CONTRIBUTED BY OCS OPELIKA — At its regular board meeting on Jan. 28, the Opelika City Schools Board of Education recognized 2024-25 Teachers of the Year. Each honoree was joined by their school principal, who shared the dedication and impact these educators are having on their students and school communities.This year, Opelika High School’s Tracy Tidwell was named OCS Secondary Teacher of the Year.From West Forest Intermediate School, Anna...
CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER LEE COUNTY — Sara Kate Speakman, a senior at Lee-Scott Academy and the 2025 Distinguished Young Woman (DYW) of Lee County, competed against 43 other participants at the state program. The Distinguished Young Women of Alabama competition was held Jan. 24-25 in Montgomery. Contestants were evaluated in five categories: scholastics, interview, talent, self-expression and fitness.Speakman was named as a top eight...
BY STEVEN STIEFEL FOR THE OBSERVER LEE COUNTY — Looking for a workout that blends relaxation, exercise and… farm animals? An upcoming local event will allow you to stretch, breathe and maybe even get a surprise back massage — from a goat.Goat yoga started as a quirky fitness trend but has since gone global, proving that people will do just about anything for stress relief. During class, playful goats roam freely, sometimes hopping onto backs,...
Residents at Shiloh Senior Apartments honored their long-time letter carrier, David Edwards, upon his retirement after 30 years of service with the U.S. Postal Service. Residents decorated their mailboxes with well wishes to show their appreciation. PHOTOS BY SAMANTHA SWEATMAN | THE OBSERVER
Sheriff warns against new phone scam targeting families of recently arrested/incarcerated suspects CONTRIBUTED BY LCSO LEE COUNTY — The Lee County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) is warning citizens of a new phone scam targeting families of recently arrested/incarcerated individuals.LCSO recently received a message from a mother whose son was recently arrested. She received a call from someone claiming to be a corrections officer named Clark Thomas...
BY THE CITY OF OPELIKA OPELIKA – The city of Opelika is proud to announce a historic reduction in the occupational tax rate, marking a significant moment in the city’s commitment to its citizens and economic growth. After 34 years at 1.5%, the city council has voted to lower the occupational tax back to its original rate of 1%, effective April 1, 2025.The occupational tax was first introduced in the early 1960s when Uniroyal came to town, set...
Community
LEE COUNTY (January 27, 2025) – The Lee County Sheriff's Office (LCSO) is warning citizens of a new phone scam targeting families of recently arrested/incarcerated individuals. Over the weekend, LCSO received a message from a mother whose son was...
WASHINGTON — On Monday, the Internal Revenue Service opened the 2025 tax filing season and is now accepting and processing federal individual tax year 2024 returns. The IRS expects more than 140 million individual tax returns for tax year...
BY HANNAH BEASLEY FOR THE OBSERVER EAST ALABAMA — This past December loved ones gathered to celebrate Mrs. Juanita Patrick’s 100th birthday. An Opelika resident for more than 70 years, Patrick was born in Goodwater, Alabama, in Coosa County in 1924...
Want to Advertise with us?
