The Cheese Curd is back! — See page A9
IN THIS ISSUE BUSINESS NEWS A2 | SOCIETY A7 | OBITUARIES A13 SPORTS B1 | POLITICS B9 | PUBLIC NOTICES B12
2022 — APA DIVISION D GENERAL EXCELLENCE DESIGNATION — 2023 COVERING LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA Vol. 16, No. 28 Opelika, Alabama Thursday, April 18, 2024 Your hometown newspaper created 'for local people, by local people.'
Observing the eclipse
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The Empty Bowls event coming Saturday PHOT0 CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER The Empty Bowls Preview Party was held April 13 at the ArtHaus in downtown Opelika. Proceeds from the Preview Party went to support the Food Bank of East Alabama's efforts to feed hungry and food insecure people in the community. The Empty Bowls, one of the area's highly anticipated events, will be held this weekend in Opelika. Since the first local Empty Bowls fundraiser in 2014, nearly $100,000 has been contributed to the Food Bank of East Alabama.
See story on page A2
New Lutzie 43 sign posted on Grand National Parkway OPELIKA — The city of Opelika, the Lutzie 43 Foundation and Auburn Marriott Opelika Resort & Spa at Grand National have joined efforts to bring awareness to safe driving. A new sign for the 43 Key Seconds Initiative was dedicated on April 11. The sign is located at the entrance to the resort on Grand National Parkway and is a prominent reminder for drivers to take 43 seconds to ensure a clear head, clear hands, clear eyes and click it before turning the
car key. “We are very appreciative of everyone who undertook this endeavor to honor Philip and position 43 Key Seconds to combat the issues of distracted, impaired and unsafe driving,” said Mike Lutzenkirchen. “The new signs will be a testament to the impact of No. 43 on this community.” The Lutzie 43 Foundation was established by Lutzenkirchen after his son, Philip, lost his life as a passenger in a distracted, impaired and unsafe driving crash in 2014. Philip became a household
name during his football career at Auburn University and was a huge impact on his community through service, leadership, mentorship and compassion. The foundation exists to reduce the number of distracted driving incidents, ultimately diminishing the number of deaths caused by unsafe driving. The 43 Key Seconds Initiative is an effort to change poor driving behaviors, such as distracted, impaired, super speeding, not wearing seatbelts and unnecessary driving after midnight. See 43, page A2
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CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER
The Lutzie 43 sign was dedicated at a ceremony on April 11. The sign, located at the entrance to Grand National, reminds drivers to take "43 key seconds" to ensure a clear head, clear hands, clear eyes and click it before turning the car key.
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