He is expected to be released in January 2023. As Hubbard is in jail for charges related to weak ethics in his political actions, I doubt it’s proper for him to advice on an election. “I just watched the rather balanced piece on ABC that included collaborating interviews with people in Herschel’s life over time,” wrote a reviewer of Breaking Free: My Life with Dissociative Identity Disorder. “I am a therapist and work with DID in my private practice. At the hospital where I also work (psychiatric) there are doctors and therapists who don’t really believe in DID.” Walker was diagnosed with the disorder in 2001 and said he had a dozen distinct identities, known as “alters”. He claimed that some of his alters did good things, but others exhibited extreme and violent behavior. Some proven lies have been: his claim that he
OPELIKA >>
critical to our community and especially the future of our community. This sets us above any other town in the state of Alabama." Ward 1 Council Member George Allen said, "And we get great results." Baker-Norris was the sole dissenting vote with the other three council members in attendance voting to approve the new contract. PROCLAMATIONS Fuller issued a proclamation to Janataka Holmes for the upcoming Juneteenth Celebration to be held on June 19 at Courthouse Square. The council later approved a resolution for a special appropriation in the amount of $1,250 for the event. PUBLIC COMMENTS The council held several public hearings during the meeting and offered a time for public comments.
Lee County District 5 Commissioner Elect John Andrew Harris thanked the council for holding meetings and public hearings in regards to redistricting. Members of the community once again spoke out against the proposed apartment complex project known as The Taylor. Opelika resident and business owner, Deke Hilyer, spoke in favor of the text amendments in the zoning ordinance that would allow conditional 100% residential use in C1 zones. The current ordinance requires that the bottom floor of commercial buildings in the C1 zones house retail business and does not allow for residential use. IN OTHER BUSINESS - The council voted to approve an application for a Lounge Retail
Liquor - Class 1 and Retail Beer on Premise alcohol license for Copper Bear Associates, LLC dba The Ozone Lounge. - The council voted to approve an application for a Retail Beer and Wine Off Premise Alcohol License for Quiktrip Corporation dba Quiktrip No.7172. - The council approved a bid in the amount of $39,580 from Auburn Electrical Construction Inc, for UPS Replacement at City Hall for the Information Technology (IT) Department. - The council approved a bid in the amount of $158,500 from Auburn Audio Visual for a downtown speaker system. - The council approved a bid from Williams Fire Apparatus for fire apparatus inspections and preventative maintenance. - The council
the Alabama Supreme Court. He will fit in well with our current conservative and well-credentialed state high court. We will discuss the
monumental runoff contest for our open U.S. Senate seat next week. Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His
weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at www. steveflowers.us.
GREG MARKLEY
W
FROM B9 Baker-Norris did acknowledge the positive outcomes of the programs. "I definitely know that there have been some positive outcomes from this program, however, I am very concerned about the cost, especially when I serve a community that is seeking things like affordable housing, water and sewer concerns and things of that nature," she said. Ward 5 Council Member Todd Rauch had positive things to say about the program and voted to approve the resolution. "I would take this opportunity to thank Dr. Evans and Chief Healey and Capt. Amerson for their hard work," Rauch said. "This program is
FLOWERS >> FROM B9 and interesting. The state auditor’s job will be filled by either Florence State Rep. Andrew Sorrell or Kimberly preacher Stan Cooke. Cooke did benefit from having run for this job before, and he also received a significant hometown vote from Jefferson County. Our two incumbent conservative PSC members, Chip Beeker and Jeremy Oden, have liberal, green-leaning opponents in the June 21 runoff. Greg Cook won an impressive 55-45 victory over Anniston Circuit Judge Debra Jones for Place 5 on
Communications Commission. The FCC will not revoke radio
broadcast licenses under Hubbard’s name ruling that his convictions on ethics charges did not automatically disqualify him. This means that when he gets out of jail, he has a good chance to proceed with his businesses and grow them. ”The crimes of which Mr. Hubbard is guilty are not trivial; indeed he is currently incarcerated as a result,” said Administrative Law Judge Jane Hinckley Halprin. “But not every felony is disqualifying.” In 1994, Hubbard founded Auburn Network, Inc., and he holds the licenses for “News Talk 1400” WANI in Opelika, as well as “Wings 94.3” WGZZ, Waverly. His earliest release date from Limestone Correctional Facility is Jan. 8, 2023. Not only was Hubbard a prime mover in getting Walker selected as the 1982 Heisman winner, he also did likewise for Bo Jackson, another great running back, in 1985. Hubbard’s book “Storming the State House: The Campaign that Liberated Alabama from 136 years of Democrat rule” (2012) was well-received. Hubbard reminds me of a Lee County doctor I
knew who went to jail at Maxwell’s federal pen for 10 months for Medicare fraud. He ended up being self-employed in his medical specialty for more than 20 years after he left prison. The physician kept his medical license because his mistake didn’t involve damage to any patients; it was paperwork and insurance issue. Will Mike Hubbard get into PR again by opening his own shop? Or will he revert to making commercials — he has a fine voice for radio, having done commercials for some time. Will Walker proceed to the U.S. Senate and take it with the seriousness it deserves? Can you see Hubbard and Walker move ahead as friends such as they were when 20 years old? I think so. Novelist William Faulkner said: “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.” Indeed! Greg Markley first moved to Lee County in 1996. He has Masters’ in education and history. He taught politics as an adjunct in Georgia and Alabama. An award-winning writer in the Army and civilian life, he has contributed to the Observer for 11 years. gm.markley@charter.net.
approved a bid from Waste Management for a threeyear contract for garbage and cardboard dumpster and roll-off services. - The council approved a resolution to purchase a three-year contract for the mailing system. - The council approved the purchase of body armor for the police department. - The council approved three resolutions to purchase four different Ford trucks for the Public Works department. - The council approved a resolution for a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the city of Opelika and Opelika City Schools (OCS) for the School Resource Officer (SRO) program. - The council approved two weed abatement liens after the required public hearings. The properties
are: 1733 First Ave. and 403 Raintree St. - The council approved a special appropriation in the amount of $2,500 for the Sound Wall Initiative for the 3rd Annual Songwriters Festival. - The council approved an ordinance to amend the zoning ordinance and map to rezone 7 acres located in the 2500 block of Frederick Road. - The council approved an ordinance to amend the zoning ordinance and map to rezone 6 acres located near the intersection of Old Opelika Road and Frederick Road. - The council introduced for first reading an ordinance to amend the text of Zoning Ordinance Section 7.3C use categories "Duplex, Mausoleums, Columbariums and Crematoriums.
graduated from high school as the valedictorian (a student, typically having the highest academic achievements of a class). He later said that was not true. Walker said several times his company, Renaissance Man Food Services, was the largest minority-owned food business in the U.S. He was way off. In April, it was revealed that Walker had repeatedly declared he graduated from UGA “in the top one percent” of his class. He was traced to that 2017 fallacy when presenting motivational speeches. Good news came to Mike Hubbard on May 30 from the Federal
HUBBARD
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B11 June 9, 2022
ON JUNE 21, RE-ELECT
ROBERT HAM Keep Robert Ham working for the people
Ham has lived in Lee County since 1973, as a servant for the people of District 4. When the 2019 Beauregard Tornados devastated the county, he took seven months off work to help his community. Ham is a conservative Christian who has been self-employed in Lee County for over 40 years. He is the developer of Meadow Lakes Estates, Sam’s Club and the Sports Academy Complex. His interests include traveling, golfing and racing. “I am very pleased to have served as your county commissioner for the past 12 years and I am asking to serve you for four more years with your vote on June 21. If you have any problems that I can help you with please call me at 334-319-0691”
— Robert Ham.
Ham’s list of service opportunities and accomplishments in office include: • Led the process of building the Beulah Senior Center, the Beulah Recreation Park and the Beauregard Recreation Park • Started the spayed and neuter program seven years ago Co-Founder and current Board Member of Mercy Medical • Co-Founder and current Board Member of Northridge Shelter for Women • Co-Founder of Friends of the Community • Past President and Treasurer of Lee County Kawana’s Board • Executive Board Member of the Alabama County Commission Association. • Executive Board of the Alabama County Commissions Association three times
B12 June 9, 2022
Alabama Historical Commission Announces 2023 Grant Program CONTRIBUTED BY THE ALABAMA HISTORICAL COMMISSION
MONTGOMERY— The Alabama Historical Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, has opened its 2023 Grant Program with funds appropriated by the Alabama Legislature. Historic sites meeting the eligibility can submit applications now through June 30, 2022, at 4 p.m. The AHC will administer a $2.3 million Grant Program with funds appropriated by the Alabama Legislature in the 2023 Fiscal Year (Oct. 1, 2022, through Sept. 30, 2023), for improvements to and educational programming at historic sites in
AUBURN >> FROM B9 Anders said. Anders, along with other council members, such as Ward 3 Council Member Beth Witten, said that Beard will be advantageous during the budget process, which will begin next week, given his experience on the council. Beards nomination was backed up by Ward 7 Council Member Jay Hovey and Ward 8 Council Member Tommy Dawson. “I found him to be a very honorable man, very honest,” Dawson said. Huff, who was nominated Dixon, is an Auburn businessman who has also served on several boards and commissions before, said Ward 2 Council member Kelley Griswold. “He’s an experienced businessman; he has a lot of experience with budgets,” Griswold said. “… He has an expressed an interest in serving for this brief period of time and I endorse his nomination.” Dawson said that while he found Huff to
Alabama, and for monuments to commemorate historical events and places. “Our state’s history is important, and the legislature realizes this,” said Sen. Arthur Orr. “All across Alabama we have sites that are important to each of us to remind us of who we are or were as a people. Thanks to our partnership with the Alabama Historical Commission, we are able to preserve and maintain elements of our past.” Grants will be awarded to public or non-profit entities who own and operate sites in Alabama that reflect an education-based mission and concentrate on educational programming. Preference will be given to properties
built before 1840 to 1943 that are listed in or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, historic school structures and any property built after 1943 that significantly contributed to the civil rights movement. Grant amounts will not exceed $75,000 for any one entity and must be used within two years of receiving the grant. The funding appropriation is a $1 million increase from the previous year. “Increased funding for these grants reflects the overwhelming success of the program,” said Alabama Historical Commission Chairman, Dr. James Day. “Many buildings have been preserved and restored in recent years, and various
facets of Alabama history have been enhanced. The AHC acknowledges and appreciates the interest and support of the State Legislature. By investing in Alabama’s past, we are forging a path for our future.” “Last fiscal year, the Historic Sites Grant Program helped to facilitate several types of improvements, including roof replacements, window restorations and exterior painting,” said Lisa D. Jones, executive director of the Alabama Historical Commission. “The goal of the 2023 grant program is to assist historic sites throughout Alabama with both improvements and educational programming, which will help preserve them for future
generations. Thank you to the Alabama Legislature for funding this much-needed grant program to help preserve Alabama’s historic sites.” Applicants must submit an official 2023 Historic Sites Grant application available on the AHC website at www.ahc.alabama.gov/ resources/grants.aspx. Applications must be hand delivered, mailed or emailed to LaTarra Tetter, AHC Grants manager, by June 30, 2022, at 4 p.m. To learn more about the Alabama Historical Commission, please visit www.ahc.alabama.gov. About the Alabama Historical Commission Located in historic downtown Montgomery
at 468 S. Perry St., the Alabama Historical Commission is the state historic preservation agency for Alabama. The agency was created by an act of the state legislature in 1966 with a mission to protect, preserve and interpret Alabama’s historic places. AHC works to accomplish its mission through two fields of endeavor: preservation and promotion of stateowned historic sites as public attractions; and statewide programs to assist people, groups, towns and cities with local preservation activities. For a complete list of programs and properties owned and operated by the AHC, hours of operation and admission fees, please visit www.ahc.alabama.gov.
be “a very good man” he would be supporting Beard due to his experience on the council. The council took a vote and there were four votes for Beard and three for Huff, give Ward 6 Council Member Bob Parsons was not in attendance. There must be five votes for a candidate to be approved, said City Manager Megan Crouch. Ward 3 Council Member Beth Witten asked for a re-consideration of Beard as a nomination, citing his experience, his familiarity with the job and how this would benefit the budget process. “Based on the fact that we have a duty to have a representative for Ward 4 and that both candidates, or nominees, are very viable candidates, but one having served in the past and having served with a lot of grace, and dignity and positive representation for the city, I would like this council, this body, to reconsider Brent Beard,” she said. The vote, when re-taken, did not change, however. Ward 1 Council
Member Connie Fitch Taylor said that she had no knowledge of Beard but did receive contact and a resume from Huff. So based on that knowledge, she supported Huff. The council considered next steps, including waiting for Parsons to return and what happens if the vote turns into a 4 against 4 vote. In that scenario, the seat would likely remain empty, Crouch said. The item will appear before the council again on June 21. “I’m thankful under this very unique circumstance that four citizens from Auburn, four quality citizens from Auburn, wanted to be a part of this and I appreciate all four of them reaching out to me and raising their hands, saying ‘I'll do this, if you want to choose me,’” Anders said. OTHER BUSINESS: - The council approved an alcohol beverage license for Fuzzy’s Taco Shop at 1678 S. College St. - The council approved a contract with Azteca Systems, Inc. for an enterprise license agreement for
software for $122,000. - The council approved a professional services agreement with Carmichael Engineering, Inc. for the New Environmental Services and Public Works Facility for over $89,800. - The council approved a contract with JLD Enterprises, LLC for payment for the Cox Road Widening Project for over $212,600. - The council approved a contract with Sign World Inc. for wayfinding and installation for the Douglas J. Watson Municipal Complex for $34,200. - The council approved a contract with Stivers Ford Lincoln for a 2022 Ford Explorer for the Library Department for over $31,300. - The council approved a right of way warranty deed and payment to Ra Ell Foster for over $21,100 for the Richland Road Sidewalk Project. - The council approved the establishment of six stop signs and a 25 MPH sign in the Donahue Ridge Subdivision. - The council approved the
establishment of two stop signs in the Links Crossing. - The council approved the establishment of four stop signs in Mimms Trail. - The council approved the establishment of one stop sign in Piper Glenn. - The council approved the establishment of one stop sign in Woodward Oaks.
- The council approved the conditional use approval of a road service use, a Taco Bell with a drive-thru at 1365 N. Donahue Drive. - The council approved an official change to the minutes of the Jan. 25 meeting, noting a change of a motion labeled to the wrong council member.
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THURSDAY, JUNE 23 7 P.M.
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In need of office space? CoLab offers fully furnished private offices, co-working spaces, mail services, and more, all within the heart of Downtown Opelika. Our all inclusive and contract-free prices allow you to focus on the important things, without worrying about any overhead costs. CoLab is perfect for graphic designers, software developers, real estate agents, work-from-home individuals, and small teams. Learn more about us and book a tour to find your best fit by visiting us on the web, or social media pages. COLABOPELIKA.COM | (334)748-9700 |@COLABOPELIKA
Located in Historic Downtown Opelika
334-745-4618
B13 June 9, 2022
Light Horse Harry Lee Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)
Please join us for the
FLAG DAY CEREMONY Tuesday, June 14th | 10 am 829 Bedell Avenue, Auburn, AL 36832
This will be a brief Flag Day ceremony presented by the Light Horse Harry Lee Chapter of DAR, followed by a presentation of the American flag to The Harris Family, our newest Habitat partner family.
B14 June 9, 2022
PUBLIC NOTICES IN THE MATTER OF THE ADOPTION PETITION OF DANIEL HUSTON SPRADLIN AND MARIESA CARLISLE SPRADLIN IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA CASE NO.: 2022-260 PUBLICATION NOTICE TO Any potential father of E.G.C. Please take notice that a petition for adoption was filed in the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama by Daniel Huston Spradlin and Mariesa Carlisle Spradlin on May 4, 2022, for the adoption of E.G.C., born on November 10, 2012, Opelika, Alabama to Samantha Margaret Carlisle. 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 Riggs, P.O. Box 954, Auburn, AL 36831 and with the Clerk of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama as soon as possible but no later than thirty (30) days from the last day this notice is published. Dated this the 5th day of May 2022. HON. BILL ENGLISH JUDGE OF PROBATE LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA Legal Run 5/19/22, 5/26/22, 06/02/22 & 06/09/22 ------------IN THE PROBATE COURT FOR LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN RE:The estate of Roy Thomas Britton, Jr., Deceased. Case No.2022-285 TAKE NOTICE that Letters Administration having been granted to Michael A. Britton as Administrator of the Estate of Roy Thomas Britton, Jr., deceased, on the 17th day of May 2022. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that all persons having claims against the said Estate are hereby required to present the same within the time allowed by law or the same be barred. Michael A. Britton, Administrator of the Estate of Roy Thomas Britton, Jr., Deceased Legal Run 05/26/22, 06/02/22, & 06/09/22 ------------IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF BRENDA MARIE BUMBY, DECEASED. IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABMA CASE NO: 2022-293 Letters Testamentary on the estate of said decedent having been granted to the undersigned on the 20th day of May, 2022, by the Hon. Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.
JASON THOMAS BUMBY Personal Representative Robert H. Pettey Samford & Denson, LLP P.O. Box 2345 Opelika, AL 36803-2345 (334) 745-3504 Legal Run 5/26/22, 06/02/22 & 06/09/22 ------------IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF DAVID LEE RIVENBARK, DECEASED IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA CASE NO. 2022-295 NOTICE TO CREDITORS TAKE NOTICE that Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to David Lee Rivenbark, Jr., on the 23rd day of May, 2022, by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama Notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within the time allowed by law or the same will be barred. BILL ENGLISH, PROBATE JUDGE Legal Run 06/02/2022, 06/9/2022 & 06/16/2022 ------------IN THE PROBATE COURT FOR LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF DOROTHY JEAN COCHRAN, deceased Case No.: 2022-297 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Take Notice that LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION of said deceased having been granted to Marcus Phillip Cochran on the 25th day of May, 2022 by the Honorable Bill English, 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 the time allowed by law or the same will be barred. MARCUS PHILLIP COCHRAN Legal Run 06/02/22, 06/09/22 & 06/16/2022 ------------IN THE PROBATE COURT FOR LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF RUDOLPH JEROME SHORT, Deceased Case No.: 2022-298 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to Jeremy Keith Short, Personal Representative on the 25th day of May, 2022, 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 barred. JEREMY KEITH SHORT Legal Run 06/02/2022, 06/09/2022 & 06/16/2022 ------------STORAGE
TREASURES AUCTION Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell personal property described below belonging to those individuals listed below at the location indicated: 1242 N Dean Rd, Auburn, AL 36830 Thursday, June 16, 2022 at 10:00AM Unit 159 Unit 223 Unit 311 The auction will be listed and advertised on www. storagetreasures.com. Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property. Legal Run 06/09/2022 ------------Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell personal property described below belonging to those individuals listed below at the location indicated: 1412 Opelika Rd, Auburn, AL 36830 Thursday, June 16, 2022 at 10:00AM Unit 249 Unit L146 The auction will be listed and advertised on www. storagetreasures.com. Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property. Legal Run 06/09/2022 ------------CITY OF OPELIKA ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT REGULAR MEETING AGENDA 300 Martin Luther King Blvd. June 14, 2022 TIME: 9:00 AM A.APPROVAL OF MINUTES B. VARIANCE 1. Barbara H. Agricola (Agricola Law), 127 South 8th Street, C-1 zoning district, Requesting a 35 square foot sign variance from the maximum 16 square foot sign area requirement for a projecting sign 2. Barrett-Simpson Inc, authorized representative for McOne Development, LLC, 807 Torbert Blvd, C-3, GC-S zoning district, Requesting a 15 foot front yard setback variance from the 25 foot front yard setback requirement. “In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Opelika will make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting. If you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the ADA Coordinator 72 hours prior to the meeting at (334)705-5130.” Legal Run 06/09/2022 ---------------IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN RE: The Estate of Joshua Ransom Vinson, deceased Case Number: 2022-208 NOTICE TO CREDITORS TAKE NOTICE that Letters of Administration have been
granted to Michael Vinson as Administrator of the Estate of Joshua Ransom Vinson deceased, on the 20th Day of May, 2022 by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of Probate. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that all persons having claims against the said Estate are hereby required to present the same within the time allowed by law or the same will be barred. Michael Vinson, Personal Representative of the Estate of Joshua Ransom Vinson Legal Run 06/09/22, 06/16/22 & 06/23/22 --------------IN RE: THE ESTATE OF DOLORES A. VAN WETTERING, DECEASED IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to the undersigned on the 2nd day of June, 2022, by the Hon. Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred. GUY PARKER VAN WETTERING TAD PARKER VAN WETTERING Legal Run 06/09/2022, 06/16/2022 & 06/23/2022 --------------IN RE: THE ESTATE OF EMMA G. GOODEN, Deceased IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA CASE NO. 2022-320 NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT Letters Testamentary of said
deceased having been granted to the undersigned on the 2nd day of June, 2022, by the Hon. Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred. SANDRA HENDERSON – Executrix Legal Run 06/09/2022, 06/16/2022 & 06/23/2022 --------------IN THE PROBATE COURT FOR LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN RE: THE ESTATE OF VIRIGINA B NELMS, DECEASED CASE NO. 2022-300 NOTICE OF HEARING TO: Gregory Nelms, Thaddeus Menifee. Tonya Nelms Johnson all address's unknown and any unknown heirs of VIRGINIA B. NELMS, deceased Notice is hereby given that a Petition for Letters of administration of the Estate of VIRGINIA B. NELMS, deceased. A hearing has been set for the 28th day of July, 2022 at 10:00 a.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 hearing of the Petition for Letters of Administration of the Estate of VIRGINIA B. NELMS, deceased. Judge of Probate, Lee County, Alabama Legal Run 06/09/22, 06/16/22 & 06/23/22 --------------NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF MARIA A. HIGGINBOTHAM, DECEASED
PROBATE COURT LEE COUNTY CASE NO. 2022-237 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Take Notice that LETTERS TESTAMENTARY of the Estate of MARIA A. HIGGINBOTHAM are hereby granted to Jon M. Shaw on the 26th day of April, 2022, by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama. Notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred. Jon M. Shaw Legal Run 6/9/22, 6/16/22 & 6/23/22 --------------IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN RE: THE ESTATE OF JERRY WAYNE WHITE, DECEASED. TAKE NOTICE that Letters Testamentary having been granted to Sandra Jean White, a/k/a Sandra Johnson White, as Executrix of the Estate of Jerry Wayne White, deceased, on the 7th day of June, 2022, by the Honorable Bill English. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that all persons having claims against the Estate are hereby required to present the same within the time allowed by law or the same be barred. Sandra Jean White, Executrix Of the Estate of Jerry Wayne White, Deceased Marrell J. McNeal, Attorney at Law, PC PO Box 308 Opelika, AL 36803 334-745-7033 Legal Run 06/09/2022, 06/16/2022 & 06/23/2022
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B15 June 9, 2022
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B16 June 9, 2022
Call me for all your real estate needs! 1810 E. Glenn Ave. Suite 130
Celebrating 31 Years
Auburn, AL 36830
213 S 8th St, Opelika, AL 36801
Cell 334.444.8041
www.thebreezewaychicken.com
334-749-5167
duffystewartrealtor@gmail.com www.BHHSPreferredAuburn.com A member of the franchise system of BHH Affliates, LLC
Hours:
10:30 to 8:00 M-F 10:30 to 3:00 SATURDAY 10:30 to 2:00 SUNDAY
'1/a.ssle hee Va.cat:on..Whj Not Ca.II Us. www.mytravelatmidtown.com
334 749 0877 3051 Frederick Road, Suite 7, Opelika -
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� Circle of Excellence 2008-2011
MilhonA1r 2010 & 2011 & 2012 --------(between Sam:� Club and Tiger Town)
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