Thursday, May 4, 2023 NOON TUNES May 10 at Courthouse Square - Noon
COVERING LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA
SUMMER SWING May 9 at Municipal Park 7 p.m.
IN THIS ISSUE BUSINESS NEWS A3 | SOCIETY A7 | OBITUARIES A15 | COMICS A16 SPORTS B1 | POLITICS B9 | PUBLIC NOTICES B12 | PUZZLES B15
Vol. 15, No. 30
Your local publication created 'for local people, by local people.'
Opelika, Alabama
Publix Is Coming to Opelika
OPELIKA — During Tuesday night's Opelika City Council meeting, the council members voted to approve a project development agreement with MAB American Management LLC. According to the resolution, MAB American Management LLC has presented plans to develop 12.6 acres of land located at the southwest corner of the intersection of Veterans Parkway and U.S. Highway 280. According to signage located on the property, the the development will include a Publix Supermarket. As part of the agreement the city of Opelika has agreed to provide financial incentives to the developer
in the form of the economic development grants equal to 50% of the city sales and use tax collected from businesses within the project over a period of 15 years, not to exceed $2 million. Of the 65,000-squarefoot shopping center, nearly 49,000-square-feet will be occupied by the supermarket. Lori Huguley, director of Economic Development, spoke of the project. "We are excited about what this development is going to mean for our city," Huguley said. President of MAB American Management LLC, John Argo, was in attendance during the council meeting. "I would like to commend the city council, and the mayor as well, for creating a business climate [in Opelika] that attracts
PHOTO BY KENDYL HOLLINGSWORTH / THE OBSERVER
BY MICHELLE KEY MICHELLE@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
A Publix Supermarket is being planned as part of a retail development by MAB Amercian Management LLC, at the Intersection of U.S. Highway 280 and Veterans Parkway in Opelika.
investors,"Argo said. "We had the pleasure of being recruited by Lori and her team to be a part of the city
of Opelika. We have the pleasure of working with one of our business clients, Publix Supermarkets. They
are an excellent retail merchant." Argo praised Hughley for her "selling of Ope-
Nonprofits Selected for Opelika Giving Day
Auburn Chamber Celebrates Jonathan Jones Next Step Foundation PHOTOS BY HANNAH LESTER-GOLDFINGER / THE OBSERVER
Auburn Mayor Ron Anders (center) and the Auburn Chamber of Commerce attended a ribbon cutting for the Jonathan Jones Next Step Foundation on Friday, April 28. BY HANNAH LESTER-GOLDFINGER HLESTER@ OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
AUBURN — The Auburn Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting for the Jonathan
Jones Next Step Foundation, Friday, April 28. Jonathan Jones is an NFL player who got his career
start in Auburn and is now giving back.
lika," and said that he hopes that his company will be a good neighbor to the community.
CONTRIBUTED BY ENVISION OPELIKA FOUNDATION
OPELIKA — Envision Opelika Foundation recently selected 13 nonprofit organizations to participate in the fifth annual Opelika Giving Day. Opelika Giving Day is a 24-hour online fundraiser. This year the 24-hour period will run from May 10 at noon until May 11 at noon. “We’re excited about the nonprofits and their projects, especially since they represent such a wide range of interests to Opelika citizens,” said Susan Brinson, chair of Envision Opelika Foundation. Since its inception, Opelika Giving Day has helped raise nearly $150,000 for more than 25 nonprofit projects in or serving Opelika.
See JONES, page A3
See GIVING, page A3
O O
Find Us Online:
FRED ERi CK-DEAN FUNERAL HOME & CREMATORY Compassion • Integrity • Tradition
334-745-4667 On-site Crematory Now Open