The Lee County Sheriff’s Office hosted three young men and their guests at this year’s Sheriff for the Day. Sheriff Jay Jones swore-in the guest sheriffs, who toured the Justice Center. This year’s guests included Beauregard fourth grader Kobe Ligon and his 6-year-old brother Jayden, South Smiths Station student James Eiland and his 6-year-old brother Liam, and Smiths Station high schooler Cohen Thomas and his friend, Sam. They visited with law...
BY SAM HENDRIX,AUBURN HERITAGE ASSOCIATION Seventy-five years ago this January, Auburn resident Marianne Jackson Cashatt (1933-2011) was on top of the world: a popular senior at Lee County High School with abundant school and church activities and plans for college. She had no idea the extent a ride to and from Opelika after a school club meeting would change her world. Marianne’s story of faith, determination and perseverance remains...
James Douglas “Doug” Vaughan, seated center, celebrated his 100th birthday with his family on Jan. 5. Born in 1925 in Opelika, he attended school in Opelika and Beauregard and graduated from Clift High School, where he drove the school bus during his senior year. Although he had a deferment for farming during WWII, he joined the Army Air Corps and attended B29 Flight Engineer School in Amarillo, Texas. The war ended before he finished training....
Vestavia native Abbie Stockard crowned Jan. 5 in Orlando Abbie Stockard, an Auburn University student majoring in nursing, was crowned as Miss America 2025 on Jan. 5 at Walt Disney Theater in Orlando. A member of AU’s Tiger Paws Dance Team, Stockard was chosen as Miss Alabama in June 2024. She beat out 52 competitors to win the Miss America title, which came with a $50,000 scholarship. For the talent portion of the competition, she danced to...
BY LOGAN HURSTONFOR THE OBSERVER EAST ALABAMA — For many parents, raising children with special needs can be a struggle, especially when it comes to finding personal time to relax. A Mother’s Rest, a nonprofit organization, understands that.A Mother’s Rest specializes in weekend getaways for parents and caretakers to rest, recuperate and share their experiences with fellow parents. The organization offers weekend getaways across the nation...
Auburn welcomes ALDI, Smalls Sliders to town BY ANITA STIEFEL | EDITOR@OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM AUBURN — BYO bags, and don’t forget to bring a quarter.Grocery chain ALDI celebrated the grand opening of its new store in Auburn with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Jan. 9. The store is located at 1617 South College St., the former site of Winn-Dixie.ALDI carries fresh produce, dairy and eggs, organic meats, sustainable seafood, deli and bakery products,...
Community
CONTRIBUTED BY FAMILY FEATURES EAST ALABAMA — It doesn’t take much for cold and flu symptoms to take over. Even a mild case of the sniffles can make it difficult to navigate the demands of everyday life. It’s virtually impossible to avoid germs...
Protect your home from freezing pipes when temps drop CONTRIBUTED BY OPELIKA WATER OPELIKA — With extreme cold in the forecast, Opelika Water urges customers to take proactive measures to protect their homes and businesses from freezing pipes.As...
BY LOGAN HURSTONFOR THE OBSERVER EAST ALABAMA — For many parents, raising children with special needs can be a struggle, especially when it comes to finding personal time to relax. A Mother’s Rest, a nonprofit organization, understands that.A...
Want to Advertise with us?
