Prime
Celebrating Midlife and Beyond
September 2013
FREE
Remembering
“Bear”
• Small Homes Tour • Garden Succulents • New Twist on Dips • • Rose Marie • Prepare Now • Eleanor Davis: Actor/Director •
Charles Anthony’s at the
Pub h
• Hand-cut Steaks • Fresh Seafood • Daily Specials Monday-Thursday 4:30-9:30 pm Friday and Saturday 4:30-10:00 pm
10044 Chantilly Parkway www.charlesanthonysatthepub.com 334-281-3911
September 2013 | www.primemontgomery.com
Wine Tasting 1st Wednesday of the month 5:30-7:00 pm Drawing for FREE APPETIZER at each Wine Tasting
Visit our website and register to win Dinner for 2* (Entree, side and salad. Excludes appetizer, drink, market-priced entrees. Dine-in only.) *
Prime/September 2013
On Medicare? You should still familiarize yourself with the new Health Insurance Marketplace (pg. 17); more reasons to limit TV time for children (pg. 7); add tough succulents to your garden (pg. 25); why less than 10% of Master Sommelier candidates pass their final ‘wine’ exam (pg.27).
on the cover
Prime
Celebrating Midlife and Beyond
September 2013
FREE
Remembering
“Bear”
• Small Homes Tour • Garden Succulents • New Twist on Dips • • Rose Marie • Prepare Now • Eleanor Davis: Actor/Director •
September 11th would have been “Bear” Bryant’s 100th birthday. With 52% of college football fans 45 and older, Prime readers well remember the “Bear” Bryant Era. Tom Ensey spoke with former players for, or friends of, this football legend. What is clear in their stories is that Bryant believed, first and foremost, that hard work pays off. It certainly did for the “Bear.” Happy Birthday, Coach Bryant. (Image courtesy Bryant Museum, Tuscaloosa)
EDITOR’S NOTES
5
QUICK READS
6
A GRACIOUS PLENTY New Season, New Dip
8
SOCIAL SECURITY Defense & Offense
9
MUST-SEE FESTIVALS BBQ, Seafood, & Bluegrass
10
IN EVERY LIFE Plan NOW for Emergencies
11
SWITCHING ROLES From On Stage to Back Stage
12
TINSELTOWN TALKS Rose Marie: A Lifetime of Acting
14
MEDICARE Q&A Obesity Screening/Counseling
16
MEDICARE FORUM Health Insurance Marketplace
17
REMEMBERING “BEAR” Players Recall The Coach
18
MONEY WI$E Maintenance: Pay Now, or Later
21
COTTAGE LIVING What Small Homes Have to Offer
22
YARD ‘n GARDEN Tough Plants for your Yard
25
PRIME VINTAGE Wine Documentary
27
MOVING FREE Relax Away Stress
28
PUZZLES
29
PRIME DIVERSIONS September’s DVD rRleases
31
OFF THE BEATEN PATH Birds, Dogs and Memories
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www.primemontgomery.com | September 2013
3
River Region Senior Living Just Got Better!
Comfort and Luxury in a Gated Community
CaraVita Village Independent Senior Living
• Restaurant-style dining (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks) • 1 & 2 Bedroom & Studio Apartments (Regular & Deluxe) • Housekeeping, Laundry Service, Fitness & Activity Centers • Pool, Beauty/Barber Salon, Transportation to Area Events/Activities • Pets Welcome (some restrictions)
4000 Fieldcrest Drive • Montgomery , AL 36111 For information/schedule a tour call Tonya or Jodi • 334-284-0370 e-mail caravitavillagemail@alcco.com www.alcco.com/location/caravita-village 4
September 2013 | www.primemontgomery.com
Prime
Montgomery
September 2013 Vol. 4, Issue 6
PUBLISHER Bob Corley, primemontgomery@gmail.com EDITOR Sandra Polizos, primeeditor@gmail.com ART DIRECTOR Callie Corley, primemagdesign@gmail.com WRITERS Tom Ensey, Lenore Vickrey CONTRIBUTORS Niko Corley, Mark Glass, Mirabai Holland, Kylle’ McKinney, Bob Moos, Arlene Morris, Nick Thomas, Alan Wallace, David White, Barbara Witt PHOTOGRAPHER Bob Corley SALES Bob Corley • 334-202-0114, primemontgomery@gmail.com Wendy McFarland, • 334-652-9080 mcfarlandadvantage@gmail.com Prime Montgomery 7956 Vaughn Road, #144 Montgomery, AL 36116 • 334-202-0114 www.primemontgomery.com ISSN 2152-9035
Prime Montgomery is a publication of The Polizos/Corley Group, LLC. Original content is copyright 2013 by The Polizos/Corley Group, LLC., all rights reserved, with replication of any portion prohibited without written permission. Opinions expressed are those of contributing writer(s) and not necessarily those of The Polizos/ Corley Group, LLC. Prime Montgomery is published monthly except for the combined issue of December/January. Information in articles, departments, columns, and other content areas, as well as advertisements, does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Prime Montgomery magazine. Items relating to health, finances, and legal issues are not offered as substitutes for the advice and consultation of health, financial, and legal professionals. Consult properly degreed and licensed professionals when dealing with financial, medical, emotional, or legal matters. We accept no liability for errors or omissions, and are not responsible for advertiser claims.
Editor’s Note At five I had my first acting role, a Christmas angel in our annual church pageant. My task was simple: welcome Baby Jesus from “on high”, or more specifically, from atop a tall table positioned behind the manger scene. The costume was a little girl’s dream – white satin robe, silver halo, shimming gossamer wings that sparkled with glitter in the light. My only prop was a brilliant star I held high above my head. The director, a very kind, young priest, gave me precise instructions: “Stand tall so everyone can see your bright star.” Mother worried I was too young for the part, but I was ecstatic. It wasn’t a difficult role, but definitely an important one. When the big night came, I climbed onto the table and stepped on my mark. As the student choir began to sing It Came Upon A Midnight Clear, my moment arrived. On cue - and nudged from backstage by one of the older children - I stepped into the lights and held my shiny star high overhead. And held it, and held it, and held it... Within minutes the glaring spotlights felt like bolts of fire burning my eyes, and my tabletop perch seemed mountainous. Sweat soaked through the shiny robe. Out of control, my Star of Bethlehem began the first of several quick, downward trajectories, resembling a hesitant meteor shower more than any celestial light. Just as I was about to take a header into the manger, a hand reach out to support my Star, and an arm braced my waist until the pageant was over. Mom had rushed backstage, rescuing me from stage disaster. My older brother Vic, by his own theatre involvement, encouraged my interest in acting from the very beginning. Performing throughout his school days at Lee High School in Montgomery, he ultimately chose acting as a career (much to our old-school father’s dismay) and has spent his life in the spotlight, on and off Broadway, in entertainment television, and on film. (Check out Vic Polizos on IMDB for more details). As for me, I continued my theater involvement through high school and early college, before charting a course toward broadcasting and journalism. But even as an adult I’ve participated on the community stage, convincing my husband and both children (then 10 and 14) to join me one summer for an on-stage adventure. After being cast in The King and I at Faulkner University, we rehearsed for a month before performing three times a week over four weekends. It was hard work, and we were weary and bone-tired at the end. But the house was packed most every night, and such a unique opportunity for a joint family experience comes all too rarely. Ask any of them, now 16 years later, about The King and I. My son will wince, my daughter will grin, and my husband will shake his head in laughter. But they’ll all agree it was a unique, fulfilling experience none of us will ever forget. For those of you who have ever experienced that heady moment in the glare of the footlights, or who just enjoy the intimacy, and immediacy, of live theatre, our story on a local actor-turned-first-time director will likely strike a chord, and possibly encourage you to step out on the stage yourself. Have a wonderful September, and break a leg!
If you’re 50+ and on Facebook, become a fan of PRIME Montgomery! www.primemontgomery.com | September 2013
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quick reads Readers Still Want ‘Paper’ While newspapers have ramped up their on-line presence, and circulation figures have fallen, a new study from City University London shows more than 90% of newspaper reading is still done with the paper in-hand. This includes ‘apps’ developed by newspapers to make on-line consumption of their material easier. One surprising finding is that for newspapers with an international presence, overseas readers still spend more time with the printed paper than the on-line edition. Published in the journal Digital Journalism, the study is one of the most comprehensive of its kind, and demonstrates the enduring importance of newspapers' print editions in capturing and holding their readers' attention. One co-author of the study pointed out that newspapers still receive more than 85% of their advertising revenues from print, so it’s little surprise that a similar percentage of their readership still enjoys holding the printed page.
Prime Reader Response: A Quick Reads selection from August regarding fish oil supplements and heart health prompted a local doctor to refer us to a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.That study concluded that fish oil pills do not reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in people at increased risk. The study did not address the consumption of fish containing omega 3 fatty acids. As with all health-related information, in Prime and elsewhere, consult your doctor before starting any supplement regime.
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September 2013 | www.primemontgomery.com
Post-Op Delirium in Seniors Almost half of senior citizens undergoing surgery with general anesthesia were found to have delirium in the post anesthesia care unit (PACU), according to a recent study published in Anesthesia & Analgesia, the official journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS). Delirium - sudden severe confusion and rapid changes in brain function - occurring early after surgery, is linked to decreased cognitive (mental) function and an increased rate of nursing home admission, according to the study by Dr. Karin J. Neufeld of Johns Hopkins University and colleagues. “Recognizing delirium in the PACU may be important for identifying patients at higher risk of in-hospital harms…as well as cognitive impairment and institutionalization at hospital discharge,” they write. The patients’ average age was 79 years, and nearly 80 percent were living independently before their operation. All received widely used forms of general anesthesia for surgery.
Vascular Dementia After Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of significant memory loss is vascular dementia, a disorder often resulting from a series of tiny strokes, or infarcts, that destroy brain cells. Each small infarct may be inconsequential alone, but the cumulative effect of many infarcts can destroy enough brain tissue to impair memory, language and other intellectual abilities. Symptoms of vascular dementia often develop suddenly, and they are not limited to brain functions. Non-cognitive hallmarks of vascular dementia include loss of bladder or bowel control, a mask-like facial expression, and weakness or paralysis on one side of the body.Vascular problems account for 10 to 20 percent of all dementia cases. Many people suffer from vascular dementia as a result of chronic high blood pressure, diabetes or coronary heart disease. – From the Johns Hopkins Health Alert, www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com
Internet Influences People are heavily influenced by the positive opinions other people express online, but are much less swayed by negative opinions posted in the same venues. Certain topics, including politics, see much more of this “herding” effect than others. A new study, co-authored by MIT professor Sinan Aral and published in the journal Science, details a five-month experiment conducted on a major news-aggregation web site. By manipulating the favorable ratings on certain comments on the website, researchers were able to increase the popularity of the comments by up to 25 percent. Comments given negative ratings attracted more negative judgments, but the increase of negative comments was offset by additional positive responses. The research points out the ease of manipulating online ratings, whether by political operatives, marketers or someone who stands to profit by creating an exaggerated appearance of popularity. One aim of the research is to aid designers in developing on-line response systems that are more fair, with fewer incentives for manipulation and fraud.
TV Before Kindergarten; Bad Idea The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) discourages parents from allowing children to watch TV during infancy, and recommends no more than two hours per day beyond age 2. These recommendations were recently given added credence by a U. of Montreal study on the effects of TV viewing prior to kindergarten. Researchers concluded that, at 29 months old, each hour of increased TV viewing beyond AAP recommendations is associated with diminished vocabulary and math skills, and reduced classroom engagement. Other results included victimization by classmates and physical prowess at kindergarten. This study only looks at the most common form of screen time, which is in the home. However, it may be an underestimate because many child care settings use television as an activity during care giving. www.primemontgomery.com | September 2013
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a gracious plenty
New Season, New Dips
W
hen family and friends gather together to watch the game, loading up the table with a variety of easy-to-grab, flavorful appetizers is a winning plan. After all, casual food and good times are what game day is all about. In the world of appetizers, dip is king. From savory to sweet, this simple tailgating party addition can take on flavors that span the globe, or that are as American and as beloved as the gridiron game itself. n Keep it light - A tailgating scene can seem overwhelming for those who don't want to splurge all their day's calories, so be sure to have lots of fresh, crunchy vegetables on hand. Start with your standard dippers - sliced carrots, broccoli and cucumbers - or score big with unique vegetable dipper options - snap peas, asparagus spears and radishes. This recipe for Cucumber Cups creates simple and crunchy bite-sized noshes with a delicious dip of hummus in the center. n Serve Delightful Dippers - Potato and tortilla chips go hand-in-hand with tailgating festivities, but beyond these standards is a whole world of other dipping options. For a Mediterranean touch, go with flatbread, pita bread or pita chips. Instead of plain old butter rounds, opt for more texture with multi-grain crackers that include raw flax, chia or sesame seeds. o Wing Dip Hummus Buffal er 1/4 teaspoon garlic powd r ega vin ne wi red on spo er 1 tea 1/4 teaspoon onion powd 1 teaspoon olive oil ka pri pa ed ok sm 1 teaspoon ste 1 tablespoon tomato pa 1 cup Sabra hummus rd 1 teaspoon Dijon musta ough ients together (vinegar thr Whisk first seven ingred d combine thoroughly. paprika). Add hummus an
Or, serve up a warm batch of buffalo wings with this smoky and spicy recipe for Hummus Buffalo Wing Dip. n Offer Variety - A large spread of dippers calls for a wide assortment of scrumptious dips. As an alternative to sour cream or cheese-based dips - which are loaded with fat, preservatives and sodium - serve up an assortment of delicious hummus. Hummus offers up the protein, iron and fiber that other dips lack. Incorporate a few of these dip tips into your game day strategy and watch as fans huddle up to fill their plates. Cucumber Cups Yield: 16 servin gs 2 English cucum bers 1 container hu mmus 1 teaspoon papr ika 1 bunch parsle y, finely chopped Peel cucumbers and slice length wise into 1 1/4-inch pieces . Using melon ba ller, carve out seeds to create a vessel , making sure to leave bottom intact. Using pi ping bag or sm all spoon, fill each with hum mus, about 1 te aspoon each. Sprinkle with pa prika and finely chopped parsley.
Provided by Family Features. For more great game day recipes, visit www.sabra.com. 8
September 2013 | www.primemontgomery.com
Social Security
Defense and Offense
S
ocial Security is committed to reducing improper payments. Our goal has always been to pay the right person the right amount at the right time. And we’re highly successful at doing that. But making proper Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments is no game. Nevertheless, improving our accuracy has some similarities to a good football strategy: you have to be strong on both defense and offense. In paying retirement, survivors, and disability Kylle’ McKinney benefits to more than 55 million people each month, our accuracy rate is over 99 percent. When it comes to Supplemental Security Income – the means-tested program for elderly, disabled and blind people who have limited income and resources – our payment accuracy is about 91 percent. As with a good game of football, we need a game plan to improve payment accuracy. Here is ours. On offense, we check and recheck our benefit computations and recipient information. That’s done at kickoff, before we ever make a payment.
On defense, we have game plans, or strategies, to collect funds back from the person we improperly paid, especially if the error was the result of a beneficiary failing or incorrectly reporting an event that affects his or her payment amount. When an individual commits fraud in order to receive payments not due, we prosecute him or her to the fullest extent of the law. We will continue to work on offense and defense in our efforts to perfect our game plan and to make each and every payment a touchdown. Learn more about what Social Security is doing to prevent improper payments by visiting our website on the subject at www.socialsecurity.gov/improperpayments. Kylle’ McKinney, SSA Public Affairs Specialist, can be reached in Montgomery at 866-593-0914, ext. 26265, or by e-mail at kylle. mckinney@ssa.gov
www.primemontgomery.com | September 2013
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feature
Alabama’s September Festivals Riverfest Barbecue Cook-Off Decatur Sept. 14 Decatur’s Riverfest Barbecue Cook-off is open to both professional and amateur teams. Folks come for the barbecue and stay for the live music and children’s activities. For information visit www.decaturjaycees.com/riverfest.
PorktoberQue Dothan Sept. 27-28 A combination of Oktoberfest and a barbecue competition, this festival is a unique event with free activities, plenty of food and drinks, music and, of course, a barbecue cook-off. For information visit http:// porktoberque.com/.
Taste of the Bayou Bayou La Batre Sept. 28 Support local fishermen at this event held in one of Alabama’s most laid-back fishing communities. Guests can sample fabulous fare prepared by amateur and professional chefs using fresh seafood from the waters near Bayou La Batre. For information visit www.visitbayoulabatre.com/events. Whistle Stop Festival, Irondale Sept. 28 The Whistle Stop Festival is acclaimed for its mix of food, live music and arts and crafts. The event concludes with a beautiful fireworks display illuminating the city’s historic downtown, home to Irondale Cafe and its famous fried green tomatoes. For information visit http://irondalewhistlestopfestival.com/. 10
September 2013 | www.primemontgomery.com
Bluegrass Festival Titus Sept. 28 Down-home music kicks-off the annual Titus Bluegrass Festival, featuring regional and local talent. Family-oriented fun and entertainment will be the order of the day as banjos, mandolins, and guitars take center stage. Children’s activities, plus barbecue and beverages available for purchase. For information e-mail titusbluegrassfestival@gmail.com.
Disaster Preparedness Checklist
in every life
A
utumn in Alabama is often associated with tornadoes and hurricanes, and rightly so when we recall events of the past several years. Since these events unfold rapidly, we need to put into practice the old saying: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Start by knowing what emergencies are most likely to occur in your community. Arlene Morris Do you live in a flood plain? Are major highways usually blocked during bad weather? Find alternate routes for evacuation, and be familiar with the emergency alert systems in your community. n Develop a preparedness plan based on family needs, taking into account special medical or other needs. n Write the plan down, with current contact information, and give a copy to everyone involved. n Practice the plan with family members, friends, and those for whom you provide care. n Decide how contact will be made if land lines and cell phones are not working. n Select a location or shelter where everyone will meet, and select an alternative to that location. n Provide spare keys if these locations will be locked. n Know locations of emergency shelters. n Before evacuating, unplug appliances, turn off utilities and lock your home securely. n Make copies of important documents, including health records for each family member. n Make the following lists and keep them in a waterproof container or bag: o contact list of all family healthcare providers o names, doses and frequency of administration of all prescriptions and over-the-counter medication taken by each family member. n Keep an emergency supply of medications on-hand, rotating monthly to assure freshness. n Keep a basic first aid kit ready for travel and alert every-
AL Dept. of Public Health Family Preparedness http://www.adph.org/CEP/Default.asp?id=511 American Red Cross Prepare Home & Family http://www.redcross.org/prepare/location/home-family American Red Cross Safety Checklists http://www.redcross.org/prepare/disaster-safety-library CDC Guide http://emergency.cdc.gov/preparedness/ FEMA http://www.ready.gov/are-you-ready-guide one to its location. n Keep a supply of non-perishable food, rotating it every 3-6 months. Take water based on one gallon per person per day. Don’t forget pet food. Also, have a container with the following: o flashlights o portable (and weather) radio o extra batteries o matches in waterproof container, can opener, aluminum foil, plastic food bags, plates, utensils, trash bags, strong tape o personal hygiene items including hand sanitizer, toilet tissue, unscented bleach o extra clothing, raincoats, maps. When you hear a warning, gather cash, cell phones and chargers, eyeglasses and personal items, any bedding and pet supplies such as leashes, carriers, and medications. Your preparedness plan needs to be reviewed every year. Autumn in Alabama is a good time to do that. Arlene H. Morris, EdD, RN, CNE is Professor of Nursing, Auburn Montgomery School of Nursing. Reach her at amorris@aum.edu.
www.primemontgomery.com | September 2013
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feature
A New
Stage
of Life By Lenore Reese Vickrey Photos by Bob Corley
A Eleanor Davis, Director (above) and Actor (opposite), and with “Wait Until Dark” cast (opposite below).
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September 2013 | www.primemontgomery.com
t 76, Eleanor Davis is proving you’re never too old to try something new. The septuagenarian grandmother of two has been at home entertaining Montgomery area theatre goers on-stage for the past 30-plus years. But starting September 26, audiences will see a new side of this talented actress when she makes her directoral debut as the thriller “Wait Until Dark” opens at the Cloverdale Playhouse. “I’m very excited about it,” says Davis. “I’m not apprehensive because I’ve worked with so many good directors myself. Hopefully I’ve worked with so many good ones I’ve picked up something from them.” Directing may be a new role for her, but the play is not. In the 1980s, Davis auditioned for a part in “Wait Until Dark” at the Montgomery Little Theatre. She wasn’t cast, but became the understudy for the role of Suzy, the blind woman played by Audrey Hepburn in the 1967 movie. “I had one performance,” Davis remembers. “I brought the house down. From then on, it was my part. That’s why it means so much to me, because it proved that I could act.” The play is similar to the movie “and just as scary,” Davis says. The story revolves around several criminals desperately searching for a doll filled with a valuable stash of heroin. Davis is a member of the artistic committee that helps select the plays for each season of the Cloverdale Playhouse. “Wait Until Dark” was suggested by Playhouse Artistic Director Greg Thornton. “He loves the play and I do, too,” Davis says. When he asked if she’d be interested in directing it, it took her “about two minutes” to consider before agreeing. “I’d never directed before, although I’ve assisted Randy (Foster, longtime Montgomery musical theater director) a lot,” she says. Davis estimates she’s acted in 75 dramatic productions and seven or eight musicals at the Montgomery Little Theatre, in local dinner theater, and in Birmingham. She first performed in high school glee club in Selma. She then attended Alabama College (now the University of Montevallo), raised her family, and finally completed her theater degree at Auburn Univer-
sity Montgomery at age 51. “Everything I’ve ever done that’s been really fun has been after 50,” she says with a hearty laugh. After living away from Montgomery and being out of theatre for several years, she returned in 2003 and jumped right in to help get the fledgling Cloverdale Playhouse off the ground. She co-starred in the opening show in 2012, “The Gin Game,” and then in “Cabaret,” and made costumes for “Starting Here, Starting Now” and “Clean House.” “I am thrilled Eleanor is directing this show for a number of reasons,” says Greg Thornton. “She has such a rich background in theatre and a full history of working with so many theatres in the region. My instinct to ask her to direct this particular show followed a conversation about something else entirely but, then she mentioned that she understudied Susy, the blind woman, at the heart of ‘Wait Until Dark.’” The biggest challenge with the play is technical, Davis says. “You have to have a completely dark theater for one of the scenes. No lights. And you have a lot of people falling down stairs, knives being thrown. It’s very physical.” She’s confident the cast of six men and two women can handle it. All those who auditioned read for the part, then read scenes together. She cast the parts based on which actors worked well with each other. “You have to decide not just who’s good, but who’s good together as a unit,” she says. “I have such faith in my cast. They
have all worked in Cloverdale Playhouse productions before.” Being directed by Davis is nothing new for the actors. Several have known and worked with her for decades. Says cast member Mark Hunter, with affection, “She’s been directing our lives for years!” “We have a great deal of trust (in her),” adds Rhonda Crim, who plays the role of Susy. “She’s going to make it a great show.” “There’s something about an actor being directed by an actor,” says actor Greg Babb, who’s known Davis since 1975. “They’ve been in your shoes. Thornton, himself an actor and director, has great confidence in Davis’ ability. “She simply has a terrific feel for things theatrical,” he says, “and a wonderful eye for detail. Aside from these great traits, she bridges the span of the Montgomery Little Theatre to the Cloverdale Playhouse, which is important to our young history, and she can traverse the generational span like a dancer.” What does Davis want the audience to take away from the play? In a word, “fear!” she exclaims. And does she prefer directing over acting? “I’ll let you know later,” she says with a smile. “Wait Until Dark” Sept. 26 – October 6 www.cloverdaleplayhouse.org
www.primemontgomery.com | September 2013
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Tinseltown talks
Rose Marie at 90 By Nick Thomas est known for her role as Sally Rogers in the 60’s CBS sitcom The Dick Van Dyke Show, Rose Marie turned 90 August 15. “I don’t feel it,” she admitted when I spoke with her recently. “I feel 60, and still keep busy.” In the past year, that included voiceover work for The Garfield Show on the Cartoon Network. “I love it.You don’t have to dress up or put on makeup. All you have to do is show up! Although I can do many different voices, the producer wanted my voice so people would know ‘that’s Rose Marie.’” Audiences have known her for nine decades, since she began performing at an age when most children were still potty training. Her phenomenal singing voice as a child (see www.missrosemarie.com) rocketed her to fame overnight. “I have no idea where that voice came from, I think God just gave me a wonderful gift,” she said. “When I was three, I won an amateur contest, and my family took me to Atlantic City. We saw a showgirl named Evelyn Nesbit perform and I started singing along. She invited me up on stage to sing with her, then people began throwing money.” Backstage, Nesbit suggested she change her name to Baby Rose Marie, and her career soon took off. At five years old, she had her own coast-tocoast radio show on NBC. But there were also doubters. “Unlike other child singers, I sang adult songs with adult phrasing and mannerisms. People would write to the station in disbelief saying that no child could sing like that and I must have been a midget. So NBC sent me out to play theaters to prove I was a child.” As her fame grew, famous people wanted to meet her. President Franklin Roosevelt invited her to the White House when she was six. “After I sang for him,
B
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September 2013 | www.primemontgomery.com
Rose Marie on NBC Radio (far left) with Johnny Depp (opposite), and with cast of Dick Van Dyke Show (above). we played tiddlywinks with some poker chips I found in his office.” She caught the attention of the infamous, too. While working with Milton Berle in Chicago, a visitor came backstage. “It was Al Capone and he wanted to invite me to dinner! He picked me up the next day and we went out to eat with all the mob.” Years later, as a young adult, she was invited to perform at the opening of the Flamingo Hotel, in Las Vegas, in 1946, along with Jimmy Durante, bandleader Xavier Cugat, and other stars of the day. The invitation came from notorious mobster and hotel owner, Bugsy Siegel. “We became close friends and he was very good to me. I just didn’t think of those guys as gangsters.” At ten, Rose Marie met Morey Amsterdam, who would become an important influence in her career and later her co-star on The Dick Van Dyke Show. “He was a popular writer for comedians like Fanny Brice and Fred Allen and become a comic himself,” she recalled.
“We met when I guest starred on a radio program. He also wrote most of my nightclub material and become a life-long friend. I actually got him the Dick Van Dyke Show job.” As for Dick Van Dyke, she says it was a joy to work with someone so talented, and has only fond memories of Dick and the cast. “We were a close group and genuinely liked working together. Everyone came to work happy, and oh did we laugh!” Speaking from his Malibu home, Dick Van Dyke recalled meeting Rose Marie for the first time. “I knew she had been in show business since she was three, but never met her until the first reading of the script,” he said. “She just knocked me over. She probably had the most razor sharp sense of timing of anybody I ever worked with. She was a delight and still is.” Nick Thomas teaches at AUM. His features and columns have appeared in more than 300 magazines and newspapers. Reach Nick at his blog: http://getnickt.blogspot.com www.primemontgomery.com | September 2013
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medicare
Marci’s Medicare Answers September 2013 Dear Marci, I heard that due to the Affordable Care Act, Medicare covers preventive screenings at low or no cost to people with Medicare. Does Medicare cover obesity screenings and counseling? — Carlos Dear Carlos, Yes, Medicare covers Body Mass Index (BMI) screenings and behavioral counseling for people who are obese and have Medicare. Medicare covers these screenings and counseling sessions if you receive them in your doctor’s office or in another primary care setting. If your primary care doctor or other health care provider finds that you are obese (i.e. you have a BMI of 30 or more), then Medicare will cover behavioral counseling and therapy so you can lose weight through proper diet and exercise. Specifically, Medicare will cover doctor’s office visits every week for the first month of your behavioral therapy. During months two through six, Medicare will cover doctor’s office visits every other week. At your six-month visit, you will be re-screened for obesity, meaning your doctor will measure how much weight you have lost since your initial screening. If you have lost at least 6.6 pounds during the first six months of therapy, Medicare will cover a monthly office visit for six more months. If you have not lost at least 6.6 pounds during the first six months of therapy, your therapy may end.Your doctor can re-screen you for another Medicare-covered obesity screening after another six months have gone by. If you have Original Medicare, the traditional Medicare program administered directly through the federal government, it is best to receive the screening from a doctor who accepts Medicare and takes assignment. A doctor who takes assignment accepts the Medicare-approved amount for the service as full payment. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, also known as a Medicare private health plan, it may be best to see an in-network provider. Contact your plan for more specific costs and rules. Dear Marci, Are Medicare Advantage plan agents allowed to visit my house to get me to sign up for their particular plan? — Khalid Dear Khalid, Plan agents can make a marketing appointment with you and talk to you about a particular Medicare Advantage plan. However, plan agents are not allowed to come to your 16
September 2013 | www.primemontgomery.com
home without an invitation. If you do make a marketing appointment with a plan agent and allow the agent to enter your home, you must complete a scope of appointment. A scope of appointment form includes information you would like to discuss with the plan agent during the meeting. The plan can also call you and record your scope of appointment. During the meeting, the agent is not allowed to discuss anything that is not on the scope of appointment form. If they do discuss something else with you at the appointment, they must fill out another scope of appointment form at that time. Plan agents are allowed to provide you with plan materials, tell you where you can find further information about the plan, and collect or give you enrollment forms. Plan agents may not discuss anything outside of the scope of your appointment, market non-health related products to you, or ask you for referrals of other people who may be interested in the plan. In addition, plan agents are prohibited from taking an application for enrollment if you are not eligible to enroll into Medicare or make changes to your Medicare coverage during that time. If a plan agent violates any of the mentioned rules, you can contact your State Department of Insurance and call 800-MEDICARE to file a complaint. Dear Marci, I have a Medicare Advantage plan. Can I have both a Medicare Advantage plan and a Medigap? — Oslo Dear Oslo, No. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, also known as a Medicare private health plan, you cannot sign up for a Medigap plan.You can only have a Medigap if you have Original Medicare, the traditional Medicare program administered directly through the federal government. A Medigap plan is a health insurance plan that works with Original Medicare to cover some health care costs that Original Medicare does not cover. For more information on the different types of Medigap plans in your area, you can contact your local State Department of Insurance or State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). Marci's Medicare Answers is a service of the Medicare Rights Center, the nation’s largest independent source of information and assistance for Medicare recipients. Visit www.medicarerights. org to subscribe to “Dear Marci’s” free educational newsletter.
medicare
Health Insurance Marketplace & Medicare
I
f you haven’t already, you’re going to hear a lot over the next few months about the Health Insurance Marketplace, a new and convenient way to shop for health care coverage. The initial enrollment period is October 1 through March 31, 2014. During that time, the Marketplace is likely to turn into a household word, as health insurance becomes the topic of TV and radio shows, newspaper articles, Internet messages and everyday conversations. If you’re enrolled in Medicare, you may think you’re affected by this new program and you need to do something in response to everything you’re hearing and reading. However, you can relax. The Marketplace is designed to help people without health insurance, which you have through Medicare. No matter how you get Medicare, whether the traditional fee-for-service program or a private Medicare Advantage plan, you do not have to make any changes. But don’t turn a deaf ear to all the talk about the Marketplace because you may have family members and friends without health insurance who could benefit. A few words from you could alert them to this new way of buying insurance, especially with those who think they can get by without it. A word from you could persuade them to sign up for health care coverage. n Your spouse, for example, may need coverage because he or she isn’t 65 and can’t qualify for Medicare. Maybe your spouse tried to buy insurance but was turned down because of a pre-existing medical condition. The Marketplace can help. People will have guaranteed coverage regardless of a medical issue. Insurers won’t be able to deny coverage or charge more because they have, say, diabetes or high blood pressure. The Health Insurance Marketplace will give people access to affordable, comprehensive coverage. They’ll be able to go to one website to learn about available insurance plans, check on their benefits and out-of-pocket costs, and then comparison shop. n Maybe your grown children or grandchildren aren’t
all
EARS
Hearing Centers 6912 Winton Blount Blvd. Montgomery, AL 36117 334-281-8400 www.allearscenters.com
insured because they just don’t see the need. Many young adults think of themselves as invincible. They don’t realize a broken leg from an accident could cost them thousands of dollars in hospital and doctor bills. The private, individual health plans sold through the Marketplace will provide a package of 10 essential benefits, including emergency services, hospital care, doctor visits, prescription drugs and preventive care. The benefits are similar to what’s typically covered in an employer-provided plan. n Maybe your adult children or grandchildren understand the importance of health insurance but can’t fit the monthly premiums into their already stretched budget. As much as they’d like to have the peace of mind that comes with health care coverage, there are other demands on their pocketbook. Again, the Marketplace can help. People with incomes up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level ($45,960 for individuals; $94,200 for families of four) may qualify for tax credits they can use right away to lower their premiums. Some may also qualify for help with co-payments, deductibles and other out-of-pocket costs. If you’re on Medicare, you know health insurance can make a big difference in the quality of life. Just as your family and friends have watched out for you, you can return the love and affection by suggesting they look into this new health care coverage option. The latest, most accurate information on the Marketplace are the government’s website, www.healthcare.gov, and new call center, 1-800-318-2596.Visit the website or call the toll-free number for answers to your questions. Beginning October 1, they can use www.healthcare. gov to shop for the health plan that best fits their budget and needs. If family members or friends are uninsured, sit down and have a conversation with them today, and then remind them to sign up for coverage this fall. Bob Moos is Southwest public affairs officer for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Daily Health News Updates on Facebook Hearing, Heart Health, Nutrition & More Be the 100th “Like” on Facebook in September and win a $25 Gift Certificate to Mr. Gus’ Ristorante! Find us on Facebook at All-EARS-Hearing-Centers.
www.primemontgomery.com | September 2013
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feature
The Bear
Remembering By Tom Ensey Photos By Bob Corley and Paul W. Bryant Museum, University of Alabama, www.bryantmuseum.com
P
aul “Bear” Bryant would have been 100 years old this month. Dead more than 30 years, ‘Bama fans still talk as if he were alive. He remains the standard by which college football coaches are measured, and like all who become legends, the man he was has faded, replaced by the myth. And myths don't die. Marlin “Scooter” Dyess was a sophomore in 1958 when Bryant returned to his alma mater to take over a program that had won four games in three years. Alabama’s new coach came from Texas A&M, where in 1954 he put the team through brutal practices with no water breaks in a blasted landscape near Junction, Texas. The 35 survivors became known as “The Junction Boys.” One of those Junction Boys was Gene Stallings, who became an assistant coach under Bryant and later Alabama’s head coach. “Coach Stallings told me we did the same things they did, only we lived in dorms and they lived in quonset huts,” Dyess said. “It was like going from dark to daylight from where we had been.” To everyone’s surprise, Alabama went 5-4-1 that first year. “We didn't know we weren't any good,” said Dyess. “I wasn't the most talented player, but I did the best I could with what I had.” That's the kind of guys who played on those first two teams, he said. Dyess’ biggest athletic honor was being selected captain for the first of Bryant's 24 bowl games at Alabama, the Liberty Bowl in Memphis. After moving to Montgomery to start a successful business, they stayed in touch until Bryant died. He still recalls the coach's soft side. Dyess had a friend with a special-needs child who wanted an autographed picture of Coach Bryant for Christmas. Bryant went by the house and delivered it in person. If former players had problems with money, drugs or alcohol, Bryant started a fund to help them out. If they could pay it back, they did, and if they couldn't that was all right, too. “I loved the guy,” Dyess said. “A lot of players didn't. We all respected him.” Tom Somerville arrived as a freshman in 1964, 18
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(Top to Bottom) Tom Somerville, Marlin Dyess, Mike Raines.
a national championship season. He played on the 1965 team that won the national title with a 9-1-1 record after two teams ahead of them in the polls lost and ‘Bama shocked Nebraska 39-28 in the Orange Bowl. “They had big, old guys, and they had black players. It was the first time most of us had played against black players,” Somerville said. “Coach Bryant told us to be sportsmanlike. If we knocked one of them down, help him up and pat him on the back. We looked like ants after we tackled them,” he said, laughing. “We all ran over and swarmed them to pat them on the back.” And while Alabama's players were usually smaller than the teams they played, they weren't that much smaller. Somerville said he stood 5-foot-9 and weighed about 195 pounds. But he was listed in the program at 178, which was accurate, sort of. “Coach Frank Howard at Clemson accused Coach Bryant of fudging the weights in the program,” he said. “So, Coach Bryant decided he was going to have them notarized.” After a brutal afternoon practice during preseason two-a-days, the players weighed and a notary public certified them. “I weighed 178 then, but that morning I was probably 15 pounds heavier,” Somerville said. “That was my weight in the program for the rest of my career.” Phillip Marshall was sports editor of the Montgomery Advertiser from 1980 to 1991. He covered Bryant's career before that as a sports editor at the Decatur Daily and Birmingham Post-Herald. His father, Benny Marshall, was a close Bryant friend. “My first memory of him, my brother and I went to a press conference with my dad,” Marshall said. “We were playing outside of Bryant Hall. Once the press conference started, Coach Bryant asked my dad if that was his kids, and dad told him yes. So he stopped the press conference, came out and told us hello, then went back in. “Some guys were intimidated by him, but I guess he had a soft spot for me,” Marshall said. Bryant wasn't an innovator, said Marshall, but he was a brilliant adapter. He didn't invent the wishbone offense, but ran it better than anybody else and incorporated passing into it. Marshall was there for Bryant's transition from little, quick teams to bigger, quick teams. “I asked him one time if he could still win with those little, quick guys, and he had that cigarette in his hand and he said, 'Phillip, a big fast one will whip a little fast one every time.' “He was a master of getting guys to play near the top of their ability,” Marshall said. “But he had a lot of really good players, too.” Marlin Dyess (L) and Tom Somerville.
www.primemontgomery.com | September 2013
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The next year, Alabama started recruiting black players. Marshall said Bryant dealt him one of his most embarrassBryant also made a dramatic switch to the wishbone ofing moments at a press conference before Alabama resumed fense, which he installed in the three weeks of preseason a series with Georgia Tech after a long hiatus. The series had practice before the opener against USC in Los Angeles. gotten bitter, and prior to a game at Tech's home field, Bryant “The first wore a helday of pracmet onto the tice, Coach field in case Bryant told the fans threw us we were something at going to sink him. or swim with “I asked the the wishfirst question bone,” Raines at the press said. “He put conference, up blankets and I said, around the 'Coach, are practice field. you going to You could wear a helmet have seen in on the field if you had a before this helicopter, but game?'” not otherwise. Bryant We went to stared at him Southern Cal a minute, then as 19-point shot back. underdogs “I raised and beat you,” Brythem.” ant said to Bryant’s first coaching staff at Alabama included future ‘Bama head coach Gene Stalling (back There's no way Marshall. “I used row, white hat).The Bryant Museum (below) holds a treasure trove of memorabilia. that would have to drink coffee been possible now, Raines said. One ‘tweet’ would have blown with your daddy when it was a nickel a cup. Is that the best the whole cover. question you could come up with?” “The reason we won football games was because we Mike “The Hook” Raines and his brother Pat, grew up worked harder in the off season, and we were better preAuburn fans and starred at Sidney Lanier High School. They pared,” said Raines. were recruited by When you went both Alabama and out on Saturday, you Auburn. Mike said he didn't have to think knew he was going what your assignment to play wherever was. If you take care his brother played, of your responsibilbecause of his dad, ity, and take care of who never missed what you have to do, either of their games. after about 1,000 Raines was a repetitions, you win freshman in 1970, games.” the year Southern Raines was part of California came to a second turnaround Birmingham and at Alabama – followcrushed the Criming three mediocre son Tide 42-21 in seasons, then launchthe season opener. ing into a hyper sucThe Trojans, coached cessful era. by Bryant friend “It was an evoluJohn McKay, had an tion into a new age,” he said. “Most coaches wouldn't have all-black offensive backfield. taken the risk. He showed a lot of forward thinking. We played “They had 6-4, 265 offensive linemen who were as fast with two or three sets of running backs, ran the triple option, as we were,” Raines said. “We had a guy, Terry Rowell, who threw it at them all day long. We won a lot of football games.” weighed 195 at defensive tackle. We got hammered.” 20 September 2013 | www.primemontgomery.com
A Stitch in Time Part 1 B Alan Wallace
en Franklin made significant contributions to America and mankind as a printer, inventor, and statesman. Among the aphorisms associated with his Poor Richard’s Almanac is the expression “A stitch in time saves nine.” For those unfamiliar with this saying, the point is that putting things off—such as a minor sewing repair—often results in bigger problems and greater expense. This column is the first in a series on dealing with issues sooner rather than later in order to conserve resources. This month we look at vehicle repair and
maintenance. If you ever had a belt, hose, tire or battery fail while away from home or in a rush, you know the cost of dealing with the situation tends to be higher in stress and aggravation, as well as dollars, than it would have been at home or when you were not already under time pressure. For these reasons it is a good idea to have a trusted mechanic or service technician routinely check these items. Which is better: replace a part with a month or two of life remaining, or get the last mile from it and pay extra for emergency road service and repairs in a place where you have no friends and may face delays? I was never a Boy Scout, but I try to follow their motto: Be Prepared. Wise preparation for auto difficulties includes having some fairly long jumper cables in case of a battery problem, a can of “Fix-a-Flat” for loss of tire pressure, and similar stopgap options if my preventive maintenance does not keep me out of trouble. A membership in AAA or having emergency roadside assistance coverage on your auto insurance may also be worthwhile. Keeping the air pressure in your tires within the recommended range improves gas mileage, enhances road traction, and extends the life of your tires. Having fluids at proper levels avoids many problems with power steering, power brakes, automatic transmission, etc. Running dry could contribute to an accident or a failure of a major system under the hood. In addition, filters should be changed and associated fluids replaced on
moneywise
schedule (oil, transmission fluid, radiator coolant, etc.). Your brake system needs attention beyond fluid levels. If you do not have your brakes checked and brake shoes or pads replaced in a timely manner, the underlying parts may become worn and require replacement. Shoes and pads are much less costly than the drums or rotors to which they are attached. Putting off a brake check or repair may wind up costing you much more than you would have spent to replace relatively inexpensive parts. In addition to air pressure, other maintenance items can extend the life of your tires. Keeping them balanced and rotated on schedule will make them wear more evenly, allowing you to postpone replacement. A failure to keep the front end of your car aligned can also accelerate tire wear, so pay attention to that as well. No doubt a rock has struck your windshield at some point during your driving career. If your windshield sustains such minor damage you can pay a relatively small amount to get it repaired. If you persist in driving without fixing the small problem, your windshield is likely to develop a larger, longer crack that will require the windshield to be replaced. As you can imagine, the difference in cost is considerable. While there are, no doubt, other examples of opportunities to apply preventive maintenance (washing, waxing, treating damage or rust promptly), my final one has to do with a product I have used for some years. Keeping a coat of Rain-X on the outside of your car windows, as well as on your outside mirrors, prepares you to drive in rainy weather like nothing else I have found. If you will pardon the pun, the benefits of better visibility are clear. Avoiding an accident in the rain is the ultimate payoff, but even the reduced stress of seeing more clearly in a storm is worthwhile. May your preventive vehicle maintenance pay dividends in lower operating costs, time saved, fewer hassles and less aggravation. Alan Wallace, CFA, ChFC, CLU is a Senior Financial Advisor for Ronald Blue & Co.’s Montgomery office, www.ronblue.com/location-al. He can be reached at 334-270-5960, or by e-mail at alan.wallace@ ronblue.com. www.primemontgomery.com | September 2013
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feature
Cottages: A Montgomery Tour Six colorful, one-of-a-kind small homes located close to downtown. Each home has a unique history, and cottage owners will show how stylish and functional a small space can be.
This tour showcases a variety of “cottages,� one in each of six historic districts. These small houses make great homes for young professionals and downsizing boomers, ideal for anyone wishing to live in a dynamic, exciting, lively neighborhood in a home with character and personality.
Capitol Heights, 10 South Capitol Parkway 1912 center hall bungalow. A 1927 addition in the back features a huge kitchen overlooking a garden. Newly vibrant downtown Montgomery with its employment and entertainment assets is bordered on the east, west, and south by historic neighborhoods. Each of these neighborhoods has its own character, but all are diverse socio-economically. Some are more hip, some have higher energy levels, some are well established and others are for adventurous urban pioneers. All offer a blend of urban and suburban with residential possibilities in varying prices, sizes, architectural styles, and degrees of restoration/renovation.Â
Old Cloverdale, 1201 Felder Ave. 1925 Mediterranean-style house with winter bedroom (eastern exposure), and summer bedroom opening onto a screened porch that opens onto a terraced garden. 22
September 2013 | www.primemontgomery.com
Highland Park District, 2100 Plum St. Circa 1910 cottage with original quarter-sawn pine flooring, ladder doors, double-hung sash windows, door and window surrounds, three coal-burning fireplaces.
In May 2013, the Alabama legislature created a state tax credit for property owners who rehabilitate residential or commercial properties. Historic buildings can qualify for a 25% income tax credit if the work follows preservation standards. Non-historic, income-producing buildings can qualify for a 10% credit. Regulations are currently being written. For more information go to www.preserveala.org/taxcredits.aspx.
Tour Rules • Wear walking shoes (no high-heels) for comfort and to protect the floors of the homes. • No food or drink in the homes. • Homes can be toured in any order. • Tour held rain or shine; no refunds. • Children under 12 not admitted. • Wheelchair access not available.
Historic S. Hull, 3202 South Hull St. 1947 International style/mid-century modern designed as a “machine for living,” with east-west orientation minimizing summer sun and ensuring full winter sun through a wall of windows on the south side.
Cottage Hill, 24 Whitman St. 1892 Victorian cottage with restored original weatherboarding, windows, floors, doors, etc. Former kitchen converted into a bathroom, porch converted into the kitchen. Ceilings lowered from 14 to 12 feet.
“Cottages!” Sunday, September 29, 1:30-5 p.m. Tickets are $15 from Landmarks Foundation (Houses are small; tour numbers limited.) Register early on-line at www.oldalabamatown.com. Pay by check/credit card at Old Alabama Town. Or by check at the Capri Theater, 1 p.m. Sept. 29. New Landmark members can qualify for one free ticket. Call 334-240-4500 for details. (Sponsors: Landmarks Foundation of Montgomery, Alabama Historical Commission.) Garden District, 339 Cloverdale Rd. 1915 Arts & Craft bungalow with original details -- hardware, quarter-sawn pine floors, built-in closets, drawers, cupboards. www.primemontgomery.com | September 2013
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NUMBER 3
A road trip to Mobile’s Battle House Renaissance Hotel & Spa is the perfect romantic getaway. In this legendary AAA Four Diamond Hotel, you can celebrate The Year of Alabama Food with a gourmet supper at the award-winning Trellis Room. Or relax at The Spa at The Battle House, a spectacular 10,000-square-foot Zen-like oasis. When you’re ready to explore Alabama’s 300-year-old port city, you’re just steps away from the entertainment district, the Carnival Museum and the History Museum of Mobile. Be sure to take time to savor the scented blooms at Bellingrath Gardens and Home, one of the South’s most storied estates. Whether you pack jeans or jewelry, your romantic memories will linger long after Mobile disappears in the rearview mirror.
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September 2013 | www.primemontgomery.com
Yard ‘n Garden
Succulents
By Barbara Witt y childhood summers were spent on Cape Ann in Massachusetts where the weather is influenced by the closeness of the Atlantic Ocean. There was not much rain, but it was frequently damp, the soil was rocky, and the sun could be intense. One of the plants that thrived in this environment was the succulent called “hens and chickens”, a small rosette shaped plant with a central “hen” surrounded by off-shoots of little “chicks”. I loved the growth habit and their seeming ability to grow almost anywhere, including cracks and crevices with only tiny amounts of soil. When I started gardening as an adult, this plant properly called Sempervivum, meaning always alive - was one of the first to go into my garden. Sixty years later I still have some of the Sempervivum from Cape Ann growing in my garden. The architectural shapes, the colors, and their hardiness continue to fascinate me. What are the characteristics that make a plant a member of the succulent family? All succulents are able to store
M
water in their tissues using their specialized structures, and to live in hostile environments. The tall columnar cactus is a succulent most people recognize; it stores water internally, expanding or contracting its shape according to conditions. The spines of the cactus are part of its strategy for collecting moisture for future use, as the spines expand the surface area of the plant and allow it to collect moisture from the air. All cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti. This article will focus on leaf succulents such as the Sempervivum mentioned above. There are many families in the leaf succulent category, including the jade plant, kalanchoe, aloe and agave. One frequently grown in our gardens is the sedum, Autumn Joy. People frequently make the error of treating these plants like most other plants and water and fertilize them too generously, resulting in rotted plants or spindly floppy plants. Remember, these succulents evolved to survive in hostile environments. To enjoy them and keep them shapely, treat them with tough love. Water infrequently, not more often than every two weeks; less frequently for larger plants. In the winter they’re dormant so water even less. If the leaves, where they store water, start to wither, you know they’re thirsty. Pot them in a soil that drains rapidly, place them in a bright window in the winter, outside in the summer, and fertilize lightly in the spring. Growing succulents in Alabama is a bit of a challenge as the humidity is too much for most of them. The leaf succulents mentioned here do very well as house plants, and there are many creative ways of using containers to grow the hens and chicks and other small succulents that don’t do well in the garden. For example, any discarded watering can, wheel barrow or birdbath is lovely filled with succulents. Just be sure to provide excellent drainage and move it into the garage on cold winter days. Most are hardy to 40 degrees or a bit lower. The way I currently enjoy my succulents is in dish gardens or growing in a living wreath where the various textures and colors complement each other. Try growing succulents in your house or garden, but remember to treat them rough. Barbara Witt, a member of the Capital City Master Gardener Association, specializes in succulent plants. For more information about the association, visit their website, www.capcitymga.org/, or e-mail capcitymga@gmail.com. www.primemontgomery.com | September 2013
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Broadway Under the StarS Thursday, September 12th • 7:30pm
FREE Concert • Blount Cultural Park 240-4004 • montgomery symphony.org
The Montgomery Ballet & The Montgomery Zoo present
Ballet & the Beasts Friday Sept. 27 Montgomery Zoo Free Admission Gates Open 6 p.m. Performance 7 p.m. Photography by the Robertsons
For information: 334-409-0522 • www.montgomeryballet.org 26
September 2013 | www.primemontgomery.com
prime vintage
Good Tastes
By David White ome movies rely on grand battles and epic fight scenes to keep audiences on the edge of their seats. "Somm," a new documentary from Jason Wise about three students aiming to join the Court of Master Sommeliers, attempts to captivate viewers with wine evaluation. And it succeeds. When Ian Cauble, a master sommelier candidate, assesses an Australian Riesling early on in "Somm," it's impossible to look away. Before even tasting what's in his glass, Cauble detects notes of "lime candy, lime zest, crushed apples, under-ripe mangos, under-ripe melon, and melon skin." As he describes the wine, Cauble speaks with the conviction of a preacher and as quickly as an auctioneer. The florid jargon comes out at a mile a minute -- and it's riveting. During the Court's final exam -- a two-day test divided into three sections -- each sommelier is expected to identify six unlabeled glasses of wine by variety, country, district and appellation of origin, and vintage, all within 25 minutes. Candidates must also pass a verbal theory examination that tests their knowledge of virtually everything in the world of wine, from the regions and villages where grapes are grown to the reasons why some vintages are better than others. Finally, candidates must impress existing master sommeliers with their service skills. They're judged on their ability to open and decant wine, speak eloquently about cigars, spirits, and wine-andfood pairing, and even resolve conflicts with unruly guests. Virtually everyone fails. Fewer than 10 percent of master sommelier candidates pass the final exam. Since its inception in 1977, just 202 professionals worldwide have earned the title of master sommelier. Many exceptionally talented sommeliers never pass. At the most recent seating -- held in Dallas in July -- just one of 70 candidates succeeded.
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"Wine one is a white wine. It's clear, star-bright, and there's no evidence of gas or flocculation." It's no wonder the exam is often described as "the hardest test you've never heard of." The three men at the center of "Somm" are tremendously likable. Unlike the snooty wine stewards of yesteryear, Ian Cauble, Brian McClintic, and Dustin Wilson are young, funny, and approachable. If anything, they're too bro-ish -- the friends seem to split their time between studying for the exam and trash talking each other. But it's refreshing to see sommeliers who would be just as comfortable shotgunning beers in a frat house as evaluating high-end Bordeaux at a French chateau. It's no wonder why Brian's wife, Kristin, describes the three men as "guys in a locker room, with wine bottles." The supporting characters are just as endearing. Â DLynn Proctor, another exam candidate, isn't just the bestdressed man in the film -- he's also the most confident. But that confidence evaporates on exam day when he leaves the hotel to find a doctor who will prescribe a steroid to clear his nasal passages. Fred Dame, America's first master sommelier, seems cantankerous at first. But it quickly becomes obvious that he's rooting for every candidate to pass. Reggie Narito, another master sommelier, is cool and calm as he mentors the students -- even when it seems as if Ian Cauble is on the edge of a nervous breakdown. The documentary isn't without flaws. Since the men are presented as jocks, the women are relegated to supportive spouses; they do little but clean the "spit buckets." Casual consumers might be left wondering if wine appreciation requires so much intensity -- the film does nothing to demystify wine. Finally, the film relies too heavily on unnecessary flourishes -- like shattering wine glasses -- to transition from scene to scene. But this is Jason Wise's first feature film, so these shortcomings can be forgiven. Early in "Somm," Reggie Narito confesses that he's only cried on a handful of occasions: when his parents died; when his children were born; and when he passed the master sommelier exam. At first, the admission seems ludicrous. But by the end of "Somm," even viewers will cry when test results are announced. "Somm" is still playing in a handful of theaters, but it's easiest found through iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, and Comcast On Demand. It'll be available on DVD September 3. David White is the founder and editor of Terroirist.com, which was named "Best Overall Wine Blog" at the 2013 Wine Blog Awards. His columns are housed at Palate Press: The Online Wine Magazine (PalatePress.com). www.primemontgomery.com | September 2013
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moving free © with Mirabai
Easing Chronic Stress
C
hronic stress is everywhere and almost impossible to avoid. It’s been around since time began; the fight-orflight response when early humans confronted life-threatenMirabai Holland ing situations. When this happens stress hormones, adrenaline and cortisol are produced, blood vessels constrict, blood pressure goes up, pupils dilate, heart rate quickens and breathing is more rapid. The body is preparing to fight or run, essential in times of acute danger. But work problems, crying kids or traffic can trigger the same response. In our daily lives chronic stress itself is life-threatening, contributing to problems from headaches and gastrointestinal issues to insomnia and weight gain. We can’t eliminate stress, but we
can relieve the response that sends our bodies into danger mode by cultivating a relaxation response to reduce our physiological stress reaction. “Relax...” is what my first yoga teacher said when I was bent up in the pretzel pose with a grimace on my face. And it worked. Once relaxed I was stress-free even in the pretzel pose. Daily conscious relaxation exercises can make a difference in the way your body responds to stress. Dr. Herbert Benson coined the phrase “relaxation response” in 1975 in his book of the same name. Since then, he and others have conducted numerous studies, one detailing the body’s intricate positive response to conscious relaxation exercises. Simply put, the relaxation response has the opposite effect of fight-or-flight. It engages the parasympathetic nervous system to counteract the effects of stress.You experience a feeling of relaxation and well-being, and if you practice
relaxation regularly you’ll help yourself avoid stress-related health issues. Meditation is just one of an almost infinite number of ways to consciously relax. Almost anything that takes your attention off the daily grind and makes you concentrate on just one thing can work; washing dishes, aerobic exercise, yoga, golf, playing a musical instrument, casting a fishing rod, playing with a cat, can all help IF you clear your mind and pay attention to only that. I’m partial to exercise - my stress release - because I get the benefits of a workout. Relaxing, however you do it, is a lifestyle change that’s easy to make because it feels so good when you do it. Mirabai Holland M.F.A., a leading authority in the Health & Fitness industry. Her Moving Free® approach to exercise is designed to provide a movement experience so pleasant it doesn’t feel like work (www. mirabaiholland.com).
Berlin Airlift Veterans Association Reunion
I
Montgomery, Sept. 25-29, Embassy Suites downtown
into Montgomery Regional Airport. of 277,000 flights. n 1948, the 2.3 million citizens Due to sponsorships by area busiOne of the planes that participated of Berlin faced starvation, a cold nesses, there is no charge winter and the to the public to tour the constant threat of aircraft. Sponsors will have 200,000 Soviet troops displays in the lobby of blockading land routes Montgomery Aviation, with in and out of the city free parking and access to in an effort to force the “Spirit of Freedom.” it to surrender. The The plane is now outfitBerlin Airlift, lasting ted as a flying museum more than a year, kept containing artifacts, photos the city alive until the and displays relating to blockade was lifted. the Airlift. More than 300 The courage and C-54s were flown during sacrifice of pilots, air the Airlift. crews and logistics For information about the personnel from the reunion, the aircraft, or to U.S., Great Britain and find out about programs France, resulted in the Berlin residents cheer a C-54 cargo plane during the Berlin Airlift. and events in which Associamost massive humanition members will participate, tarian effort in history. contact: was a C-54 now dubbed “Spirit of More than two million tons of food, Eddie Ide, 828-238-6297 Freedom.” This restored aircraft will coal and other supplies were flown in e-mail eddieidec54@yahoo.com. be part of the reunion event, flying during the Berlin Airlift on the wings 28
September 2013 | www.primemontgomery.com
games Across 1 Finish using TurboTax, say 6 They have scales and keys 10 Avon lady, e.g.? 14 Pitch man? 15 Little bit of everything 16 Tip-top 17 Latitude between the South Frigid Zone and South Temperate Zone 20 Surfboard fin 21 Native of Lima 22 Novelist Kesey 23 Hindquarters 25 Arms treaty subjects, briefly 27 Tried something out 32 Cleaned one's plate 33 Indian megalopolis 34 Copious 38 Agent under M 40 Highways and byways 42 Chimney sweepings 43 Lipstick mishap 45 Springs, in a way 47 Ref's decision 48 Test-drove, with "in" 51 Environmental activist Jagger 54 Copyeditor's catch, hopefully
55 Commentator Coulter 56 16th-century Spanish fleet 60 Science fiction prize 63 Macroeconomic theory to explain inflation 66 Faded in the stretch 67 Dust Bowl migrant 68 Denoting a loss, as on a balance sheet 69 Every twelve mos. 70 Unites 71 Napoleon, ultimately Down 1 Guesstimates at Maryland's BWI 2 Name on a dictionary 3 Involve oneself 4 Roughly three miles 5 Push the wrong button, e.g. 6 Candlelight visitor? 7 Et __: and others 8 Trillionth: Pref. 9 "You're not the only one!" 10 Block 11 Is way cool 12 Coastal area 13 "The Wonder Years" years 18 Whirlybird 19 Prefix with mural 24 Near the center
26 Shady group? 27 Ties up the line 28 Element element 29 High, as a kite 30 Quay 31 Pitcher Nomo 35 "Jeopardy!" category 36 Mischief-making Norse god 37 Henry VI's school 39 "Rosy-fingered" time of day, per Homer 41 "Counting Sheep" mattresses 44 Postgame rundown 46 "I just had an idea!" 49 __-minded 50 Egyptian with a riddle 51 Like some limericks 52 ". . . the bombs bursting __ . . ." 53 California pro 57 Karaoke prop 58 Stomach product 59 Unenviable grades 61 Highlands native 62 Merrie __ England 64 Joseph of ice cream fame 65 Diner dessert Š
2013 TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC.
Sudoku and Crossword puzzle answers on page 30. www.primemontgomery.com | September 2013
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September 2013 | www.primemontgomery.com
prime diversions
Recent dvd releases Mud, Oblivion & The Great Gatsby
Mud (R) Welcome back to the bayous, y’all. After last year’s sleeper sensation, Beasts of the Southern Wild, we get another soggy setting for a lesser, but still worthy, coming-of-age drama that’s more about specific characters than a subculture. Here, a couple of teen boys, Ellis and “Neckbone” (one of the coolest nicknames in movie history) find a guy (Matthew McConaughey) hiding on an island in the sleepy backwaters near their small southern town. He spins a romantic yarn about trying to save a damsel in distress (Reese Witherspoon) that leads the lads to want to help him. Ellis (Tye Sheridan) is especially drawn into the adventure, as a matter of timing. He pines for an out-of-his-league, slightly older lass, and also fears having his entire world fall apart with the looming divorce of his parents that will mean moving away from the river that has anchored a strong bond with his father. He really needs to see love as something powerful and enduring to stabilize the only life he’s known.Their new friend is hoping to wrest his lady from the clutches of her late husband’s rich, vindictive and violent family. Everyone may be in danger. Writer/director Jeff Nichols does a fine job of creating characters who present a satisfying mix of empathy and ambiguity to maintain suspense on several fronts.The ensemble acting is fine, including nice contributions from Sam Shepard and veteran villain Joe Don Baker.The script builds to a spirited climax that leaves a few questions realistically unclear, but still covers the bases.When an actress with Witherspoon’s industry clout takes such a small, though intriguing, role, it’s fair to assume she was drawn by a compelling screenplay. Like this one. Oblivion (PG-13) As post-Apocalyptic sci-fi adventures go, this one’s a solid bet, and a near-miss to something special. In the late 21st Century, Earth has been invaded by aliens who were only repulsed by nuking the planet, leaving it uninhabitable for decades. A handful of humans are left to oversee our elaborate revitalization equipment. That includes defending it from bands of alien “Scavs” trying to sabotage the project. Orders are beamed down from Sally (Melissa Leo) in an orbiting command center. Jack and Victoria (Tom Cruise, Andrea Riseborough) are the team of field ops whose memories were wiped to keep them from divulging secrets if captured.They’re two weeks away from the end of their tour, with the promise of transit to our new colony on Titan. Or maybe not. The complicated plot serves up a number of surprises for Cruise, leading to plenty of stunning action sequences, as the fight for survival of our species rages on many fronts.Writer-director Joseph Kosinski, whose only other feature was another CG opus, Tron: Legacy, shows a stellar eye for crafting settings and futuristic accessories, and a deft hand at choreographing high-tech battles and chases. His script is also relatively cohesive for such fare. For proof of quality, Morgan Freeman fills a small, yet significant, role. Either he don’t do bad movies, or he makes them better; or some of each.When was the last time you saw him in a turkey?
Cruise also serves well as the hero, though it’s pretty much a rehash of what he’s done in a slew of other adrenaline flicks.The fact that he’s still so youthful and athletic at 50 is either admirable or aggravating, depending Mark Glass on your perspective. The film’s biggest flaws are its excesses. 125 minutes of running time needlessly diluted the story’s punch.The exposition grew repetitive; several scenes, including the climactic clash and epilog, could easily have been trimmed without losing any of the meat or message; the score was overly ponderous.The net result of timid editing and orchestral excess was an escapist thrillfest that takes itself too seriously. If you go, try for the biggest screen in reach. Kosinski’s visuals are the real star. The Great Gatsby (PG-13) This latest screen version of the classic novel is a mixed bag of assets and flaws. Director and co-writer Baz Lurhrmann ambitiously tries for a spectacle with several lavish party scenes that Busby Berkeley would have envied. He inserts bits of anachronistically modern music into this 1922 setting.That worked beautifully in his Moulin Rouge, and hilariously in the opening joust of A Knight’s Tale, but feels overly coy and somewhat forced in this context. Most of the glitz one sees in the trailers comes in the first half of this 143-minute extravaganza, with the rest more somberly following F. Scott Fitzgerald’s sad tale of love and loss, as told by a rather nerdy observer and participant, Nick Caraway (Tobey Maguire). On the plus side, major themes of abuses by the rich and powerful, obsession with gaining and flaunting wealth, and short-sightedness in the pursuit of fun and profit are solidly developed.The boom of that era is not unlike that of recent vintage - especially in the ill-fated, nearly religious zeal over Wall Street as the easy path to riches beyond what anyone could earn from his labors. DiCaprio plays Gatsby with an odd stiffness, especially compared to Robert Redford and others who have assumed that role, from Warner Baxter (before talkies), to Alan Ladd, Robert Ryan and more. Mulligan’s Daisy is too ephemeral to give resonance to anyone’s feelings about her, which undermines the emotional core around which the rest revolves. Arguably, she never was intended to be a relatable character, as opposed to a lovely canvas upon which adoring men would project their idealized versions of her, enamored of the fantasy, without knowing her reality. But that dichotomy is harder to craft on a big screen than the printed page. The film has many moments and elements to admire, but Luhrmann’s excesses ultimately sink the ship. Mark Glass is an officer and director of the St. Louis Film Critics Association. www.primemontgomery.com | September 2013
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things to do Sept. 2 -- Family Fun Day, Pike Road. Jazz on the Grass, noon, Rolling Hills Park, off Trotman Road west of U.S. Highway 231. Summer Fest after the concert, approximately 7 p.m. Music, children’s play area, fireworks, food, beverages. The Waters, off Marler Road. For information call Mary Catherine Barganier, 334-272-9883. Admission for each event. Sept. 4 -- Gardening: “Harvesting and Using Herbs,” Lunch & Learn, noon-1 p.m. , Armory Learning Arts Center, 1018 Madison Avenue. For information visit Capital City Master Gardener Association website, www.capcitymga.org/ or e-mail capcitymga@gmail.com. Free. Sept. 5 -- ‘Music with a Mission: Donica Knight in Concert” benefiting Brantwood Children’s Home. Riverfront amphitheater. Gates open 6 p.m., concert begins at 7 p.m. $20. Children under 5 free. Tickets can be purchased at the Riverfront box office, or on-line at www.etix.com (search Donica Knight). Sept. 12 -- Exhibit Opening reception, Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, 5:30-7 p.m. Exhibit features Material Transformations (on view Sept. 14) and Winfred Rembert: Amazing Grace (on view now). Followed by artist panel discussion 7 p.m., Museum Auditorium. For information call 334-240-4333 or visit MMFA’s website, www.mmfa.org. Free (donations welcome). Sept. 12 -- Hearing Loss Support Group meets 4 p.m. First United Methodist Church. Speakers, refreshments. Free. Sept. 14 -- 90th Birthday Celebration for Hank Williams. Wreath laying at 9 a.m., Oakwood Cemetery Annex, followed by 10th annual collectors faire, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Hank Williams
Museum. Live music with special tribute to Braxton Schuffert. For information call 334-262-3600 or visit www.TheHankWilliamsMuseum.net. Admission. Sept. 15-17 -- 47th Annual Montgomery Art Guild Regions Bank Show, Region’s Bank downtown. Free. Sept. 27 -- “Ballet and the Beasts,” Montgomery Ballet at the Montgomery Zoo. Gates open 6 p.m., performance at 7. Admission. Sept. 29 -- Gardening Workshop: “Slow Gardening, Tough Plants for Southern Gardens and Pass Along Plants” with Felder Rushing. Mtgy Museum of Fine Arts, 2 p.m. Open to the public. Workshop sponsored by Capital City Master Gardener Association, Central Alabama Master Gardener Association, Autauga County Master Gardeners, Alabama Cooperative Extension System. For information contact the Montgomery County Extension Office, 334-270-4133. Admission $15. Oct. 4 -- Annual Blue Jean Ball and Dean’s Golf Outing, Oct. 4. Hosted by Auburn U. and Auburn U. Montgomery nursing schools to support the schools’ joint graduate program as well as programs/initiatives benefitting nursing school students and faculty. Enjoy 18 holes of golf in the morning, and in the evening a catered dinner, live music, dancing, live and silent auctions and tours of AUM’s School of Nursing and new Wellness Center. Golf outing $250/person, Blue Jean Ball $100/ person. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Shelley Grider, 334-244-3032, or e-mail sgrider@aum.edu.
65th Annual Labor Day BBQ & Greek Pastry Sale
________
________
Monday, September 2nd • 9 a.m. until Sold Out ________ $10 Chicken or Pork Plate • Drive-Thru $10 Camp Stew Quarts • Eat In $12 Lamb Plate Plates include Camp Stew, •________ Take Out Slaw, Bread
Greek Orthodox Church
Corner of Mt. Meigs & Capitol Parkway ________ Call 334-263-1366 for tickets/info
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September 2013 | www.primemontgomery.com
Si mple Is
(often)
Best
www.primemontgomery.com | September 2013
33
off the beaten path
More Than Enough
F
rom a rise in the middle of the field came three shots and a “comin’ at ya!” Five dove, looking for a safe exit, sped toward my stand along the tree line. They would not find it. Down the line to my right, my neighbor fired and dropped a single, driving the flock to me. Bella broke when I shot, distracting me, but I dropped one on the second shot. The birds flared back toward my neighbor, who downed another before the flock hightailed it for the next county. I waved at the white-haired gentleman under the low-limbed live oak 50 yards away. “Good shooting!” I yelled. He reciprocated, asking if I’d mind sending Bella for his birds. When Bella returned we walked the birds over, scanning the skies every few steps. The gentleman sat in the shade of the massive oak, perched on a green fivegallon bucket, eating peanuts. Lines on his weathered face indicated he’d seen many opening days. His gnarled, spotted hands clutched a humpback A-5, a tool he still clearly wielded with precision. I complimented his shotgun, then turned back toward the tree line when he inquired as to where I’d had Bella trained. Only a few birds into my limit, I wasn’t up for conversation, and quickly explained I’d trained her myself and asked his grace for her rough edges. “On the contrary,” he said, “you’ve got a good one there. Watching her makes this heat almost bearable.” As it turned out, he’d lost his own Lab a few months back, and Bella reminded him of his ole Missy. I paused, feeling selfish for wanting to hurry back to my stand so quickly. As we talked ducks and dogs, several flights of doves slipped between the tree line and the oak unscathed. Glancing down at Bella and noting my admiration for his Browning, he offered a trade -- gun for dog. As a true Belgian, it was worth a mint, but I couldn’t. “How about a thousand dollars?” he said, straight faced, reaching for his wallet. I smiled, thanked him for the offer but politely turned it down.
“Tell you what. She can hunt for both of us,” I said. “ You can even call her Missy.” He smiled. That afternoon, the white haired gentleman and I scratched out a couple dozen birds between us, with Bella working like a field trial queen.Each time she brought a bird to our new friend, he gave her a good ear scratch and a few peanuts. It wasn’t long before Bella was taking him every dove we shot. In the failing afternoon light I winged my last bird of the day, which Bella watched disappear over a rise 200 yards away. I had my doubts but sent her anyway. She returned five minutes later, bird in mouth. Having seen the retrieve, the gentleman cupped his hand to his mouth. “Two thousand!” he hollered. “That wouldn’t cover her food!” I shouted back, chuckling. He threw his arms up in mock frustration and began packing his gear. I dropped my empty hulls and a water bottle into the bucket and started toward the live oak. When I arrived, the gentleman motioned me toward his cooler. “I believe I have a few of your birds,” he said, laughing. “Wonder how that happened?” I remarked, smiling, toeing the mound of peanut hulls with my boot. We chatted about missed shots and best retrieves as a worn out Bella lay curled at my feet. It had been a good hunt; not a barn-burner but good nonetheless. Plus, a stranger had offered two grand for a dog I’d trained myself. “Thanks for helping an old man out this afternoon,” he said. “It was a real treat.” “It was my – well, Bella’s pleasure,” I said. “I just wish I‘d shot better. I should’ve had a limit.” The old man reached down, gently scratching a nowsnoring Bella behind her ear. “Sometimes,” he said, “even a few birds is more than enough.” Niko Corley spends his free time hunting, fishing, boating and enjoying the outdoors. He can be contacted at cootfootoutfitters@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @cootfootoutfitters.
Niko Corley 34
September 2013 | www.primemontgomery.com
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Are you missing half the action due to a correctable HEARING LOSS?
All EARS puts you back in the game! The All EARS Team will evaluate your hearing loss and provide a game plan for treatment.
all
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Hearing Centers
Call 334-281-8400 for an appointment.
6912 Winton Blount Blvd. Montgomery, AL 36117 334-281-8400 www.allearscenters.com
“Like” All EARS Hearing Centers on Facebook in September for a chance to win a Dining Gift Certificate!