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SUMMER SWING
BUSINESS NEWS A3 | SOCIETY A7 | OBITUARIES A14 | COMICS A16 SPORTS B1 | POLITICS B7 | PUBLIC NOTICES B12 | PUZZLES B14
JULY 4 | NO CONCERT JULY 11 | FEDORAS
APA DIVISION D GENERAL EXCELLENCE DESIGNATION COVERING LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA
Vol. 15, No. 38 Opelika, Alabama
Thursday, June 29, 2023 www.opelikaobserver.com
Your local publication created 'for local people, by local people.'
The Observer Earns Awards in Annual Contest
OPELIKA — The Observer and LIVE Lee Magazine brought home 33 awards in the annual Alabama Press Association Media Awards contest. For the second year in a row, The Observer earned top honors by earning the Division D General Excellence award and the Most Improved award. "I am just blown away by these awards," said Michelle Key, owner and publisher of The Observer. "The talent of the individuals that work here is just incredible. I am blessed to have the honor to work alongside them every day. God has blessed me with a great staff and I am thankful for them every day." There are three components to the contest: editorial, advertising and magazine. The Observer and LIVE Lee brought home first-place awards in all three categories for a total of 14. Additionally, the two publications earned 19 second- and third-place awards. Magazine — See AWARDS, page A3
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER
BY OBSERVER STAFF
Staff member Sam DiChiara poses with awards won by The Observer and LIVE Lee Magazine after the annual Alabama Press Association Media Awards banquet. The annual ceremony is held at the Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach, Alabama. DiChiara, who is part of the Lee County Listener podcast team, represented both publications during the event.
7 Brew Coffee Cuts Ribbon in Auburn, Donates $1,000 to Auburn High School Marching Band
PHOTO AND CONTENT BY ROBERT NOLES / THE OBSERVER
AUBURN — 7 Brew, the drivethru coffee concept revolutionizing the coffee industry, held a ribboncutting ceremony at 1625 E. University Drive Friday with the Auburn Chamber of Commerce. With this opening, 7 Brew surpassed 100 locations nationwide. Striving to serve as a strong community advocate, 7 Brew Auburn donated $1,000 to the Auburn High School Marching Band. “7 Brew’s mission is to cultivate kindness in our community,” said Hayden Holtgrewe, operations leader for 7 Brew Auburn. “We are excited to join the Auburn community, and even more excited to partner with the Auburn High School
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER
CONTRIBUTED BY 7 BREW
High School Sweethearts Celebrate 70 Years
The newly opened 7 Brew coffee, located at 1625 E. University Drive, held its ribbon cutting on June 23, 2023. It also presented a check to the Auburn High School Marching Band for $1,000.
Marching Band to present a check to celebrate our opening in Auburn.” Auburn High School Marching Band Director
Deanna Marshall attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony to receive the donation from 7 Brew alongside the school’s pep band.
“We are honored to receive this donation and excited to welcome 7 Brew to the Auburn See 7 BREW, page A2
Summer of Fun — A5 | Submit Your Photos
JOHN W. AND MARLENE E. MCCOLLUM John W. and Marlene E. McCollum celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on June 20. The couple were high school sweethearts and were married on June 20, 1953, at Pine Grove Methodist Church. They moved to Opelika shortly thereafter and have been members of First Baptist Church of Opelika for more than 65 years. They celebrated their anniversary at the Saugahatchee Country Club surrounded by 100 friends and family.
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