The Observer 12-15-2022 E-editition

OPELIKA —

Help is on the way following repeated flooding on First Avenue in downtown Opelika.

According to City Engineer Scott Parker, the contracted work is expected to begin as soon as this week and last for up to two weeks.

“We are going to do whatever it takes to eliminate the flooding issue on First Avenue,” said Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller in a statement to The Observer.

The contractor is set to modify parts of a streetscape project the city began in October 2020. A major part of the work will include the installation of a larger receiving inlet, which helps move water through the drainage system.

The planned adjustments come after business owners on the street complained of the repeated flooding. While

some have experienced the issue more often than others, at least three businesses suffered significant damages in the Nov. 29 flood — the result of a heavy storm that moved through the area.

Mama Mocha’s, 10000 Hz and Sneak & Dawdle were all forced to limit operations the next day or two — or close altogether — as they

dealt with the damage.

“This has happened a couple times, and we had to shut down two nights because it was just too wet in there,” said Matt Poirier, owner of Sneak & Dawdle, 10 days after the flood. “We still have the dehumidifiers and fans running when we’re not open, and they’re still collecting water.”

War Hero Awarded Bronze Star 72 Years Posthumously

Poirier said Sneak & Dawdle experienced flooding even before the city’s streetscape project, but rarely is it severe. The Nov. 29 flood was an exception, though.

“This last time was by far the worst it’s been for us,” Poirier said. “The water went all the way to the back of the building, which we

had not seen before.”

Both Sneak & Dawdle and 10000 Hz have a small step up — less than six inches — at their front entrances. But according to Russ Baggett, owner of 10000 Hz, that small step is likely what prevents more episodes of severe flooding.

Still, Baggett said it’s not feasible to keep all the

store’s inventory off the ground in case of any floods.

“There’s only so much space in here, you know?” he said. “The way that our cabinets are — we didn’t build cabinets designed for worrying about flooding regularly.”

And since the shop has grown since the onset of the pandemic, 10000 Hz suffered more inventory damages and losses than it did in its last major flood.

“We’ve got six crates of records that were damaged, and those crates are made of particle-board kind of stuff, and it just absorbs water,” he said. “… Record jackets are cardboard, also. I mean, it just all absorbs this stuff, and once that water’s in there, once the water touches that cardboard, there’s no fixing that. Eventually it’ll mold, or it'll warp in some weird way or dry in a weird way. It’s not new anymore. Basically, a new record is not new anymore once it’s touched

CONTRIBUTED BY STEPHEN P. PENLAND

The Army Awards and Decorations Branch has recently reviewed the

records of Sgt. 1st Class Raymond D. Penland and determined he should have been awarded the Bronze Star for his actions in combat in North Korea. The review was requested

CONTRIBUTED BY THE CITY OF OPELIKA

OPELIKA —

The Opelika Industrial Development Authority (OIDA) recently presented E-8 Master Sgt. Comer Kite and his family with the Vets Choose Opelika relocation incentive package. This program is part of Opelika’s workforce development and talent attraction initiatives.

While stationed at Fort Campbell in Tennessee, Kite completed the Manufacturing Institute’s Heroes Make America (HMA) certification program, which is a talent attraction feeder program for Opelika employers. Upon graduation

will be starting his new

page

See FLOODING, page A5 Christmas in Camelot Runs Through Dec. 31

OPELIKA —

P H O T O C O N T R B U T E D B Y C T Y O F O P E L K A

P H O T O C O N T R I B U T E D B Y S T E P H E N P E N L A N D See BRONZE, page A5

BY KENDYL HOLLINGSWORTH KENDYLH@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

Extended Retail Hours at Many Post Offices

CONTRIBUTED BY USPS

ALABAMA—

At the United States Postal Service (USPS), we know the holidays are a hectic time of year. To make shipping convenient for customers, the postal service is extending hours at post offices across the nation.

Select postal facilities in the AlabamaMississippi District are extending their hours and will provide full retail services, including stamp sales and package acceptance. Customers may go to www.usps.com/holiday/holiday-schedule.htm to view the USPS holiday service schedule. Enter a

ZIP Code to search for a post office near you to see the available services and holiday hours.

The postal service is focused on delivering for our nation this holiday season.

The AlabamaMississippi District serves ZIP codes that begin with the following prefixes:

REALTORS, Southern Home Partners at Three Sixty, Join Growing Team in East Alabama

CONTRIBUTED BY 360 REALTY

AUBURN —

Three Sixty {real estate} is pleased to welcome REALTORS Rhonda Totten and Nikki Caballero to its East Alabama office.

These two dynamic women are delighted to join Three Sixty, where they will operate as Southern Home Partners at Three Sixty. Totten and Cabellero are good friends, and they share a common love of serving and helping people.

Originally from California, Totten has lived in the south for two decades and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. Client satisfaction is Totten’s top priority, and she has built her business on a foundation of integrity, a strong work ethic and extensive market knowledge.

“I love to serve and help people, and real estate is a great way for me to connect with my community,” Totten said. “I can’t wait to get started working with my good friend Nikki Caballero as Southern Home Partners at Three Sixty.”

Caballero arrived in Auburn as a college student studying Aviation Management, and after living in Smyrna, Georgia, for sever-

al years, she moved back to Auburn in 2007 where she has lived ever since.

“I love being in the real estate world making lifelong friendships with my clients,” she said. “I am excited to grow my career with Rhonda as part of Southern Home Partners at Three Sixty.”

Caballero and Totten are licensed in and serve both Alabama and Georgia. They are looking forward to working both close to home and across the state line.

“We gladly welcome Southern Home Partners at Three Sixty to our team, and we look forward to helping Rhonda and Nikki grow their business,” said Elizabeth Rose, branch broker at Three Sixty East Alabama.

ABOUT THREE SIXTY Three Sixty is in the

business of home. We offer a family of services including real estate, property management, interior design and staging, vacation rentals and commercial real estate. While our disciplines are varied, our entire team operates from the same set of core values, making Three Sixty the sought after firm to work with in Auburn, Birmingham and Lake Martin, Alabama.

Utilizing forward-thinking and creative processes, Three Sixty strives to make every experience unique and as smooth as possible by providing a consistent partner to maintain the integrity of projects as a whole. As a respected and profitable company, we strive to make a positive impact on the communities that we serve.

career here in Opelika. He recently accepted a position as operations manager at the Wal Mart Distribution Center in Opelika’s Northeast Industrial Park.

“My wife and I are

both from Montgomery, Alabama,” Kite said. “After years of being away from home due to my military career, we knew we wanted to retire in Alabama but didn't know which city. While visiting family in Montgomery we were heading to Auburn but stopped and visited

Opelika, and it immediately just felt like home. We were really impressed with the growth and opportunities in the city of Opelika. After researching and learning more about the city, we made the decision that Opelika was the perfect location for me to retire and start a new

• Alabama: 350-368 (except 353)

• Mississippi: 386-397

ABOUT USPS

The United States Postal Service is an independent federal establishment, mandated to be self-financing and to serve every American community through the

See USPS, page A4

Free Gift-Wrapping For Auburn, Opelika

BY HANNAH LESTER HLESTER@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

LEE COUNTY —

Kali Bryan Chadick and her team at Kali Bryan Chadick - State Farm Agency are supplying free holiday gift wrapping this year to help anyone who may be in need.

“This is really just a community event that we wanted to do to give back a little bit,” she said. “The marketing that we get from it is great but that’s not the intention. This is open to current customers or anyone in the community that needs a little extra help or wants just a

little extra help over this time.”

Chadick said that their team would love to give back to first responders and their families, single parents, seniors or anyone in need in the community.

“We know that the cost of wrapping is certainly something that is a concern for some people,” she said. “And so, we’d love for people to use what they can to buy the gifts then let us do the wrapping and we provide all the supplies.”

However, Chadick also said that those who can afford it, but don’t have time to wrap gifts, can give an optional donation. The money

will be donated to the Humane Society or Toys for Tots.

“Then if anybody wants to look at saving money on their insurance or just look at shopping their insurance, we’re also giving an additional $10 per quote to one of those charities of their choice, if we get a close out of it,” she said. “So it really just is, across the board, something for us to try to give back to the community a little bit during this holiday time when things are so crazy.”

Chadick said that it will be her and two team members wrapping over the next few days.

career.”

The Vets Choose Opelika relocation incentive package includes a cash incentive for establishing a residency within the city limits of Opelika and going to work with an Opelika company. In addition, some utility connection fees are reimbursed,

and participants receive a one-year family membership to Opelika’s Sportsplex and Aquatic Center. Currently this program is only available for transitioning military, veterans and military spouses who are relocating to Opelika and have either graduated from the HMA program

or have participated in the city’s Career Skills Program (CSP) internship partnership with Fort Benning.

For more information, please contact John Sweatman, project manager, Opelika Economic Development, at jsweatman@opelika-al.gov.

TOTTEN AND CABALLERO

Christmas Events Fill the Weekend

Families were out and about in Opelika this weekend to continue the Christmas celebrations. Christmas in a Railroad Town and the Reindeer Express Art Market delighted youth and the young at heart as they enjoyed games, rides, shopping and much more — including visits from Santa.

SEAN DIETRICH

Sunset. My driveway.

“OK, everybody get in the truck!” I shouted, using my cheerful American dad voice.

Although, technically, I’m not a dad. In fact, I don’t even have a traditional “family.” Not unless you count our dogs who weigh more than average middle-schoolers. Thelma Lou is 101 pounds of bloodhound. Otis Campbell (alleged Labrador), 92 pounds. Marigold (blind coonhound) about the same weight as a bag of Fritos. I whistled and dogs leapt

into my dilapidated truck, butts wagging, ready for action.

My wife, however, did not get in the truck. She glared at me, clearing her throat loudly, tapping her foot, until I handed her my keys to let her drive.

In nearly 20 years of marriage she has never sat in a passenger seat. She gets motion-sick when I drive and tends to puke on my shoes.

I knew all this going into the marriage. Her matrimonial conditions were simple: She always drives; I never play the accordion indoors.

Don’t get me wrong, our marriage is fair. We’ve made many compromises. For instance, on our wedding night I agreed to always let her operate my truck if she promised to fill our closet with 52,339 pairs of shoes she will never wear. So far so good.

But our life together has all been worth it, believe me. The woman who drives my truck could have chosen a much classier guy for herself. She could have found someone with a great job, who came from good breeding, who owned actual formalwear.

Instead, she married a dropout who went to community college for 11 years and graduated with straight Cs in his early 30s. A guy whose personal truck contains hounds that cost more than his truck did.

But we’re a happy clan, that’s what I’m getting at. And tonight we had an outing. Once we were in the

Pretty Lights

truck, we drove across town to a nondescript neighborhood. The sun was getting closer to the horizon. My dogs’ snouts were pressed against the windows. I checked my watch.

“Five minutes until sunset,” I announced to the fam.

The air was alive with anticipation. Also, the air was alive with something else because my dogs suffer from frequent gastrointestinal distress.

We parked near the curb and waited. And waited. We listened to Christmas songs on the radio and sipped our Baptist-style eggnog from insulated cups, which is very different from, say, our Episcopalian eggnog.

It was wonderful, simply being together. This little family of mine. It’s funny, I used to hear old-timers talk about the Great Depression, and how families leaned on each other. Elderly people were always telling you

how family was the only way they made it through life. I’m starting to get it now.

“Look!” said my wife.

The first house’s lights clicked on in the neighborhood. Then the next house. And the next. One by one they illuminated the night with electric joy.

We applauded. We drove past houses that were wild with Christmas decor. We oohed and aahed at the inflatable snow globes, animatronics, fiberglass elves, choreographed strobe lights, glowing flamingos and Alvin and the Chipmunks singing over a PA system.

On our way home we stopped by a supermarket Christmas tree lot. My wife and I strolled through the open-air aisles of balsam firs while our dogs waited in the truck.

The irony here is that we already have a Christmas tree, we don’t need another.

So I’m not sure what we were doing there.

An employee named Bill kept following us. He was constantly asking if we needed help. Bill was your classic sales professional. He never let a customer go cold. I told him we were just looking.

Bill’s face went flat. “Just looking?” he said, using the same tone he might’ve used if I had just handed him a jar of warm sputum.

That’s when my wife saw something in the corner. It was the smallest, most pathetic tree ever. Barren, scrawny, half-dead, and exactly the kind of thing that you’d either throw away, or reserve for a CBS Charlie Brown TV special. It was lying among a pile of crumpled Whataburger takeout bags and snuff tins.

“How much for this one?” my wife asked Bill.

“That one?” he said.

Popular Big Buck Photo Contest Launches

CONTRIBUTED BY ALBBAA

ALABAMA —

Alabama’s Black Belt ranks among America’s best places to bag a trophy buck, and the Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association wants to see your photos again this year.

The annual Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association (ALBBAA) Big Buck Photo Contest is being announced for the 2022-2023 deer hunting season. The contest, which takes place online, will run through Feb. 10, 2023, and is sponsored by Tutt Land Company. Any photo from the current hunting season, which began in November, can be submitted.

“Hunters of all ages enjoy unforgettable adventures and create wonderful family memories while hunting in the Black Belt each year,” said Pam Swanner, director of the ALBBAA. “Our Big Buck Photo Contest helps us celebrate the

USPS >> FROM A2

affordable, reliable and secure delivery of mail and packages to more than 163 million addresses six and often seven days a week. Overseen by a bipartisan Board of Governors, the postal service is implementing

bountiful hunting that the Black Belt is known for and it’s gratifying to see so many entries from young hunters. They are the future conservationist of our wildlife and their habitat.”

Here are rules and guidelines for this year’s contest:

To enter the contest, hunters must upload, through the ALBBAA website, a photo of a buck harvested from within the 23-county Black Belt region. The buck must be harvested during 2022-23 whitetail deer season. The winner of the contest is selected exclusively through online voting.

Voting will also be conducted on the same page where entries are submitted, www. alabamablackbeltadventures.org/news-more/ shoot-the-black-belt/ big-buck-photo-contest-2022/

Visitors to the contest webpage may vote once per day, per entry, per IP address. In the

a 10-year transformation plan, Delivering for America, to modernize the postal network, restore long-term financial sustainability, dramatically improve service across all mail and shipping categories and maintain the organization as one of America’s most valued and trusted

case of any dispute, the decision of ALBBAA is final. Photo contest winners from the previous two years are not eligible for entry.

ALBBAA reserves the right to approve or disapprove of the photo submitted. Cause for disqualification of photo can include, but

brands.

The postal service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

For more information about the postal service, visit usps.com and facts. usps.com.

is not limited to, the following:

• The photo content presents the subject in an unethical or dis-respectful composition.

• The photo content

is perceived to cast a negative perception of hunters and their contribution to the management of wildlife.

• Voting violation which imposes an unfair advantage to others.

The contestant who receives the most online votes before the season closes in February will receive a $300 gift card sponsored by Tutt Land Company for use at any outdoor retail outlet.

ALBBAA reminds all sportsmen and sportswomen to purchase a hunting license online through the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources before heading afield. Additionally, successful hunters are also reminded to report their harvested deer through Game Check.

“The Black Belt offers some of America’s very best whitetail deer hunting,” Swanner said.

“We hope to see photos that commemorate and celebrate the hunting season. That’s one of the goals for our Big Buck Photo Contest.”

The Black Belt includes the following 23 counties: Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Crenshaw, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Lee, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Monroe, Montgomery, Perry, Pickens, Pike, Russell, Sumter, Tuscaloosa and Wilcox.

ABOUT ALBBAA

The Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association is committed to promoting and enhancing outdoor recreation and tourism opportunities in the Black Belt in a manner that provides economic and ecological benefits to the region and its citizens.

For information, go to www.alabamablackbeltadventures.org.

The Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association Big Buck Photo Contest often draws more than 100 entries and thousands of online votes. Chelsea Hunter, of Tallassee, won last year’s contest.

Nominations for Alabama State Parks’ Annual Eagle Awards Open

CONTRIBUTED BY DIRECT COMMUNICATIONS

AUBURN —

The Alabama State Parks Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will again recognize special contributors to the parks with its prestigious Eagle Awards.

Nominations for the seventh annual Eagle Awards are open online at www.alapark.com/eagle-awards-2023 and the awards will be presented in five categories: Elected Official, Community Partner, Park Partner, Volunteer in Parks (VIP) and Youth (students 12th grade and younger). Deadline for submitting nominations is Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.

“Alabama State Parks appreciate organizations and individuals that

BRONZE

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week.

Penland was killed in action in fighting around Hamhung, North Korea, on Dec. 16, 1950, and his remains are still buried there. More than 1,000

contribute their time and talents to help make the parks a better experience for others,” said Parks Director Greg Lein. “We are excited to once again recognize and reward them with our seventh annual Eagle Awards.

Having this awards ceremony at Lake Guntersville State Park during Eagle Awareness Weekend is the ideal setting to honor and acknowledge the invaluable efforts that help make the Alabama State Parks successful.”

Here are brief descriptions of the Eagle Awards categories:

Elected Official: This award honors an elected official who has worked in conjunction with the parks to help fulfill its mission to preserve natural areas, operate recreational facilities and extend the public’s knowledge of the state’s

U.S. Army and Marines are still buried in unmarked graves in North Korea. Penland was a veteran of World War II and was assigned as the Army recruiter in Opelika following that war. It was in Opelika that he met and married the former Sara Helen May.

natural environment.

Community Partner: Parks succeed with the cooperation and support of community organizations such as other government organizations, chambers of commerce, tourism organizations and local businesses — groups that understand that the success of the park means

success for the community.

Park Partner: Organizations work to provide or maintain amenities in the parks, such as hiking and biking trails, that otherwise might not exist due to the allocation of resources for other services. This award celebrates those partners who see a need

and cooperate with park leadership to fill it.

Volunteer in Parks: These VIPs work in various ways to make our parks system better. Volunteers may be providing physical labor or strategic planning to improve one park, or the entire system of parks.

Youth: Our parks inspire young — and old — alike, but the impression left on youngsters often lives with them forever. Many turn their love of the parks, of the outdoors, into projects to benefit some of their favorite places — often as part of a scouting program. This award, for students 12th grade and younger, honors the person whose contribution is extraordinary.

Winners will be honored during Eagle Awareness Weekend, set for Feb. 3 through 5, 2023, at Lake

The Alabama State Parks is a division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and maintains 21 state parks encompassing more than 50,000 acres of land and water in Alabama. The parks range from Gulf Coast beaches to the Appalachian Mountains and provide opportunities and facilities from basic day-use activities to resort convention lodging, restaurants and golfing areas. These parks rely on visitor fees and the support of other partners like local communities to fund the majority of their operations. Make reservations at www.alapark. com/online-reservations and learn more at www. alapark.com. Partners Pay the Way.

Penland’s awards and decorations also include The Purple Heart with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Service Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, National Defense

Service Medal, Korean Service Medal with Three Bronze Service Stars, Presidential Unit Citation (Navy), Combat Infantryman Badge with Star, United Nations Service Medal Republic of Korea - Korean War Service Medal and

water. It’s very frustrating.”

For Sarah and Taylor Gill, owners of Mama Mocha’s roastery and espresso bar, this is the sixth time they are dealing with major flooding. The Nov. 29 flood brought up to a foot of water in some places, leaving weak spots in the wooden floor of the espresso bar.

Sarah said rainwater “just pours in” because the building that houses the coffee shop and roastery is sloped. It also lacks the raised entrance that 10000 Hz and Sneak & Dawdle have.

“In the front part, it went up about six inches that we measured at the wall, so that’s kind of where it stood,” she said. “…

There’s just, like, a flood line where the water just sat. … We had to cut all the sheetrock where it flooded and have mold specialists

come out with dehumidifiers to make sure we weren’t about to get in a situation.”

In response to the first big flood, Sarah said friends helped clean up using wet vacuums, but it proved difficult and expensive.

“It’s just expensive to have it cleaned up, so the city agreed that whenever we had a flood like that because of the street, they would pay for the cleanup. So that’s what they’ve done every time.”

Baggett said the city also offered to replace damaged items at his store after the most recent flood. Still, the business owners said they are eager to get the flooding issue resolved.

“They’ve had many opportunities to try to come up with some solutions, and they’ve done very little so far,” he said. “… Until they’re out here digging stuff up and putting in grates and whatever — figuring out a system that

looks different than the system that’s in place, and it’s been in place for a year and a half — we don’t know if we’re going to have to be sitting here worried about our shop flooding every time it rains.”

According to Parker, the current system has the same capacity as it did before the 2020 streetscape project. In an effort to make the area more pedestrian-friendly, the city reduced the size of the road, widened the sidewalks and decreased the cross slope to meet ADA guidelines.

The other major change involved implementing landscaping beds, or bioretention cells.

“They’re just big vaults, basically, with the drain at the bottom of it, and the material that we filled it up with was a specific type of material that was designed to drain — have the water percolate through — and also hold enough nutrients

where it could grow plants and trees and whatnot,” Parker explained.

Parker said the purpose of the bio-cells is to filter out contaminants that occur naturally in stormwater.

“It allows the absorption to take up the first of the rainwater and clean it, and then when that gets saturated, the water will then flow into the drains that are installed in the beds,” he added. “So we have three drains on First Avenue that receive the stormwater that doesn’t get absorbed in the bio-cell retention system.”

In addition, he said it’s common in the industry to experience more rain than the drainage structures can handle — the exception being interstate highways. But with regular city streets, the systems are not designed and built for worst-case scenarios.

Parker said flooding is just as common in other parts of Opelika, but the

issues on First Avenue are most likely due to the intensity of the rain and the changes to the street; it’s lower than before.

“Now, with that being said, with the direction of the mayor, we’re having our contractor come in there and make some adjustments starting this week,” he added. “… We can’t work in the rain, but certainly, hopefully, we’ll be able to focus on that and start this week, and finish within a week or so. We’ve instructed our contractors to have that priority.”

In the meantime, Sarah said she appreciates Fuller’s attention to the recent flood, as well as the support she and Mama Mocha’s have received from the community, and she knows “the Lord will provide.” Baggett echoed her optimism, but with caution.

“I am optimistic that this time will be different, but it remains to be seen,” he said.

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“Yes.”

“Well now, that depends. It’s a quality tree.”

“Is that why it’s by the dumpster?”

“Clerical error.”

“I want it.”

“Make me an offer.”

They haggled like commodities traders. We took it home. My wife placed the pitiful tree onto our back porch. She decorated it with homemade ornaments, lights and dollar-store garland. She put a plastic star on its dismal top.

She transformed a tired and ragged piece of refuse into something proud, happy and full of life. The thing positively glowed. And when I saw it, all lit up with love, it hit me:

About 20 years ago, she did the same thing to me.

Guntersville State Park. ABOUT ALABAMA’S STATE PARKS SYSTEM

Winners of the 2023 Eagle Awards will be honored during Eagle Awareness Weekend set for Feb. 3 through 5, 2023, at Lake Guntersville State Park.

Elite Leadership Program Culminates For Up-And-Coming Agriculturalists

CONTRIBUTED BY ALFA MAGGIE EDWARDS

LEE COUNTY —

From visiting decision-makers in Washington, D.C., to deep-diving into Alabama Farmers Federation dynamics, Agricultural Leaders For Alabama (A.L.F.A. Leaders) has transformed the lives of 16 program participants.

A.L.F.A. Leaders Class V culminated its journey during the federation’s 101st annual meeting in Montgomery on Dec. 5. The class was announced in December 2019.

“Besides networking with my fellow class-

mates and federation staff, one of the most important parts was the seminars,” said graduate Dillon Turk, who manages his family’s Martin’s Nursery in Mobile County. “Each of our six seminars focused on a different aspect — from politics to personal development. We came out of each seminar having learned something about ourselves or ways to identify and solve problems.”

Turk’s fellow classmates included farmers, extension agents, agriscience educators, business owners and more — each bringing unique

qualities and backgrounds to the table.

Participants, who are 25 to 45, were trained in agricultural policy, industry leadership and communications. Class V benefited from six intensive, multi-day seminars revolving around federation operations, state and national government, Alabama agriculture and successful leadership.

Federation President Jimmy Parnell hailed the program, which has cultivated local, state and national farm and government leaders.

“We are proud to invest in these young leaders,” Parnell said. “We see the

impact A.L.F.A. Leaders and similar programs have had on our organization. This time and financial investment will pay dividends for decades to come.”

Interacting with policymakers and American Farm Bureau Federation staff in the nation’s capital opened class graduate Lucy Edwards’ eyes to the federation’s influence nationwide.

“There is a powerful relationship between the federation and elected officials in D.C.,” said Edwards, an extension coordinator sponsored by Houston County Farmers Federation. “These leaders really took time to engage with us and learn more about issues Alabama farmers are facing.”

A.L.F.A. Leaders Class V also participated in a capstone project centered around FarmPAC, the federation’s political action committee focused on state endorsements. They presented a proposal to federation leaders during the organization’s annual meeting.

Rachel Chastain, an agriscience educator at Helen Keller School in Talladega County, said the capstone project finetuned her public speaking skills. It also improved her teaching skills and the way she speaks to audiences as an Alabama Ag, as the Classroom Summer Institute presenter.

“When we have elected officials come through my school, I have a platform that allows me to be an education advocate and an agricultural

advocate,” Chastain said. “This class helped give me the confidence and skills to better my ability to educate others.”

Turk, Edwards and Chastain agreed that A.L.F.A Leaders changed their lives.

“This program helped open my eyes to the bigger picture of agriculture and advocating for the industry,” Chastain said. “I also learned how inclusive the federation is. Whether you are an agriscience teacher or a row cropper, there is a place for you.”

Turk said the time commitment — six weeklong sessions — was well worth the sacrifice.

“It is time away from work and family, but it is beneficial to you, whether you’re an agribusinessman or farmer,” Turk said. “Most importantly, I’ll work with, for and around these 15 folks throughout the rest of my life.”

The class will experience one last learning opportunity together in January, as they travel to the United Kingdom for an agricultural leadership experience.

RICHBURG RECEIVES ALABAMA FARMERS FEDERATION SENIOR LEADER AWARD

Lee County Farmers Federation (LCFF) member Mahlon Richburg was honored with the Senior Leader Award from the Alabama Farmers Federation during an awards ceremony Dec. 5.

An LCFF member for more than 45 years, Richburg previously has

served as county president. At the state level, he is a former member of the Alabama Farmers Federation Beef and Hay & Forage committees. He taught agriscience in the Auburn City school system for 40 years. Together with his wife Mary, he raises high-quality hay.

The ceremony was part of the second general session of the Alabama Farmers Federation’s 101st annual meeting in Montgomery, which drew over 1,200 attendees.

The Senior Leader Award is reserved for individuals who are over 70 years old and have served as a county Farmers Federation president, State Women’s Leadership Committee chair or Federation State Board member.

IN OTHER NEWS

Rex Vaughn of Madison County and George Jeffcoat of Houston County were reelected to their sixth two-year terms as North Area and Southeast Area vice presidents, respectively. Both raise row crops and cattle.

As Southeast Area vice president, Jeffcoat serves farmers in Barbour, Bullock, Chambers, Coffee, Coosa, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Elmore, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Lee, Macon, Pike, Russell and Tallapoosa counties.

Ann Whatley will serve one-year, ex-officio terms on the state board. She was elected chair of the State Women’s Leader-

Their are signups available online here: www. www.signupgenius.com/ go/10c0949a9aa28a2fdc70-rsvp.

Dropoffs will take place through the end of Dec.

16 and pickups through the end of Dec. 17. When dropping off a gift, pickup must be at least five hours later.

“I’m afraid that people are afraid to sign up because they think [it is need-based], it’s really not,” she said. “It just really is us trying to give

back to the community, so I just hope that anyone who wants or needs, but particularly but just wants to, too, [will sign up]. It’s not a charity event, it’s a community event. We just want to do what we can to help cut down on some of the craziness of the season.”

ship Committee.

Pictured left, Garrett Dixon is pictured with Federation President Jimmy Parnell. Lee County farmer Dixon, right, graduated from the elite Agricultural Leaders For Alabama (A.L.F.A. Leaders) program Dec. 5 during the Alabama Farmers Federation 101st annual meeting in Montgomery. Dixon is a row crop and cattle farmer from Salem.

Sponsored by the Federation, A.L.F.A. Leaders’ 16 participants received training in agricultural policy, industry leadership, effective communication and organizational involvement during six institutes that included state and national legislative trips. An international experience to the United Kingdom will conclude their two-year program in January. Members of Class V included farmers, Extension agents, agriscience educators and industry specialists, who were chosen based on a written application and interview. Participants were 25 to 45 years old.

Pictured middle, Mahlon Richburg was honored with the Senior Leader Award from the Alabama Farmers Federation during an awards ceremony Dec. 5. He is pictured with federation Executive Director Paul Pinyan (on the left).

Ann Whatley of Lee County was elected State Women's Leadership Committee chairman during the Alabama Farmers Federation in Montgomery Dec. 5. During her year-term, she will also serve an ex-officio term on the Alabama Farmers Federation board of directors.

wo Opelika City Schools teachers, Erica and Zac Skidmore, began early getting organized for Christmas for seven children. They had some children by birth, some by adoption and others through foster care.

As Christmas Day approaches, the gifts have been wrapped, the freezer has been filled, the pantry is full and most of the food

ociety

Ann Cipperly

SHouthernospitality

has been prepped, allowing them time to relax and enjoy being together.

Zac teaches history at the middle school in Opelika, while Erica teaches English as a second language to students from kindergarten through fifth grade at Carver Primary, Jeter Primary, Southview Primary, Northside Intermediate and Morris Avenue Intermediate. The students are mostly

Hispanic, with a few Asian and South American children.

“I teach them how to speak English and listen,” Erica said. “They are the best-behaved children.”

While growing up in Glencoe near Gadsden, Erica enjoyed plenty of good food during the Christmas season with her mother being a church hostess and an excellent cook. Erica and

her siblings were often in the kitchen with their aprons on, watching their mother cook. Her Grandmother Mary was a good cook as well, and Erica learned a great deal about cooking from her, too.

Erica learned easily how

to make cornbread but found making biscuits the most difficult. She watched her mother and later found a recipe that worked. She now makes biscuits with fried chicken as a favorite breakfast dish on Christmas morning.

Her mother was the church hostess at the Baptist church in Gadsden and would prepare meals, such as fried chicken, on Wednesday nights.

At Christmas, the focus was not on having lots of

‘A Tuna Christmas’ Exceeds $1 Million in Sales at the Springer A Holiday Walk in the Woods

Erica and Zac Skidmore, teachers at Opelika City Schools, plan ahead to be organized for Christmas with their large family. Pictured on the back row are, from left: Daniel Kiani, Erica, Zac, Jack Skidmore, Rocky Sun (Grace's husband); front row, from left: Kate Kiani, Gabby Kiani, Charlie Skidmore, Isabella Kiani and Grace Sun with daughter Ruthie.

Left to right: Eric Bricking as Thurston Wheelis and Casey Ross as Arles Struvy in the Springer’s production of “A Tuna Christmas.”

Making the Grade: Pho Lee Vietnamese Restaurant

STACEY PATTON WALLACE

As I have mentioned before in this column, I am a 20th-century woman trapped in the 21st century. In fact, I was the least tech-savvy teacher when I taught at Long Cane Middle School in LaGrange, Georgia.

However, even I must admit that some technology is pretty amazing. For instance, there is Google Translate, an app on cellphones which can translate English into other languages.

Thankfully, Katie Newman, our outstanding media specialist (We called them librarians in the 20th century.) at LCMS, was adept at using Google Translate from 2019 to 2020, our retirement year. That year, two brothers from Vietnam moved to LaGrange and enrolled in our school. Neither of the boys spoke English, so they often were in the media center using computers.

Katie would speak English into Google Translate, and her message would be translated into Vietnamese for them. Also, sometimes the boys were sent to my husband Mike, the computer teacher at LCMS. Mike used the app to write instructions on his Promethean board so that they could understand what to do.

Recently, I phoned Katie to ask about those sweet brothers. She said that although they weren’t quite fluent in English, they were speaking it pretty well. Also, she said

that Google Translate has come a long way since three years ago when she had to either speak into her phone or type messages. Now, you can take a picture of a sheet written in English, and the app automatically translates it into the student’s own language. The teacher can then print a copy for the student. “What will they think of next?” is a cliché, but it certainly fits.

Recently, Mike and I were reminiscing about those sweet brothers when we decided to try Vietnamese food for the first time. A few weeks ago, we went to Pho Lee Vietnamese Restaurant at 756 E. Glenn Ave. in Auburn.

When we entered the restaurant, we noticed that

there was a really good crowd for a Monday night; that’s always a good sign.

Mike and I were also impressed by the number of takeout orders we witnessed.

I admired the attractive interior of the building; I particularly liked the Tiki hut-like entrance. Libby, our server, was an absolute delight. Since we had never eaten Vietnamese food, we had several questions, and she kindly and patiently answered each one.

As I’ve mentioned before, Mike and I are always kind to our servers. After all, they showed up for work when many businesses are short-staffed.

As “Pooh-sized” people,

we really appreciate those who feed us.

For an appetizer, Libby recommended the Vietnamese fried egg rolls, which are made with pork. Libby told us that the owner’s mother makes them.

Boy, Libby was right about those egg rolls. They were outstanding. I could have made a meal out of three or four of them.

For his entrée, Mike chose the grilled, marinated beef and shrimp with fried rice. I selected the deluxe fried rice with pork, chicken and shrimp. We both chose non-spicy entrees because acid reflux is not our friend.

Everything was really

delicious. Mike particularly loved the taste of the marinade. Mine was just as tasty. However, we managed to stop eating before Libby had to roll us to our car. Pho Lee is a definite do-over for the Wallaces.

In addition, Mike and I chatted with the restaurant’s owner, Pham Lee, who was so gracious and kind. Lee said that the restaurant had been in Auburn for 10 years. Also, he sent us some Thai tea; it was really great, too.

Besides our tasty appetizers, Pho Lee Vietnamese Restaurant

also offers diners a variety of spring rolls, as well as fried wontons. The restaurant also serves a large selection of fried rice dishes, house specials, soups, Vermicelli rice noodles and Vietnamese sandwiches.

Pho Lee Vietnamese Restaurant is closed on Sunday. The restaurant is open Monday through Saturday for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and for dinner (supper) from 4:30 to 9 p.m.

Pho Lee Vietnamese

Restaurant makes the grade with an A+ from this retired English teacher. Remember, “Poohsized” people NEVER lie about food. Enjoy!

Stacey Patton Wallace, who retired from teaching language arts for 30 years, is a professional diner. Her column, “Making the grade,” will appear each week in The Observer. Wallace may be reached at retiredlangartsteacher2020@ gmail.com

From The Live Well Kitchen: Mighty Skillet Meal

CONTRIBUTED BY ACES BY DUSTIN DUNCAN

LEE COUNTY —

The recipe may be mighty, but the preparation is simple. Live Well Alabama’s Mighty Skillet Meal is easy to make but feeds all the mighty ones around the dinner table. If feeding a large group, this recipe can easily be doubled or tripled.

“If your children tend to avoid mixed dishes with chopped veggies, try chopping them very small, letting kids help prepare the meal, using onion and garlic powder for flavor and adding different veggies like peas or carrots,” said Katie Funderburk, Alabama Extension’s SNAP-Ed coordinator.

MIGHTY SKILLET MEAL Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef

½ cup celery, chopped

cup onion, chopped

cup green onion, chopped 1 teaspoon chili powder 2 cups tomatoes, diced ½ cup cooked rice Salt and pepper to taste

Pro Tips

Want more veggies? Add bell peppers or another favorite vegetable to this dish. Also, for a timesaver, buy fresh or frozen prechopped vegetables.

Directions: Over medium heat,

combine the ground beef, celery, onion and green onion in skillet. Cook until the meat is brown. Drain fat and return to skillet.

Add chili powder, tomatoes, rice, salt and pepper to skillet.

Cover and simmer over medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes. Stir often to avoid sticking.

STUFFED BELL PEPPERS WITH GROUND VENISON

Want a new twist on stuffed bell peppers? Try adding ground venison.

Live Well Alabama’s

Stuffed Bell Peppers with Ground Venison recipe is a flavor explosion. Why ground venison? Because it’s rich in protein and iron and low in fat. However, this recipe also works with any ground meat.

“If you’re fortunate enough to have venison in your freezer right now, this is a great recipe to try,” Funderburk said. “Fun fact — a bell pepper has more vitamin C than on orange.”

Ingredients

Cooking spray

1 pound ground venison

Four button mushrooms, chopped

Two ribs celery, sliced thinly

One medium onion, chopped

Two cans petite diced tomatoes with juice, 14.5 ounces

2 tablespoons concentrated tomato paste

1 tablespoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons Italian

seasoning

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon parsley, dried

1½ cups cooked long grain rice

Six bell peppers

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Pro Tips

Adding red pepper flakes during cooking will add extra spice.

Directions Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and spray a large skillet with cooking spray.

In the skillet, over medium heat, cook the ground venison for 5 minutes or until cooked almost through.

Add the mushrooms, celery and onions, and cook until vegetables are tender.

Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic pow-

PHOTOS BY MIKE WALLACE / FOR THE OBSERVER

Deck the Halls with Backyard Greenery

CONTRIBUTED BY KATIE NICHOLS OF ALABAMA EXTENSION

AUBURN —

Deck the halls with backyard greenery. Instead of heading to the store for decorations, why not take advantage of natural décor found around you? Lucy Edwards, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System coordinator for Chilton County, has some helpful tips for transforming your home into a winter wonderland.

GREENERY

One of the most popular natural decorations of the holiday season is greenery. Edwards recommends following three important steps when gathering live greenery.

- Remember that the plants are being pruned.

- Carefully consider which branches to cut and which to leave.

- Distribute cuts evenly around the plant to preserve the natural form.

When making a trip to the backyard or woods, there are some ideal evergreens to keep an eye out for.

“For decorating indoors, the best types of greenery to use include pine, fir and cedar,” Edwards said. “If you are decorating outdoors, it is best to use hemlock, spruce and broadleaf evergreens.”

Once the greenery of choice is cut, the challenge is to keep it fresh for as long as possible. For the best results, Edwards offers the following tips:

- Use clean, sharp pruners.

- Cut the ends of the woody stems at a diagonal angle to allow them to take in more water.

- Immediately put cut ends in water.

- Keep the greenery out of direct sunlight.

- Immerse greenery in water overnight. This will allow the cuttings to absorb the maximum amount of moisture.

- Spray dry foliage with an anti-transpirant product — such as Wilt-Pruf — to help seal in moisture. However, do not use this product on juniper berries, cedars or blue spruces.

- Store greenery in a cool location until use.

- Display away from a heat source.

- As greenery and fruit withers, replace throughout the season.

KISSING BALL

Looking to get crafty with the greenery? Edwards has the perfect creative use for sprigs of greenery.

Mistletoe and Christmas go together like milk and cookies. However, mistletoe can often be difficult to come by. As an alternative, use “kissing balls” to carry on the tradition.

“Kissing balls are made of short sprigs of boxwood or other greenery,” Edwards said.

Oddly, the easiest way to construct a kissing ball is to use a round potato as the base. The moisture from

the potato helps to keep the cut greenery fresh. After grabbing the potato, fasten a piece of wire to it for

hanging. Next, insert evenly sized sprigs of greenery into the potato to completely cover it.

“To make inserting the greenery a little easier, try making starter holes in the potato with a metal skewer or toothpick,” Edwards said. The greenery sprigs should form an evenly rounded ball. Once complete, decorate with ribbons or berries. Hang the ball from chandeliers, doorways or windows.

MORE INFORMATION

Bring the beauty of the outdoors in this holiday season with backyard greenery. For more helpful holiday tips, visit the Alabama Extension website, www.aces. edu. Read Green Traditions for the Holidays or Holiday Spending. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System takes the expertise of Auburn University and Alabama A&M University to the people. Our educators in all 67 counties are community partners — bringing practical ways to better our homes, farms, people and the world around us. Our research extends knowledge and improves lives.

A Complete Guide to Christmas Trees in 2022

CONTRIBUTED BY COLE SIKES OF ALABAMA EXTENSION

AUBURN —

The iconic scent of Christmas trees is wafting through the air. Soon, families will begin the search for the perfect addition to their living rooms. However, these elements will come at a higher cost than seasons of yore. An Alabama Cooperative Extension System assistant professor explains what shoppers can expect as they shop for trees this holiday season.

Economic Impacts on Christmas Tree Industry

According to Alabama Extension Commercial Horticulture Assistant Professor Jeremy Pickens, Christmas tree shoppers could see a small price increase in both precut lot trees and farmgrown trees.

“Across all of agriculture, the cost for fertilizer, fuel and chemicals have gone up significantly,” Pickens said. “To cover some inflated costs, growers and box stores may choose to raise their overall Christmas tree prices this year.”

A survey from The Real

Christmas Tree Board (TRCTB), a national research organization funded by North American Christmas tree growers, indicated 5% to 15% of TRCTB members would be increasing prices for 2022.

Frank Wadsworth of Wadsworth Christmas Tree Farm has been growing and selling trees for 46 years. The Elmore County native said the 2022 growing season has produced some challenges for the family business.

“The cost of everything from herbicides to fertilizer has more than doubled in price,” Wadsworth said. “For example, a lawnmower blade last year was $12. This year, one blade costs $25.”

Pickens said he believes consumers will understand this price increase given the economic changes during the past two years since COVID-19 crippled the United States supply chain. This cost is also representative of issues with tree availability.

Wadsworth also had difficulty obtaining seedlings, as well as precut fir trees for sale. Local tree farmers often cannot compete with the buying power of big box

stores. So, this disadvantage means that local markets may not have the supply or variety consumers are accustomed to this year.

“If you want to get an Alabama-grown tree, then you should go early,” Pickens said. “Growers are selling out earlier and earlier each year due to a rapid increase in demand.”

Pickens also adds that, historically, Christmas tree farms open the day after Thanksgiving, but many chose to open earlier this year to ensure that each family has ample opportunity to purchase a tree.

Picking the Perfect Tree

The first step to purchasing a Christmas tree is to determine which species of tree you want in your home. Most lot trees are Douglas and Fraser firs, which have the classic tree smell combined with strong, robust branches for heavy ornaments. However, these species do not grow well in Alabama, meaning the firs you see on lots have been brought from cold-climate states.

Other species consumers will find at choose-and-cut farms in Alabama include

Murray cypress, Arizona cypress, Leyland cypress, Eastern red cedar and Virginia pine. These species typically have fuller foliage than Northern firs and have branches best suited for lighter ornaments. None of these trees are considered more valuable than the other.

To ensure a long-lasting tree, Pickens suggests buying a fresh-cut tree from a local choose-and-cut operation or buying precut trees with their bases stored in water.

“Trees that were stored in water will last longer because they have been kept hydrated,” Pickens said.

HOW TO CARE FOR A CHRISTMAS TREE

Pickens said the easiest way to ensure a healthy Christmas tree is to always keep the water reservoir full.

“I check my tree daily until I get a feel for its water use,” Pickens said. “If you are unable to bend down to check, construct a dipstick. Just take any rod, (i.e., a broom handle, pool stick, fishing rod, etc.) and mark the depth of the water bowl on the side. Check the water level by dipping the stick in the water bowl to reveal a watermark.

It’s just like checking your automotive oil.”

It is important to keep the stick as vertical as possible when checking. This method will ensure the most accurate water level reading. If the tree is placed in an area exposed to heat (i.e., HVAC or fireplace), consider moving the tree or closing the appropriate vents causing the exposure. While not completely necessary, keeping the room temperature a little lower and reducing exposure to direct sunlight will also cut down on the tree's water needs.

WHAT ABOUT AFTER CHRISTMAS?

When it is time to say farewell to the family Christmas tree, Pickens said there are some options for responsibly disposing of it.

“Check with your local municipalities, as some have tree collection points,” Pickens said. “These trees are often turned into mulch, and sometimes the mulch is free.”

A popular method of tree repurposing is to place them in ponds or lakes to serve as fish bed structures. Some people also use them to start a bonfire during the winter. Everyone should heed caution if

Want to learn more?

burning a dry Christmas tree. The hot fire can get away quickly.

More Than Just a Tree Pickens said visiting a Christmas tree farm will provide more than buying a tree. These farms are one of the most popular forms of agritourism and they provide picture-perfect moments families cherish for a lifetime. Alabama tree farms provide great venues to kick off the Christmas season.

“When you come to a farm, you leave with more than a tree; you leave with memories,” Wadsworth said.

“There are kids that I remember 20 to 30 years ago who return every year with families of their own. It is very gratifying to be a part of their traditions.”

LEARN MORE

To help find a farm or retailer, try the location tool from TRCTB, and search using a zip code. Consumers may filter results by chooseand-cut farms, garden centers, home improvement stores and more.

Visit the Alabama Extension website, www.aces.edu, to learn more about Christmas trees.

der, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, parsley and cooked rice. Cook for another 5 minutes or until the rice is warmed through.

Cut off the tops of the peppers and spoon out the ribs and seeds. Rinse. Lightly sprinkle the insides of peppers with salt and place in microwave-safe dish with 1/4 cup water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 5 minutes or until peppers start to soften.

Transfer to the peppers to a 3-quart or 9×13-inch baking dish. Fill the peppers with the cooked meat and rice mixture.

Sprinkle cheese on top, and bake for 20 minutes or until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted.

Step-by-step instructions for the Mighty Skillet Meal and Stuffed Bell Peppers with Ground Venison recipes and instructional videos are available at www.LiveWellAlabama.com.

LIVE WELL ALABAMA

Live Well Alabama is a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) initiative developed by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System at Auburn University. This initiative reaches residents across the state with research-based education.

“Live Well Alabama recipes are meant to equip people of all ages and experience levels to prepare healthier foods for themselves and their families,” Funderburk said.

Eating healthy doesn’t have to be difficult or

expensive. Live Well Alabama provides numerous recipes that are simple and budget friendly.

For more information about Live Well Alabama and to find more Live Well Alabama recipes, visit www.LiveWellAlabama. com. Also, check out more Live Well Alabama tips and recipes on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

ABOUT ACES

The Alabama Cooperative Extension System takes the expertise of Auburn University and Alabama A&M University to the people. Our educators in all 67 counties are community partners — bringing practical ways to better our homes, farms, people and the world around us. Our research extends knowledge and improves lives.

gifts in Erica’s home. They often received needed items in their stockings. It was more important at Christmas to cook and deliver trays of treats to neighbors and those who were homebound in their church. Her mother also hosted family for meals during the holidays and cooked for international students. They would invite friends to go caroling with them.

Erica looked forward to visiting her grandparents in Pensacola, Florida, during the Christmas season.

After high school, she attended Gadsden State Community College and Jacksonville State, then began teaching school. Later, she received her master’s degree at UAB. She taught international students on the college level, and at that time had students with nine

CIPPERLY RECIPES

TRISCUIT TEASERS

Triscuits

Onion and chive cream cheese, softened Jalapeños

Spread the cream cheese on a Triscuit. Add a jalapeño and enjoy the simplest, yet scrumptious hors d’oeuvre.

FRUIT CHARCUTERIE AND FRUIT DIP

Chocolate-covered strawberries

Grapes

Pineapples

Apple slices

Cream cheese

Fruit dip

Bananas

Blueberries

Raspberries

Arrange fruit in an appealing appearance and serve with the fruit dip. Garnish with sprigs of rosemary, if desired.

Fruit Dip: 8 oz. block cream cheese, softened ½ cup powdered sugar

In a mixer bowl, combine cream cheese and sugar; beat until smooth.

CHEESE AND VEGETABLE CHARCUTERIE

Carrots

Celery

Olives

Cheese

Wheat thins

Gouda cheese

Muenster cheese

Aged cheddar

Hummus

Pickles

Various nuts

Arrange ingredients on a wooden cheeseboard. Add slices of oranges, apples, lime, lemon and rosemary for garnish.

CREAMED SPINACH

2 ½ cups spinach, fresh or frozen

2 Tbsp. butter

½ onion, finely chopped

½ cup heavy cream

1 cup shaved Parmesan

different languages in her classes.

Erica’s mother passed away five years ago, and she said that thinking of her being in the kitchen loving to cook brings comfort and wonderful memories. Her mother would set a lovely table, and Erica is following in those footsteps as she gathers her family around the table.

“It is not just for the holidays but year-round,” she said. “When I set a special table, the children feel special. Eating at the table with family is my favorite part of the day. We talk about the high and low parts of their day.”

During the Christmas season, Erica said she enjoys decorating the table with fresh greenery and flowers. The dining room table is covered with her mother’s vintage tablecloth and set with a mixture of her mother’s Christmas

Salt and pepper to taste

Add spinach to a large pot of salted boiling water and cook for 30 seconds.

Drain and squeeze out as much water as possible.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat add onion and cook until soft, about five minutes. Add garlic and cook one minute more.

Add spinach to mixture and stir.

Add heavy cream and shaved Parmesan and stir continually for 5 minutes until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

GREEN BEAN BACON BUNDLES

16 oz. green beans, fresh or frozen

1 pack bacon

½ cup brown sugar ¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup melted butter Salt Pepper Garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a casserole dish. Cut bacon strips in half, and cut green beans in half as well. Roll 6 to 7 green beans up onto the strip of bacon.

Place bundle of green beans into the baking dish, repeat with the remaining ingredients. Combine brown sugar, butter, salt, pepper, soy sauce and garlic powder. Sprinkle on top of bundles and bake for 20 minutes or until bacon is brown.

ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS

1-2 bags Brussels sprouts

1/4 cup butter Salt Pepper

1 Tbsp. Cavender’s Seasoning

¼ cup Balsamic vinegar

1 clove fresh garlic or minced garlic

½ cup Parmesan

Cut sprouts in half. Place them on a large

dishes. Some pieces were broken in the move, so it is a combination of two sets.

Along with four biological children, the Skidmores have two adopted children and have fostered many children over the years from DHR. They recently added one of her former students to the family.

The Skidmore family includes Daniel, who lives in Los Angeles, California, and owns Symba Marketing; Jack, 9 years old; Kate, a junior at Auburn University in pre-med biomedical science; Gabby, a senior at Auburn High School; Charlie, 7 years old; Isabella, a senior in nursing at Auburn University; and Grace and her husband Rocky with their daughter Ruthie, who is 1 year old.

The Skidmores moved to Lee County almost three years ago from Gadsden. They are active in the Church of the Highlands

sheet pan lined with wax paper.

Drizzle olive oil, garlic, Parmesan, Cavender’s, salt and pepper over sprouts. Toss to coat evenly. Roast at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.

ROASTED ROOTS AND VEGGIES

Potatoes Carrots Cauliflower Broccoli

Onions Garlic Onion Salt Pepper Cavender’s seasoning Olive oil

Cut vegetables in chunks to preferred size and place on baking sheet. Sprinkle with seasoning and olive oil. Cover with foil.

Bake 30 minutes at 400 degrees. Uncover last 5 minutes.

THYME CHICKEN

This is a family favorite. I also use this same mixture with duck.

1 whole chicken

1 stick softened butter

1 pkg. fresh thyme

3 cloves or 3 tsp. chopped garlic

1 onion

1 apple 1 lemon Olive oil

Sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Rinse chicken and clear cavity. In a bowl, combine softened butter, fresh thyme leaves and chopped garlic, along with salt and pepper. Scoop a spoonful of this mixture and insert in between the skin and meat of each breast leg and wing.

Insert whole or half an onion, apple and lemon into the cavity of the chicken.

Coat outside of chicken with olive oil and sea salt. Bake covered for 30 minutes and then uncovered for 30 minutes or until completely

and are enjoying the Advent box they received from the church.

Zac also enjoys cooking and helps prepare meals. They both plan menus a week ahead and get groceries on Saturdays. They are organized and have meals planned daily for a week at a time. They keep supplies on hand and prep ahead for meals. A plentiful supply of beef purchased from a cattle farm and venison are frozen and ready to cook.

In celebrating Christmas this year, they will go to Hilton Head a week or so before Christmas Day to visit Erica’s sister and brother. The siblings come to the Skidmore home every other year.

At home, the Skidmores will celebrate with a prime rib dinner on Dec. 22 or 23.

“We have our largest meal early, since we want Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to be very relaxed

cooked. Baking times will vary based on the size of chicken.

STANDING RIB ROAST

One standing rib roast Olive oil

Salt

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Coat standing roast heavily with olive oil and salt. Sear in oven uncovered at 500 degrees for 30 minutes. Then cover with foil and cook at 250 degrees for 2 ½ hours, more or less, depending on preferred doneness. Cook until it’s 145 to 165 degrees for medium rare.

CHRISTMAS MORNING BRUNCH

Fried Chicken with Biscuits Sausage Cream Cheese Casserole Fruit Kabobs

FRIED CHICKEN TO SERVE WITH BISCUITS

1 lb. chicken breasts, cut in half and beaten with a mallet (If time permits, marinate chicken the night before in pickle juice).

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp. seasoning salt

1 Tbsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. pepper

1 cup milk

2 eggs, beaten Oil for frying

Combine flour and seasonings in one bowl, milk and beaten eggs in another bowl. Dredge chicken in milk/egg mixture, then in the flour mixture. Place in skillet of oil over medium heat, and fry each cutlet until completely cooked. Serve with Easiest Homemade Biscuits.

EASIEST HOMEMADE BISCUITS

2 cups self-rising

with the family,” Erica said. “On Christmas Eve, we will go to the candlelight service at the Church of the Highlands, and then we go eat at a Mexican restaurant.

“Afterwards, we drive around the area to look at Christmas lights and decorations. When we return home, we tell the Christmas story about Jesus’ birth.”

On Christmas morning, they open gifts first, and then Erica serves Fried Chicken and Biscuits, Sausage Cream Cheese Bake and Fruit Kabobs. After brunch, the children take a nap, and the family will play pickleball in the afternoon. Christmas night, they will go to the movies.

Last year, Erica delivered Christmas treats to some students, and then the family flew to Miami for a vacation. They ate Christmas dinner at a Greek restaurant one of the children select-

flour

2 cups heavy whipping cream

Place flour in bowl. Add heavy cream, mix lightly and place on floured surface.

Flatten dough and fold 4 times, then roll biscuits and cut with biscuit cutter. I double and triple this recipe for my large family. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve fried chicken on each biscuit and enjoy!

SAUSAGE CREAM CHEESE CASSEROLE

1 roll sausage 8 oz. cream cheese, softened 2 cans crescent rolls, divided

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. While oven preheats, spray baking dish and roll out one can of crescent rolls in bottom of dish; keep intact. Leave in oven during preheat for 5 minutes. Meanwhile in skillet, brown sausage and add cream cheese. Add mixture to base of baking dish with crescent rolls and add the other can of crescent rolls on top.

Bake for 20 minutes. Cut into large squares for serving. Serve with mustard and orange juice.

FRUIT KABOBS

Strawberries

Bananas slices

Orange slices

Grapes

Allow children to assemble their own fruit kabobs to enjoy this edible activity.

TAMOSAS

Drink is named after my dear friend Tammy.

LaMarca champagne

Pulp-free orange juice

Fill your champagne glasses with champagne and with a slight slip of the wrist, add a tiny splash of

ed.

“This year I am thankful to be home and have everything planned, as it takes the stress out of getting ready,” Erica said. “It also helps the budget when everything is planned. The tree is decorated early, and wrapped gifts are placed under the tree.

“Now that both my parents are gone, Christmas is even more special because it is a time of getting together with your family as your children grow up and move away. It is coming back to where it all started. We appreciate each other. I love when they are here.

Christmas is a special time to celebrate the Lord and our families that God has blessed us with as we celebrate Jesus’ birth. The biggest thing my mother influenced me with was reading God’s word. I am practicing what she taught me.”

orange juice.

CHOCOLATE CHIP PECAN PIE

1 cup Karo light or dark corn syrup

3 eggs ½ cup mini chocolate chips

1 cup granulated sugar

2 Tbsp. butter, melted 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1–½ cups (coarsely chopped pecans 9-inch) unbaked or frozen deep-dish piecrust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix corn syrup, eggs, sugar, butter and vanilla using a spoon or a rubber spatula. Stir in pecans.

Sprinkle chocolate chips onto bottom of pie crust. Pour mixture into piecrust. Bake on center rack of oven for 60 to 70 minutes.

Cool for at least 2 hours on wire rack before serving.

EASY STEAK TIPS AND RICE

Good serve with creamed spinach.

1/2 sirloin steak, cut in cubes by the butcher Olive oil, salt, pepper and preferred marinade or seasonings for steak

Cooked rice

Season steak with salt and pepper. Add steak marinade or seasonings and olive oil. Allow beef to come to room temperature. Cook in skillet until medium or preferred doneness.

Serve over rice.

STRAWBERRY CAKE

1 pkg. white cake mix 3 oz. pkg. strawberry Jell-O 1 cup strawberries, chopped 1 cup oil (I use olive oil)

½ cup milk 4 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans.

Mash one cup of chopped strawberries.; set aside.

Combine cake Mix,

Since 2001, “A Tuna Christmas” has become a holiday tradition for many in the Chattahoochee Valley. That puts it squarely into the category of “cult favorite.”

The comedy satire takes place in the strange little West Texas town of Tuna where a mysterious Christmas Phantom routinely vandalizes the annual yard display contest, The Tuna Little Theatre puts on a disastrous production of Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” and a UFO abducts a wellknown local oddball. Characters include two country-fried radio DJ’s, a pair of sassy Tastee Kreme waitresses, a gravel-voiced gun shop owner, a high-strung community theater director, a charming juvenile delinquent, a pretentious society matron, a soft-hearted humane society director, a goofball soft drink delivery man, a goofy road crew worker, an eccentric chicken farmer and a dozen more.

Now, the Springer’s

“little” show has exceeded $1 million in total sales. With more than 44,000 admissions recorded thus far, “A Tuna Christmas” is by far the most popular show in Columbus theater history.

“‘A Tuna Christmas’ has certainly paid a lot of light bills, salaries and facility maintenance costs over the years,” said Paul Pierce, producing artistic director of the Springer. “We experimented with putting a couple of other shows into this slot, but neither of the replacements were as popular. Plus, taking ‘A Tuna Christmas’ out of the holiday lineup infuriated people who quickly reminded us that they had seen the show 12, 14 or 17 times and that it just wasn’t Christmas to them without their annual visit to Tuna, Texas.”

Pierce estimates that about half of every “A Tuna Christmas” audience is new to the experience, and half are Tuna veterans. He points out that all of the new Tuna-lovers can be converted to Springer regulars, thus expanding the theater’s audience base.

“For us, ‘new’ means ‘future,’” Pierce said.

Cream Cheese

For 16 years, Pierce performed the show with his colleague, the late Ron Anderson, who was associate artistic director at the theater. After Anderson passed away of cancer six years ago, Pierce stepped out of the show and recruited several teams of veteran comic actors to play the parts.

“Performing ‘A Tuna Christmas’ with Ron all of those years was the greatest joy of my life,” Pierce said. “But now I’m the director of the show and I get to share all of my little Tuna secrets, backstories and quick-change tricks with these brilliant younger comics. I’m sort of the guru of all things ‘Tuna’

now.”

This year’s cast is Casey Ross and Eric Bricking, both of whom have performed numerous lead roles at the Springer in past seasons and are beloved members of the Springer family. Ross is a Chicago-based actor who played the “Arles Struvy” track last year. Bricking hails from the Cincinnati area and joins the cast in the “Thurston Wheelis” track in the show.

“These actors are amazing,” Pierce said. “It’s an astonishing experience to be in the rehearsal hall with performers whom I know so well. They are so eager to absorb all of my twisted Tuna wisdom.

room temperature

Jell-O, oil, milk, eggs and strawberries into a large mixing bowl. Blend in stand mixer or with an electric mixer for two minutes. Divide batter into he two prepared pans. Bake cakes for 28 to 30 minutes until they start to turn golden brown and pull away from the sides. Cool cakes on a wire cooling rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and continue cooling on wire racks until completely cooled. Once cooled, prepare the frosting.

Frosting: 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature 1 stick butter, room temperature 3 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar ¾ cup chopped strawberries

Beat cream cheese and butter in a mixer medium bowl. Slowly add sugar ½ cup at a time and continue mixing on low. Add strawberries and beat the frosting for another minute. Frost cake. Garnish with fresh strawberries, if desired.

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT CHEESECAKE

Crust:

1 ½ cups chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed 3 Tbsp. granulated sugar

5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

Filling: Four 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, room temperature 1 ½ cups granulated sugar

3/4 cups heavy cream, room temperature 4 large eggs, room temperature 1 cup sour cream,

1 ½ Tbsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. peppermint extract

2/3 cup cocoa powder 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

Whipped cream:

1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold 1 Tbsp. granulated sugar

1/4 tsp. peppermint extract

Garnish: crushed and whole peppermint

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 9-inch springform pan with non-stick baking spray.

Crust: Blend chocolate cookie crumbs and sugar with

Audiences will definitely see some new twists on the old favorite this year.”

“A Tuna Christmas” opens Dec. 15 and will run through Dec. 23. The last week of the show’s run will be performed on weekdays, Tuesday through Friday of Christmas week. For tickets, visit springeroperahouse.org or call 706-327-3688.

ABOUT THE SPRINGER OPERA HOUSE

The Springer Opera House is a producing theater company located in Columbus, Georgia, just a few blocks from the banks of the Chattahoochee River. The theater operates out of a 151-year-old Nation -

melted butter. Press mixture into bottom of springform pan and bake in oven for 10 minutes.

Filling: In bowl of mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar at medium speed until completely blended. Add heavy cream, and then add in eggs one at a time, mixing until incorporated.

Add sour cream, vanilla, peppermint, cocoa powder and flour; mix until batter is smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Pour filling into prepared pan.

Bake cheesecake

al Historic Landmark, one of only seven producing theaters in the country that is housed in a historic landmark.

In 1964, the Springer Opera House was saved from demolition by a local group of patrons of the arts who helped to restore and reopen the theater. It was named the State Theatre of Georgia by Gov. Jimmy Carter for the 100th Anniversary Season in 1971. Since then, the board, staff and volunteers have been dedicated to their mission of making every aspect of the performing arts a tool for education, participation, entertainment and growth while using, restoring and preserving this National Historic Landmark as a part of a working theater and museum complex. The Springer is also home to the Springer Theatre Academy, one of America's largest youth theater training conservatories for students ages 5 to 18.

With over 750 students studying year-round, the Springer Theatre Academy is transforming our community with its innovative Character Education system teaching "Life Skills Through Stage Skills."

for 1 hour. Turn oven off and let cake cool in oven with door closed for 4 additional hours. Remove cheesecake and cool completely before placing in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Whipped cream: Beat heavy cream until soft peaks form. Slowly add sugar and mint extract; beat until stiff peaks form. Spoon whipped cream in center of cheesecake.

Garnish with crushed peppermint sprinkled over whipped cream, if desired.

Located in beautiful downtown Opelika 223 S. 8th St. | 334-749-8003 www.opelikaobserver.com

Left to right: Casey Ross as Stanley Bumiller and Eric Bricking as Bertha Bumiller in the Springer’s production of “A Tuna Christmas.”

RELIGION —

At Meribah, the people of Israel “gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron” (Numbers 20:2). The problem was a lack of water, and Israel was so despondent over it that they told Moses they wished they had died, “When our brothers fell dead before the Lord” (v. 3)! Think about that a bit. It was all downhill

Trifling with God

after that as they launched into a series of venomous complaints (primarily) against Moses’ leadership.

Moses and Aaron went before the Lord and, surprisingly to them, He had no words of judgment against Israel or words of consolation or encouragement for the brothers. He simply told Moses to take his staff, speak to the rock and water would come out for the people and their animals (v. 7-8).

In my mind, I see Moses and Aaron dejectedly trudging back to camp. Their thinking was something along the lines of, “This is treating the symptom rather than the problem.” They gathered the people together and before you know it, Moses had exploded in anger and said what he

thought Yahweh should have said. He called the people “rebels” (v. 10).

He struck the rock twice with the staff rather than speaking to it as he had been instructed. God was not pleased and told him, “Because you did not trust in Me enough to honor Me as holy in the sight of the Israelites; you will not bring this community into the land I give them” (v. 12).

Note the underlying cause — “you did not trust in Me enough.” Ouch! That’s the same crime that was keeping the people of Moses’ generation out of the promised land (Deuteronomy 1:32) — and now he was part of that! He and Aaron had fallen into the same sin that Israel did.

It seems to me there are some real lessons

for leadership in this incident. Israel was certainly guilty of complaining many times for no valid reason.

Leaders often deal with complaints and problems that are reoccurring. It’s a temptation to do what Moses did and be dismissive of these. Assumptions are something we all make, but leaders need to exercise due diligence to make sure that what they think is happening is really what is happening.

Another lesson concerns the assumption Moses made about how he thought Yahweh should have responded to Israel’s complaining. Even though they were in genuine need of water, Israel certainly over-dramatized their situation. God chose not to punish them

BIBLE VERSE OF THE WEEK

CHURCH DIRECTORY

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 Bethesda Baptist Church 201 S. 4th St., Opelika 334-745-7528

Beulah Baptist Church 5500 Lee Road 270, Valley 334-705-0538

AFB - Cooperative Baptist Fellowship 128 East Glenn Ave., Auburn 334-887-8506

Friendship Missionary Baptist Church 3089 Judge Brown Rd., Valley 334-710-2117

Donuts with Deputies

Friday, Dec. 16, 6 to 8 p.m. CST

Join the Lee County deputies for a festive and fun holiday drop-in at the sheriff's office.

Sweet treats, coloring activities and more. And don't forget to brainstorm what you'd like to say to Santa. There will be a special mailbox to send off letters to Santa.

Don't worry parents, coffee will be available.

The LCSO can't wait to see everyone there in their festive wear.

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

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

High Hope Baptist Church 227 Lee Road 673 334-524-8750

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 Church of Christ at Cunningham 2660 Cunningham Dr., Opelika

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

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

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

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

for that. (Perhaps He made allowance for them because of all the suffering and death they had experienced.)

Whatever it was, it was the right decision, and Moses should have accepted it. Leaders, like everyone else, have to learn how to move on when things don’t turn out the way they thought they should.

Moses and Aaron were forgiven by God of their sin as all followers are, but they had to live with the consequences.

I think his and Aaron’s death outside of Canaan had to be a powerful lesson to the generation entering the land. God was not to be trifled with by anyone.

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

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

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

St. Ellis Full Gospel Church 5267 US Hwy 80W, Opelika 334-298-4319

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

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

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

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

The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like [Moses] from among your own brothers. You must listen to him. — Deuteronomy 18:15

Don't Quit

WALTER ALBRITTON

RELIGION —

Lately I have been praying for my friend John, who is grieving over the death of a 15-year-old boy. John is a teacher and coach at an Arizona high school. First and foremost a Christ follower, John spent several years coaching young boys in a summer basketball league. It was during this

time he met 10-year-old Trey, a gifted ball player who was struggling with emotional problems. John was soon in the boy’s balcony, pulling for him, praying for him and encouraging him. Understandably, John was heartbroken when the young man committed suicide. Like many people overwhelmed by hopelessness, the boy John loved quit the game of life all too soon. But I know John. He will grieve, but he will not quit. He will continue reaching out to youngsters. He will keep on infusing his teaching and coaching with faith, hope and love, determined to influence his students to choose

Christ’s Way into a meaningful life.

Yes, life is difficult, and even more, it is sometimes cruel and bewildering. Terrible things happen that make the best of us feel like giving up. But here’s the good news: The strength to hold on is available! How do we find the help we need? By turning to Jesus. He alone can give us the strength to carry on. The writer of Hebrews understood this. Want proof? Go read again the first 13 verses of Chapter 12; this passage will light your fire even if your wood is wet!

These verses lift up the mighty power of Jesus, upon whom our eyes should be fixed. Life’s

RUBY EVELYN MILLER

Ruby Evelyn Miller, 93, of Opelika, passed away Dec. 10, 2022, at Arbor Springs. A visitation was held 6 to p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022, at JeffcoatTrant Funeral Home.

Mrs. Miller is survived by her son Dennis E. Miller; grandchildren: Scott Edward Miller, Katrina Erin Miller. She is preceded in death by her husband Louie Edward Miller; parents Joseph Cooper and Mattie Iona Davis Lawhon; siblings: George Lawhon, Paul Lawhon and Jeanette Sapp.

She was a member of First Baptist Church Sunday School Class and played with various bridge clubs.

MONETTE B. COCHRAN

Monette B. Cochran passed away on Dec. 9, 2022, at her home of 44 years. She was born in 1934 in Luverne, Alabama, and was a graduate of API in 1956.

She was preceded

in death by her loving husband of 64 years Thomas L. Cochran and her son Kendrick P. Cochran.

She is survived by her loving family; Thomas L. (Renee) Cochran Junior, John W. (Susan) Cochran, Mona (Lee) Silvey, Anna Gent Cochran and her brothers W. Sam Bell, and R. Donald Bell; as well as 12 grandchildren, 17 greatgrandchildren and one great-great-grandson.

A receiving of friends was held on Monday, Dec. 12, 2022, from noon to 1 p.m. at Auburn Church of Christ on South College with the service at 1 p.m. A private burial followed at Auburn Memorial Park.

In lieu of flower, send donations to:

India Missions Church of Christ PO Box 1413 Banner Elk, NC 28604

Or Auburn Church of Christ 712 S. College St. Auburn, AL 36830

event for the broader Auburn community to celebrate together.

Performances will be held on Friday, Dec. 16, from 5 to 8 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 17, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 5 to 8 p.m.

race is indeed hard; it is never easy. No one can run it without a good supply of perseverance. How do we get it? The secret is in the first two verses: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders, and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.”

First, the writer reminds us that we are not alone; we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses who are cheering us on to victory. That cloud includes faithful

OBITUARIES

DALTON ALEXANDER STRINGFELLOW

Dalton Alexander Stringfellow, 22, of Beauregard, Alabama, passed away on Dec. 4, 2022, in Chambers County, Alabama.

Dalton was born on June 12, 2000, in Opelika at East Alabama Medical Center. He was currently pursuing a career as an electrician.

Dalton enjoyed spending time with his family and friends hunting and most of all fishing. One could always find him at a pond, lake, river or creek any chance he could get. He was also an avid lover of animals of all kinds.

Dalton is preceded in death by his father Perry Lamar Stringfellow Jr., grandfather Perry Lamar Stringfellow Sr. and grandfather Hollis Coan Thompson.

Dalton is survived in death by his mother Holly Stringfellow, grandmother Becky Lauderdale, grandmother Mary Norred, brother Kyle Thompson, sister Alicia Rider, brother

At three different performance events, there will be a series of staggered and timed walking tours with a guide on a well-lit

Brody, as well as many other loving aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

Services for Dalton were held at Fredrick’s Funeral Home in Opelika on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022, and was officiated by Kyle Thompson.

Dalton was interred at Garden Hills Cemetery in Opelika following the chapel service.

EDITH WATSON IRWIN

Edith Watson Irwin, of Auburn, passed away on Dec. 7, 2022.

Edie was born on March 6, 1939, in Montgomery, Alabama. After graduating from Sidney Lanier High School, Edie went on to graduate from Auburn University.

In 1961, Edie married Dave Irwin. Edie and Dave went on to have three children, Geri Frazier, John Irwin and Laura Irwin as well as four grandchildren. Edie is survived by her sister, Fran Greene of Nashville, Tennessee.

Services were held at St. Michaels Catholic Church

and easy trail through the piney woods at the Kreher Preserve and Nature Center.

At stations along the hour-long trail, per-

servants of the past who are now in the Church Triumphant. They are with us. They are in our balcony. In the stillness you can hear them shouting, “Go on! You can do it! Don’t give up!”

Encouraged by that, we have but to look to Jesus — and he will give us the strength to persevere, to stay the course. Life’s race is not a 100-yard dash; it is a marathon. By looking to Jesus, trials and misfortune can be overcome. Jesus will inspire us to decide that “quit” is not in our vocabulary. He will help us pick up the pieces and stay in the game. He will guide us to the finish line!

If today, overwhelming

obstacles are pushing you to give up, believe that almighty God is sending you a message. This is the message: Don’t quit! Turn to Jesus. He will help you persevere. He will give you hope as you pray for daylight. He will stay with you until the sunshine of His love breaks through the darkness of your soul. How do I know this? I know it because He helped me refuse to give up when I felt like quitting. I didn’t deserve His help, but He gave it to me freely when I turned to Him. If He did it for me, He will do it for you because He loves everybody.

So, don’t quit! Don’t quit, and turn to Jesus.

on Monday, Dec.12, at 9 a.m. There was a visitation at Jeffcoat Trant Funeral Home in Opelika on Dec. 11.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to St. Michaels Catholic Church, where Edie worshipped.

CALVIN J. TURNER JR.

Calvin J. Turner Jr., was born Aug. 30, 1944, in Dale County, Alabama, and passed away on Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022. Calvin was preceded in death by his wife, Judy Thompson Turner, parents — Calvin and Dortris Turner and son in law Todd Fulghum.

Calvin graduated from Carroll High School in Ozark, Alabama, in 1962. He then moved to Auburn, to attend Auburn University. He graduated in 1966 in textile science. He was employed at West Point Pepperell-Stevens for more than 40 years. He was a devoted husband, father, granddaddy and great-granddaddy. He

formers representing different organizations, traditions and cultures in the community, will share a song, spoken word or other perfor-

enjoyed throughout his life hunting, fishing, gardening, genealogy, Auburn football and spending time with his family.

Calvin is survived by his children: Lynn Godfrey (Jim), Brian Turner, David Turner, Denise Fulghum; Grandchildren: Matthew Godfrey, Amber Godfrey, Clint Fulghum, Whitney Fulghum, and Nathan Godfrey; Greatgrandchildren: Skyler Godfrey, Anthony Fulghum, Chelsea Godfrey, Aubrey Godfrey, Kainen Tumlin, Aria Tumlin, T.J. Tumlin; Sister: Lorraine Sanders (John); Aunt: Linda Fitzgerald; Nephew: Rob Sanders; Niece: Lori Skidmore (Brent) and a host of extended family members.

A visitation was held at Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home Dec. 9, 2022, and graveside services were held at Peniel Cemetery in Skipperville, Alabama Dec. 10. Flowers will be accepted or donations to charity of your choice.

mance with the tour group. Enchanting decorations, sweet treats and nature art projects round out the experience.

What's Happening in Lee County

2023 CITY MARKET VENDOR APPLICATIONS OPEN

Are you a local grower or artisan wanting to share your products with those in the community? Apply to be a vendor at Auburn Parks and Recreation's 2023 City Market. City Market vendor applications opened Nov. 14. City Market will be held Saturdays from May 20 through Aug. 26 at Town Creek Park from 8 to 11 a.m., with vendor setup beginning at 7 a.m.

Farmers, growers and artists who are interested in participating in the City Market must fill out an online application or apply in person at the Harris Center (425 Perry St.).

For more information, including a link to vendor applications and the City Market handbook, please visit www.auburnalabama.org/citymarket or contact Sarah Cook, market coordinator, at scook@auburnalabama.org.

NAMI MEETING

NAMI East Alabama, the local affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), will not meet in December. The next meeting will be in January 2023.

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.

O GROWS — SATURDAYS AT THE GARDEN

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

AUBURN/OPELIKA MOTHERS OF PRESCHOOLERS

MOPS International encourages and equips moms of young children to realize their potential as mothers, women and leaders in relationship with Jesus, and in partnership with the local church. Preschool mothers learn to take time out for motherhood during MOPS meetings around a theme and discussion. MOPS helps moms share their experiences and learn more about children’s unique needs from infants to kindergarten.

During MOPS’ meetings, a Moppets program is available for children. This program is taught and facilitated by volunteer childcare teachers. This program allows little ones to work on lessons, activities, arts, crafts, and play. While the mothers are making friends, their children are too.

Auburn/Opelika MOPS meets twice a month on the first and third Thursday of each month from 9 to 11 a.m. at Pepperell Baptist Church at 2702 2nd Ave. in Opelika. MOPS’ autumn schedule is Sept. 15; Oct. 6, 20; Nov. 3, 17 and Dec. 1 and 15.

The MOPS theme this year is "coming together as friends." You can contact Coordinators Rachel Elrod at 706-244-5620 and Kaela Sexton at 719-351-8093, or you can email auburnopelikamops@gmail.com.

LEE/RUSSELL COUNTY LOW VISION SUPPORT GROUP

The group will meet 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 there will be different topics 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.

(MOPS) UNITE FOR A NEW YEAR!

BY D. MARK MITCHELL

OHS Basketball Ramping

OPELIKA —

The Opelika High girls' basketball team (5-6) split a pair of games last week, losing at LaGrange (4847) and beating Russell County (64-50).

The Lady Bulldogs travelled to LaGrange, Georgia, last Tuesday to play the Lady Grangers. OHS led for most of the game, stretching its lead to 10 at one point in the second half, but lost by one point in the final seconds. Offensively, Opelika was led by Cherdi Daniels’ 15 points and Naomi Whack’s 14 points.

LaGrange shot 31 free throws in the second half for a total of 43, compared to Opelika's 16. Despite shooting 29 more free throws, the Lady Grangers only won by one point.

OHS bounced back to defeat Russell County (6450) last Thursday night. The same two players led Opelika on the offensive end; Whack and Daniels scored 17 and 15 points, respectively.

Head coach Blake Smalley said he believes his team is improving while playing a difficult schedule. The Lady Dogs play Benjamin Russell in the Mainstreet Gym, Friday night at 6 p.m. OHS plays in a tournament Dec. 21 and 22.

Team members inclue Naomi Whack, Inayja Dowell, Shirmetha Pearson, Dasia Keith,

Jasmyaine McCloud, Cherdi Daniels, Makayla Jones, Claire Barber, Koree Barber and Monica Whack.

The OHS boys' basketball team (3-5) lost at LaGrange by eight points (60-52), and beat Russell County 62-61 last week. The boys host Benjamin Russell Friday night (Dec. 15) at 7:30 p.m. in the OHS Mainstreet Gym.

Team members include Kaden Cooper, Jaclarence Perry, Stephen Knight, Tirus Patten, Knox Chase, Caur'dae Wright, De'Andre Harris, Justin Holloway, Trindon Manior, Roman Gagliano, Jaxson Freeman, Mekhiron Brock, Jonathon McAnny, Micah Tring and Jordan Tolbert.

The two teams play home games Jan. 10 against Central, Jan. 13 against Auburn and Jan. 13 against LaFayette.

AHSAA TIDBITS

The Alabama High School Athletic Association announced a five-year partnership with the city of Oxford, Choccolocco Park and Jacksonville State University to host the softball and baseball championships. The new agreement comes one year after Oxford and Jacksonville State hosted the AHSAA Softball and Baseball Championships at Choccolocco Park and

LEE COUNTY: JAN. 10 AT 6 P.M. AUBURN: JAN. 10 AT 6 P.M. OPELIKA: JAN. 24 AT 4:30 P.M.

Glisson Steps Down from Smiths Station

BY WIL CREWS SPORTSCREWS@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

SMITHS

STATION—

According to The Observer’s D. Mark Mitchell, Smiths Station High School head football coach Mike Glisson is resigning from the position after five years of leading the program.

Glisson led the Panthers to a 15-35 record overall since being hired in 2018. He came to Smiths Station after a stint

as Beauregard High School’s defensive See GLISSON, page

Auburn Hires Football Coordinators, Turns Focus to Recruiting

BY WIL CREWS SPORTSCREWS@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

AUBURN —

Hugh Freeze’s Auburn staff has two more pillars. The program announced this week that Freeze has hired Phillip Montgomery as offensive coordinator and

Roberts comes to the Plains from Baylor, where he spent the last three years as defensive coordinator under Baylor head coach Dave Aranda. Roberts helped the Bears win the Big Ten title in 2021, when his defense gave up just 18.3 points per

game. Baylor defeated Ole Miss 21-7 in the Sugar Bowl that season. While the Baylor defense’s numbers slipped some in 2022, the Bears still posted the No. 3 run defense in the conference. Roberts, a highly sought after assistant, had been interviewed by Arkansas and Georgia Tech prior to committing

to Freeze. Roberts worked at Louisiana for two years before his Baylor stint, spent 2012-17 at Southern Louisiana and spent 2007-11 as Delta State’s head coach.

Montgomery, who was announced as offensive coordinator the same day

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF TULSA

Auburn University head football coach hired Phillip Montgomery (pictured), former Tulsa head coach, as offensive coordinator this week.

Ron Roberts as defensive coordinator.

PHOTO BY MATT AUSTIN / FOR THE OBSERVER

Smiths Station head football coach Mike Glisson led the Panthers from 2018-2022.

Air Force Donates Wrestling Mat to Beauregard High School

CONTRIBUTED BY BHS

Staff

Joseph Glasgow and Tech

Greg Deachan from both the Air Force and Special Warfare Air Force are responsible for purchasing a new mat for the Beauregard High School wrestling program.

These servicemen are the Air Force recruiters for Beauregard High School, and both wrestled in high school.

The recruiters approached head Beauregard wrestling coach Wade Thorn at the

end of the previous season, inquiring as to what they could do to help the program since they regularly recruit Beauregard student-athletes.

Thorn informed them that one of the biggest needs within the program would be to own a third wrestling mat. Large tournaments are regularly hosted at Beauregard High School, and prior to receiving this mat as a gift from the Air Force, the school had to borrow mats from other programs in the area.

Both Glasgow and Deachan asked Thorn to find

a company and have their design team create a possible design for a new mat. After submitting the design to Deachan and Glasgow, Thorn received a phone call from Deachan informing the school that the Air Force would donate the mat.

A dedication ceremony for the mat was held on Dec. 6, 2022, at Beauregard High School. Glasgow and Deachan were each presented a letterman jacket in appreciation for their efforts on behalf of the wrestling program at Beauregard High School.

Local Eagle Scout Completes Service Project

the Jacksonville State University baseball field.

Oxford replaces Montgomery as home of the AHSAA softball and baseball championships. The capital city did not want to update Lagoon Park to fit the needs of the AHSAA softball championship tournament.

As for baseball, MLB, who now runs the minor leagues, would not adjust the Montgomery Biscuits' baseball schedule so the tournament could be played.

The AHSAA moved the baseball and softball tournaments to Oxford last season after issues with Montgomery.

SSHS MIKE GLISSON RESIGNS

Smiths Station High School football coach Mike Glisson informed me he

resigned as head football coach last week. The Lee County Board of Education approved the resignation at its recent board meeting.

Glisson resigns after five seasons as head coach, compiling a 15-35 overall record and 5-27 in 7A

Region 2.

Smiths Station joins several other high schools needing new football coaches. McGill-Toolen Catholic, Westbrook Christian, Cullman and Stanhope Elmore are some of the AHSAA schools looking for a new head football coach. There will be more coaching openings in the coming weeks.

D. Mark Mitchell is the sports director at iHeartMedia, host of “On the Mark” Fox Sports the Game 910-1310, co-chair of the Auburn-Opelika Sports Council, chairman of the Super 7 and Dixie Boys Baseball state director.

coordinator.

Glisson’s first season in charge at Smiths Station was his best. The Panthers finished No. 5 in AHSAA Class 7A Region 2 with a

6-4 record in 2018, missing the playoffs by just one game. Smiths Station followed that up with a 2-8 record in 2019; a 4-6 record in 2020; a 2-8 record in 2021; and a 1-9 record in 2022.

Glisson coached two all-state players during his time with Smiths

Station. Defensive end and linebacker Davaryl Moffett was named to the AHSAA All-Star South team in 2019. Linebacker Jordan Jones was named an honorable mention for the 7A class Alabama Sports Writers Association All-State teams in

2020.

Glisson also had a stint as head coach of the Glenwood High School football team 1997-98. In two seasons, Glisson led the Gators to a 7-14 record overall, including a first-round, 42-6 playoff loss to Morgan Academy in ’98.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER

Zayne Lackey (pictured top right) recently presented his Eagle Scout project, the Patient Mobility and Stability Challenge Pathway, at Rehab Works. With help from Theresa Chavez, Lackey first received permission from the EAMC board to begin the nearly $10,000 project. After gathering donations from several companies and individuals, it took more than 500 volunteer hours over six weeks to complete the pathway. Lackey has participated in the Boy Scouts program for 12 years and earned 32 merit badges to qualify for the Eagle Scout ranking. Troop 858 leaders and scouts helped with the project.

OPELIKA —

Sgt.

Sgt.

The Beauregard wrestling team poses with Tech Sgt. Greg Deachan and Staff Sgt. Joseph Glasgow, who donated a third mat to the team.

GLISSON >> FROM B1

Panthers' Best Overcomes 'Poka

PHOTOS BY MATT AUSTIN / FOR THE OBSERVER

The Smiths Station varsity boys' and girls' basketball teams traveled to face the varsity Loachapoka girls' and boys' basketball teams Thursday, Dec. 8. The Panther boys won 79-77, and have a current record of 5-4 after losing to Fairhope

9. The Panther girls lost 42-40, and have a current record of 5-4. The Panther boys and girls were in action against Booker T. Washington Tuesday, but results were not available at press time.

Bulldogs Complete Sweep of Russell County

Letter to the Editor: Hugh Freeze Hire

Dear editor, AU Athletics submitted a press release to the Nov. 30th “Opelika Observer”, which announced Hugh Freeze as the new Auburn University head coach. The release proved as public relations puffery, but woeful as reporting. For example, several Alabama outlets reported that Freeze resigned from Mississippi, buffeted by 21 NCAA violations, 15 Level 1 infractions, the NCAA vacated 27-victories, and Freeze maliciously implicated former Mississippi head coach as responsible for the the violations.

To paraphrase Colonel Nathan Jessup, in “A Few

HIRES

FROM B1

as Roberts was named as defensive coordinator, also has ties to Baylor. He was the Bears’ quarterbacks coach when Robert Griffin III won the Heisman Trophy — college football’s highest honor — in 2011. Montgomery spent seven years (2008-2014), first as co-offensive coordinator and secondly as offensive coordinator, at Baylor. Most recently, Montgomery was fired after spending the past eight seasons as head coach at Tulsa. He compiled a 43-53 record with the Hurricanes and went 2-2 in

Good Men,” Freeze’s existence while grotesque, wins game. Just say it. Instead, Athletic Director John Cohen lauded his thoughtful and thorough coaching search. He communicated with industry experts, teachers, professional and college coaches, law enforcement officials, student-athletes, and parents of student athletes in his dauntless search for truth. Huh.

Cohen’s ardor notwithstanding, he didn’t contact Chelsea Andrews, a Liberty University student, one of 20 plaintiffs who sued Liberty for mishandling sexual misconduct allegations. Andrews denounced Athletic Director

bowl games. He led Tulsa to a 10-win season and a Miami Beach Bowl victory over Central Michigan in 2016. Under Montgomery, the Hurricanes also earned an American Athletic Conference (AAC) championship berth in 2020.

The additions of Montgomery and Roberts means Freeze has hired them, along with Ben Aigamua (tight ends), Jake Thornton (offensive line), Jeremy Garrett (defensive line) and Wesley McGriff since arriving on the Plains Nov. 29. Freeze retained Cadillac Williams, Zac Etheredge and Christian Robinson from the previous staff.

Ian McCaw for his role.

Inexplicably, Freeze zipped Andrews three unsolicited direct messages, defending McCaw in a near blasphemous manner. Freeze requested to talk her by phone or meet in person. But Freeze’s horrendous judgment should have eliminated him from consideration. It didn’t deter Cohen.

Cohen even retrieved the venerable and the venerated Auburn Creed. Does the Creed advocate luring a coach who just signed an eight-year guaranteed contract? Just asking.

Marc D. Greenwood Opelika

Now, Freeze and his near-complete staff can turn its attention to the early national signing period which opens on Dec. 21. It has been reported that Freeze targeted Montgomery — and other potential offensive coordinators — who possessed head coaching and play calling experience in an effort to open his time for recruiting. Auburn’s 202 class currently ranks No. 32 in the nation according to On3. com and No. 48 according to 247sports. The Tigers will likely hit the transfer portal hard in order to quickly revamp a talent-deficient roster.

Our New Home Is Built on a Solid Foundation... Just

115 years ago AuburnBank was founded on the principles of sound money management and putting the customer first. As we’ve opened our new home in downtown Auburn, those principles still drive everything we do. Come by and help us celebrate our most recent success, and let’s talk about helping you achieve yours.

PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER

The varsity boys' and girls' Opelika High School basketball teams hosted Russell County at the Mainstreet Gym Thursday, Dec. 8. The Bulldog boys defeated the visitors 62-51, and have a current record of 4-3 after also beating Lanett Tuesday, Dec. 13. The Bulldog girls defeated the visitors 64-50, and have a current record of 5-6 after also losing to Lanett on Tuesday, Dec. 13.

Every Christmas Eve, I clearly and fondly remember the hospitality, warmth and love our Uncle Wayne Teague and Aunt Josephine provided at their home each year to the family. Our family sleigh (car) would head toward Auburn each year as we experienced a true Christmas wonderland at their home.

Even though in Alabama we don’t have much snow, when we would go to their house, there was an expectancy of a miraculous “snow” of warmth and love that my uncle and aunt provided for their families.

I remember delicious Christmas Eve foods and a Christmas tree with gifts for all the grandchildren, nieces, nephews and adults, as well as stockings hung on the mantle by the chimney — all for

the setting of a child’s delight as each year my uncle read “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.”

As children, we experienced love and relationships year after year on Christmas Eve. Similarly, our young children need love and relationships right now.

As families approach the holidays, an activity that all young children enjoy is storytelling.

Storytelling is one very effective way for opening up a child’s imagination, feelings and fun when our children are at home. Children love to hear and respond beautifully to a vital, creative and involved storyteller.

Without a lot of money spent or abundant resources, you can provide a variety of props for storytelling. The back of a chair or couch, behind a bed sheet,

'Tis The Season To Story-Tell

a simple tagboard, a child’s imagination and perception can go anywhere. Through storytelling, children can experience many skills, emotions and possibilities such as mastery of listening skills, use of comprehension skills, extension of verbal language, practice of sequencing skills, expressions of feelings and emotions, opportunities for roleplaying, provisions of independent thinking, encouraging creative expression and providing growth of constructive socializations skills.

Children love a variety of techniques for storytelling of their favorite books, as well as allowing them to dictate their own stories.

You don’t need a lot of fancy props or anything when you do verbal storytelling. As you tell or read the story, use your voice, mannerisms and body movements to convey emphasis and emotions.

Children are so quiet and spellbound when you show excitement in the story you are reading or telling.

Children get excited and want Mom or Dad to repeat simple finger plays. When you are riding in the car during the holidays or having to wait on a meal in a restaurant, children love to do short rhyming stories. Make up rhymes about

holiday items such as bells, gifts, trees, sleds, lights, etc.

I know we are in the computer age, but I want to recommend that simple, homemade flannel boards are priceless in illustrating children’s favorite stories. Children love to interact with stories by moving the pieces down and replacing them, sequencing the events in the story on the flannel board and just feeling the pieces as you tell the story. This visual is priceless in telling a child’s favorite story.

Puppets are a huge favorite with young children. Simple finger puppets, hand puppets, sock puppets, glove puppets, puppet masks, wooden puppets and clothespin puppets make the possibilities for creativity endless.

Young children love to dramatize stories as they interact with the story. Simple costumes can be made from what you have around the house including sheets, towels, brown paper bags and other old materials. It’s awesome to see what children’s imaginations can come up with.

Visiting our local libraries and getting guidance from the librarians on age-appropriate books is a good beginning. There are so many holiday books according to your

family’s traditions.

Storytelling for your child becomes an avenue for your child to learn and appreciate the world around them. Fill up those spare moments during the holidays and allow your child to express themselves through the art of storytelling. This will definitely make a lasting memory and gift for your child to pass on.

With storytelling, I think about how wonderful an intergenerational activity it is for the young and the elderly to share during this wonderful time of the year. A relationship between young and old enlightens both generations. Quiet activities — such as looking at family pictures, reflecting on the present and the past, reading Christmas books and poems, watching holiday movies and television programs, singing and listening to Christmas music, engaging in simple crafts, baking, painting and coloring — provide educational opportunities for the younger and older generations to learn from each other.

Simple jigsaw puzzles, card games, board games, word searches, crossword puzzles, etc., offer objectives in cognitive development, social interaction, teamwork and cooperation. Age-appropriate games

and puzzles provide enjoyable activities to keep minds active.

Children and the elderly doing light exercises and movements — such as joining hands and taking a walk; enjoying light, outside fun in observing nature and movement; simple finger plays that our elderly can teach the younger; and just light exercises in waving hands, marching in place, dancing, swinging and pretend-play — is something they can do together.

Also, the younger and older generations can reach out to neighbors in need. Our community is so very good at this. Children learn so much from us older adults when we reach out to others in need.

A couple of ideas include dropping coins in the red kettle for the Salvation Army together and adopting a family in our community through different ministry outreaches.

Just the simple act of sharing cookies and candies with a neighbor teaches young children that from the older generation to the younger generation, we care. Love, friendships and relationships are the things that matter most this Christmas.

Christmas from the Classroom Observer Beth Pinyerd

Merry

BETH PINYERD

The Opelika community continued to get into the holiday spirit by attending the annual Opelika high school and middle school choirs' Holiday Choral Concert. The performance took place Tuesday, Dec. 6 at the Opelika Center for the Performing Arts.

PHOTOS BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER

Lee County School Board Hears Report Card Update

BY KENDYL HOLLINGSWORTH KENDYLH@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

LEE COUNTY —

While Lee County schools are showing improvement in some areas, the latest report card for the school system shows that its overall score went down by one point since the last one, given in 2019.

The Lee County school system received an overall “B” grade of 81, the same as 56% of the school systems in Alabama, according to a report from the Curriculum & Instruction Team at the Dec. 13 board meeting.

“COVID took a lot out of us, but that’s not an excuse,” said Superintendent Dr. Mac McCoy. “We are here to educate; we’re here to get better. … [We’re] absolutely not satisfied with where we’re at. We can improve in almost every area, and we have a plan to do so.”

The secondary school

that scored the highest overall was Smiths Station Junior High School, also with a grade of 81; the highest-scoring elementary school was South Smiths Station Elementary School with a grade of 89.

For secondary schools without a 12th grade, the scores are based on academic growth, academic achievement, chronic absenteeism and progress in English language proficiency. For schools with a 12th grade, the score is also based on graduation rate, as well as college and career readiness.

According to Dr. Jason Wright, assistant superintendent of secondary curriculum, the schools have placed a greater emphasis on teacher planning time and ACT preparation. Wright also commended the secondary schools for their college and career readiness tracking, which he said has improved.

“That’s something that’s really important to us,” he

said.

Elementary schools have also been taking steps to increase student achievement and growth, said Dr. Brad Hunter, assistant superintendent of elementary curriculum. Almost every school scored an “A” in academic growth this year, but academic achievement scores were low; only three schools achieved a “C” grade, and the rest of the school scored lower.

“Our focus is to get that instruction and those assessments to match,” Hunter said.

Efforts to achieve that include professional development for teachers and tracking the individual progress of each elementary student throughout the year, he added.

District 3 Member Richard Brown Sr. emphasized the importance of tracking student progress after elementary school as well.

According to Dr.

Anna Shepherd-Jones, coordinator of federal programs, accountability and school improvement, five subgroups in four Lee County schools have been identified for needing targeted support and improvement — students with disabilities at Beulah High School, Loachapoka High School, Smiths Station High School and Loachapoka Elementary School, as well as Black students at Beulah High School.

The high schools can be removed from the targeted list if they improve and no longer meet the eligibility criteria after one year, she said.

District 6 Member Larry Patterson applauded Loachapoka Elementary for making significant improvements already. Shepherd-Jones said If the school shows improvement over a twoyear period and no longer meets the criteria after three years, it will be

removed from the list as well.

“It’s almost like that philosophy of ‘You’re going to play like you practice,’ and if you practice at a high level, you should play at a high level,” Hunter said. “That’s the goal.”

Both Hunter and McCoy acknowledged the hard work and long hours of Lee County Schools staff.

“Teachers and administrators have never worked harder than they are working right now,” McCoy said. “I can assure you that the days are grueling. We ask a lot from them, and they are rising to the occasion on a daily basis.”

To view a breakdown of Lee County schools’ latest report cards, visit reportcard.alsde.edu and select the year, system and school. To view the school system’s grades as a whole, select “Lee County” in the School

category.

In old business, the board approved two items mentioned at the last meeting: the 2023-2024 school calendar and the revised Lee County Schools Special Education Plan for Children with Disabilities.

The only new item of business was a request for an out-of-state field trip for South Smiths Station Elementary School, which the board approved.

The board also approved various Human Resources recommendations.

In the community speakers portion of the meeting, Ronnie Kilpatrick of Smiths Station expressed concern about the programs and clubs offered in the schools and how parents can be better informed of this information.

The next school board meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Jan. 10, 2023, at the central office, located at 2410 Society Hill Road in Opelika.

Pearl Named One of Top 100 People Positively Influencing Jewish Life

CONTRIBUTED BY AU ATHLETICS

AUBURN —

Auburn head coach

Bruce Pearl was recently named one of the Top 100 people positively influencing Jewish Life this past year by The Algemeiner, a newspaper based in New York City that covers American and international Jewish and Israel-related news.

Pearl was recognized on the ninth annual “J100” list of the top 100 individuals who have “the most positive impact on Jewish life and Israel — men and women, Jew or non-Jew,

who have lifted the quality of Jewish life (in 2022).”

Some individuals were honored for personal contributions, others for their work at the organizations or nations they lead as well as positively contributing and helping shape the Jewish future.

Pearl and Charles Barkley, who starred at Auburn from 1981-84 and is an 11-time NBA All-Star and current television analyst on TNT, were among the list of honorees which also included musician Barry Manilow, actor Ben Foster, influencer Kim Kardashian, film maker

Volodymr Zelenaskyy and Prime MinisterElect of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu.

Originally from the Boston area, Pearl carries the Hebrew name “Mordechai,” in honor of the uncle of Queen Esther from the story of Purim. During the NCAA Tournament in March 2022, Pearl invoked the survival of the Jewish people in Persia — which is celebrated on Purim — to back a fellow college coach’s (Stanford women’s basketball head coach Tara VanDerveer) call for donations to Ukraine each time

a team scored a 3-pointer. “We say, ‘never again,’” Pearl said in a NCAA Tournament press conference. “I was born in 1960, 15 years after they opened up the gates, and they saw 6 million Jews were murdered and 3 million more people … so I’m all in to help the Ukrainian people survive that.”

Pearl also took his team on a 10-day preseason foreign tour to Israel in August, where the Tigers toured Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, among other historical sites.

Auburn Suffers First Loss, Prepares for West Coast Road Trip

BY WIL CREWS SPORTSCREWS@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

AUBURN —

Auburn basketball (8-1) suffered its first loss of the 2022 season in the Holiday Hoopsgiving event in Atlanta last Saturday, falling to Memphis 82-73.

Against their biggest test of the season thus far, the Tigers — who had the added advantage of Auburn fans packing the arena like a home game — had a night to forget.

For a majority of the game, Auburn looked lethargic offensively, and were physically dominated on the defensive end.

The guard pair of K.D. Johnson and Wendell Green Jr. led the Tigers with 14 points apiece, but they were unable to mask the negative rebound and shooting margins that Auburn collectively produced.

Memphis stretched its lead to a game-high 15 with 7:58 remaining in the second half, and, despite Johnson and Green’s best efforts,

Auburn never got it closer than eight for the remainder of the contest.

Overall, Auburn’s poor shooting performance doomed the Tigers against Memphis. The orangeand-blue were out-shot 38.1% to 50% for the duration of the contest. And while the Tigers haven’t set the world on fire offensively this season, the defense has typically done enough to secure a win.

Saturday was anything but the case, however, as Memphis ran a more fluid offense — totaling 14 assists to Auburn’s 11 — and outshot the Tigers across the board. Moreover, Auburn lost the rebounding battle comprehensively, 43-32.

Most disappointingly for Auburn, however, was the play of its two highly rated freshmen, Chance Westry and Yohan Traore. Despite both earning increased early minutes, Westry finished his night 0-for5 shooting with three turnovers and as a many fouls, and Traore missed his only shot while registering just

one rebound.

Westry — a natural shooting guard — has missed an opportunity to earn trust as Auburn’s backup point guard with poor performances coinciding with increased minutes at that position over the past few games. Traore, as of now, looks like he’s still struggling to find his place and role in Auburn’s offense.

Freshman

revelation in the starting lineup for much of the 2022 season to this point. On Saturday against Memphis, Broome finished with 11 points but failed to make his typical impact on the defensive end with zero blocks and six rebounds. Broome’s off day, combined with subpar performances from the other big men on Auburn’s roster, led to Memphis dominating Auburn where it’s usually strongest — inside the paint. The nation’s leader in blocked shots per game, it took Auburn 37 minutes to register first block Saturday. Furthermore, Memphis outscored Auburn 50-24 in the paint on the way to converting 66.7% of its layup or dunk attempts.

259 in field goal percentage (48.9%), No. 143 in two-point field goal percentage (50.9%), No. 329 in three-point field goal percentage (28.5%) and No. 284 in free throw percentage (66.7%). It’s hard to win with those levels of inefficiency.

Now, the Tigers turn their attention to a West Coast road trip, with a home game against Georgia State preceding it on Dec. 14. The Tigers will likely dispatch the 5-4 Panthers with relative ease before preparing for the 5-3 USC Trojans and the 6-2 Washington Huskies.

1.6 assists per game on 32.4% shooting this season.

Adding to Auburn’s issues was Auburn transfer Johni Broome, who has been a

Offensively, Chris Moore stepped up to the tune of 12 points, but the team as a whole shot just 25% from three-point range and eliminated any hope the Tigers had of mounting a swift comeback.

On Saturday, the offensive numbers effectively caught up to Auburn. For the season, Auburn now ranks No.

Those two games, like the contest against Memphis, will provide a better measuring stick for where Auburn is at right now. The schedule only gets tougher from there, with SEC play kickoff against Florida on Dec. 28.

If the Tigers can’t fix their offensive woes, stay consistent on the defensive end and see some new contributors step up, results like the one Saturday may become more commonplace than anomalous.

Tyler Perry, NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom,

U.S. President Joe Biden, Ukraine President

point guard Tre Donaldson (who played zero minutes against Memphis) could feel hard done by from recently losing his place to Westry, who is averaging just 3.6 points and

PHOTO BY ROBERT NOLES THE OBSERVER

Auburn head basketball coach Bruce Pearl on the Auburn sideline in a game against Yale Dec. 4, 2021.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY AU ATHLETICS WESTRY

Engineer-TurnedBusiness Scholar Wins Auburn’s Highest Award for Research

CONTRIBUTED BY AUBURN UNIVERSITY

AUBURN —

While working at two Fortune 500 companies, Brian Connelly helped design the electronics deployed in airport radar systems and point-of-sale satellite networks that are commonly used to facilitate gas purchases at the pump.

Today, the Harbert College of Business professor and David and Terri Luck Eminent Scholar in management has nothing to do with technology.

“I can’t even figure out how to share my contact information on my phone, which can be embarrassing when I am chatting it up with young entrepreneurs,” joked Connelly, who has been on the receiving end of many an eye roll when he offers the person his business card.

What caused Connelly’s Road to Damascus moment?

By his own account, he was designing a satellite system in the 1990s and had to get approval on the price from his boss. Knowing the company was about to bid on another, much bigger project, Connelly’s boss suggested inflating the price of the system so competitors would think prices in the region were high.

“We bid ridiculously high, and then came back and won the big project right afterward by beating our competition on price,” he said. “That moment was when I realized: strategy trumps technology.”

Soon after, he went back to school and earned a Master of Business Administration and doctorate in management, paving the way for a move from the world of sophisticated technological design to the world of corporate strategy.

Recently, Connelly received the 2022 Auburn University Creative Research and Scholarship Award, the campus’ highest research honor for faculty. His award is in the fine arts, liberal arts, architecture and design, business, social and human sciences category.

By studying corporate behavior and misbehavior, his work has shed light on timely events, such as environmental safety, financial misconduct and consumer harm. His research findings

have helped shape public policy, played a role in establishing laws and regulations and provided new theories about ethical decision-making.

Connelly has elevated the reputation of Auburn and the Harbert College over the years. His scholarly publications have been cited more than 10,000 times, and he has given more than 135 invited talks at workshops, conferences and prestigious institutions around the world.

He currently serves as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Management, which is among the most elite academic business school journals. His work is frequently referenced in media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and USA Today.

“The Creative Research and Scholarship Award is a well-deserved recognition of Brian’s pioneering research and ability to find solutions that can positively impact both the academy and the corporate world,” said Joe Hanna, Regions Bank professor and Harbert interim dean. “All of us in the Harbert College of Business are very proud of Brian’s accomplishments and pleased to call him our colleague.”

TIMELY, IMPACTFUL RESEARCH

In a recently published study, Connelly and colleagues Miles Zachary of Auburn, G. Tyge Payne of LSU and Lori Tribble of Clemson University examined what they call “organizational virtue rhetoric,” meaning language and narratives where companies espouse, and promise adherence to, ethical standards of behavior.

The authors found that managers should be careful when espousing how virtuous their firm is, especially if their language is more symbolic than substantive.

“The issue with using virtue rhetoric is that you need to walk your talk,” Connelly, who is the David and Terri Luck Eminent Scholar and professor in the Department of Management and Entrepreneurship, said. “If the company messes up and engages in bad behavior, we found that investor reaction to the misconduct will be four times as negative for companies that talked a big game with their virtue rhetoric.

“In other words, top managers need to know that, if they use virtue rhetoric, they basically raise the bar for acceptable company behavior.”

In another recent paper, Connelly and colleagues examined how corporate boards of directors choose new CEOs in the wake of organizational misconduct. Together with Wei Shi of the University of Miami, Jack Walker of Auburn and Matt Hersel of Clemson, the authors developed a theory about why, following corporate misbehavior, a board of directors might replace its CEO with someone who holds a degree from a religiously affiliated university.

“We tested whether CEOs with degrees from religiously affiliated institutions are actually less likely than other CEOs to engage in misconduct,” Connelly observed.

“Sure enough, we found they are. So, it’s a contrast effect. If a company is dealing with corporate misbehavior, this strategy of replacing your CEO with someone who

Auburn to Open 2023 Season in Las Vegas at Inaugural Super 16

BY AU ATHLETICS

AUBURN —

The No. 5 Auburn gymnastics team will open the 2023 season at the inaugural Super 16 presented by Ozone in Las Vegas. The two-day, four-session meet will take place Jan. 6 and 7 at the Orleans Arena and the 16-team competition is the largest regular season women’s collegiate gymnastics invitational.

“This is such a great opportunity for our sport,” said head coach Jeff Graba. “Being on podium is a big deal for any team, especially at the start of the season. This is an exciting time for collegiate gymnastics and we’re thankful to be a part of it.”

The field features the last three national champions in No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 4 Michigan and No. 10 UCLA. In addition, 14 teams are ranked in

the WCGA preseason poll, including six in the top 15 — Oklahoma, Michigan, Auburn (No. 5), California (No. 8), UCLA, and Oregon State (No. 14).

Also set to compete will be Stanford, Iowa, Georgia, Washington, BYU, Arizona State, North Carolina, Southern Utah, Fisk and Rutgers.

Fisk will be making its debut as the first Historically Black College or University (HBCU) to have a women’s collegiate gymnastics team.

The Tigers are set to compete Saturday, Jan. 7, with session groupings and times announced at a later date.

Three Olympic medalists will be competing in the Super 16 — Auburn sophomore Sunisa Lee, UCLA’s Jordan Chiles and Oregon State’s Jade Carey.

In addition to Lee, Auburn returns

All-Americans Derrian Gobourne, Sophie Groth and Sara Hubbard as well as a stellar senior class that features All-SEC performers Aria Brusch and Cassie Stevens.

The team’s No. 5 preseason ranking is the highest in program history as the Tigers are coming off a Final Four finish at the 2022 NCAA Championship. The squad returns all but two routines from last season.

All-session tickets are on sale to the public now and range from $79 to $291, plus fees.

Tickets may be purchased online through the Orleans Arena website.

Discounted tickets will be available through participating gym clubs. For group of gym club tickets, email gymnationtickets@gmail.com. For more information, visit Super16gymnastics.com.

Tigers at No. 5 in WCGA Preseason Poll

CONTRIBUTED BY AU ATHLETICS

AUBURN —

The Auburn gymnastics team is picking up where it left off last season, setting another program best as the Tigers were picked No. 5 in the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association’s Preseason Poll. The ranking is the highest preseason ranking in program history.

The team’s previous preseason ranking record was No. 8 heading into

studied at a religiously affiliated school could benefit them.”

Connelly’s research is seeing national acclaim. For example, two of his papers — published in 2006 and 2016 — earned Paper of the Year awards from the Journal of Management. In short, not only is Connelly publishing in the best journals, he is publishing the best work in the best journals.

Looking forward, Connelly observed that his ongoing research program explores capital market and public policy developments, topics that are of importance on Capitol Hill today. For example, he is among the first in the management discipline to consider the ethical consequences of short selling.

Specifically, he is investigating how CEOs respond when their companies are attacked by short sellers, such as the highly public attacks on Tesla and Herbalife. He is also at the forefront of

the 2017 season.

“This is an exciting time for Auburn gymnastics,” said head coach Jeff Graba. “I’m very happy that our peers see us as being talented enough for this ranking and we’re looking forward to what 2023 will bring.”

Five Southeastern Conference teams are ranked in the top 10, while all eight league schools rank in the top 20.

Oklahoma is ranked No. 1 with Florida (2), Utah (3), Michigan (4)

management research on meme trading as he examines organizational responses to herd behavior in capital markets, such as what occurred recently with GameStop and AMC stocks.

A HUMBLE SCHOLAR

“I’m grateful for the support I’ve enjoyed from my wife and family, who have been patient with the hours and energy that I devote to my work,” Connelly, who came to Auburn in 2008 after earning his doctorate in management from Texas A&M University, said. “I bet my father-in-law, Franz Geyling, who passed away a few years ago, would be especially proud of this accomplishment. He was a role model for how I approach my work.”

Connelly is also a distinguished educator, having won one of the campus’ highest teaching honors — the 2014 Auburn Alumni Undergraduate Teaching Excellence award — as well as several Harbert College

and Auburn rounding out the top five. LSU and Alabama are ranked Nos. 6 and 7, while Missouri came in at ninth. Kentucky (11), Arkansas (15) and Georgia (20) rounded out the rest of the SEC.

The Tigers host their annual Preview Meet on Dec. 16, starting at 7 p.m. CT. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. CT and admission to the meet will be free. All seats are general admission with an exception to sections A-C.

and Department of Management teaching awards.

He is the second Harbert faculty member to win the Creative Research and Scholarship Award. In 2018, Harbert Eminent Scholar Dave Ketchen, a professor of management and entrepreneurship, received the award.

“Dave carefully and patiently mentored me since the day I arrived on the Plains,” Connelly acknowledged, “and I learned pretty quickly that if I just followed his advice, I would be successful.”

Ketchen is ranked 23rd in the nation in Research.com’s listing of the top business school professors.

“I’m also grateful for David and Terri Luck, who endowed the Eminent Scholar chair that I now hold,” Connelly added. “None of this would have been possible without their generous gift that has enabled my research endeavors.”

CONNELLY

CONTRIBUTED

L

labama Politics ee County & A

Inside the Statehouse

Two Jefferson County Legends Retire

STEVE FLOWERS

OPINION —

As we begin to celebrate the Christmas season and close out 2022, allow me to share the story of two great Jefferson County/Alabama political legends.

Alabama Supreme Court Justice Mike Bolin is retiring at the end of the year from the state’s highest judicial tribunal. Bolin is a young 72; he would not have retired and would have sought and been elected to another six-year term if it were not for an antiquated state law that disallows someone running for a judgeship in the state after age 70. Bolin is one of the most popular and well-respected judges in Alabama.

He is a big man, physically and figuratively. He is beloved throughout the state, but especially in his native Jefferson County. Bolin was born in and is a lifelong resident of Jefferson County. He attended elementary and high school in Homewood and graduated from Shades Valley High School in 1966, with honors. He stayed in Homewood for college and graduated from Samford University with a degree in business administration in 1970. He then continued on and got his law degree from Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law. He graduated from law school in 1973. He was on the dean’s list and was associate editor of the Law Review.

Bolin was a practicing attorney in Birmingham from 1973 through 1988. In 1988, he was first elected probate judge of Jefferson County. He was reelected probate judge of Alabama’s largest county in 1994, and again in 2000. He served in that position until his election to the Alabama Supreme Court in January 2004. He began serving on the Supreme Court in January 2005. Thus, at the end of his tenure in six weeks, he will have served 18 years on the high court.

Bolin and his wife Rosemary have one daughter, Leigh Anne. Bolin is known and respected for his integrity, humility and kindness.

Another Jefferson County legend, Tony Petelos, retired from public service last year. Petelos is a lifelong resident of Jefferson County and is a real American and Alabama success story. He has carved out a niche in Jefferson County and Alabama political history.

Petelos’ parents are first-generation immigrants. His family fled Greece when Mussolini — and later Hitler — invaded and decimated Greece. His father fought in the Greek Army and then later became a member of the United States Army. Petelos is the youngest of nine children. He had five siblings born in Greece; one died in the war. His father made it to the United States in 1947. His mother arrived in 1950. They had four sons born in America. Petelos is the youngest. His father and mother settled in Ensley. His father was in the construction business and became quite successful. Petelos and his three older brothers joined their father in the family business. He earned his college degree at UAB while working during the day. He met his wife Teresa while both

were studying at UAB. She became a Jefferson County circuit judge and served 18 years on the bench.

Petelos began his political career in 1986. He defeated an incumbent and became one of only 14 Republicans in the 105-member House of Representatives. He was reelected in 1990, and again in 1994. In 1997, after 11 years in the House, Gov. Fob James named Petelos commissioner of the Department of Human Resources for the state of Alabama. He was reappointed Human Resources commissioner by Gov. Don Siegelman in 1998 and served through 2001.

In 2004, Petelos was elected mayor of the city of Hoover, one of the state’s largest cities. He served eight years as mayor and earned a reputation as one of the state’s premier municipal administrators. In 2011, the Jefferson County government was in chaos, to say the least. The county commission lured Petelos away from Hoover to be the administrator of Jefferson County’s government. He cleaned up the corruption and financial problems and spent 10 years in that position. He retired about this time last year at age 69. He and his wife are doing well. They live in the same home they have lived in for the last 24 years in Hoover. They have two adult daughters, who they said they are very proud of. Petelos’ story is a great Alabama political success story.

Happy Holidays.

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

Lee County Commission Welcomes Chief Financial Officer

BYHANNAH LESTER HLESTER@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

LEE COUNTY —

The Lee County Commission introduced its new Chief Financial Officer Anna Kate Padgett Monday night during its meeting.

“After an extensive search for our chief financial officer position, we held interviews last week of two candidates and made the recommendation,” said County Administrator Holly Leverette.

Padgett, an Auburn native and resident, will begin in the position on Jan. 9.

“For a little over the past four years, I have been working for the Examiners of Public Accounts, auditing state and local government tool entities and

really excited to bring that knowledge and experience forward with me to this new position and really grateful to be here,” Padgett said. “I look forward to working with y’all.”

OTHER BUSINESS:

- The commission approved the consent agenda, consisting of first reading for the Lee County Recreation Board/District 2, first reading of the Beulah Utilities District Board and first reading for two members on the Lee County Youth Development Center Board.

- The commission voted to approve a $9,905 10% match of federal cash for the city of Smiths Station community safe room project and approved maintenance and upkeep of the project.

- The commission approved a bid for uniform dry cleaning for the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

- The commission approved a bid for an armored vehicle for the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

- The commission approved an educational reimbursement request for the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

- The commission approved the preliminary plat approval for the Cherry Hill subdivision.

- The commission approved a bid for a 2023 Water Truck w/chassis for the Highway Department.

- The commission created the billing clerk position for Environmental Services.

- The commission voted to dispense with the second meeting in December.

No TikTok for State Employees

ALABAMA — Gov. Kay Ivey

earlier this week to announce she has banned the use of TikTok on state devices and the state network. This cyber security action from the governor is to protect the state and Alabamians’ sensitive data from Chinese infiltration activities, as set forth in further detail in the memo.

“Protecting the state of Alabama and our citizens’ right to privacy is a must, and I surely don’t take a security threat from China lightly,” Ivey said. “After we discussed this with our OIT secretary, I came to the no-brainer decision to ban the use of the TikTok app on our state devices and network. Look, I’m no TikTok user, but the evidence speaks for itself, and I want to make sure I’m doing everything we can as a state to stand against this growing security risk.”

The memo reads:

Protecting Alabama's IT infrastructure from cyber threats is vital to ensuring the safety and success of our State. The computer devices and networks used by our state government house significant amounts of Alabamians' sensitive data. They also ensure the proper functioning of numerous automated government functions.

Recently, national security officials have warned of growing threats posed by the video-sharing app TikTok. TikTok is owned by a Chinese parent company and thus potentially subject to Chinese laws enabling its data to be shared with the Chinese Communist Party.

Disturbingly, TikTok harvests vast amounts of data from its users, much of which has no legitimate connection to the app's supposed purpose of video sharing. For example, when users run the TikTok app for the first time, they give TikTok access to information such as their device brand and model, mobile carrier, browsing history, app and file names and types, keystroke

patterns and rhythms, wireless connections and geolocation. Use of TikTok involving state IT infrastructure thus creates an unacceptable vulnerability to Chinese infiltration operations.

Given these serious security concerns related to the use of TikTok, I have asked the Sec. of Information Technology to update his agency's policies to prevent TikTok from accessing the state IT network and state IT devices — even while providing exceptions for law enforcement and other essential governmental uses of the app.

These new policies accompany this memorandum.

Consistent with these policies, executive branch agencies should immediately take all necessary steps to prevent TikTok from accessing sensitive state data.

Thank you for all you do to ensure the success and safety of our great State. Together, we will defend the State of Alabama and its people from the growing security risk posed by TikTok.

CONTRIBUTED BY PHIL WILLIAMS

OPINION —

I was pumping gas at a local station near an interstate offramp once and thought I heard a bomb go off. It reminded me of the sound of a car bomb that went off next to my convoy in Baghdad. It was that loud. It turns out it was an 18-wheeler whose load had shifted as he rounded the offramp curve and then heeled on over and slammed the ground.

I’ve been in military aircraft and watched as the loadmasters worked to distribute the loads and personnel so that the weight was evenly distributed. It’s a heck of a thing for a cargo plane to be off balance. But the worst for being top-heavy may be sailing vessels. When a ship is designed and built it is often what you cannot see below the water line that makes it an effective sailing ship. How deep the draft is, by virtue of the size of the keel, can be what prevents a ship from literally capsizing under its top weight.

Let me tell you about one of the worst maritime disasters ever. We’ve all heard about the Titanic. The Titanic struck an iceberg in 1912 and nearly 1,500 people drowned. You may have also heard of the Lusitania, which

was torpedoed by a German submarine. The Lusitania claimed 785 lives. But have you ever heard of the Eastland?

The Eastland disaster occurred while at port in Chicago. While tethered to the dock, the Eastland was loaded with over 2,500 passengers. An unsafe ship whose draft was originally designed to support its first life as a cargo vessel, the Eastland literally rolled over under its top-heavy weight and 844 passengers lost their lives. One account from Smithsonian Magazine says this: “Critical to a boat's stability is what is known as its metacentric height.

Floating objects are like an upside-down pendulum, with a center of gravity and the ability to roll, or heel, to either side before righting itself. The distance between fully upright and the maximum heel — the point beyond which it will capsize — is its metacentric height. ... For such a ship, where the distribution of passengers was highly variable, normal practice would have been to provide a metacentric height of two to four feet, fully loaded. Changes made to the Eastland ... had reduced its metacentric height to four inches.”

It was supposed to have been a celebratory day.

Western Electric had shut down its plant operations to take all of their employees and their families on a daylong excursion to a park across Lake Michigan. The plan was for a huge picnic, bands and entertainment. It was set to be a day that no one could forget, and it was, but for all the wrong reasons.

It was July 24, 1915, just 10 days after the sinking of the Lusitania. A new set of regulations now required that all sailing vessels have increased numbers of lifeboats and floatation devices, all of which added an incredible amount of weight to the Eastland’s top decks. The passenger manifests for that day showed that the boat was also allowed to be overloaded with men, women and children.

But perhaps worst of all, the Eastland had been known to be unstable because its keel had never been improved as the ship was morphed from a barge to a Great Lakes passenger liner. With a wink and a nod it had always been signed off as “safe” despite the fact that several prior listing incidents had occurred. Harbor crews referred to it as a “hoodoo ship.”

On that morning in 1915, as whole families boarded in their party clothes and began dancing to the band on

the top deck, the top-heavy Eastland is said to have suddenly listed 45 degrees to port, and as its cargo and passengers then lurched to that downhill side on the slanting decks, the ship completely rolled over in less than two minutes.

Whole families — moms, dads, children — all drowned that day. One recounting of the aftermath says that the water was so filled with bodies that you couldn’t see the river. Smithsonian Magazine again said this: “On Wednesday, July 28, Chicago was a city of funerals. So many were scheduled that there were not enough hearses. Marshall Field & Company provided 39 trucks. Fifty-two gravediggers, working 12 hours a day, couldn't keep up with the demand. Nearly 150 graves had to be dug at the Bohemian National Cemetery alone. By day's end, almost 700 Eastland victims had been buried.”

All of this because no one chose to say anything about a ship with virtually no keel. A ship that they kept building up but never chose to properly build down. It became so top-heavy and unwieldy that it literally capsized while moored to the dock. Not because of a torpedo, or an iceberg, but because of the self-inflicted

wound of being top-heavy. Over 800 people lost their lives in 20 feet of water.

Now let me switch gears on you. Keeping the concept of being top-heavy in mind, what about government? If you imagine a government as being a ship (an analogy that Gov. Kay Ivey used several times when she took office as Gov. Robert Bentley resigned, saying then that her job then was “to right the ship of state”) what happens when a government becomes so top-heavy that it cannot sustain itself.

The “keel” of government is the people. We are there to support and sustain and also to be effectively served by the topside. But there has to be a balance, a metacentric height between government and its people that prevents government growth from loading top while not drawing deep.

Right now we are in a position where the Alabama state government has grown more in the past few years than the governments of California and New York. As neighboring states have openly worked to provide tax relief to their citizens, Alabama’s government has spent surpluses thus far on itself. In the past few years, we’ve seen government shutdowns of businesses, churches, schools. Our own state-funded UAB developed an app for use in tracking people's movements and telling them to quarantine.

Right now there is a discussion underway about whether or not to expand the Obamacare Medicaid provisions and put more of Alabama’s citizens into a government-run health care program. And that’s just Alabama.

The federal government is certainly top-heavy with the ability to claim a right to direct its attention to virtually every aspect of our lives. Legislation in just the year has passed to fund green energy solutions that cannot stand up without government subsidies, allow for the hiring of 87,000 additional IRS agents,

emplace regulations that change how family farms can operate and we’ve gone from being a net exporter of oil and gas to requiring imports simply because government said so.

I’m not so libertarian in my leanings that I don’t see the value in government.

I know that there are true functions in a society that are intended for government to provide, and life would be worse without them. But Ronald Reagan once said that “a government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take away everything you have.”

We have to rightsize the government. We have to ensure that the keel, the people, who too often are not seen below the waterline of bureaucracy, are not so outweighed by a top-heavy government that we cannot even remain on an even keel at the dock.

We need to see measurable tax relief from Montgomery.

We need to return to a commitment to streamline government operations.

We need to know that as a red state, those principles matter in our state capital.

We need to stop being so top-heavy lest we capsize under our own weight.

Phil Williams is a former state senator, retired Army colonel and combat veteran, and a practicing Attorney.

He has served with the leadership of the Alabama Policy Institute and currently hosts the conservative news/ talkshow Rightside Radio Monday through Friday from 2 to 5 p.m.August 19, 2020 on multiple channels throughout north Alabama.

(WVNN 92.5FM/770AMHuntsville/Athens; WXJC 101.FM and WYDE 850AM – Birmingham/Cullman)

His column appears every Monday in 1819 News.

To contact Williams or request him for a speaking engagement go to www. rightsideradio.org. The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News or the publisher(s).

Habitat for Humanity Visits

Opelika Lions Club

Opelika Kiwanis Hosts Jessica Mills

Local SAR Chapter Swears in Officers

OPD Honored at Funfest

Samford Group Hosts Christmas Celebration

Auburn-Opelika Habitat for Humanity (AOHOH) recently visited an Auburn Lions Club meeting. AOHOH helps families build houses to call home. A donation was made by the Lions Club. Pictured are Mark Grantham (Habitat for Humanity), Bill McCrary (Auburn Lions Club), Maxton Hickman (Auburn High School) and Keith Ryland (Auburn Lions Club).

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

Opelika Kiwanis hosted Jessica Mills, local travel, camping and backpacking expert. Mills came and spoke on how she decided to chase her childhood dream and completed the Triple Crown of Hiking — the Appalachian Trail, the Continental Divide Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail. You can find her on YouTube under the channel name Homemade Wanderlust.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

Top: Alabama State Society Sons of the American Revolution (ALSSAR) State President Bill Daniel swearing in the Richard Henry Lee Chapter 2023 Officers. Bottom, from left to right, SAR Richard Henry Lee Chapter President Bob Harris, Daniel and his wife, First Lady Sally Daniel. Founded in 1889, SAR is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to promoting patriotism, preserving American history and promoting education for future generations. For more information visit www.sar.org.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER

Pastor Carolyn Morton and the Samford Community Outreach Fellowship Group presented the 10th annual Opelika Christmas Party Celebration on Dec. 10, 2022, from noon until 2 p.m. The event was held at Christian Care Ministries in Opelika. Attendees included the Opelika & Auburn Moms Demand Action local chapter group, along with the Opelika Police Department, Chief Shane Healey, Capt. Tony Amerson, the Opelika Fire Department, Lt. Floyd, Marquenta Barnette. Be & Caring Uplift Outreach volunteers and help gave out Christmas gifts, and other participants included minister Lucile Gray, Valentine Penn and Debra Carter. The community and young people enjoyed showing their love and support through service and outreach to the local community.

Opelika Police Department (OPD) received an Outstanding Community Heroes Award on Saturday at the Community-Wide Christmas Funfest. Pictured third from right is OPD Police Chief Shane Healey with the award and other officers.

Pelosi, Trump and ‘Consequential’ Legacies of High-level Politicians

conservative talk radio host saying Pelosi was “horrible.” But he is no historian, probably, because he judges public figures by HIS criteria only. Some liberal media people celebrated her based on “gifts” such as the Affordable Care Act, but they forgot to list her disappointments and misfires.

“Pelosi had gutted the Member like some halibut she found floating around San Francisco Bay, then calmly sat back and had a cup of coffee afterward,” wrote former Speaker John Boehner of his predecessor.

Most citizens and ideological media assess politicians’ careers in self-serving and simple ways. That is understandable, we are all human. Yet they are not trained in history, for the most part, so they don’t do extensive research to evaluate leaders in politics. But historians, who study things longitudinally, strive for balance and try to look at the big picture.

for passage of civil rights and social legislation in the 1960s,” according to Ornstein.

In Pelosi’s first time as speaker (2007-2011), she passed legislation including an economic stimulus bill, financial regulation, expanded student aid and an expanded G.I. bill.

decades to come,” Cillizza wrote in 2020.

OPINION —

When Ronald Reagan, the 40th U.S. president, died on June 5, 2004, the buzzword for TV broadcasters was “consequential.” They said all during mourning week that he was a consequential leader. Definition: “important or significant.” That was a copout, as the term could be used for failed presidents like James Buchanan (1857-1861), as well as very successful ones like Reagan.

Perhaps MSNBC commentators wished to say “lousy president” but did not. Fox reporters would

like to say, “the best president ever,” but didn’t. Now I realize why Richard Nixon, despite his resignation, finds himself at 27 to 30 on presidential lists (out of 45 presidents.) He was consequential in good and bad ways.

I became interested in the “consequential” term used as a catch-all after Nancy Pelosi retired from U.S. House leadership. She is the first and only woman speaker, having served twice, and also over 20 years as the Democrats’ minority leader. She was certainly consequential and effective in the role.

Recently, I heard a

Notice of Action by Publication; Winston A. Felton v. Lisa Hammond et al, Case No.: 43-CV-2022900117.00, was filed in the Circuit Court of Lee County, Alabama on to-wit: April 1, 2022 and an amendment to complaint filed on May 20, 2022 seeking by Declaratory Judgment to Quiet Title in rem and for a Sale for Division to the property located in Lee County, Alabama and described as follows: (Parcel I) Commence at a found iron pin at the Northwest corner of the Southeast Quarter of Section 21, Township 18 North, Range 25 East, Lee County, Alabama, said pin also being the Point of Beginning of the following described property. From said Point of Beginning, thence North 87 deg. 24’ 02” East a distance of 1930.14 feet to a found iron pin on the West Right-of-Way line of County Road 191 (80’ ROW); thence, along said West Right of Way, South 06 deg. 43’ 49” West a distance of 250.70 feet to a found concrete monument; thence along said West Right of Way, along a curve to the left with a radius of 1949.93 feet, a chord bearing of South 05 deg. 15’ 06” West a chord distance of 92.88 feet to a point at the intersection of said West Right of Way of County Road 191 and the North maintenance line of County Road 14; thence, along said North Maintenance line, South 88 deg. 09’ 04” West a distance of 178.38 feet to a found iron pin; thence, leaving said North maintenance line, North 01 degrees 58’ 32” West a distance of 302.56 feet to a found iron pin; thence, South 87 degrees 39’ 42” West a distance of 300.00 feet to a set iron pin; thence, South 02 degrees 00’ 13” East a distance of 300.00 feet to a found iron pin on the said North maintenance line of County Road 14; thence, along said North Maintenance line, South 88 degrees, 09’ 04” West a distance of 125.81 feet to a point; thence along said North maintenance line, along a curve to the left having a radius of 1230.00 feet, a chord bearing of South 78 degrees 19’ 32” West a chord distance of 419.80 feet to a point; thence along said North maintenance line, North 68 degrees 30’ 00” East a distance of 871.93 feet to a point; thence leaving said North maintenance line, North 05 degrees 24’ 30” West a distance of 680,94 feet to the Point of Beginning; all lying in and being a part of the Southeast ¼ of Section 21,

Township 18 North, Range 25 East, Lee County, Alabama and containing 16.60 acres, more or less. (Parcel II) Commence at a found iron pin at the Northwest corner of the Southeast Quarter of Section 21, Township 18 North, Range 25 East, Lee County, Alabama; thence South 05 degrees 24’ 30” East a distance of 743.39 feet to a found iron pin on the South maintenance line of County Road 14, said pin being the Point of Beginning of the following described property. From said Point of Beginning, along said South maintenance line, thence North 68 degrees 30’ 00” East a distance of 889.24 feet to a point; thence along said South maintenance line, along a curve to the right with a radius of 1170.00 feet, a chord bearing of North 78 degrees 19’ 32” East a chord distance of 399.32 feet to a point; thence along said South maintenance line, North 88 degrees 09’ 04” East a distance of 124.67 feet to a set iron pin; thence leaving said South maintenance line, South 01 degrees 50’ 56” East a distance of 300.00 feet to a set iron pin; thence North 88 degrees 09’ 04” East a distance of 300.00 feet to a set iron pin; thence North 01 degrees 50’ 56” West a distance of 300.00 feet to a set iron pin on the South maintenance line of said County Road 14; thence along said South maintenance line, North 88 degrees 09’ 04” East a distance of 174.27 feet to a point at the intersection of said South maintenance line and the West Right of Way line of County Road 191 (80’ ROW); thence along said West Right of Way along a curve to the left with a radius of 1949.93 feet, a chord bearing of South 09 degrees 12’ 19” East a chord distance of 765.70 feet to a point; thence along said West Right of Way, South 20 degrees 31’ 00” East a distance of 697.28 feet to a point; thence along said West Right of Way along a curve to the left with a radius of 1472.41 feet, a chord bearing of South 36 degrees 40’ 29” East a distance of 817.86 feet to a found concrete monument; thence along said West Right of Way, South 52 degrees 44’ 18” East a distance of 154.57 feet to a point; thence leaving said West Right of Way, South 04 degrees 47’ 28” East a distance of 38.27 feet to a found iron pin; thence South 87 degrees 24’ 21” West a distance of 2641.50 feet to a set iron pin; thence North 04 degrees 52’ 03” West a distance of 669.06 feet to a found iron pin; thence North 04 degrees 52’ 03” West

“The congressman’s entrails were left on display for everyone in the House of Representatives to see — and to remember.”

The most effective House speakers over the past 40 years are arguably Pelosi and Republican Newt Gingrich. Pelosi is the daughter of a former mayor of Baltimore, Maryland. She learned sharp knuckle skills at his feet. Her toughest mission was to get the Affordable Care Act approved in the contentious House. It was the top domestic priority for President Barack Obama. Pelosi ushered the bills through the House and won 220 to 215; 218 votes were needed for it to pass.

Gingrich came in like a hurricane in 1995, as Republicans took the House after 40 years. He centralized much power and policy-making. Gingrich was in the position only for four years, as he made enemies who thought he had too much power. But his aggressive leadership marks him as having led with determination and panache.

"While right now Nancy Pelosi is overshadowed by this (opposition) thumping, she's going to rank quite high in the pantheon of modern speakers of the last 100 years,” said Norman Ornstein, of the conservative American Enterprise Institute.

Only Texas Democrat Sam Rayburn ranks higher. Rayburn is the longest-serving speaker in history “whose parliamentary maneuvers cleared the way

PUBLIC NOTICES

a distance of 397.73 feet to a found iron pin; thence North 04 degrees 47’ 25” West a distance of 830.06 feet to the Point of Beginning, all lying and being a part of the Southeast ¼ of Section 21, Township 18 North, Range 25 East, Lee County, Alabama, and containing 100.19 acres, more or less. (Parcel III) Commence at a found iron pin at the Northwest corner of the Southeast Quarter of Section 21, Township 18 North, Range 25 East, Lee County, Alabama; thence North 87 degrees 24’ 02” East a distance of 1930.14 feet to a found pin on the West Right of Way of County Road 191 (80’ ROW); thence North 87 degrees 26’ 22” East a distance of 80.56 feet to a found iron pin on the East Right of Way of said County Road 191; said pin being the Point of Beginning of the following described property. From said Point of Beginning, leaving said Eight Right of Way, North 87 degrees 25’ 00” East a distance of 496.63 feet to a found iron pin; thence North 87 degrees 25’ 16” East a distance of 143.59 feet to a found iron pin; thence South 04 degrees 47’ 28” East a distance of 2494.36 feet to a point on the East Right of Way of said County Road 191; thence along said East Right of Way, North 52 degrees 44’ 40” West a distance of 83.32 feet to a found concrete monument; thence along said East Right of Way along a curve to the right with a radius of 1397.72 feet a chord bearing of North 36 degrees 38’ 11” West a chord distance of 773.05 feet to a found concrete monument; thence along said East Right of Way, North 20 degrees 31’ 00” West a distance of 697.28 feet to a found concrete monument; thence along said East Right of Way, along a curve to the right with a radius of 1880.88 feet a chord bearing of North 06 degrees 59’ 05” West a chord a distance of 878.44 feet to a found concrete monument; thence along said East Right of Way, North 06 degrees 45’ 14” East a distance of 262.89 feet to the Point of Beginning; all lying in and being a part of the Southeast ¼ of Section 21, Township 18 North, Range 25 East, Lee County, Alabama, and containing 31.46 acres, more or less.

TO: ALL PERSONS claiming present, future, contingent, remainder, reversion or other interest in said lands or any portion thereof, claiming any title thereto or the lien thereon: You are hereby notified that the above-styled action was

filed against you on April 1, 2022, and an amendment to complaint on May 20, 2022 and that by Order entered by the Court, you are hereby commanded to plead, answer or otherwise respond to the complaint within 30 days from last publication, the 15 day of DECEMBER , 2022, or thereafter suffer judgment in rem to be rendered against you because this notice shall be used to perfect service against all parties who cannot be personally served with a copy of the complaint. Your response must be filed with Mary B. Roberson, Clerk, Circuit Court of Lee County, Alabama, Lee County Justice Center, 2311 Gateway Drive, Suite 104, Opelika, Alabama 36801, and served upon attorneys for the Plaintiff, Wilson & Jackson, LLC, 1785 Taliaferro Trail, Montgomery, Alabama 36117. Plaintiff’s Attorney’s phone number is (334) 260-9998. Done this the 14th day of November, 2022.

/s/ Mary B. Roberson, Clerk of the Lee County, Alabama, Circuit Court Legal Run 11/23,2022, 12/01/2022, 12/08/2022 & 12/15/2022

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NOTICE TO CREDITORS

ESTATE OF IRENE PHILLIPS EDWARDS, DECEASED PROBATE COURT, LEE COUNTY CASE NO. 2022-639

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Take Notice that LETTERS TESTAMENTARY of the Estate of IRENE PHILLIPS EDWARDS are hereby granted to Joe Edwards on the 14th day of November, 2022, by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama.

Notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

Joe Edwards Legal Run 12/1/2022, 12/8/2022 & 12/15/2022 ---------------

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT ESTATE OF WILMA DEAN SPANN, DECEASED COURT OF PROBATE, LEE COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS LETTERS TESTAMENTARY of said deceased are hereby granted to the undersigned

“Pelosi almost single-handedly pushed the health care bill through the House, lobbying reluctant lawmakers up to the final minutes to vote for it,” said Matthew Green, of the Institute for Policy Research and Catholic Research. “Without her leadership, the bill very likely would have died.”

Speaking of consequential, in September 2020, six weeks before the general election, Chris Cillizza of CNN wrote a commentary titled “Donald Trump has now become a hugely consequential president.” (In a staff reduction, Cillizza was among the casualties, last week.)

“With his nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court — and her likely confirmation by the Senate — Trump will have personally chosen onethird of the members of the nation’s highest court and reshaped its ideology for

With Barrett confirmed, Trump will have appointed more U.S. Supreme Court justices in his first term than any president since Nixon, who appointed four between 1969 and 1971. Also, Trump has 200-plus appointments made to lower courts as of September 2020.

In the early 1980s, living in El Paso, Texas, I once rode north and saw a town called Truth or Consequences, in New Mexico. The name has been on lists of unusual place names, renaming itself in 1950 after the Truth or Consequences radio show. It will fascinate us in the future to read about the deaths or retirements of presidents, speakers and majority leaders. It will be, in a word, consequential.

Greg Markley moved to Lee County in 1996. He has a master’s in education from AUM and a master’s in history from Auburn University. He taught politics as an adjunct in Georgia and Alabama. An award-winning writer in the Army and civilian life, he has contributed to The Observer since 2011. He writes on politics, education and books. gm.markley@ charter.net.

on the 18th day of November, 2022, by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

JOHN LOUIS SPANN BOBBY SPANN Legal Run 12/1/2022, 12/8/2022 & 12/15/2022

IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN RE: THE MATTER OF B.L.F., A MINOR NOTICE OF HEARING Notice is hereby given that a Petition for Partial Settlement of Conservatorship of B.L.F., a minor, was filed by Conservator, Kenneth R. Ferguson requesting approval of a partial accounting for the period 10/2018 through 12/31/2021. A hearing has been set for the 18th day of January 2023 at 1:00 p.m. central time, electronically via “ZOOM”. Please contact the Lee County Probate Court at 334-737-3670 for access to the electronic hearing should you intend to take part in the hearing of the Petition for Partial Settlement of the Conservatorship of B.L.F.

Judge of Probate, Lee County, Alabama LEGAL RUN 12/01/2022, 12/08/2022 & 12/15/2022

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IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN RE: The Estate of TIMOTHY PAUL MCCOY. Deceased Case No. 2022-467

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

TAKE NOTICE that Letters of Administration having been granted to AMBER MCCOY, as Administrator of the Estate of TIMOTHY PAUL MCCOY, deceased, on the 28TH day of September 2022, by the Honorable BILL ENGLISH, Judge of Probate.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that all persons having claims against the said Estate are hereby required to present the same within the time allowed by law or the same will be barred. HON. BILL ENGLISH JUDGE OF PROBATE LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA /S/ AMBER MCCOY AMBER MCCOY

Administrator of the Estate of TIMOTHY PAUL MCCOY. Deceased

Legal Notice 12/01/2022, 12/08/2022 & 12/15/2022

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IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF C. NEAL POPE, DECEASED.

IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA Case No: 2022-599

Letters Testamentary on the estate of said decedent having been granted to the undersigned on the 18th day of November, 2022, by the Hon. Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all personshaving claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

VIRGINIA PITTS

POPE

Personal Representative Robert H. Pettey Samford & Denson, LLP P.O. Box 2345 Opelika, AL 36803-2345 (334) 745-3504 Legal Run 12/01/2022, 12/08/2022 & 12/15/2022

IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF MINNIE WILDER, DECEASED.

IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA CASE NO.: 2022-589

TO: LATOYA CANTRELL MICHAEL WILDER NIALAH PORTER

CHERISH WILDER SHANNA WILDER MARILYN CLAYTON

DRED WILDER, JR. BRIDGETTE WILDER BEASLEY

NOTICE: On the 11th day of October, 2022, a certain writing, purporting to be the Will of MINNIE WILDER was filed in my office for probate by FRED WESTERN and EDDIE MILLER and the 9th day of January, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. was appointed a day for hearing thereof at which time you can appear and contest the same, if you see proper. Given under my hand, the 1st day of December, 2022.

BILL ENGLISH, JUDGE OF PROBATE

Robert H. Pettey Samford & Denson, LLP P.O. Box 2345 Opelika, AL 3683-2345 (334) 745-3504 Legal Run 12/8/22, 12/15/22 & 12/22/22

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PUBLIC NOTICES

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT

ESTATE OF JUANITA J. WILLIAMS, DECEASED COURT OF PROBATE LEE COUNTY

Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to the undersigned on the 2nd day of December, 2022, by the Hon. Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

Witness our hands, and dated this the 2nd day of December, 2022.

ROBERT WILLIAMS

Legal Run 12/08/22, 12/15/22 & 12/22/22

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT

ESTATE OF MARTHA R. BEASLEY, DECEASED COURT OF PROBATE LEE COUNTY

Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to the undersigned on the 2nd day of December, 2022, by the Hon. Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against

said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

Witness our hands, and dated this the 2nd day of December, 2022.

FRANK M. BEASLEY Legal Run 12/08/22, 12/15/22 & 12/22/22

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IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF EULA MAE PETERS, DECEASED. IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA

Case No: 2021-671 Letters of Administration of said deceased having been granted to the undersigned on the 2nd day of December, 2022, by the Hon. Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

DEMETRA A. JACKSON Administrator Robert H. Pettey Samford & Denson, LLP P.O. Box 2345 Opelika, AL 36803-2345 (334) 745-3504 Legal Run 12/8/22, 12/15/22 & 12/22/22 ---------------

NOTICE OF SPECIAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION

FOR THE RENEWAL AND CONTINUATION OF THE LEVY OF AN 11 MILL AD VALOREM TAX FOR THE SUPPORT AND FURTHERANCE OF EDUCATION IN THE CITY OF OPELIKA

(Amendment No. 8, Constitution of Alabama of 1901)

Notice is hereby given thata special municipal election will be held in the City of Opelika in the State of Alabama on Tuesday, the 28th day of February, 2023, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Central Time, at which there will be submitted to the qualified electors of the said City, for their determination by ballot, the following proposition: Shall the City of Opelika be authorized to continue to levy and collect at the excess rate of one and one-tenths percent (or 11 mills) of the assessed value of taxable property in the City the special annual ad valorem tax now being levied at the excess rate of 11 mills, said tax to be levied and the net proceeds thereof to be used exclusively for the support and furtherance of education, commencing with the tax year for which taxes become due and payable on October 1, 2025, and continuing thereafter until and including the tax year for which taxes become due and payable on October 1, 2052, which levy shall represent a renewal and continuation of the said tax and shall not operate to increase the rate of taxation for public school purposes now being levied in the City?

The said election shall be held at the following voting places established by the City at which shall be cast the ballots of the electors customarily voting at the said respective places:

WARD NO.

LOCATION OF VOTING PLACE

1 - Covington Community Center - 213 Carver Avenue

2 - Opelika Learning Center (formerly Old Jeter School) - 214 Jeter Avenue

3 - Opelika Community Center - 1102 Denson Drive

4 - East Alabama Medical Center - Education Center2027 Pepperell Parkway

5 - Opelika Sportsplex - 1001 Andrews Road Absentee Ballot Box City Clerk’s Office Municipal Building 204 South 7th Street

By order of the City Council.

/s/ Gary Fuller GARY FULLER MAYOR OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA Legal Run 12/15/2022,

12/22/2022, 12/29/2022 & 01/05/2023

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CITY OF OPELIKA NOTICE OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING AND PUBLIC HEARINGS TO: RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA AND ALL OTHER INTERESTED CITIZENS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Planning Commission of the City of Opelika, Alabama will hold a regular meeting and will be conducting public hearings on Tuesday, December 20, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. in the Meeting Chamber at Opelika Municipal Court located at 300 MLK Boulevard, Opelika, Alabama.

A Planning Commission work session will be held at 2:45 pm before the regular meeting. The purpose of the public hearings is to receive public comment on the following:

I. Some items at this meeting will have a designated public hearing (noted below). Individuals are limited to one 5-minute comment period per public hearing.

II. Approval of Minutes III. Update on Previous Planning Commission Cases IV. New Business

A. Preliminary Approval –Public Hearing

1.A public hearing on a request by Nick Howell, 2H Properties LLC, property owners, for preliminary plat approval of the Springhill Heights Redivision of Lots 53-28 subdivision consisting of 3 lots accessed at the corner of Arnold Avenue and Spring Drive.

B.Preliminary and Final Plat Approval – Public Hearing

2.A public hearing on a request by Blake Rice, BarrettSimpson, Inc., authorized representative for BC Stone Homes, LLC, property owners, for preliminary and final plat approval of the Morris Avenue Townhomes subdivision consisting of 23 lots accessed from Morris Avenue.

3. A request by Daniel Holland, Holland Homes LLC, property owners, for preliminary and final plat approval of the Foxrun Redivision Lot 1, Phase 1A subdivision consisting of 19 lots accessed from Village Drive.

C.Final Plat Approval

4. A request by Daniel Holland, Holland Homes LLC, property owners, for final plat approval of the Foxrun Phase 2B subdivision consisting of 74 lots accessed from east end of Village Drive.

5. A request by Blake Rice,

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Barrett-Simpson, Inc., authorized representative for Steven W. Corbett, property owner, for final plat approval of the Silver Oak Phase 2 subdivision consisting of 30 lots accessed from Lee Road 2232.

D Conditional Use – Public Hearing

6. A public hearing on a request by Paul H. Sanders, authorized representative, for A & P Holdings, LLC, property owners, for conditional use approval for a two-unit townhome in a C-3, GC-S zoning district at 104 North 3rd Street.

7. A public hearing on a request by Kendra Mayton, authorized representative, Charlie Core, property owner, for conditional use approval for a child daycare center in a C-2, GC-S zoning district at 404 2nd Avenue.

8. A public hearing on a request by Patrick Harrity on behalf of Jemmstone Alabama, LLC, authorized representative, for Sat Kaival, LLC, property owners, for conditional use approval for medical cannabis dispensary in a C-3, GC-P zoning district at 3021 Capps Way.

E. Rezoning – Public Hearing 9a.An agenda item related to a rezoning request concerns an amendment to the Future Land Use Map for 8.1 acres accessed from 2900 block of Anderson Road from a low density residential land use category to a mixed use development. If the Planning Commission votes to send a positive recommendation to the City Council to rezone the 8.1 Acres and Council approves the rezoning, then approval of said amendments to the Future Land Use map will be approved.

9b. A public hearing to consider a recommendation to the City Council on a request by McIntyre Home Builder, LLC, property owner, to rezone 8.1 acres accessed at 2900 block of Anderson Road from R-3 to PUD.

V. Old Business F. Final Plat

10. A request by Blake Rice, Barrett-Simpson, Inc. authorized representative for 280 Land Company LLC, property owners, for final plat approval of the Hidden Lakes Phase 4 Subdivision consisting of 73 lots accessed from Hidden Lakes Drive. This request tabled at the November 29th Planning Commission meeting. All interested persons are invited to attend the meeting/ public hearings and be heard.

Written comments concerning the above matters may be mailed to the Planning Director at 700 Fox Trail,

Opelika, Alabama 36801 at any time prior to the meeting/public hearings and may be further submitted to the Planning Commission at the meeting/public hearings.

The Planning Commission reserves the right to modify or alter any of the proposed amendments to the Zoning Ordinance and to make its recommendations accordingly to the City Council.

Please contact the Planning department at 334-705-5156 at least two (2) working days prior to the meeting if you require special accommodations due to a disability.

PLANNING DIRECTOR LEGAL RUN 12/15/2022

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In accordance with Chapter 1, Title 39, Code of Alabama, 1975, notice is hereby given that Phoenix Fabricators and Erectors, LLC has completed its work on the Proposed Alabama Highway 169 – 300,000 Gallon Elevated Water Storage Tank/ GMC Project No. CMGM190165(1) for the Smiths Water & Sewer Authority. Any person(s) having a claim against the project should notify Wheeler Crook, P.E., Goodwyn Mills Cawood, LLC, 2660 EastChase Lane, Suite 200, Montgomery, AL 36117. All claims should be filed within 30 days of the first publication of this notice.

Legal Run 12/15/2022, 12/22/2022, 12/29/2022 & 01/05/2022

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IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA

In the Matter of the Estate of RALPH WILLIAMS, Deceased Case No. 2022-379

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Take notice the LETTERS TESTAMENTARY of said deceased having been granted to Leslie Voncile Daniels on the21st day of November, 2022, by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama.

Notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required .to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred.

Done this 21st day of November, 2022.

LESLIE VONCILE DANIELS

Legal Run 12/15/2022, 12/22/2022 & 12/29/2022

OMS, OHS Fill the Halls with Christmas Tunes

INVITATION TO BID

23005

Sealed bids for the construction of the Crawlspace Encapsulation and Ventilation Installation at Southside Performing Arts Center shall be received at the Opelika City Hall Conference Room, 204 South Seventh Street, Opelika, Alabama, until 2:00 p.m., local time on Monday, January 9, 2023, and then publicly opened and read aloud. Only bids from competent general contractors will be considered. The successful bidder must

be a properly licensed general contractor. The attention of all bidders is called to the provisions of State law governing "General Contractors" as set forth in the Ala. Code §34-8-1, et. seq. (1975) and rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto. Bidders must be licensed by the Licensing Board for General Contractors when bids are submitted.

All bidders must submit with their proposal, contractor's license number and a copy of the license. State law Ala. Code §34-8-8(b) requires all bids to be rejected which do not contain the contractor's current license number.

Evidence of this license shall be documented on the outside of the sealed bid.

All bidders shall possess all other licenses and/or permits required by applicable law, rule or regulation for the performance of the work. Bid documents may be obtained from the office of the city Inspection Department Director located at 700 Fox Trail, Opelika, Alabama.

Documents may also be obtained from the City of Purchasing Department located at 204 S 7th St., Opelika, Alabama, Monday through Friday from 8:00 A.M. until 4:30 P.M., or downloaded from the City's website at https://www.opelika-al.gov/Bids.aspx.

The bidder's proposal must be submitted on the complete original proposal furnished to him by the City of Opelika. All information in

the proposal must be completed by the bidder for the proposal to be accepted. A Bid Bond in the amount of five (5) percent of the bid amount made payable to the City of Opelika must accompany each bid. Performance and Payment Bonds for the full contract sum will be required of the successful bidder. The right is reserved by the Owner to reject all Bids and to waive irregularities. Envelopes containing bids must be sealed, marked, addressed as follows, and delivered to: Lillie Finley, Purchasing-Revenue Manager, City of Opelika, 204 South 7th Street, P.O. Box 390, Opelika, Alabama, 36803-0390. Attn: Crawlspace Encapsulation and Ventilation Installation

at Southside Performing Arts Center LILLIE FINLEYPURCHASING REVENUE MANAGER CITY OF OPELIKA

204 SOUTH SEVENTH STREET (36801) POST OFFICE BOX 390 (36803-0390) OPELIKA, ALABAMA PH: (334) 705-5120 Legal Run 12/15/2022 & 12/22/2022

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STATE OF ALABAMA LEE COUNTY PROBATE COURT CASE NO. 2022-656 ESTATE OF JANICE C. HENDERSON, DECEASED NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT

OF PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE Letters Testamentary of said Janice C. Henderson, deceased, having been granted to Jan Mathews Ennis, James Enoch Mathews, and Carol Mathews Perdue this 12th day of December 2022, by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by the law or the same will be barred.

Jan Mathews Ennis, James Enoch Mathews, and Carol Mathews Perdue, Personal Representatives Legal Run 12/15/2022, 12/22/2022 & 12/29/2022

PHOTOS BY MATT AUSTIN / FOR THE OBSERVER

Opelika Middle School and Opelika High School concert bands held their annual Christmas concerts on Tuesday, Dec. 13.