Thursday, March 16, 2023
Covering Lee County Alabama
An award-winning publication created 'For local people, by local people.' Opelika, Alabama
Vol. 15, No. 23
Spring is Almost Here
REID B. GAVIN CONTRIBUTED BY MACHEN MCCHESNEY
Governor's State of the State Address ALABAMA — At the invitation of the Alabama House of Representatives, Gov. Kay Ivey delivered the annual State Of The State address to a joint session of the Alabama Legislature on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, at 6 p.m. CST in the Old House Chamber of the State Capitol. The transcript of Ivey's State of the State address follows: Lt. Gov. Ainsworth, Pro Tem Reed, Speaker Ledbetter, Speaker Pro Tem Pringle, members of the Alabama Legislature, justices of the Alabama
Supreme Court, distinguished guests and my fellow Alabamians. As we begin the first legislative session of this new four-year term, I am especially proud to be joined by so many students from around our state, including Livingston’s University Charter School and the Northeast Alabama Community College. Folks, our students — our young people — are why our work today matters and why we must get it right. Everything we do today is for a better tomorrow for these children and all the families who call Alabama home. We have an opportunity
See IVEY, page A3
USED WITH PERMISSION FROM THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
CONTRIBTUED BY THE OFFICE OF GOV. KAY IVEY
GOV. KAY IVEY
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER
PHOTO BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER
Opelika's Azaela Trail is now open, as is Auburn's Floral Trail. In Opelika, the trail starts at the corner of 8th Street and 2nd Avenue — follow the signs and pink ribbons. Directions can be found at www.keepopelikabeautiful.com under programs and events. Auburn's trail is open through April 21 and one can take a stroll, drive or bike ride through the 14-mile trail that highlights some of Auburn's finest blooms and foliage. Find a map at www.auburnbeautification.com/floral-trail. Pictures of each trail can be found on pages A5 and A6.
New COO Named at Local Accounting Firm
AUBURN — Machen McChesney, one of the region’s leading CPA and business advisory firms, recently announced that Reid B. Gavin has been named the firm’s new chief operating officer. A senior executive with 15 years of experience, Gavin excels in leading organizations and teams to deliver excellence to clients while driving sustainable growth. Throughout his career, he has held executive roles in operations, quality assurance and business development in various medical provider establishments. Gavin has a strong track record of challenging organizations to achieve their potential. As Machen McChesney continues to evolve and grow, Gavin’s operations expertise will be key in accomplishing its goals to better serve clients, recruit and retain top talent and positively impact our communities. Gavin obtained his MBA from the University of Tennessee - Chattanooga, his doctorate in audiology from Auburn University and his Bachelor of Arts in mass communication from Auburn University. “We are excited to have Reid officially join Machen McChesney,” said Michael D. Machen, the firm’s managing partner. “He complements our high-performance culture, and his impressive execution of achieving results makes him the perfect choice to lead operations as we continue to grow and return value.” ABOUT MACHEN MCCHESNEY: Machen McChesney, a CPA See GAVIN, page A2
CONTENTS
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ENTERTAINMENT ...... A7 OPINION ................. A8 RELIGION .............. A13 OBITUARIES ........... A14 COMICS .................. A16
SPORTS ................... B1 POLITICS ................. B9 PUBLIC NOTICES ..... B12 CLASSIFIEDS .......... B14 PUZZLES ................ B15