The Observer 09-07-2023

Party Photos — A8 August Athletes of the Month Winners — B4

Freeze Warning Leads to Auburn Snow

“A

Each

Walmart to Offer $5 Gift Card to Those Overcharged Sales Tax

MICHELLE KEY MICHELLE@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

See GIFT page A4

Auburn "snow" still adorned the trees at Toomer's Corner in Auburn Sunday morning following the first football win of the season by the Auburn Tigers on Saturday. For game photos turn to B6. The Tigers will be traveling to Berkley, California, this weekend to play against the California Golden Bears on Saturday, Sept. 9. Kickoff will be at 9:30

The city of Auburn held its annual Blessing on the Corner last week at Toomer’s Corner. Auburn Mayor Ron Anders opened the ceremony before Hoffman Rhyne, president and dean of academics at Christ Our Redeemer Seminary prayed over the city and those in attendance.

Rhyne

Welcoming The Observer’s Fall Intern

BY WIL CREWS SPORTSCREWS@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

OPELIKA —

Audrey Kent, a senior majoring in creative writing at Auburn University, is the newest intern at The Observer this fall.

Originally from Dothan, Alabama, Kent is a prose staff member of The Auburn Circle Literary Magazine, and is pursuing a minor in journalism.

During her time with The Observer, Kent said she hopes to gain practical newsroom experience and improve her writing skills.

“I hope to gain more experience in news writing while becoming more familiar with the industry and how it works,” she said. “I want to better myself in any way possible by learning from those with a higher skill level

than me. I also want to gain more experience with reporting and interviewing.”

Kent claims her passion for storytelling dates as far back as she can remember.

“Even as a child, I wrote creative stories to share with those I love,” she said. “My passion for creative writing has only strengthened, but now I enjoy telling the true stories of others as well.”

In addition to telling stories, Kent said she also enjoys curling up with a good horror novel. If she isn’t reading or writing, Kent said she is probably busy taking care of her many pet reptiles and amphibians.

Kent said she believes the people closest to her would describe her as genuine, loyal, kindhearted and humorous. When it

comes to the future, Kent has an idea of what she may want to do, but said she is keeping all her options open for now.

“One of my long-term goals is to write a novel and get it published,” she said. “When it comes to jobs, there

Local Man Wins Free Groceries

are multiple careers I would consider. I would like to be an editor at a publishing company, a copywriter or work for a newspaper or magazine. I have been working toward gaining experience through internships to find the best path for me.”

Air Pros USA Launches Veterans Day Giveaway to Honor Veteran in Auburn

CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

AUBURN —

As we approach Veterans Day, Airforce Heating and Air will honor local men and women who served or are currently serving in the U.S. Military. Parent company Air Pros USA is proud to launch the company’s 4th annual Veterans Day Giveaway and award one veteran or active-duty service member in the Auburn area a free air conditioning unit with installation.

Throughout the entire month of September, anyone can nominate a deserving veteran for Air Pros USA Veterans Day Giveaway by filling out a short application at www/airprosusa. com/veterans-daygiveaway/. The deadline to submit nominations is Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. The contest is open to active military, retired service members and veterans who were discharged under general

or honorable conditions. All nominees need to own their home in the Auburn area.

“The Veterans Day Giveaway stands as a cherished and treasured tradition throughout our company,” said Anthony Perera, founder and chief growth officer of Air Pros USA. “It serves as a humble gesture of appreciation for their dedication and an authentic reflection of our gratitude for their

unwavering commitments. The values and ethos of Air Pros USA resonate profoundly with veterans as we have numerous former and active military in our company and the communities we serve. We are honored to be able to give back in this annual tribute.”

Air Pros USA is dedicated to the Veterans’ community, instituting this tradition leading up to Veterans Day, by helping those in need. This year,

the company will host the giveaway in multiple U.S. cities across Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Louisiana.

For more information and a complete list of official rules for the Veterans Day Giveaway, visit www.airprosusa. com/veterans-daygiveaway/.

ABOUT AIR PROS USA

Air Pros USA was founded in South Florida on the promise of integrity, reliability, and putting our customers first. The company has quickly expanded to many metro areas within Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Colorado, Georgia, Texas and Washington, with more locations expected to be introduced soon.

Air Pros USA currently employs more than 1,000 experienced professionals in more than a dozen metro service locations including Miami, Orlando, Dallas, Atlanta, Colorado Springs, Mobile and Spokane. For more information visit www. airprosusa.com.

Kevin Conway was the local winner of The Observer's Grocery Sweepstakes that ran during the month of August. Conway won a $250 gift card from a local grocery store. Visit The Observer's website to stay up to date on all its contests, www.opelikaobserver. com/contests/.

Hey Day Market Announces Fall Events

CONTRIBUTED BY THE HEY DAY MARKET

AUBURN —

The Hey Day Market in Auburn announced its fall specials and events last week.

Weekly Happenings/ Specials

• Wine Wednesday at The Bar — 4 to 8 p.m.

Every Wednesday, guests can enjoy $8 canned wine and $19 bottles of wine

• We Cheer for Beer at The Bar — 4 to 8 p.m.

Every Thursday, guests can enjoy $3 beers

• Sunday Soul Brunch — 11a.m. to 1 p.m.

Every Sunday, local artists will be performing live at Hey Day Market playing the soulful sounds of the '70s and '80s while guests enjoy brunch and cocktails

Upcoming Events:

• Friday, Sept. 22 —

Pre-Oktoberfest Party

Hosted on the Hey Day Market lawn, the Pre-

Oktoberfest Party is the “party before the party,” celebrating the return of the annual Oktoberfest event happening all weekend long at the Red Barn in Agricultural Park

• Sunday, Oct. 8 — Fall Festival/Pumpkin Patch

Hey Day Market will be selling local squash, pumpkins, and additional fall-favorite produce on the lawn along with a selection of local vendors from the Auburn/Opelika community

• Friday, Oct. 13 — Festival De Miura

Hey Day Market will host a beer and wine festival, Festival De Miura on the adjacent lawn, an event in celebration of Spain’s iconic Running of the Bulls. Miura bulls are a breed of Spanish Fighting Bulls, known for their participation in the exhilarating event

Check the Hey Day Market events page here for updates on ticket sales.

AUDREY KENT

Air Pros USA plans to gift an air conditioning unit to a veteran or active duty service member in the Auburn area.-

Auburn Chiropractic Health Clinic Launches Neurofeedback, Photobiomodulation Services

CONTRIBUTED BY AUBURN CHIROPRACTIC HEALTH CLINIC

AUBURN —

This coming year, Auburn Chiropractic Health Clinic (ACHC) will celebrate its 25th year anniversary. For Dr. Douglas Pitt, owner of ACHC, Auburn graduate and Navy veteran, caring for the community by offering holistic approaches has always been a top priority, he said.

“Since we opened our doors, our clinic has always integrated a holistic approach in our chiropractic care, but with the increasing stressors of life, both in the workplace and at home — we wanted to

provide our community with more resources to help them work through those stressors and provide alternatives other than prescription medications,” Pitt said.

The expansion of drug-free alternatives includes the launch of two new service lines, neurofeedback and photobiomodulation, aimed at providing effective solutions to address prevalent issues such as: anxiety, stress, fatigue, brain fog, traumatic brain injuries (TBI) concussions and sleep difficulties.

Safe and effective therapies like neurofeedback and photobiomodulation are growing in popularity among holistic medical practitioners in the United States and abroad due to their benefits, which include,

Get Hooked on Martial Arts

but are not limited to: improving concentration and enhancing athletic performance.

Photobiomodulation is the use of NIR (near infrared light) therapy to stimulate biological processes in the body. It uses specific wavelengths of light that are thought to promote healing and cellular rejuvenation.

Near infrared modules are placed on the skull during the treatment session, which typically lasts about 10 to 20 minutes.

Clinical trials using photobiomodulation are currently being performed throughout various well-recognized organizations, including Harvard Medical School, Boston University School

of Medicine and the United States Department of Veteran Affairs.

Neurofeedback is a non-invasive therapy that helps people train their brain by improving the brain’s efficiency. Sensors are safely and strategically placed on the scalp to measure brain waves. The person is then asked to perform a task(s) and/or other activities whereby a computer monitors their brain’s response. Through specific repetitive cognitive exercises, a person can learn to train their brain activity.

Pitt received his certification in neurofeedback from the

See CLINIC, page A4

BY AUDREY KENT FOR THE OBSERVER

OPELIKA —

Hooked Martial Arts + Fitness in Opelika offers self-defense classes for various ages while providing an exciting and educational experience.

Hooked Martial Arts + Fitness is located at 1220 Fox Run Ave., Suite 110, and is open 4 to 8 p.m., Monday through Thursday. The facility officially

opened in January under the ownership of Andy Roberts.

According to Roberts, he has been practicing martial arts since 1996, is a first-degree blackbelt in jiu-jitsu and has experience in cage fighting. He has coached hundreds of gold medal competitors in his almost 20-year career.

Roberts said that he previously owned a martial arts school for about ten

years but took a hiatus until his wife recognized martial arts was something he needed back in his life and encouraged him to open another martial arts school.

“I started realizing the mental health benefits of training martial arts was missing in my life,” Roberts said. “I didn't realize that I was using martial arts sort of like

See HOOKED, page A5

DR. DOUGLAS PITT

Hooked Martial Arts + Fitness is located at 1220 Fox Run Ave, Suite 110. It is open to all ages interested in self-defense.

Retelling Stone Mountain Auburn History Professor Consults on

‘Truth-telling’

Museum

Redesign at Georgia Monument

CONTRIBUTED BY AUBURN UNIVERSITY BY CHARLOTTE

TUGGLE

STONE MOUNTAIN, GA. —

Georgia’s Stone Mountain Park is a popular family and field trip site for its sprawling hiking trails, picturesque camping sites and glittering lake.

However, those recreation activities all take place in the shadow of its main attraction and site of contention — a solid granite carving of Confederate leaders Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson spanning three acres across the face of the mountain.

Amid calls to remove the carving, which is prohibited by Georgia law, the Stone Mountain Memorial Association (SMMA) will give a different part of the park a facelift: the museum that introduces visitors to the park.

“Stone Mountain Park has become a controversial place in the last few years,” said CEO Bill Stephens. “To take down the carving would take a small tactical nuclear weapon of some kind. So, you can’t take it away, but you can tell a story about it.”

The Discovering Stone Mountain Park Museum at Memorial Hall, located at the base of the mountain, hasn’t been renovated since 1995.

CLINIC >>

from A3

Center for Brain and has trained with Michael Cohen, a renowned leading expert in the field of Neurofeedback and the author of “Neurofeedback 101: Rewiring the Brain for ADHD, Anxiety, Depression and Beyond (without medication)”. Also, Pitt has recently completed his certification by The Sadar Psychological and Sport Center. Currently, Pitt

With the help of Auburn University’s Draughon Associate Professor of Southern History Keith Hébert, the SMMA said it hopes to provide the full story of Stone Mountain through the new museum.

Hébert is a public historian who specializes in the history of “the Lost Cause” — a set of beliefs held by exConfederates and white Southerners about the meaning, causes and events of the Civil War.

Hébert said the Lost Cause narrative falsely portrays slavery as benevolent and frames the conflict as a response to state’s rights.

Beyond his role as the project’s lead historian, Hébert is personally familiar with Stone Mountain.

He grew up visiting Stone Mountain with his grandparents, spending many weekends at the park and watching the light show. He returns as a scholar and hopes the young people at the park now will leave better educated about how cultural landscapes shape how people view the world.

“The opportunity to now come back as an adult, as someone who’s studied these Lost Cause lies now for a couple decades, it’s a really amazing opportunity for me to try to tell a much fuller story, to try to place the monument in a much broader context and to be brutally honest

is working toward his International certification through BCIA as well as a certification in Functional Medicine.

“The biggest benefit to using therapies like neurofeedback and photobiomodulation in combination with functional nutrition is that they are effective, drugless and non-invasive,” Pitt said. “There is a movement in many communities who are looking for alternatives to pharmaceutical treatments to alleviate

about the origins of one of the most visited sites in the state of Georgia,” Hébert said.

No Civil War battles occurred at Stone Mountain, and the men on its face never visited the site. No major historical events were recorded at the mountain until the rebirth of the Ku Klux Klan at its summit in 1915. The carving on the mountain didn’t start until the 1920s, received funding in the middle of the Civil Rights Movement and wasn’t finished until the early 1970s, when Georgia fully desegregated schools.

Hébert said studying Stone Mountain’s history reveals a pattern. The carving on Stone Mountain was less about the Civil War itself, and more about sending a message in response to Black civil equity and voting rights.

“The best path forward, the most practical path forward, is to do everything in our power to make sure that when people come here, they get the full story,” Hébert said.

“My job in the museum as a public historian is to really ensure that the new exhibit tells a very truthful, welldocumented story of the Lost Cause and the story of this monument itself that isn’t afraid to sort of delve into what might traditionally

See MOUNTAIN, page A5

symptoms related to chronic illnesses”.

Auburn Chiropractic Health Clinic's new services aim to bridge this gap by providing natural, evidence-based approaches that empower patients to achieve a healthier and more balanced lifestyle.

For more information about Auburn Chiropractic Health Clinic and its new service lines, please visit www.AuburnChiro.com or contact 334-501-4691.

Walmart and Sam's Club stores throughout Alabama experience a computer sytem error last week and overcharged consumers sales tax after the 1% sales tax reduction on groceries went into effect on Sept. 1, 2023.

GIFT >> from A1

Now the company is offering customers who shopped in the Alabama stores on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023 with a $5 Walmart gift card.

According to the press release, in order to be eligible, customers will need to bring their receipt, dated Sept. 1, 2023, showing the overcharged sales tax to the customer service desk at any Alabama Walmart store. Gift

cards will be available through Monday, Sept. 18, 2023. Please note, Sam’s Club members impacted by the overcharged sales tax will receive $5 in Sam’s Cash, automatically applied to their account.

Stone Moutain Park, located at 1000 Robert E. Lee Blvd. in Stone Mountain, Georgia, offers family-friendy seasonal events and festivals and nature areas that can be enjoyed throughout the year.

Lee County Sheriff’s Office Launches 9 p.m. Routine Campaign

CONTRIBUTED BY LCSO

LEE COUNTY

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) launched a new push notification campaign to remind Lee County residents to establish a nightly home security check routine last week. This campaign, “9 p.m. Routine” is a nightly push notification sent through LCSO’s app reminding the receiver to remove valuables and firearms from their vehicles; check that their home and vehicle doors are locked; and that their home alarms and exterior light(s) are turned on.

The “Lee County

Sheriff’s Office AL” app is available for free download within the Apple app store and Google Play. Once inside the app, users can enable these “9 p.m. Routine” notifications with three easy steps.

1. Click on the gear at the top right of the screen to go to app settings.

2. Click on “Notification Settings”.

3. Toggle the “9 p.m. Routine” option under Public Channels to the green, on, position.

Once users have these notifications turned on, they will receive a push notification on their phone each night at 9 p.m. CST as a reminder to do their nightly 9 p.m. routine.

“9 p.m. Routine” was originally launched by the Pasco County Florida Sheriff’s Office in 2016. Since then, it has been adopted by agencies across the United States. This campaign has helped to prevent crime nationwide.

“One of our most commonly occurring crimes involves theft of items from vehicles at night,” said Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones. “This program is designed to remove the opportunity for those thefts to occur.”

For more information about the 9pm Routine, visit leecountysheriff. org/9pmroutine or e-mail communityrelations@ leecountysheriff.org.

MAX

Credit Union Named A Best Credit Union to Work For in the Nation Two Consecutive Years

CONTRIBUTED BY MAX CREDIT UNION

AUBURN —

MAX Credit Union, has once again been recognized by American Banker as one of the 2023 Best Credit Unions to Work For in the nation, which is an awards program designed to identify, recognize, and honor the best credit unions nationwide and is comprised of seventy credit unions. This is the second consecutive year MAX has received this honor and could not have been accomplished without our team members' unwavering support and dedication.

It is our goal to strive for excellence in every interaction, and with the help of American Banker and Best Companies Group, team members were able to provide feedback on overall employee satisfaction and an evaluation of the benefits and policies of the credit union. MAX values our team members' insight and feedback regarding the interworking of the credit union and opportunities for

improvement.

At MAX, “Our team members are the heart of everything we strive to accomplish. Through the voice of our team members, we evolve and continually make improvements to our culture, benefits, policies, and communications,” notes Sandra Branch, Chief Talent Officer.

MAX has a history of employee retention with our longest-tenured associate being a part of the team for nearly 48 years. Kathy Cobb, Vice President of Information Technology said, “The leadership team at MAX cares not only for the success of MAX organizationally but for the individual team members who work tirelessly to ensure day-to-day success. I am honored to work for a company that values their employees in and out of the office.”

MAX offers a comprehensive benefits package, where employees can take advantage of tuition reimbursement, continuing education, and a 401K with company match.

Not only does MAX offer exceptional benefits but is extremely communityoriented, offering team members the chance to volunteer in various capacities and participate in wellness events promoting healthy habits.

MAX Credit Union is a leading, locally owned financial institution in Alabama, with more than $2.0 billion in assets. Serving our communities for over 68 years, MAX provides a full array of consumer and business financial products including checking, savings, loans, wealth management, insurance, mortgages, online and mobile banking. MAX has 17 branch locations across its Alabama footprint, more than 30,000 surchargefree ATMs, and myMAX Service Center to assist with any financial needs by phone. With dedicated team members, MAX is committed to providing exceptional customer service and value. Please visit us at www.mymax. com

therapy, and I was using it to manage my stress, and it was having an impact on my mental health that I was unaware of.”

According to Roberts, his facility offers teaching in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, kickboxing for fitness and sports combat, weight training and personal training.

He teaches the classes himself, so the quality of the instruction is high, Roberts said.

“Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a martial art that is safe and effective to learn and train,” Roberts said. “It is applicable both for sport combat and self-defense combat. If you are young and vigorous and you want to go to tournaments and win medals, it is a great outlet. So, if you find that you're looking for something more like that, it kind of fills that need as well. So, it's a very versatile martial art. Because of that, that makes up the bulk of our training. The kickboxing tends to be more popular for younger folks.”

Roberts said his facility offers these

classes for almost all ages.

“We teach four years and up,” he said. “I've had students as old as 74 years old.”

According to Roberts, martial arts has many benefits outside of selfdefense and fitness that are glossed over.

“The people at our school are all driven to better themselves towards a mutual goal of self-defense, hand or fitness,” Roberts said. “It's a group of people who are optimistic and positiveminded, and it's a group of people that if you surround yourself with them for two and a half hours, two nights a week, you'll find that you become a more positive and optimistic person. You become more about bettering yourself. That positivity and optimism that you see two and a half hours twice a week will start to kind of splash off on you. It’s a benefit that is sort of outside of fitness or self-defense, but it's a really beautiful thing to see.”

Hooked Martial Arts + Fitness offers a free introductory one-on-one lesson and a two-week free trial.

For more information, visit the website at www.hookedmartialarts.com.

in the South be seen as controversial or untouchable sort of subjects.”

Warner Museums, an agency based in Birmingham, Alabama, will design nine new exhibits with input from historians and the community. The agency’s portfolio includes the National Medal of Honor Heritage Center, the Negro Southern League Museum, the 16th Street Baptist Church, the Alabama Wildlife NaturePlex and more. Proposed exhibits for the museum focus on the power of collective memory, history leading to the Civil War, how Confederate soldiers

were commemorated, the African American experience, Shermantown, Stone Mountain and the Civil Rights Movement and the bas-relief art, or stone carving, on the mountain. The new Discovering Stone Mountain Park Museum at Memorial Hall is expected to open in 2025.

Stephens and the rest of the SMMA said they are most excited about the last exhibit, which will focus on how to move forward together.

“We want people to reconcile differences when they come here,” Stephens said. “We all grew up having different memories instilled in us about the Civil War and the South. We need to talk about those,

how memory forms character and how those memories need to be discussed so that we can reconcile with one another.”

The SMMA will host public hearings while the building is being renovated to gather feedback from the community. The goal is to bring Georgians to the table, make sure their voices are heard and provide space to contribute ideas.

That feedback will inform the new exhibit designs to reflect a more modern Georgia, including immersive and digital experiences for visitors, which Stephens said will build on the educational value of the museum.

“We’re all about addition and not subtraction,” Stephens

said. “The monuments are going to stay here, but we’re going to tell a complete story about them. Hopefully, that will lead to people understanding more about their own history, the history of this mountain and this park, the South in general and the history of the country.”

While Stone Mountain is unique in size and scale, what it represents is not uncommon. Hébert said Stone Mountain is poised to introduce a wave of critical discussion and community engagement across the South.

“One of the goals of this project is to transform Stone Mountain Park into a site in which communities can come

learn more about the actual history and the actual context of a monument like this,” Hébert said. “In many ways, Stone Mountain is an ideal place to have those conversations, because if Stone Mountain turns the corner and tells the full story and isn’t afraid to show the blemishes of that, I think that’s a very solid step forward to creating new conversations in our country.”

Learn more about the Department of History in the College of Liberal Arts.

Auburn University is a nationally ranked land grant institution recognized for its commitment to worldclass scholarship, interdisciplinary research with an elite,

top-tier Carnegie R1 classification, lifechanging outreach with Carnegie’s Community Engagement designation and an undergraduate education experience second to none. Auburn is home to more than 30,000 students, and its faculty and research partners collaborate to develop and deliver meaningful scholarship, science and technologybased advancements that meet pressing regional, national and global needs. Auburn’s commitment to active student engagement, professional success and public/private partnership drives a growing reputation for outreach and extension that delivers broad economic, health and societal impact.

MOUNTAIN >> from A4

HOOKED >> from A3

Hooked Martial Arts + Fitness was opened by Andy Roberts in January.

Summer Village, Azaelá's Place Hosts Community Carnival

Summer Village Senior Living hosted a community carnival Saturday, Aug. 26, at its Azalea Place community. Residents and community members enjoyed carnival food such as cotton candy, nachos, corndogs and more. Event goers had opportunities to participate in carnival style games as well.

Meet David Hedges

AUBURNBANK PRESIDENT & CEO

Leadership succession in any business is essential to its sustainability, especially one that has been strong and viable for 116 years. Since our founding in 1907, AuburnBank has had eight presidents—and now David Hedges succeeds Bob Dumas as our ninth. Joining the bank in 2006, David has demonstrated his commitment to AuburnBank and its shareholders. He and his wife, Jill, are members of First Baptist Church of Opelika, and they enjoy raising their three children who attend Auburn City Schools. David is excited to lead AuburnBank into the future, while upholding a tradition of service to our customers and our communities.

Member FDIC | AuburnBank.com

It's An Opelika Downtown Party

Merchants from 8th Street in downtown Opelika hosted a block party on Thursday, Aug. 31. There were games, food, music and more during the event. Jerri Sumrall, top right, was the grand prize winner, finding the hidden winning sticker. She received two tickets to the On the Tracks, Opelika's wine event that is scheduled for Oct. 20. Savannah Finck, fourth row, right, was a winner of a cake during the cake walk.

S Food ociety & News

ociety & News vents, E

Making the Grade: A Taste of Asia

tively. I loved when Daddy, Mama and I would drive up the west 280 Highway from our hometown of Alexander City (“Eleck” City to the locals) to visit my brothers at the Loveliest Village on The Plains.

As I have mentioned before in this column, I have two much older brothers named Jim and Mike. Now, when Jim was in the 12th grade, and Mike was in the 10th, I was in the third. I thought that they were grown; I was very wrong. By the time I was in sixth grade, Jim and Mike were at Auburn University, as a junior and freshman, respec -

Once in 1975, we took my 12th birthday present, my new puppy, War Eagle Lobo, to visit Jim and Mike. Since Lobo was a thoroughbred German Shepherd, three names were required for him.

During this time, Auburn had a delicious pizza place called Chanello’s, so we ordered two pizzas to go. Also, we stopped by Krystal’s to order Lobo a couple of hamburgers.

When we returned to Jim and Mike’s trailer on Wire Road, all six Pattons chowed down happily, includ -

ing Lobo, who gladly wolfed down his burgers. (“Lobo” is Spanish for “wolf,” by the way.) As I’ve probably mentioned before, Jim says that when our family eats, “It’s like feeding time at the zoo.” In other words, it’s the only time we get quiet.

Forty-eight years have passed since then, and a funny thing has happened. Now that Jim is 69, Mike is 67, and I’m only 60 (I couldn’t resist.), my brothers don’t seem quite as old as they did when I was 12. However, I will always be the youngest, and, therefore, the most important of the Patton offspring. But I digress.

Recently, my brother Mike and sister-inlaw Sandi visited with my husband Mike and me for a few days on

Local Civic Chorale Announces 2023-24 Season Lineup

their way back home to Texas after a vacation. They also visited Sandi’s family, many of whom live in Auburn and Opelika. When Mike and I asked them where they would like to go for supper on the first day they arrived, Sandi suggested Taste

of Asia. Sandi said that Taste of Asia was her brother Rick Hagans’s favorite Chinese restaurant in town. That sounded good to us, so we traveled to the Asian Supermarket at 3750 Pepperell Parkway in Opelika.

Taste of Asia is

inside the Asian Supermarket and has a very attractive interior. Also, Dan Dan, our server, was so sweet, helpful and patient. For our appetizer, Mike and I chose the crab rangoon. Mike ordered cashew chicken

See WALLACE page A11

AACT New Season Presents ‘Stories on the Move’

CONTRIBUTED BY AACT

AUBURN — Auburn Area Community Theatre (AACT) is in high gear as it gets ready to open its 2023-24 season in October. With the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center finishing

construction, AACT said it is excited to bring a collection of “Stories on the Move”.

The season opens on Oct. 11 with AACT’s Young Performers, ages 5 through 12, bringing to life

“Winnie the Pooh”. Join this cast of 33 as

they bring to life six tales from the Hundred Acre Wood. This show will be presented at Grace United Methodist Church. Tickets are $10 and will go on sale one month before the show opens.

See AACT, page A10

CONTRIBUTED BY EACC

EAST ALABAMA —

The East Alabama Civic Chorale is pleased to announce the start of its 2023-24 season.

The Chorale, sponsored by the East Alabama Arts Association, is a 60 voice volunteer organization which

presents two concerts a year. The first rehearsal of the season will be Tuesday, Sept. 12 at 6:30 p.m. All rehearsals are held at the Southside Center for the Arts on Glenn Street in Opelika.

“We are always excited to begin a new season,” said Music Director of the

Civic Chorale, Dale Peterson. “During the summer, we do not rehearse and members are ready to join again with their friends and neighbors in singing. We are a non-auditioned group but we do ask that participants have

See CHORALE, page A11

Spring rolls from Taste of Asia in Opelika, located at 3750 Pepperell Parkway.

STACEY PATTON WALLACE

The East Alabama Civic Chorale, sponsored by the East Alabama Arts Association, is beginning for the season. The singers will have their first rehearsal on Sept. 12.

There are three or four neighborhood cats who sit on my porch each morning as I write. They are feral animals. They were here when we moved in. Nobody owns them. But they are fixtures in our neighborhood.

My morning writing routine is pretty predictable. I awake early. I go out to the porch. I sit in my patio chair and work

on writing projects while my neural networks, still hazy from sleep, struggle to spel wurds corectly.

Meantime, the cats just sit there, perched on a ledge, looking directly at me as I tap a laptop. Sometimes I have to stop typing because I can feel their gazes weighing on me.

“Are you hungry?” I sometimes ask them.

They don’t even blink.

“I said do you want to eat?”

Nothing.

So I stand up to go inside and get some cat food and they all skitter away as though I am going to fetch an axe.

Cats are funny. Entirely different from dogs. I am a dog lover. I have been owned by 16 dogs in my lifetime. And what I’ve learned about dogs is that they are mostly fun-loving creatures who — and I mean this with all sincerity — have the intelligence of potato salad.

Dogs are cheerful, trusting and generally get excited about almost anything. I could hold up a head of expired iceberg lettuce and talk in a highpitched voice and my dogs would start wagging their tails. “LOOK! HE’S GOT OLD LETTUCE!” they would be thinking.

I am convinced, dogs

New Orleans ‘Songbird’ Will Perform for Jazz Series

CONTRIBUTED BY THE SWMI

OPELIKA —

On Friday and Saturday, Sept. 8 and 9, contemporary jazz singer Robin Barnes will perform three shows at The Sound Wall, 605 Avenue B in Opelika. Her appearance will be the third installment in a series of jazz mini-residencies started by The Sound Wall Music Initiative in fall 2022.

The weekend events will include a performance for Opelika schools on Friday and a masterclass and matinee on Saturday.

Media covering the music scene in New Orleans refers to Barnes as The Songbird of New Orleans. Having grown up surrounded by jazz sounds, she released a 2016 debut EP “Songbird Sessions” that peaked in the top 10 of Billboard’s Current Traditional Jazz Albums and Current Jazz Albums charts.

Barnes has projects beyond her solo efforts, such as her six-piece band the Fiya Birds that she describes as “Chaka Khan meets Ella Fitzgerald,” and her project Da Lovebirds with husband Pat Casey as “a soulful R&B duo that brings a sultry, intimate vibe.”

For September’s shows, she will appear with Casey on bass and Max Bronstein on guitar.

Barnes describes her music as a “blend of funky jazz, soul and R&B” that features her own renditions of popular songs and contemporary classics.

She’s appeared on Bravo, ESPN and BET and was named one of 2021's Most Influential New Orleanians by Adore Magazine. She has been featured in the New York Times, Forbes and Travel & Leisure among others.

Barnes serves as a cul-

ROBIN BARNES

tural ambassador for the city of New Orleans and the state of Louisiana. She is a voiceover actor, media host and founded Move Ya Brass, a fitness community in New Orleans whose stated mission is in part “to promote happy, positive and healthy group workouts.” Barnes website is robinbarnesmusic.com.

Tickets to the shows Friday and Saturday nights are $55 and will include a small-plate reception provided by Chef Chris Wilton. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. The menu will include a selection of dishes inspired by New Orleans cuisine.

Tickets to Saturday’s matinee are $25, $15 for students with ID. Food will not be served at the matinee show.

Events at The Sound Wall are BYOB. Attendees are encouraged and allowed to bring their own drinks, alcoholic or otherwise, into the shows.

For the Saturday masterclass, tickets are $10, $5 for students. It starts at 10:30 a.m. with doors opening at 10 a.m. Coffee will be provided by Boonie Hat Coffee Co. and light pastries will be served.

Tickets for all events are available through The Sound Wall Music Initiative’s website at theswmi. org or phone 334-5753477.

As stated on its website,

will be the first creatures admitted to heaven because they are guileless. After all the dogs have been admitted into heaven, if — and only if — there is any extra room up there, cats might get in. Because cats are streetwise and worldly creatures.

If cats had cellphones, they would never text you back. Not even if your house was on fire. You would text a cat all day long and never get a response unless the cat was texting you randomly to say, “Someone puked on your pillow.”

Whereas dogs don’t expect much out of their owners. They just want love and attention and, if it’s not too much trouble, cake. If dogs had cellphones they would be texting you every four seconds saying random stuff like:

“THE UPS MAN IS

HERE!”

“So what?” you would text back.

“OMG! CAN HE COME TO MY BIRTHDAY PARTY?”

“No,” you would answer, “Now quit texting me, I’m busy working right now.”

Then the dog would text back a sad-face emoji and say, “BTW, someone puked on your pillow.”

Even so, I’ve grown to love my feline writing companions. These cats are my friends, whereas my dogs are a lot like hanging out with a few drunks.

When I wrote my last novel, for example, every morning, I would come onto the porch and it would still be dark outside. My dogs would be sleeping, and totally uninterested in me. But the cats would be waiting for me. They would be sitting

in the ink darkness, watching me with glowing eyes.

They would never come near me, of course. They are too cautious for that. They would simply sit on the periphery, keeping me company. It was nice.

They are normally distant creatures, and they don’t often come close to me. Which is why you can imagine my surprise when, this morning, one of the cats rubbed his body around my lower legs as I was writing this column.

Whereupon I reached down to pet him. I could feel him purring beneath my hands. This is the first time he has ever let me pet him.

And I’m thinking that I was wrong earlier about cats going to heaven. Cats will definitely be in heaven.

It’s us humans I worry about.

“The Sound Wall Music Initiative is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and celebrating the art of music in the Auburn/ Opelika community.” Its mission includes enhancing the community through “music education, artist development, and funding support for local musicians and schools.”

The Sound Wall Jazz Series is an effort of the nonprofit which allows donors and sponsors to fund local engagement with national and international artists such as Robin Barnes. Educational components of this series include artist visits to local schools and masterclasses open to the public.

Barnes and members of her band will lead the informal masterclass.

Previous visiting artists have engaged attendees in discussions about the creative process including artistic concepts, improvisation, group dynamics and technical development.

The masterclass is open to musicians and non-musicians alike. For those hoping to play or sing with the artists, it is best if they are over 13 years old with at least one-year of musical experience.

Those seeking more information should contact The Sound Wall Music Initiative at 334-5753477 or e-mail info@ theswmi.org.

Next in the lineup, AACT travels to the Auburn University Chapel just in time for Halloween to present “Twisted Tales of Poe”. Performed Oct. 28 through 30, stories from Edgar Allen Poe will be told in the form of a staged radio drama. Complete with live sound effects and music, created live onstage by Foley artists, it takes us back to the hey-day of American Radio programs of the 1940s. Witness “The Tell–Tale Heart”, “The Cask of Amontillado”, The Black Cat” and, of course, “The Raven”, all come to life before your very eyes and ears. Auditions for this show will be held Sept. 26 and 28 at 6:30 p.m. at the Frank Brown Rec Center and are open to all ages 18 and up.

As the holiday season settles in, AACT brings back the fourth annual “Holiday Walk in the Woods” at the Kreher Preserve & Nature Center. Mark your calendars for Dec. 15 and 16. This event has become a popular

way to celebrate the holiday season with your family and friends. In the spirit of unity, AACT and The Kreher Preserve feature music and traditions from all parts of the community in this event.

In February 2024, AACT’s Teen Performers will stage the classic and hilarious story, “Miss Nelson Is Missing”. This play will not only be presented in Auburn but is also being designed to travel to other localities.

Lastly, in May of 2024, AACT will bring the world’s longest running play to the area, Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap”. This murder-mystery whodunit has been captivating audiences since 1952, but if you know how it ends — shush — don’t spoil the famous twist for others.

In addition to theatrical performances, this new season also offers classes for all ages. Starting Sept. 5, AACT Academy will offer classes focusing on improv for youth from ages 5 through

18. Theater and life skills will be learned and strengthened as they practice working together as an ensemble, being flexible and learning to think on their feet. They will be using fun games and activities to accomplish these goals. Additionally, an adult improv class will also begin in December. Visit www. auburnact.org for more information on the schedule, scholarships or to sign up.

AACT offers lots of opportunities to be involved on and off stage. AACT is a volunteer organization that depends on the time and energy of many wonderful people from within the community. There’s something for everyone. Please visit www.auburnact.org to find our volunteer interest form or email info@auburnact.org to get involved. Follow AuburnACT on Facebook or keep up with us at www. AuburnACT.org for the latest information on auditions, volunteer opportunities, tickets and more.

SEAN DIETRICH

AACT >> FROM A9

as his entrée, while I chose sesame chicken.

My brother Mike ordered hot and sour soup and General Tso’s chicken. Sandi selected egg drop soup and moo goo gai pan.

All of us ordered fried rice because this is Alabama; anything fried just naturally tastes better.

I could probably eat an old boot if it were fried correctly.

Well, it was feeding time at the zoo all over again. We got quiet because the food was oh, my three times good. Rick Hagans, you have great taste in Chinese restaurants. Thank you!

Trust me; run and do not walk to Taste of Asia. You’ll probably run into Mike and me.

Besides our tasty dishes, Taste of Asia serves diners a large variety of chicken, pork, beef, seafood and vegetable entrees, some of which include: steamed spare ribs with black bean sauce, pepper steak with onion, Szechuan chicken, honey walnut shrimp and vegetable delight. Taste of Asia also serves lunch specials for just $6.95, which is a real bargain in these inflationary times.

Mike and Sandi, this

review was for you. Please come to visit us in Sweet Home Alabama more often. Love you bunches!

Taste of Asia is open on Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Taste of Asia makes the grade with an A+

from this retired English teacher. Remember, “Pooh-sized” people NEVER lie about food. Enjoy!

Stacey Patton Wallace, who retired from teaching language arts for 30 years, is a professional diner. Her column, “Making the

Grade,” will appear every other week in The Observer. Stacey may be reached at retiredlangartsteacher2020@ gmail.com

previously sung in choirs-either church or school.”

The Chorale sings a wide variety of literature both sacred and secular. The Christmas Concert will include works by Handel, Vivaldi, Mendelssohn, John Rutter, John Trotta and Dan Forrest. Titles include “The First Noel”, “What Sweeter Music”, “Do You Hear What I Hear?”, “The

Little Drummer Boy” and “Believe” (from the Polar Express) and “O Little Town of Bethlehem”. The group will conclude the concert with Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus”.

Brad White is the assistant conductor of the Chorale and Liza Weisbrod is the pianist.

“We cordially invite those in the east Alabama area who enjoy singing and have had choral experience, to join us as we embark on this new season,” the group said.

Tasteof Asia is located at 3750 Pepperell Parkway in Opelika.

WALTER ALBRITTON

RELIGION —

Awoman of my acquaintance loved this poem and often quoted it as she shared her faith with others:

Planting Alleluias in a Child’s Heart

Child"

"Greenless

by Ann Weems

I watched her go uncelebrated into the second grade, A greenless child, Gray among the orange and yellow, Attached too much to corners and to other people's sunshine. She colors the rainbow brown And leaves balloons unopened in their packages.

Oh, who will touch this greenless child?

Who will plant alleluias

in her heart

And send her dancing into all the colors of God?

Or will she be left like an unwrapped package on the kitchen table -Too dull for anyone to take the trouble?

Does God think we're her keeper?

Ann Weems was a gifted American poet who died at age 81 in 2016. A Presbyterian elder and lecturer, she was called the “Presbyterian Poet Laureate.” Her poetry touches the heart in deep places.

While going through my books, I came across a New Testament of the woman who loved Weems’ poem. She had written the poem in the flyleaf of her Bible. As I paused to read it, I remembered the woman telling me why she loved it.

“Growing up,” she said, “I was that Greenless child. I was dressed in gray, grieving over the death of my father during the second grade, while my school friends wore orange and yellow. My rainbows were more brown than blue. I was that unwrapped

OBITUARIES

and devotion.

duty at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, during the Berlin Wall crisis in order to ready his Army Reserve Company for combat duty in Germany. On a trip to Germany for training, he met Callie Mae Williams, an American Airlines flight attendant. In 1964 they were married; their meeting and life together were a true love story.

George Kenneth Parkman was born in Russell County, Alabama, on June 9, 1935, to Hilda Maggie Bryant and Leslie Huell Parkman. In 1946, the family moved to Salem, Alabama, where they ran a general merchandise grocery store for twenty years.

A 1953 graduate of Opelika High School, George earned a degree in Industrial Engineering from Auburn University in 1957. A member of Phi Kappa Tau fraternity and the Army ROTC, he was commissioned as Second Lieutenant upon graduation.

After working as an industrial engineer for Southern Bell Telephone Company, George was assigned to the Army Corps of Engineers in Germany from 1958 to 1960 where he attained the rank of captain. In 1961 he was recalled to active

After a brief return to Southern Bell Telephone in 1962, George joined Morbark Debarker as a sales engineer. In 1964, he was hired by Taylor Machine Works, a manufacturer of large forklift trucks, as a factory sales representative for Louisiana and Arkansas, and in 1966, he and his family moved to Ruston, Louisiana. In 1981, after having become a dealer, he established Arkla Taylor Inc., with sales and parts facilities in Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas.

After receiving many top dealer awards, in 2011, Arkla Taylor was sold to Hugh and Hall Inc. George stayed involved in the business community as owner of Stor-a-Way Mini Storage, a self-storage facility in Ruston.

George contributed his time and financial support to Four Paws Rescue in Ruston, where he was also a member

of the Ruston Kiwanis Club and Trinity Methodist Church. In his free time, he enjoyed duck, deer and pheasant hunting with friends, his daughters and grandchildren. He was a lifelong Auburn Tiger and always enjoyed football season. His favorite activity was spending time with his family in Crested Butte, Colorado, where he enjoyed fly fishing and snow skiing. Tennis was a lifelong passion of George’s, especially playing doubles with his friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents; brothers Huell Parkman, Charles Parkman and Robert Parkman; sisters Elizabeth Noe and Mary Colman. Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Callie Mae Parkman; daughters Carol Parkman Williams and Laura Ligon Parkman McElroy and son-in-law Robert McElroy; grandchildren Maggie and Jack Williams; sister Betty Letlow and numerous nieces and nephews.

Honorary pallbearers include Darryl Johnson, John O’Neal, Ed Shell, Johnny Maxwell, James Mays and Robbie James.

George’s family would like to give special recognition and thanks to Dr. Tommy Smith and all of the caregivers for their care

Visitation was held Wednesday, Sept. 6, at Trinity Methodist Church prior to a Memorial Service in the Burkhalter Chapel.The Rev. Doug DeGraffenreid officiated. A private family burial service followed under the direction of Kilpatrick Funeral Home of Ruston, Louisiana. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Four Paws Rescue or the charity of your choice.

LYNN S. WOODROW

Lynn S. Woodrow, 75 of Auburn, died at her home on Aug. 29, 2023, after a long illness.

Lynn was born in Troy, New York in 1948, to Laurel B. and Donald L. Scott. She was raised in Troy and graduated from Our Lady of Victory School and Catholic Central High School. She continued her education at Samaritan Hospital School of Nursing and graduated as a registered nurse. Her nursing career started at Samaritan Hospital in the area she loved — labor and delivery. While a student at Samaritan she met her future husband. He survives her after over

package that everyone ignored.

“But, I did not remain greenless,” she said. One day Jesus came into my life. He began planting alleluias in my heart and sent me dancing into all the rich colors of God. It’s because of what Jesus did for me that all my life I have looked for 'greenless' children, especially girls. And whenever I found one, I tried to plant alleluias in her heart.”

To do that, she often made and gave uncelebrated children large

and colorful Raggedy Ann dolls, praying that the loving gift would inspire them to begin dancing in the beautiful colors of God.

I have no idea how many children she rescued from a greenless life. I do know it was a signal honor to have watched her tireless efforts to plant alleluias in the hearts of little children, all the while dancing herself in the colors of God.

Who was that woman? She was my wife, Dean Albritton, whose memory evokes alleluias in my heart.

53 years of marriage.

Lynn was preceded in death by her parents and is survived by her husband, Philip T. Woodrow; her son, Philip T. Woodrow Jr.; daughter-in-law Judy Lynn Woodrow and grandsons, Philip T. Woodrow Ill and Zachary Shafer. In addition, she is survived by her sister, Donna Young (Brian); brother, David Scott (Vicki); niece, Kris Mclssac (Jim) and Ian Young (Michelle). She is also survived by an aunt, Norma B. Dixon and numerous cousins.

A funeral mass was held Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023 at St. Michael the Archangel Church in Auburn. Interment will be at Evergreen Cemetery in Wynantskill, New York, on a date to be determined.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Lynn's memory to CurePSP (wwwwww.psp. org/); Lee County Humane Society (www. leecountyhumane.org/) or the charity of your choice.

JOHN ELLA "JOHNNIE" E. KEANE

John Ella “Johnnie” E. Keane, age 89 of Auburn, passed away

Aug. 28, 2023. A Mass of Christian Burial was held Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023, at St. Michael’s Catholic Church with Father Michael Farmer officiating. The family received friends at the church prior to the Mass. Burial followed in Town Creek Cemetery.

Mrs. Keane was born on April 29, 1934. She was a graduate of Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in New Orleans, Louisana in 1955. She served as an officer in the United States Air Force Nursing Corps where she met her husband of 62 years. She gave up her career to raise four children but remained active as a volunteer in both church and school activities. She was a communicant of St. Bede Parish in Montgomery for 25 years until she moved to Auburn in 2005.

Mrs. Keane is survived by her children Philip (Cathy) Keane of Cleveland, Georgia; Kevin Keane, decedent; Diane (Jason) Blunt of Delray Beach, Florida, Maureen (Rob) Fain of Auburn; grandchildren: Ashley (Jason) Babicka of Charleston, South Carolina, Christine Antinoro of Hiram, Georgia, Christopher Keane of Cleveland, Georgia, Grayson, Cooper, Phelps, Lyla See OBITUARIES, page A15

GEORGE KENNETH PARKMAN

RELIGION —

We recently had new flooring

installed in our house.

It wasn’t a choice but a necessity. Our washing machine expired and as

Living in the Light

a parting gift left us with a couple of inches of water throughout much of the house, ruining the flooring. We decided to go with a lighter colored flooring (Okay, Janice picked out the flooring and I went along with it because I have the good sense to trust her taste and judgment.).

The new floor is down now, and the difference is more noticeable than I thought it would be. The previous flooring was darker — more than I had realized, because now when I walk into the house I’m struck not only by the brighter look, but also by how it brightens

everything else in the house. It’s as if the interior of our house has been transformed from a listless fall day to radiant springtime. This caused me to think about how our attitude is like flooring of a house. It sets the tone for how we look at everything else in life. If we adopt a negative attitude, it darkens whatever we think about. But it we choose to look on the sunny side, it brings brightness to all things.

I’m not talking about toxic positivity but the optimism that faith brings — the confidence that comes

from believing that God is ultimately in control of things rather than us. This means that though there will be disappointments, difficulties and even darkness at times — none of these has to be the final word unless we gloom and doom our way into making them that. After all, the worst event in human history, the crucifixion of Christ, was followed by His glorious resurrection and this pattern is promised to disciples (2 Timothy 2:11ff). That being so, it takes the starch out of the darkness and brightens everything.

Jesus said He is

BIBLE VERSE OF THE WEEK

the light of the world (John 8:12), so if we’re following Him, it means we’re living in the light. It means the presence of Christ in our lives has brightened everything. We don’t have to walk around as one person said, “Smiling like we’ve slept with a clothes hanger in our mouth,” but we can and should reflect the light of our Lord in our words, deeds and attitude.

There’s nothing that beats living in the light.

You can find more of Green’s writings at his website: a-taste-ofgrace-with-bruce-green. com.

We were born only yesterday and know nothing, and our days on earth are but a shadow.

CHURCH DIRECTORY

NON-DENOMINATIONAL

ANGLICAN

The Good Shepherd Anglican Church

3015 Opelika Road, Opelika

APOSTOLIC HOLINESS

God’s House of Prayers Holiness Church

301 Highland Ave., Opelika

334-749-9672

BAPTIST

Beulah Baptist Church

5500 Lee Road 270, Valley 334-705-0538

AFB - Cooperative Baptist Fellowship 128 East Glenn Ave., Auburn

334-887-8506

Friendship Missionary Baptist Church 3089 Judge Brown Road Valley 334-710-2117

Greater Peace Missionary Baptist Church 650 Jeter Ave., Opelika 334-749-9487

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

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

Providence Baptist Church 2807 Lee Road 166, Opelika 334-745-4608

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

CHURCH OF CHRIST 10th Street Church Of Christ 500 N. 10th St., Opelika 334-745-5181

Church Of Christ 2215 Marvyn Pkwy., Opelika 334-742-9721

Southside Church Of Christ 405 Carver Ave., Opelika 334-745-6015

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

EPISCOPAL- AME

Saint Luke AME Church 1308 Auburn St., Opelika 334-749-1690

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

METHODIST

Auburn United Methodist Church 137 South Gay St., Auburn 334-826-8800

Beulah United Methodist Church 5165 Lee Road 270, Valley 334-745-4755

Bridge Church of AL 315 2nd Ave., Opelika 334-363-0552

Church At Opelika 1901 Waverly Pkwy., Opelika 334-524-9148

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

Father’s House Christian Fellowship 214 Morris, Ave., Opelika

Living Waters Ministry Center 3005 Lafayette Parkway, Opelika

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

Waverly 334-401-1014

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

PRESBYTERIAN Providence Presbyterian Church 1103 Glenn St., Opelika 256-405-8697

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

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

BRUCE GREEN

Teaching Minister at 10th Street Church of Christ in Opelika

— Job 8:9

CONTRIBUTED BY LCHS

BY AUDREY SALAZAR

COUNTY —

LEE

At the Lee County Humane Society, we are committed to providing the best possible care to our furry friends. We believe that every dog deserves a loving and caring home, which is why we have developed a special program called the Lonely Hearts Club. The Lonely Hearts Club is specifically designed for our longest-term canine residents who have been with us for an extended period of time. These dogs often require extra attention and care, which is why we have created this program to give them the special treatment they deserve.

Through the Lonely Hearts Club, we strive to promote these dogs and help them find their forever

OBITUARIES >>

FROM A13

Fain of Auburn; greatgrandchildren Cameron Schulz of Hiram, Harbor, Joah Babicka of Charleston; sister Dorothy (Michael) McMahon of Houston, Texas; brother-inlaw Paul Keane of Brentwood, New Hampshire, and several nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers the family suggests Masses for Mrs. Keane or a memorial contribution to a charity of one’s choice.

Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home directed.

MARY NELLE SUMMERS HESTER

Mary Nelle Summers Hester, age 100, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023, in Opelika. She was born to Carl and Mattie Will Summers on Oct. 6, 1922, in Lee County, Alabama, on the family farm. Her father worked as a third generation farmer and her mother was a home economics teacher at Beulah School. She was raised on the farm with her older sister, Dorothy,

Lonely Hearts Club at LCHS

homes. We work tirelessly to match them with the right family and provide them with the love and care they need to thrive. Our goal is to ensure that every dog that enters our facility has the opportunity to find a permanent home and live a happy life.

To achieve this, we rely on the support of our volunteers and fosters who provide additional care and attention to these dogs. Our volunteers who are approved dog walkers, can take our dogs on walks around our shelter, or take them off-site to parks or other dog friendly place. This not only helps to socialize the dogs but also gives them a break from the kennel environment. Similarly, with fostering, our dogs get well-deserved time out of their kennels and in a home for a few days.

and her younger brother, Carl Jr. After graduating from Beulah High School, she attended Huntington College for one year and later transferred to Auburn University where she graduated with a degree in early childhood education.

After graduation, she journeyed to Vanport, Oregon, for one year to work as a caregiver for children of working mothers who were employed in the shipbuilding industry assisting with the war effort. She then returned to Auburn where she became the first director of the Child Development Center on campus for married couples. While at Auburn, she met an architecture student from Birmingham, Harry Hester, and they married in Lee County. They moved to Birmingham where she was active in the raising of four children. In the early 1980's, she returned to the family farm in Lee County where she has lived since.

Mary Nelle stayed active in Auburn United Methodist Church and community civic affairs until 2017 when

a hip fracture made it impossible for her to drive on her own. Mentally alert and active, she enjoyed keeping abreast of current events in Washington and locally. She leaves behind a daughter Martha Stagg (Jim) of Shelby, Alabama, two sons, Kenneth (Liz) Hester of Pensacola, Florida, and Wayne (Elizabeth) of Birmingham. She also leaves behind five grandchildren Allison Stagg (Mike), Mackenzie Stagg, Haley Knight (Zachary), Summers Hester, Georgeann Hester and two great-grandchildren. She is pre-deceased by her son Carl Hester, her parents Carl and Mattie Will Summers, her brother Carl Summers Jr. and her sister, Dorothy Cooper.

The family would also like to extend heartfelt thanks to her caregivers Mary, Mae Ola, Veronica, Geraldine and Alicia for their loving care for the last four years.

A graveside service was held Friday, Sept. 1, at 11 a.m. at Auburn Memorial Park Cemetery located at 1000 E. Samford Ave. in Auburn.

Frederick-Dean Funeral Home handled all arrangements.

CASSANDRA MILLS

A memorial service for Cassandra Mills, 68, of Decatur, Georgia, formerly of Opelika, was held at 11a.m. (CST), Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, at True Deliverance Holiness Church in Auburn.

Bishop Nolan Torbert, Pastor Elder Abraham Harris I and Eulogist Elder Doris Kyles officiated.

Ms. Mills, who passed away Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023, in Decatur, was born Aug. 24, 1955, in Lee County, Alabama.

At an early age, she confessed Christ and received the precious gift of the Holy Ghost. She was a lifelong member of Tabernacle Church of God Jesus Only under the leadership of the late Bishop Abraham Harris Sr. where she served as secretary, choir director and praise leader.

Cassandra graduated from Opelika High School in 1973. Upon graduation,

she attended Opelika Technical College and received a degree in business administration. Prior to relocating to Decatur, Georgia, she was employed at Opelika-Auburn News. Later, Cassandra began working at the Jewish Family and Career Services where she was a dedicated employee for more than 20 years.

She leaves to cherish her memory, special aunt as a mother figure, Kathleen Strickland of Opelika; four siblings Abraham

Each of these also helps us learn more about the dogs’ personalities, helping us to match them with the right adoptive family.

In short, the Lonely Hearts Club is a testament to our commitment to the well-being of our furry friends. We take pride in our work and are dedicated to providing the best possible care to every dog that comes through our doors.

Meet our current Lonely Heart Club Dogs; Hollis - Female, been with us for 272 days

Iggy - Female, been with us for 234 days, currently in a foster home.

Luna - Female, been with us for 229 days, currently in a foster home.

Emma - Female, been with us for 199 days

Alaska - Female, been with us for 197 days

(Donyal) Harris of Sugar Hill, Georgia, Annette (Rickey) Pitts of Opelika, Sandra (Josue) Mateo of Orange Park, Florida, and Bryan Harris of Atlanta, Georgia; two godchildren, Benjamin (Natalie) Harris of Dallas, Texas, and Raquel Mateo of Orange Park, Florida; two aunts, Dorothy Strickland and Carrie Strickland both of Opelika and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Fall Author Series Begins Sept. 8 at Auburn Public Library

What's Happening in Lee County

FARMER'S MARKETS

Thursdays 3 to 6 p.m., Auburn University Ag Heritage Park Market, Auburn

Saturdays 8 to 11 a.m., Camp Hill, Mt. Lovely Baptist Church, 21900 Sen Claude Pepper Dr., Camp Hill (Hwy 50) through Sept. 30

LEE/RUSSELL COUNTY LOW VISION SUPPORT GROUP

CONTRIBUTED BY THE CITY OF AUBURN / CYNTHIA L. LEDBETTER

AUBURN —

The Auburn Public Library invites the public to a series of local author visits this fall.

Friday, Sept. 8, noon –Mark & Laura Steltenpohl

Ever wonder about the rocks along the roadside?

The public is invited to join Mark & Laura Steltenpohl for a lunch-and-learn to talk about Alabama’s rich geological history. Attendees are welcome to bring a sack lunch. Books will be available for purchase, and an author signing will follow the event.

Saturday, Oct. 7, 2 p.m. –Allan & Dottie Gravely

Allan & Dottie Gravely have authored numerous Christian nonfiction titles, such as “Shoe Leather Church: Boots on the Ground Faith” (Allan) as well as personal memoirs, including “Alabama and Beyond: Creating a Lasting Legacy” (Dottie). Books will be available for purchase, and an author signing will follow the event.

Saturday, Oct. 14, 1 p.m.

– Emberly Zellars Children’s author Emberly Zellars will read from her debut book, “My Friend Maddy,” at Movers & Shakers story time. Free promotional items will be available, and signed copies of her book will be available for purchase. These events are free and

open to the public. For more information, email Library Events or call 334-501-3296.

The Auburn Public Library was established in 1947 to serve the residents of Auburn, Alabama. Today, the Auburn Public Library inspires, enriches and delights our residents with vital and valuable resources, services and experiences. The Auburn Public Library provides residents with a collection that reflects the diverse and dynamic interests of our community, with access to public technology and information resources and with programs and activities that contribute to an engaged, literate and informed society. The Auburn Public Library is located at 749 E. Thach Ave.

My name is Tytiana "Ty" Thomas from Beauregard, a small community outside of Opelika. I was the Beauregard 2017 Homecoming Queen and will be taking on New York Fashion Week "The Model Experience" in New York. I am super excited for my first time in New York Fashion Week. I've always wanted to attend big events like this since beauty pageants at my school. Starting at the age of 9, I have been modeling and attending acting workshops. I will be a graduate at Alabama A&M University, Huntsville, this fall in communication media. I have been patient, humble and kept my faith in God. Never give up on your dreams, always stay true to who you are and never give up.

The group meets every month on the third Wednesday from 1:30 to 3 p.m. The meeting will be held at the AIDB-Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind Opelika Regional Center on 355 Dunlop Drive in Opelika. Every month different topics are discussed to make life more manageable living with low vision. Contact Shiquita Fulton, M. ED/Vision Rehab therapist for additional details at 334-705-2024, or Melody Wilson, case manager for the blind, at 256-368-3258.

COFFEE & CONVERSATION WITH VFW POST 5404

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

AUBURN/OPELIKA MOPS ANNOUNCE 2023-24 MEETING DATES

Auburn/Opelika MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) and MOMSNext meet at Pepperell Baptist Church located at 2702 2nd Ave. in Opelika.

The next meetings scheduled are:

- Oct. 5, 19 - Nov. 2, 16

- Dec. 7 - Jan. 18 - Feb. 1, 15

- March 7, 21

- April 4, 18

- May 2 Contact Rachel Elrod at 706244-5620 or Kaela Sexton at 719351-8093 for further information.

NAMI MEETING

NAMI East Alabama, the local affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), will meet Sept. 20, 2023, at 7 p.m. NAMI supports families dealing with mental illness through mutual support, education and advocacy. There will be a time for sharing. The public is invited. Meetings are held at 714 E. Glenn Ave. in Auburn.

Spring rolls from Taste of Asia in Opelika, located at 3750 Pepperell Parkway.

Schools & S

BY D. MARK MITCHELL

OHS Football Wins Region Opener

OPINION —

The OHS football team (1-1, R 1-0) returned to Cramton Bowl last Thursday for the second week in a row to play a football game. The trip was happier than week one; Opelika beat region foe JAG (Jeff Davis) 36-16 in the region opener. Opelika scored 29 points in the first half and seven in the fourth quarter for a total of 36 points. Jordan Tolbert scored the first TD on a 48-yard reception from quarterback Roman Gagliano. Will Carrol kicked the first of four PAT’s. Calvin Hughley opened the second quarter with a 1-yard TD run; Tolbert caught his second pass for a 23-yard TD; Hughley ran 27 yards for his second TD; and Jamari Miller caught a 20-yard pass from Gagliano for a score.

The Bulldogs gained 352 yards, 227 passing and 125 rushing, while holding the Jaguars to 88 rushing yards and 142 passing yards.

Opelika will play

Percy Julian High

School (formally Robert E Lee) at Bulldog Stadium Friday night in the home opener at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at gofan.co, at Bubbas Medicine Shop and Victory Designs until noon Friday, and at the Bulldog Stadium ticket off at 5:30p Friday.

Percy Julian (1-1) beat Lanier 21-0 in the opener and was blown out by Dothan (42-6) last week. Opelika leads the series 14-10 but has won 11 games in a row going back to 1999, including the last three years in a row.

This is another game where Opelika has the better program and team. The Bulldogs hope to keep improving knowing Central is the next on the schedule with the game scheduled at GarrettHarrsion Stadium and Wayne Trawick Field in Phenix City.

You can listen to the game on radio by tuning in to WKKR 97.7 KICKER FM, online at kickerfm. com., on the free

See ON THE MARK, page B5

Friday Night Lights - B2

Thursday,

Friday Night Lights Recap: Week 2

BY MICHELLE KEY MICHELLE@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

LEE COUNTY —

Stadium lights across the county were fully lit last Friday night as the majority of local teams entered into the second week of their high school football schedules.

Editor’s Note: Full recaps of the Auburn, Opelika, the Beulah v. Loachapoka games can be found on pages B1 and B2, or online by clicking the “Sports” tab at opelikaobserver. com.

AUBURN | ENTERPRISE

The Hornets continued its winning streak with a blowout against Central – Hayneville Friday night 47- 0.

Auburn High lost its game against Enterprise, 17-16, after Enterprise scored a field goal with just three seconds remaining in the game. Auburn will meet Dothan for an away game on

See WEEK 2, page B3

Opelikian Wins Bassmaster Angler of the Year

Kyle

“I don’t think it has really set in yet,” Welcher told Bassmaster. “I can’t believe it is true yet. It is my biggest accomplishment so far. I’m super proud of it and I feel like it will be a good kickstarter.”

Welcher outlasted South Carolina pros Brandon Cobb and Patrick Walters to win the AOY title and the $100,000 prize that comes with it.

Welcher of Opelika won the 2023 Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year title in Clayton, New York, last week.

Poka Pushes Past Beulah

The City of Opelika is proud to sponsor the Opelika High School Player of the Week. We applaud you for your HARD WORK and DEDICATION on and off the football field.

Senior QB Roman Gagliano - 19-of-29 passing for 238 yards, 3 TD

of the

AUBURN — Sophomore RB Omar Mabson - 15 carries for 83 yards, TD

BEAUREGARD — Junior WR KaJaden Holloway - 3 catches, 101 yards, 1 TD

BEULAH — Senior DE Bronson

DuBose - 13 tackles, 9 solo, 4 assisted, 1 sack

Lee County Sheriff’s Office is proud to support our local athletes!

The varsity Loachapoka (1A) football team defeated Beulah (2A), 14-12, in a non-region away game

Friday, Sept. 1. The win moves Loachapoka to 2-0 and Beulah to 1-1 on the season.

Sept. 8 at 7 p.m.

BEAUREGARD | CENTRALHAYNEVILLE

The Hornets continued their winning streak with a blowout, 47-0 win against Central–Hayneville Friday night. This was a non-region game for Beauregard. The next game will be at home, against Valley, on Sept. 8 at 7 p.m.

BEULAH | LOACHAPOKA

The Bobcats started off their season with a win, but lost Friday night to Loachapoka, 14-12. This was Loachapoka’s second win of the season and Beulah’s first loss. Beulah will meet Saks in another home game on Sept. 8 at 7 p.m., while Loachapoka will take on Verbena in a home game Sept. 8 at 7 p.m.

Hornets Blank Visitors, Move to 2-0

OPELIKA | JAG (MONTGOMERY)

Opelika saw a win come in its first region game of the season against JAG (Montgomery) Friday night as it defeated rolled to a 36–16 victory. Opelika will go up against Percy Julian at home Friday, Sept. 8 at 7 p.m.

SMITHS STATION | CENTRAL (PHENIX CITY)

The No. 2 ranked Central Red Devils smashed the Smiths Stations Panthers Friday night, 51 – 0. This gave Central its second win of the season and Smiths Stations its second loss. The Panther’s next game will be in Prattville on Friday, Sept. 8 at 7 p.m.

GLENWOOD | FORT DALE

ACADEMY

Glenwood maintained its undefeated status Friday night with a 35-7 win in its away region game against Fort

GLENWOOD

Senior LB Trent Gilliland

-10 tackles, 2 for loss, 1 pass deflection

Dale Academy from Greenville. Glenwood is now 3-0 and is ranked third in the AISA AAA. The Gators will play

an away game against Bessemer Academy Friday, Sept. 8 at 8 p.m.

LEE-SCOTT Senior RB Jonathan Meyers 88 yards rushing, 2 TD

Lee-Scott Academy is still churning out the W’s, gaining its 15th in a row by beating Monroe Academy 51-0 in its

game last week. The Warriors will be home Friday, Sept. 8, for their game against Morgan Academy at 7 p.m.

Junior QB Quinjavis

The varsity Beauregard Hornets (5A) welcomed Central-Hayneville (2A) to its field Friday, Sept. 1, and dispatched the Lions with a 47-0 win. The victory moves Beauregard to 2-0 on the season.

LEE - SCOTT | MONROE

PHOTOS BY

JERRY BALLAS

Lee-Scott Dashes Past Monroe for 15th Straight Victory Enterprise Defeats Auburn on Last Second Field Goal

BY HALI CAMERON FOR THE OBSERVER

AUBURN —

On Friday night the Auburn Tigers took on the Enterprise Wildcats at home at Duck-Samford Stadium. While showers covered the Duck for most of the night, that didn't stop the Wildcats from scoring two touchdowns in the first quarter, making the score 14-0 in favor of Enterprise.

BY NOAH GRIFFITH FOR THE OBSERVER

AUBURN ––

It looked different for Lee-Scott having last year’s AISA Back of the Year, George Myers, watching from the stands, but his brother was one of four backs to find the end zone on Friday night in a 51-0 thumping of Monroe at home.

Senior Jonathan Myers caught a touchdown pass from junior quarterback Pelzer Reeves before running one in for the Warriors’ first two offensive scores of the night. There were a lot more of those, as Lee-Scott scored on seven of eight offensive drives including rushing TDs from Myers, Banks Sims, Tyler Kennedy and Braxton Cox.

“Last week was kind of a down game running the ball, and then to come out here and dominate the way we did was the best feeling in the world,” Myers said.

The Warriors squeaked by Chambers with a 14-6 win to begin the season, but they picked up where they left off last season in their 15th consecutive victory. While improving to 2-0, they pitched their first shutout of the year after blanking seven opponents last season.

The run game

prevailed, and the Warriors controlled the field position throughout. Monroe never made it past the Lee-Scott 40-yard line, and the Warriors broke off big runs throughout the night, ending with sophomore backup QB Ethan Hardee ripping off a 62-yard keeper in his first appearance with the team after transferring in from Mississippi following last season.

According to head coach Buster Daniel, the shift in offensive output from week one to week two is, in large part, due to improved play on the offensive line.

“I was really impressed (with the running game), but it starts up front,” Daniel said. “Our linemen did a lot better this week, and we had a couple freshman score there at the end. So I’m real proud of the whole team for coming back and performing like we did tonight.”

On a rainy night full of Warrior scores, the onslaught started with a snap over the Monroe punter’s head that was recovered by Lee-Scott for a TD. From then on, Lee-Scott never looked back and scored three more TDs before senior kicker Matthew Rolader ended the first half by nailing a 44-yard field goal to make it a 31-0 lead at

halftime.

Ending the scoring in a 20-point second half was Cox, another freshman who was playing on varsity for the first time. The Warriors scored on all three second-half possessions, aided by good field position.

Defensively, the Warriors forced six Monroe punts, two turnovers on downs in addition to a Kennedy interception in opposing territory in the second quarter.

“[Our defense] played extremely well,” Daniel said. “[Monroe’s] offense is hard to defend. They come straight at you, and if we weren’t able to stop the run it was gonna be a long night, but our guys stepped up. We played well, and I was proud of our defense.”

In a complete team effort, Lee-Scott opposed its will on Monroe, and it might have begun to find its own identity — a separate identity from the one George Myers and the Warriors formed in the route to a state championship last season.

The newest Myers, Jonathan and the Warriors will return home next week to face Morgan Academy at 7 p.m. CST as they continue their quest for back-toback state titles with a chance to extend their win streak to 16 games.

After being held scoreless during the first two quarters, the Tigers’ running back, Omar Mabson, finally broke through the Wildcats’ defense on a pass from quarterback Jackson Kilgore, making the score, 7-14.

“We depend on him to play well and to make

plays,” said Auburn head coach Keith Ehteredge of Kilgore. “He’s got to learn from it, but we knew coming in this season it was going to be tough on him”.

Umbrellas and raincoats continued to fill the stadium as the cloudy, wet weather on the field caused many slip-ups for the Tigers.

Despite allowing two early scores to Enterprise, Etheredge lauded his defense and said, “defense is what kept us in the game.” After forcing several turnovers and interceptions, the Tigers made the contest close in an impressive comeback effort.

While it wasn't the start the Tigers wanted, the squad battled back in the

fourth quarter to make the score 16-14 in favor of the hosts.

However, Auburn couldn't keep their hands on the ball long enough late in the game Friday night, and with three seconds left in the game, the Wildcats kicked a game-winning field goal to escape Duck-Samford with a win.

“This loss is on me,” Etheredge said. “We’ll come to work on Sunday, come to get better and win this game on Friday.”

On Friday night the Auburn Tigers also shined light on former player and NFL Hall-of-Famer Demarcus Ware.

Auburn (1-1) will visit Dothan next Friday, Sept. 8, at 7 p.m.

August Athletes of the Month Winners

AUBURN HIGH SCHOOL

• TJ Autrey — Track and Field

BEAUREGARD HIGH SCHOOL

• Hannah Helms-Childers — Cheer

• Arron Standridge — Football

BEULAH HIGH SCHOOL

• Demarion Foreman — Football

GLENWOOD SCHOOL

Olivia Slocumb — Volleyball

Camden White — Football

LEE - SCOTT ACADEMY

• Janie Belle Robertson — Cheer

• Rikki Alvarado — Football

LOACHAPOKA HIGH SCHOOL

Jakeeria Melton — Flag Football, Track and Field

Quinton Cooks — Football, Track and Field

OPELIKA HIGH SCHOOL

• Brodie White —Band

SMITHS STATION HIGH SCHOOL

• No entries

TRINITY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

• Bronx Duval — Track and Field

HOMESCHOOL ATHLETES

• No entries

Winners will receive a gift certificate valid for a free pizza buffet from Mr. Gatti's Pizza in Opelika.

*Editor's Note: Not all groups had entries in all catergories.

Nominate Your Favorite Athletes of the Month

Thank you to all our sponsors: Mr.Gatti's Pizza, State Rep. Debbie Wood, Kelley Legacy Law, Chick-fil-A Tiger Town, Christie Hill State Farm, Johnstone Supply, O Town and USA Cajun Station.

www.opelikaobserver.com/september-athletes-of-the-month-contest/

BRODIE WHITE

ON THE MARK >>

FROM B1

iHeartradio app on your smartphone. You can watch the game online by going to NFHSnetwork.com, opening a free account and paying to watch the game.

OHS FLAG FOOTBALL

Opelika High's girls flag football team started the 2023 with an overtime loss to Prattville, followed by a 36-0 win over Valley.

The (1-1) Lady Bulldogs are led by first-year head coach Mike Murray, who was promoted to the position after coach Jaclyn Button resigned in the offseason.

Murray worked on the high school football staff under coaches McCracken, Blackmon, Ross and Speakman. He worked one season as an assistant on the flag football team last year.

Appearing on ‘On the Mark' radio show on FOX Sports the Game (iHeartRadio), Murray

OHS Volleyball Off to Swinging Start

PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER

talked about building a girls’ flag football program by starting a flag football team with seventh, eighth and ninth grade girls. This will allow more girls to participate at a younger age and gain experience before starting high school. Murray said he was proud to add former Smiths Station head flag football coach as his top assistant. Larson, an OHS graduate, guided the Lady Panthers to the first-ever flag football championship game in AHSAA history.

Larson's experience will help Opelika in many ways, including growing and developing the program.

Opelika hosts Central, Sept. 13, at 5 p.m. in Bulldog Stadium.

VOLLEYBALL

Opelika's Volleyball team dominated Benjamin Russell in three sets last week. The girls played excellent in a sound win over the Lady Wildcats (25-19, 25-21, 25-22) in the

home opener. Ashley Durham had six aces to secure the win for the Volley Dawgs.

Opelika's junior varsity will play at Auburn High on Saturday morning at 9 a.m. The varsity’s next home match is Sept. 14 against Beauregard.

CROSS COUNTRY

Opelika cross country teams ran in the "Panther Invitational" last week, hosted by Smiths Station High School. The following are Opelika's individual results, girls and boys mixed.

9:58.41 - Brantley

Turnham - 9th - Stage 2 results

11:06.13 - Murphy

Williams - 27th - Stage

2 results

11:09.95 - Aiden

Stephens - 29th - Stage

2 results

11:33.87 - Ben Bell33rd - Stage 2 results

11:45.56 - Drew

Schoonoven - 19th -

Stage 1 results

11:50.52 - Burch

Harris - 40th - Stage 2

results

11:54.10 - Trevor

Thompson - 22ndStage 1 results

11:59.74 - Caleb

Thornton - 26th - Stage

1 results

12:00.33 - Caroline

Couey - 2nd - Stage 1

results

12:09.34 - Zane

Sexton - 46th - Stage 2

results

12:19.71 - Kaden Hua

- 48th - Stage 2 results

12:21.55 - Tripp

Campbell - 49th - Stage

2 results

12:26.62 - Seth Huling

- 32nd - Stage 1 results

12:52.83 - Justin

Watson - 55th - Stage 2

results

13:07.99 - John Greer -

44th - Stage 1 results

13:12.09 - Daylan

Sanders - 58th - Stage 2 results

13:12.96 - Evan

Decker - 59th - Stage 2 results

13:27.98 - Teotl

Heredia - 61st - Stage 2 results

13:51.04 - Violett

Alcorn - 29th - Stage 2 results

14:32.95 - Javis Bedell - 64th - Stage 2 results

14:36.04 - Frida Cruz

Valdez - 31st - Stage 2 results

15:05.68 - Ephraim

Thornton - 66th - Stage

1 results

15:07.15 - Alyson

Culberson - 28th - Stage

1 results

15:30.21 - Ellie

Kendrick - 42nd - Stage 2 results

15:40.80 - Heidi

Peralta Fernandez - 43rd - Stage 2 results

16:22.16 - Carlie

Moates - 50th - Stage 2 results

17:27.58 - Kiley

Brooks - 55th - Stage 2 results

The cross-country team runs in the "Trailblazer Invitational" in Montgomery, Saturday at 9 a.m.

TIDBITS

Auburn High lost a tough game to Enterprise, 17-16, on a last-second Wildcat field goal last Friday night. The game was costly to Auburn's quarterback. He was injured during

the game and is expected to be out for an undisclosed amount of time. Tigers’ head coach Keith Etheredge said he has several options, including moving receiver Ian Nation to QB.

Lee-Scott continues to dominate the AISA, thumping Monroe 51-0 Friday night behind three TD's and 88 rushing yards from Jonathan "JJ" Meyers. The Warriors should continue to dominate as Morgan Academy comes to Judd Scott Field on the LSA campus Friday night.

Beauregard is looking to go 3-0 against Valley and 1-0 in the region at Richard Brown Field.

D. Mark Mitchell is the sports director at iHeartMedia, host of “On the Mark” Fox Sports the Game 9101319, co-chair of the Auburn-Opelika Sports Council, chairman of the Super 7 and Dixie Boys Baseball state director.

The varsity Opelika High School volleyball played a home game Wednesday, Aug. 28, against Benjamin Russell. The Bulldogs emerged victorious with a three-set sweep.

Tigers Ice Out UMASS in Home Opener

Auburn defeated UMass in the season opener, 59-14 at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn. The Tigers piled up 492 offensive yards, 289 yards rushing and 297 passing yards while the defense allowing 301 total yards. Auburn starting quarterback, Payton Thorne was 10 of 17 for 141-yards and 1 touchdown.

Auburn’s Schofill Wins U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship

on The Plains in 2019.

CONTRIBUTED BY AU ATHLETICS

AUBURN —

Auburn's Megan Schofill won the 123rd U.S.

Women's Amateur Championship, defeating Latanna Stone 4&3 in the 36-hole championship match on Sunday, Aug. 27. Schofill becomes the first Auburn player to ever win the event as Maria Martinez previously held the best U.S. Women's Amateur finish by a Tiger with runner-up honors in 2005. Schofill won the event in her third appearance since arriving

CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

LEE COUNTY — Now that school has officially began, local VFW's and Auxiliaries would like to take the opportunity to make all students and parents

"It's definitely a dream come true, but I'd be lying if I wouldn't say I'm still in shock," Schofill said after the victory. "I feel like it still hasn't set in yet.

Latanna [Stone] played a great match. It was really fun to be able to walk the fairways with her. And I felt like we both played really solid golf. I can't put into words the emotions I'm feeling and it's just such an honor to be able to say that I won this year."

In addition to a gold medal and custody of the

Robert Cox Trophy for one year, Schofill also receives an exemption from qualifying for the 2024 U.S. Wom-

en's Open, an exemption from qualifying for the next 10 U.S. Women's Amateurs (if eligible) and an invita-

tion to the 2024 Augusta National Women's Amateur. The victory will also likely give the Monticello, Florida, native exemptions into the Chevron Championship, AIG Women's Open and Amundi Evian Championship.

"Just so excited for Megan," said Auburn head coach Melissa Luellen. "She truly played better golf than anyone else in the field this week. She swung the club so beautifully and when she lost a hole she fought right back. I am so honored that I was able to be here this week to

VFW, Auxilliary Scholarships Available

aware of various scholarships for all age groups. YOUNG AMERICAN CREATIVE PATRIOTIC ART CONTEST: This competition is open to students in grades 9 through 12.

First place winners from

each post will receive a financial award and be entered in the district/ state competition. The deadline to apply is March 31, 2024.

3-DIMENSIONAL PATRIOTIC ART CONTEST: This competition is open to students in

grades 9 through 12. Submit your work to a local post. The first place submission will be entered into the state competition. The deadline to enter will be March 31, 2024.

See SCHOLARSHIP, page B7

PATRIOT'S PEN

This competition is open to students in grades 6 through 8. The theme is "How Are You Inspired By America?" and is a written essay of at least 300 words. A financial award will be given

witness it."

Stone, a fifth-year senior at LSU, took the initial lead with a win on the fifth hole, but Schofill gathered the lead with back-to-back wins on No. 7 and No. 8. Stone again tied the match with a birdie on the 12th hole before Schofill erupted with three consecutive wins on holes 15 though 17 to take a commanding 3-up lead at the 18-hole break. The two traded victories to begin the second set of 18 holes before halving the next three straight. After

See SCHOFILL, page B8

to the first place post winner and the work will be submitted to the district and possibly state competitions. First place on a district and state level also receive financial awards. The deadline to enter is Oct. 31, 2023.

Megan Schofill hits her tee shot on No. 6 during the semifinals of the 2023 U.S. Women's Amateur at Bel-Air Country Club.

PHOTO BY JAMES GILBERT / USGA

PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER

SUSCC Hosts Informational Town Hall for U.S. Service Academies

BY ANDY WHITE FOR THE OBSERVER

ALABAMA —

U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s staff, along with teams from Sen. Katie Britt and Congressman Mike Rogers, led an informational town hall about the admissions process for U.S. Service Academies on Tuesday, Aug. 29. The event was held at Southern Union State Community College (SUSCC) in Opelika and was the seventh and final stop in a circuit of Alabama stops throughout the month of August. Several speakers provided information and advice regarding necessary steps for obtaining the required congressional nomination if applying to attend any of the U.S .Service Academies. The calendar of stops also

included Northpoint, Huntsville, Mobile, Homewood, Troy and Montgomery.

“Our national security depends on strong leaders in the next generation who are willing to defend America at home and abroad,” Tuberville said in a statement provided to The Observer. “It is encouraging to see so many students across our great state who are interesting in answering this call to serve. The high attendance at each of our information sessions gives me hope for the future of our national defense and security. Nominating students for appointments to a U.S. Service Academy is one of my favorite things about being a senator, and I’m looking forward to the upcoming nominations for the Class of 2028.”

Informational tables manned by representatives for each service academy were set up for the attendees. Potential Service Academy applicants and their parents were able to speak with the various representatives both prior and following the session.

The session, led by Tuberville’s office, kicked-off with a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance and was followed by a prayer

led by Col. (Ret.) Brian Naugher, a 34-year Army veteran and 1986 Opelika High School graduate who is now serving as Tuberville’s senior defense liaison.

Additional participants included June ReevesWeir — constituent services representative and service academy coordinator for Tuberville, Susannah Cleveland — field representative from Britt’s office; Alvin Lewis — field

representative from Rogers office, 2nd Lt. Tristin Slone— graduate from the Air Force Academy, LTC (Ret.) Tony Benitez — Westpoint graduate and Junior ROTC instructor at Auburn High School, 2nd Lt. Logan Schultz — graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy and LTC (Ret.) Thomas Bowen — Westpoint graduate and program director for Marion Military Institute.

The United States

has five service academies: the U.S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, the U.S. Military Academy (Westpoint), the U.S. Naval Academy and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, each of which has a highly competitive admission process, accepting only 8 to 20% of applicants.

Unless applicants have a service-connected nomination (which are

Opelika Power Services, AMEA Kick Off 2024 Scholarship Program

CONTRIBUTED BY THE CITY OF OPELIKA

OPELIKA — Will you be graduating from high school in the spring of 2024? Do you receive your electricity from Opelika Power Services? If your answer to these questions is “yes,” you could be eligible to receive a scholarship from the Alabama Municipal Electric Authority (AMEA) and Opelika Power Services. OPS and AMEA will make available 44, $2,500 scholarships (4 scholarships in Opelika) in 2024. Since 1992,

VOICE OF DEMOCRACY

This competition is open to students in grades 9 through 12. The theme, "What Are the Greatest Attributes of Our Democracy" should be submitted as an audio essay presentation. A financial award will be given to the first place post winner and the work will be submitted to the district and possibly state competitions. First place on a district and

AMEA has awarded over $3.5 million in scholarship monies to graduating high school seniors who receive their electric service from AMEA Members.

To be eligible for an AMEA scholarship, a student’s parent and/ or legal guardian must receive electric service from Opelika Power Services, and the student must attend a four-year college/ university, community college and/or vocational/trade school within the state of Alabama.

Applications are currently available from school counselors, or

state level also receive financial awards. The deadline to enter is Oct. 31, 2023.

VFW and AUXILIARY

SCHOLARSHIPS

NATIONAL ANTHEM

SINGING CONTEST

This competition is open to students in grades K through 8 and grades 9 through 12.

Videos of singing the National Anthem should be submitted by March 31, 2024.

PATRIOTIC DRAWING

CONTEST

This patriotic drawning contest is open to any

you can go online to the AMEA website, www. amea.com, Scholarship. The application deadline is Monday, Feb. 12, 2024.

For more information on the program, contact your school counselor or Pamela Poole, AMEA Scholarship coordinator, 334-3873504, 800-239-2632, Ext. 1110, or pam@ amea.com. AMEA, a joint action agency formed in 1981 and located in Montgomery, is the wholesale power provider for 11 public power utilities in Alabama, which serve some 350,000 customers.

patriotic themes. This competition is open to grades K through 2, 3 through 5 and 6 through 8. The deadline to apply is March 31, 2024.

Parents, teachers and students, these are excellent opportunities to show patriotism in different ways. Any parent, teacher or student interested in any of these activities should send an email to cjiles7255@yahoo.com and more details will be provided, including the location of the nearest VFW and Auxiliary Post.

Students had opportunity to get information about the U. S. Service Academies during a informational meeting last week in Opelika.

CONTRIBUTED BY AUBURN UNIVERSITY

BY PRESTON SPARKS AUBURN —

The “mighty” life and legacy of famed Auburn University football coach Pat Dye is living on through a documentary that will be showcased in September to benefit current and future Auburn students in a field near and dear to Dye’s heart.

“With this film, we are honoring such a pivotal figure in Auburn University’s history,” said Jimmy Rane, a 1968 Auburn alumnus, longtime Auburn University Board of Trustees member and good friend of Dye’s who was instrumental in having the film produced.

“It is a privilege to pay homage to the legacy of our beloved coach and,

A Mighty Legacy

in turn, further a mission he was so greatly devoted to throughout his life — that of the preservation of nature and supporting the life-changing learning opportunities and experiences available at Auburn.”

A special screening of the film, “Mighty: The Life and Legacy of Pat Dye,” will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 20 at Langdon Hall on the Auburn University campus. Seating will be limited, so tickets should be purchased early at www.aub.ie/ amightylegacy. Proceeds will benefit operations and enhancements at Crooked Oaks that support the educational programs of Auburn’s College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment (CFWE). Beyond ticket purchases,

additional donations to Crooked Oaks can be made through this online form.

Located in Notasulga, the 415-acre Crooked Oaks farm property was Dye’s homestead, including his main house, a guest cabin, lodge, pavilion, gazebo, two barns and a nursery office. The university announced in July that CFWE and the Auburn University Real Estate Foundation (AUREF) accepted the gift of the Crooked Oaks property from the Dye/McDonald Trust and Dr. Nancy McDonald, Dye’s longtime partner. The college plans to continue its operations as an event venue, while expanding its use for student instruction and community outreach.

The film screening event to benefit Crooked Oaks will be free to Auburn

University students with a valid student ID on a firstcome, first-served basis, with students not needing to register. A limited number of public tickets will also be available at a cost of $9.90 each — a price intentionally set with Dye’s 99 wins in mind.

Janaki Alavalapati, the Emmett F. Thompson dean of the CFWE, said he is immensely grateful to Dye and McDonald for their generosity and for entrusting the legacy of Crooked Oaks with the college. He said he also greatly appreciates Rane’s efforts in spearheading the film about Dye and the effort to have proceeds benefit Crooked Oaks.

“We are grateful that Trustee Rane has provided the Auburn community with the opportunity to support coach Dye’s legacy

through their participation and philanthropic support of Crooked Oaks Farm,” Alavalapati said. “Contributions through the film screening event will support farm operations and program enhancements to advance forestry, wildlife and natural resources education in the state and beyond.”

In keeping with Dye’s vision for Crooked Oaks Farm — a stunning sanctuary for wildlife filled with lush plant life and hundreds of mature Japanese Maple trees — the CFWE will expand its operations to enhance the college’s teaching, research and outreach programs.

“Crooked Oaks Farm will provide new experiential learning opportunities for our students to gain experience applying what they’re

learning in the classroom,” said Todd Steury, CFWE’s associate dean of academic affairs. “We envision wildlife enterprise management students may practice all aspects of managing a game and fish lodge, from habitat management to lodge operations and customer relations. Similarly, other majors can experience a field practicum at the farm. Finally, the property can be used by faculty for meetings, outdoor classes and even research.”

Speaking about the film that will benefit Crooked Oaks, McDonald said it is a great testament to all Dye accomplished.

“He would be so proud of this film and the many ways in which his legacy will live on at Auburn,” she said.

reserved for children of career military personnel), they must have a congressional nomination. The nomination can come from either of their state senators, the United States Representative for the District in which they reside, or the U.S. vice president. Because nominations are also highly competitive, speakers encouraged students to pursue every nomination available to them.

The presenters highlighted many of the benefits available to students who are successfully admitted into these prestigious service academies, including no tuition costs, free room and board, full medical and dental coverage, a cadet stipend, a career starter loan and a guaranteed career upon graduation.

Minimum requirements for nomination eligibility include:

• Must be a United States Citizen.

• Must be a legal resident of Alabama.

• Must be at least 17 years of age but cannot

have passed their 23rd birthday. The United States Merchant Marine Academy allows individuals between the ages of 17 and 25 to apply.

• Must meet the medical, physical and academic requirements of their respective academy.

• Must have an open application with at least one of the U.S. service academies by Oct. 1, 2023.

• Cannot be pregnant or have a legal obligation to support children or other dependents.

Congressional nominations are competitive, with each member allowed only five appointees at each academy over a fouryear period. This means that each member will typically only have 1 to 2 vacancies at each academy each year and will provide 10 nominations for each vacancy. Additionally, a congressional nomination does not guarantee admission to a service academy. After nominations are received, the admissions department of each academy will review all nominees using their own stringent criteria.

Speakers emphasized that students are assessed utilizing a “whole person” approach — which considers the applicants “character, scholarship, leadership, physical aptitude, medical fitness, personal goals and motivation.” While high school activities are important, speakers underscored the importance of exhibiting leadership skills over quantity of activities, such as being a president of an activity versus joining multiple clubs but not serving as an active member or leader.

Bowen rounded out the presentations by encouraging students who are interested in attending one of the service academies, but who do not yet meet the eligibility requirements or do not receive an offer of admission to consider attending Marion Military Institute (MMI), a Junior College in Marion, Alabama.

MMI is one of only four military junior colleges in the United States and has a service academy program dedicated to preparing students for service academy appointments.

MMI has provided 456

appointments in the last five years.

Interested candidates are encouraged to begin the application process early and to review the appropriate information on each congressperson’s website. Deadlines for nomination applications for Tuberville and Britt are due through their applicant web portals by Oct. 16 and Roger’s

are due by mail no later than Dec. 15.

The following websites contain relevant information:

www.tuberville. senate.gov/services/ academies/

www.britt.senate. gov/service-academynominations/ www.mikerogers. house.gov/services/ service-academynominations.htm

Stone closed her deficit to two holes with a birdie on the 24th hole, Schofill responded with back-to-back wins on the following two holes to expand the lead to 4-up.

A Stone victory on the 32nd hole moved Schofill's lead back to 3-up, but Schofill's win on the 33rd hole secured the championship victory.

After posting a 4-under 136 in the stroke play portion of the event to advance to match play, Schofill recorded match play victories over Jackie Rogowicz, Kelly Xu, Caitlin Peirce, fifth ranked world amateur Anna Davis and Hailey Borja to make it to the final match.

Schofill was joined in this year's field with two other Auburn golfers, Katie Cranston and Casey Weidenfeld. Both Cranston and Weidenfeld advanced to the round of 32 in the event. Cranston finished the stroke play portion in fourth place with a 5-under 135 while Weidenfeld qualified for stroke play after firing a 142 (+2).

Schofill will return for her fifth season with the Tigers in 2023-24 after graduating with a degree in communications in May.

SERVICE >> FROM B7

Students meet with representatives from Sens. Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt's offices as well as representatives from Congressman Mike Roger's office at the meeting last week at SUSCC.

SCHOFILL >> FROM B6 PHOTOS BY ANDY WHITE / FOR THE OBSERVER

L labama Politics ee County & A

Thursday, Sept. 07,

Inside the Statehouse

Alabama is in for a Congressional Shakeup

STEVE FLOWERS

OPINION —

Being elected to Congress is like having a guaranteed job for as long as you want. They serve two year terms and the reelection rate is 96%. All you have to do is vote the party line and not commit murder and you are there for life.

The path to reelection to most political offices is to have money and name identification and this is especially true in Congressional races. All seven of our congressmen are considered in safe seats.

We have six Republicans and one lone Democrat in our Alabama delegation to the Potomac. The districts as currently drawn are designed for six Republicans and one Democrat.

A three judge federal panel made up of two Republicans appointed judges and one Democrat appointee judge made the decision over two years ago that Alabama should have a second Black Democratic seat. They hung their hat and robe on the fact that one Black Democratic seat is not sufficient in

Alabama given that one seat comprises only 14% of the black population and Alabama has a 27% Black population. Thus, Black Democrats should have two rather than one Democratic seat in the Heart of Dixie. This decision has been upheld by none other than the United States Supreme Court. Therefore, folks, it is about to happen.

My prediction over a year ago was that the Courts or their appointed cartographer will draw a second minority district. I further continue with my prognosis that the Court will act very soon, probably within the next few weeks, to ignore the legislature’s partisan plan in favor of the Milligan/ Plaintiffs Plan. The result will be the new Congressional lines for the next decade.

The Milligan/Plaintiffs Plan is perfectly drawn and expertly designed to comply with the Court’s decree. This plan creates a second minority district centered around all of Montgomery, the Black Belt and the Black voters in Mobile. The new second minority district will appropriately be Alabama District 2.

The old Second District that Republican Barry Moore sits in will be dissolved. The Whites in the five Wiregrass counties will be sent to the Mobile/Baldwin Republican district held by Jerry Carl.

Under the Milligan/ Plaintiffs Plan, Congresswoman Terri Sewell’s district is beautifully drawn for her.

It is essentially the same as her current district. It will be 55% Black.

The new Second District will be 50% Black. The Republicans will contest this new district and may prevail. However, the odds favor a Black Democrat. My guess is when the dust settles in November 2024, Alabama’s Congressional makeup will be five Republicans and two Democrats.

This change has been brewing for over a decade. Black voters have argued that having a Black population of 27% calls for two seats under the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Finally, after the 2020 census, Black plaintiffs sought relief from our federal courts. It was clear that the growth in the Black population in the Montgomery area would allow for a congruent, clearly defined second minority district. When you include Montgomery with the 12 rural overwhelmingly Black and Black Belt counties and draw in most of the Black voters in Mobile, it became possible.

The three judge panel agreed and gave the state a two year reprieve because the 2022 elections based on the 2020 census were already ongoing. You could tell from the original decision to stay the case due to the timing of the 2022 elections that the Supreme Court was interested in revisiting this Alabama scenario.

See FLOWERS, page B10

PUBLIC NOTICES - B12

2023

Opelika to Change Ordinance Pertaining to Opelika Power Services

BY MICHELLE KEY MICHELLE @OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

OPELIKA — Brent Poteet, director of Opelika Power Services (OPS), requested that the Opelika City Council approve two ordinances to update the city codes pertaining to OPS during Tuesday night's city council meeting. Poteet asked that the council suspend the normal rules requiring that such ordinance changes be introduced for first reading, followed by a second reading at a later meeting, and vote on the ordinances during Tuesday's meeting.

He said that by doing so, it would allow additional time to complete software updates and customer notifications prior to the changes going into effect on Oct. 1, 2023.

The first ordinance adds Section 28-406.1 Entitled “Prepaid Service” as well as amending other parts of Section 28.

The second ordinance amends the OPS rates and charges.

The basic monthly charge for residential customers will be increasing to $21.50.

The entire ordinances will be published in the newspaper prior to the ordinances going into affect.

The council voted unanimously to approve both ordinances during the meeting.

OTHER BUSINESS

- The council approved a request for a downtown street closure from Red Clay Brewing for a Bike Night Event to be held Sept. 21.

- The council approved a request for a downtown street closure from the city of Opelika for the National Night Out Event on Oct. 3.

- The council approved a temporary request for a downtown street closure from EAMC for a Fall

See OPELIKA COUNCIL, page B11

Auburn Council Moves Forward with Pearson Park

BY HANNAH GOLDFINGER HGOLDFINGER@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

AUBURN —

Auburn approved a professional services agreement to move forward with design of the Ann Pearson Park.

Pearson Park, as it is referred to, will border Saugahatchee Creek and Shelton Mill Road, and include a number of amenities for Auburn citizens.

The council approved the professional services agreement Tuesday night during the council meeting with Foresite Group, LLC “to provide design and construction phase services for the Ann Pearson Park Project in the estimated amount of $218,200. The services to be provided include land surveying, schematic design, design development,

construction documents and construction administration.”

Some of the amenities of the park will include a disc golf course, nature playground, picnic areas, walking trails, hammock areas, gravel trail, exercise area, pavilions, rock council ring, a bridge and more.

The park will be a passive park, said City Manager Megan Crouch. This means

Auburn Opelika Elks Lodge Community y Day

Saturday, Sept 9, 2023 from 10 a.m. to 3 p m

no organized sports.

“The city is looking to serve an area of town where we have no existing parks and no [other] hope of acquiring property at a reasonable cost,” she said.

The park comes from the Alabama-Georgia Land Trust and therefore there are stipulations — but the land

See AUBURN COUNCIL, page B13

Held: USA Town Center, 1220 Fox Run Ave., Opelika

• Free event for the Community

• Free lunch – Hot dogs/hamburgers

• Drawings for prizes – Must be present to win

• Fun activities for all

• Come out and learn about the different nonprofits and organizations in the area to get involved with or that may offer a service you need or just come out and have fun.

• There is going to be something for everyone.

• If you would like to set up and be part of this event it is not to late. Text Julie at 334-524-0574

Pearson Park will border Saugahatchee Creek and Shelton Mill Road and will be a passive park.

PHOTO FROM CITY OF AUBURN

Alabama’s Historic Grocery Tax Cut Goes Into Effect, But More Work Remains To Finish The Job

BY LT. GOV. WILL AINSWORTH

OPINION —

Alabamians are feeling a bit of relief at the grocery store checkout lines as a result of the tax cut on food that a coalition of conservative lawmakers and I pushed through the Legislature during the 2023 regular session.

Beginning on Sept. 1, the state’s four percent sales tax on grocery items was reduced to three percent, and if growth in the Education Trust Fund continues at the same pace as recent years, another $150 million tax cut will automatically go into effect as soon as 2024.

My goal is to continue chipping away at the tax until it is eliminated altogether in the near future.

Alabama was one of only three states that taxed groceries at the full rate — South Dakota and

Mississippi are the others — and we are one of only 13 states in the nation that levy any tax on food.

The newly implemented tax cut applies to any food that falls under the definitions of the federal food stamp program, known as SNAP in D.C. circles, which means all groceries are covered except for pre-prepared, hot food from in-store delis.

A clause in the law that is now in effect blocks cities and counties from raising their sales taxes on groceries so Alabamians can be assured of the intended savings, but mayors, council members and commissions do have the option of following our lead and cutting the local sales taxes on groceries if they choose.

For several decades, advocacy groups pushed to remove the grocery tax, but their plans always required new taxes to be shifted onto the backs of

the middle class in order to offset revenue losses. As a conservative Republican who believes in cutting taxes, not simply moving them around like a rigged shell game, such proposals were considered non-starters in my eyes and those of my GOP colleagues.

During my term in the Alabama House and now, as lieutenant governor, it became obvious that the commonsense budgeting practices put in place after Republicans gained control of the Legislature in 2010 were creating surpluses and comfortable fiscal cushions that did not previously exist.

The pro-business measures we enacted were also creating an economic atmosphere that attracted both new and expanding industries and encouraged employers ranging from the largest companies to the smallest mom-and-pop storefronts to create new jobs and opportunities for

Alabamians who were willing to work.

Soon enough, the unprecedented revenues flowing into the state treasury meant we could afford to begin eliminating the grocery tax without burdening any Alabamians with new or offsetting levies.

I worked closely with Sen. Andrew Jones (R - Centre), House Education Budget Chair Danny Garrett (R - Trussville) and Senate Education Budget Chair Arthur Orr (R - Decatur) to create a workable plan that also offered full protection to public education funding for K-12 schools, community colleges and four-year universities.

I personally met with countless experts, advisors and associations, including the grocers who collect the tax at the point of sale, and rallied them to join us in taking action.

Once the bill was drafted, my office recruit-

ed all 35 members of the Alabama Senate and 100 of the 105 House members to sign on as sponsors, which was considered by many pundits to be a political miracle in the highly partisan and philosophically contentious times in which we live.

The legislation eventually passed both chambers with unanimous, bi-partisan support.

It is estimated that our dinner table tax cut will save the average Alabama family the cost of two weeks of groceries, which is essential when Bidenomics is causing inflation to skyrocket along with the price of gas and other everyday essentials.

Between 2022 and 2023, the cost of food rose by an average of 7.7% according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Eggs alone cost a third more than they did last year, bread and cereal are up by 25%, and meat, fish and chicken are

Alabama’s Grocery Tax Reduction: A Penny Saved, a Better Future Paved

CONTRIBUTED BY ALABAMA

ARISE / BY AKIESHA ANDERSON

OPNION —

The first stop on the road to untaxing groceries in Alabama is straight ahead. Lawmakers achieved a significant victory for the people this year by passing legislation to cut the state's 4-cent grocery tax by half. That change will begin this Labor Day weekend, as the first 1-cent reduction takes effect Sept. 1.

Ultimately, this small change likely will result in large savings for Alabamians who are working hard to make ends meet. Once the new law is fully implemented, many families will have hundreds of dollars more available each year to

spend on food or other expenses.

For decades, Alabama Arise has focused on reducing and ultimately eliminating the state sales tax on groceries, which essentially taxes survival. At the beginning of the 2023 legislative session, Alabama stood as one of only three states with no tax break on groceries. Thanks to determined advocacy by Arise members and other advocates, our state is off that shameful list at last.

THE STORY BEHIND THE LEGISLATIVE TRIUMPH Arise collaborated this year with many partners and lawmakers to introduce and pass the grocery tax reduction. That list includes the Alabama Grocers Association; Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth; Sens. Andrew Jones and

Merika Coleman; and Reps. Danny Garrett and Penni McClammy. This year’s breakthrough also would not have happened without other legislative champions who laid the groundwork for this moment, including former Reps. John Knight and Thad McClammy, former Sen. Hank Sanders and Reps. Laura Hall and Mary Moore.

The grocery tax law’s passage is a testament to the importance of continuing to hold the line and fight for change for as long as it takes. It’s also a testament to the importance of seizing the moment when opportunity arrives. Something spectacular happened this year as the stars finally aligned after decades of advocacy. When this year’s session began, many

Alabamians were struggling with inflation and higher costs for essentials like eggs and bread. Simultaneously, the state was witnessing strong revenue growth. As elected officials began talking about one-time tax rebates, advocates recognized an opportune moment to make permanent progress on reducing the state grocery tax. And the revenue growth ensured this reduction would not cause severe harm to funding for our children’s public schools.

A POSITIVE STEP FORWARD

State leaders seized this window of opportunity and united across partisan lines to reduce the grocery tax. It was amazing to witness the culmination of decades of hard work. And it was inspiring to see

nearly every legislator co-sponsoring this monumental legislation.

Many lawmakers tout this as the state’s largest tax cut ever, and it is one that will provide the biggest everyday benefit to people with low incomes.

Ultimately, Alabama Arise remains dedicated to transforming the state's regressive tax system into a more progressive one.

Progressive tax systems levy taxes based on one’s ability to pay, whereas regressive systems work in the reverse. The grocery tax has long exemplified regressive taxation, burdening those with fewer resources by requiring them to pay proportionally more than wealthier individuals. Reducing the state grocery tax is a step in the right direction for tax

FLOWERS >>

FROM B9

They did and they ruled and sent it back to the three Alabama judges to uphold. The three judge panel is going to rule on the final district lines any day now.

The lines that the judges deliver to Alabama soon will favor a second minority district for our state. This Supreme Court case is far reaching. It will also change the partisan makeup of other Southern states like Louisiana, Georgia and North Carolina. The Supreme Court knew what they were doing. They knew they were using Alabama as a guinea pig and plowing new ground in the South under the Voting Rights Act.

Our Alabama Congressional delegation

substantially higher.

Our success in cutting the grocery tax demonstrates what can be accomplished if we stay true to our conservative beliefs, build consensus and have the courage to attempt to accomplish what many say can’t be done.

But the job is only half-complete.

We must eliminate the second half of the grocery tax, and a legislative study group we empaneled is already running the numbers, making plans and putting together a blueprint to accomplish that goal.

In the meantime, Alabamians will find their wallets are just a bit fatter and their bank accounts are just a bit fuller as savings at the checkout continue to accrue, but rest assured that my colleagues and I are working hard to finish our mission of providing you with full relief from taxes on the groceries you purchase.

justice. This penny saved is symbolic of a better future being paved for Alabama.

WHAT LIES AHEAD Arise will continue advocating to eliminate the state grocery tax while protecting Education Trust Fund revenues. We look forward to working with the new Joint Study Commission on Grocery Taxation to find a sustainable path forward. Rebalancing Alabama’s upside-down tax system will require both lower taxes for people with low incomes and higher taxes for wealthy households and highly profitable corporations that can afford to pay more.

As this year’s grocery tax reduction takes effect, we celebrate its many champions — most notably the Alabamians See TAX, page B13

is looking at a shakeup in 2024. However, it will not affect our power and influence in the U.S. House. Our three Republican powers in Congress, Robert Aderholt, Mike Rogers and Gary Palmer, will be unaffected, and our two Republican newcomers, Jerry Carl and Dale Strong, will have enhanced Republican districts. Terri Sewell will be entrenched as a Democratic leader in the House.

See you next week.

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

Opelika Romeo Members Reunite

AYCE CATFISH H

Open

NOW OPEN IN BETT'S CROSSING

Located at 1479 Fox Run Parkway

madisonsplacecafe22@gmail.com

Opelika High School graduates and members of Opelika Romeo meet weekly on Wednesdays at 11 a.m. at various restaurants. Pictured from left to right are Mike Moore, John Hall, Robert Sweeten, John Story, Bill Niemier, Chuck Barber (current captain and leader), John Denson, Bobby Bond, Sam Mason, Clearance Holly, J. T. Taunton, Craig Mangram, Max Waddington Jr., J C Ledbetter and Keith Kolander. This group picture was inspired by the Opelika Bulldog Picture that was created by Barbara Keel, artist, Class of 1966, and brought to the luncheon by Chuck Barbar. Barbar said that each attendee of his OHS Class of 1966, 50th Class Reunion, was presented with one of these beautiful pictures. The Opelika Romeo Group currently has 50 active members and they take occasional road trips to the Valley. Monthly lunch plans are passed out by Max Waddington, who is the current detail co-captain. When new members join they are provided with a picture booklet that includes current members, and the person assigned to contact them on Monday to see if they plan to attend that week. The restaurant is contacted on Mondays preceding the outing to confirm the actual confirmed attendance. By going at 11 a.m. it greatly assists the restaurants in handling their regular noon lunch customers. The group has senior Christian members from all occupations and professions. Each week the attendees donate a dollar to our annual giving pot. At Christmas, the funds gathered are delivered to designated families or organizations. The has a song it sings each week written by active member Mike Stough and currently Dan Washburn, co-captain, provides an update on those who are in need of prayer for physical ailments and the luncheon blessing.

OPELIKA COUNCIL >>

FROM B9

Festival on Nov. 11.

- The council held public hearings for weed abatement assessments for the following properties:

• 815 1st Ave. ($49.31)

• 2102 Long St. ($101.89)

• 615 MLK Blvd. ($140.28)

• 915 York Ave. ($116.26)

The council later voted to approved the assessments.

- The council approved a bid from Stuart C. Irby Co. for pole rack mounted switched and fixed capacitor banks for OPS.

- The council approved expense reports from various departments and also approved the designation of city personal property — a 2009 Dodge Charger — as surplus and authorized its disposal.

- The council voted

to approve the city budget for the 2024 fiscal year. The general fund budget is $93.2 million with an additonal $86.2 million in special revenue funds, capital project funds, and proprietary funds. The city-wide budget totals $179.4 million. The budget in its entirety can be found on the city's website in the agenda packet for the Sept.5, 2023 meeting.

- The council voted to accept anAlabama Historical Commission Grant for renovations to G.W. Carver Hall. The funds from this grant are to be used to replace the roof. There is a second grant that the city plans to apply for to aid in the renovation of the building.

- The council voted to approve the Alabama Association of Fire Chiefs Mutual Aid Consortium Agreement.

- The council

voted to authorize an engagement letter with Keller and Heckman LLP relating to a fiber franchise agreement.

- The council approved a special appropriation for $50,000 to the Lee County Court Referral Program.

- The council voted to amend the zoning ordinance and map to rezone a 7,324 square foot lot, located at 1625 1st Ave., fromM-1 to C-2

- The council voted to amend the zoning ordinance and map to rezone 4.18 acres located in the 1700 block of Oak Bowery Road, from R-1 to R-2.

The council introduced an order to approve an annexation petition by James M. Veasey Sr. and James M. Veasey Jr. to annex 5.2 acres located at 2822 Old Columbus Road for its first reading.

Madison's

is a soul food restaurant that believes in feeding the soul. It is the mission of Madison's Place Cafe that you leave with the expectation of coming back for more.

Opelika Kiwanis Given AU Football Insight

AUBURN COUNCIL >>

FROM B9

Lee County Democratic Party is Under New Leadership

CONTRIBUTED BY THE LEE COUNTY DEMOCRATS

LEE COUNTY —

The Lee County Democrats are under new leadership. Led by County Chair Jamie Lowe, the Lee County Democratic Party plans to elect Democrats up and down the ballot. Lowe is a young leader excited to help propel the Lee County Democrats forward and galvanize a wave of new voters and volunteers in Lee County.

Nancy Carlton

TAX

>>

who stayed vigilant to ensure their voices translated into tangible policy improvements.

We also celebrate this policy change as a symbol of progress and unity, and as a testament to what state leaders can accomplish when

Bendinger is the vice chair, and Laurel Sherburne is the communications director. Through direct voter contact, they plan to inform and motivate voters across the county about candidates running in the area.

“Democracy simply does not work under single-party rule,”

Lowe said. “The Lee County Democratic Party is dedicated to giving a voice to the voiceless and making sure Lee County moves closer to serving the interest of everyone and

they put partisanship aside to pass legislation with profound benefits for individuals and communities.

Cheers to eliminating the first cent, and to the ongoing journey toward a more prosperous and equitable Alabama.

Akiesha Anderson is policy and advocacy director of Alabama Arise, a statewide,

not just a select few.”

The next meeting will take place on Saturday, Sept. 23, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce.

They will be reaching out to prospective volunteers in the coming months who are excited to help Democrats in Lee County. Visit the Lee County Democrats Facebook page or contact Lowe at 334-748-8200 to get involved.

member-led nonprofit organization advancing public policies to improve the lives of Alabamians who are marginalized by poverty.

BIENNIAL BUDGET

The council approved the biennial budget Tuesday night as well.

The budget was approved Oct. 22, 2022, to Sept. 30, 2023, and Oct. 1, 2023 through Sept. 30, 2024.

Ward 2 Council Member Kelley Griswold proposed an amendment to the budget removing a stipulation that gave the city manager more authority in the budget with a spending limit of $30,000.

It received a second but did not pass from the council.

Crouch said his was set in place to keep her from bringing everything — even small things — before the council. Auburn Mayor Ron Anders said this is typical for the city — it has done this in the past.

Other than this, the council passed the budget without discussion.

OTHER BUSINESS

- The council approved an alcohol beverage license for retail beer and retail wine for Cafe Devall, LLC doing business as Corner Office at 540 Devall Drive.

- The council approved a restaurant retail liquor ABC license for Conquistador Restaurant LLC doing business as Conquistador Restaurant at 2514 S. College St.

- The council approved

a special events retail ABC license for Greenawalt Hospitality, LLC doing business as Sigma Chi at 737 W. Magnolia Ave.

- The council approved a lounge retail liquor - class II (package) ABC license for Hanumant LLC doing business as Tiger Spirits and Tobacco at 1550 Opelika Road, Suite 23.

- The council approved a restaurant retail liquor ABC license for K Cupbob, LLC d/b/a Chi Mac at 203 Opelika Road, Units B and C.

- The council approved a concurrence with the Industrial Development Board at AUBix LLC at 1571 W. Samford Ave. in the Auburn Industrial Park.

- The council accepted a public right-of-way for Donahue Crossing, LLC located at 1365 N Donahue Drive.

- The council approved the acceptance of a public water easement for Neoh Holdings LLC for property on the north side of Bryant Avenue.

- The council approved the acceptance of a public water easement for Neoh Holdings LLC for property on the south side of Bryant Circle.

- The council approved the renewal of the GIS Fellowship for Auburn University for the 23-24 academic year for $20,000.

- The council approved a change order to the pest control services contract with Cook’s Pest Control,

Inc. to include the new public works and environmental services campus.

- The council approved amendment 1 to Task Order 5: Engineering Consulting Services for the H.C. Morgan WPCF Clarifiers No. 1 and No. 2 Weirs and Baffles Replacement Project with JACOBS.

- The council approved the annual renewal of customer support fees associated with the Mobile Data Information System (MDIS) with Southern Software, Inc. for the Police and Fire Departments for just over $20,200.

- The council approved a maintenance and support contract for the Permit Portal and Cityworks PLL with the Timmons Group for $25,600.

- The council approved a payment to construct Brindlewood Drive, a contract with the Creekwood Development Homeowners Association.

- The council approved an infrastructure development agreement with Herring Development LLC for the Bridlewood Drive construction.

- The council approved a board appointed to the Lee County Youth Development Center Board of Directors.

- The council approved an update to a professional services agreement with Seay Seay & Litchfield Architects for the Auburn Public Safety Training CenterPhase II Proposal for over $61,300.

also comes to the city at a heavily discounted rate.

Pastor Carolyn Morton, the Samford Commnity Outreach Group and the Opelika and Auburn Moms Demand Action Local Group will host the Sixth Annual MLK Jr. Youth

Nonviolence

Peacemarch and Rally against Gun Violence on Sept. 23.

Honoring the late Otis Gray Sr., the group has been advocating suicide prevention in the month of September and will honor those who have lost their lives to suicide.

The rally will be held at 1000 Samford Court at Christian Care Ministries in Opelika.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

Youth Peace March Set for Sept. 23

SERVICES SELLING a RV, Tractor or Golf Cart? ADVERTISE STATEWIDE or by region in over 100 Newspapers, reaching over 1 million readers each week! Run your ad in our Classified Network for just $210 per week! Make one call to this newspaper (participating Ala-SCAN newspaper) or call 1-800-264-7043 to find out how easy it is to advertise statewide!

BATH & SHOWER UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: 833-449-1307.

BECOME A

PUBLIC NOTICES

FROM B12

>>

ORDINANCE NO. 024-23

AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE ZONING ORDINANCE AND ZONING MAP OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA

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

Section 1. That Ordinance

124-91 entitled “Zoning Ordinance City of Opelika, Alabama”, adopted on September 17, 1991, and the Zoning Map of the City of Opelika provided for and referred to therein, as previously amended and/or modified, be and the same is hereby amended by rezoning or redistricting the

RESOLUTION NO. 20-24

RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE UTILITIES BOARD OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA ADJUSTING RATES, FEES AND CHARGES ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROVISION OF WATER SERVICE

WHEREAS, The Utilities Board of the City of Opelika, Alabama (the “Board”) now exists as a public corporation under Article 9 of Chapter 50 of Title 11 of the Code of Alabama of 1975; and

CLASSIFIEDS

PUBLISHED AUTHOR! We edit, print and distribute your work internationally. We do the work… You reap the Rewards! Call for a FREE Author’s Submission Kit: 888-2834780

LONG DISTANCE

MOVING: Call today for a FREE QUOTE from America's Most Trusted Interstate Movers. Let us take the stress out of moving! Speak to a Relocation Specialist, call 844-925-3534

EDUCATION ATTENTION ACTIVE

Duty & Military Veterans! Begin a new career and earn your Degree at CTI! Online Computer & Medical training available for Veterans & Families! To

parcel of land hereinafter in this section described, so as to change such parcel from one class of district to another class of district as follows, to-wit: From a R-1 District (Rural District) to a R-2 District (Low Density Residential District), the parcel of land hereinafter described:

ALL THAT TRACT OR PARCEL OF LAND lying and being located in Section 1, Township 19 North, Range 26 East, City of Opelika, Lee County, Alabama. Commencing from an iron pin found (1/2” rebar w/ cap – AL CA 718) at the Northeast corner of Lot 47, Cannon Gate Subdivision, being recorded in Plat Book 42, Page 167; Thence South 88 degrees 40 minutes 28 seconds West, a distance of 121.87 feet to an iron pin set (1/2” rebar w/ cap – GRAY), said

WHEREAS, the Board is charged with the responsibility for the construction, operation and maintenance of all water facilities of the City of Opelika and for the collection of all charges for water services; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to §1150-314(9), Code of Alabama 1975, the Board is authorized to adopt a schedule of rates and charges for services furnished by the Board; and

WHEREAS, on February 28, 2022, pursuant to Resolution No. 22-04, the Board adopted a schedule of rates and charges

learn more, call 866-4751014 (M-F 8am-6pm ET).

HEALTH/BEAUTY ATTENTION

OXYGEN THERAPY USERS! Inogen One G4 is capable of full 24/7 oxygen delivery. Only 2.8 pounds. FREE information kit. Call 844322-9935.

ATTENTION: VIAGRA and CIALIS USERS! A cheaper alternative to high drugstore prices! 50 Pill Special - $99 + FREE Shipping! 100% guaranteed. CALL NOW: 866-505-0828.

FOR SALE DirecTV Satellite TV Service Starting at $59.99/month! Free Installation! 160+ channels available. Call

pin being the POINT OF BEGINNING. From said POINT OF BEGINNING, South 88 degrees 40 minutes 28 seconds West, a distance of 394.66 feet to an iron pin found (1/2” rebar w/ cap – PRECISION); Thence North 88 degrees 03 minutes 00 seconds West, a distance of 27.92 feet to a concrete monument found; Thence South 89 degrees 24 minutes 21 seconds West, a distance of 36.25 feet to an iron pin found (3/4” open top pipe); Thence North 17 degrees 48 minutes 11 seconds East, a distance of 509.70 feet to a point; Thence North 82 degrees 07 minutes 35 seconds East, a distance of 269.14 feet to an iron pin set (1/2” rebar w/ cap – GRAY); Thence South 06 degrees 02 minutes 34 seconds East, a distance of 214.86 feet to an iron pin set (1/2”

that went into effect on April 1, 2022; and

WHEREAS, the costs of delivering potable water to customers, as well as the costs for operation and maintenance, have and continue to increase; and

WHEREAS, the Board will require an overall increase of ten percent (10%) for water services above the current rates to meet the fiscal obligations of the Board; and

WHEREAS, the Board finds and determines that the rate structure adopted below will produce no serious inequalities

Now to Get the Most Sports & Entertainment on TV! 844-594-7108

NEED NEW Flooring? Call Empire Today to schedule a Free in-home estimate on Carpeting and Flooring. Call Today! 1-888-381-0916.

UPDATE YOUR HOME with Beautiful New Blinds & Shades. FREE in-home estimates make it convenient to shop from home. Professional installation. Top quality - Made in the USA. Call for free consultation: 844-8099165. Ask about our specials!

Eliminate gutter cleaning forever! LeafFilter, the most advanced debris-blocking gutter protection.

rebar w/ cap – GRAY); Thence South 02 degrees 36 minutes 20 seconds East, a distance of 300.24 feet to an iron pin set (1/2” rebar w/ cap – GRAY), said pin being the POINT OF BEGINNING. Said tract containing 4.180 acres or 182,088 square feet. The above-described property contains 4.18 acres, more or less, and is accessed from Oak Bowery Road, Opelika, Alabama. Section 2. Any ordinance or part thereof in conflict with provisions of this Ordinance be and the same are hereby repealed. Section 3. This Ordinance shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the City of Opelika, Lee County, Alabama. ADOPTED AND APPROVED this the 5th

between categories of users. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Directors of The Utilities Board of the City of Opelika, Alabama, as follows:

1. That Article VII of the Schedule of Charges adopted by resolution of the Board on February 28, 2022, be and the same is hereby amended to read as follows:

Article VIISchedule of Rates, Fees, Charges and Deposits

Rates Effective October 1, 2023

**SEE TABLES BELOW

Schedule a FREE LeafFilter estimate today. 20% off Entire Purchase. Plus 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-833-683-2005 GENERAC Standby Generators provide backup power during utility power outages, so your home and family stay safe and comfortable. Prepare now. Free 7-year extended warranty ($695 value!). Request a free quote today! Call for additional terms and conditions. 1-877-3235516

Use Happy Jack® DD33 on dogs & cats to kill fleas and deer ticks on contact. Biodegradable! At Tractor Supply® (www.happyjackinc.com)

AUTOMOTIVE

day of September, 2023.

/s/ Eddie Smith PRESIDENT OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA, ALABAMA ATTEST:

/s/ Russell A. Jones, CMC CITY CLERK TRANSMITTED TO MAYOR on this the 6th day of September, 2023.

/s/ Russell A. Jones, CMC CITY CLERK ACTION BY MAYOR APPROVED this the 6th day of September, 2023.

/s/ Gary Fuller MAYOR

ATTEST:

/s/ Russell A. Jones, CMC CITY CLERK Legal Run 09/07/2023

IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF WILLIAM JERRELL ASKEW, DECEASED. IN THE PROBATE

2. That the amendments to the Schedule of Charges adopted herein shall become effective for consumption as of September 1, 2023, and billed to the Board’s customers on October 1, 2023.

3. All prior resolutions, policies, rates, fees or charges inconsistent with this Resolution are hereby repealed but only to the extent that they conflict with this Resolution.

4. The Secretary is hereby authorized, directed and empowered to cause this Resolution to published no later

SUPPORT THE BLIND! Donate a car to the American Council of the Blind. FAST FREE PICKUP. 24hour response. Running or not. maximum tax deduction and no emission test required! Call 24/7: 844-601-1342.

AUTO INSURANCE from $29 month Free 2-minute Quote! We Compare all Insurance providers offers for you! Lowest Rates! Call Now 866-450-0943

2008 Toyota Sequoia Limited Edition Light Blue 5.7L V8 96k miles LOW MILES Great Condition, Runs FANTASTIC! 16,400 FIRM CASHIERS CHECK ONLY! Please contact DL Tuggle (423)394-9685.

COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA Case No: 2023-428

Letters Testamentary on the estate of said decedent having been granted to the undersigned on the 22nd day of August, 2023, by the Hon. Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

JERRI LYNN ASKEW

KONECNY

Personal Representative Robert H. Pettey Samford & Denson, LLP P.O. Box 2345 Opelika, AL 36803-2345

(334) 745-3504 Legal Run 08/31/2023, 09/07/2023 & 09/14/2023

than September 7, 2023, in the Opelika Observer, a newspaper published in and of general circulation within the City of Opelika and Lee County. ADOPTED AND APPROVED this the 28th day of August, 2023. THE UTILITIES BOARD OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA, ALABAMA BY:JEFFERY A. HILYER, CHAIRMAN ATTEST: ERIC CANADA, SECRETARY Legal Run 09/07/2023