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April Spotlight
Identify and place this Alabama landmark and you could win $25! Winner is chosen at random from all correct entries. Multiple entries from the same person will be disqualified. Send your answer by April 10 with your name, address and the name of your rural electric cooperative. The winner and answer will be announced in […]
Players with disabilities hear the call: Play ball!
By Pamela A. Keene A player at the Troy Miracle League program prepares to take a swing. Photo Courtesy of Troy Parks and Recreation “Thirteen-year-old Kendyll Eaton starts asking right after the holidays. “When can I play ball? Did you sign me up yet?” Her mother Belinda takes her by the hand and says, “Yes, […]
Delivering on the river
Story and Photos by Colette Boehm Like many who enjoy the inland waters of Baldwin County, Mark Lipscomb spends his mornings out in his boat. Lipscomb’s time on the water, however, is unique not just in these parts, but throughout the country.He’s the mail carrier in Magnolia Springs, a town which has the only year-round […]
Conservation’s eyes in the skies
By Allison Law William Johnston does his pre-flight check of the single-engine Cessna 182, the plane he flies for the Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) Division in the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR). His mission today: to check for populations of cattle egrets, do a visual check of an active eagle’s nest, […]
Beware of calls claiming there’s a problem with your Social Security account
Social Security and its Office of the Inspector General continue to receive reports about fraudulent phone calls from people claiming to be Social Security employees. These scammers try to trick people into providing personal information or money, and often threaten their victims with arrest. Don’t be fooled. Our employees will never threaten you for information […]
Defending the home front:
How to control invasive plants in the garden By Katie Jackson Invasive plants are so tenacious that it often takes a combination of methods to reduce their numbers. One efficient option is the cut-and-spray method of mechanically cutting down a plant as close to the ground as possible then treating the cut spot directly with […]
Cattle woman
When she was named executive vice president of the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association in 2017, Erin Beasley became the first female to head that organization. A cattle farmer herself, she holds degrees in meat science and muscle biology from Auburn University, where she was president of the College of Agriculture and was named the Outstanding […]
Prepare your family now for tornado safety
Alabamians are well aware of the destructive power of tornadoes. It was nine years ago this month – April 27, 2011 – that 62 confirmed tornadoes cut a swath through Alabama, and 238 people in the state lost their lives. Thousands more were injured. So there’s perhaps no better time to review tornado safety […]
Keeping heritage alive
Group honors sacrifice of Civil War soldiers Rifle salute near the Alabama State Capitol on Confederate Memorial Day 2019. “To you, Sons of Confederate Veterans, we will commit the vindication of the cause for which we fought. To your strength will be given the defense of the Confederate soldier’s good name, the guardianship of his […]
‘Electrofishing’ is about science, not sport
Photos by Jon Felsher As the boat pulled up next to a fallen tree along a wooded shoreline deep in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta, Dave and Tommy readied their fishing equipment. They unlimbered two long poles, but they weren’t tossing lures or dropping baits into the water. In fact, they weren’t using any kind of attractant […]
Alabama Recipes | Pimento Cheese
Styling/Photos by Brooke Echols Pictured: Fruit & Nut Pimento Cheese, Arizona Pimento Cheese, Bacon Pimento Cheese, Busby Bourbon Pimento Cheese with a Kick ‘Kickin’ Alabama-made pimento cheese proves it’s not just for celery anymore By Lenore Vickrey Growing up in Selma, Kim Peake didn’t even like pimento cheese. But today, she makes and sells her […]
Four considerations before replacing windows
By Pat Keegan and Brad Thiessen Q: Our home’s windows are very old, and when the weather is cold, we can feel a chill when we stand near them. Do you think it’s worth replacing them? A: First, prepare yourself for a bit of sticker shock when you get your first bid for replacing windows. […]
Cousin Benny meets an angel
By Hardy Jackson I have mentioned Cousin Benny from time to time, but considering the importance of what is to follow, let me tell you about him again. Cousin Benny, my first cousin, is like a brother to me. He is my Aunt Anne’s (Daddy’s baby sister) “little peach” — 6-foot, 2-inches, 300 pounds of retired […]