Community Articles

Command Sgt. Maj. Bennie G. Adkins Veterans Home now open

PHOTO BY ROBERT NOLES | THE OBSERVER The Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs dedicated the Command Sgt. Maj. Bennie G. Adkins Veterans Home during a ceremony on Sept. 13. The 182,000-sq. ft. facility in Enterprise, home to 174 veterans, is named in honor of Adkins,...

Turning sweet and salty into kettle corn success

BY STEVEN STIEFELFOR THE OBSERVER OPELIKA — Doug Long of Opelika turned his love of carnivals into a business producing kettle corn in various sweet and salty flavors to treat kids of all ages.At 57, Long still cooks the old-fashioned way. He pours kernels into a...

Industries to invest $47 million at Opelika facilities

Niagara Bottling announces $35 million expansion CONTRIBUTED BYCITY OF OPELIKA OPELIKA — Niagara Bottling, which opened its Opelika facility in early 2023 with an initial capital investment of over $114 million that created 65 new jobs, announced a $35 million...

Hotel residents ordered to leave facility

BY ANITA STIEFEL | THE OBSERVER OPELIKA — “Less than 24 hours’ notice, and now what are we supposed to do?” asked 61-year-old Donald Preston, who along with more than a hundred other residents of the Springwood Hotel in Opelika were forced onto the street Tuesday...