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Saying goodbye to an Opelika Icon – A3

2022 — APA DIVISION D GENERAL EXCELLENCE DESIGNATION — 2023 COVERING LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA Vol. 16, No. 36 Opelika, Alabama Thursday, June 13, 2024 Your hometown newspaper created 'for local people, by local people.'

www.opelikaobserver.com

OPD steals the show at Burger Wars Wins Tailgater’s Crowd Favorite for third year in a row PHOTO BY ROBERT NOLES | THE OBSERVER

OPELIKA — Members of the Opelika Rotary Club have hosted the annual Burger Wars event in historic downtown Opelika for the past decade, and from the start, Burger Wars was a hit with both grillers wanting to show off their best burgers and hungry crowds that would purchase tasting tickets and attempt to sample as much as possible. Aside from being a fierce food competition, Burger Wars is first and foremost an event to raise money for food-insecure children in the area.

2024 Burger Wars winners: Pro Division 1st Place - Botanic 2nd Place - Tiger Dining 3rd Place - Jack Brown's Beer & Burger Joint Crowd Favorite - Tiger Dining Corporate Division 1st Place - Capell & Howard, P.C. 2nd Place - Jager Pro Hog Control Systems 3rd Place - Max Fitness of Auburn Crowd Favorite - Veterans Motorcycle Club Tailgater’s Division 1st Place - HFC-Auburn, Nathan Baker 2nd Place - Opelika Water 3rd Place - Donald & Shannon Clayton Crowd Favorite - Opelika Police Department

The Opelika Police Department won Crowd Favorite in the Tailgater’s Division of this year’s Burger Wars on Saturday, June 8. This year’s crowd favorite, named the A.M. Bush Burger, was a spicy sausage and beef patty, strawberry pepper jam, hashbrown, fried egg and pepperjack cheese between homestyle waffles.

For more photos see page A4

Juneteenth events planned in Auburn, Opelika PHOTO BY ROBERT NOLES | THE OBSERVER Community members gathered last year for Juneteenth on the Square in Opelika. This year’s event is set for Friday, June 21.

BY ANITA STIEFEL AND KADIE VICK THE OBSERVER

LEE COUNTY — There will be several events to commemorate Juneteenth this year, starting with Auburn’s third annual celebration and a family fun day in Opelika this weekend, as well as Opelika’s Juneteenth on the Square next weekend. Auburn’s Juneteenth Parade is set for Friday, June 14, at 6 p.m. The parade will begin at Boykin Center and end at Drake Middle School. This is a free, family-friendly event. Auburn will celebrate Juneteenth on Saturday, June 15, beginning at 10 a.m. in Keisel Park, with a ceremony at noon. Auburn’s events are sponsored by Councilwoman Connie Fitch Taylor and the Northwest Auburn Taskforce Inc. The Lion Tamers Social and Civic Club will host a Junteenth Family Fun Day on Sat-

urday, June 15, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Covington Recreation Center, located at 213 Carver Ave. in Opelika. This year’s theme is Stop the Violence, Save Our Children. Opelika’s Juneteenth on the Square celebration will be held Friday, June 21, at 5:30 p.m. at Lee County Courthouse Square. The event will include food, activities and entertainment for the community to enjoy. “We’ll have our vendors, we have the food trucks, there’ll be live entertainment and this year we have incorporated the Juneteenth choir that will perform as well,” said Opelika Juneteenth Committee member Janataka Hughley-Holmes. “It’s just a time for us to come together as one, not one race, but as one body and in unity to commemorate the holidays.” Committee members hope to emphasize See JUNETEENTH, page A2

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Free outdoor concerts every Tuesday night, 7 p.m. at Opelika Municipal Park.

June 18 - GP38