Vol. 13, No. 6
Wednesday, November 11, 2020
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Lee County DA indicted on ethics charges By Hannah Lester hlester@opelikaobserver.com
Lee County District Attorney Brandon Hughes was arrested in Montgomery County Monday for an additional count of perjury after his arrest in Lee County Sunday. “[Hughes] was booked in Montgomery County based on a complaint filed by the Attorney General’s Office charging him with first-degree perjury for allegedly giving false testimony to the Alabama Ethics Commission,” according to a press release from the Alabama Attorney General’s office.
Hughes, if convicted, could face one year and a day to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000. Hughes turned himself in to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office Sunday night after being indicted on seven charges. A release from the Alabama Attorney General’s Office Monday morning confirmed Hughes was indicted on Nov. 6 on ethics, theft and perjury charges. “Hughes was indicted on five counts of violating the state ethics act for using his office for personal gain, including paying private attorneys with public funds to settle a matter that
benefited himself and his wife,” the release said. “Hughes was also charged with the illegal hiring of his three children to work for the Lee County District Attorney’s Office. Finally, Hughes was charged with illegally using the authority of his office for his personal benefit by issuing a district attorney’s subpoena to a private business to gather evidence for his defense to potential criminal charges.” Additionally, Hughes was charged with conspiring to steal a pickup truck from Chambers County, the release said. Hughes was also charged with first-de-
gree perjury, for providing false testimony under oath to the special grand jury. The five ethics charges are punishable by two to 20 years in prison and a fine as large as $30,000, the release said. The first-degree theft and first-degree perjury are each punishable by one year and one day to 10 years in prison and a fine as large as $15,000. Both this case and the one following his arrest in Montgomery will be prosecuted by Assistant Chief Deputy Attorney General Clark Morris and Assistant Attorney General Jasper Roberts, Special Prosecutions Division.
Holiday Open House this Sunday Contributed by Opelika Main Street Opelika Main Street will present the annual Downtown Holiday Open House on Sunday Nov. 15 from 12 to 5 p.m. This year’s event will include multiple merchants and restaurants through-
out the downtown area, each offering different sales and specials as part of the open house. “With the downtown Christmas decorations up and the stores stocked, the holiday season has arrived,” said Opelika Main Street Executive Director Ken Ward. “The
open house is a great way to kick off the holidays and start on that shopping list.”’ Holiday music will also be playing throughout the downtown area to get shoppers and visitors into the Christmas season. Holiday open house signs will be
displayed at retail shops during the event to direct visitors and shoppers. For more information, visit opelikamainstreet.org or follow Opelika Main Street on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Opelika Main Street helps Opelika thrive by promoting
small businesses through exciting events, projects and social media engagement. Founded in the 1980s, Main Street has helped assist in the revitalization of historic downtown Opelika through facade grants beatification projects and various community events.
Learn more about Opelika Main Street by going to opelikamainstreet.org.
Salon 1010, Willow Tree Boutique now open By Will Fairless Associate Editor Willow Tree Boutique had its storeroom-emptying grand opening at the end of October and has already seen return customers since. Becky Stillwell, an
Opelika native, and Stephanie Kennedy, an Auburn resident, own Willow Tree, which is located in the same building as Matthew Arnold’s Salon 1010 (1010 Renfroe Ave.). The two worked together with a different boutique
before opening Willow Tree. “We had a good following already,” Stillwell said, “and we did not count our people the past Friday, but we had a place full; we had a great turnout of people.” The boutique and
salon have a mutually beneficial relationship. “I think it’s helping Matthew because people that we know that already shopped with us are getting to know him, so he’s picked up See BOUTIQUE, page A2
Index OPINION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A4
SPORTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B1
SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY.A7 POLITICS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B7 RELIGION. . . . . . . . . . . . . A13
PUBLIC NOTICES. . . . . . . . B9
COMICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A16
CLASSIFIEDS . . . . . . . . . . B11
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A2 November 11, 2020
Local attorney holding book signing Saturday By Will Fairless Associate Editor Cody Foote, a former engineer who has a law practice in Opelika, has written his first book, titled “Limericks, Lies and Lunacy.” The book is a compilation of humorous, spiritually significant or otherwise noteworthy thoughts that Foote has had over the course of the last couple years. At the beginning of that period, Foote decided to start writing down any of these thoughts once they occurred to him. The resultant collection of yellow legal paper was assembled in a briefcase before being recorded in this,
BOUTIQUE
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some clients from our business,” Kennedy said. “And we’ve picked up many clients from his business. When they come get their hair done, it’s kind of a one-stop shop.” Stillwell even credits Arnold with making the boutique’s first
sale, as he showed a client around before there were even price tags on the items then called the women on Facetime to get prices. He is also the reason the Willow Tree is open as early as it is, still without all the decoration Stillwell and Kennedy had planned; he told them that his clients were constantly asking to be shown around the
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Phone: 334.749.8003 editor@opelikaobserver.com Michelle@opelikaobserver.com
Foote’s first book. He offered the following example of a line he had recently come up with: “If you find that your friends just don’t like you so much, find some that don’t know you so well.” He explained, “I was just watching TV, and all of a sudden, it’s right there in front of me, and I got a pad and wrote it down.” Foote said that he hopes the book will do more than make its readers laugh. Following a period during which he became obsessed with self-improvement and literature on the topic, he decided that he should share with others what he’d learned.
“All of that whole area about self-improvement, sharing with other people how they can improve their life, help them set goals, help them believe in themselves,” Foote said. “All of those things are still a unbelievably powerful part of me and my psychic.” He said that when he is talking with somebody feeling down, he can’t help trying to encourage and help that person. “Limericks, Lies and Lunacy,” he hopes, is a way to do that through the written word. “I am delivering that message hidden in jokes, poems, witticisms, pundits, jabs… it’s all mixed in all this other stuff,” Foote said.
There will be a book signing at Maria Jewelers this Saturday, Nov. 14, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Foote will be selling and signing copies of his book, which became available earlier this week on Amazon’s and Barnes and Noble’s websites. One can also order it from Xulon Press for less than it will cost from either of those other two. Foote said one of the first reviews he heard of his book was, “When I finished the book, it made me feel good.” He added, “If that made at least one person feel that way, and nobody ever says a nice word about it, it was still worth writing.”
perfect for any age, and it is not specifically catered to the Auburn student demographic, as is the practice of many boutiques in the area. The stock rotates fairly quickly, even when not forced to by a surprisingly busy grand opening. “Especially in a salon and as busy as he is—he’s got a lot of people that are coming weekly—you want to make sure that there’s something new in there for them every time that they come,” Kennedy said. “This is a small town. You don’t want to go wherever you go, everybody’s got the same top. We’ll carry maybe small, medium, large, that’s it,” Stillwell added. “So when you see it,
you’d better get it because that’s probably all we have. We like that and the customers seem to like that.” Stillwell and Kennedy know their clientele well enough that they acquire some items not just on a hunch that they’ll sell, but because there is a specific client in mind who will buy those items. Stillwell likens it to their clients having two personal shoppers. As COVID-19-related limitations ease up, the boutique plans to do more of the popup shops and fashion shows that its two owners did before establishing this brick and mortar location. “We plan on doing, every now and then, just a Saturday for people who might not
get over here during the week,” Kennedy said. “Once COVID kind of moves out, we can have snacks and a normal kind of get-together, party-type thing.” The boutique is closed on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays. On other days, it opens at 10 a.m. and usually closes at 5 p.m., although those hours are flexible. Stillwell is responsive to phone calls at most hours and is usually willing to open up the boutique outside of 10-5 to help a client with a purchase. Stillwell’s cell phone number is 334-744-1910, and you can find more information about the boutique at The Willow Tree Boutique on Facebook.
boutique. Willow Tree’s inventory is not the most expensive, as Stillwell said she’d rather make a lot of sales at a lower price than a few at a high price. She was quick to add that the clothes and jewelry at Willow Tree are not cheap by any stretch of the imagination. The appropriately priced inventory is
Publisher: Michelle Key Associate Editors: Will Fairless and Hannah Lester Marketing: Woody Ross Photojournalist: Robert Noles Sports Writers: Wil Crews, Rick Lanier and D. Mark Mitchell
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A3 November 11, 2020
Backpack International has new Drive Thru & Delivery Meal Program Contributed by Oslyn Rodriguez, Founder and Executive Director Of Backpack International Backpack International started this new program because it had to figure out a way to continue serving the community while adhering to COVID-19 guidelines. In the past, it would have a sitdown supper after Bible Study. It was also limited by space. Their current facility is also not large enough to maintain enough physical distancing between individuals. Backpack International had a tremendous reaction from the community. Many people have utilized their Drive Thru Service and others have contacted them for delivery. They are scheduled to serve from 4-5:30 p.m.
but are almost always out of food by 5; they have even had to turn people away because they didn't have any more food. “One week, we ran out of food, I felt so bad that I ordered a pizza and had it delivered to a lady. I didn't realize how great the need was until we started doing this program,” Rodriguez said. Backpack International has also had support from community members in several ways. Some volunteer to deliver meals, set up/clean up and donate supplies and additional items such as fruit, bottled water and snacks to supplement the meals. To date, their biggest supporter has been Publix on Hamilton Place. “When I went over there asking if they could assist us, I was
Holiday Art Sale Nov. 14 at Kiesel Park Contributed by Emillie Dombrowski Via the City of Auburn The Auburn Arts Association, Auburn Parks & Recreation and the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center will host the 14th annual Holiday Art Sale on Saturday, Nov. 14, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. This year’s socially distanced sale will be held at Kiesel Park. Local artists will sell paintings, pottery, stained glass, photography, cards, jewelry, hats, scarves and much more. This event is free to the public. All Holiday Art Sale visitors must wear a mask while entering, exiting and shopping. Visitors should maintain a minimum of 6 feet between one another. All exhibiting artists will follow the state sanitation guidelines regarding outdoor markets: Artist booths will
maintain a 10-foot distance from one another. All artist vendors will wear gloves and/ or sanitize as they handle payments. They will also be required to sanitize booth areas as needed. Food samples will not be served by culinary artists. Face masks are required. In order to allow the maximum number of community members to visit the Holiday Art Sale, loitering and social gatherings will not be permitted. The Auburn Arts Association asks that guests please purchase your products and promptly exit the parking lot for others to easily access parking spots. Animals will not be allowed to attend the market. High-risk community members and those feeling ill should not attend.
overwhelmed by their generosity. They filled my trunk with cases of bottled water, fresh fruit and snacks,” Rodriguez said. “It was wonderful. Another one of our volunteers spent her own money to purchase special treats for the kids who would receive meals.” Backpack International is a faith-based ministry serving youth and families in East Alabama, Guyana and beyond by ministering to their physical, academic, social and spiritual needs. Some of its core activities include providing backpacks to school aged children and teens during the Back to School season and also year-round to families when faced with a hardship such as a fire or natural disaster. These backpacks are filled with school supplies, toiletries,
Photo submitted to the Opelika Observer
toys, snacks, clothing and more. Backpack International also serves meals during the fall and spring semesters in partnership with Campus Kitchen Auburn University. Every summer the organization hosts a Mission Trip to Guyana, South America where it provides a Vacation Bible School Camp and presents all participants with backpacks for the new school year. We also provide volunteer opportunities year-round for teens and families to help create hygiene and school supply kits and, of course, fill backpacks. In June 2020, Backpack International hosted its first Unity Prayer Rally in response to the racial tension that was spreading across the country. Our volunteer days
are Mondays and Tuesdays from 3 to 5 p.m., and on some weekends when we have special projects such as packing the truck to transport backpacks and supplies for international shipping. People can donate financially on the organization’s website (backpackinternational.org), Facebook (www.facebook.com/ backpackinternational), Instagram (www. instagram.com/BackpackInternational) or Cash App ($BPI592). For $25, your donation can feed a family of four. For $50, you can provide a child with a backpack. For $100, you can provide a child with a backpack and three days of camp. For $500, you can sponsor meals for one week. Rodriguez said: “We need help from the community to
continue providing meals throughout the holidays, while Auburn University is closed for the semester. We will need meals for 8-10 weeks until operations resume. After putting it out there on FB that we needed about $500 each week to continue feeding the families, we raised over $700 in one night. And the majority of people who provided the support don't even live in Alabama. One organization, Minnie's Food Pantry, located in Plano Texas, donated $300! If people who don't even reside in our local community can come to our aid, surely we can do the same for our own people.” Backpack International will have a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony with Mayor Ron Anders on Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 10 a.m., and its Open House will be on Sunday, Nov. 15, 3 to 4 p.m.
Rock 'N Roll Pinball now open
Photos contributed by the Opelika Chamber of Commerce
A4 November 11, 2020
Franksgiving
M
y Daddy kept a file of things that interested and amused him – jokes, cartoons, and such. Some political, some “inappropriate,” some both. When I was a lad, not yet in my teens, he said I could read what was there. Just don’t tell Mama. Thus we became co-conspirators. One item in the file was a poem. Its title, “Son of the Beach,” immediately told me it was for our eyes only – fathers and sons need such secrets. In rhyme and dialect it read: I sell’a da fish. I sell’a da crab. I not’a so good. And I not’a so bad. I live in de shack Where de sea gull
T
By Hardy Jackson around ‘bout dis man, Frankie, up in Washington town Who dey say wants to push Thanksgiving around. Well, if dat be true, den he and me each, Be two different kinds of de son of the beach. Say what? So, I asked, and Daddy told me the
story. It was 1939. The Great Depression was still troubling the land. The big retailers were hoping that the Christmas shopping season, the weeks between Thanksgiving on the last Thursday in November, and the 25th of December, would boost the bottom line and get them out of the year with a profit. Then someone noticed that November 1939 had five Thursdays. The last fell on the last day of the month, cutting a week off the Christmas shopping season. Big retailers were upset, and led by the powerful Retail Dry Goods Association, they told the president so.
Not to worry, said Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Now Thanksgiving had fallen on the last Thursday in November ever since President Lincoln declared it a day to give thanks for the Union victory at Gettysburg. Since the date was set by Presidential Proclamation, instead of by congress, it was not “official.” So FDR reasoned that he could change it, and he did. On August 31, 1939, Franklin D. Roosevelt, like Abraham Lincoln before him, issued a Presidential Proclamation decreeing that Thanksgiving would be on the fourth Thursday in November, not the last. Because November
presented the same problem in 1940, that Proclamation was followed by another that said that Thanksgiving would be the fourth Thursday that year as well. Big retailers were giddy with joy. But they were almost alone in their happiness. Printers, who already had 1940 calendars printed and ready, protested. So did small retailers whose customers were happy with things as they were. So did people who had made holiday plans based on the other date. Most upset of all were college football coaches who had scheduled traditional See JACKSON, page A6
The Day the Farmer went to Tiffany’s
here once was a good farmer who lived happy and content, free as a bird on his land in Alabama. He loved to farm because he knew he could take something as simple as dirt and plant a seed, nourish it and it would grow into something great. The farmer worked his land and planted his crop every spring, and every fall his reward was plentiful as he gathered his good fortune alongside his three children. His greatest love, however, was sharing his farm with his wife. The Farmer’s wife held a wild spirit, making her the perfect
I
she screech I’m Tony Peroni, a son of the beach Something “off color” that I could quote. Oh the joys of childhood. It continued. They say to me “Tony, What fa ya stay here? You makka more mun, If ya sell’a da beer.” I say to them “Man, I don wanna be reech. I just wanna be a poor son of the beach. Tony, with his bad grammar and singular lack of ambition, was everything my Mama did not want me to be. Then the verse took off in a direction that I did not understand. I just hear some news that’s a-going
t hangs from my porch, slack on a breezeless day. It is stunning in the early sunlight. The colors are so vivid you can see them from 76 miles away. Oxide red, ivory and ultramarine blue. These three colors are everywhere in my neighborhood. Heck, they’re in every neighborhood in every state. They hang from patios, flagpoles and vehicle antennas. They are plastered to bumpers, windshields, on hats, bandanas and coffee mugs. Sometimes you can see so many flags you forget they’re around. But believe me, they’re out there. I’ve never done this before, but this morning I counted them. I drove around tallying up how many American flags I saw. I counted 208 within a few-mile radius. Even more if you counted the miniature flags perched in front yards. I saw them in front windows, on warehouse rooftops, I even
By Bradley Robertson match for a man with land. She loved the outside. She loved the sun on her shoulders while picking blueberries in summer. She loved the
cool water on her skin after running down the dock, jumping into their pond to cool off from the heat. She loved to sit and watch the sunset in fall while sipping pinot form her crystal glass. She adored the life she led, savoring all that she felt and saw from season to season. But her favorite piece of the farm was the Farmer. To see him work and grin and laugh while teaching their children life was the song of her days. The time came for a special anniversary for the Farmer and his wife. Although he preferred to stay in the country, he knew his
wife’s admiration for a few finer things in life. She was the dreamy, romantic type and she often spoke of her love for Tiffany’s. She had never been before, and so the Farmer, in his clever ways, came up with a fantastic idea! “I will take my wife to have breakfast at Tiffany’s!” The Farmer beamed with pride, for he knew he had the perfect setup for his bride. He would take her to Tiffany’s, hopefully get a breakfast to-go and let her pick out something special. On the day of their anniversary, the Farmer awoke his wife at day-
break with coffee and a kiss. “I have a surprise for you. I’m going to take you to Tiffany’s!” The wife was completely stunned. She grinned from ear to ear, wondering how he had come up with such a marvelous idea. Knowing he was not the city type, she began to quiz him on the details. “Do you even know where Tiffany’s is? And where will we get breakfast?” she asked. “Oh, I don’t know baby,” the Farmer responded, “but we’ll figure that out when we get there.” So on their anniversary, the good Farmer
drove his wife to Phipps Plaza in Atlanta, GA. The nostalgia and whimsy the wife felt on this day took her breathe away. As the rain poured down and the Farmer pulled his large white truck into Phipps, the wife began to laugh at the oddness and sheer perfection of the moment. “This is just like when Audrey Hepburn was calling for the cat at the end of Breakfast at Tiffany’s!” “Does that mean we need a cat too?” the Farmer joked. The couple grinned in unison, and within
I remember that my father and I arrived at the job site on his off day. The crane operator was about to clock out for the weekend. Which meant they were going to hoist a generator into the air with the crane’s load block to discourage thievery. Before they hoisted the enormous generator, my father and the operator unfurled a large flag. They attached it to the steel lines. And when the crane’s thunderous winch lifted the flag into the air, the breeze caught the red-whiteand-blue and whipped it sideways, tossing acres of fabric above Maury and Williamson counties like a bedsheet. The men on the jobsite watched it fly, heads cocked, mostly quiet mouths. There were no loud excavators, no backhoes, no bobcats. No arc welding machines, no jackhammers, no rivet guns, no sound. Just a bunch of guys looking at a flag in silence.
And I felt something. It was a feeling that gave me gooseflesh, and still does. It was a feeling of belonging. And solidarity. Of unspoken friendship. I was one of them. I belonged to these men, and together we all belonged to something that was bigger than the state of Tennessee, bigger than a region, bigger than the designated hitter rule. We belonged to each other. We were countrymen. I am not the world’s sharpest stick, but I know that this nation is not just 328 million people living on the same patch of continental dirt. We are human beings who, even though we have historically disagreed, believe in the same inalienable things. We are people who come from the same gritty immigrants, who were once strangers on this gentle land. We are people who get lost sometimes. We are a people whose worst
See ROBERTSON, page A5
‘Tis of Thee saw one painted on a dump truck. They hang from hardware stores, gas stations, barbecue joints, laundromats, Mexican restaurants, barber shops, assisted living facilities, newspaper offices, auto garages, churches, beer joints, synagogues, nightclubs, strip malls, vape superstores, banks, rehabs, jails and beach condos. I remember seeing the Stars and Stripes in Mrs. Wilks’s kindergarten classroom. The poor woman tried to teach 18 of us kids with runny noses to recite the Pledge each morning. Her patriotic banner dangled above the chalkboard next to the alphabet posters and a painting of General Washington. If I close my eyes, I can still see that linoleum and asbestos classroom, and I can still hear Mrs. Wilks playing the upright Mason & Hamlin while we learned the lyrics to the patriotic classics: “…Stand beside her, and guide her…”
By Sean Dietrich “…From sea to shining sea…” “…And the rocket’s red glare…” “…And forever in peace may you wave…” “…My home sweet home…” “This land is your land…” “American woman, mama let me be…” Well, maybe not the last one. But you should have heard the kids sing. We sounded like a flock of noisy cats. Squeaky voices. Horrible pitch. The lyrics were completely lost on our young minds. We had no idea what we were singing. And truthful-
ly, at our age we had bigger things to worry about. Like whether we could go an entire classroom period without peeing our pants. But when I got a little older, I found new appreciation for the banner of our homeland. It happened one autumn day in Tennessee. I was a kid. My father was an ironworker. He was on the crew that built the General Motors plant in Springhill. He worked late hours and deep overtime. Every evening he came home with mud and soot on his face, wearing the artificial raccoon-eyed tan from welding goggles.
See DIETRICH, page A5
A5 November 11, 2020
CARES Act eases rules on retirement account withdrawals Contributed by Justin Smith, CPA You may be able to withdraw up to $100,000 from your Individual Retirement Account (IRA) or your 401(k) and avoid the traditional 10% early withdrawal penalty if you act by Dec. 30. Prior to the passage of the 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, taxpayers generally under 59 ½ years old who take early distributions from a retirement account were required to pay income tax on the withdrawal, plus an additional 10% if they did not meet certain exceptions. The purpose of the early withdrawal
ROBERTSON>>
FROM A4
seconds they darted out of the truck and into the rain to Tiffany’s. Upon arrival, they found a Starbucks perfectly situated right at the front doors of the fine jeweler. The wife ordered a latte along with a scone and the Farmer, not knowing how to order gourmet coffee, pointed to a picture of the largest Frappuccino on the menu. “I’ll take that one right there,” he said. And so they sat on a couch and waited for Tiffany & Co. to open its doors. At 10 a.m. sharp the metal doors to Tiffany’s rolled up. The Farmer took his wife by the hand, and they walked into elegance and pure refinement. The wife gazed at all the jewels and décor and lovely blue items placed all around the store. She found beverage glasses, baby rattles and Christmas ornaments. She touched plates and pretty boxes tied up with white satin bows. The Farmer followed right behind her, nervous to touch anything but delighted
DIETRICH>>
FROM A4
assailants, historically, have not been disease, famine or acts of God, but each other. But somehow, even after the hell of finding our own legs, we still love these three colors. We still sing about them at ballgames with full voices. We still drape them over caskets. We still defend them. We still teach our kids about them. We wear them on our T-shirts. We hang them in our supermarkets. We dangle them from job sites. A Czech-American truck driver flies
penalty is to encourage workers to leave their money in their retirement accounts and protect their future. Under the CARES Act, you may now make up to a $100,000 withdrawal while avoiding the 10% early withdrawal penalty. Further, the law allows you to elect to spread the income tax on the withdrawal over a three-year period (tax years 2020 – 2022) rather than paying it all when filing your 2020 tax return. The law currently only permits such withdrawals through the end of 2020, so the window of opportunity is quickly closing. Better still, you can
repay all or part of the distribution within three years in order to avoid paying income tax on that amount. If you have already paid taxes on the withdrawal and subsequently pay back the distribution, you can file amended tax returns to obtain a refund of the tax. All of this adds up to an excellent, albeit limited, opportunity to tap into your retirement savings if you need an immediate source of cash related to the COVID-19 pandemic to make ends meet. Now that you know the basics of the tax implications, it is also important to understand that distributions under the CARES
Act must be related to COVID-19. Specifically, qualified distributions are for those individuals who meet one of the following conditions: • Were diagnosed with COVID-19 during 2020 • Had a spouse or dependent diagnosed during 2020 • Experienced adverse financial consequences such as being furloughed, laid off, or had work hours reduced • Experienced adverse financial conditions because of the inability to locate child care, or had to close or substantially reduce a self-employed business
Not all individuals will qualify, but almost everyone needing a retirement withdrawal probably meets at least one of the criteria listed above. The legislation also provides relief for taxpayers who have outstanding loans on their retirement accounts. It is also permissible to take a loan against a retirement account that is not classified as a distribution. Taxpayers should carefully consider whether making an early withdrawal is the right option for them. While it may make sense to take a distribution to cover urgent needs such as mortgage or rent payments,
medical bills or other critical items, you are also taking money from your future self that may delay your ability to retire comfortably. While you only have a short time remaining to make your distribution, you should also consult with a trusted financial advisor to ensure you are making the best decision for yourself. Justin Smith is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in Opelika, specializing in individual and small business tax and accounting. He can be contacted at 334-400-9234 or Justin@JSmithCPA.net. His Web site is www. jsmithcpa.net.
to be somewhere fun and inviting. “Are you two here to find something special today?” asked the kind attendant. “Well, we don’t know yet,” said the Farmer in his southern drawl. “Today is our anniversary and I just thought I’d bring my wife to Tiffany’s.” The wife stared at her handsome, rugged husband and grinned in approval. For a moment, she thought to seek out a few jewelry items but halted her words to savor the time. “If you would like to see anything,” said the attendant, “I will be glad to open up any case and show you.” The Farmer soon found a stand-alone case in the back of the store. “How about this harmonica here?” he asked. “Why yes sir, I’d be glad to show that to you,” replied the attendant. The Farmer was old-fashioned and nothing in all of Tiffany’s could suit his soul more than a harmonica. The wife was a just few feet away, admiring the blue glassware when all of a sudden, a fast and quick musical har-
mony of high-pitched notes flowed into her ear. She stopped dead in awe and could not move an inch. “Did he just blow into a Tiffany’s harmonica?” she said to herself. In seconds, she was centered with her husband and the attendant, who stood stunned and speechless. “Honey, I don’t think you are supposed to blow into a Tiffany’s harmonica,” the wife said. And with his same cheeky grin, the Farmer replied, “Oh, okay. Well if you were gonna buy it, wouldn’t
you want to try it out? I mean, does a Tiffany’s harmonica sound any different than another harmonica?” And searching ever so calmly for the right words the attendant smiled and responded, “Well, sir, that is certainly one way of looking at it.” “Have you never had anyone come in and try out the harmonica?” asked the Farmer. “Why, no sir,” said the attendant. “I believe we have not. I’ve been here for many, many years and I do not recall anyone ever having blown into
the Tiffany’s harmonica.” The attendant chuckled in honest disbelief staring at the fine item, still in a state of shock of what had just taken place. The Farmer handed the harmonica back to the attendant and he thanked the gentlemen for his allowing him to see it, and blow in it. The Farmer’s good and gentle wife hugged him tight and whispered to him, “I seriously cannot believe you just did that.” “Really?” he replied, laughing at himself. And in his raspy twang he replied, “what did
you think I was going to do with it?” She laughed right back and said nothing at all. You see, the wife didn’t care for the fine jewelry she was going to soon receive, she just cared that he had brought her here. The wife loved the Farmer simply for being himself. Each story told is what we create it to be. When two lively and opposite forces come together in human love, the life that takes place is pure magic. And what better place to combine magic and romance than Tiffany’s.
one from his eighteen-wheeler. A teenage first-baseman from Detroit tattoos one his forearm. A third-grade teacher in Fort Worth uses them to decorate her classroom. Because these are not just pigments on fabric. They are a majestic idea. One I believe in. And I know you do too. An idea that gives me the right to love you like a brother. Because you are my brother. And I am yours. And although the world will little note, nor long remember what I say here, I just wanted you to know why the American flag flies from my porch.
L EE C OU N TY HUMA N E S O C IE TY VS . TUS C AL O OS A ME T R O H UMA N E S OC I E T Y Donate to Help LCHS win the 2020 Bark Bowl Title!
BARK BOWL EVENTS 11/1 - Chewacla State Park Dog Walk Join us at 9 AM to meet adoptable dogs and take a walk at Chewacla State Park! 11/7 - University Ace Hardware Adoption Event Visit with adoptable dogs from 11-3 pm! 11/11 - Barberitos Benefit Day Mention LCHS at Barberitos for a portion of your total to benefit the shelter! 11/15 - Alpha Sigma Phi Paws for a Cause Car Wash Visit LCHS from 11-4 pm for squeaky clean cars and pups! 11/16-11/22 - LCHS Online Auction View auction items at www.32auctions.com/LCHSOnlineAuction! 11/16 - Paint Party with Glory + Grace Art Paint with us from 3-6 PM at Lee County Humane Society! Tickets available via www.ticketleap.com Simply search Lee County Humane Society Fundraiser 11/21 - F45 Training Adoption Event Visit with adoptable dogs from 8:30-11:30 am at F45 Training!
Domino's Pizza Cards for sale Nov. 1 - 15th Assorted stickers and long-sleeve t-shirts for sale Nov. 1 - 28 TO DONATE DIRECTLY TO OUR BARKBOWL CAMPAIGN OR VIEW DETAILED EVENT INFORMATION VISIT LEECOUNTYHUMANE.ORG
A6 November 11, 2020
Rare seabird found in Opelika after storm
Contributed by Lew Sharpf
A very rare redbilled tropicbird fell out of the sky in Opelika from the remnants of tropical storm “Zeta” on Oct. 29. Jeananne Allgood was leaving her office when she noticed something white fluttering down, which she initially thought was a piece of paper. Then she realized it was a bird that had “hit the ground with a thud.” Seeing that the bird was alive but exhausted, she placed it in a box and took it to her home. Unable to identify the bird and not knowing how to care for it, she contacted her friends for advice. Local birders Rodney McCollum and Lew Scharpf realized that the bird was red-billed tropicbird, a highly rare visitor to the area. Dr. James Holmes, an expert birder, confirmed the identification. The bird is about the size of a gull and is white in color with black barring on its back and black wingtips. It is a graceful seabird that ranges widely in the tropical and subtropical areas of the Pacific and Indian Oceans
and typically nests on rocky islands in tropical seas. It has an orange to red bill and a long tail with streamers that often take the form of a “V” when in flight. In North American waters it has been found far off the coast of California, where it may be a rare but regular visitor more than 100 miles from land. Even though it wanders great distances
“tropicbird species” records. Attempts were made to feed and provide the bird with live minnows and water, but it would not eat or drink. With the help of birder Dr. Jim Holmes, a wildlife rehabilitation organization in Mobile Alabama was contacted and agreed to receive the bird in the attempt to rejuvenate it. Unfortunately, the bird died before it
away from its nesting islands, this is the first documented sighting of the species in inland Alabama. According to Dr. Greg Jackson of the Alabama Bird Records Committee of the Alabama Ornithological Society, this is the first inland Alabama tropicbird record. There are two red-billed records for off-shore, and two old
could be transported to Mobile. The deceased bird was provided to Dr. Geoff Hill, professor, Biological Sciences and Curator of Birds at Auburn University. The bird will be placed in the university Museum of Natural History. This bird spends most of its life flying over the open ocean, plunge-diving for fish and squid. It is
Garden Lovers Club installs sign giving recognition to the nearly 100-year-old organization
Photo and caption contributed by Nancy Adams Garden Lovers Garden Club recognized being organized in 1933 with the placement of a sign in their Opelika Municipal Park garden. Simply Southern Home Decor’s Adam Stiff built and placed the sign. The club receives yearly donations of plant material and mulch from Home Depot, Keep Opelika Beautiful, Lowe’s and Walmart. Pictured are the 2020-21 officers. From left: President La Nelle Black, Vice President Myrtle Blevins, Treasurer Judy Buda and Secretary Marsha Scott.
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“This project was supported by Subgrant #18-VA-VS-050 #16-VA-VS-076 awarded by the Law Enforcement / Traffic Safety Division of ADECA and the U.S. Department of Justice.” The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice or grant-making component.”
rarely seen on land, and for good reason; it cannot stand upright or walk because its short legs are set too far back and its feet are paddle-shaped. It has to use its long wings to push itself forward on its belly. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the global
JACKSON>>
FROM A4
Thanksgiving games on what was no longer Thanksgiving. One coach reportedly announced that if it were not changed back, he would never vote for a Democrat again. Meanwhile the Tony Peronis turned against the president. Polls showed that 62% of Americans opposed Roosevelt’s plan. Republicans, sensing a political advantage to be had, took to calling it “Franksgiving.” Alf Landon, FDR’s opponent in 1936, cited Roosevelt’s action as yet “another illustration of the confusion which (this president’s) impulsiveness has caused
populations of the Red-billed Tropicbird are currently stable. However, Birdlife International reports that some populations of the bird, such as the Caribbean breeding colonies, are threatened due to predation by cats and rodents.
Birdlife concludes that it is “precautionarily suspected to be undergoing a small decline.” Given that this tropicbird is a highly sought-after species for birders’ life lists, its visit to Opelika was indeed a very special event.
so frequently in his administration.” States, which had the option of choosing one date or the other, split along party lines, so you had “Democratic Thanksgiving” and “Republican Thanksgiving.” Mississippi, Texas and Colorado decided to celebrate both. Roosevelt waited out 1939 to see what would happen, but when retail sales did not increase significantly, he knew he was wasting a lot of political capital with little hope of any profit. Though he would later joke that he liked turkey so much that he tried to have two Thanksgivings, he quietly let it be known that he would not oppose changing back. Congress settled
the matter. It passed a joint resolution declaring the fourth Thursday in November the official Thanksgiving, and the president signed it. I don’t think I understood all Daddy told me at the time, but after looking more closely at what happened, I have concluded that what inspired this poem should not be forgotten. Put simply, politicians should not mess around with things people like. End of lesson. Any questions? Harvey H. (“Hardy”) Jackson is Professor Emeritus of History at Jacksonville State University. He can be reached at hhjackson43@gmail. com.
Opelika E vents, Society & Food
UPCOMING EVENTS
Cherry Bruce shares favorite recipes for fall family meals Ann Cipperly
Southern
Hospitality
C
herry Bruce has a love of cooking for her family. When she is in the kitchen preparing meals, four dogs are going to be lounging nearby. Cherry’s husband, Dr. Buddy Bruce, is a veterinarian at his Animal Health Center on Second Avenue in Opelika. The Bruces live nestled in a woodland setting in a log home that was built by his family in 1927. Cherry has been staying home during the pandemic except for appointments and picking up groceries. The Bruces have lost two relatives to COVID-19 and are trying to exercise precautions to stay
safe. Cherry has found it difficult to select good produce or read labels at the grocery store while wearing a mask. “COVID has been a hard learning curve for a lot of us,” she said. “I have been very busy in the kitchen for these past months,” Cherry added. “Even though I love to cook, it is a treat for me when Buddy can bring home a carry out meal. I have a better feel and appreciation for what my grandmother and mother's lives were like with feeding and taking care of their families. “For them, every meal or bite to eat was cooked mostly from
scratch and with little convenience foods. Their convenience foods were those prepared ahead of time, such as pimento cheese, chicken salad, souse meat (a combination akin to scrapple with meat and pepper seasonings in a congealed loaf), leftover biscuits, cakes, pies and cookies, etc. “Just thinking of what to cook,” she said, “using what you had on hand, without monotony of the same meals week in and week out, had to be hard work.” When Cherry and Buddy were first marSee CIPPERLY, page A10
Photo contributed by Cherry Bruce Cherry shows off a Carrot Raisin Bread that she cooked recently.
Fall Camellia Show Saturday at Pioneer Park Contributed by the Lee County Historical Society
The Auburn-Opelika Men”s Camellia Club will host its annual Fall Camellia Show and Sale on Saturday, Nov.14, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Pioneer Park in Loachapoka. This event will be in conjunction with the regular Second Saturday in November events sponsored by the
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Lee County Historical Society. The Camellia is the State Flower of Alabama, and there will be lots of potted plants of many different varieties available for sale. For the first time ever, the A-O Men”s Camellia Club will have a limited number of plants from the new Tom Corley collection of Auburn Camellias for sale. These may include
“Sweet Auburn,” “War Eagle,” “One Second,” “Rollin Toomer,” “Mary Corley,” “Aubie” and several others named for Auburn people, places and events. The show will feature spectacular blossoms from early-blooming Camellias in the Auburn-Opelika area. At the same time of the Camellia Show and Sale, all venues and museums at Pioneer
Park will be open and free for visitors. Visitors are encouraged to wear masks and keep their social distance while visiting five historic structures and six other buildings that house functions and artifacts related to the history of the Lee County area. There are six gardens on the campus, including an heirloom CamelSee CAMELLIA, page A14
A8 November 11, 2020
Jay and Susie Gogue Center winding down 2019/2020 season By Hannah Lester hlester@opelikaobserver.com
“We have a lot to be thankful for at the Gogue Center,” said Executive Director Christopher Heacox in a released video from the center. “Despite the considerable challenges brought about this year by COVID-19, the Gogue Center has continued to be a vibrant hub for the arts in Alabama.” The center has a few upcoming events in the months of November and December including performances by Elley Duhé, Eric Essix and Gilbert Kalish to finish off the season, according to a Nov. 3 release from the Gogue Center. The Alabama Artists Series will host virtual shows on Nov. 19 and Dec. 3. The series features performances by Alabama musicians and ‘Talkback Thursday’ chats, the release said. Elley Duhé will perform Nov. 19 at 7:30 p.m. Duhé is a
Gulf Coast native with popular singles in 2016 and the 2018 EP Dragon Mentality. Eric Essix will perform Dec. 3 at 7:30 p.m. Essix is based in Birmingham and has 25 full-length albums. The Gogue Center is also hosting its final CMS: Front Row concert on Nov. 11 with a performance by Gilbert Kalish. “Kalish, a major figure in American music-making whose discography includes some 100 recordings of both classical and contemporary repertories, will perform selections by George Crumb, Franz Schubert and Johannes Brahms,” the release said. The CMS: Front Row series is a partnership with the Chamber Music Society at the Lincoln Center. “The new year brings the promise of a return to live, in-person and physically-distanced, of course, performances
at the Gogue Center,” Heacox said. “Something we all long for.” The Gogue Center is still working to schedule 2020-2021 performances. “While many performances affected by the pandemic have been successfully rescheduled, there are several for which new dates and times have yet to be confirmed,” the release said. “This includes performances from our 2019–20 inaugural season and our second season. We are working diligently to secure new dates and times and will announce these as soon as possible. We sincerely regret any inconvenience and appreciate your patience and understanding as we continue to rebuild our schedule.” To register for the performances visit the Gogue Center website (goguecentertickets. auburn.edu/Online/ default.asp). To support the theatre: The Gogue Center
has created a fund that will be used to help continue online performances during the pandemic. “This fall the Gogue Center launched its Inter(MISSION) Fund, a new campaign to help support our innovative, virtual programs and online engagement opportunities,” said Mindy Street, director of development, in a released video by the center. "Many of these programs, like our K-12 virtual school performances, our Talkback Thursday conversation series and GPAC LIVE were created especially or you to keep you connected to the Gogue Center and to the performing arts during these unprecedented times. By giving to the Inter(MISSION) Fund, you can have a direct and meaningful impact on these programs and help continue our mission to celebrate and share the performing arts with audiences until we’re able to re-
unite here at the Gogue Center.” Those who wish to learn more about the fund can contact Street at mindy.street@auburn.edu. Additionally, patrons can name seats in the Walter Stanley and Virginia Katharyne Evans Woltosz Theatre. “Your customized seat plaque will leave a lasting connection to the Gogue Center and serve as an enduring testament to your support for the arts at Auburn,” the release said. “Seats can be inscribed to honor friends and family members, to memorialize loved ones, or to celebrate Auburn alumni, graduates and fellow classmates.” Finally, patrons can sponsor series, programming, classes or workshops. “Sponsors receive exclusive benefits, too, including priority access to subscriptions, seat selection and tickets for add-on performances, invitations to special events,
and more,” the release said. “And don't forget, sponsors at the Celebrity level and higher have the opportunity to name a series, performance or artist engagement.” To sponsor, contact Development Officer Carrie Collett at carriecollett@auburn.edu. “We are grateful to the many Gogue Center Patrons Society members and sponsors whose generosity makes it possible for us to present the very best in the performing arts,” the release said. “Your continued support, especially during these uncertain times, means so very much to us. Please know that you will be able to take advantage of the benefits associated with your Patrons Society membership and/ or annual sponsorship once regular operations resume. Again, we sincerely thank you for your continued support and look forward to welcoming you back to the Gogue Center soon.”
A9 November 11, 2020
Opelika walks to end epilepsy
Photos by Robert Noles/Opelika Observer
A10 November 11, 2020
CIPPERLY
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FROM A7
ried, she would make a huge pot of soup, and it would last a week. “I could eat beef and vegetable soup for breakfast,” she said, “I loved it so and still do, but Buddy was done after a couple of meals.” She was working full time, and the soup was easy. While she could cook a lot more than soup, there were times she came home tired and didn’t want to think about cooking. She relied on a stove top pressure cooker to have dinner prepared quickly. “My fall back menus were breakfast foods,” Cherry said, “including scrambled eggs and ba-
con, pork chops, beef tenderloin beaten and fried or just pancakes. Buddy was, and still is, content to eat anything, just not the same two days in a row, unless it is my lasagna or beef stroganoff leftovers.” Unlike her grandmother and mother, Cherry has many options for finding good recipes and kitchen equipment they did not have. She is thankful they were both excellent cooks and had good palates that helped them to invent new recipes. Cherry inherited that ability from her grandmother and mother. She can draw inspiration from a picture of a dish for creating something different. “I never make a new
recipe for guests until I have made it my own,” she said. “I will change this or that ingredient to adapt it to my family's taste. “I like using recipes that incorporate leftover foods to cut down on waste. My cabbage soup recipe was born out of leftover cornbread and breakfast sausage and not wanting to thaw out something from the freezer. It was filling, satisfying, simple— and Buddy loved it. It was also different from my regular beef and vegetable soup, which I still enjoy.” Cherry grew up in nearby Salem, where her mother owned and operated Salem Grocery. Her father owned a logging company, A.H. Smith and Sons, which used mules rather than large machines. Her family lived in Dr. McClain’s former house in Salem and later built a new home closer to Opelika. Cherry remembers the family’s maid was a good cook who kept her in line by making delicious fried apple pies. She enjoyed visiting her grandmother, who lived just outside Opelika, and would watch her cook. In a family with many good cooks, Cherry’s mother prepared a special Sunday dinner every week, while her father cooked barbecue pork loins
Photo special to the Observer Cherry Bruce enjoys cooking for her family and adapting recipes to suit their taste. She is sharing a variety of her family’s favorite recipes.
and chicken for family gatherings. Cherry met Buddy in high school at Scott Preparatory, and he also worked for her father while he was attending Auburn University. The Bruces have two sons, Matthew Blaine and Bryon Andrew, who are both engaged. The couples will wed just a few months apart
from one another. “Thanksgiving and Christmas will be much like it has been in the past with family,” Cherry said. “My family will adhere to the general rules of not touching surfaces and then touching their face, wearing a mask, sharing elbow bumps instead of hugs, and carrying their own personal hand sanitizer
in their pockets. “I keep praying as we all should for those who are in need or sick, for our country, our leaders and for a vaccine against COVID to be perfected,” Cherry added. “We all need to go back to what our lives were before COVID. Even as my life is now, I am truly blessed and happy.”
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A11 November 11, 2020
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A12 November 11, 2020
RECIPES CARROT RAISIN BREAD 2 cup grated carrots (approximately 4 medium-large) ½ cup raisins 4 Tbsp. sour cream 1 tsp. ground nutmeg (freshly ground is better) 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 tsp. salt 2 tsp. vanilla extract 1 cup sugar or ½ cup of Splenda blend 1 cup brown sugar or ½ cup Splenda brown sugar 3 large eggs, beaten 1 cup oil 3 cups self-rising flour ½ cup finely chopped pecans, optional (roasted pecans add depth to the flavor) Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans or a Bundt pan. Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Add carrots and raisins to wet bowl. Combine the wet into the dry. Normally you would flour the raisins, but this is a very thick batter. If you feel that it is too dry, add 1 – 2 more Tbsp. of sour cream. Spoon batter into greased or sprayed baking pans. Bake on center rack of oven on top of a large baking sheet. This is not messy, so no spillage, but baking on a sheet will make it easier placing in and removing from the oven. Bake for 50 minutes in convection oven or up to 1 hour in a regular oven, or until golden and pick comes out clean. Loaf pans should require less time, about 35-45 minutes. Allow to cool 5-10 minutes before inverting your pan to remove. Allow to finish cooling on a wire rack. You may also dust with powder sugar. I love it plain and warm with a small smear of softened butter. CABBAGE SOUP 3 cups chicken stock 4 Tbsp. butter ¼ head cabbage, chopped into 2 inch pieces and separated 1 large potato, peeled and diced Salt and pepper to taste ¼ tsp. poultry seasoning or savory ½ Tbsp. flour for a thickener 1 wedge cooked cornbread, crumbled into medium size pieces ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese, optional *Alternative additions: 1 cup cooked and crumbled bacon or sausage or beef, and or ham cubes Bring stock and diced potato to a boil in medium size stock pot. Add seasonings. Cook 10 minutes and then add cabbage. Cover with lid and let simmer on low heat. Remove ½ cup broth and make a slurry with flour. Add slurry to soup continue to simmer another 3 minutes. (I sometimes skip the slurry if I want a thinner broth.) Add crumbled cornbread and a cooked meat, if you are going to add any. Ladle into bowls and add shredded cheese on top, if desired. BAKED GREEN BEANS 2 (40 oz. each) cans Allen’s blue lake green beans, regular unseasoned, drained 3-4 medium Yukon potatoes, peeled and cut in half 2 Tbsp. bacon drippings 1½ cups chicken broth, plus ½ cup if needed later Salt and black pepper
to taste 1/2 medium onion, sliced 3-4 slices bacon Preheat oven 350. Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray. Add beans, nestle potatoes into the beans; sprinkle all with salt and pepper. Spoon bacon drippings over all, and add a layer of onions on top. Layer the bacon last. and pour chicken broth over as needed. You can save a ½ cup of broth in case the liquid cooks too low. Cover baking dish with foil. Place in oven and set timer for 45 minutes. Check to make sure beans are not drying out. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes. (My preference is to cook a little on the dry side.) CHERRY BRUCE’S OVEN BAKED RIBS Move top oven rack to lower middle of oven and preheat to 350. 2-3 slabs of baby back pork ribs (make sure that you remove peritoneum membrane from the bone side of the ribs, unlike other connective tissue it will not soften when cooked.) 1 Reynolds baking bag, turkey size A mix of dry rub 1 large baking pan with at least 2 inch sides (I use my broiler pan bottom.) Rinse ribs with cool water, dry completely with paper towels. It helps to have an extra baking sheet and a large shallow bowl on standby. Place baking bag in the broiler pan and turn the top down to make it easier to place ribs into bag. Cut ribs into pieces that have 3-4 ribs. Spoon or shake dry rub mix on each side of rib section. Place sections into the baking bag, you may have to shingle these to make them all fit. Sprinkle any leftover rub on top of ribs inside bag. Fold bag back to normal. Push as much air out as you can and apply fastener to the bag as close to ribs as you can and close. Cut off any leftover end of bag. Do not pierce bag. Bake at 350 for 1 ½ -2 hours and check by sight; rib meat will shrink back away from bone as it cooks, and you will clearly see bone ends. Ribs are done when they reach 145-150 internal temperature, but leave in until it reaches 165-190 for a more tender rib. Make sure you place the temperature probe into a meaty part and not next to rib bone. I usually leave until 160 internal temperature and transfer to my outdoor grill for 20 minutes, give or take. You do not have to do this; it is just a personal preference. Be careful not to burn yourself when opening the bag. You can move ribs to another baking sheet and apply barbecue sauce and place ribs under the broiler for a few minutes. I just serve as is, with the barbecue sauce on the side. Place ribs on a serving platter and tent with foil to let ribs rest for 5-10 minutes. Dry Rub: 8 Tbsp. light brown sugar 1½ Tbsp. kosher salt or sea salt 1 Tbsp. chili powder 1 tsp. black pepper 1 tsp. cumin powder
½ tsp. cayenne ½ tsp. paprika ½ tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. old bay or Cavender’s all-purpose Greek seasoning Mix about three hours before you need this to let flavor develop. FRIED GREEN TOMATO AND OKRA PATTIES These make great appetizers too. I serve them warm on a platter with a small bowl of my homemade tomato relish jam. 2-3 medium sized green tomatoes, rinsed and chopped 1-1 1/2 cup sliced fresh or frozen okra ½ tsp. salt ½ tsp. black pepper Mix in a bowl and set aside. Mix 1 beaten egg, ½ cup of Martha White cornmeal, ½ cup White Lily self-rising flour, and ½- ¾ cup buttermilk to make a thick batter. Fold into this the tomato and okra mix. ½ -3/4 cup cooking oil In a cast iron skillet over med heat, add enough oil to cover bottom, when oil sizzles with a drop of water, drop by Tbsp. batter into skillet. As bubbles appear around edge, gently flip and continue cooking other side until both sides are golden brown. Fry in small batches and place on a wire rack over a paper towel lined baking sheet. Add more oil to skillet as needed. You can reheat them in a 350 oven, so that they will all be warm at the same time. It also makes them a little bit crispier, which I like. CABBAGE AU GRATIN WITH BACON Great as a side but adding 2 cups ham cubes or cooked and crumbles sausage or beef makes it a meal. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, with non-stick spray. 1 medium head cabbage, chopped into 1-2 inch pieces 1 can of cream of chicken soup ½ cup French onion dip, such as Bean’s or ¼ cup Philly onion herb, softened 1 cup mayonnaise 1 soup can of buttermilk or half-n-half 1 small jar diced or sliced pimento, with juice ½ tsp. black pepper and ¼ tsp. salt ½ cup bacon, crumbled 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shreds, divided Combine soup, dip, mayonnaise, milk, salt, and pepper until well blended. Add the pimento with juice. Put about 2 Tbsp. in the bottom of sprayed baking dish. Put down a layer of cabbage, half of the remaining soup mix, a layer of cheese, and half of the bacon. Repeat layers. Top with remaining cheese and bacon. Cover with a sheet of foil, and bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until starting to bubble at sides. Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes. POUND CAKE AND RASPBERRY TRIFLE A nice clear glass footed bowl makes a beautiful presentation for a Christmas dessert. You may substitute a fruit of your liking such as pears. This can also be used with chocolate pudding. Sometimes I
use chocolate brownies in place of the pound cake for a change. 1 large Sara Lee pound cake or ½ of your own pound cake, cut into 2 inch cubes. 3 medium – large bananas, just ripened, peeled and sliced Juice of 1 lemon or 3 Tbsp. lemon juice (to keep the banana slices from turning) 1 large box vanilla or French vanilla instant pudding, make as directed on box 1 large tub Cool Whip or 2 cartons whipping cream, whipped 1 large jar seedless raspberry jam, divided into 3 portions 6 Tbsp. good sherry or brandy, divided into 3 portions To assemble, first layer 1/3 of pound cake in bottom of glass footed bowl. Sprinkle with 1/3 portions of sherry over pound cake. Spread 1/3 of jam (to make it easy to spread, warm it in the microwave for 30 seconds or so) and follow with 1/3 of banana slices, then 1/3 of pudding followed by 1/3 of whipping cream. Continue layering until you have all three layers. Place plastic wrap over top, and put it in refrigerator overnight or at least 4 hours before serving. BEEF AND VEGETABLE SOUP This is the soup or stew that I made to last the week when Buddy and I were first married. I usually would just throw in any leftover vegetables. If you were beginning with a blank slate, then this recipe will have to do. This makes enough for 6-8 people. 1.5 lbs. leftover chuck roast or fresh ground chuck or stew beef cubes 2 cans (14.5 oz. each) stewed tomatoes, chopped or 2 cans diced tomatoes 30 oz. bag frozen vegetable soup mix or 2 cans (15 oz each) mixed vegetables 1 can shoepeg corn 1 cup frozen petite baby lima beans, thawed 1 large yellow or white onion, diced 4 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered ½ cup sliced okra, fresh or frozen 2 ribs of celery, split lengthwise and then sliced into small pieces 1 – 2 tsps. better than bouillon beef base 4 – 5 cups water Salt and black pepper to taste In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, brown ground chuck, then drain. If using stew beef cubes, sauté in 1 Tbsp. oil until outside is brown and inside should be pink. I do not drain when using stew beef. If using a cooked chuck roast, simply chip or chop your roast into bite-sized pieces and discard any fat. Add vegetables along with tomatoes, beef bouillon, black pepper and water; stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to simmer. Place pot lid halfway on the pot to prevent boil overs. Check for salt content after soup has cooked for 30 minutes. The beef base adds salt as does canned tomatoes, but adding raw potatoes will make it taste less salty because potatoes absorb a lot of salt. Stir soup
intermittently to keep it from sticking. Add water if needed as it cooks. Simmer for a total of 45 minutes, more or less as needed, to make stew beef tender. Serve with cornbread muffins or a good crusty bread. Soup also freezes well in smaller single sized containers. BLT CORN SALAD 1 head iceberg lettuce or 3 cups mixed salad greens 3-4 tomatoes, peeled and seeded over a colander with bowl to catch juice Chop tomatoes into bite size pieces, juice 1 lb. bacon, cooked and chopped 1 can shoe peg corn, drained ¾ cup mayonnaise and ¼ cup sour cream, mixed with saved tomato juice Salt and black pepper to taste Layer salad, corn, tomatoes, and most of the bacon in a trifle bowl or in a casserole dish. Pour dressing over top. Toss well to mix before serving. Dress the top with left over bacon.
A DIFFERENT POTATO SALAD 4-5 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and sliced ½ inch thick 4 slices of cooked bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces Salt and black pepper to taste 1 rib of celery, split lengthwise and sliced thin 3 Tbsp. of your favorite honey mustard dressing (I like Ken’s) ½ cup mayonnaise A pinch of paprika for dusting the top I like to slice my potatoes before cooking instead of cooking them whole, so I do not have to wait for the potatoes to cool enough to handle them. Boil slices of potato in just enough water to cover. Cook until just tender but not mushy. (A fork or pick will pass through easily.) Drain until very dry. Can use paper towels to blot any excess water. Mix dressing and mayonnaise, salt, pepper and celery: gently fold into potatoes. Layer in a serving dish with bacon, and finish with bacon and a dust of paprika on the top. BLUEBERRY FRENCH TOAST BAKE 9 x 9 inch baking dish, sprayed with nonstick cooking spray 4-5 slices Arnold’s buttermilk bread, cut in half 4 large eggs, beaten 1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract 2 heaping Tbsp. Pillsbury sugar free yellow cake mix 1 ½ cups heavy cream ½ cup Splenda brown sugar 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries ½ cup Splenda blend sugar ½ stick butter ¼ cup water Place water, blueberries, Splenda blend and butter in a saucepan, stirring to mix while it comes to a boil over medium heat. Reduce to medium low and continue to stir until blueberries start
to pop and sauce thickens slightly. Add juice of ½ a lemon and reduce temp to simmer. Stir as needed. Preheat oven to 350. Whisk eggs, cream, vanilla and cake mix to form a nice thick batter. Place bread into batter coating each side of each piece. Place bread in baking dish like shingles on a roof. Pour remaining batter into baker. Spoon the blueberry sauce over and under the shingled bread. Sprinkle the Splenda brown sugar over the top. Bake at 350 for estimated 50 minutes. or until custard is set and golden. Serve warm. PORK PIE 2 pie pastry crusts 1 ½ lbs. ground fresh pork 1 tsp. minced garlic ½ cup milk 2 slices white sandwich bread, broken into pieces 1 Tbsp. yellow mustard 1/8 - ¼ tsp. fresh ground nutmeg 1 large egg, beaten Salt and black pepper Pinch of cayenne Mix 1 beaten egg and 1 Tbsp. water for an egg wash; set aside. Line the bottom of a deep pie plate with one of the pie pastries. Prick bottom with a fork. Place in refrigerator to keep chilled. Place two slices of bread in a small bowl and add milk. Let bread absorb all of milk. Add a little more milk, if needed. In a larger bowl, add egg, mustard, salt, pepper, nutmeg and cayenne. Mix well. Then add pork and soaked bread and mix well like you would a meatloaf. Place meat mixture into pie dish, gently pushing out to fill any voids. Cover top with remaining crust. Crimp sides together and make a vent hole in the middle to allow steam to escape. Brush top with egg wash. Bake in a 350 preheated oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until the internal temperature reads 160. If pie is browning too quickly, place a piece of foil lightly on top. ISLAND BARBECUE CHICKEN OR PORK 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breast (if larger size breast, split in half) Or 4-6 pork loin steaks 1½ inch thick ½ - ¾ cup G Hughes Barbecue sauce 1 tsp. ground allspice ½ - ¾ tsp. ground cinnamon ½ tsp. garlic powder ¼ tsp. cayenne ¼ tsp. paprika ½ tsp. salt ½ - ¾ tsp. black pepper 8 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained, saving ½ the juice 1 Tbsp. butter Combine barbecue sauce with spices. Mix well. Place chicken or pork in a gallon zip-loc bag along with ¼ of barbecue sauce. Seal and turn over to coat each piece well. Marinate for 1 or more hours in refrigerator. Preheat grill to 350. Allow chicken to come back to room temperature for 30 minutes. Discard marinade. Pour ¼ more of barbecue sauce into a grill pot. Place chicken on grill and brush with sauce. Cook 6-8 minutes on each side, basting with more sauce as wanted. Remove chicken from grill and tent with foil. Place remainder of sauce into a saucepot on stove top. Add crushed pineapple and 1 Tbsp. butter to sauce. Bring to a simmer, reduce until thickened. Serve sauce alongside chicken.
A13 November 11, 2020
W
hat if there were no words? Parents wouldn’t be able to encourage their children to use their words. We would be unable to communicate with each other in the rich, substantive way that words make possible. Without words, our ability to process anything intellectually would be severely diminished. We wouldn’t be able to think our way through some of the most basic situations in life. That would be chaotic and distressing. No words is not a good thought! Words are the file folders of our minds. We sort through the multitude of sensations occurring inside and outside us by locating the folder they
Church Calendar
• Church of Christ at Cunningham - meeting at their building at 9:30 a.m. for Bible class, 10:30 a.m. for worship, 5 p.m. for evening worship and 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. • St. Marys Catholic Church/ St. Michael’s Church SMCC is having Daily Mass on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 8 a.m. and on weekends they are distributing holy Communion on Sundays from 9:30 to 11 a.m. A Mass is also held on Sundays at 12:30 p.m. at St. Michael's Church over in Auburn. For more information people can call the office at 334-749-8359 or go to the parish website: stmarysopelika.org. • Union Grove Baptist Church In-person gathering with social distancing. Masks are available. Sunday worship is at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Wednesday worship is at 6:30 p.m. Services are streamed live on Facebook — the page is UGBChurch • First Baptist Church Opelika The following are held in-person and online on Sundays. 8:30 a.m. Traditional Worship and Message at The Worship Center 9:45 a.m. Sunday School Hour 11 a.m. Contemporary Service at The 3:16 Center 6 p.m. Evening Worship and Message at The Worship Center 6:30 p.m. Church on Chadwick at Chadwick Lane in Auburn To watch services online, go to fbcopelika.com/media
God using His words belong in. In doing so, words define, organize and give expression to the realities we experience. When God was ready to create the cosmos, He used words to do it. He didn’t just think the words—He spoke them. “Let there be light.” He called the light “day” and the darkness “night.” Creation is God using His words! And one of the important ways we image God is through our use of words. John wrote his gospel long after Matthew, Mark and Luke had written theirs. His words are meant to be supplementary to what they wrote. John doesn’t record any parables like the synoptics do, but he does feature the “I am” sayings of
By Bruce Green Teaching Minister at 10th Street Church of Christ in Opelika Jesus. His gospel doesn’t discuss Jesus instituting the Lord's Supper, but it does contain the only account of Him washing the feet of the disciples. While there are many commonalities with the synoptics, it’s nonetheless obvious that John is on a different track. And when it comes to Jesus, John’s initial presentation of Him is not as savior, king or Mes-
siah—but as The Word. Jesus is The Word who was with God in the beginning when God spoke His creative words. More than that, God made all things through The Word (1:3). More than that, The Word was not just with God—The Word was God (v. 1)! And with that opening salvo, you can drop a rock into John’s words, and it will take a very long time until you hear it splash because it is deep, deep, deep. All these things root Jesus in the past, but John moves forward to tell us the compelling news that The Word who was present at creation, who was with God and was God, became flesh and made His dwelling among us. As God had tabernacled with Israel
ABOUT BRUCE GREEN in the wilderness, Jesus tabernacled with man. This One who was far off came near—not as a spectator, but as a participant. The Word is God living as a man. This leads us to John’s summation in v. 18: “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is in closet relationship with the Father, has made Him known.” Jesus is The Word who gives full, complete, and utter expression to God. Our questions, our concerns, our anxieties are answered and put to rest in the person of Christ. Jesus is God using all His words! You can find more of Bruce’s writings at his website: atasteofgracewithbrucegreen.com.
You can find more of Bruce’s writings at his website: atasteofgracewithbrucegreen.com.
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"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." — Hebrews 11:6 APOSTOLIC HOLINESS God’s House of Prayers Holiness Church 301 HIghland Ave., Opelika 334-749-9672 True Deliverance Holiness Church 936 N. Donahue Dr., Auburn 334-502-4700 BAPTIST Beulah Baptist Church 5500 Lee Road 270, Valley 334-705-0538 Cooperative Baptist Fellowship 128 East Glenn Ave., Auburn 334-887-8506
ANGLICAN Anglican Church of the Good Shepherd 2312 Center Drive Unit D 334-758-6749 ASSEMBLY OF GOD Bridge Church 1000 Lee Road 263, Cusseta 334-742-0144 AME Mount Zion AME Church West Point Hwy 334-749-3916 St. Luke AME Church 1308 Auburn St. 334-749-1690 St. Paul AME Church 713 Powledge Ave. 334-745-6279 Thompson Chapel AME Zion 187 Columbus Pkwy 334-749-8676 BAPTIST Abundant Life Baptist Church 1220 Fox Run Ave. Suite B 706-4421464 Airview Baptist Church 2301 Airport Rd. 334-444-5148 Antioch Baptist Church 605 W. East Morton Ave 334-742-0696 Bethesda Baptist Church 201 S. 4th St. 334-745-7528 Bethel Baptist Church Hwy. 29 Sasser Rd 334-745-4865 Central Baptist Church 1611 2nd Ave. 334-745-2482 Community Baptist Church 154 N. 16th St. 334-745-6552 Cornerstone Missionary Baptist 500 N. Railroad Ave. 334-742-2008 Eastview Baptist Church 1208 Spring Dr 334-749-9595 Farmville Baptist Church 3607 Alabama Hwy N. 334-887-7361 First Baptist Church of Opelika 314 S. 9th St. 334-745-6143
Church Directory
Green Chapel Missionary Baptist 390 Lee Road 106, Auburn (334) 749-4184 Lakeview Baptist Church 1600 E. Glenn Ave., Auburn 334-887-7094 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
First Baptist Church 301 S. 8th St. 334-745-5715 First Baptist Church Impact 709 Avenue E 334-741-0624 First Freewill Baptist Church 103 19th St. 334-703-3333 Friendship Missionary Baptist 432 Maple Avenue 334-742-0105 Greater Peace Baptist Church 650 Jeter Ave. 334-749-9487 Heritage Baptist Church 1103 Glenn St. 334-363-8943 High Hope Baptist Church 227 Lee Road 673 Love Freewill Baptist Church 1113 Frederick Ave. 334-745-2905 Ridge Grove Missionary Baptist Church 1098 Lee Road 155 - 334-745-3600 Northside Baptist Church 3001 Lafayette Hwy 334-745-5340 Pleasant Grove Baptist Church Uniroyal Rd 334-749-2773 Purpose Baptist Church 3211 Waverly Pkwy #704-0302 St. James Baptist Church 1335 Auburn St. 334-745-3224 Union Grove Missionary Baptist 908 Huguley Rd 334-741-7770 BUDDHIST Buddha Heart Village 3170 Sandhill Rd. 334-821-7238 CATHOLIC St. Mary’s Catholic Church 1000 4th Ave. 334-749-8359 CHURCH OF CHRIST Church of Christ 2215 Marvyn Pkwy 334-742-9721 Southside Church of Christ 405 Carver Ave. 334-745-6015 CHURCH OF GOD
Cunningham 2660 Cunningham Dr., Opelika 10th Street Church of Christ 500 N. 10th St., Opelika 334-745-5181 COMMUNITY OUTREACH Changing Hearts of Destiny Ministry 936 N. Donahue Dr., Auburn 334-502-4700 METHODIST Auburn United Methodist Church 137 South Gay St., Auburn 334-826-8800 Beulah United Methodist
Airview Church of God 3015 Old Opelika Rd 334-749-9112 Church of God 114 17th Place 334-749-6432 Tabernacle Church of God 3 Oak Court 334-745-7979 CHURCH OF NAZARENE Opelika Church of Nazarene 1500 Bruce Ave. 334-749-1302 EPISCOPAL Emmanuel Episcopal Church 800 1st Ave. 334-745-2054 HOLINESS Eastside Emmanuel Holiness Church 86 Lee Road 186 JEWISH Beth Shalom Congregation 134 S. Cary Dr. 334-826-1050 LATTERDAY SAINTS Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints 510 Groce St. 334-742-9981 METHODIST First United Methodist Church of Opelika 702 Avenue A 334-745-7604 Hopewell United Methodist 1993 Lee Rd 136 334-745-0460 Pierce Chapel United Methodist 8685 AL Hwy. 51 334-749-4469 Pepperell United Methodist 200 26th St. 334-745-9334 Trinity United Methodist Church 800 Second Ave. 334-745-2632 Wesley Memorial United Methodist 2506 Marvyn Pkwy 334-745-2841 PENTECOSTAL Full Gospel Pentecostal Church Hwy. 29, PO Box 1691 334-7418675 Gateway Community Church 2715 Frederick Rd 334-745-6926 PRESBYTERIAN First Presbyterian Church of Opelika 900 2nd Ave. 334-745-3421
Church 5165 Lee Road 270, Valley 334-745-4755 NON-DENOMINATIONAL Church At Opelika 1901 Waverly Pkwy., Opelika 334-524-9148 St. Ellis Full Gospel Church 5267 US Hwy 80W, Opelika 334-298-4319 PRESBYTERIAN Trinity Presbyterian Church 1010 India Road, Opelika 334-745-4889
SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST Outreach Seventh-Day Adventist 1808 S. Long St. 334-749-3151 NON-DENOMINATIONAL Apostolic Holiness Church 610 Canton St. 334-749-6759 Auburn Opelika Korean Church 1800 Rocky Brook Rd 334-7495386 Beauregard Full Gospel Revival 2089 Lee Road 42 334-745-0455 Christ Church International 1311 2nd Ave. 334-745-0832 Fellowship Bible Church 2202 Hamilton Rd 334-749-1445 Ferguson Chapel Church 310 S. 4th St. 334-745-2913 First Assembly of God Church 510 Simmons St. 334- 749-3722 Garden of Gethsemane Fellowship 915 Old Columbus Rd #745-2686 Grace Heritage Church Opelika #559-0846 Holy Deliverance Church 831 S. Railroad 334-749-5682 Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses 1250 McCoy St. 334-737-1488 Living Way Ministries 1100 Old Columbus Rd 334-749-6241 Move of God Fellowship Church 1119 Old Columbus Rd 334-7411006 Connect Church 2900 Waverly Pkwy 334-749-3916 New Life Christian Center 2051 West Point Pkwy 334-741-7373 New Life Independent Church 10 Meadowview Estates Trailer 334-741-9001 Opelika’s First Seventh Day 2011 Columbus Pkwy 334-737-3222 Power of Praise, Inc. Church 3811 Marvyn Pkwy 334-745-6136 Shady Grove Christian Church West Point Hwy 334-745-7770
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Email: editor@opelika observer.com Call: 334-749-8003
A14 November 11, 2020
Don’t Neglect Lung Cancer Screening During COVID-19 Contributed By Dr. Daniel Miller A recent analysis from the IQVIA Institute reports that 22 million cancer screening tests may be disrupted due to COVID-19, risking delayed or missed diagnoses for 80,000 people across the U.S. This is particularly concerning considering the statistics surrounding lung cancer and the number of cases potentially going undetected due to the pan-
demic. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), lung cancer is the number one cancer killer among men and women. The ACS estimates there will be 228,820 new cases of lung cancer this year, yet the pandemic is presenting obstacles in patients receiving diagnoses and treatments. Spreading awareness about the pervasiveness of lung cancer, especially the importance of screening, is one way we can combat
this disease. Identifying lung cancer early through screening provides a critical advantage to patients, especially those with heightened risk. A recent study reports that patients with localized disease have survival rates as high as 55%; however, only 16% of patients get diagnosed at this stage of their disease. This difference in survival rates further illustrates the absolute need for a reliable screening tool for patients at risk for lung
cancer. Prioritizing chances of survival is critical for people who meet the following criteria to get a low-dose CT scan, or LDCT (lowdose CT scan): Individuals between 50 to 80 years old Current or former smokers who have a 20 pack-year smoking history (number of packs smoked per day multiplied by the number of years smoked) Current smokers or former smokers who have quit
within the past 15 years Other risk factors (history of smoking-related cancers, asbestos or radon exposure, COPD, pulmonary fibrosis or a relative with history of lung cancer) A low-dose CT scan involves an X-ray machine scanning the body with low doses of radiation to capture detailed pictures of the lungs. Regular chest X-rays have been used to screen for lung cancer; however, studies have shown LDCT scans decrease overall
mortality compared to chest x-rays. In addition to being aware of your risk factors for the disease, including such factors as smoking, radon exposure and workplace carcinogens, it’s important to stay in tune with your body and pay attention to subtle changes. Below are several symptoms of lung cancer of which to be aware: A cough that does not go See COVID, page A15
OBITUARIES Carol Leigh Moland Amos Carol Leigh Moland Amos passed away peacefully on the morning of Nov. 9, 2020. She is now in the arms of her Savior Jesus Christ and enjoying the many glories of heaven. Carol was born on Dec. 27, 1931 in Colbert County, Alabama and was one of the ten daughters of Fernander and Emmie Moland. She was raised in Leighton, Alabama and attended high school at Colbert County High School. She moved to Opelika in 1969 and worked beside her husband, Elton for 30-years as co-founders and
CAMELLIA
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FROM A7
lia garden. The Trade Center (circa 1845) houses the main museum displays while a separate building houses old farm equipment. During the day on every Second Saturday at Pioneer Park, volunteers conduct demonstrations and workshops that may include blacksmithing, spinning and weaving, basketmaking, outdoor cooking or gardening. Volunteers prepare a lunch similar to what would have been served
owners of Amos Mobile Homes in Opelika. They worked together daily and exemplified marital teamwork at the office and at home. Mrs. Amos was an active member of First Baptist Church of Opelika where she had served as a Sunday School Teacher for many years, worked on the missions committee, and sang in the choir. She was blessed with the opportunity to serve to advance the cause of missions as the State of Alabama President of the Women’s Missionary Union (WMU) from 1994 to 1997, during which time she also served on the State of Alabama Baptist Executive Board. Carol truly loved Lottie Moon, the on a 19th Century Alabama homestead. Recently, the Trade Center Museum Store has been stocked with homemade jams, jellies and preserves made from local produce. Pioneer Park and Second Saturdays are hosted by volunteers of the Lee County Historical Society, a non-profit, all-volunteer organization dedicated to historical preservation, presentation and education. More information can be found at www. leecountyhistoricalsociety.org/.
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famous missionary to China, and one of Carol’s most fond memories was a two-week missionary journey to Asia. Mrs. Amos was preceded in death by her husband of 69 years, Elton Eugene Amos. She is survived by two daughters, Bonnie Crowley (Tommy) of Opelika and Cyndi Helms (Mark) of Smiths, Alabama, and one son, Peter Amos (Janet) of Auburn. She is also survived by six grandchildren: Caroline Crowley Vega (Memo) of Auburn, John Le (Margaret) of Opelika, Kathryn Helms of Ft. Myers, Florida, William Luke Helms II of Alpharetta, Georgia, Parker Amos (Freddie)
of Auburn and Emily Amos of Auburn. She is also survived by four great-grandchildren, Devin DePriest and Cayleigh DePriest (both of Opelika) and Kadence Clark and Logan Waldrup (both of Ft. Myers). Visitation for family and friends will be held at Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home in Opelika on Nov. 15 at 1 p.m., with a Memorial Service at 2 p.m. in the Chapel. Rev. Mark Helms will be officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering of First Baptist Church of Opelika, 301 South 8th Street, Opelika, AL 36801.
Lois E. Prather 1936 -2020 Lois E. Prather of Cusseta, Alabama was born in Lumber City, Georgia on June 3, 1936 and passed away at East Alabama Medical Center on Nov. 8, 2020. She was 84 years old. An important part of Lois’ life was living in the Georgia Baptist Children’s Home from age 13 to 19. She later kept the Alumni Association of the Orphans Home Group going and often reunited long lost siblings who hadn’t seen each other for decades. Lois worked beside her husband Hal (Malcolm) in his many
businesses and was always enthusiastic. She kept books for him and their son though she hated math. Lois was preceded in death by her son, Ray Prather. She is survived by her husband of 64 years, Malcolm Prather; daughter, Denise P. Shealey; grandchildren, Lindy Shealey, Daniel Shealey, Tamara Prather Thompson (Trey), Bryan Shealey, Caleb Prather, Walter Shealey, Jarod Prather (Rhea), Sera Shealey, and 8 great grandchildren. Visitation will be held in the Parlor at Frederick-Dean Funeral Home on Nov. 11, 2020 from 4 to 6 p.m.
A15 November 11, 2020
Operation Christmas Child starts Monday Contributed by Samaritan’s Purse In just one week, Operation Christmas Child Drop-Off Locations will open to receive shoebox gifts— lovingly packed with toys and other items— from area donors during National Collection Week, Nov. 16-23. How to pack a shoebox: Find a Shoebox: start with an average-size cardboard or plastic shoebox. If you want to wrap it, cover the box and lid separately. Girl or Boy? Decide whether you will pack a box for a girl or a boy, and the age catego-
ry: 2–4, 5–9, or 10–14. Fill with Gifts: select a medium to large “wow” item such as a soccer ball with pump or stuffed animal, then fill with other fun toys, hygiene items, and school supplies. Pray: most impor-
tantly, pray for the child who will receive your gift. You can also include a personal note and photo. Follow Your Box Labels: donate $9 online and receive a label to Follow Your Box and discover the destination
of your shoebox gift. Drop off: take your shoebox gift to a local drop-off location during National Collection Week, Nov. 16–23, 2020. Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse, seeks to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world and, together with the local church worldwide, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 178 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 160 countries and territories. To find out more about Samaritan’s Purse, visit the organization’s website (www. samaritanspurse.org).
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FROM A14
away or gets worse Coughing up blood or rust-colored sputum (spit or phlegm) Chest pain that is often worse with deep breathing, coughing, or laughing Hoarseness Loss of appetite Unexplained weight loss Shortness of breath Feeling tired or weak Infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia that don’t go away or keep coming back New onset of wheezing Though we’ve seen a viral pandemic sprawl across our nation, we must remain aware that cancer doesn’t wait for COVID-19. Skipping preventive screenings, annual check-ups or other healthcare appointments can negatively affect the detection and diagnosis of harmful diseases. Being proactive
about health management during this uncertain time can make a substantial difference when it comes to cancer prevention, care and survivorship. Talk with your doctor about screening, risk factors and symptoms, so together as patient and physician, you can make informed decisions. Dr. Daniel Miller is a renowned leader in thoracic surgery and currently practices at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) Atlanta, which offers a comprehensive Lung Cancer Screening Program. Dr. Miller is also a clinical Professor of Surgery at Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University. He specializes in VATS procedures for early-stage disease and is an expert in the complex surgical procedures involved in treatment of advanced cancers of the trachea, lung, esophagus, mediastinum, bony skeleton and pleural.
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A16 November 11, 2020
COMICS
“Life is worth living as long as there’s a laugh in it.” ― Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
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Auburn buries Baker, advances to 2nd round By Wil Crews sportscrews@opelikaobserver.com
On the Mark By D. Mark Mitchell
Opelika outlasts Wetumpka, advances to second round of playoffs
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HS (8-2) defeated Wetumpka (5-6) 51-28 last Friday at Bulldog Stadium in the opening round of the AHSAA 6A Playoffs. The first quarter was a scoring fest. Opelika scored three touchdowns in the first five minutes: a 3-yard run by Taylor Love, a 27-yard interception return by Love and a 74-yard punt return by Jarrell Stinson. (Baker Rowton made all 3 PAT). Wetumpka scored their first touchdown on an 11-yard run by Quin Wilson with six minutes left in the first quarter. The Bulldogs answered with an 11-yard touchdown run by quarterback Malik Finley with 2:45 left in the quarter. Rowton added the PAT, making the score 28-7. The Indians answered with a 33-yard interception return for a score to make it 28-14 heading to the second quarter. Each team scored one touchdown in the second quarter. Eric Watts sprinted 34 yards to the end zone with 6:10 remaining in the half; Rowton missed the PAT. The Indians
scored the final points of the first half, an 11yard TD run by Rose to make the score 34-21 at halftime. Each team scored a touchdown in the third quarter. WHS scored on a 24-yard interception by Brandon Bowen at the 10-minute mark. Malik Finley added his second touchdown of the game on a 9-yard run with 6:50 left in the third quarter. Both PAT were good. OHS added 10-points in the fourth quarter to seal the win. Baker Rowton made a 30-yard field goal and Kaden Cooper scored on a 9-yard run with 1:32 left in the game. Rowton’s extra point made the score 51-28. The win puts OHS in the second round of the playoffs against Hillcrest Tuscaloosa at Bulldog Stadium Friday night at 7 p.m. The Patriots, coached by Sam Adams, defeated McGill-Toolen 31-21 in Tuscaloosa. Hillcrest (9-2) and Opelika have only played three games against each other. OHS See SPORTS , page B4
Inside • opelika schools • lee county schools • community sports
The Auburn High defense recorded four interceptions in a 39–3 rout of Baker in the first round of the AHSAA Class 7A playoffs. Two weeks ago, Auburn gave up multiple big plays and nearly 400 yards of offense in their regular-season finale loss to Enterprise. Auburn Head Coach Adam Windergarden
was proud of the way his defense responded Friday night. “When we play our best, we’re playing great defense,” Windegarden said after the game. What started as a highly contested game quickly turned into a blowout with Auburn scoring twice just before the half and again on their first drive of the third quarter. The Auburn defense gave
the offense good field position all night and it was just a matter of time before they capitalized. Auburn quarterback Matthew Caldwell threw four touchdowns, two of them to his favorite target, Quay Ross, in the final 1:20 of the half. Caldwell tied the school record for passing touchdowns in a season with 18 and finished with 151 passing yards on top of his
four touchdowns. The game began with both teams trading scores. Auburn’s opening 55-yard drive was finished off by a 2-yard rushing score from senior running back J.T. Rogers. Baker responded with an 84-yard catch and run on a slant route that set them up at the Auburn five-yard line. They couldn’t See AUBURN, page B3
Glenwood crushes Clarke Prep to open playoffs By Wil Crews sportscrews@opelikaobserver.com
Thursday night, the undefeated Glenwood Gators jumped out to an early 28-point lead and never looked back, battering Clarke Prep with big plays en route to a 55–20 first-round playoff victory. Glenwood had scoring contributions from six different players and only conceded points once the backups were on the field in the second half. They also
returned two punts for touchdowns and had one interception. Senior All-State running back Kye Robichaux finished with 97 yards on four carries. He managed to find the end zone on half of those attempts but saw his six-game three touchdown streak snapped. Senior quarterback Jackson Griner had 120 yards on just five carries and threw for another 50. The game was well out of reach at the half
as Glenwood took a 41-point lead into the break. Glenwood opened the game’s scoring with a 50-yard punt return for a touchdown from electric return man AJ Harris — his fifth of the season. The defense then forced a Clarke Prep turnover on downs before Griner ran for a 19-yard touchdown three plays later. Clarke Prep punted again on their next possession, leading to a 56-yard rushing touchdown by
Robichaux. Then, senior corner Jay Sinclair returned the next Clarke Prep punt 50 yards for the score to extend Glenwood’s lead to 28–0 at the end of the first quarter. The next possession, Clarke Prep got it to first and goal before turning it over on downs again. Robichaux responded with his second rushing touchdown of the night. This time it was See GLENWOOD, page B3
Southern Christian drops season finale, finishes 2-5 By Will Washburn
The first season of Southern Christian Athletics varsity football came to an end this Friday. Southern Christian lost its season finale 48–0 to Harvester (Douglasville, Georgia). Southern Christian was without some key defensive
players and the Patriots struggled to counteract a powerful Harvester offense. Junior quarterback Daniel Adams ended the night with 61 yards passing and 17 yards rushing. His favorite target was Josiah Frick, who caught four passes for 45 total yards. His brother Silas Frick led the way for Southern
Christian — finishing with a team-high five tackles. The Patriots finish 2020 with a 2–5 record. The Patriots began the season with three home loses before getting their first win in an away game against East Central Home School. The Patriots rode the momentum of their first win into the next week and defeated
Trinity Christian Home School to achieve backto-back wins. Southern Christian Athletic Director Jason Scott and Head Coach Mike Adams said they were pleased by the effort and improvement that their team displayed throughout the season and that they look forward to the future growth of the program.
B2 November 11, 2020
Seven area teams advance in playoffs By Wil Crews Sportscrews@opelikaobserver.com
The first round of the AHSAA and AISA playoffs have come and gone. Twelve area teams qualified for the playoffs but only seven advanced to the second round last weekend. Five teams: Lee-Scott, Springwood, Loachapoka, LaFayette and Dadeville were eliminated and saw their 2020 seasons come to an end. For the victors, there’s no time to rest on any laurels. The next step towards high school football immortalization lies ahead this weekend. The following is a list of the remaining playoff games featuring area teams, a brief recap of their first round win and a preview of their upcoming matchup. Stats are collectively gathered from maxpreps.com and ahsfhs. org. AHSAA Class 7A No. 1 Auburn v. No. 2 Daphne: Auburn High (9-1) won their home first-round playoff game against the Baker Hornets by a score of 39-3. The Auburn defense led the way, recording four interceptions; and quarterback Matthew Caldwell threw four touchdowns – tying the school’s single season record
at 18. Daphne (11-1) had a much tougher first round game. The Trojans emerged victorious over the Prattville Lions, winning 42-33. Auburn already played Prattville in week three of the regular season and won 22-0. Daphne also played Baker earlier in the season and won 50-25. The upcoming game is likely to be shootout with Daphne averaging 30.25 points per game this season and Auburn averaging 35.67. The difference could come on the defensive side of the ball. No. 1 Theodore v. No. 2 Central: Last week, the Theodore Bobcats (10-1) defeated Enterprise in a 40-28 win. Theodore were down by one at the half but relied on their rushing game – to the tune of 350 plus yards – to lead them to victory. The Central Red Devils (7-4) defeated Fairhope by a score of 49-21 in their first-round playoff game. Central running back Gerald Davis ran in three touchdowns, the Red Devil’s defense scored twice and quarterback Caleb Nix added a rushing touchdown before Fairhope even got points on the board. Theodore are on a 10 game win streak after losing their season opener. Central have
had a more up and down season but have kicked it into gear offensively recently, scoring over 30 points in all of their last four games. AHSAA Class 6A No. 1 Opelika v. No. 2 Hillcrest: The Opelika Bulldogs (82) beat the Wetumpka Indians 51-28 in their first-round playoff game. Opelika had a special teams and a defensive touchdown and had five different players score. Hillcrest (9-2) defeated McGillTooler by a score of 3121. They also defeated Wetumpka earlier in the season 35-30. Hillcrest has developed a reputation of relying on the pass this season, but it was the rushing game that led them to victory last week. Overall, this is a matchup of offensive and defensive juggernauts. For the season, Hillcrest have averaged 37.9 points per game while Opelika have only given up 15.1. ASHAA Class 2A No. 1 Lanett v. No. 2 Long: The Lanett Panthers (9-2) nearly shut out the Blacksher Bulldogs and won their first-round playoff game by a score of 51-7. The Panthers took a 39-0 lead into halftime thanks to big
plays by their quarterback, running back and defense – which had a scoop-and-score touchdown. Lanett’s only two loses of the year came in overtime and the Panthers have had four shutouts while allowing only 5.2 points per game in total. Their opponent the Long Rebels (9-1) are coming off of a 17-0 victory over Luverne. Ignoring their forfeit win, Long has also fielded a stout defense this season, holding opponents to 21 points or fewer in all but one game. The offense is just as impressive, putting up more than 50 points on three occasions. This one promises to be a close game as according to maxpreps. com, Lanett is ranked the No. 14 team in the Columbus-Opelika and Long is right behind them at No. 15. AHSAA Class 1A No. 1 Sweet Water v. No. 2 Notasulga: The Sweet Water Bulldogs (7-2) swept the Shields Panthers away in a 6122 first-round playoff victory. The Bulldogs were heavy favorites and had their biggest lead of the night (40-0) at the end of the first quarter. Before Friday, Sweet Water had averaged 36.8 points per game and allowed an
average of just 14.7. The Notasulga Blue Devils (9-1) escaped with a narrow 32-30 win over Florala in their firstround playoff game. The Blue Devils averaged 32.6 points per game and allowed 8.8 points per game in the regular season. Max Preps has Sweet Water as the slight favorite, ranking them the No. 4 team in Class 1A and Notasulga No. 6. AISA Class AAA No. 1 Glenwood v. No. 2 Morgan: The Glenwood Gators (10-0) ran 25 offensive plays and scored 55 points in their dominant 5520 first-round playoff victory on Thursday. Glenwood are the only AISA Class AAA undefeated team. The Gators are led by AllState running back Kye Robichaux and a plethora of other electric offensive playmakers. The best way to avoid understating Glenwood’s dominance – because that would be criminal – is to cite their regular season average margin of victory of 31.5 points. Their opponent, the Morgan Academy Senators (82) are coming off of a 56-16 win over Hooper Academy. Glenwood played Hooper earlier in the year and won 56-13.
Morgan allowed an average of 29.1 points per game to their opponents in the regular season. They will need to step it up on defense to slow down a Glenwood offense that averaged 43.25 points per game in the regular season. AISA Class AA No. 1 Chambers Academy v. No 3. Edgewood: These two teams played on Oct. 9 of this year and Edgewood (7-3) won a closely contested contest at home 40-36. This time, the Chambers Academy Rebels (10-1) will have home field advantage and are coming off of a 43-3 first-round playoff win over Autauga Academy. Senior quarterback Payton Allen is a genuine dual-threat player and the Rebels have been prolific and balanced with him under center. Meanwhile, Edgewood won a thriller against Patrician Academy in their firstround playoff game. By stopping a Patrician two-point conversion attempt with 1:31 on the clock, Edgewood escaped with the win. In the regular season, Chambers averaged 44.7 points per game and allowed 11.9. Edgewood scored 31 points per game and allowed 22.1.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK The City of Opelika is proud to sponsor the Opelika High School Player of the Week. We applaud you for your HARD WORK and DEDICATION on and off the football field.
Jarrell Stinson
The entire defense, which held Clarke Prep scoreless for a half and recorded four interceptions
Two punt returns: a 78-yard TD and a 74-yard return to set up another TD
IT’S THE OPELIKA WAY.
GO DAWGS!
of the
Week Congratulations from
Lee Co. Revenue Commissioner Oline Price
#myOpelika • #beOpelika www.opelika-al.gov 2018 observer
Opelika 215 S. 9th St. Opelika 334-737-3655
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B3 November 11, 2020
Veterans, thank you for your service!
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” Ecclesiastes 3:1.
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lassroom Observer would like to extend warm wishes of gratitude and blessings to our veterans today. Today, Nov. 11, 2020 is recognized as Veterans Day. With this being a month of gratitude and thanksgiving, our community of children and families say thank you to our veterans. Parents and teachers have a wonderful opportunity to teach our very young children the significance of what Veterans Day means. I love teaching young children about how to pledge to the flag. Our little class of three-year-olds faces
the writing board at the front of the room, raises their right hands, puts them over their hearts and says the pledge. The children smile as they let me know they can feel their hearts beating under their hands. Young children rise to the occasion of patriotism for our country. We can explain to our children that a veteran is a member of the armed services, which are the Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force and Marine Corps, which are serving and have served during times of peace, as well as war. Many children have mothers, daddies
AUBURN>>
touchdowns as he found the open Ross on a corner route in the back of the end zone. Auburn then used their timeouts on Baker’s next drive to force a three and out and to get the ball back with just under a minute in the half. Caldwell wasted no time and threw just two passes before finding Ross for the score again. This time it was an 11-yard back-shoulder fade to the right corner of the end zone where Ross made a spectacular toe-tapping grab. The PAT was no good but Auburn had gained some breathing room and took a 20–3 lead into the break. Auburn had 224 yards at the half; subtract the 84-yard slant and Baker had only 46. The rest of the game came with relative ease for Auburn. Baker’s first possession of the second half started with disaster as a muffed kickoff pinned them on the 4-yard line. They successfully gained enough wiggle room to punt, but the kick only went to the 22-yard line — giving Auburn great field position. The Tigers converted one third down before finding paydirt. Caldwell went play action this time and found tight end Creighton Williams running wide open in the back of the end zone for a nine-yard
FROM B1 capitalize, however. The Auburn defense forced two negative plays and held Baker to a field goal. Auburn led 7–3 early, but from then until about three minutes before the half, the teams were in a stalemate. “I think we honestly played like a team that hadn’t played in a couple weeks,” Windergarden said. “I think it took us a little while to get in rhythm.” Overall, Baker did a good job stacking the box on defense and limited the Auburn rushing attack with good tackling. Auburn in turn flipped the field to pin the one-dimensional, run-heavy Baker offense deep in their own territory. “I think you have to give Baker some credit,” Windergarden said. “They did some things on offense that were difficult and had a lot of different pressures on defense that were tough to guard.” With just over three minutes to go in first half the Auburn pass rush finally broke through and forced Baker quarterback Landon Lary into an errant pass which senior linebacker Sam Snyder intercepted near mid field. Three plays later, Auburn quarterback Dylan Caldwell threw the first of his four
and grandparents who have served in the military. This is such an important day for us to truly stop, spend time and honor our veterans. Our schools honor this day by building it into the school calendar as a holiday. In the classroom, we educators may teach and describe veterans as people who wear uniforms or work in our offices or on military bases. But children may have veterans who live right next door to them in their neighborhoods, or there are probably veterans in their churches, schools and the community. They meet these people every day and do not realize that these people have served as veterans. Veterans Day is a United States federal holiday that gives communities and the nation an opportunity to say thank you for those who have made sacrifices for our democracy and freedom. Originally this was known as “Armistice Day.” Too, we need to differentiate between Veterans Day and Memorial Day. Memorial Day is a day for remembering and honoring those who
died in service to our country. On Veterans Day, we honor everyone who is serving or has served in the military. As a community of families, it is so important for us to show personal gratitude, from the heart, to our veterans. Children follow what we do. How can we teach our children to honor and thank our veterans? How can we teach young children the importance of freedom? A simple “ thank you” verbally or in writing is very-much appreciated by veterans and their families. Too, spending time in guiding your children to make homemade gifts that can be delivered to veterans in your community or a local VA hospital means so much in expressing appreciation to the heart of a veteran. Working on making care packages for troops who are overseas shows appreciation to veterans, especially over this holiday season. This is a wonderful family project. Explain to your child that veterans and their families truly sacrifice their own safety, special events with their own families, holidays and more in order to keep America free. Having your family reach out to
the family of a veteran who is serving time here, at home or overseas is so much needed. Holidays can get mighty lonely and stressful when a mother or father is serving in the armed forces. Offering to grocery shop, deliver a meal, babysit younger children in their families, help with yard work or even inviting or including them in your family traditions means so much to families who have a mom, dad or other family member serving in the armed forces. We can support these families as they are supporting and serving us in our freedoms as a country. Children need to understand what freedom is. Explain to children that hard-fought freedom for our country has given us specific rights such as practicing our religious freedom, going to school and being able to speak and write what’s on our minds. Older children understand in other countries that people may not be able to practice their religion or have freedom of expression. Our veterans have sacrificed in order to protect our freedoms. Veterans Day offers wonderful intergenerational opportunities
between young and old. Contacting the administration or activity directors in local retirement villages to see if it is okay for your family to drop off thank you pictures or notes to veterans is a true, heartfelt gesture of kindness that goes a long way in encouraging the hearts of older veterans. Especially this year with the pandemic, children making thank you cards is so much appreciated by our older veterans. Include your children in praying for our veterans. This is the most powerful action that we can do for our active veterans as well as retired veterans. Let veterans know that you are praying for them. This will truly bring them encouragement, hope and peace. Many communities, schools, retirement villages and churches host and provide Veterans Day ceremonies and parades. Check local community calendars to find out when. Children truly sense and feel the importance of our veterans as we all give them a heartfelt salute. Happy Veterans Day! Classroom Observer, Beth Pinyerd
touchdown pass. The PAT was no good again; 26–3 Auburn. Down three scores, Baker then began to air the ball out. And while the Auburn offense had found its footing in the passing game, the defense was doing the same. Ending what was a productive drive for Baker, Auburn got their second interception when senior safety Joey Mcginty made a diving pick on another wayward and hurried pass. The next Baker drive ended when senior corner/receiver Quay Nelms intercepted a pass in the end zone. Nelms then caught an eight-yard touchdown pass from Caldwell with 9:52 remaining and returned his second interception of the game to the 12-yard line. Rogers was there to bookend the night’s scoring. The running back
plunged into the endzone on the first play after the turnover; the PAT was no good; final score, Auburn 39, Baker 3. “I’m thankful for the win and to get a chance to play next week,” Windergarden said. Rogers finished with 18 carries for 85 yards, senior Bryson Clague had a team-high 71 receiving yards on five catches and Ross finished with four receptions for 65 yards. The win moves Auburn to 10–1 on the season. Auburn will have home-field advantage in the playoffs until the prospective 7A championship game at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa. Next, the Tigers will invite the Daphne Trojans into Duck-Samford Stadium on Friday. The Trojans defeated Prattville last week to advance to the second round.
GLENWOOD>>
backups. Pritchett found the end zone again in the fourth quarter with a 67-yard rushing touchdown. John Patrick Larrimore added the two-point conversion to make it 48–14. Glenwood’s final score came from backup quarterback Dallas Crow on a 75-yard rushing touchdown. Clarke Prep added the final points of the game late in the fourth quarter on a 48-yard touchdown pass. The win takes Glenwood to 10–0 and means they will host a AISA 3A Region 2 semifinal matchup against Morgan Academy (8–2). Morgan Academy defeated Hooper Academy 56–16 in their first round game last Friday. Glenwood defeated Hooper Academy 56–13 earlier this season.
FROM B1 a 30-yarder to give Glenwood a 34–0 lead with eight minutes left in the second quarter. Clarke Prep moved the ball onto Glenwood’s side of the field again on their next drive before being intercepted by senior linebacker BJ Snellgrove. Jackson Griner followed the turnover with a 55-yard rushing touchdown to put Glenwood ahead 41–0. Glenwood took their foot off the gas in the second half but that still couldn’t stop the versatile senior receiver/wildcat quarterback Radonda Beauchamp Jr. from breaking a 66-yard rushing touchdown. Clarke Prep finally got on the board with a 27-yard rushing touchdown from running back Cole Pritchett. It was against Glenwood’s
B4 November 11, 2020
Southern Union adds golf to its athletic programs
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outhern Union State Community College (SUSCC) has joined the ranks of collegiate golf. The program was officially established this spring and will begin competition in the fall of 2021. The SUSCC golf program will field men’s and women’s teams under the leadership of Coach Jamie McQuaker. The team offers 16 scholarship spots (eight for men and eight for women) and will be based on the Opelika campus, utilizing the course at Robert Trent Jones.
Golf may be new to SUSCC, but it is practically in the blood of the program’s leader. A native of Scotland, McQuaker came to the United States on a golf scholarship to Midland Community College in West Texas. He then went on to be a part of the Columbus State University team. He has coached in various private academies before taking on the role of a college coach. “I’ve loved the game my whole life,” McQuaker said. “I started playing when I was around three. It was something I did
with my grandfather, who was the greens keeper at a local golf course.” McQuaker added that the game of golf is a challenge that requires a competitive drive and discipline, but can lead to great rewards. He uses these attributes as the guiding principles on which to build his team. “I want to make sure that our recruits fit the culture that I hope to build,” he said. “The ultimate goal is to be nationally competitive. I want to recruit players that want to work hard academically and want to work hard to
AU student joins Alabama Farmers Federation as junior beef expo intern Contributed by Alabama Farmers Federation
Hale County native Shelby Marsh will beef up her organizational, livestock show and agricultural skillset as the Alabama Farmers Federation’s Junior Beef Expo (JBE) intern. The Auburn University (AU) junior will intern through JBE, the state’s premier cattle show, March 18–20. Marsh, 20, brings firsthand experience to her JBE internship. She grew up showing livestock, exhibited in the JBE and was raised on a catfish, cattle and sheep farm in Greensboro. She’s also an Alabama Farmers Agriculture Foundation scholarship recipient. “Growing up
SPORTS>> FROM B1 defeated HHS twice in 2015, a regular season 34-20 win and a 48-0 win in the second round of the playoffs. Hillcrest defeated Opelika 26-24 in the quarterfinals in 2017. The following are results from Hillcrest’s schedule. HHS beat Homewood 49-19, defeated Tuscaloosa County 27-20, beat Brookwood 27-20, won at Wetumpka 35-30, lost at Hueytown 34-28, beat Northridge 49-21, won against McAdory 45-41, won by Paul Bryant’s forfeit, defeated Bessemer City 33-8, lost by forfeit to Demopolis and beta McGill last week 31-21. The Indians scored 343 points while allowing 203. Opelika has scored 278 points while allowing only 134. OHS won one forfeit game, while Hillcrest won and lost one game to forfeit.
surrounded by agriculture has given me a strong passion for the industry,” Marsh said, who is studying animal science at AU. “I’m very excited to work on an event such as the JBE that allows the youth of Alabama to show off their hard work.” Her role at the federation will include working with Beef Division Director Brady Ragland to input data, communicate with exhibitors and ready the ring for the show. “Shelby will get a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to plan and coordinate the state’s largest and most prestigious cattle show,” Ragland said. “Her background makes her well suited for this role, and I’m excited to have her join our team.” Hillcrest head Coach Sam Adams, in his seventh season, has a 56-28 record. He has guided the Patriots to six playoff appearances, advancing to the semifinals once. One side note: Adams interviewed for the Opelika head job in 2017, finishing behind Caleb Ross, who was hired. The winner of the OHS verses HHS game will play the winner of the Saraland/RE Lee game. Fans can purchase tickets online at www. gofan.co for $9.40 apiece including the surcharge. You can listen to the game on WKKR 97.7 Kicker fm and online at www. kickerfm.com. You can watch the live stream on the NFHS Network at www.nfhsnetwork.com. OHS CROSS COUNTRY Opelika High School Girls and Boys Cross Country teams participated in the Section
At Auburn, Marsh is involved in Young Farmers, Collegiate Cattlemen and the Block & Bridle Club. She also works at the Meats Lab and assists with a local veterinarian in Greensboro. Earlier this year, she incorporated her cattle business, Legacy Livestock LLC. Marsh graduated from Southern Academy in 2018 and is the daughter of Bill and Lynn Marsh. 2 Meet Nov. 5 in Auburn. The Bulldogs’ Breckin Gould won the girls meet with a time of 20:41.90, and Cha Brewer won the boys Meet with a time of 17:50.50. Girls Results: Paola Torres finished second, Violet Alcorn seventh, Margeret Bice eighth, Susan Gaston 10th, Cruz Tylicki 11th, eighth grader Carlie Moates 13th, Jasmine Jordan 15th and eighth grader Kaitlyn Brown 18th. Boys Results: Winston Tufts finished third, eighth grader Connor Mullins 13th, William McCullough 15th, eighth grader Sam Kemp 16th, Peyton Weston 17th, Zalen Shaw 19th, Trey White 22nd, Jake Walters 23rd and Evan Goodman 24th. The top 20 qualified for the State Cross Country Meet on Nov. 14 at Oakville Indian Mounds Cross Country Course. Congratulations, OHS qualifiers!
get better at the game of golf.” So far he has had little trouble finding recruits to fit the bill. He has several commitments already from around the Southeast and even internationally. McQuaker has little doubt that the team will be competitive from the start. “We have outstanding golfers who have committed to our team,” he said. “I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish.” For more information on the golf program at SUSCC, contact McQuaker at jmcquaker@suscc.edu.
SUSCC Public Relations Department recognized with NCMPR Medallion Awards
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he Public Relations Department of Southern Union State Community College (SUSCC) earned three Medallion Awards from District 2 of the National Council of Marketing and Public Relations (NCMPR) for exemplary work in the field. The NCMPR Medallion Awards are presented to top projects from two-year colleges throughout District 2 which includes institutions in Alabama, Georgia,
Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands and the Bahamas. More than 300 entries were considered for recognition in more than 40 categories. Each category awarded a gold, silver and bronze distinction. The public relations team of Shondae Brown, public relations director, and Abra Camp, multi-media
specialist, earned a gold Medallion for its admission acceptance folder; gold in the invitation category for the invitation to A Grave Affair; and a bronze in the novelty advertising category for the college’s congratulations mail out to area seniors. SUSCC was one of only three Alabama Community Colleges to receive recognition. Gadsden State Community College and Wallace State Community College also earned awards.
B5 November 11, 2020
Alaina Rice declared eligible for 2020-21 season Contributed by Wes Todd Auburn AU Athletics
Auburn women’s basketball sophomore Alaina Rice has been declared immediately eligible by the NCAA and will compete for the Tigers in the 2020-21 season. Rice, a 5-8 guard from Rockledge, Florida, transferred to
Auburn from Florida A&M during the offseason. As a freshman for the Rattlers in 2019-20, Rice was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference’s Rookie of the Year as she averaged 10.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. She played in all 27 games for FAMU, scoring in double-figures 17 times, including a season-best 22 points
vs. Howard. Rice played her high school basketball at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. “Alaina is a combo guard with the length and athleticism that we covet to be successful in our system for the next three years,” Auburn Head Coach Terri Williams-Flournoy said when Rice signed with the Tigers in June. “She has an attacking
mentality and can create for herself and others from either guard spot. “Alaina brings competitiveness and experience as she was the freshman of the year in her conference, and some of her best games came against Power 5 opponents. Defensively, she excels when harassing ball handlers and playing passing lanes, which is ideal for the
Auburn wins Liz Murphey, Schofill captures individual title Contributed by AU Athletics
The Auburn women’s golf team closed strong for the third straight day Sunday, surpassing Tennessee on the final hole to win the Liz Murphey Fall Collegiate Classic. The Tigers, who went into the final round with the lead, found themselves trailing with three holes to play. They were not fazed. Freshmen Elina Sinz and Anna Foster each birdied two of the last three holes, Megan Schofill made a birdie on 17, and the team finished the day one shot ahead of Tennessee to earn the victory. It is Auburn’s first team title since the Tigers won the Lake Oconee Invitational last spring. “It’s really special,” junior Mychael O’Berry said. “We knew going into today that it was far from over. But we had some freshmen step up. It was tough conditions today, really windy, so it was cool to see the whole team come together and get the win.” “It’s so enjoyable to play golf,” head coach Melissa Luellen said. “Once you tee it up, COVID seems to kind of go away. You just get to compete and play golf and do what you love. They got their adrenaline up. They got
a little nervous. They got a little tight. They got excited. All the different experiences and emotions, they got to experience that. I’m just really happy for them.” Schofill’s birdie on 17 helped the returning freshman claim a share of the individual title. She fired a 72 (E) on Sunday and finished at 3-under for the tournament. It’s the second individual win for Schofill who also won the title at the Lake Oconee Invitational last spring. “It feels really good to get an individual win,” Schofill said. “I played really well all three days. Just kind of focused on my game and what I was doing well, managed my game really well, and played one shot at a time. I never got too far ahead of myself.” O’Berry also placed in the top five
individually after shooting a 72 (E) in Sunday’s third round with a key birdie on No. 14. The junior wrapped up the weekend at 1-under. After a slow start Sunday, Foster and Sinz combined to shoot 5-under on the back nine. Foster finished with a 72 (E), matching her career-low round from the last tournament. Sinz carded a 74 (+2) in the third round, and at 3-over for the tournament, she placed in a tie for 13th overall. It’s her second straight top-20 finish. Sophomore Brooke Sansom shot a 76 (+4) on Sunday to finish tied for 45th overall. “It was 100% a team effort,” Luellen said. “Everybody contributed. I really hope this week keeps everybody on their toes on our team because it is going to be a battle in the spring.”
Team Standings 1. Auburn – 864 (E) 2. Tennessee – 865 (+1) 3. Georgia – 872 (+8) 4. Vanderbilt – 876 (+12) 5. Alabama – 880 (+16) 6. Mississippi State – 881 (+17) 7. Texas A&M – 882 (+18) 8. Arkansas – 884 (+20) 9. Kentucky – 885 (+21) 10. LSU – 886 (+22) 11. Missouri – 896 (+32) 12. Georgia (B) – 904 (+40) Auburn Individuals T1. Megan Schofill – 71, 70, 72 (-3) T4. Mychael O’Berry – 74, 69, 72 (-1) T13. Elina Sinz – 73, 72, 74 (+3) T26. Anna Foster –75, 76, 72 (+7) T45. Brooke Sansom – 81, 70, 76 (+11)
All five members of the Auburn men’s golf team competing at the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate shot even par or better in the second round of the annual event Monday. Auburn was the only team to boast five rounds of even par or better. After the opening 36 holes at the par-70 Old Overton Club, Auburn is in third at 15-under (273-272--545) and trails leader Vanderbilt
(542) by just three strokes heading into Tuesday’s final round. Georgia (544) is in second. All five Tigers are in the top 35 on the individual leaderboard, including four inside the top 20. Graysen Huff leads the way for the Auburn contingent and is tied for sixth at 6-under (6569--134). The senior tied for a team-high 13 pars and had three birdies across his second tour of the course. Jovan Rebula is just
one shot behind Huff and tied for 12th at 4-under (69-67--136). The senior carded a team-best six birdies with five coming on the front nine during the second round. Alex Vogelsong sits in a tie for 15th at 3-under (70-67--137) after 36 holes. After shaking off a bogey on the second hole Monday, the sophomore was flawless for the remainder of the round, totaling four birdies and 12 pars in his final 16 holes. Wells Padgett is tied
for 20th at 1-under (6970--139). The senior racked up a triad of birdies - all in his opening six holes - to guide his even-par scorecard in the second round. Rounding out the Tiger lineup, J.M. Butler is tied for 34th at 1-over (72-69--141). The freshman split four birdies between the front and back nine to guide his second tour of the course. Auburn is paired with Georgia and See TIGERS , page B6
eight players with previous Division I playing experience. The Tigers open the 2020-21 season Nov. 25; a full schedule will be announced in the coming days. For the latest on Auburn women’s basketball, follow @AuburnWBB on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Tigers fall to Texas A&M in tough road test Contributed by AU Athletics
Tigers go low in second round of Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate Contributed by AU Athletics
style we employ.” Rice is one of 10 newcomers to the Auburn women’s basketball roster that join five returning letterwinners from the 2019-20 season. Along with Baylor transfer Honesty Scott-Grayson and West Virginia transfer Jala Jordan – both of whom sat out last season – Rice’s immediate eligibility gives the Tigers
No. 15 Auburn held No. 3 Texas A&M scoreless for twothirds of the contest but ultimately suffered a 2-0 loss at Ellis Field Monday. The Tigers (3-32) held the highest scoring team in the Southeastern Conference in check until Texas A&M (71-0) got on the scoreboard on a breakaway in the 68th minute. “We’re disappointed with the result,” Head Coach Karen Hoppa said. “A&M is a great team, one of the best teams in the country, but I thought our team was outstanding in our game plan. Our defense was terrific, Maddie Prohaska’s response from Friday was outstanding, and we had chances. We’ve just got to be better when we get those opportunities.” Freshman goalkeeper Maddie Prohaska made eight saves in the contest, including a pair of diving attempts on back-to-back Texas A&M shots in the 58th minute. The eight saves matched Prohaska’s second-highest total of the season. After hanging tough with the third-ranked team in the country through the first half, the Tigers had a pair of near chances in the opening minutes of the second half. However,
both attempts were just outside the reach of junior midfielder Hailey Whitaker’s right-footed flicks. Minutes later, Texas A&M countered Whitaker’s run down the middle of the field and broke the ice midway through the second half. Prohaska tried to beat Texas A&M forward Barbara Olivieri to the ball on a breakaway, but the freshman forward one-timed it into the back of the net. The Aggies added to their advantage with a goal after a corner kick and deflection off the crossbar 15 minutes later. Auburn’s contest at Texas A&M marked the team’s second road game against a top 10 team in the last two weeks and was the Tigers’ fourth game in a span of 11 days to finish the fall regular season. “The good thing is we’ll learn a lot from this game at A&M as we head into Orange Beach,” head coach Karen Hoppa said. “Our young group has taken these eight conference games, and I think we’ve grown every week. We’re excited to start a new season down in Orange Beach at the SEC Tournament.” Auburn makes its 20th straight trip to the SEC Tournament and will take on Georgia (2-3-2) Sunday at 5 p.m. CT in Orange Beach, Alabama.
B6 November 11, 2020
Auburn University doctoral grad named semifinalist for 2021 GRAMMY Music Educator Award
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uburn University doctoral graduate Justin Antos was recently named a semifinalist for the GRAMMY Music Educator Award by the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum. Antos, a 2017 doctoral graduate who teaches at Dwight D. Eisenhower High School in Blue Island, Illinois, made the impressive list of semifinalists not only for his impressive range of accomplishments, but also for his outstanding character. Eisenhower is a Title I school located about two miles southwest of Chicago. Roughly 85% of its students come from low-income households and are eligible for free and reduced lunch. “This obviously poses a threat to instrumental music classes,” Antos said. “We have a very high undocumented population, and it is not uncommon for my students to have to work full-time or parttime jobs to help their families put food on the table.
“As a result of this, I do my best to structure my classes where I teach the whole child and ensure that my students’ health, safety and happiness are met before any curricular instruction occurs. Despite my students’ obstacles, they are proud of their ensembles and continue to make band and orchestra a priority in their lives. I feel as though I have an obligation to them to be my best every single day.” The Music Educator Award recognizes current educators who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the field of music education and who demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in the schools. Finalists will be announced in December, and the recipient will be recognized during GRAMMY Week 2021. The award is open to current U.S. music teachers, and anyone can nominate a teacher, students, parents, friends, colleagues, community members, school deans
and administrators. Teachers are also able to nominate themselves, and nominated teachers are notified and invited to fill out an application. Each year, one recipient is selected from 10 finalists and recognized for their remarkable impact on students’ lives. They will receive a $10,000 honorarium and matching grant for their school’s music program. The nine additional finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium and matching grants. The remaining 15 semifinalists will receive a $500 honorarium with matching school grants. Since joining the Eisenhower staff in 2009, Antos took an instrumental music program of one band of just more than 40 students and transformed it into three curricular bands, two curricular orchestras and a guitar program, now serving more than 300 students. His concert bands, marching bands, jazz ensembles and orchestras have earned numerous top finishes and Division I ratings over the past
several years at various state and national festivals. Antos also conducts the school’s award-winning show choir combo, musical pit band, mariachi band and pep band and facilitates 15 different chamber ensembles. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Antos is a respected scholar who has published several articles in practitioner and academic journals and has presented at numerous music education conferences throughout the United States. He frequently performs as a freelance percussionist and studio musician in the Chicagoland area and operates his own home recording studio, where he provides free demo recordings for upand-coming artists. For all of his accomplishments, Antos continues to cherish his Auburn experiences. “My time at Auburn was incredibly rewarding,” he said. “Dr. Nancy Barry, Dr. Jane Kuehne and Dr. Rick Good, among others, challenged me artistically and academically and helped me realize
my potential as a musician and scholar. The beautiful campus, esteemed faculty, electric environment and rigorous coursework helped shape me into the educator I am today. “I graduated with my Ph.D. in May of 2017 and earned the Distinguished Dissertation Award from the Graduate School that same year. I went on to publish my research, present at several music education conferences throughout the United States, and finish my National Board Teaching Certification. I could not be more proud to call myself an Auburn Tiger. War Eagle!” Founded in 1915, the Auburn University College of Education offers more than 60 degree options in teaching, special education, educational leadership, kinesiology, counseling, adult education, educational technology and educational psychology. All of the college’s educator preparation programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of
Justin Antos, a 2017 Auburn doctoral graduate, has been named a semifinalist for the 2021 Music Educator Award by the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum. Teacher Education, or NCATE, and approved by the Alabama State Department of Education, or ALSDE. Programs in counseling and rehabilitation are accredited by the American Psychological Association, or APA, and the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs, or CACREP, and music education shares the National Association of Schools of Music, or NASM, accreditation with the College of Liberal Arts.
Auburn Thunder Youth Soccer Tournament set to boost local economy this weekend Contributed by AO Tourism
Auburn Thunder Soccer Club will host the Auburn Thunder Classic Nov. 13-15 at the Wire Road Soccer Complex in Auburn and the W. James Samford Soccer Complex in Opelika. The tournament will feature over 1,300 players representing three states, with more than half of the players coming from outside of Alabama. Alabama players will represent cities across the state including Huntsville,
TIGERS>> FROM B5 Vanderbilt for the final round of the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate, beginning Tuesday at 9:40 a.m. CT off the No. 1 tee. Live scoring is available on Golfstat.com. Team Scores 1. Vanderbilt: -18 (270272--542) 2. Georgia: -16 (265279--544) 3. Auburn: -15 (273272--545) 4. Tennessee: -9 (274277--551) 5. South Carolina: -7 (279274--553) 6. Mississippi State: -6 (278-276--554) T-7. Arkansas: E (280280--560)
Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Fairhope and Mobile. “We are excited to welcome athletes and their families from across the Southeast to visit Auburn and Opelika. This tournament gives us the chance to showcase our charming town and community. Many of our friends, neighbors, and local business have suffered greatly due to the pandemic. Auburn Thunder hopes to make a huge economic impact on our community by hosting tournaments like this one
throughout the year,” said Toby Hammer, Auburn Thunder Board President.
T-7. Ole Miss: E (279281--560) 9. Florida: +1 (280281--561) 10. Texas A&M: +2 (282280--562) 11. Alabama: +3 (276287--563) 12. Missouri: +6 (281285--566) 13. Kentucky: +10 (283287--570) 14. LSU: +22 (283-292--582) Auburn Individuals T-6. Graysen Huff: -6 (6569--134) T-12. Jovan Rebula: -4 (6967--136) T-15. Alex Vogelsong: -3 (70-67--137) T-20. Wells Padgett: -1 (6970--139) T-34. J.M. Butler: +1 (72-69--141)
Out-of-town guests staying in area hotels, eating at area restaurants and shopping at
local retailers will mean a significant increase in area revenue throughout the duration of the tournament. Anthony Terling, AuburnOpelika Tourism’s sports and event development manager, predicts that the estimated economic impact from the tournament will exceed $500,000, including more than $100,000 in estimated local sales taxes. “Competitive Soccer continues to grow in popularity with young athletes across the country, and we look forward to working
with our partners on the Auburn Thunder Classic tournament to foster the growth of the sport and its economic benefits to our community,” said Terling. The Saturday and Sunday schedule will begin with first games at 8 a.m. for all age groups. Local vendors will serve a variety of food at both complexes throughout the weekend, and a local radio station will be broadcasting live from the fields. Everyone is invited to join the fun and support our local community.
Photo contributed by Wade Rackley/AU Athletics
B7 November 11, 2020
Third annual Black Male Summit at OHS
Contributed by the Dream Day Foundation The Dream Day Foundation in partnership with Harris Funeral Home, Kroger, Inc., McDonald’s of Auburn and Opelika and Opelika City Council welcomed approximately 65 young men, parents and presenters as they braved the inclement weather and COVID-19. This third annual Black Male Summit was held on Saturday Oct. 24 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Summit was originally scheduled to be hosted at the Opelika Sportsplex Amphitheater but due to rain it was moved to OHS. All attendees adhered to COVID-19 guidelines with a temperature check, wearing a mask and practicing social distancing. Signs with names of young men that have been killed were used in between seats to help with social distancing. Each young man was given a theme mask along with a summit t-shirt. Each participant was also given a gift card that was donated by local citizens. A light breakfast was provided by Gentry and Ware Motors along with lunch provided by the Good Ol’ Boys Social Club. The theme for this year was The Bigger Picture. Keynote Speaker George Bandy Jr., a native of Opelika, offered words of wisdom in sharing his story of growing up as a young black boy in Opelika. He shared how God can use anyone to do great things. Other presenters were Tyrone White, Damian Sinclair and Dialleo Burks. A Q & A session was allowed at the end of each session.
B8 November 11, 2020
Opelika earns playoff win
Photos by Robert Noles/Opelika Observer
Opelika, L ee County & A labama Politics
B9
November 11, 2020
Wednesday, November 11, 2020
Jim Martin, Father of Modern Republican Party in Alabama
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hree years ago, Jim Martin passed away in Gadsden at 99 years old. His beloved wife of 60 years, Pat, was by his side. He was a true Christian gentleman. Jim was one of the fathers of the modern Republican Party in the south. In 1962, John Kennedy was President. Camelot was in full bloom. The Congress was controlled by Democrats only because the south was solidly Democratic. The southern bloc of senators and congressmen were all Democrats. Because of their enormous seniority, they controlled both houses of Congress. The issue of civil rights was a tempest set to blow off the Capitol dome. Kennedy was under intense pressure to pass major civil rights legislation. However, he was up against a stonewall to get it through the powerful bloc of southern senators. Race was the only issue in the south, especially in Alabama. George Wallace was riding the race issue to the Governor’s office for his first term. The white southern voter was determined to stand firm against integration and was poised to cast their vote for the most ardent segregationists on the ballot. Our Congressional delegation, all eight congressmen and both senators, was Democratic. Our tandem of John Sparkman and Lister Hill had a combined 40 years of service. Lister Hill had gone to the U.S. Senate in 1938. He had served four six-year terms and had become a national celebrity in his 24 years in the Senate. He was up for election for his fifth six-year term. It was expected to be a coronation. Sen. Hill was reserved, aristocratic and almost felt as if he was above campaigning. He was also soft on the race issue. He was a progressive who refused race-bait. Out of nowhere a handsome, articulate, young Gadsden businessman, Jim Martin, appeared on the scene. Martin was 42, a decorated World
STEVE FLOWERS War II officer, who fought with Patton’s 3rd Army in Europe. He entered as a private and became an integral part of Patton’s team, rising to the rank of Major. After the war, Martin went to work for Amoco Oil and married a Miss Alabama — Pat Huddleston from Clanton. They then settled in Gadsden, and he bought an oil distributorship and became successful in business. He was a business Republican and became active in the State Chamber of Commerce. When the State Chamber Board went to Washington to visit the Congressional delegation, they were treated rudely by our Democratic delegates, who were still voting their progressive New Deal, pro-union philosophy. Martin left Washington and decided that Alabama at least needed a two-party system and that he would be the sacrificial lamb to take on the venerable Lister Hill as the Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate. Martin got the nomination in a convention and the David vs. Goliath race was on. By late summer, the big city newspapers could feel that Martin had some momentum. He was being perceived as the conservative and Hill as the liberal. Every Alabama courthouse was Democratic: all sheriffs, probate judges and all statewide elected See FLOWERS, page B10
Craig Dubose named Opelika Firefighter of the Year By Michelle Key Publisher
Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller and the Opelika City Council announced the Firefighters of the Year for 2020 during last week’s city council meeting. Firefighter/paramedic Blake Smith was nominated as Firefighter of the Year for the A Shift, Apparatus Operator Craig DuBose was nominated for the B Shift and Peter Martin was the C Shift nominee. The Exchange Club selected Dubose as the 2020 Firefighter of the year and was
recognized by Fuller and Fire Chief Byron Prather for his hard work and dedication to the job during his 23 years with the fire department. “He is an excellent representative of the Opelika Fire Department and we are proud that the Opelika has chosen AO Dubose as the 2020 Firefighter of the Year,” Fuller said. Lee County Emergency Management Agency Director Rita Smith recognized several Opelika first responders for their work in assisting Baldwin County in the recovery
effort following Hurricane Sally. “For your willingness to support to Baldwin County after Hurricane Sally made landfall and their agencies were exhausted, was honorable and humbling to those leading the mission,” Smith read from the certificates being awarded. “Your selflessness to serve not only Lee County but anyone in need is admirable and deserves of recognition. Thank you for your service and job well done.” See OPELIKA page B10
Auburn Council votes against office space By Hannah Lester hlester@opelikaobserver.com
Auburn City Council met Tuesday to discuss a potential development on the corner of Moores Mill Road and Hamilton Road. Multiple citizens registered for the Zoom meeting to express their frustration and opposition to the ordinance. Brett Basquin, representing PSM Holdings, LLC. asked the council to amend the planning development district for the Hamilton Place shopping center. PSM Holdings, LLC wanted to use the property for an office space and was asking the council to amend ordinance number 2569 to al-
low for that use. The owner spoke at the meeting and said that the use as an office building is appropriate for the area as it will be empty on nights, weekends and holidays. Kevin Wells was the first citizen to speak out against the proposed ordinance. “I would ask that the council not vote to change the zoning for a couple of reasons,” he said. “Primarily, listed under comp plan 2030 as has already been stated in your discussions but also safety.” Wells said that he has seen the traffic study the city conducted on the area over the summer showing that speed
limits were mostly being observed. However, this study was conducted when traffic density was at a lower peak, he said. He said he would be curious to see what the study would reveal if conducted at different times of day now. “Another thing about that roadway is the property issue is at a low point in Moore’s Mill Road where the road rises in either directions to a rise about 75 to 100 yards in each direction, limiting sight distance, shortening reaction times to cars flying over the top of those hills.” Wells said. “Of the two See COUNCIL page B11
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B10 November 11, 2020
Opelika Historic Preservation Society visits the Kiwanis Club of Opelika Shane Dickerson, President of the Opelika Historic Preservation Society shared some of the past, present and future activity at last week’s Kiwanis Club meeting. Pictured are Mary Roberson, Shane Dickerson and Ginger Stern. The OHPS is located in the Brownfield House (circa 1850), in Opelika’s Historic District. An architectural legacy, the house has been carefully restored by the Opelika Historic Preservation Society. This Victorian cottage is a treasured landmark of Opelika’s historic heritage.
Alabama Municipal Funding Corporation Announces New Board Members Chair: Mayor Lawrence “Tony” Haygood of Tuskegee; Mayor Gary Fuller of Opelika; Mayor Rusty Jessup of Riverside; Mayor Scott Reeves of Hokes Bluff; and Councilmember Tommy Perry of Priceville. A program of the
Alabama League of Municipalities, AMFund was developed to assist Alabama’s cities and towns in funding local projects and equipment purchases as well as refinancing existing debt. Through timely, lowcost, direct bank debt
financing, AMFund can provide funding to almost any size municipal project. Municipal associations in several states, including Kentucky, Florida, Georgia and Tennessee, operate similar programs for their members. As
with those programs, AMFund is able to take advantage of the economies of scale, allowing municipalities to receive competitive, fixed rate debt financing regardless of project size while significantly reducing the borrowers’ transaction costs and
minimizing staff time by using straightforward, direct bank debt loan documentation. For additional information about the Alabama League of Municipalities and its member service programs, visit www. almonline.org.
– approved the purchase of six safety ALPR camera sysFROM B9 tems – approved the purIn other business, the council chase of WatchGuard Maintenance – declared Novem– approved the ber Epilepsy Awarepurchase of a fully ness Month to bring awareness to the fact trained K-9 dual purthat epilepsy affects pose police dog one out of 26 individ– approved the puruals in America today chase of Vista HD – approved a bid for Wi-Fi Body Camerthe purchase of police as-Sole Source - PD. equipment – approved the pur– approved a bid for chase of a 2020 Toro the purchase of police Reelmaster 3100-D uniforms Sidewinder Mower – approved a bid for – approved the purthe purchase of S&C chase of Vista HD pad mounted gears Wi-Fi 4RE In-Car – approved a bid for Camera Systems the purchase of three – approved the purphase pad mounted chase of Cisco Equipwye ment – approved to des– approved the purchase of a Cloudignate city personal Based Security Sysproperty surplus and to authorize disposal tem – approved a re– approved an annuquest refund of occual appropriation conpational license fees tract with Lee County – approved a reHumane Society – approved an annuquest refund of business license fees al appropriation con-
tract with Lee County Rabies Officer in the amount of $6,000 – approved an annual appropriation contract with The Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Lee County for the amount of $45,000 – approved the Authorization of an engagement letter with Himmelwright, Huguley, & Boles, LLC for annual auditing service – approved Ordinance 027-20 to Establish the Offices of City Clerk and City Treasurer – Introduced – suspended rules – approved a resolution to appoint Russell Jones as the city clerk – approved a resolution to appoint Cindy Boyd as the City Treasurer – approved the appointment of Sutricia Johnson to the LRCOG MPO/Citizens
Advisory Committee. for the existing term ending Jan. 1, 2021 – approved the reappointment of Corey Grant to the LRCOG MPO/Citizen Advisory Committee for a new term that will end on Nov. 5, 2022 – approved the reappointment of Sherri Reese to the LRCOG MPO/Citizen Advisory Committee for a new term that will end on Nov. 5, 2022 – approved the reappointment of Gary Fuller to the Airport Advisory Board for a new term that will end on Nov. 4, 2024 – approved the appointment of George Allen to the Airport Advisory Board for a new term that will end on Nov. 4, 2024 – tabled a resolution to appoint Erica Norris to the Alabama Council on Human Relations – approved the appointment of Erica
Norris to the Board of Appeals - Public Works Board for a new term that will end on Nov. 4, 2024 – approved the reappointment of Eddie Smith to the Board of Appeals - Public Works Board for a new term that will end on Nov. 4, 2024 – approved the reappointment of Joey Motley to the Board of Appeals - Public Board for a new term that will end on Nov. 4, 2024 – approved the reappointment of Gary Fuller to the Lee Russell Council of Governments Executive and MPO Board for a new term that will end on Nov. 4, 2024 approved the appointment of Todd Rauch to the Lee Russell Council of Governments Executive and MPO Board for a new term that will end on Nov. 4, 2024 approved the ap-
pointment of Robert Lofton to the Opelika Planning Commission Board for a new term that will end on Nov. 4, 2024 – approved the reappointment Gary Fuller to the Solid Waste Disposal Authority Board for a new term that will end on Nov. 4, 2024 – approved the appointment of Eddie Smith to the Opelika Utilities Board for a new term that will end on Nov. 2, 2026. The Opelika City Council meets on the first and third Tuesday nights of every month unless otherwise designated. The next council meeting is scheduled for Nov. 17 starting at 7 p.m. with a work session to be held before the council meeting. Meetings are open to the public and are held at the Municipal Court located at 300 Martin Luther King Blvd., in Opelika.
country and most Alabamians knew that Jim Martin had been counted out. Jim Martin would have been the first Republican Senator from the south in a century. Some people speculate that he would have been the vice-presidential candidate with Richard Nixon in 1968. Regardless, Martin was the John the
Baptist of the Southern Republican sweep of 1964, and father of the modern Republican Party in Alabama. That 1962 Senate race was a precursor of what was to come two years later. Jim Martin was one of five Republicans swept into Congress in the 1964 Goldwater landslide. He probably would have won the U.S. Senate seat
of John Sparkman in 1966. However, Martin chose to run for governor against Lurleen Wallace. In 1987, Martin became Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. As Commissioner, Martin helped create the Forever Wild land preservation program. Jim Martin
has a special place in Alabama political history. See you next week.
Contributed by Alabama Municipal Funding Corporation
The Alabama Municipal Funding Corporation (AMFund) is proud to announce its board of directors following the 2020 municipal election cycle:
OPELIKA>>
FLOWERS >> FROM B9 officials. It was hard to imagine that the tradition of voting Democratic would change, but the winds of segregation were strong. When the votes were counted in November of 1962, Martin had pulled off the biggest upset in the nation. NBC’s team of Huntley and
Brinkley reported the phenomenon on the nightly news. Republican President Eisenhower called Martin to congratulate him. However, things were happening in rural North Alabama. Martin had won by 6,000 votes, but three days later, mysterious boxes appeared with just enough votes to give Hill the belated victory. The entire
Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.
B11 November 11, 2020
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Our Triple T election: Trump, Tuberville and Turnout
he town of Rabbit Hash, Kentucky, recently “elected” a French bulldog as mayor, in its annual fundraiser. More than 22,000 votes were cast, and canine candidate Wilbur Beast won. But on Tuesday a real Kentucky candidate, with an unusual nickname, won election to the U.S. Senate for the seventh time. Mitch McConnell is considered to be the most powerful Senate Majority Leader since Lyndon Johnson in the 1950s. Many Kentuckians and most conservatives admire him. But liberal funny-man Jon Stewart does not. “He is a slowtalking tortoise man,” said Stewart. “He is biologically a tortoise.” Graciously, the senator replied, “I love it. He didn’t hurt my feelings.” I’m not a clairvoyant, but I usually add my own insights when predicting political results. This year, I again studied various factors (polls, finances, media
COUNCIL >> FROM B9 accidents documented in this study, one occurred at the low point at the entrance to Bent Brook in a time of heavy traffic. I know this accident, our nephew was involved. The other car flipped and landed on its roof. This is not a safe location due to cars coming over the top of the hill at a fairly high rate of speed within a very short distance.” Most citizens who spoke were concerned about safety if the ordinance was approved. “As Mr. Wells said, who’s child was in a wreck, and it was a very bad wreck; I know wrecks can happen all over the city but this is not going to be a fender bender,” said another resident
skills, ideology, national and state issues, etc.) But for the presidential race, I knew his weak handling of the pandemic would hurt President Trump’s totals. Many analysts posited Trump would get about 65%–66% due to his wide appeal in Alabama. I alone said that the virus would detract a wee bit from his vote percentage, giving him 62%, not the expected 65%. I was on-target as he garnered 62.3%. (Incidentally, George W. Bush’s win over John Kerry in 2004 is almost identical to Trump’s victory over Joe Biden, here in 2020.) In 1984, asked if he would bet his house that President Reagan would defeat former VP Walter Mondale, the witty President Nixon said: “And I wouldn’t bet an outhouse that Mondale would win.” Similarly, U.S. Senator Doug Jones was on his way out unless a terrible scandal against his opponent surfaced.
Jones lost to political newcomer Tommy Tuberville by 20%. This is very bad news for any Democrat who takes on a U.S. Senate or gubernatorial campaign. Reason: Jones spent a decent amount of money, ran a race that had a strong message of conciliation and hope (One Alabama), and worked diligently to show he works well with Republicans, but he still lost by a wide margin. In 2018, Walt Maddox would have benefited from more money and a more exciting approach, but he has been successful as a chief executive (Mayor of Tuscaloosa) and was a youthful 45 when defeated by Gov. Kay Ivey in 2018. I figured despite his liberal views on subjects dear to Alabamians, he would capture 42% and the well-funded Jones in his Senate race do that or a bit higher, 43%, against an inexperienced Republican. It was a foregone
Julie Melton. “So if it happens, it’s going to be bad and I pray it doesn’t happen to my child or one of my friends’ children. And so I am coming to you, obviously passionately about this to say, take a second.” Melton asked that the council consider every-day life and not just the traffic study. “It is getting to be extremely difficult to turn out of that neighborhood, if you start adding something directly across the street with a left hand turn back into it, it’s just going to be crazy,” said another citizen, Mark Massey. “… Understand that somebody will die on these intersections with that much traffic coming across the street. It is not going to be good.” Ernie Merritt said that the planned de-
velopment district should remain the way it is zoned and planned. “This is against everything that the landuse plan has identified or has been designed and that wasn’t just something that somebody arbitrarily wrote one day,” he said. “There was a lot of work that the city and the folks before us all made evaluations and made determinations on and identified that land as that.” Merritt also addressed the issue of property rights which some used to promote Basquin’s development plan. He said that while property rights exist, they are irrelevant in this situation because Basquin purchased the land knowing what it was zoned for. There was a citizen
conclusion that constitutional amendments to require proof of citizenship, establish longer appointed terms for judges, and recompile the 1901 Constitution, all received at least 65% percentage approval. But, with 98% of the vote tabulated, the proposed amendment to restructure the legal system was neck-andneck. The closeness of the vote totals is not surprising. This ballot issue had too much information in it and had more legalese than necessary. Many voters do not even stay at the polls to approve or deny
down ballot Alabama Constitution changes. Why give these most responsible voters a laundry list to read when they are conscientious enough to look at the whole ballot? Still, the turnout was astounding and computer or human mistakes were not seen at the voting places. I sensed a lot of “cognitive dissonance” in this election, as in other campaigns. For example, people said “I hate Trump’s divisive and cruel personality, but I will vote for him because of his business sense.” Or, “I am voting for Tuberville although he is a beginner at politics, because he will always back President Trump.” Dr. Leon Festinger, a social psychologist, wrote that “cognitive dissonance occurs when a person holds contradictory beliefs, ideas or values and is typically experienced as psychological stress when they participate in an action that goes against one or
more of them … People do all in their power to change them until they become consistent.” Kevin Bleyer, an Emmy Award winning writer for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, asks “Am I the only one who can’t seem to reconcile the grand canyon of cognitive dissonance I feel when people with much more important jobs than I have manage to score much lengthier times off?” Maybe. But Mitch McConnell keeps quite busy as Senate Majority Leader. At age 78, he is still young. You see, tortoises are the longest-lived land animals. Most live to over a hundred. So McConnell can laugh at Stewart who called him a reptile. Greg Markley has lived in Lee County for 20 of the last 24 years. An award-winning journalist, he has master’s degrees in education and history. He taught political science as an adjunct in Georgia and Alabama.
who spoke in favor of the ordinance. Michael Clifton said he previously owned the property and spoke in the owner’s favor. He said that PSM Holdings, LLC has put a lot of time and effort into this and he hoped the council would approve the ordinance. The council ultimately voted against the ordinance, however. “I put a lot of thought into this decision on Moores Mill Road,” said Ward 8 Council Member Tommy Dawson. “And I sympathize with the developer, I really do, and it was a hard thing to do but ultimately I think it comes down to, for me, I can’t vote for something where someone’s child could get hurt, when they’ve
expressed that tonight.” Ward 5 Council Member Steven Dixon expressed a similar sentiment about why he voted against the ordinance. “Many of ya’ll know that I was in a car accident when I was little and that just spoke really true to me,” he said. “And I’m all for property rights, but I do think that safety is the number one priority. And I think there are things outside of tests and what books show that can happen. And that is the reason why I voted the way I voted tonight.” Student Housing: The council also voted to approve an ordinance that reduces the bed density in the UN-W zone from 255 to 170 beds per acre.
This item was postponed from the previous council meeting after Mayor Ron Anders said that he would like more time to evaluate if this was the correct number for the city. Although there was quite a bit of discussion at the last meeting, the item was passed Tuesday without discussion or questions. Other Business: The council approved the purchase of a Stivers Ford 2021 F-550 Cab 4x2 Chassis Cab Dump Trump for the Public Works Department for over $62,000. The council approved the purchase of a Stivers Ford 2021 F-550 Crew Cab 4x4 Chassis Cab Platform Truck for the Public Works Department for almost $56,000.
By Greg Markley
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B12 November 11, 2020
PUBLIC NOTICES IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF ANNE G. GRADY, DECEASED. IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA Case No: 2020-383 Letters Testamentary on the estate of said decedent having been granted to the undersigned on the 5th day of October, 2020, 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. JAMES D. GRADY Personal Representative Robert H. Pettey Samford & Denson, LLP P.O. Box 2345 Opelika, AL 36803-2345 (334) 745-3504 Legal Run 10/28/20, 11/04/20, 11/11/20 -------------IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF MARGARET E. JACKSON, DECEASED IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA CASE NO: 2020-415 IN RE ESTATE OF MARGARET E. JACKSON Letters Testamentary of said deceased have been granted to Kelly J. Durkin, as Personal Representative, on the 19TH day of October , 2020 by the 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 the time allowed by law or the same will be barred. Nick Y. Shimoda Shimoda & Storey, LLP Attorney for the Estate Legal Run 10/28/20, 11/04/20 & 11/11/20 -------------COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG) Public Hearing December 3, 2020 Public Notice The City of Opelika will hold a Public Hearing on Thursday, December 3, 2020 at 4:00 p.m., in the Municipal Meeting Room, 300 MLK Boulevard, to discuss the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) activity and progress for the end of the year Consolidated Annual Performance Report (CAPER) for program year 2019: October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2020. Discussion about the program and how it benefited Low-Moderate income families in the City of Opelika will be heard and discussed; A Public Hearing will also be held to discuss proposed Amendments to the CDBG Annual Action Plans for PY2018 and PY2019. The proposed amendments will include reallocation of $82,975.28 from PY2018 and $92,870.50 from PY2019 in unspent funds from Emergency Home Repairs, Homeownership Loan Program, Main Street Façade Program, and Public Facility. A copy of the CAPER will be available for public review and comment beginning November 20, 2020 at Public Works, City Hall (Mayor’s office) and the Cooper Memorial Library. Copies of the CAPER may be obtained at the public hearing or by contacting the Planning Department. Public participation and comments are invited either in writing or in person
and will be accepted for a minimum of fifteen (15) days with the comment period ending on December 7, 2020. Comments may be sent to: Community Development CAPER Citizen Comment 700 Fox Trail Opelika, AL 36801 Email: lthrift@opelika-al. gov “In Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Opelika will make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting. If you need special assistance to participate, please contact the ADA Coordinator 72 hours prior to the meeting at (334)705-2083.” Legal Run 11/11/2020 -------------IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF HELEN P. EASTERDAY, DECEASED. IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA Case No: 2020-431 Letters Testamentary on the estate of said decedent having been granted to the undersigned on the 28th day of October, 2020, 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. NORMAN E. EASTERDAY Personal Representative Robert H. Pettey Samford & Denson, LLP P.O. Box 2345 Opelika, AL 36803-2345 Legal Run 11/04/20, 11/11/20 & 11/18/20 -------------NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT ESTATE OF EVELN MARIE HARRIS, DECEASED COURT OF PROBATE LEE COUNTY Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to the undersigned on the 28th day of October, 2020, 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 28th day of October, 2020. KIMBERLY HARRIS HODGE Legal Run 11/04/2020, 11/11/2020, 11/18/2020 -------------IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF RICHARD PAUL HOWELL, DECEASED CASENO.: 2020-426 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Take Notice that Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to Brenda P. Howell, on 27TH day of October, 2020, by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama. Notice is hereby given to all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred. BRENDA P. HOWELL 6868 Lee Rd. 252 Opelika, AL 36804 Legal Run 11/4/20, 11/11/20, 11/18/20
-------------IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA REESE JEFFERY ARNEZ, ECHOLS ANN LAVONIA DESHAWN, TENNEY MIKE, Plaintiffs, V. FREMAN STEPHEN, SPRATLIN LAURA, GARGUS TAMMY, Defendants Case no.: CV-2020900405.00 ORDER TO SERVE BY PUBLICATION The Plaintiff having made a Motion for Service by Publication supported by the Affidavit of JEFFERY REESE, ANN ECHOLS, AND MIKE TENNEY, stating that the names and addresses, who might claim any right, title or interest in the property described in the complaint are unknown and after due diligent inquiry are still unknown and it appearing that the Plaintiff has filed a Complaint seeking equitable remedy for title to land in Lee County, Alabama. It is ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that whom might have a claim to said lands, answer the Complaint of the Plaintiff by the _______ day of __________, 20__, or thereafter a judgment by default may be rendered against the said Defendant. It is further ORDERED that this Order and notice be published once a week for four successive weeks in the Opelika Observer, a newspaper of general circulation in Lee County. Done this the 29th day of October, 2020. /s/ HON. JACOB A. WALKER III – CIRCUIT JUDGE Legal Run 11/4/2020, 11/11/2020, 11/18/2020 & 11/25/2020 -------------IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN RE: THE ESTATE OF ADRIENNE MCPHAIL, DECEASED CASE NO: 2020445 NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT TO BE PUBLISHED BY CO - PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to HAYDEN HOFFMAN AND STEFAN SIERRA, on the 4th day of November, 2020, by the Hon. Bill English , Judge of Probate 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. BY: James E. Hall, Attorney for Co - Personal Representatives. Legal Run 11/11, 11/18 & 11/25 -------------NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City Council of the City of Opelika will hold a Public Hearing on Tuesday, December 15, 2020, at 7:00 p.m. in the Courtroom of the Opelika Municipal Court Building, 300 Martin Luther King Boulevard, Opelika, Lee County, Alabama. PURPOSE The purpose of said Public Hearing will be to consider the adoption of an ordinance to amend Ordinance Number 124-91 (entitled “Zoning Ordinance of the City of Opelika”) adopted on September 17, 1991. At said Public Hearing all who desire to be heard shall have
the opportunity to speak for or in opposition to the adoption of the following ordinance: ORDINANCE NO. ________ AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE ZONING ORDINANCE AND ZONING MAP OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council (the “City Council”) of the City of Opelika, Alabama (the “City”) as follows: Section 1. That Ordinance 124-91 entitled “Zoning Ordinance City of Opelika, Alabama”, adopted on September 17, 1991, and the Zoning Map of the City of Opelika provided for and referred to therein, as previously amended and/or modified, be and the same is hereby amended by rezoning or redistricting the parcel of land hereinafter in this section described, so as to change such parcel from one class of district to another class of district as follows, to-wit: From a R-4 District (Medium Density Residential District) to a C-3 District (General Commercial District), the parcel of land hereinafter described: Parcel Subdivision of the property of W P Properties Opelika, LLC, according to and as shown by that certain map or plat of record in Town Plat Book 36, at Page 144, in the Office of the Judge of Probate of Lee County, Alabama. The above-described property contains 6.2 acres, more or less, and is located in the 2000 Block of Cunningham Drive, Opelika, Alabama. Section 2. Any ordinance or part thereof in conflict with provisions of this Ordinance be and the same are hereby repealed. Section 3. This Ordinance shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the City of Opelika, Lee County, Alabama. All interested persons are invited to attend the public hearing and be heard. Written comments concerning the above matter may be mailed to the City Clerk at P.O. Box 390, Opelika, AL 36803 at any time prior to the public hearing and may be further submitted to the City Council at the meeting and the public hearing. Please contact Kevin Rice, the City’s ADA Coordinator, at 334-705-2083 two (2) working days prior to the meeting if you require special accommodations due to any disability. WITNESS my hand this the 11th day of November, 2020. /s/ Russell A. Jones, CITY CLERK OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA, ALABAMA Legal Run 11/11/2020 -------------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, November 17, 2020 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: A public hearing on a request by Blake Rice, authorized representative for Shannon Culligan, property owner, for preliminary plat approval of The Lakes at Anderson Road Phase 3 subdivision plat consisting of 29 lots accessed at the terminus of Anderson Lakes Drive. A public hearing on a request by David Slocum, authorized representative for Dibenedetto Enterprises, LLC, property owner, for preliminary plat approval of the Waverly and Veterans subdivision Phase 1 and Phase 2 consisting of 74 lots accessed at the 3000 block Waverly Parkway. A request by Marvin Dean/ Mike Maher, authorized representative for R & S Properties, LLC, property owners, for preliminary plat approval of the Waverly Park Parcel D Second Revision subdivision consisting of 16 lots accessed at 699 Waverly Place. A request by Tim Moore/ Mike Maher, authorized representatives for Moore’s Construction, LLC, property owners, for final plat approval of the Andrews Estate Phase 2 subdivision consisting of 20 lots accessed from the 1800 block Andrews Road. A request by Daniel Holland/Mike Maher, authorized representatives for Holland Homes, LLC, property owners, for final plat approval of the Foxrun subdivision consisting of 137 lots accessed from the 1400 block Fox Run Parkway. A request by Edgar Hughston, authorized representatives for Edgar Hughston Builder Inc., property owners, for final plat approval of the Wyndham Village Phase One subdivision consisting of 23 lots accessed from Gateway Drive. A public hearing on a request by Race Cannon, authorized representative for Cannon Real Estate Holdings, LLC, property owner, for conditional use approval for commercial uses on first floor and residential uses on the 2nd floor in the Dickson Building located at 100 South 8th Street. A public hearing on a request by Wesley Miller, authorized representative for Murphy Oil USA, Inc., property owner, for conditional use approval to demolish and reconstruct the Murphy Oil USA gas station/convenience store at 2950 Pepperell Parkway. A public hearing on a request by Howard Porter, authorized representative for Tree Designation, LLC, property owners, for conditional use approval to construct warehouse distribution buildings accessed at the 100 block Orr Avenue. 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 Kevin Rice, the City’s ADA Coordinator, at 334-705-5132 at least two (2) working days prior to the meeting if you require special accommodations due
to a disability. PLANNING DIRECTOR Legal Run 11/11/2020 -------------NOTICE OF COURT PROCEEDING CASE NO. GEORGE CARLTON FOWLER IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNT Y, ALABAMA Notice of the filing of Petition for Summary Distribution In the Estate of GEORGE CARLTON FOWLER, deceased Notice is hereby given that a Petition for Summary Distribution has been filed in the LEE COUNTY Probate Office by Stevie Fowler on October 20, 2020 pursuant to Section 43-2-690, Code of Alabama and that 30 days after the notice of publication hereof and pursuant to la w the Court shall be requested to enter an Order directing Summary Distribution of the estate of said decedent. BILL ENGLISH, PROBATE JUDGE Legal Run 11/11/2020 -------------COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG) Public Hearing December 3, 2020 Public Notice The City of Opelika will hold a Public Hearing on Thursday, December 3, 2020 at 4:00 p.m., in the Municipal Meeting Room, 300 MLK Boulevard, to discuss the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) activity and progress for the end of the year Consolidated Annual Performance Report (CAPER) for program year 2019: October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2020. Discussion about the program and how it benefited Low-Moderate income families in the City of Opelika will be heard and discussed; A Public Hearing will also be held to discuss proposed Amendments to the CDBG Annual Action Plans for PY2018 and PY2019. The proposed amendments will include reallocation of $82,975.28 from PY2018 and $92,870.50 from PY2019 in unspent funds from Emergency Home Repairs, Homeownership Loan Program, Main Street Façade Program, and Public Facility. A copy of the CAPER will be available for public review and comment beginning November 20, 2020 at Public Works, City Hall (Mayor’s office) and the Cooper Memorial Library. Copies of the CAPER may be obtained at the public hearing or by contacting the Planning Department. Public participation and comments are invited either in writing or in person and will be accepted for a minimum of fifteen (15) days with the comment period ending on December 7, 2020. Comments may be sent to: Community Development CAPER Citizen Comment 700 Fox Trail Opelika, AL 36801 Email: lthrift@opelika-al.gov “In Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Opelika will make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting. If you need special assistance to participate, please contact the ADA Coordinator 72 hours prior to the meeting at (334)705-2083.” Legal Run 11/11/2020 -------------ORDINANCE NO. 027-20 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING DIVISION 6 OF ARTICLE II OF CHAPTER 2 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA, ALABAMA TO ESTABLISH THE OFFICES OF CITY CLERK AND THE CITY TREASURER
See PUBLIC NOTICES, page B13
B13 November 11, 2020
PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICES >> FROM B12 AND DEFINE THE POWERS, DUTIES AND FUNCTIONS OF THE CITY CLERK AND THE CITY TREASURER BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council (the “Council”) of the City of Opelika, Alabama (the “City”) as follows: Section 1. Amendment of Division 6 of Article II of Chapter 2 of the Code of Ordinances. That Division 6 of Article II of Chapter 2 the Code of Ordinances of the City of Opelika, Alabama, entitled “City Clerk/Treasurer” is hereby amended to read as follows: Division 6. City clerk and the city treasurer. Subdivision 1. City Clerk Section 2-125.6.1 Establish office of city clerk. The nonclassified position of city clerk is hereby established in accordance with the provisions of §11-43-3, Code of Alabama (1975). The office of city clerk shall be filled by the city council, by majority vote of the whole qualified membership of the council, at its first regular meeting or as soon thereafter as shall be practicable and such appointee shall hold office until the next general election, and until his or her successor is elected and qualified. It is the intent of the council that said appointment shall be filled at the complete discretion of the council without posting, notice or compliance with any other selection procedures of the city. If a vacancy exists in the office of city clerk, the office shall be filled by the city council by majority vote of the whole qualified membership of the council. Section 2-125.6.2 Compensation. The salary, compensation and emoluments of the city clerk shall be fixed by resolution of the city council and shall not be diminished during the term of office for which he shall have been selected or appointed. Section 2-125.6.3 Removal. Any person appointed to the office of city clerk may be removed after a hearing, by a two-thirds vote of all of those elected to the council for incompetency, malfeasance, misfeasance or nonfeasance of office and for conduct detrimental to the good order or discipline of the city, including habitual neglect of duty. Section 2-125.6.4 Official custodian of records. (a) As the lawfully designated custodian of certain city documents and records, the city clerk’s office shall maintain a permanent filing system of (1) each resolution and ordinance adopted by the city council; (2) certain contracts, agreements and franchises entered into by the city; (3) deeds to all property acquired or sold by the city; (4) appointment files and expiration notices for city boards and agencies; and (5) reports, plans or studies adopted by the city council. (b) The city clerk’s office shall prepare official minutes of all meetings of the city council as required by law; provide the public with access to all public records in his or her possession; and assist individuals and groups seeking information about the city and its departments. Section 2-125.6.5 Powers and duties of city clerk The city clerk shall have the following power and duties: (1) Attend all regular and special meetings of the city council and attend certain meetings of all committees, boards and commissions of the city to the extent required by law or the council. (2) Prepare and maintain the minutes of all
meetings of the city council. (3) Maintain custody of the seal of the city and impress the seal upon all papers and documents where the seal of the city must appear. (4) Attest the execution of city documents. (5) Publish notice of public hearings, special meetings of the city council, elections and other official actions as required by state law and city ordinance. (6) Maintain copies of all city ordinances and resolutions for public use. (7) Receive and file all communications and petitions directed to the city council or to the city generally and indicate thereon the action of the city council taken upon matters in such communications and petitions. (8) Inform persons appointed by the mayor or city council to offices in municipal government of their position and the time at which they assume the duties of their office as required by the Mayor or the Council. (9) Submit claims, requisitions and demands against the city to the city council at its next regular meeting for approval, unless already provided for by ordinance or resolution. (10) Provide information or assistance to the public on request by answering questions, researching records and directing them to appropriate persons and transmitting messages to city staff or officials. (11) Prepare certain resolutions, contracts, agreements and notices at the direction of the city council. (12) Publish certain legal notices and advertisements as required by law. (13) Mail notices to property owners of public improvements made by the city council. (14) Ensure city ordinances, resolutions and minutes of the city council are signed and recorded, if necessary. (15) Monitor the execution of city agreements, contracts and other legal documents. (16) Coordinate, manage and supervise the conduct of municipal elections; receive and file election statements as required by law; direct and supervise election personnel and ensure compliance with federal, state and local laws and regulations. (17) Serve as absentee ballot manager in the conduct of all municipal elections. (18) Under the supervision of the president of the city council, prepare agendas of all city council meetings and work session meetings. (19) Coordinate the information flow between the city council, the mayor and city staff. (20) Compose correspondence, reports, memos, letters, notices, resolutions and ordinances on behalf of the city council. (21) Conduct necessary research and provide support materials to aid the city council and mayor in making informed decisions. (22) Carry out assignments and directives of the city council. (23) Act as liaison between the city council and city staff. (24) Collaborate with mayor, city council and city staff to formulate long range plans and goals of the city. (25) Perform such other duties as may be required of city clerks by law. (26) Perform such other duties as may be required by the city council. Section 2-125.6.6 Supervision. The city clerk shall report
directly to and work under the general supervision of the president of the city council. The president of the city council shall evaluate, at least annually, the performance of the city clerk. Said evaluation and review shall be conducted in accordance with the established rules and regulations of the Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual. The president of the city council shall provide the city clerk with an adequate opportunity to discuss his or her evaluation with the president of the city council. The president of the city council shall provide copies of the annual evaluation to the city council. Section 2-125.6.7 Bond. For faithful performance of official duties, the city clerk shall make bond with surety approved by the Mayor in the sum of $100,000, the premium of which shall be paid by the city. Subdivision 2. City Treasurer Section 2.125.7.1 Establish office of the city treasurer. The nonclassified position of city treasurer is hereby established in accordance with the provisions of §11-43-3, Code of Alabama (1975). The office of city treasurer shall be filled by the city council, by majority vote of the whole qualified membership of the council, at its first regular meeting or as soon thereafter as shall be practicable and such appointee shall hold office until the next general election, and until his or her successor is elected and qualified. It is the intent of the council that said appointment shall be filled at the complete discretion of the council without posting, notice or compliance with any other selection procedures of the city. If a vacancy exists in the office of city treasurer, the office shall be filled by the city council by majority vote of the whole qualified membership of the council. Section 2-125.7.2 Compensation. The salary, compensation and emoluments of the city treasurer shall be fixed by resolution of the city council and shall not be diminished during the term of office for which he shall have been selected or appointed. Section 2-125.7.3 Removal. Any person appointed to the office of city treasurer may be removed after a hearing, by a two-thirds vote of all of those elected to the council for incompetency, malfeasance, misfeasance or nonfeasance of office and for conduct detrimental to the good order or discipline of the city, including habitual neglect of duty. Section 2-125.7.4 Powers and duties of city treasurer The city treasurer shall have the following power and duties: (1) Manage the investment of city funds in accordance with state laws and city policies and provide current status, activity and performance reports to the council and Mayor. (2) Maintain a record of pledged collateral by official depositories to comply with state law. (3) Co-sign city checks and drafts as required by the council and Mayor. (4) Deposit the public funds of the city and such depositories as authorized by the council. (5) Keep an accurate record of the funds of the departments of the city. (6) Keep books showing accurately the financial condition of the city. (7) Establish accounting systems and procedures for the safekeeping, disposal of and recording of all
investment assets held or controlled by the city, including the establishment of appropriate internal controls as required. (8) Collaborate with the Mayor, council and city staff to formulate long-range plans and goals for the city. (9) Perform such other duties as may be required of city treasurers by law. (10) Perform such other duties as may be required by the city council and Mayor. Section 2-125.7.5 Supervision. The city treasurer shall report directly to and work under the general supervision of the mayor. The mayor shall evaluate, at least annually, the performance of the city treasurer. Said evaluation and review shall be conducted in accordance with the established rules and regulations of the Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual. The mayor shall provide the city treasurer with an adequate opportunity to discuss his or her evaluation with the mayor. The mayor shall provide copies of the annual evaluation to the city council. Section 2-125.7.6 Bond. For faithful performance of official duties, the city treasurer shall make bond with surety approved by the Mayor in the sum of $100,000, the premium of which shall be paid by the city. Subdivision 3. Separation of Offices of City Clerk and City Treasurer. Section 2.125.8.1 Offices of City Clerk and City Treasurer, Divided The offices of City Clerk and Treasurer are divided into two positions. The Council, with the consent of the Mayor and a two-thirds vote of the majority, may consolidate the offices of clerk and treasurer as provide in §11-43-3, Code of Alabama, (1975). Any such action shall be done at the beginning of a new Council to assure that the term of the officeholder is not diminished. Section 2. Severability Clause. If any section, subsection, clause, or phrase of this ordinance is held to be invalid or unconstitutional by any court of valid jurisdiction, said holding shall not affect the remaining portion of this Ordinance. Section 3. Repealer Clause. All former ordinances or parts thereof conflicting with this Ordinance or the sections hereby adopted are repealed to the extent they are in conflict. All remaining portions of said Ordinance shall remain in full force and effect. Section 4. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall become effective upon its passage and publication as required by law. Section 5. Publication. The City Clerk of the City of Opelika, Alabama is hereby authorized and directed to cause this Ordinance to be published one (1) time in a newspaper of general circulation published in the City of Opelika, Lee County, Alabama. Section 6. Codification. Codification of this Ordinance in the Code of Ordinances of the City of Opelika is hereby authorized and directed. ADOPTED AND APPROVED this the 3rd day of November, 2020. /s/ Eddie Smith PRESIDENT OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF OPELIKA, ALABAMA ATTEST: /s/ Russell A. Jones CITY CLERK TRANSMITTED TO MAYOR on this the 4th day of November, 2020. /s/ Russell A. Jones
CITY CLERK ACTION BY MAYOR APPROVED this the 4th day of November, 2020. /s/ Gary Fuller MAYOR ATTEST: /s/ Russell A. Jones CITY CLERK Legal Run 11/11/2020 -------------NOTICE OF COURT PROCEEDING CASE NO. PHILLIP HUGHLEY JR IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA Notice of the filing of Petition for Summary Distribution In the Estate of PHILLIP HUGHLEY JR, Deceased Notice is hereby given that a Petition for Summary Distribution has been filed in the LEE COUNTY Probate Office by Dorothy Burton Hughley on November 3, 2020 pursuant to Section 43-2-690, Code of Alabama and that 30 days after the notice of publication hereof and pursuant to law the Court shall be requested to enter an Order directing Summary Distribution of the estate of said decedent. BILL ENGLISH, PROBATE JUDGE Legal Run 11/11/2020 -------------IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA MOTORS ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION Plaintiff vs. SHARONDA BUTLER Defendant Case Number: SM06-1235 NOTICE OF PUBLICATION TO: SHARONDA BUTLER You are hereby notified that on 10/11/2019 a Garnishment was filed against you, listing TMOBILE USA INC as Garnishee. You have the Right to Claim Exemption from Garnishment. By Order of Publication entered by the Court and notice be published once a week for four consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation. Defendant must respond to this publication and make their answer known to the Court 30 days from the last date of publication so that monies withheld by the court can be disbursed to Plaintiff’s counsel. District Civil Court of Lee County 2311 Gateway Drive. Room 104 Opelika, AL 36801 Of Counsel: Motors Acceptance Corporation PO BOX 468 Columbus, GA 31902 (800) 899-6669 Legal Run 11/11/20, 11/18/20, 11/25/20 & 12/02/20 -------------STORAGE TREASURES AUCTION ONE FACILITY – MULTIPLE UNITS Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell personal property described below belonging to those individuals listed below at the location indicated: 1412 Opelika Rd, Auburn, AL 36830 Thursday, December 3, 2020 at 10:00AM Mark Brumbeloe Unit 255 194 Winterset Ln Notasulga, AL 36866 Books and boxes
Valentina Norris Unit A7 1372 Commerce Dr Apt 85 Auburn, AL 36830 Household goods Patricia Felton Unit S335 932 Pleasant Ave. Auburn, AL 36830 household items The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures.com. Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property. Legal Run 11/11/2020 & 11/18/2020 -------------NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF KATHRYN A. DAIGLER, DECEASED CASE NO. 2020-436 PROBATE COURT, LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA NOTICE TO CREDITORS Take Notice that LETTERS TESTAMENTARY of the Estate of KATHRYN A. DAIGLER are hereby granted to Kevin Daigler and Nancy Sack, on the 29th day of October, 2020, 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. KEVIN DAIGLER Legal Run 11/11/20, 11/18/20, 11/25/20 -------------IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN TH E MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF BRENDA F. REESE, Deceased CASE NO. 2020-390 NOTIC E OF APPOINTMENT LETTERS OF AD MINIS T RATION o f s a id d e c e a s e d h a vin g be e n granted to the undersigned on the 27th day of October, 2020, by Hon. 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 with in the time allowed by law or the same will be barred . ARCHIE OTIS REESE, JR. Administrator Legal Run 11/11/20, 11/18/20 & 11/25/20 -------------FORM OF ADVERTISEMENT FOR COMPLETION LEGAL NOTICE In accordance with Chapter I, Title 39, Code of Alabama, 1975, notice is hereby given that Whatley Construction LLC, Contractor, has completed the Contract for Auburn University- Leach Science Center Basement Build-Out- AU Project # 17410, located at Leach Science Center, Auburn, AL 36832 for the Auburn University Facilities Management, owner, and have made request for final settlement of said Contract. All persons having any claim for labor, materials or otherwise in connection with this project should immediately notify Stacy Norman Architects, 126 Tichenor Ave, Auburn, AL 36830. Whatley Construction LLC Post Office Box 137 Opelika, Alabama 368030137 Legal Run 11/11/20, 11/18/20, 11/25/20 & 12/02/20
B14 November 11, 2020
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B15 November 11, 2020
America’s Thrift Stores announces the Grand Opening of a newest store and 22nd location in the old Gander Mountain in the Tiger Town Shopping Center next to Lowe’s. This will be one of the largest thrift stores in the southeast It will offer something for the whole family in their 32,000 sq. ft. facility The store will stock more than 15,000 name brand clothing and household good items every single day The Grand Opening Weekend at America’s Thrift Store kicks off Thursday Nov. 19 at 8 a.m. with events, door prizes and refreshments
THE GRAND OPENING FESTIVITIES WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND ENDING SUNDAY NOV. 22.
B16 November 11, 2020
Lee County Sunrise Rotary hosts Bridget Brown Photo contributed by Lee County Sunrise Rotary
Bridget Brown (right, pictured with Dr. Lane Sauser) spoke to the Lee
County Sunrise Rotary Club on Nov. 2. Brown, a professional videographer in the Communications unit of the Alabama Cooperative Extension
System, gave a number of excellent tips to the Rotarians on how to make high-quality videos using their smart phones. We thank Dr. Gary
Lemme for arranging this excellent program. The group meets on Monday mornings at 7 a.m. at Tenda Chick.
Located in Historic Downtown Opelika
334-745-4618
GENUINE LEATHER BELTS
Made in Alabama! LOOK FOR A NEW FIND EACH WEEK! 334-745-3221 • ANGELSANTIQUEANDFLEAMALL.COM 900 COLUMBUS PKWY
This week’s puzzle answers: