2 | LAGNIAPPE | August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••• LAGNIAPPE WEEKLY august 13, 2015 – a ugust 19, 2015 | www.lagniappemobile.com

Ashley Trice BAY BRIEFS Co-publisher/Editor The Mobile County Commission is at [email protected] odds over its control of tax abatement Rob Holbert agreements with job providers. Co-publisher/Managing Editor 6 [email protected] COMMENTARY Steve Hall Marketing/Sales Director Things that make you go “hmm...” [email protected] Gabriel Tynes Assistant Managing Editor 14 [email protected] Dale Liesch BUSINESS Reporter A USPS transfer facility on Shipyard [email protected] Road in Mobile recently sold to an Jason Johnson investment group for $3.1 million. Reporter 18 [email protected] Eric Mann Reporter CUISINE [email protected] Aluminum cookware is

Kevin Lee CONTENTS considered reactive, Associate Editor/Arts Editor while stainless [email protected] steel is considered Andy MacDonald Cuisine Editor nonreactive. Each [email protected] have their advantages Stephen Centanni in the kitchen. Music Editor [email protected] J. Mark Bryant Sports Writer 20 [email protected] 20 Stephanie Poe Copy Editor COVER Lawmakers are pushing Daniel Anderson for a $50 million bond Chief Photographer [email protected] to pay for a proposed lodge at Gulf State Park Laura Rasmussen despite local opposition Art Director to the plan. Meanwhile, www.laurarasmussen.com the state has spent Brooke Mathis more than $110 million Advertising Sales Executive on improvements at [email protected] other parks in the last 15 Beth Williams years, as plans for Gulf Advertising Sales Executive State Park repeatedly fell [email protected] through. 2626 Misty Groh Advertising Sales Executive [email protected] ARTS Kelly Woods Mobile Theatre Guild presents Advertising Sales Executive “The Complete History of America [email protected] (abridged),” a madcap “new Melissa Schwarz 28 vaudeville” with a cast of three. Editorial Assistant [email protected] MUSIC Mary Burts Distribution Manager The Boxmasters, a [email protected] “modbilly” group Contributors: fronted by Billy Bob Asia Frey • Brian Holbert Michael Degan • Ron Sivak Thornton, are touring Jeff Poor • Ken Robinson in support of their On the Cover: Gulf State Park by Dan Adnerson fourth studio album, “Somewhere Down LAGNIAPPE (USPS 20) is published weekly, 52 issues a year, Volume 13, Issue 33, every The Road.” Thursday by Something, Extra Publishing, Inc. Entered at the Mobile Post Office, 250 St. Joseph St, Mobile, AL, 36601. Periodicals postage paid at Mobile Post Office, 32 250 St Joseph St., Mobile, AL 36601 32 and other locations. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to P.O. Box 3003 Mobile, AL 36652. Editorial, advertising and production offices are FILM located at 1102A Dauphin St. Mobile, AL 36604. Mailing address is P.O. Box Comedy meets tragedy as a film 3003 Mobile, AL 36652. Phone: 251.450.4466 Fax 251.450.4498. Email: ashley- crew follows vampire roommates [email protected] or [email protected] through western society in the 21st LAGNIAPPE is printed at Signature Offset, 2610 Lakeview Road, Hattiesburg, Mississippi. 40 century. All letters sent to Lagniappe are considered to be intended for publication. Member: Association of Alternative Newsweek- MEDIA lies and Alternative Weeklies Network All rights reserved. Something Extra Publishing, “Code Readers” are set to change Inc. Nothing may be reprinted, photocopied or in any way reproduced without the expressed the way media ratings are measured. permission of the publishers. Individuals may take one copy of the paper free of charge from area businesses, racks or boxes. After that, papers are $3 per 44 issue. Removal of more than one copy from these points constitutes theft. Violators are subject to prosecution. SPORTS Help support Lagniappe Weekly by A Mobile little-league team finished becoming a “Friend with Benefits.” Scan this code for more info: third at the recent Cal Ripken 46 Major/70 World Series in Maryland. STYLE The South rises again, along with the 50 temperature.

August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015| LAGNIAPPE | 3 gOINg POstaL POLICE DIsPatCH Letter writer should zip it Orange Beach trainer pleads not guilty to steroids charges Donald couldn’t be more incorrect in his layman’s opinion of why traffi c goes wrong at a merge point (“It’s BY JASON JOHNSON/REPORTER | [email protected] engineering, not politics,” Aug. 6). Google “zipper merge” and educate yourselves. A personal trainer in Orange Beach charges could carry a possible sentence correct division within our offi ce so the People who merge early and act as if they’re decent was formally indicted July 30 for charges of 20 years in prison and fi nes of up to $1 investigation can begin immediately.” members of society by doing the “nice” thing are actually related to importing and distributing million upon conviction. MCSO investigators stated it only took causing havoc and delay. It’s odd these same people will cut anabolic steroids. In his arraignment Documents released after Williams’ a week to collect enough evidence, in- me off in a newly opened line at Wal-Mart but won’t fi ll a Aug. 5, Thomas Daniel (Danny) Williams arraignment show a trial is expected cluding surveillance video, to serve both lane engineered to maximize traffi c fl ow. pleaded not guilty to 17 charges despite sometime in October, commencing with of the search warrants executed Friday. Some countries and states have made it law to fi ll lanes the FBI’s claim that he initially admitted jury selection tentatively set for Oct. 5. As a result of the investigation, fi ve during congestion. Studies have shown an increase in fl ow to at least some of those charges in an However, that date is subject to change women were arrested and charged with by as much as 40 percent! Why not educate ourselves and initial investigation. based on the schedule of the presiding promoting prostitution. improve traffi c fl ow without having Mobile spend a dime Williams is accused of smuggling judge. A fi rm date for jury selection will on concrete and blacktop? human growth hormone and several other be fi nalized no later than Sept. 30. Mobile Police make arrest in steroids into the U.S. from overseas and Matthew Carr 2012 murder case distributing them in the Orange Beach Deputies arrest fi ve in prostitu- On Friday Aug. 7, the Mobile Police area. In addition to those charges, the fed- tion bust Department made an arrest in a 2012 eral government is also alleging Williams Last Friday, the Mobile County Sher- shooting that left 38-year-old Lanelle Don’t leave green spaces barren laundered money during the process, iff’s Offi ce arrested fi ve individuals in Jackson dead at the scene on St. Stephens While the practice of creating green space to compensate and also distributed other narcotics like connection with a prostitution investiga- Road. At the time, authorities reported for lost green space has improved, rarely do we see it com- cocaine. tion at two spas within the city of Mobile. Jackson was shot and killed inside his car ing close to what was previously there. Planting trees and Based on the affi davit of a special The search warrants were executed at on Oct. 28, 2012. shrubs in grassy areas along roads, hig hways and interstates agent of the FBI, Lagniappe reported in Ocean Sauna Spa, located at 3108 Airport As a result of a three-year investiga- helps balance the scales and spruce up an otherwise barren July that Williams had admitted to selling Blvd., and Win Spa, located at 5256 U.S. tion, 41-year-old Tony Dwan Williams landscape by adding greenery and splash of color. cocaine and importing and distributing Highway 90. was charged with murder, fi rst-degree A fi ne example is off of Exit 13 on Interstate 65 where anabolic steroids. In a prepared statement, Sheriff Sam assault and fi rst-degree robbery in con- magnolias and crape myrtles were planted. Thousands of At the time, even Williams’ defense Cochran said his offi cers began the nection to Jackson’s death. motorists driving southbound on I-65 approach our city attorney, Domingo Soto, told Lagniappe investigation with information received Williams, who also uses the name only to see little more than a barrage of lawyer billboards, Williams had “pretty much admitted what through the CRIMETIPS feature of Levan Dwan Perryman, has an extensive leaving them with the impression that our city is more about he’s done,” with regard to the distribution MCSO website. arrest record going back to the 1990s lawsuits than attractions. Billboards featuring attractions of steroids. However, Soto vehemently “You can report any crime anony- that includes drug charges, discharging alongside some oaks and azaleas would be a much friendlier denied the allegations related to interna- mously using our drop-down menu,” Co- a weapon into an occupied dwelling and way to say “welcome.” tional money laundering. chran said. “Once the citizen completes multiple charges for assault, robbery and Based on the penalty sheet released the form and clicks ‘submit report’ the burglary. Thomas Habib with his indictment, the most serious information is sent automatically to the

4 | LAGNIAPPE | August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 BAYBRIEFS | MOBILE COUNTY BB tax breaks extended for aPM, future abatements discussed BY JASON JOHNSON/REPORTER | [email protected]

n response to a new state law, the Mobile County Commission what the Commission is elected to do.” of Mayor Sandy Stimpson’s administration says Mobile has “not had a brief discussion on what role it will play in extending Hudson went on to say she had previously discussed an ap- been approached by APM Terminals to extend [its] tax breaks.” existing tax exemptions to corporations in the future, and proval process through the IDA that would be “contingent upon Mobile County’s extension comes on the heels of some criticism though there’s still some discussion to be had, one business the Commission not having any objection,” but her proposal was of Alabama’s “aggressive” use of tax incentives — a practice that Ihas already locked down a renewed tax break for the next decade. not indicated in the resolution that wound up on the Commis- was somewhat scrutinized in a recent study published by the Manu- The Alabama Reinvestment and Abatement Act was passed sion’s Aug. 10 agenda. el H. Johnson Center for Political Economy at Troy University. during this year’s regular legislative session and among other “I’m just leery about giving carte blanche approval to the IDA That study, published in April, focused on several high-profile things, extended the maximum period of time businesses can to grant 20 years’ worth of exemptions from taxes,” Hudson said. industrial developments that all came about through tax incen- avoid paying non-education ad valorem or property taxes — in- “They’ve already got 10 years, and 20 years is a long time.” tives on the state, county and local levels. One of those included creasing the limit from 10 years to 20 years. After the meeting, Ludgood stuck to her narrative, saying that Mobile County and the state of Alabama’s 2007 agreement with However, that additional decade of tax exemption has to be having a mechanism in place for the Commission to intervene in ThyssenKrupp that ultimately enticed the steel producer to build a granted by the individual taxing authority on the municipal, the IDA’s expansion of those tax breaks is “not the way [she’d] $5 billion facility in Calvert. county or state level. Further, the new law expanded “the types of want to do it.” While the study suggests ThyssenKrupp helped keep Mobile business activities that qualify” for these exemptions, according “Abatements are a very discrete aspect of the economic County’s percentage of manufacturing jobs at twice the national the Alabama Department of Revenue. development process that I thought would be better served by the average during “The Great Recession,” it also said the tax incen- On Aug. 10, commissioners considered a resolution that would IDA,” Ludgood said. “For me, you select people who are capable tives cost far more than ThyssenKrupp generated. have handed over the power to extend existing tax breaks to the of doing that, and then trust them to do the right thing.” “At the current 1,800 workers, the incentive package breaks Industrial Development Authority of Mobile County (IDA). Despite the contention over a long-term plan for dealing with down to roughly $555,555 per directly created job,” wrote County Attorney Jay Ross claimed the Mobile City Council tax cuts, the Commission voted unanimously to extend an exten- the study’s author, Dr. George R. Crowley. “At full capac- has already assigned the task to its comparable Industrial Devel- sion to APM Terminals LLC to the tune of around $1.9 million ity of 2,700 employees, that number falls, but remains high at opment Board. However, Commissioner Merceria Ludgood’s mo- over the next 10 years. Over the 20-year life of the cut, the county $370,000 per job.” tion to give the IDA the same authority failed to garner a second will have forgone $3.8 million of ad valorem tax revenue based However, those figures are based on Crowley’s estimation and the county’s resolution failed — at least for the time being. on current property tax rates. of the total tax incentive package extended to ThyssenKrupp by “The IDA is staffed by the Mobile Area Chamber of Com- In addition to those tax breaks, APM Terminals has also Mobile County, the state and a consortium of local municipalities. merce, they do this every single day and in my judgement, they received a 10-year ad valorem tax break from the city of Mobile Crowley wrote that the entire package was likely worth some- have a better feel for it,” Ludgood said after her motion died. valued at $665,336 and a similar abatement from the state worth where around $800 million — a figure that doesn’t include the “I also didn’t want it to become political because I don’t want approximately $332,668, according to a cost-benefit analysis by state’s lucrative income tax capital credit. people feeling like they can influence the outcome of what ought the Chamber of Commerce. Legislators have already begun addressing the issue of corpo- to be an objective consideration. Anytime something comes to us, That same document also shows a $366,440 10-year sales tax rate incentives by including some required provisions in the Ala- politics come in to play.” exemption from the county with similar breaks from the city of bama Reinvestment and Abatement Act, including benchmarks Meanwhile, Ludgood’s colleagues both opposed turning the Mobile and the state valued at $951,540 and $665,160 respectively. businesses must meet in order to continue receiving certain tax responsibility over to the IDA with Commission President Jerry As for the ad valorem taxes, it’s unknown if the state will grant exemptions, but the issue is not expected to be addressed during Carl citing “timing” and Commissioner Connie Hudson stating ongoing special budget negotiations. that making decisions in the best interest of the county is “part of an extension of its current abatement and as of now, a member

August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 | LAGNIAPPE | 5 BB BAYBRIEFS | DAPHNE Council grills mayor on DIsC funding, infrastructure BY ERIC MANN/REPORTER | [email protected]

s Mayor Dane Haygood and the Indus- fight the ordinance if they so choose. trial Development Board (IDB) make a “That’s debatable, certainly, and if the public relations push for the Daphne In- Council wants to pursue that, the Council as a novation and Science Complex (DISC), group can try to force the money back out of the asome city councilmembers are raising more reallocation grant,” Ross said. “But before we questions about the project’s funding, location do that we need to know what other projects the and infrastructure. state will approve. The DISC project is allowed In the last two weeks, the city held meetings but as I understood it, splash pads, sewer and with property owners associations from Lake recreation were not allowed.” Forest, Sehoy, Tiawassee, Canterbury Place Ross said the money was allocated to the and Bristol Creek. The city also heard public city in the form of a grant and has to be used in comments from citizens who addressed their a state-approved way. Attorney Kevin Boucher concerns about DISC at the Aug. 3 City Council said because the money was given to the city as meeting and will hold another public hearing a grant, the state could require the city to repay Aug. 17 on the merits of annexing the property, the money if it’s improperly spent. located at the southwest corner of State High- Councilman Randy Fry questioned the way 181 and Champions Way, and the Planned mayor about how the estimated $1.6 million Unit Development (PUD) designation. in infrastructure costs will be funded after the On Monday, members of the City Council initial land purchase. The mayor said there are grilled the mayor on a wide range of DISC three possible funding options: selling out- issues, including the use of $426,000 in early parcels, applying for grants through the U.S. BP funds that were given to the city following Economic Development Administration (EDA) the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. At the and using future funds allocated to the IDB, time, the state disbursed some early BP funds to which receives 13 percent of the city’s lodging municipalities for economic development pur- tax revenues. The EDA grant would provide 50 poses. The city of Fairhope was allowed to use percent funding, or approximately $800,000, for its $429,000 allocation to reconstruct Fairhop- the infrastructure. ers Community Park and splash pad. Daphne During a presentation to the Council, Hay- received $426,000, which it has not used. good said tenants at DISC would be charged a The IDB plans to use the funds for part user’s fee of approximately 60 cents per square of the $760,000 initial purchase of the land, foot. Thus, a 5,000-square-foot office would currently owned by The Bills LLC No. 2. The be charged a $3,000 per year user’s fee; at full remaining balance will be paid with existing occupancy, an 80,000-square-foot office build- IDB funds, which amounted to $439,579.63, ing at DISC would bring in $45,000 per year in according to approved minutes from the IDB’s users’ fees. June 22 meeting. The IDB aims to close on the The mayor listed roadbeds, utilities, water re- property in December. tention and grading as some of the infrastructure City Attorney Jay Ross said after conversa- that needs to be in place. Fry asked whether the tions with the Bentley administration the city city would require the use of Daphne Utilities to would not be allowed to use the $426,000 for construct infrastructure at the DISC site, which recreation projects, splash pads, tennis courts or will also include electricity, fiber optics and sewer projects. other technical amenities. “Some other neighboring communities have Typically, Fry said, the owner and developer used their funds for things like splash pads and provides infrastructure before the utilities com- other recreational purposes, and I think we are pany takes over maintenance. According to the being held to a different litmus test than the PUD document, the project will receive water other communities are held to,” Councilman service from Belforest Water and sewer from John Lake said. “I think the governor needs to Daphne Utilities. understand that is not appropriate.” “I’m not anti-business in any way,” Fry said Haygood told Lagniappe he could not speak in a subsequent interview Tuesday. “I just don’t to why Fairhope was allowed to use its BP funds have assurances from the mayor or the IDB they for a splash pad and park, but said Daphne are going to come back and ask for more city would follow the guidelines set forth by the funds. The city and its utilities are well funded governor’s office. with a high bond rating. As a citizen, I think it is Lake asked the mayor why the Council was prudent to protect the financial status of the city.” not alerted to a reallocation agreement, signed Haygood said there were no current plans to by Haygood, which allows the mayor to transfer ask Daphne Utilities to provide the infrastruc- city funds to the IDB without council approval. ture, but he would not take the option off the Ross said a previous council passed the agree- table. Following the Aug. 17 public hearing, the ment in 2010. council will consider the annexation and PUD “These funds have been sitting there for zoning for the property at a regular meeting in five years and no one on the Council, to my September. If approved, the land would go from knowledge, has made an attempt to use them,” RSF-1, single-family residential in the county to Haygood said. “I’m just trying to make sure we a PUD designation within Daphne’s city limits. spend the money in a responsible way that will “This is currently a bean field in the county, provide the city some benefit.” adjacent to Daphne High School, over which the Ross said councilors are welcome to try to city has no control,” Haygood said.

6 | LAGNIAPPE | August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 | LAGNIAPPE | 7 BB BAYBRIEFS | REAL ESTATE sunset of historic credits possibly ‘devastating’ for Mobile BY DALE LIESCH/REPORTER | [email protected]

he expiration of a tax credit program providing incentives Pittman said a report on the program’s effectiveness has been Broad Street, which was approved for apartments at a Planning for the rehabilitation of old or historic buildings could commissioned and he’ll study the report before making a final Commission meeting Aug. 6, also benefited from the tax credit have a “devastating” impact on redevelopment efforts in decision. program. In fact, local developer Taylor Atchison said the project the city Mobile, a developer recently warned. “We’ll look at the projects,” he said. “We’ll evaluate the proj- would not have been possible without the credits. tGeorgia-based developer Pace Burt said he was attracted to ects before looking to renew it.” The plans are to turn classrooms in the old school in the Mobile largely because of the state’s historic rehabilitation tax Elizabeth Stevens, president and CEO of the Downtown Oakleigh Garden District into mostly one-bedroom apartment credit program. He said he would like the credits to remain on the Mobile Alliance, said it was too early in the program to make units, Atchison said. He said the main building at 304 S. Broad books past the sunset date in 2016. judgments about its economic benefits based on a report. St. would become 24 one-bedroom units, while a second building “It allows for projects that may never have been developed,” “It’s too short a period of time,” Stevens said. “It passed in on Augusta Street would become either four one-bedroom units he said, calling it a “game changer” for Downtown and Midtown. 2013, but there were no applications until October 2013 and or two two-bedroom units. “You can’t afford to renovate taller downtown buildings without it. things really got going in 2014.” Stevens said the credits are beneficial because redevelop- “There are so many great historical buildings that need help,” She said the average length of time to complete rehab projects ing a historic building can be costly. She said the structures he said. is two to three years. were originally built under a separate set of codes and many The credit was put in place in 2013 and set for three years. The “We’re doing an economic analysis of projects that are a year new building codes adopted nationwide tend to be more geared program gave a total of $60 million in tax credits to developers and a half old,” Stevens said. toward new construction. who offered to save older buildings in the state, with certain limits. The program has so far been successful for Mobile, as more “It becomes very expensive to bring a building up to those According to the Alabama Historical Commission’s website, than a third of the approved projects — about 11 of 30 — are in new codes,” Stevens said. the tax credits can account for 25 percent of qualified rehabilita- the Azalea City, Stevens said. Those reservations represent $35 Without the tax credits, Stevens said, historic buildings can sit tion expenditures for certified historic buildings used for income- million to $40 million in investment and a total of $8 million empty because of high redevelopment costs. producing or residential purposes, or 10 percent of rehabilitation in tax credits, Stevens said, although it’s hard to nail down the Another benefit, Stevens said, is the redevelopment of old expenditures on structures built before 1936. amount of total investment because the credits are only applicable buildings tends to have a “halo effect” in communities. To qualify for the credits, project expenses must exceed to qualified rehab expenses. “Once these big white elephants come back, small buildings 50 percent of the owner’s original purchase price, or $25,000, Some of those 12 projects include the Gayfer’s building, come back all around them,” she said. whichever is greater, and work must follow the Secretary of the which was purchased by the New Orleans based Gulf Coast Stevens said there was work this session to pass an extension Interior’s standards of rehabilitation. Housing Partnership, as well as the Old Shell Road School and of the credits. The extension was passed unanimously by the state Guidelines state that commercial projects are limited to a 951 Government St. in Midtown, both of which are being devel- House of Representatives but held up in the Senate. She said reservation of $5 million in credits and residential projects are oped by Burt. they’d try again during the next regular session. limited to a reservation of $50,000 in credits. A total of $20 mil- “It’s created interest in projects no one was looking at,” Burt said one issue that might be affecting the legislature’s lion in credits is reserved each year and excess credits will be Stevens said. “It has triggered so much interest in Downtown and decision on an extension could be that few areas of the state have carried over each year. Midtown from people outside of the state.” historic buildings. Many of the structures that qualify, he said, State Sen. Trip Pittman (R-Fairhope) said the $60 million limit It is still unclear what GCHP has planned for development of tend to be in larger cities, like Mobile and Birmingham. in credits had already been reached by year two, but the state is the Gayfer’s building, but 951 Government St. and the Old Shell “The problem is you don’t have a lot of historic areas in the still taking applications for the program. He said the legislature state,” he said. “[Legislators] look at it like a specialty program is still considering whether to renew the program when it sunsets Road School will be developed as apartments. next year. The redevelopment of the historic Russell School building on for big cities.”

8 | LAGNIAPPE | August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 BAYBRIEFS BB Council reverses approval of sulfuric acid storage tanks BY DALE LIESCH/REPORTER | [email protected]

he Mobile City Council voted to allow for this has been eroded.” Arc Terminals to build asphalt storage Williams told councilors not to judge Arc on tanks, but struck down the company’s its previous oversight. He reminded them that application to allow sulfuric acid stor- the application for the new asphalt tanks would tage tanks. result in new technology and a smaller facility The decisions came Tuesday during the overall. regular City Council meeting after delays on The application does represent around two appeals by residents to reverse previous a 50,000-barrel reduction in asphalt stor- Planning Commission approval of the projects. age, because Arc is already approved for an The council previously delayed votes on the 80,000-barrel storage tank. issue to allow Arc officials the chance to answer Councilman C.J. Small agreed, saying either questions about the projects at a public meeting, way Arc was going to be able to “go upstairs” which was held on Aug. 6. after the meeting and get a permit for a storage The Council voted unanimously to reverse tank. Planning Commission approval to allow Arc Councilman Joel Daves argued that Mobile Terminals, through an application made by began as a port city and its growth has been at Mobile engineering firm Cowles, Murphy, the port. He said if the Council starts denying Glover and Associates, to store sulfuric acid every new port project it would begin to affect in up to eight tanks previously approved for “hundreds” of jobs. petroleum storage. Curtis told councilors the asphalt would be Councilors seemed to be split on the issue of used by Alabama-based contractors and the reversing the approval, until they learned that local community would be consumers of it. Arc Terminals had since February been storing He said the new tanks would employ about six sulfuric acid inside at least one of the tanks in workers. question. In previous meetings, the number of residents After learning this information for what allowed to speak for or against each appeal was he said was the first time, Councilman Levon unlimited. Tuesday the council allowed only six Manzie, whose district includes Arc Terminals, speakers total on both issues. called the process “grossly unacceptable.” Despite the public meeting, Brenda Bolton “You’ve made everyone aware of this except asked councilors to further delay a decision on us and the community,” Manzie said. “We’re both applications because there were still unan- cleaning up where they messed up.” swered questions as to the amount of insurance When asked about the oversight by reporters coverage Arc had in the event of an accident. after the meeting, Clayton Curtis, Arc vice presi- Bolton said according to the company’s Se- dent of Regulatory Affairs, said they weren’t curities and Exchange Commission filings, they aware Planning Commission approval was weren’t fully insured for all risks and would not needed for the project. When their client went to be able to obtain the insurance they desired at a apply for a business license with the city, Curtis reasonable cost. said, they were made aware of the error. “I don’t think we need to add much to that,” Curtis told reporters the oversight was Bolton told councilors. mentioned to the Planning Commission before Local attorney and DeTonti Square resi- the body approved the tank for sulfuric acid dent Pete Burns also questioned Arc’s level of storage. Those statements were called into ques- insurance coverage and whether the insurance tion when just moments before the vote, City excluded “acts of God,” like lightning, hurri- Planner Bert Hoffman was asked by Council- canes and tornados. man John Williams if the Planning Commission Clayton Curtis, Arc vice president of regula- had knowledge of the tank being used for acid tory affairs, shared with councilors the com- storage prior to being approved. Hoffman said pany’s insurance certificate and told them Arc is he “did not recall” hearing that acid was already insured for $25 million. being stored in the tanks. After Rich asked about exclusions included Williams told the audience he was going to in Arc’s insurance, Curtis told councilors the in- say he’d heard nothing to convince him to up- surance doesn’t exclude so-called “acts of God.” hold the appeal, but with the new information, In his experience, he said, he had never seen the he’d changed his mind. policy fail to cover issues caused by a hurricane. The council voted 5-2 to uphold the Plan- As for lightning, the tanks are grounded and ning Commission’s approval to allow Arc Ter- well protected, he said. minals and applicant Cowles, Murphy, Glover In other business, the Council unanimously and Associates to build three 10,000-barrel approved the fiscal year 2016 capital improve- storage tanks for asphalt, where they originally ment plan (see Page 12 for more information). had approval for a single 80,000-barrel tank. Councilors called it “historic” and Mayor Sandy Councilwoman Bess Rich and Manzie voted Stimpson said during his comments that it repre- against the measure. sented the most “transformative” legislation he’s Manzie said Arc not telling the council of its been involved in since taking office. oversight with the storage of sulfuric acid until The council also voted to approve an amend- minutes before a vote further convinced him to ment to an ordinance to further define the role of reverse approval of the new tanks. the presiding municipal judge and to give Mayor “I’m not convinced this is in the best interest Stimpson sole authority to promote a municipal of our city,” Manzie said. “Considering what we judge to presiding judge. just learned, what … support I might have had

August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 | LAGNIAPPE | 9 BB BAYBRIEFS | HISTORY alabama Lighthouse association considers funding options BY ERIC MANN/REPORTER | [email protected] he restoration and preservation of Alabama’s lighthouses probably more money, to make up for the lost time. “If we can do events for the public to use the lighthouse, under was brought to a halt for almost a year because of the “It was 14 months before we got back on the lighthouse, but supervision, that would help,” Dealy said, naming Boy Scouts Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in the problem was that when the waters were open, we didn’t have events, memorial services and weddings as examples. “We can 2010, and one member of the Alabama Lighthouse As- any money and didn’t have any people,” Pierce said. “During the generate revenue in other ways so that missing $95,000 won’t hurt tsociation (ALA) reported difficulties in securing recovery money oil spill, the volunteers who worked for me for nothing started so bad.” he says is necessary to preserve two of the state’s lighthouses on getting paid big bucks to work on other restoration projects. So we The hexagonal Middle Bay Lighthouse was first activated the Gulf Coast. lost our whole resource. We lost donated money, we lost volun- in 1885 and deactivated in 1967. In 2002, Thompson Engineer- The ALA finance chair, Capt. Hal Pierce, estimated the as- teers … God, that hurt.” ing initiated a restoration effort under a $349,000 contract with sociation lost approximately $96,500 in funding following the oil Pierce said he made at least 25 visits to BP claims offices the AHC. The project gave the lighthouse a new slate roof and spill. Pierce said coastal Alabama’s two lighthouses, Middle Bay attempting to get an answer about whether or not the ALA could replaced corroded tie rods and damaged wood. Lighthouse and Sand Island Lighthouse, were the first two places make the $96,500 claim. Once he was told the ALA would be In 2008, the association published a proposal to move the in the state impacted by the spill. audited, which he thought was a good idea, but he said he never Middle Bay Lighthouse ashore to Battleship Park. The AHC voted “The first thing hit by the oil was the Sand Island Lighthouse, heard back about the results. against the proposal, instead agreeing to spend $30,000 for yearly and they closed the waters around it before they closed any other The ALA’s status as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit made its attempt at a maintenance. In 2011, the AHC began a $270,000 restoration of waters,” Pierce claimed. “Then the oil came up through the bay claim more difficult, according to association president Dan Dealy. the lighthouse. Middle Bay is one of the few remaining “screw- and they closed the Middle Bay Lighthouse. When that happened, “When you go back and read what you have to have to qualify pile” lighthouses still standing. our ongoing repair and maintenance operations died for a year.” for some of the money, our association just didn’t qualify,” Dealy Sand Island Lighthouse is roughly three miles out from the Regular maintenance to the lighthouses is important because of said. “As a 501(c)(3), there is no way we can submit a loss state- entrance to Mobile Bay, between Mobile Point to the east and the constant damage by weather. Information provided by Pierce ment of things that we didn’t get during that time period. Our Dauphin Island to the west. The lighthouse was constructed for shows the ALA suffered losses in five ways. Time is a factor claim was denied … ” $10,000 in 1837, destroyed eventually but reconstructed in 1873, because of the age of the lighthouses and the threat of storms in Dealy said the association is considering submitting a proposal then deactivated in 1933. Today, the 125-foot lighthouse is owned the gulf. the Alabama Gulf Coast Recovery Council, which is responsible by the Dauphin Island Property Owners Association. Many of the ALA’s volunteer workers were diverted after for disbursing the state’s $599 million in RESTORE Act funds According to the ALA’s summer 2015 newsletter, along with the oil spill to areas involving mitigation activities. Before the with a focus on Mobile and Baldwin counties. Dealy said there are the rail repairs, roof repairs were also needed at Middle Bay after oil spill, the association transported approximately 25 workers approximately $160,000 in needed repairs to the railing at Middle the April 25 thunderstorm that killed six boaters in the Dauphin by boat to the lighthouse on workdays. The association also lost Bay Lighthouse, which the ALA may submit for funding. Island Regatta. Winds blew slate off the roof in two sections. vessels during the 14-month closure, as its boat was utilized for The ALA recently received approval from the Alabama Pierce said he is concerned that smaller organizations like the mitigation activities. Historical Commission (AHC) to host a wedding at Middle Bay ALA will get lost in a sea of high-dollar proposals from munici- During the 14-month closing, Pierce estimated lighthouse vol- Lighthouse, with a handful of stipulations that absolved the palities, counties and large organizations. unteer hours could have been as high as 3,000 with a $31,200 loss ALA and AHC of any liabilities should the wedding partiers be “We have all kinds of people that never had a thing to do with in manpower, a $26,500 loss in vessels, $32,500 in equipment and injured at the site. Dealy said the wedding went well and opened the oil spill, weren’t hurt by the oil spill, and they are getting materials and $6,400 in funding for a total loss of $96,500. Pierce the door for the possibility for more revenue-generating activi- money,” Pierce said. “Here we are with lighthouses in a serious said the estimate is low and it will take the association years, and ties at the lighthouse. state and we can’t get anything.”

10 | LAGNIAPPE | August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 BAYBRIEFS LEGISLATURE BB Hightower’s ‘flat tax’ plan outlives special session BY JASON JOHNSON/REPORTER | [email protected]

hile most of Montgomery was argu- ing over whether to raise taxes, State Sen. Bill Hightower was gaining mo- mentum for a bill aimed not only at Wlowering state income taxes but also at stream- lining the process through a true flat tax rate. On Aug. 5, during the recent special legisla- tive session to address the state’s estimated $200 million budget deficit, Hightower’s “Simplified Flat Tax Act of 2015” (SB43) passed the Senate Finance and Taxation Education committee for the first time. A previous attempt to submit the bill during the 2015 regular session failed, as the bill never made it out of committee. Hightower, who’s been interested in the idea since reading Steve Forbes’ book “Flat Tax Revolution: Using a Postcard to Abolish the IRS,” said his bill is about making the income tax process simpler for individuals and more enticing to businesses. “When I ran for office, I started to look at our tax code and noticed that even though we have a marginal rate of 5 percent, most people have a 10-to-25-page return,” Hightower told La- gniappe. “There’s a tremendous frustration with Photo/Courtesy of Bill Hightower the federal tax code, and I think that’s translated to a frustration at the state level as to why things state sen. Bill Hightower aren’t more simple, especially when you already have such a low tax rate.” it to include credits for taxes paid on defined- The bill, which Hightower said he intends benefit pension plan income, deductions for to pursue again in a second special session ex- mortgage interest, charitable deductions and a pected soon, would lower the 5 percent personal higher standard deduction for both individuals income tax rate to 3.34 percent and the Alabama and families. corporate income tax rate from 6.5 percent to The bill would also double the standard de- 4.5 percent beginning 2017. duction for individuals to $5,000 and establish a Because of how education funding is estab- new standard deduction on joint returns filed by lished in Alabama, SB43, if ratified, would also a married couple at $10,000. increase individual income tax receipts to the If the bill becomes law, adding new deduc- Education Trust Fund by an estimated $9.5 mil- tions could be more tricky going forward as a lion annually beginning in fiscal year 2018. That provision of the law specifically requires an 80 part of the bill is emphasized in a fiscal note percent vote of the state legislature to include authored by State Finance Committee Chairman any additional deductions, exemptions, credits Sen. Trip Pittman. or incentives. However, Hightower said his bill isn’t about Hightower said his bill is part of his larger an increase or a reduction in the amount of plan to “examine” the tax abatements Alabama money Alabama receives from taxpayers. has aggressively used to entice businesses to the “The goal of the legislation is to be revenue state over the past three decades. neutral while creating a more fair, simple and Generally, he said, the bill is about simplifying transparent system,” Hightower said. “It is not the process and the deductions removed would a bill to solve the current general fund budget be balanced by an increased standard deduction, shortfall.” which would save time, paper and hassle. Hightower told Lagniappe he’s seen sup- According to Hightower, the simplified port for the bill in the Republican caucus, and process would stop tax leakage by making it “so also from a few Democrats on the state level. easy to pay your taxes, people and corporations However, other Democrats have criticized the won’t try to get out of it and pay in another state.” bill for taking taxable deductions away from “On average Alabamians spend $300 to file individuals and leaving existing corporate tax their state taxes, and with this bill they’re sav- deductions in place. ing that because all you do is take your federal One particular portion of the bill reads that adjusted gross income and multiply that by the all “additions to income, deductions, credits, or tax rate,” Hightower said. “Right now we have exemptions for corporations in effect on the date more of a swiss cheese of a tax code that been this amendment is ratified may be claimed.” created by more than 60 years of serving special In contrast, several individual tax deductions interests. I’m trying to take those loopholes like those for Social Security income, federal away and give us a solid block of cheddar.” income taxes, medical insurance premiums and Though the most recent special sessions others would be removed. However, Hightower ended Tuesday with the legislature still fail- said that working out these difference is part of ing to produce a budget Gov. Robert Bentley the legislative process. would endorse, Hightower hasn’t yet aban- Since a version of his bill was first intro- doned his hopes of seeing a “flat tax” come to duced earlier this year, Hightower has amended fruition in Alabama.

August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 | LAGNIAPPE | 11 BB BAYBRIEFS | MOBILE Capital improvement plan emphasizes road resurfacing BY DALE LIESCH/REPORTER | [email protected]

fter just months of preparation and weeks of discussion, million allotment in Councilman C.J. Small’s District 3, there is Mayor Sandy Stimpson’s administration and the Mobile still more than $400,000 allocated toward sidewalks and road- City Council have decided which projects to fund in ways. Other District 3 money will be used for streetlight repair, the first of a three-year process to repair and rebuild the park improvements and smaller projects. acity’s infrastructure. Roadway resurfacing and sidewalk repair or installation makes The plan would spend a total of almost $21 million on a series up $665,000 of the roughly $2.5 million in District 4 improve- of projects across the seven council districts. The majority of the ments. The largest single project on the list is slope stabilization projects for fiscal year 2016 will help the city catch up on a $250 and sheet size repair to Montlimar Creek, totaling $575,000. Other million backlog of work, Councilman Joel Daves said. projects include park and drainage improvements. “The process has been great,” he said. “It has been a long time, Councilman John Williams said the projects were mostly about if ever, [since] the city has agreed to spend this much on capital drainage, parks and resurfacing. improvements.” “It’s consistent with goals set when I first came in,” Williams This influx of capital money comes from an extension of a said. “The prioritization was to focus on the essentials in the roughly 20-percent “penny” sales tax increase. The penny tax was district.” first approved in 2010 but was extended for a three-year period As for the process, Williams said he was pleased with how last year. Fiscal year 2016 is the first year the council will split the everything was split. tax by district. During the 2015 fiscal year, Mayor Sandy Stimp- “Is it flawless, or do I agree with all of it? No,” he said. “This son’s budget called for more than $14 million in capital money, has never been done before.” which was an increase over the $3.5 million set aside in the 2014 In District 5, $750,000 of a total of $2.6 million will go toward fiscal year. roadways and sidewalk repair and installation. The largest single Daves said the process wasn’t flawless, but bumps in the road project costs $550,000 to improve signal coordination through the were expected in the first year. Photo/ Lagniappe Airport Boulevard and Sage and McGregor avenues corridor. “This is the first time any of us have done this,” Daves said. In District 6, $925,000 will go toward roadway resurfacing “So, you’re learning a new skill. It has been frustrating at times the patchwork pavement at ann and Dauphin streets and sidewalk repair or installation, but the largest single project for all of us.” is arguably the worst stretch of road in Midtown. is $450,000 to replace playground equipment at Medal of Honor Executive Director of Urban Planning and Development Park. Bess Rich said the playground was built in 1996 and is Dianne Irby said the process began with a consultant helping the 2004-2013, city government spent less than 22 percent of funds heavily used by residents in her district. She added that sidewalks city organize project ideas. Irby said ideas were taken from 311 initially budgeted for capital improvements on infrastructure or pur- and resurfacing were also high on the list. calls, meetings with Stimpson, prior comprehensive plans, staff chases of capital items. Instead, 78 percent, or roughly $247 million “My theory was many of the neighborhoods have been without knowledge and recommendations from councilors. over the same 10 years, was transferred to other funds, used to pay [street] resurfacing for 15 years and needed it,” she said. “We pulled all of it together and organized it by department,” outstanding debt and lease payments or pushed into reserves. In District 6, as in many other districts, Irby said, consultants Irby said. In the new plan, roadway resurfacing, striping, sidewalk repair and the Council looked at neighborhoods that would benefit from Members of the administration and the consultants discussed and installation make up roughly $750,000 of Councilman Fred street resurfacing. They focused on areas, instead of one street in the projects with councilors before they were scored and priori- Richardson’s $2.6 million worth of projects for District 1. The one location and then another in a different area. tized, Irby said. The process was also the focus of two finance biggest single project outlined in District 1 is $810,000 for filling Rich said it definitely was the approach in her district, where committee meetings. some of the 41 open ditches in the Trinity Gardens neighborhood. many of the individual neighborhoods are homogenized. Irby said a lot of projects previously designed but never Amberger said the $810,000 would allow for the engineering Roadway resurfacing and sidewalks make up $625,000 of funded, or ones where the design process would be relatively easy, and work on ditches along three to four streets in the community. the roughly $2.5 million to be spent in District 7 this year. The tended to rise to the top of the list. “Shovel ready” projects were “It’s a significant project,” Amberger said. largest single project on the list was $200,000 to be set aside for given priority. Irby said this is one reason why sidewalk repairs Richardson said he was pleased work would be starting on the sidewalks and shade structures at Langan Park. and road resurfacing are prominent in each district. ditches. Despite the funds allocated during the next fiscal year toward Roadway projects are featured heavily in the plan. The most “Without this, it’s a hopeless situation,” he said. resurfacing and sidewalks, Council President Gina Gregory wrote expensive single project is a $3.2 million reconstruction of a por- Of the $750,000 in roadway resurfacing and sidewalk repair in an email message she’d like to see more of the same in future tion of South Ann Street from Douglas Street to Arlington Street. set aside in District 1, $150,000 will be used for the installation of capital improvement plans, as well as more drainage work, light- In ensuing years, the Ann Street corridor from Tennessee Street sidewalks on Mobile Street from Springhill Avenue to Nall Street. ing and work on the greenways initiative. to Springhill Avenue would be targeted for future capital improve- Most of the funds allotted for District 2, or about $2.1 million As for the process, Gregory wrote that although it was a ment spending. Each segment of the street is expected to cost of a total $2.4 million, will go to projects related to roadway “daunting task,” city staff members and consultants did a great job around $3 million, city engineer Nick Amberger said. resurfacing or reconstruction and sidewalk repair or installation. divvying everything up. Amberger said for a number of years, the majority of money A total of $790,000 will resurface portions of several streets in In addition to district-specific projects, the plan includes a available for roadway repairs came from Mobile County’s pay- the district, with the largest single project targeting a portion of small amount of citywide projects. A total of about $1.2 million as-you-go program, sometimes as much as $6 million annually. Little Flower Avenue for $132,000. That total also includes about will be spent on multi-district, facility-specific projects. Of those, Without the county’s assistance, Amberger said, the city would $405,000 in sidewalk repair, replacement or new installation. the largest is a proposed $315,000 roofing project at Moorer Li- have spent only around $1 million each year on resurfacing. Other money will be set aside for parks and smaller projects. brary. About $600,000 of money in the capital improvement plan A 2014 analysis by the finance department found that between While the Ann Street reconstruction requires most of the $4.5 paid for program management services by the consultant.

12 | LAGNIAPPE | August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 | LAGNIAPPE | 13 CC COMMENTARYD AMN THE TORPEDOES things that make you go ‘Hmmm?’ BY ROB HOLBERT/MANAGING EDITOR | [email protected]

art of the column writing biz is trying to prompted by an anonymous tip to their web- tion into unarmed college student shot” and make sense of it all, even if it just makes site. Really? up pops story after story about Taylor and sense to me. If someone reads my column So there was an anonymous tip on a place almost every headline points out his race in right before lining the birdcage with it, and pretty much everyone I’ve ever met in this the headline. Collar’s story only rates the first Psomething I wrote makes sense to them, that’s nice town believes to be a brothel? Captain Obvi- page if you include his name. too. Or it’s indicative of substance abuse issues. ous must have sent it in. Or maybe it was a I can understand both families’ rage and But that’s their problem. I’m here to make kindergartner who heard the rumors. Or a wife sorrow over losing a son this way — even if observations. So let’s get to it. whose hubby used the wrong credit card. it appears in both cases the young men were I’m wondering if a hot tip on who the engaged in activities that placed them in Witch hunt? bookies are in town is next. harm’s way. But what is harder to understand Since Mobile County License Commissioner is why our society now only seems to assign and Revenue-Commissioner-in-Waiting Kim Double standard? blame and outrage if certain metrics are Hastie was found not guilty last month of 16 of 17 Over the past week there has been a tre- involved. charges brought against her by federal prosecu- mendous amount of national media coverage Black cop shoots unarmed black guy. tors, she and her PR team have been working hard concerning the shooting death of Christian Yawner. Happened in broad daylight in Los to convince the public an unnamed political cabal Taylor, a 19-year-old student at Angelo State Angeles about six months ago and no one was behind her unwarranted prosecution. University in Angelo, Texas. Taylor was batted an eye, not even the president, who Despite the fact I’ve heard that same thing said videoed damaging vehicles at a car dealer- seems fixated on the subject, as long as it fits by almost every public official who has ever been ship and then driving through the showroom the agenda. Black cop shoots unarmed white accused of anything, I might be more likely to be- window. A chase and altercation ensued and kid, so what? He was on drugs and danger- lieve her if she would at least name one or two of Taylor was killed. ous. White cop shoots unarmed black kid, no these people who were out to get her and explain I couldn’t help but be reminded of the matter what he’s doing? Bingo! It’s got to be why they went to such lengths to bring down a situation at the University of South Alabama racism, time to burn something. powerful license commissioner. While she’s at it, almost three years ago when 18-year-old Should there be investigations into police Hastie should tell us why the man accused of jury Gil Collar was shot and killed by a campus shootings? Absolutely. Cops aren’t always tampering in her tax trial pleaded guilty last week. officer after acting erratically outside a police right nor are they always wrong when they Maybe there is a shadowy, politically connected building on campus. shoot someone, even someone unarmed. But a group that wants to have 12-minute tags or some- While the cases have similarities, they climate has been created in this country where thing, but why would Jonathan Lawrence Oneal have differences as well. Certainly there’s a anytime the racial mix between cop and sus- risk 10 years in the can and a $250,000 fine by huge difference in the way they were treated pect is right, the cop is automatically wrong. pleading guilty to trying to help the Hasties taint nationally — and it definitely seems to be Black lives matter, but so do white lives. the jury? More political shenanigans by the anti- because Collar was a white student shot by Gil Collar matters as much as Christian Tay- Kim Illuminati? Do they have Oneal’s children in a black cop and Taylor was a black student lor. But truth and reality matter just as much, a basement somewhere? shot by a white cop. Google “investiga- and right now there doesn’t seem to be much Surely John Hastie Jr., who is Oneal’s boss, of either. wouldn’t have somehow procured a list of 103 potential jurors and instructed his subordinate to contact one of them. That sounds like the kind of T HEG ADFLY thing someone might do if he was really worried about being convicted. Some readers may not be aware of Oneal’s plea since most local media didn’t report it — also a bit strange — but it happened. So now that the feds have Oneal, do they go after the Hasties again? Oneal’s plea just piles on top of what we learned from her trial, despite the lack of convic- tions. The feds did a pretty good job of proving she manipulated the way her political consultants were paid. She was also shown to have lied to media and was recorded discussing ways to misinform the County Commission as to how much money her office was generating. Too bad she gave the people out to get her so much ammo.

Thanks for the ‘tip’ Friday was not a happy ending to last week for the patrons of Ocean Sauna Spa and Win Spa, as Mobile County Sheriff’s deputies arrested five women and charged them with promoting prostitu- tion, among other things. In every place I’ve ever lived there have been these Asian spas that seemed be rather secretive and stayed open at really strange hours. They’ve all been widely rumored to be “rub-n-tug” places, if you catch my drift, but somehow stay in busi- ness for years and years. I’m not saying these ladies arrested at Ocean Sauna and Win Spa are guilty of what they’re

charged with, but let’s just say it’s been widely Cartoon/Laura Rasmussen assumed for as long as I can remember that some- thing a little different was happening there. The independent panel investigating the 911 contract Perhaps the strangest part of the bust is that may have a hard time interviewing two employees. the Sheriff’s Office says the investigation was

14 | LAGNIAPPE | August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 COMMENTARYHIDDEN AGENDA C all I needed to know I didn’t learn in kindergarten BY ASHLEY TRICE/EDITOR | [email protected]

ext week, my son will start kindergar- other things. They are certainly great rules to ten. Sniff, sniff. How did this happen? live by whether you are 5 or 55, especially the It seems like only yesterday we were flushing, but it will be a long time before you bringing him home from the hospital. realize some things. NI think my husband, who usually has a heavy Anders, I am so excited for you, buddy. This is foot, drove like 10 mph all the way home, as I such an important year and you are going to learn sat in the back and held the car seat down as if it so much, but here are some other things I hope were going to fly out of the window. you learn along the way as well, as you grow We were so scared we were going to break from being my sweet little baby boy into a man. him. I remember we shared a moment on the • Some of the friends you are about to make first night we were home with him by ourselves will be your friends for the rest of your life. where Frank and I just looked at each other Probably not a lot of them, maybe even just one terrified. We didn’t have to say a word. We both or two. It’s not that you all won’t still like each knew what the other was thinking. “Oh my god. other, it’s just that life is going to take you all What are we supposed to do with this thing?” in so many different directions, some will slip We figured it out — as much as any parents away and you will just lose touch. But the ones do, I guess — and have managed to keep him you do remain friends with will be your closest alive and have tried our best to make him a good because they will know every chapter of your little person, though he has his less-than-stellar life, not just the good, bad or interesting ones moments, as we all do.

so in some ways, I feel like we are overdue for this next big step. But I also know once he walks through that door on the first day, a little scared and sport- ing a backpack that’s just a little too big, the years are just going to fly by.

or the Reader’s Digest Condensed Version you Anders has one of those late birthdays right on the cut-off date, so we had to make the diffi- provide them. cult choice of whether we wanted him to be the • You are not going to be great at everything, oldest or youngest in his class. I had originally but you need to try as many things as you can thought we would let him be the youngest and until you do find where your talents lie and what he could just suck it up, but after the advice of you love. And once you do, you need to work as preschool teachers, articles on the issue and hard as you can to cultivate it. listening to other parents of August babies, we • You don’t want a trophy you don’t deserve. decided to do three years of preschool and let The sweetest victories are those you work the him be the oldest in his class once he started hardest for. kindergarten. But I still question whether it • You’re going to make mistakes. Lots of was the right decision. (Word of advice: Don’t them. When you do, own up to them and do your conceive your child around Thanksgiving or, best to make things right. Then learn from them. um, after a particularly memorable Iron Bowl, • You are not going to like everyone and because you don’t want to have to make this everyone isn’t going to like you. And that’s decision. Just sayin’.) OK, but always be kind and don’t just write So in some ways, I feel like we are overdue someone off immediately. If you dig a little for this next big step. But I also know once he deeper, you may just find there is something walks through that door on the first day, a little you do have in common. scared and sporting a backpack that’s just a little • You will think your father and I are clueless too big, the years are just going to fly by. And idiots for a long time until one day you will the time between kindergarten and high school realize we may (kind of) know what we are graduation is going to seem like an instant. I talking about. (Make sure to tell us when that think that’s what’s had me a bit emotional about day comes.) this upcoming milestone. And because I know • Your heart is going to get broken. And the he is about to start letting go of us, a little more first time it’s going to hurt like hell. But I prom- each year, to try and figure out this crazy world ise you will get through it and one day you will on his own. realize all of your broken hearts were necessary And while I do want him to spread his wings to get to the person you will spend forever with. and fly, I am just as terrified to start letting him My sweet guy, it’s going to take a lot longer go as I was that first night alone with him. It’s a than kindergarten to learn much of this. And big, scary world out there and navigating it can even when you do, you will still struggle with be tough. some of them, as your mother often does. You Remember those “All I Ever Needed to will figure all of this out on your own, but we Know I Learned in Kindergarten” posters you will always be here for you and will try to pro- would see hanging in classrooms? They remind- tect you from as much as we can, just like that ed us how we learned to play fair, share, don’t first ride home from the hospital. I pray these hit and, most importantly, “flush!” — among years will go by as slowly as it did. Sniff, sniff.

August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 | LAGNIAPPE | 15 C COMMENTARYTHE GRIOT’S CORNER What would Kennedy do? BY KEN ROBINSON/CONTRIBUTING WRITER

here’s a famous adage in show business that goes, other programs! The effect on a multitude of state agencies that of expediency, particularly when the situation is so dire. “Give the people what they want!” The thinking is that would be crippling. As a U.S. Senator, John F. Kennedy wrote the Pulitzer Prize if you focus on giving the masses what they desire, As happened during the regular session, Gov. Robert Bent- winning book “Profiles In Courage.” In the book Kennedy success is almost guaranteed. Given the nature of the ley will most likely veto such a budget. As the Oct. 1 deadline looks back across the landscape of U.S. history and shines tentertainment industry, one can understand why the mantra for a budget solution looms, state legislators will no doubt the spotlight on eight Senators who epitomized courage and endures. Yet such thinking isn’t confined to the realm of enter- find themselves trekking back up Goat Hill for another special stood during their time in a way that few were willing to, and tainment. It’s also applied to politics and public policy. session. As the clock winds down, the health and well-being of in a time when fearlessness and integrity were greatly needed. For many politicians, the thinking goes, “If in doubt, take many Alabamians are literally at stake. Speaking of himself and his fellow Senators, Kennedy penned a poll.” The public good often gets supplanted by catering to words applicable to all who hold or would seek to hold public what the public “wants.” Based on the actions of the Alabama office. He observed: legislature during its first called special session, Alabamians The voters selected us, in short, because they had confi- have a desire to totally eradicate a crucial safety net that sup- as the Oct. 1 deadline for a dence in our judgment and our ability to exercise that judg- ports hundreds of thousands throughout the state, and also to ment from a position where we could determine what were seriously degrade the ability of state government to function budget solution looms, state their own best interests as a part of the nation’s interests. This effectively. Alarmist rhetoric, you say? Consider this: legislators will no doubt find them- may mean that we must on occasion lead, inform, correct and Last week, the House passed a General Fund budget that sometimes even ignore constituent opinion, if we are to exer- would have cut Medicaid by $156 million. So what? Well, selves trekking back up goat Hill for cise fully that judgment for which we were elected. such a cut in the state Medicaid budget would mean Alabama With a supermajority in the statehouse, Republicans run the wouldn’t be eligible to receive hundreds of millions in match- another special session. as the clock show in Alabama. Although the state’s fiscal mess has been ing funds from the federal government, effectively killing winds down, the health and well- decades in the making, rightly or not the onus for righting our Medicaid in our state. With its demise, one in five Alabamians financial house now is on them. I would like to think that a ma- — mostly children (almost half in the state), seniors (about 60 being of many alabamians are jority of Alabama voters didn’t put them in power to dismantle percent of whom are in nursing homes) and people with dis- vital and necessary services that so many of the vulnerable in abilities — would lose health coverage. The damage wouldn’t literally at stake. our state depend on. I would like to believe that adherence to stop there. Hospitals, nursing homes, pharmacies and literally a small-government ideology doesn’t mean emasculating state the state’s entire economy would be devastated. If this repre- government to the point that it’s unable to function properly. sents the popular will, it’s of a suicidal type like no other. It’s difficult to countenance that our leaders could suppose When it’s time to lead, leaders must do exactly that. On Not to worry, though: This House-passed budget was axed such budget measures would make for prudent policy, or that their next journey back to Montgomery, state legislators, with by a Senate budget committee, and in its place the committee the enactment of such a Spartan fiscal program would be in the full resoluteness, need to “exercise that judgment for which approved a General Fund budget from two months ago during best interest of the people. To be sure, politics is about catering [they] were elected” and pass a budget that doesn’t take from the regular session of the legislature. Medicaid survives, yet to your constituency, and at the end of the day every politician the poor, rob our schools or jeopardize the public good. In es- this plan would serve as a scythe that would cut a wide swath wants to get reelected. But at some point the call of con- sence, they should give the people what they need … no, give across the General Fund, slicing more than $200 million from science, the call of what is right, should be much stronger than the people what’s best.

16 | LAGNIAPPE | August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 COMMENTARYBELTWAY BEAT C Don’t underestimate the power of celebrity BY JEFF POOR/COLUMNIST | [email protected]

lot of people were wrong about the political lifespan of real estate mogul Donald Trump, who is now the front- runner in the race for the 2016 Republi- cana presidential nomination — myself included. We all believed Trump’s high name recogni- tion was the primary driver behind his success in early polling but wagered that once the dust began to clear the more serious candidates would rise up and Trump would inevitably bow out. Despite a few missteps, which include a handful of over-the-top tweets, questioning the claim that Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) is a war hero and a spat with Fox News host Megyn Kelly, Trump continues to dominate. Are pundits overly discounting the power of celebrity in American politics? You wouldn’t think that would be the case based on President Barack Obama’s two successful presidential elections. But on Trump, they’ve really missed it. It’s not that the power of celebrity is some- thing new to politics. In 2003, Arnold Schwar- zenegger won the California governorship in Photo/ wikimedia.org the recall election of Gray Davis. More notably, he won it running as a Republican in a liberal Donald trump Democratic state. next level. Other successful celebrities-turned-politi- Where does he go from here? cians include wrestler Jesse Ventura, record- Trump launched a fundraising effort over ing artist Sonny Bono, former Major League the weekend. That seems odd for a guy whose Baseball pitcher Jim Bunning, former Seattle self-stated net worth is $8 billion (but prob- Seahawks wide receiver Steve Largent and ac- ably closer to $4 billion, according to other tor Ronald Reagan. estimates). But he has at least said he’s willing Even in Alabama, we’ve flirted with celeb- to match whatever contributions he receives. rity in politics. In the 1960s, there was an effort Fundraising has been part of the game in put into motion to draft Alabama head foot- presidential politics over the last few cycles. ball coach Paul “Bear” Bryant to run against Trump is in an interesting spot because he al- Gov. George Wallace after the “Stand in the ready has what the other candidates are trying to Schoolhouse Door” incident at the University raise money to buy, which is name recognition. of Alabama. He also has the news media hanging on his The assumption was that he would have been every word and this isn’t a coincidence. Trump perhaps the only one who could have defeated drives ratings. Without Trump, last week’s the segregationist governor and it was probably presidential debate wouldn’t have come close a safe assumption. The idea was revisited when to having the record-shattering audience of 24 Bryant stepped down as Alabama’s head coach million viewers. in 1982, but he died just four weeks later. It’s not that the media are in love with Trump’s ascendency suggests a couple of Trump. Instead it’s that they cannot afford to things. First of all, it exposes the Republican ignore him. Party as lacking a national identity. The 2016 When it’s time for voters to go to the polls in GOP field has 17 candidates, all with competing Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina early viewpoints on a number of major issues, includ- next year, Trump probably will have to spend ing immigration and foreign policy. some money on advertising, assuming he is still That gives an opening for someone like in the contest. The popularity contest will no Trump, who has had policy positions counter to longer be national. some of the traditional planks in the Republican For example, take Rick Santorum’s 2012 platform, to come in with the perception of run. Nationally, he was relatively unknown. But being an outsider to the political process, which he tirelessly campaigned in Iowa, paying visits isn’t popular with most Americans. to all of the state’s 99 counties and he emerged It also shows what sells with a lot of Ameri- as the victor against better-funded opponents. cans. A lot of the public tunes out politics. It’s That win in Iowa gave Santorum the ability to complicated, uninteresting and seems cor- stay in the race as long as he did against the rupt. But a celebrity candidate using populist eventual nominee, Mitt Romney. and nationalist rhetoric gives people a reason to Will Trump be able to make himself avail- be interested. It’s not necessarily that people are able to early primary state voters? There prob- supporting him because they loved him on “The ably aren’t a lot of places to land his personal Apprentice,” but it gets his foot in the door with Boeing 757 in Adams County, Iowa. the American public in way Jeb Bush or Scott Will he be willing to do the pancake break- Walker cannot. fast tour in New Hampshire? The retail politics Unlike some of unsuccessful celebrity of a New Hampshire primary might be difficult presidential candidates, including actor Fred for guy who doesn’t like to shake hands. Thompson, former astronaut John Glenn and I wouldn’t underestimate “The Donald” in former New York Knicks shooting guard Bill those situation, however. Those who have done Bradley, Trump has taken that opening to the so have been wrong.

August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 | LAGNIAPPE | 17 BB BUSINESSTHE REAL DEAL usPs facility in Mobile sells for $3.1 million BY RON SIVAK/COLUMNIST | [email protected]

tirling Properties agents Justin Toom- on Old Shell Road across from the USA campus For more information, visit www.ros- ey and Andrew Dickman recently com- will welcome the opening of a 3,400-square- ies1901.com. pleted the sale of a 100,000-square- foot Fuzzy’s Taco Shop in late summer or early foot U.S. Postal Service facility in fall. The Fort Worth, Texas-based franchise will Wilkins Miller named 2015 Best sMobile. The industrial distribution warehouse, join Chicken Salad Chick and Hibachi Express Company to Work For located at 4538 Shipyard Road, was sold for at the site currently under development by Fair- Wilkins Miller, an accounting and advisory $3.1 million. Toomey and Dickman repre- field, Connecticut-based Kleban Properties. firm, recently announced it was named as one sented the seller, Alabama Gulfstar LLC, and of the 2015 Best Companies to Work for in Ala- a local Mobile-based investor group involved Rosie’s Indian Motorcycle opens bama. Wilkins Miller was formally recognized with the acquisition. Rosie’s Indian Motorcycle, an affiliate of and honored in Birmingham at the Best Compa- According to court records, CVS paid $2.3 Rosie’s 1901 Garage and Trading Post, recently nies to Work for in Alabama awards ceremony million for the former Crossroads bookstore opened for business in Mobile at 3200 Halls coordinated by Business Alabama magazine. on the corner of Hillcrest and Grelot roads. Mill Road. The iconic brand is a wholly owned “We are honored to be recognized as one of The existing building is being demolished subsidiary of Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE: the best companies to work for in Alabama,” and a new CVS Pharmacy will be built on the PII), a leader in the powersports industry with Wilkins Miller managing partner Allen Carroll site. Don Kelly with The Mitchell Company annual sales of $4.5 billion. said. “This recognition is the result of the dedi- represented the sellers, and Vallas Realty Inc. According to a news release, Indian Motor- cation and enthusiasm of every one of our team worked for the buyers. cycle is known as the country’s first motorbike members. We strive to develop and motivate Los Angeles-based Anna’s Linens recently manufacturing firm, with a history dating back the very best people who are committed to filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and is in the to 1901. At the time George Hendee, founder delivering service excellence to our clients.” process of closing all 252 stores across the and former bicycle racing champion, hired Wilkins Miller was selected among hun- country. The soon-to-be-defunct Mobile store, Oscar Hedstrom to design and build a “gasoline dreds of companies across the state considered located at 3225 Dauphin St., is currently liqui- engine-powered bicycle” for racing, a forerun- by Best Companies Group (BCG), a division dating merchandise and offering deep discounts ner of today’s modern motorcycle. of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania-based Journal ranging from 40 to 60 percent. According to a The prototypes proved powerful and Multimedia, for a place on the 2015 list. To source familiar with the transaction, the site will reliable, and were positively received by the assist in making its selection, BCG conducts be shuttered in late August or early September. public. That same year, Indian Motorcycle’s an employee survey to measure the overall Northbrook, Illinois-based financial services first factory was set up in Springfield, Illinois, employee experience and an in-depth company holding company Hilco Global is assisting with to mass produce the popular new sport vehicles. questionnaire based on workplace policies, the underperforming retailer’s liquidation plans Indian Motorcycle also has major histori- practices and demographics. The combined nationwide. cal ties to the U.S. military as the firm sup- Cummings & Associates Inc. recently bro- ported the first and second World War efforts scores determined the top companies and the kered the sale of a 17.5-acre site on University by supplying vehicles to the Allies, and has final ranking. Boulevard just south of Old Shell Road near the been known as an armed forces supporter ever “We constantly strive to explore new and University of South Alabama. The rear 13 acres since. To date, under new ownership and brand innovative ways to make the firm an even of the site are being developed to accommodate stewardship by Polaris Industries, the Indian better place to work. From the firm’s flex- 226 student housing units for future student Motorcycle brand is stronger than ever. ibility and benefits, to the respect and positive enrollment. Four additional commercial lots “We are proud to join the Indian Motorcycle reinforcement our team regularly receives from ranging from .99 to 1.53 acres fronting Univer- family, and to bring these outstanding bikes to executives, these are just two of the distinctive sity Boulevard are also up for sale. the local motorcycling community,” Janice Bow- characteristics that make Wilkins Miller a great Michael Wilson with White-Spunner Realty ers, owner of Rosie’s Indian Motorcycle, said. place to work,” John Jeffries, partner at Wilkins Inc. recently handled the leasing of 1,800 Rosie’s Indian Motorcycle offers sales, ser- Miller, said. square feet of toy store space to Mini War Game vice, parts and accessories for the entire lineup For over half a century, Wilkins Miller has in Mobile at Sugar Mill Village near the inter- of Indian motorcycles, including the Indian practiced in the Mobile Bay region and now has section of Hillcrest Road and Airport Boulevard Chief lineup, the Indian Roadmaster, the Indian specialties in the areas of financial reporting, as well as 1,200 square feet of retail space Scout and the 2016 Indian Chief Dark Horse. tax, litigation, business valuation, cost segrega- to wireless-provider franchise Boost Mobile The local affiliate is currently promoting tion, client accounting services and business inside the Publix Super Market anchoring the a $1,000 “Honoring Heroes” bonus on select consulting with affiliates in wealth management Magnolia Place Shopping Center on Highway motorcycles for active or retired military, as and information technology consulting. Wilkins 98 in Daphne. well as police and fire personnel. The dealer- Miller is located at 41 West I-65 Service Road According to Tim Herrington of Herrington ship also offers a full selection of Indian North, Suite 400, in Mobile and 35 South Sec- Realty, the South Landing retail center located Motorcycle apparel. tion St. in Fairhope.

18 | LAGNIAPPE | August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 | LAGNIAPPE | 19 CUISINETHE REVIEW action and reaction: reactive and nonreactive pans BY ANDY MACDONALD/CUISINE EDITOR | [email protected]

Photo/ amazon.com aluminum cookware such as t-fal is considered reactive, while stainless steel is considered nonreactive. Each have their advantages in the kitchen.

hen it comes to cookware many of us can fall into the quick action. You don’t need a giant, heavy enamel pot that takes Nonreactive cookware “all or nothing” train of thought. For example, I began half an hour to boil water just to cook a cup of rice or grits when One might consider stainless steel, glass and hard-enamel my collection of cookware at the end of my college you can get the job done in a fraction of the time with a light- cookware nonreactive. There are many upsides to nonreactive years with my first piece of hard-anodized Calphalon. weight copper or aluminum pot. cookware, but it isn’t all cupcakes and rainbows. Sure, nonreac- WI was hooked. I loved the look, the weight and the performance, On the same hand, a sauce in some of these pots may be dis- tive pans open you up to many possibilities in the kitchen. But and couldn’t wait for the next gift-giving holiday to receive my colored by a hint of acidity and exacerbated by the use of metallic have you ever fried an egg in a stainless steel skillet? Have fun next piece. I was the easiest person to buy for. spoons, wire whisks or other stirring devices. with that one. As I made a few mistakes here and there, using plastic utensils Although cast iron is considered reactive, its properties can Most nonstick pans are considered nonreactive. This makes when I should have used metal, using metal when I should have drastically change. A well-seasoned cast iron skillet (check them largely the most versatile of the fleet, but they have their used plastic, not informing someone who will remain nameless to Lagniappe’s archives for seasoning tips) is as good as any non- limitations. I don’t enjoy cooking larger portions of meat on non- keep it out of the dishwasher, I began to feel like I was often using stick cookware money can buy. This places it in the nonreactive stick surfaces. My grill pan isn’t Teflon coated. These pieces also my cookware for an unintended task. It was a slow, pre-Internet category, with exceptions. are not dishwasher safe, and many are not oven friendly. education of trial and error, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Cast aluminum will be considered reactive, and you don’t see Most of the nonreactive cookware I own is a mash of poor heat Today I am often asked, “Why would you buy anything but it very often. There was a scare that cast aluminum was linked conductivity. Modern skillets may have an aluminum core with an nonstick? Why not all nonreactive pans?” While I still enjoy mas- to Alzheimer’s disease, so many threw out their inherited pots outer shell of stainless steel that speeds up the heating time. Glass sive amounts of Calphalon and All-Clad, I’ve grown to supple- and pans. I’m not buying it just yet, but as a precaution I tossed is a great insulator of heat, and the thick walls hold the tempera- ment those with many others for specific tasks. One guitar cannot my great-great Aunt Jessie’s cast aluminum Dutch oven when ture well, but that’s because it is a poor conductor. meet all musical needs, nor can one skillet meet all cooking my boys came along. By the way, she knocked on the door of a My kitchen cabinets are loaded with a hodgepodge of cook- needs. Diversity is the key to any functional kitchen. century, smoked until she was in her 80s, and drove a 1967 Chevy ware, each piece with a certain amount of specificity. I have Malibu until her eyes were of no use, so maybe cast aluminum something for nearly every task. Dumb it down to the simple Reactive cookware causes blindness. classification of reactive and nonreactive and you’ll see both sides Cookware deemed reactive simply means it will react with Hard-anodized aluminum differs from cast. When cookware is have their limitations and strengths. A good rule for utensils is if acid-heavy foods. Anything citrus or tomato based can cause an anodized, an oxide essentially coats the pan and creates strength. the surface material is metal, then use a metal utensil. If the sur- undesirable reaction in these skillets and saucepans. When I say The pan is immersed in a chemical bath and given a jolt of Ala- face material is nonstick, then opt for a plastic utensil to preserve reaction I don’t mean a life-threatening reaction such as an explo- bama Power. The resulting current creates an oxide that hardens the coating. For either type of surface, wood is always good. sion or a chemical reaction that could poison you and your guests. the aluminum and helps resist corrosion. Hard anodized is the There is no single box of cookware that suits all needs. Pur- But you may notice a discoloration in sauces. Aluminum, tin, same principle, but uses higher voltage and lower temperature. chase a piece at a time as needed. Now that I have most of the copper and cast iron can be considered reactive. This creates an even stronger material. Both can still be consid- other materials I need for everyday life, I’m still open for more Some of these softer metals can be excellent conductors of ered reactive. Calphalon. Christmas is but a few months away if you’re buying. heat, and therefore are much needed in a situation that requires a

20 | LAGNIAPPE | August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 | LAGNIAPPE | 21 6120 Marina Dr., Dog River • 443-7318. DOWNtOWNErs ($) QuEEN g’s Café ($) tHE HarBOr rOOM ($-$$) Great sandwiches, soups & salads. Down home cooking for lunch. ‘Cue Unique seafood. 107 Dauphin St. • 433 8868 2518 Old Shell Rd. • 471-3361 BaCKyarD CafE & BBQ ($) 64 S. Water St. • 438-4000 E WINg HOusE ($) rEgINa’s KItCHEN ($-$$) Home cookin’ like momma made. tHE BLuEgILL ($-$$) 195 S University Suite H • 662-1830. Sandwiches, subs and soups. 2804 Springhill Ave. • 473-4739 A historic seafood dive w/ live music. 2212 Dauphin Island Pkwy • 479-2021 2056 Government St. • 476-2777 Bar-B-QuINg WItH My HONEy ($$) 3775 Hwy. 98 • 625-1998 fIrEHOusE suBs ($) rOLy POLy ($) BBQ, burgers, wings & seafood $ uNDER $10/PERSoN tHE graND MarINEr ($-$$) Hot subs, cold salads & catering. Wraps & salads. 19170 Hwy 43 Mt. Vernon. • 839-9927 $$ 10-25/person Local seafood & produce. 6300 Grelot Rd. • 631-3730 809 Hillcrest Rd. • 607-6378 BrICK PIt ($) $$$ ovER 25/PERSoN 6036 Rock Point Rd. • 443-5700 fIvE guys BurgErs & frIEs ($) 3220 Dauphin St. • 479-2480 A favorite barbecue spot. tIN tOP rEstauraNt & OystEr Bar ($$) 4401 Old Shell Rd. • 447-2393 rOsIE’s grILL ($-$$) 5456 Old Shell Rd. • 343-0001 from the depths Seafood, Steaks, & extensive wine list. Sandwiches, southwest fare, 7 days. DrEaMLaND BBQ ($) BauDEaN’s ($$) 4663 Airport Blvd. • 300-8425 6232 Bon Secour Hwy Cnty Rd. 10. fOOsaCKLy’s ($) 1203 Hwy 98 Ste. 3D, Daphne Ribs, sandwiches & great sides. Fried, grilled, steamed & always fresh. 949-5086 Famous chicken fingers. 626-2440 3314 Old Shell Rd. • 479-9898. 3300 River Rd. • 973-9070 WINtzELL’s OystEr HOusE ($-$$) rOyaL KNIgHt ($) MOE’s OrIgINaL Bar B QuE ($) BONEfIsH grILL ($$) 310 S. University Blvd. • 343-0047 605 Dauphin St. • 432-4605 2250 Airport Blvd. • 479-2922 Steak night on fridays. Bar-b-que & music. Eclectic dining & space. 6700 Airport Blvd. • 341-1111 7641 Airport Blvd. • 607-7667 3004 Gov’t Blvd • 287-1220 Bayfront Park Dr., Daphne • 625-RIBS 6955 Airport Blvd. • 633-7196 1208 Shelton Beach Rd., rOyaL strEEt CafE ($) 701 Springhill Ave. • 410-7427 BOuDrEauX’s CaJuN grILL ($-$$) 2558 Schillinger Rd. • 219-7761. Saraland • 442-3335 3249 Dauphin St. • 479-2000 Homemade lunch & breakfast. 4672 Airport Blvd. • 300-8516 Quality Cajun & New Orleans guLf COast CONEy & ICE CrEaM ParLOr ($) 104 N. Royal St. • 434-0011 sauCy Q BarBQuE ($) Cuisine. 29249 US Highway 98 Sandwiches, Coneys & Ice cream satOrI COffEEHOusE ($) Award-winning BarBQue. Daphne. • 621-1991 Coffee, smoothies, lunch & beers. 1111 Government Blvd. • 433-7427 CaJuN sEafOOD ($) Completely 5395 Battleship Pkwy. • 660-4899 IstaNBuL grILL ($) 5460 Old Shell Rd. • 344-4575 sMOKEy DEMBO sMOKE HOusE ($) Seafood market & deli fresh seafood. Comfortable Authentic Turkish Resturant. sErDa’s COffEEHOusE ($) 3758 Dauphin Island Pkwy. • 473-1401 408 Dauphin Island Pkwy. • 478-9897 aL’s HOtDOgs ($) Coffee, lunches, live music & gelato. CravIN CaJuN ($) 3702 Airport Blvd. • 461-6901 Classic hotdogs, gyros & milkshakes. JaMaICaN vIBE ($) 3 Royal St. S. • 415-3000 Po-boys, salads & seafood. 4701 Airport Blvd. • 342-3243 Mind-blowing island food. sPOt Of tEa ($) drop dead 1870 Dauphin Island Pkwy • 287-1168 atLaNta BrEaD COMPaNy ($-$$) ED’s sEafOOD sHED ($$) 3700 Gov’t Blvd. Ste A • 602-1973 Mobile’s favorite spot for breakfast & lunch. Sandwiches, salads & more. JIMMy JOHN’s ($) 306 Dauphin St. • 433-9009. Gourmet Fried seafood served in hefty portions. 3680 Dauphin St. • 380-0444 Sandwiches, catering & delivery too. sOutHErN DECaDENCE DEssErts ($) aLaBaMa CruIsEs ($$) 3382 Hwy. 98 • 625-1947 CafE 219 ($) Soups, Salads, Desserts & Sandwiches. Fine dining & sailing fELIX’s fIsH CaMP ($$) 6920 Airport Blvd. • 414-5444 Salads, sandwiches & potato salad. JOE CaIN Café ($) 1956 B University Blvd. Orange Beach • 973-1244 Upscale dining with a view. Bay gOurMEt ($$) 219 Conti St. • 438-5234 Pizzas, sandwiches, cocktails. 300-8304 A premier caterer & cooking classes. 1420 Hwy. 98 • 626-6710 CafE MaLBIs ($) 26 N. Royal St. • 338-2000 stEvIE’s KItCHEN ($) fIsHErMaN’s LEgaCy ($) Contemporary fare & spirits. MaMa’s ($) Sandwiches, soups, salads & more. 1880-A Airport Blvd. • 450-9051 Deli, market and catering. BIstrO EsCOffIE ($$) 28396 Hwy. 181, Daphne • 661-6620 Slap your mama good home cooking. 41 West I-65 Service Rd. N Suite 150. Fine dining French fare. 4380 Halls Mill Rd. • 665-2266 CaMILLE’s sIDEWaLK Café ($) 220 Dauphin St. • 432-6262 tP CrOCKMIErs ($) HaLf sHELL OystEr HOusE ($) Gourmet wraps, pizzas, & more. Mars HILL CafE ($) American Restaurant & Bar 1714 Dauphin St. • 450-2030 BrIQuEttEs stEaKHOusE ($-$$) 3654 Airport Blvd. • 338-9350 5817 Old Shell Rd. • 343-0200 Great sandwiches, coffee & more. 250 Dauphin St. • 476-1890 JaCK’s CatfIsH CaMP ($$) Grilled steaks, chicken & seafood. CaMELLIa Café ($-$$$) 1087 Downtowner Blvd. • 643-1611 tHE BLIND MuLE ($) Steak & Seafood Contemporary southern fare. Mary’s sOutHErN COOKINg ($) Daily specials made from scratch. 720A Schillinger Rd. S. S2. 607-7200 Café 615 ($$-$$$) 4815 Halls Mill Rd. • 661-4434 61 Section St., Fairhope • 928-4321 3011 Springhill Ave. • 476-2232 57 N. Claiborne St. • 694-6853. JOHN WOrD’s CaPtaIN taBLE ($$) CaMMIE’s OLD DutCH ($) MICHELI’s CafE ($) tHE HOusE ($-$$) American fare with local ingredients. Come wine, dine and dance. Mobile’s classic ice cream spot. Seafood, sandwiches, salads & soups. 615 Dauphin St. • 432-8434. 6358 Cottage Hill Rd. • 725-6917 Café rOyaL ($$-$$$) 2701 Battleship Pkwy • 433-3790 2511 Old Shell Rd. • 471-1710 MIKO’s ItaLIaN ICE ($) 4513 Old shell Rd. • 408-9622 LuCy B. gOODE ($$) Prime steak & seafood in elegant setting. CarPE DIEM ($) Hotdogs Sandwiches & Cool Treats tHE HuNgry OWL ($) Gulf Coast cuisine, reinvented. Deli foods, pastries & specialty drinks. Burgers, flatbread pizza & seafood. 101 N. Royal St. • 405-5251 3371 Dauphin Island Pkwy • 300–4015 DuMBWaItEr ($$-$$$) 200 E. 25th Ave., Gulf Shores 4072 Old Shell Rd. • 304-0448 MOMMa gOLDBErg’s DELI ($) 7899 Cottage Hill Rd. • 633-4479 967-5858 CHat-a-Way CafE ($) Sandwiches & Momma’s Love. tHE vILLagE DELI ($) Serving local seafood & produce LuLu’s ($$) Quiches & sandwiches. 3696 Airport Blvd. • 344-9500 312 Fairhope Ave, Fairhope • 929-3354 167 Dauphin St. • 458-9573 Live music & great seafood. IsaBELLa’s ($$$) 4366 Old Shell Rd. • 343-9889 5602 Old Shell Rd. • 287-6556 tHrEE gEOrgEs CaNDy sHOP ($) 200 E. 25th Ave., Gulf Shores CHICKEN saLaD CHICK ($) MONtEgO’s ($-$$) Light lunch with Southern flair. 305 DeLaMare Ave, Fairhope • 990-5513 967-5858 KItCHEN ON gEOrgE ($-$$) Chicken Salad, Salad & Soup. Fresh Caribbean-style food & craft beer. 226 Dauphin St. • 433-6725 MuDBugs at tHE LOOP ($) Contemporary American food. 2370 S. Hillcrest Rd. Unit R • 660-0501 6601 Airport Blvd. • 634-3445 trOPICaL sMOOtHIE ($) Cajun Kitchen & seafood market. DauPHIN st. CafE ($) MOstLy MuffINs ($) Great smoothies, wraps & sandwiches. 351A George & Savannah St. • 436-8890 LEgaCy Bar & grILL ($$$) 2005 Government St. • 478-9897 Hot Lunch, daily menu (Inside Via) Muffins, coffee & wraps. Du Rhu Dr. • 378-5648 OrIgINaL OystEr HOusE ($-$$) American, Seafood,Stekhouse. 1717 Dauphin St. • 470-5231 105 Dauphin St. • 433-9855 570 Schillinger Road • 634-3454 A great place for kids & seafood. CrEaM & sugar ($) NEWK’s EXPrEss CafE ($) uNCLE JIMMy’s DELICIOus HOtDOgs ($) 9 Du Rhu Dr. S. • 341-3370 3733 Hwy. 98 • 626-2188 Breakfast, lunch & Ice cream too. Oven-baked sandwiches & more. 2550 Dauphin Island Pkwy South MagHEE’s grILL ON tHE HILL ($-$$) OrLEaNs PO-BOys ($-$$) Great lunch & dinner. 351 George St. #B • 405-0003 252 Azalea Rd. • 341-3533 307-5328 Po-boys, gumbo, seafood & wings. D’ MICHaEL’s ($) PaNINI PEtE’s ($) WILD WINg statION ($) 3607 Old Shell Rd. • 445-8700 960 Schillinger Rd S. • 633-3900 Philly cheese steaks, gyros & more. Original sandwich and bake shop. 1500 Government St. • 287-1526 MELtINg POt ($$$) OrLEaNs CafE ($-$$) 7101-A Theodore Dawes Rd. • 653-2979 42 1/2 Section St., Fairhope • 929-0122 WHIstLE stOP ($) 840 Montlimar Dr. • 341-7395 Po-boys, gumbo, seafood & wings. NOJa ($$-$$$) DELIsH DEssErts ($) 102 Dauphin St. • 405-0031 Home cookin’ & BBQ. 3721 Airport Blvd. • 380-1503 Great desserts & hot lunch. PDQ ($) 110 S. Florida St. • 478-7427 Inventive & very fresh cuisine. OystEr rOCKEfELLEr ($$-$$$) 312 23 Upham St. • 473-6115 Chicken fingers, salad & sandwiches. yaK tHE KatHMaNDu KItCHEN ($-$$) 6 N. Jackson St. • 433-0377 OsMaN’s rEstauraNt ($$) Schillingers Rd. • 607-9527 DEW DrOP INN ($) 1165 University Blvd. • 202-0959 Authentic foods from Himalayan region. rIvEr sHaCK ($-$$) Classic burgers, hotdogs & setting. PIta PIt ($) 3210 Dauphin St. • 287-0115 Supreme European cuisine. Seafood, burgers & steaks. 1808 Old Shell Rd. • 473-7872. 211 Dauphin St. • 690-7482 400 Eastern Shore Center. • 459-286 2579 Halls Mill Rd. • 479-0006

22 | LAGNIAPPE | August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 326 Azalea Rd. • 229-4206 Famous burgers, sandwiches & wings. Italian, catering, to-go. 777 Beach Blvd • 877-877-6256 MEDItErraNEaN saNDWICH COMPaNy ($) 60 N. Florida St. • 450-0690. 312 Fairhope Ave, Fairhope • 990-5535 HarD rOCK Café at HarD rOCK Great & quick. CaLLagHaN’s IrIsH sOCIaL CLuB ($) PINzONE’s ItaLIaN vILLagE ($$) HOtEL aND CasINO ($) 274 Dauphin St. • 545-3161 Burgers & beer. 312 Fairhope Ave, Fairhope • 990-5535 American fare & rockin’ memorabilia. 2502 Schillinger Rd. Ste. 2 • 725-0126 916 Charleston St. • 433-9374 ravENItE ($) 777 Beach Blvd. • 877-877-6256 6890 US-90 (Daphne) • 621-2271 HErOEs sPOrts Bar & grILLE ($) Pizza, Pasta, Salad & more satIsfaCtION at HarD rOCK MINt HOOKaH BIstrO ($) Sandwiches & cold beer. 102 N. Section St. • 929-2525 HOtEL aND CasINO ($) rOyaL sCaM ($$) Great Mediterranean food. 273 Dauphin St. • 433-4376. rOMa CafE ($-$$) Southern favorites & fresh-smoked meats. Gumbo, Angus beef & bar. 5951 Old Shell Rd. • 450-9191 Hillcrest & Old Shell Rd. • 341-9464 Pasta, salad and sandwiches. 777 Beach Blvd. • 877-877-6256 72. S. Royal St. • 432-SCAM (7226) zOrBa tHE grEEK ($-$$) MaNCIs ($) 7143 Airport Blvd. • 341-7217 tIEN at IP CasINO rutH’s CHrIs stEaK HOusE ($$$) Shawarmah & baba ghanouj. 1715 Main St. • 375-0543 rOMaNO’s MaCarONI grILL ($$) rEsOrt sPa ($-$$) Exceptional service & taste. 1222 Hillcrest Rd, Ste. D • 633-2202 MCsHarry’s IrIsH PuB ($) Springdale Mall Pan-Asian cuisine made in front of you. 271 Glenwood St. • 476-0516 Brillant Reubens & Fish-N-Chips. 3250 Airport Blvd. • 450-4556 850 Bayview Ave. • 888-946-2847 sagE rEstauraNt ($$) 101 N. Brancroft St. Fairhope • 990-5100 taMara’s Bar & grILL ($) HIgHLIgHts sPOrts LOuNgE at IP Inside the Mobile Marriott. far eastern fare Mug sHOts ($$) Wings, po-boys, burgers. CasINO rEsOrt sPa ($) 3101 Airport Blvd. • 476-6400 BaMBOO BIstrO ($$) Bar & Grill. 210 Eastern Shore Center, Hwy. 98 Brews & game on 65 screens. uNION ($$$) 3662 Airport Blvd. • 378-5466 6255 Airport Blvd. • 447-2514 929-0002 850 Bayview Ave. • 888-946-2847 Premium steaks & burgers. BaMBOO fusION ($$) OLD 27 grILL ($) vIa EMILIa ($$) HIgH tIDE Café at IP CasINO 659 Dauphin St. • 432-0300 2400 Airport Blvd. • 307-5535 Burgers, dogs & 27 beers & wines. Homemade pastas & pizzas made rEsOrt sPa ($) taMara’s DOWNtOWN ($$) BaMBOO stEaKHOusE ($$) 19992 Hwy. 181 Old County Rd. daily. 5901 Old Shell Rd. • 342-3677 Casual & relaxing, extensive menu. Casual fine dining. Sushi Bar. Fairhope • 281-2663 850 Bayview Ave. • 888-946-2847 104 N. Section St., Fairhope • 929-2219 650 Cody Rd. S • 300-8383 tHE LaNDINg ($) Br PrIME at BEau rIvagE ($$-$$$) tHE BuLL ($-$$) BaNgKOK tHaI ($-$$) From seafood to steaks. olé mi amiGo! Fine dining establishment. N. Mexico/Santa Fe & Gulf Coast cuisine. Delicious, traditional Thai cuisine. 11799 Dauphin Island Pkwy. • 973-2696 CaBO COastaL CaNtINa ($) 875 Beach Blvd. • 888-952-2582 609 Dauphin St. • 378-5091 3821 Airport Blvd. • 344-9995 LuCKy’s IrIsH PuB ($) 225 Dauphin St. • 441-7685 JIa at BEau rIvagE ($-$$) tHE trELLIs rOOM ($$$) BaNzaI JaPaNEsE rEstauraNt Irish pub fare & more. DauPHIN st. taQuErIa ($) Exotic Japanese, Thai, Chinese, Contemporary Southern Cuisine ($$) Traditional sushi & lunch. 3692 Airport Blvd • 414-3000 Enchiladas, tacos, & authentic Korean & Vietnamese cuisine. Battle House Hotel, Royal St. • 338-5493 312 Schillinger Rd. • 633-9077 tHE staDIuM ($) fare. 661 Dauphin St. • 432-2453 875 Beach Blvd. • 888-952-2582 zEa’s ($$) BENJas ($) Catch the games with great food. EL CHarrO ($) MEMPHIs Q at BEau rIvagE ($) Gourmet rotisserie. Prime rib & seafood. Thai & Sushi 19270 Hwy. 98 Fairhope • 990-0408 Finest Mexican in WeMo. Memphis-style Q. 4671 Airport Blvd. • 344-7414 5369 D Hwy 90 W • 661-5100 WEMOs ($) 7751 Airport Blvd. • 607-0882 875 Beach Blvd. • 888-952-2582 CuIsINE Of INDIa ($$) Wings, tenders, hotdogs & sandwiches. fuEgO ($-$$) COast rEstauraNt at BEau Lunch Buffet 312 Schillinger Rd. • 633-5877 Outstanding Mexican cuisine. rIvagE ($) a little Vino 3674 airport Blvd. • 341-6171 2066 Old Shell Rd. • 378-8621 Sports bar-style joint. DOMKE MarKEt gOLDEN BOWL ($) LOs arCOs ($) 875 Beach Blvd. • 888-952-2582 Wine, Beer, Gourmet foods, & more. Hibachi Grill & Asian Cuisine. mama mia! Quaint Mexican restaurant. LB’s stEaKHOusE at graND 720 Schillinger Rd. S. Unit 8 • 287-1851 309 Bell Air Blvd • 470-8033 BENtz’s PIzza PuB ($) 5556 Old Shell Rd. • 345-7484 CasINO ($$-$$$) fatHOMs LOuNgE KaI JaPaNEsE rEstauraNt ($-$$) Homemade pizza and Italian dishes. La COCINa ($) Fine dining with steak & fine wine. A tapas reaturant, cocktails & live music 5045 Cottage Hill Rd. • 607-6454 28567 County Rd. 13 • 625-6992 Authentic Mexican cuisine. 280 Beach Blvd. • 800-946-2946 64 S. Water St. • 438-4000 LIQuID ($$) BuCK’s PIzza ($$) 4633 Airport Blvd. • 342-5553 Cuu LONg suPEr PHO at graND POur BaBy Amazing sushi & assortment of rolls. Delivery. MarIa BONIta agavE Bar & grILL ($-$$) CasINO ($$) Wine bar, craft beers & bistro 661 Dauphin St. • 432-0109 350 Dauphin St. • 431-9444 3977 Government Blvd. • 342-5553 Asian noodle soups, bubble teas & more. 6808 Airport Blvd. • 343-3555 MIKatO JaPaNEsE stEaK HOusE ($$) gaMBINO BrOtHErs ($) saNta fE grILL ($) 280 Beach Blvd. • 800-946-2946 fIrEHOusE WINE Bar & sHOP Upscale sushi & specialties. Homemade pastas & sandwiches. Locally-owned, fresh cuisine. EMErIL’s guLf COast fIsH HOusE 216 St Francis St. • 421-2022 364 Azalea Rd. • 343-6622 873 Hillcrest Ave. • 344-8115 3160 Bel Air Mall • 450-2440 at IsLaND vIEW CasINO ($$-$$$) rED Or WHItE rICE asIaN grILL & susHI Bar ($) gaMBINO’s ItaLIaN grILL ($) taQuErIa MEXICO ($-$$) Kick it up a notch. 323A De La Mare Ave, Fairhope • 990-0003 3964 Gov’t Blvd. • 378-8083 Italian, Steaks & Seafood. Authentic Mexican flavor. 3300 W. Beach Blvd. • 877-774-8439 1104 Dauphin St.. • 478-9494 rOCK N rOLL susHI ($$) 18 Laurel Ave. Fairhope • 990-0995 3733 Airport Blvd. • 414-4496 C&g grILLE at IsLaND vIEW CasINO ($) rOyaL strEEt tavErN 3299 Bel Air Mall. • 287-0445 guIDO’s ($$) Large breakfast, lunch or dinner menu. Live music,martinis & dinner menu. tastE Of tHaI ($$) Fresh cuisine nightly on menu. no GamblinG 3300 W. Beach Blvd. • 877-774-8439 26 N. Royal St. • 338-2000 9091 US-90 Irvington • 957-1414 1709 Main St., Daphne • 626-6082 WaHOO’s POOLsIDE Bar & grILL sOutHErN NaPa WasaBI susHI ($$) La rOssO ($$) Casino fare at PaLaCE CasINO rEsOrt ($-$$) Bistro plates, craft beers and pantry. Japanese cusine. Comfort food. atmore Fresh seafood & more. 2304 Main Street. • 375-2800 3654 Airport Blvd. S. C • 725-6078 1716 Main St. Ste. C, Daphne • 281-2982 fIrE at WIND CrEEK CasINO & 158 Howard Ave. • 800-725-2239 yEN rEstauraNt ($) MELLOW MusHrOOM ($) HOtEL ($$-$$$) MIgNON’s at PaLaCE CasINO Authentic Vietnamese cuisine. Pies & awesome beer selection. Prime steaks, seafood & wine. rEsOrt ($$-$$$) falafel? try 763 Holcombe Ave. • 478-5814 2032 Airport Blvd. • 471-4700 303 Poarch Rd. • 866-946-3360 Extraordinary wine, steaks & seafood. Jubilee Shopping Center, 5660 Old Shell Rd. • 380-1500 grILL at WIND CrEEK CasINO & 158 Howard Ave. • 800-725-2239 some hummus Daphne • 625-4695 NavCO PIzza ($$) HOtEL ($) tHE DEN at trEasurE Bay 7 sPICE ($-$$) Pizza,subs & pasta. Contemporary & old-fashioned favorites. CasINO ($-$$) Healthy, delicious Mediterranean food. 1368 1/2 Navco Rd..• 479-0066 303 Poarch Rd. • 866-946-3360 Intimate & casual with daily specials. 3762 Airport Blvd. • 725-1177 is the Game on? PICKLEfIsH ($$) biloxi asHLaND MIDtOWN PuB ($-$$) 1980 Beach Blvd. • 800-747-2839 aBBa’s MEDItErraNEaN CafE ($-$$) Pizza, sandwiches & salads. vIBE at HarD rOCK HOtEL CQ at trEasurE Bay CasINO ($$-$$$) Beef, lamb & seafood. Pizzas, pastas, & calzones. 5955 Old Shell Rd.• 344-9899 aND CasINO ($-$$) Elegant atmosphere & tantalizing entrees. 4356 Old Shell Rd. • 340-6464 245-A Old Shell Rd. 479-3278 PaPa’s PLaCE ($$) Fine surf, turf, atmosphere & cigars. BuffaLO WILD WINgs ($) 1980 Beach Blvd. • 800-747-2839 JErusaLEM CafE ($-$$) A Taste of Italy . BYOB. 777 Beach Blvd. • 877-877-625 BLu at trEasurE Bay CasINO ($) Mobile’s oldest Middle Eastern cuisine. Best wings & sporting events. 28691 U.S. Highway 98 • 626-1999 rutH’s CHrIs stEaK HOusE at Lounge with cocktails & tapas menu. 6341 Airport Blvd. • 378-5955 5773 Airport Blvd. • 304-1155 PINzONE’s ItaLIaN DOWNtOWN ($$) HarD rOCK HOtEL & CasINO ($$$) 1980 Beach Blvd. • 800-747-2839 KaN zaMaN CafE ($) ButCH CassIDy’s ($) Exceptional servie & taste.

August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 | LAGNIAPPE | 23 C CUISINEWORD OF MOUTH Wintzell’s shellabration in full swing BY ANDY MACDONALD/CUISINE EDITOR | [email protected]

’m about to lose it. If you’re an oyster fan, make sure you’re restaurant a little further north. This time they’ve found a home in Kitchen on George wine dinner a hit sitting down to read this. Wintzell’s has gone absolutely crazy Last Thursday’s Kitchen on George four-course chef’s dinner Spanish Fort. with its Oyster Shellabration from now until Nov. 1: Enjoy was a hit. I was seated with my good friend David Holloway who The Tin Roof restaurant, located at 10810 State Highway 31 happy-hour priced raw oysters for “a buck a shuck” — that’s kept me in stitches the entire night. Of the whites my favorite — better known to those in the area as the former Junkyard Café $6I per dozen for those counting. Happy hour varies from location wine was the Acrobat pinot gris with Chef Paul Wooten’s summer or Lower Latitude — recently opened to much acclaim. The ink is to location, but a general rule of thumb is 3-7 p.m. in Mobile vegetable granita. That country ham was amazing with the water- barely dry on the sign and I hear more about it every day. A look County locations and 3-6 p.m. at what I consider to be the slightly melon and field greens. at the menu should explain why. less awesome Baldwin County locations. I knew the Ken Wright pinot noir would be good with Chef Oysters on the half shell, crab claws and an eggplant sandwich This three-month-long “shellabration” isn’t just cheap raw Gillian Clark’s guinea hen and risotto. It exceeded my expecta- with lump crabmeat and something called shrimp Loxley sauce oysters. There are some delectable items not formerly seen on tions. The lagniappe of the dish was a fried chicken foot holding are enough to get me through the door. Seafood platters, catfish, any menu I’m aware of. We know the fried, nude and stewed, but a Scotch egg! What a surprise of a presentation, and a delicious steaks, quail and veal Marsala round out the high-end side of the we’ve also become familiar with baked. Rockefeller, Bienville and surprise at that. menu. Blue plate specials and sandwiches make up the lunch por- Monterrey are some of the most popular ways we eat baked and The blue ginger ice cream was amazing but the whisky truffles tion along with a 10-ounce cowboy burger. grilled oysters here in the South. For this event, prepare your- took the cake, so to speak. At the end of the evening I received an The menu I received says “Please join us for our country lunch selves for Buffalo Oysters, L.A. Oysters and Oysters Carnival. invitation to another wine dinner on Thursday night at KOG, but buffet.” If it is anything like their sister restaurant, you won’t be Buffalo, of course, has bleu cheese bits and Buffalo sauce. L.A. apparently it did not materialize. I’ll look forward to the next one. disappointed. It’s up to you to know when to put on the brakes. is a marriage of collard greens, hush puppy crumbles and diced With all of the new development in that area, I expect a higher Conecuh sausage. Carnival is over the top with spinach, jumbo quality of restaurants to be popping up. This one will be joining lump crabmeat and hollandaise sauce. Bay Gourmet hosts jazz brunch Nappie Award winning caterers Bay Gourmet will be hosting Trattoria, the Greg Peterson/Mark Bentz effort that is going strong Wintzell’s is also offering fried oysters tossed in a choice of a New Orleans style jazz brunch at the beautiful Azalea Manor. just a hop, skip and a jump from there. North Baldwin County is two different sauces, mango habanero or honey citrus. Try those If it’s brunch you want, how about their amazing New Orleans on the up. sauces on a po’boy, entrée or basket. beef grillades? Never tried them? They are my favorite. Shrimp in It’s time for the pep talk. Many of you reading this tried your Cammie’s old Dutch getting a facelift sherry cream sauce, smoked Gouda cheese grits, bananas Foster first oyster at Wintzell’s. Oct. 16-18, all 10 locations are encourag- It’s true. Everyone’s favorite ice cream parlor and multiple Nap- bread pudding, eggs Benedict and strawberry crepes will be ing our youngsters ages 4-12 to belly up to the oyster bar and try pie Award winner Cammie’s Old Dutch is going through some cos- served inside. Charcoal-grilled oysters and Conecuh sausage will their first bivalve on the house! During this time kids’ meals will metic changes. People began freaking out when they saw the sign be served in the courtyard. be free! being replaced at the corner of Old Shell and Florida, but fear not, If it’s jazz you want, then look no further than the incompa- The event culminates Nov. 1 with a head-to-head oyster- fellow ice cream lovers. The recipes and the business shall remain. rable Chris Spies Jazz Trio. Nobody plays the keys like Spies. You eating contest at each location! You may not be able to beat Ken A trip inside to the back counter with the same old familiar will certainly be blown away. Orndoff’s record of 421 in an hour, but you don’t have to. Be a barstools reveals a new blue Formica top replacing the former A mere $35 gets you all you can eat plus a cash bar with bot- champion by beating the man in front of you. Those willing to orange-ish one. tomless mimosas. Seating times are 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 1 participate are encouraged to contact the Wintzell’s location of “The list of people who want a piece of the old counter for a p.m. Purchase tickets now at www.baygourmetcatering.com. their choice ahead of time. Each restaurant will have a winner. keepsake keeps growing. I’m not touching the wallpaper!” says I’m excited just writing about this. Thank you, Mobile, for giv- Tin Roof opens in Spanish Fort Cammie. ing me a Wintzell’s. Fans of Robertsdale’s Magnolia Blossom Café (and I am I’ll take a piece myself. After all, we should recycle! certainly one) will be excited to hear they’ve opened another

24 | LAGNIAPPE | August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 | LAGNIAPPE | 25 COVERSTORY Previous efforts to redevelop gulf state Park never realized BY ERIC MANN/REPORTER | [email protected] ince Hurricane Ivan devastated Gulf State Park’s lodge and State Auditor Jim Zeigler said it would be a “blessing” for the in the court system. other facilities in 2004 and the state ultimately demolished state and Baldwin County residents if the $50 million bond does not In 2001, during former Gov. Don Siegelman’s administration, it in 2006, legislators and private interests have targeted pass, saying the state should not incur more debt and instead rebuild a $110 million bond was issued by the Alabama Public Historical its redevelopment along with a “restoration” of the park’s a lodge similar to that destroyed by Ivan. Sites and Parks Improvement Corp. and the Alabama State Parks secosystem. “The purpose of the original Gulf State Park lodge was to be Improvement Corp. to pay for improvements to the state’s parks With $85.8 million set aside from early Natural Resources a people’s park, built and priced reasonably so that families from and historical sites. Records indicate those nonprofit organizations Damages Assessment (NRDA) funds provided by BP after the 2010 other parts of the state could afford to stay and enjoy their state were incorporated by Siegelman, along with then-President Pro Gulf oil spill, the state legislature is currently considering a move beaches at the state lodge,” Zeigler said. “Instead, the governor has Tempore Lowell Barron, Speaker of the House Seth Hammett, Di- to approve an additional $50 million bond toward the goal. But the this idea to build a high-priced resort and conference center that rector of Conservations and Natural Resources Riley Boykin Smith Gulf State Park Enhancement Project, currently managed by the would compete with the Grand Hotel, the Perdido Beach Resort and and Director of Finance Henry C. Mabry. University of Alabama at the behest of Gov. Robert Bentley, has other similar resorts in the area. They can build it like the old lodge The original $110 million bond issue for parks statewide was faced opposition from environmental groups as well as taxpayers without committing to another $50 million in debt, with the money overwhelmingly approved by voters in 1998, but during a 2001 concerned that certain aspects — including plans to build a resort- already allocated for it.” special session, legislators tacked on an additional $70 million style hotel — are not appropriate uses of NRDA funds. And others Another issue standing in the way of the $50 million bond are bond solely for Gulf State Park. At the time, the state planned to are concerned about what happened to the tens of millions already spending cuts related to the budget passed by the state House of use the $70 million bond approved in 2001 to build what it called a allocated over the years to the project. Representatives, including $156 million in Medicaid cuts and mil- “first class” hotel with competitively priced rooms to attract large State Sen. Trip Pittman said of the $85.5 million set aside for the lions more affecting a host of other state agencies. If approved, the convention groups. project, $58 million was allocated for the construction of the hotel. budget would include a loss of federal funding for the state’s marine The hotel would have had 350 rooms and a smaller footprint According to the request for proposals for the project released last resources, wildlife and freshwater fisheries, and result in closings at than the original lodge, which featured just 144 rooms. The project September, the lodge will have 350 rooms or suites, meeting space an undisclosed number of state parks. would have cost approximately $100 million and additional funding for 1,500 people, on-site parking and a full service restaurant. Bent- In 2013, Pittman sponsored legislation, SB231, allowing the would have been secured in a partnership with the cities of Orange ley has publicly voiced support of the plan, saying the state needs state to partner with a private developer to build a hotel and confer- Beach and Gulf Shores, as well as a “substantial” settlement from a convention center at the beach to keep business and tourism from ence center at Gulf State Park and set up the Gulf State Park Project insurers due to damage caused by Hurricane Ivan. leaving the state. Committee to approve a lease at the site, manage requests for State Parks Director Greg Lein did not return calls for this story Pittman said after initial designs and a feasibility study came proposals and negotiate project proposals. prior to press time, but according to a 75th anniversary report he back, the state realized the hotel’s construction would cost ap- Locally, the cities of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach approved authored last year, Gov. Fob James and and Conservation Commis- proximately $50 million more. Pittman said the bond was discussed sending letters of support for the project in 2013. But this week, sioner James D. Martin initially led the push for the $110 million during the regular session but it did not receive a vote before the Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon said the city’s support of the bond issue in 1998. While the report said many improvements to legislature adjourned in June. project hinged on several questions that have yet to be answered. parks statewide were made in the ensuing 10 years as a result, Lein “They started the project and now we need to make sure we Among them, Kennon said he wants to know how traffic will be wrote, “this period of improvement to the park system coincided have enough to be able finish it,” Pittman said last week, between diverted to and from the hotel and convention center, where the with the large growth period in housing construction and post- meetings for the legislature’s special session to address the state’s funding will come from to complete the project and who is going to hurricane redevelopment in the southeastern United States, which general fund budget shortfall. manage the project. resulted in dramatic rises in the costs of construction. As a conse- Apparently, the proposed bond issue has faced similar opposi- “At this point in time I’m still looking for some answers and I quence, the pre-bond estimates for project costs fell far short of the tion in the special session to that received earlier this year. Pittman feel like a mushroom looking for light in the dark,” Kennon said. actual costs. This resulted in a number of park renovation projects said some legislators are skeptical about borrowing more money for “We did support the idea, but we need answers.” not being undertaken because of the lack of funds.” Gulf State Park, when it could spend existing funds on other state In 2004, under Gov. Bob Riley, the Alabama Department of parks without the same perceived risks. He also said there has been A HISToRY oF LITIGATIoN Conservation and Natural Resources invited Auburn University to opposition from the private sector, including Perdido Beach Resort, In October 2014, environmentalist watchdog organization Gulf lead development of a new resort at the site of the former lodge. The which views the development as a state-subsidized competitor. Restoration Network (GRN) filed a federal lawsuit to stop the plan called for Auburn to lease the lodge from the state and use it State Rep. Steve McMillan said the bond did not pass during the project’s development, charging that a lodge and convention center as an educational venue for students pursuing careers in hospitality first special session last week, but the issue could come up again in is an inappropriate use of NRDA funds. The suit does not challenge management, forestry, wildlife, marine sciences and related fields. a second special session next month. McMillan also said there are the approval of the dune restoration, trails and educational facilities Plans for that project ended after a lawsuit, filed by former alternative funding sources available to raise the additional $50 mil- at Gulf State Park, and it originally named the Gulf Coast Ecosys- ADCNR Commissioner Charley Grimsley, successfully blocked it. lion needed if the bond doesn’t pass. Specifically, he said other BP tem Restoration Council as defendants, not the state. In an order dated June 26, 2008, Circuit Judge Eugene W. Reese funds, private investment or a joint venture with the private sector The suit argues the resort and lodge violates the guidelines for declared the lease agreement between the Alabama Department of may be a possibility. spending NRDA funds set by the Oil Pollution Act of 1989, which Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and Auburn Univer- McMillan said the additional funds are needed because the proj- was adopted following the Exxon Valdez accident. sity contrary to Alabama constitutional and statutory law. The state ect’s scope — with environmental issues like dune restoration as On Aug. 4, GRN filed a motion for summary judgment, which supreme court upheld at least one of the lower court’s findings on well as public input about walking trails and the park’s golf course gives the defendants until the end of August to file a response. A appeal, and the state eventually scrapped the project. — has been more expensive than originally expected. hearing on the matter is set for September. The project’s developers Zeigler served as a preliminary legal counsel for the plaintiffs, “We are going to get it done one way or another,” McMillan recently said they do not expect the lawsuit’s outcome to affect the but he said citizens — led by Grimsley — were the driving force said. “We are going to do what really needs to be done in order to project’s construction. behind the suit. The owner of the Perdido Beach Resort also joined make the project competitive with other similar centers in neighbor- But this is not the first time the state has pushed to build a resort the complaint. ing states.” at Gulf State Park, and it is also not the first time it has been mired Aside from the lawsuit, the $70 million bond issue was further

26 | LAGNIAPPE | August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 complicated by the “levels of revenue losses dune habitat. the system faced because of renovations and The fourth component is also educational, damages associated with natural disasters,” with plans for a research and education center to Lein’s 75th anniversary report noted. With 70 serve kindergarten through 12th-grade students. to 90 percent of the parks’ revenue generated by The education center is said to complement the user fees and a sudden drop in users after 2002, park’s existing nature center, which already the system no longer had the support it needed receives approximately 40,000 visitors per year. to pay back such a large bond. The fifth and final component is rebuilding Lein was unavailable to confirm whether the the lodge. Dixon emphasized that the new lodge parks were indeed awarded the “substantial” will be built with a smaller footprint than the insurance settlement being discussed at the original, 144-room building. The overall project time, but a story published Aug. 4 by the Ala- is estimated for completion by 2018, but Dixon bama Political Reporter quoted former Attorney said visitors will begin to see signs of progress General Bill Baxley as saying the state received much sooner than that. an estimated $45 million for damage caused to Reached Tuesday, Grimsley, now a part-time Gulf State Park by Hurricane Ivan. Realtor in Tuscaloosa, said progress could have Zeigler said he recently received a citizen’s been seen 10 years ago had lawmakers not “fo- complaint regarding the money allocated for the cused on grandiose proposals and succumbed to park over the years and he is currently conduct- corporate greed.” ing a preliminary investigation of the issue. He “The sad thing is, going back to Siegelman, added that he has not seen any evidence of how Riley and Bentley, we could have rebuilt what the original $110 million bond was spent. was down there a long time ago — something “They have been pushing for this Taj Mahal the people of this state could have been enjoy- for two decades and have nothing to show for it ing for a long time, but the emphasis has been … ” he said. “For whatever reason, [Gulf State on lavishness and cronyism,” Grimsley said. Park] was allowed to deteriorate for years and Grimsley suggested the smart thing to do was then totally bulldozed after Ivan. This has would be to use the state’s $1 billion settlement happened under the leadership of a succession from BP to finance the project, rather than use of governors … ” it as a “one-year Band-Aid for the bleeding General Fund” and put taxpayers on the hook THE NEW PRoJECT for financing. Jill Dixon, from Boston-based Sasaki Associ- He called Riley’s 2004 agreement with Au- ates, is a part of the team tasked with manag- burn University and a “hand-picked” developer ing the Gulf State Park Enhancement Project’s “totally illegal,” and noted the legislature has long-range plan for University of Alabama. since passed amendments that would make a Last week, she said the project comprises similar deal fall within the boundaries of the law. five components she believes will ensure the “The sad thing is, Gulf State Park is the most park’s long-term economic and environmental beloved environmental treasure the people of sustainability. Sasaki is currently working on Alabama own, and as much as possible it should the master planning phase, which she estimated be kept pristine and natural,” he said. “If you could be finalized in the fall. look across the border to Florida, you have The first component is to enhance visitors’ miles and miles of beaches the people there experience with 10 miles of new walking, run- have preserved in their natural state. And if this ning and cycling trails. This component also project is not done right, or lines the pockets of includes upgrading existing trails and making private interests, it’ll be the fuse that lights the connectivity around the park easier for visitors stick of dynamite that will eventually see every in order to reduce the need for motor vehicle development in the world in line to follow.” transportation in the park. In a video hosted on the enhancement proj- The second component is dune restoration, ect’s website, Bentley said the revenue generated which Dixon said involves the equivalent of 50 by the proposed park will help fund the state’s 22 football fields’ worth of sand dunes along the other state parks and stimulate the local economy beach. This phase involves work to repair berms on the Gulf Coast. Pittman agreed. as well as repairs to the ridge that was originally “It is important that Gulf State Park is built to protect the park from flooding following economically sustainable because it helps to Ivan. She said volunteers have already begun subsidize some of the other parks that don’t cutting slits in the berm so that sand can easily make much money statewide,” Pittman said. flow through, which will help restore the dunes In comments about the state budget crisis, to their natural state. Lein has noted only seven of the state’s 22 parks A the third component is building an envi- have made money consistently over the the past ronmental learning center, with classrooms, three years. Gulf State Park was among them. meeting space, outdoor boardwalks and indoor exhibits to allow visitors to learn more about the Gabriel Tynes contributed to this report.

August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 | LAGNIAPPE | 27 ARTARTIFICE American history in an entertaining nutshell BY KEVIN LEE/ARTS EDITOR | [email protected] or one Mobile Theatre Guild neophyte, the advantages of Lucille Ball — give a sample of the range and madcap nature. Azalea City life are easy to see. “Most of the show is based on history loosely. There are some “I would much rather have the summers in Mobile than facts in there, but, like, there’s a scene … where George Washing- the winters in the North. It’s hot, it’s humid, but I don’t have ton, Madison and Jefferson are talking about the Declaration of Fto dig my car out of the snow every morning,” Josh Carl said. Independence and saying [things] like, ‘maybe we should make “Winter in Indianapolis sucks.” a counter piece to the Bill of Rights called the Bill of Wrongs,’” The California native hit Atlanta before the Hoosier State, so Carl said. “There’s other presidents mixed in — Nixon, Reagan, he’s had a taste of Southern summer in the past. There’s another Bush, Obama.” past — deeper and quicker — he’s concentrating on these days. Carl also provides narration between segments. He said those As one of only three cast members in Mobile Theatre informational transitions keep the audience in stride with the pace. Guild’s new production of “The Complete History of America “My two favorite parts are I get to kind of do a radio announcer (Abridged),” Carl is putting a new twist on our national story and in a radio drama like from the 1930s or ‘40s,” Carl said. “Then diving headlong into a daunting chore. That’s obvious when you we do a film noir kind of thing that’s fun, like a Humphrey Bogart see it billed as 600 years of history in 6,000 seconds. detective.” “It’s been about 12 days we’ve been in rehearsal. We’re still The play premiered in 1992, when our first President Bush trying to memorize everything,” Carl said. “I wasn’t even much of a squared off with Ross Perot and Bill Clinton in a bid to return to fan of history when I was in school but this is actually entertaining.” Photo/ jobsitetheater.org the White House. As such, revision is expected and instructed by Each of the three actors — Carl, Barney March and Jay Deen the playwrights. — is responsible for not only several roles but a good bit of the “The Complete History of America (Abridged)” is a mad- “You can ad lib, throw things in here and there to make it fun material to boot. It’s built into the play. cap “new vaudeville” play featuring a cast of three. as you go,” Carl said. “The scripts are very open with a lot of “This is kind of what we call ‘a bucket of bits,’” March said. room for contemporary material. They encourage you to kind of “We’re always adding things to it. The revision is constant.” theater in Atlanta. A graphic and web designer by day, this was his update it.” The play is one of a series from the Reduced Shakespeare first Mobile audition but isn’t likely to be his last. The show runs at Mobile Theatre Guild (14 N. Lafayette St.) Company, which began the whole schmir in 1981 and ended up “It all depends on my work schedule. Summer is usually the Aug. 14-30. Friday and Saturday curtain is at 8 p.m. Sunday with a variety of up-tempo combinations of both low- and high- easiest time when I can do it. I’d love to try and direct stuff as matinees are at 2 p.m. brow material tagged as “new vaudeville.” The subject matter is well,” Carl said. Tickets are $20, $15 for seniors, military and students. Call wide ranging. He picked a frenetic foray. Carl’s continual citation of speed 251-433-7513 for reservations or go to mobiletheatreguild.org for “The playwrights have done several of these, like ‘The Com- and rapid preparation sound daunting. more information. plete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged),’ or ‘The Bible: “There’s a lot of on and off, a lot of fast-paced costume change. Though his wife’s online studies in the University of Alabama The Complete Word of God (Abridged),’ all the same formula,” It’s very quick. Learning all our lines, with props, costumes, and grad school program required residence in the Heart of Dixie, Carl Carl said of the breakneck pace. “[Director Lars Tatom] directed a it’s very hard having about 15 days from start to finish before we can see why, as a Tampa native, she wanted to return. The secret is previous version so he’s very accustomed to it.” go live,” Carl said. in the audience. A San Jose State grad with a major in film and theater, Carl has It’s also a zany project. Some of the roles March described for “I just like the South in general,” Carl said. “The people are a previous roles to his credit, some in college, some in community himself — Amerigo Vespucci’s wife, Besty Ross’ sister Diana, little bit nicer.”

28 | LAGNIAPPE | August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 | LAGNIAPPE | 29 ARTART GALLERY

The outside comes into Arts Council BY KEVIN LEE/ARTS EDITOR | [email protected]

Photo/ facebook.com/DanceWL The Azalea City Center for the Arts has added Dance Without Limits to its cur- riculum, a dance program geared exclusively toward special-needs participants.

he French expression “en plein air” Driskell’s Full Scale School of Music and translates to “in the open air” and is visual art lessons from Susie Lott. The latest used to notate a traditional stereotype news comes from the center’s dance academy. of painter and easel at work in the April Smith Spencer, a longtime fixture on Toutdoors. The practice is especially friendly stages around Mobile, is now an instructor at to more expressionist displays, styles that can the dance academy. The Huntingdon College quickly capture the shifting conditions of light grad is the former choreographer and dance and weather “sur la motif.” director for Playhouse in the Park, and served With its long warm season and temperate as choreographer for Joe Jefferson Players for winter, the Gulf Coast is ripe for the practice. eight years. According to a news release from For August, a host of area artists — Gail Bram- the center, Spencer also taught for the Mobile er, Joanne Brandt, Roxann Dyess, Kathy Fried- Ballet Company and several area private line, Carolyn Greene, Satomi Kamei, Karen studios. McGahagin, Ainsley McNeely, Missy Patrick, The center is also boasting a new approach Shirley Rasmussen, Melissa Root and Karen to dance, heavily anchored in technique with Spaulding — have brought their depictions of an aim toward individual expression rather the outdoors into Mobile Arts Council (318 than competition and recital. That includes Dauphin St.) for the show “PleinAirSouth.” background in ballet, contemporary, tap, jazz Joining them will be “Waterline” from and musical theatre. Heather Duffy, a Gulf Coast artist who had to Simultaneously, the center announced leave the region to fully value it. Her exhibition the establishment of the Dance Without is tied to her sense of place, memories — both Limits program, exclusively geared toward cultural and individual — and the 10th anniver- the special-needs community. It will offer a sary of Hurricane Katrina at the end of August. preschool class for ages 3-5, hip-hop classes Also in this show will be Eliza Coral’s for ages 6-11 (or based on cognitive level), “World of Animals.” The artist’s specialty an adult class and possibly a teen class if is paintings of animals — both realistic and interest demands. whimsical. Most classes feature assistance — each The featured artists will be on hand for a dancer will have a volunteer helper to work reception during the Aug. 14 LoDa Artwalk, with them through class. Volunteers are dancers 6-9 p.m. Admission is free and guitarist Gene at Broadway South, Camp Smile counselors or Lane will provide music. speech and occupational therapy students from Beyond Artwalk, gallery hours are Monday the University of South Alabama. through Friday, 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Dance Without Limits classes will be led For more info, call 251-432-9796. by Kerrie Benson, who has served as a dance teacher for more than 20 years. She also Arts center adds instructor possesses the understanding gained through and classes parenting a special-needs child. The Azalea City Center for the Arts has Occupational therapists Mia Manning and spent years building a local institution for Victoria Rowan also will be on hand. teaching Mobile youngsters a variety of expres- All dancers will perform at the Broadway sive skills. Founder Chris Paragone has seen South Dance recital in May and at community his umbrella organization grow from a humble events throughout the year. Long-range aspira- summer camp a dozen years ago to a multi- tions for Special Olympics participation are in discipline tour de force on Midtown Park East the works. near Dauphin Street and Interstate 65. Tuition rates are $50 per month, with some The facility is chock-full of artistic expres- scholarships available. sion. It houses Sunny Side Theater, Daniel For more information, call 251-391-0244 or email [email protected].

30 | LAGNIAPPE | August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 | LAGNIAPPE | 31 MUSICFEATURE The Boxmasters return to Soul Kitchen BY STEPHEN CENTANNI/MUSIC EDITOR | [email protected]

Band: The Boxmasters Date: Sunday, Aug. 16 with doors at 7 p.m. Venue: Soul Kitchen, 219 Dauphin St., www.soulkitchemobile.com Tickets: $20 advance /$23 day-of/ $40 reserved front row available through Soul Kitchen, its website, Mellow Mushroom (both locations) and by calling 1-866-468-7630 he Boxmasters are returning to the Azalea City to give LoDa another dose of its unique modbilly sound, one longtime collaborators Billy Bob Thornton and J.D. Andrew conceptualized as hillbilly music with British TInvasion influences and “sang like David Allan Coe.” On their first appearance at Soul Kitchen, the audience may have been like many who had just heard of the band but not heard its music. Arriving partially to see Thornton, a highly acclaimed screen actor, early audiences may not have known what to think, and they weren’t alone. While many respected critics, such as Rolling Stone’s David Photo/ facebook.com/theofficialboxmasters Wild, loved the band’s sound, many bloggers were quite harsh (From left) Teddy Andreadis, Billy Bob Thornton, J.D. Andrew and Brad Davis are The Boxmasters, a “modbilly” in their criticism. Ultimately, The Boxmasters proved its critics wrong and established a dedicated cult following through a strong group touring in support of their fourth studio album, “Somewhere Down The Road.” debut album and an electrifying live show. These days, a succes- material from the band demonstrates an inexhaustible talent for rock and country. Teddy Andreadis is a multi-instrumental artist sive release of material followed by successful tours allows Thorn- songwriting. Both Thornton and Andrew are quick to explain that best known for his work with Guns N’ Roses, Alice Cooper and ton and Andrew to take any negative critiques in stride. these albums comprise just a minute portion of their original work. the Boxing Ghandis. Brad Davis has worked with Marty Stuart, “There are people [critics] who still do that, not only to us but They say they don’t plan to write songs. Their material flows ef- Dwight Yoakam, Earl Scruggs and others. Thornton has worked everybody,” Thornton said. “They’ve made bad reviews of Bob fortlessly. with both Andreadis and Davis since his solo career in the mid- Dylan albums. Everybody gets it from certain people. They’ll get Thornton and Andrew may write several songs in a week or go ’90s, and both are considered official members of The Boxmas- a bee up their ass about somebody, and that’s just the way it is. months without putting pen to paper. Depending on their needs ters. Fortunately, we’ve built a real strong following over the years. for the album at hand, the pair throw together ideas, which evolve “They’ve always been around, and we loved how they played,” The people were always on our side.” into a final product. Thornton admits this method of creation and Andrew said. “It was only natural that they be a part of what you The creative bond between Thornton and Andrew is another selection may lead to many of their original works never making it do. You know, you call your friends up. They’re both great and fit element contributing to the band’s longevity. Andrew cites the onto an album. perfectly with what we do. It’s not a hard thing.” organic creation process as one of his favorite experiences in The “We don’t sit down to write an album,” Thornton said. “We The Boxmasters’ debut at Soul Kitchen was a twofold show. Boxmasters. When he’s not working with the rest of the band, An- record whatever comes out of us at the time. We may write one on The band took the stage dressed in ‘60s mod attire and assumed drew is an accomplished producer/engineer who helped Thornton a day that sounds kind of moody and dark. At the time, we may be an onstage persona that matched. They took a break, and then during his solo years. Andrew has also worked on projects for acts working on more of a pop-rock sounding record, so we just put it returned to the stage with full rock attitude and sound. For the such as Will Kimbrough, Kanye West, The Rolling Stones and aside. We just write what comes to us at the moment and put them show Sunday, locals can expect a mix of the two sets, and a set list many others. Because of the natural way Thornton and Andrew all together to see what fits together.” that delves into pre-Boxmasters material and music on “Some- work together on Boxmasters material, Andrew finds himself “Since we started the band, we’ve never stopped recording,” An- where Down the Road.” Even though the show has changed, The wanting to focus on his own band rather than others. drew added. “We’ve got three or four regular records done. We’ve Boxmasters are looking forward to returning to Mobile and having “It’s a lot harder to want to do other gigs when you’re so able got this rock opera thing called ‘Dinosaur’ that we’ve done. Then, a repeat of what Thornton describes as “an amazing time.” to really communicate how you want things to go,” Andrew said. we’ve got another couple hundred songs, but we’ve been too lazy to “Last time, we did The Boxmasters opening for Billy Bob “When you get used to that, you get spoiled, and you don’t want to compile them on a record. We used to focus on recording one record Thornton,” Andrew explained. “This time, it’s just The Boxmas- go work with other people. I work with other people less and less. at a time. Then, we got in this spell where we recorded anything that ters show. It spans all the generations of The Boxmasters and As the years go on, I do what we do, or I hang out with my kids.” we wanted to, no matter how crazy it was. So, we just stopped mak- Billy’s stuff. We do play a few songs from his solo record. We How easy is it? The Boxmasters’ latest release on 101 Ranch ing records and started recording tons of stuff.” start off with the ‘60s pop stuff. By the end, it gets more into the Records, “Somewhere Down the Road,” is the band’s fourth For “Somewhere Down the Road,” Thornton and Andrew jam side of things but not too much. We’re too anal to let things go studio album and second double album. The amount of quality chose two hired guns who fit the modbilly philosophy of mingling too crazy.”

32 | LAGNIAPPE | August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 | LAGNIAPPE | 33 Country punk BY STEPHEN CENTANNI/MUSIC EDITOR | [email protected]

Band: The Punknecks, Hillbilly Harlots, Zach Diedrich Date: Sunday, Aug. 16 at 8 p.m. Venue: Alchemy Tavern, 7 S. Joachim St., www.alche- mytavernmobile.com Tickets: Call 251-441-7741 for more info rossover musical genres can sometimes be a wonderful thing. For decades, bands have interlaced punk rock and old-school country with fiery results. The Punknecks has fashioned an innovative brand of punk-laden Americana that goes beyond punkabilly. Armed with either acoustic or electric instruments, Cunderground power couple Jason and Polly Punkneck maintain the band’s furious sound throughout each set. The Punknecks spent the past year promoting its album, “Road to Nowhere,” and introducing the public to the lineup on the Punkneck Records label. Punkneck Records’ lineup includes Polly Punkneck’s all-girl project Hillbilly Har- lots. While the band’s appearance may be sugary sweet, Hillbilly Harlots mixes shots of whiskey with songs conjured from the dark side of country. This should be the perfect band to ease the crowd into the world of The Punknecks. In a time when pop country reigns on the airwaves, Bay Minette’s Zach Diedrich embraces the roots of country music. Diedrich’s sound is undeniably modern, but this country up-and-comer has shaped his sound with help from muses such as Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings. Diedrich is performing in support of his 2014 release, “Kept in the Dark.” Photo/ facebook.com/Punknecks

Party with The Pollies Blues cues Band: The Pollies Band: Andy T. /Nick Nixon Band Date: Friday, Aug. 14 at 7:30 p.m. Date: Saturday, Aug. 15 at 9 p.m. Venue: Callaghan’s Irish Social Club, 916 Charleston St., www.cal- Venue: The Blues Tavern, 2818 Government Blvd., www. laghansirishsocialclub.com bluestavern.com Tickets: $8 at the door Tickets: Free orth Alabama has given birth to bands such as Drive-By Truckers and Alabama Shakes. hile the blues has been molded and shaped by a variety of outer influences, Now, The Pollies from the Muscle Shoals area are traversing the Southeast and building a many blues outfits tend to hold tight to tradition. The Andy T. /Nick Nixon name for the area with a sound all their own. Patrons of Callaghan’s will hear songs from Band is a Nashville blues group that builds the foundation of its sound upon the upcoming album, “Not Here,” set for release Sept. 25. With its “experimental noise tradition. The namesakes of this band are accomplished blues artists. James Nand unadulterated risk,” The Pollies refuse to fit neatly into one music category. In a recent news re- “Nick”W Nixon is a Nashville blues icon and a veteran Chess Recording artist, while “Andy T.” lease, lead singer/songwriter/guitarist Jay Burgess explained that audio versatility is a conscious effort Talamantez has lent his guitar to blues notables such as Guitar Shorty and Smokey Wilson. for The Pollies. Together, this duo has pooled their blues knowledge into the release “Livin’ It Up.” While there are many alt. country elements found on “Not Here,” a variety of other musical qualities “Livin’ It Up” is definitely rich in traditional blues. Andy T. /Nick Nixon Band shuffles force this album into its own dimension. “Not Here” uses reverb well, with dreamy echoes subtly added its audience through heartache with “Baby Right Now,” and Chicago style runs free to vocals and instrumentation. A majority of the tracks flow easily across the album, but those such as throughout a slow jam called “Good Man.” Blind Pig Records has recognized the duo’s “You Are” and “Loser” are excellent rock numbers that add to the band’s trademark versatility. blues mastery and will release their next album on the label, with seasoned blues guitarist Anson Funderburgh producing.

Photo/ facebook.com/thepollies Photo/ andytband.com

34 | LAGNIAPPE | August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 | LAGNIAPPE | 35 AREA MUSIC LISTINGS AUGUST 13 - AUGUST 19 Roybal IP Casino— Ronnie Milsap, 8p THUR. AUG 13 Legacy— Zach Chavers, 7:30p Legacy— Jeri Trio MON. AUG 17 BLUEGILL— Redfield Duo The Listening Room— Penelope The Listening Room— Joshua Buffalo Wild Wings— Eric Erdman, Blues Tavern— Betty Fox Band, 8:30p House Benefit Stephen Ward 5p Callaghan’s— Bobby Butchka Live Bait— 3HG, 8p Live Bait— 3HG, 8p Felix’s— David Chastang Felix’s— Grits N Pieces Lulu’s— Lee Yankie, 6p Lulu’s— CoConut Radio, 6p Flora Bama— Johnny Barbato, 2p// Flora Bama— Grove Scrivenor, Main Street Cigar Lounge— Glass Main Street Cigar Lounge— Matt Josh Newcom, Kyle Wilson, Davis 2p// Rebecca Barry Duo, 5p/// Steve Joe, 8p and Sherry Neese, 8p Nix, 5:30p/// Cathy Pace, 6p//// Tallent Wilkerson, 5:30p//// J. Hawkins & Manci’s— Tyler West Manci’s— Peek, 7:30p Brothers, 10p//// Smokin Elvis, 10:15p James Daniel, 6p//// Mark Sherrill, Moe’s BBQ (Mobile)— Doubleshot, Moe’s BBQ (Mobile)— Robbie Hangout— Category 4, 6p Chris Newbury, John Joiner, Mel Knapp, 6:30p Sellers, 6:30p Lucky’s Irish Pub— Marcus, 8p 6p//// Jay Williams Band, 10p//// Brian Moe’s BBQ (Daphne)— Rock Pinzones— David Chastang Lulu’s— Brent Burns, 6:05p Hill & Tony Ray Thompson, 10:15p//// Bottom w/ Stan Foster, 8p Pirates Cove— Bill Barrow and the Vegasbonds, 10:30p O’Daly’s— Gene Murrell, Tony Edwards West Side Players, 6p Hangout— The Perry Wall, 6p TUE. AUG 18 and David White, 10p Tacky Jacks (Gulf Shores) — Neil BLUEGILL— Mobile Big Band Society Hard Rock (Center Bar)— The Pinzones— Holli Mosley and Tim Dover, 6p Butch Cassidy’s— Jerry Powell Flying Steinway Brothers Kinsey Top of the Bay— Hard Drive Felix’s— Tim Kinsey Legacy— Ryan Balthrop, 7:30p Tropics— Worx Tropics— Grits N Pieces Flora Bama— Ryan Conner, 2p// T. Live Bait— 3HG, 8p Veets— 80’s Night, TNT Entertainment Soul Kitchen— The Stolen Faces, 10p Bone Montgomery, 5:30p/// Jeff Dayton, Lulu’s— Kyle and Karl, 6p & Sucker Punch, 8p Sun Set Fest at the Wharf— Top 6p//// Perdido Brothers, 6p//// Tallent Pinzones— John Cochran Duo Windmill Market— Lauren Kay, 6p of the Hops Beer Festival, 4p Brothers, 10p//// Veets— Drew Bentley, 8p Veets— The Family Jewels, 9p Kyle Wilson, Davis Nix, Josh Newcom, SAT. AUG 15 Windmill Market— Lee Yankie, 11a 10:15p FRI. AUG 14 Bill’s by the Beach— Chase Brown, Lulu’s— Grits N Pieces, 6p Beau Rivage— Peter Frampton & 6p SUN. AUG 16 Moe’s BBQ (Mobile)— Andy Citrin, 6p Cheap Trick, 8p BLUEGILL— Bobby Butchka, 11a// Al BLUEGILL— Dale Drinkard, 11a// Bill’s by the Beach— Chase Brown, 6p and Cathy, 6p Stereo Dogs and Infant Richard, 6p Blind Mule— HEX Fest: WHEX Non- WED. AUG 19 Blues Tavern— IBC Band Blues Tavern— Art Hedgepeth, 5p BLUEGILL— Ross Newell Profit Radio Station Benefit show, 8p Competition: Andy T/Nick Nixon, 9p Felix’s— Bobby Butchka Blues Tavern— Johnny Barbato Duo BLUEGILL— Dale Drinkard, 11a// Jerri, Callaghan’s— Willie and the Giant Flora Bama— Beachbillys, 12:30p// Bucky’s Birdcage (Grand 6p Cockeyed Charlie’s— DJ Chill, 10p Johnny Barbato Trio, 2p/// Jezebel’s Chill’n, Hotel)— Adam Holt Piano Show, 8p Blues Tavern— Johnny Barbato and Fairhope Brewery— Jacob Brock, 7p 5:30p//// Cat Rhoades & the Truth, 6p//// Callaghan’s— Deluxe Trio the Lucky Dogs, 9p Felix’s— Blind Dog Mike Perdido Brothers, 6p//// Tallent Brothers, Cockeyed Charlie’s— Ryan Balthrop, Callaghan’s— The Pollies Flora Bama— J. Hawkins Trio, 1p// 10p//// Brian Hill Duo, 10:15p 10p Cockeyed Charlie’s— Zachery LeaAnne Creswell, John Joiner, Darrel Hangout— The Perry Wall, 6p Felix’s— Lee Yankie Thomas Diedrich & The Bama Bayou Roberts, 2p/// Jack Robertson Show, Legacy— John Cochran and Rebecca Flora Bama— Neil Dover, 2p// Jarod Boys, 10p 5:30p//// Foxy Iguanas, 6p//// Jezebel’s Barry, 11a// Webb Wilder, 6p/// Holli Foster & David Harris, 5:30p/// Smokin’ Felix’s— Andrew and Spencer Chill’n, 6p//// Hung Jury, 10p//// Smokin Mosley, 7p Elvis’, 6p//// Dave Jordan Band, 10p//// Flora Bama— Truman Holland, 1p// Elvis, 10:15p//// Adam Doleac Band, Lulu’s— The Groovinators, 6p Kyle Wilson, Davis Nix, LeaAnne Creswell, John Joiner, Darrel 10:30p Manci’s— Kyle and Karl Josh Newcom, 10:15p Roberts, 2p/// Jack Robertson Show, Garage— Infant Richard and the Delta Pinzones— Ross Newell, 5p Hangout— Mario Mena Band, 6p 5:30p//// J. Hawkins Trio, 6p//// Big Stones, 9p Tacky Jacks (Gulf Shores) — Neil Legacy— Lee Yankie and John Cochran Muddy, 10p//// Shawna P Trio, 10:15p//// The Grand Mariner— Redhouse, 4p Dover, 12p Live Bait— DJ Sremba, 8p Vegabonds, 10:30p Hangout— Oliver’s Twist, 6p// Party Tropics— Al and Cathy Lucky’s Irish Pub— Garage— Hundred Dollar Car, 9p Animal, 11p Saenger— The Wizard of Oz Lulu’s— Blind Dog Mike and the Hangout— Peek, 7p// Foxy Iguanas, 11p Hard Rock (Center Bar)— Brennan Soul Kitchen— Billy Bob Thornton Howlers, 6p Hard Rock (Center Bar)— Brennan Roybal and The Boxmasters, 8p Veets— Grits N Pieces, 8p AREA MUSIC LISTINGS SEND yOUR MUSIC LISTINGS TO [email protected]

36 | LAGNIAPPE | August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 AREA CLUB LISTINGS

[DOWNTOWN] Skyview Lounge 28850 US Hwy 98| 626-7662 www.pinkponypub.net 6120 Marina Dr. S. Atop the Lafayette Plaza Plow [Fairhope] 137 East Gulf Pl. | 978-6371 443-7318 Alchemy Tavern 301 Gov’t St.| 694-0100 96 Plantation Pointe| 410-7569 Pirate’s Cove [Elberta] Tin Top alchemy.joltpro.com Soul Kitchen Courtyard 311 www.piratescoveriffraff.com 7 S. Joachin St. | 441-7741 6232 Bon Secour Hwy. County www.soulkitchenmobile.com 311 Fairhope Ave. | 928-2032 6600 County Rd. 95| 987-1224 The Blind Mule Rd. 10 | 251-949-5086 219 Dauphin St. |433-5958 [Fairhope] Tacky Jacks 57 N. Claiborne St. | 694-6853 Ravenite Pizzeria Touch Down Tavern Spot of Tea’s Jaggers 102 N. Section St. | 929-2525 www.tackyjacks.com Boo Radley’s 5460 Inn Rd | 662-7543 310 Dauphin St. | 375-6772 Rosie’s Grill and Record Bar [Orange Beach] www.booradleysmobile.com VFW Post 7320 [Saraland] Studio 5’4 [Daphne] 27206 Safe Harbor Dr, |981-4144 276 Dauphin St. | 432-1996 244 Old Telegraph Rd. |679-1188 216 Dauphin St. | 725-0406 www.rosiesgrill.com [Gulf Shores] The Bar T.P. Crockmiers 249 E. 24th Ave.| 948-8881 Whiskey Blues [Theodore] 352 St. Francis St. | 648-1596 1203 U.S. 98|626-2440 250 Dauphin St. | 476-1890 [Fairhope] [Gulf Shores] 5791 Swedetown Rd.|633-1769 The Brickyard Windmill Market The Listening Room 1577 Alabama 180|968-8341 Zebra Lounge 266 Dauphin St. | 473-4739 www.windmillmarket.org 78 St. Francis St.| 367-4599 85 N. Bancroft St. | 517-5444 The Handlebar [Pensacola] Buck’s Pizza 2343 Dauphin Island Pkwy. http://thelisteningroommobile.com www.handlebarpensacola.com www.buckspizza.com 473-2997 Veet’s 319 N. Tarragona St.| 434-9060 350 Dauphin St. | 431-9444 [WESTMOBILE] www.veetsbarandgrill.com The Wharf [Orange Beach] Callaghan’s Irish Social Club All Sports Bar & Grill [CASINOS] 66 S. Royal St.| 694-3090 3408 Pleasant Valley Rd. 4985 Wharf Pkwy.| 224-1000 www.callaghansirishsocialclub.com Beau Rivage [Biloxi] 345-9338 916 Charleston St. | 433-9374 www.beaurivage.com [MIDTOWN] Billiards Club [AROUND AND ABOUT] Dauphin St. Blues Company 878 Beach Blvd.|228-386-7111 Ashland Midtown Pub 4130 Gov’t Blvd.|447-2132 The Old Bama Barn [Theodore] & Draft Picks www.ashlandmidtownpub.com 11470-B Bellingrath Rd.|973-0388 or 888-595-2534 564 Dauphin St. | 725-6429 Cockeyed Charlies 2453 Old Shell Rd.| 479-3278 6920 Airport Blvd.|725-1112 Blue Gill Restaurant Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Firehouse Wine Bar Shop Blues Tavern www.bluegillrestaurant.com [Biloxi] 216 St. Francis St. | 421-2022 Crooked Martini www.bluestavern.com www.thecrookedmartini.com 3775 Battleship Pkwy. |625-1998 www.hardrockbiloxi.com Gabriel’s Downtown Bottoms Up 55 S. Joachim St. | 432-4900 2818 Gov’t Blvd. |479-7621 7639 Cottage Hill Rd. #C |633-5555 777 Beach Blvd. 2605 Halls Mill Rd. | 287-7781 The Garage Butch Cassidy’s Cafe Flashback Club |228-374-ROCK (7625) 10071 Airport Blvd.| 634-2239 Briar Patch 9 S. Washington Ave. | 433-2223 www.butchcassidys.com Harrah’s Hotel & Casino 9371 Dauphin Island Pkwy. Hayley’s Downtown 60 N. Florida St. |450-0690 Jag’s Sports Bar & Grill 973-1120 [New Orleans] 278 Dauphin St. | 433-4970 Kimberly’s Midtown Bar 5602 Old Shell Rd.| 725-1102 Celtic Irish Pub [Pascagoula] www.harrahsneworleans.com Joe Cain Café 2660 Old Shell Rd. |478-1477 Lucky Irish Pub & Grill 4901 Chicot St. | 228-938-6800 228 Poydras St.|504-533-6000 26 N. Royal St. | 338-2000 Mellow Mushroom 3692 Airport Blvd.| 414-3000 Ed’s Seafood Shed Grand Casino [Biloxi] Liquid www.mellowmushroom.com Mellow Mushroom www.edsshed.com www.grandcasinobiloxi.com 661 Dauphin St. | 432-0109 2032 Airport Blvd. |471-4700 www.mellowmushroom.com 5660 Old Shell Rd. | 380-1500 3382 Battleship Pkwy. | 625-1947 280 Beach Blvd. Loda Bier Garten Rear Pocket Felix’s Fish Camp 251 Dauphin St. | 287-6871 2525 Emogene St. |476-0053 Patches 228-436-2946 5100 Girby Rd.| 661-8028 www.felixsfishcamp.com Mobile Civic Center Royal Knight Restaurant IP Casino Resort & Spa Satori Coffee House 1530 Battleship Pkwy. |626-6710 www.mobilecivicctr.com 3004 Gov’t Blvd. |287-1220 [Biloxi] www.satori-coffee.com Midnight Rodeo 401 Civic Center Dr. | 208-7261 Silver Horse Pub www.ipbiloxi.com 5460 Old Shell Rd. | 344-4575 7790 Tanner Rd. |639-2222 Moe’s Original BBQ 151 S. Florida St. |478-7030 850 Bayview Ave. Runway Billards Mississippi Coast Coliseum www.moesoriginalbbq.com Whistle Stop Bar & Grill 8000 Airport Blvd. | 634-8006 [Biloxi] 800-436-3000 701 Spring Hill Ave|410-7427 110 S. Florida St.|478-7427 The Hungry Owl www.mscoastcoliseum.com Wind Creek Casino O’Daly’s Irish Pub 7899 Cottage Hill | 633-4479 2350 Beach Blvd. |228-594-3700 www.windcreekcasino.com 564 Dauphin St.|725-6429 [EASTERN SHORE] Stir Mobile The End Zone Sports Bar 303 Poarch Rd., Atmore OK Bicycle Shop Bay House Pub [Daphne] [Mt. Vernon] 19170 Hwy 43. 5821 Old Shell Rd., Ste. D | 342-9995 866-946-3360 661 Dauphin St. |432-2453 28850 Bayline Dr. | 626-0158 VFW Post 49 829-9227 Pat’s Downtown Grill Club 44 [Daphne] The Oar House [Dauphin Island]

2528 Govt Blvd. | 471-9438 AREA CLUB LISTINGS 271 Dauphin St. | 438-9585 [NEW ORLEANS] 28850 US 98, #100 | 445-8069 1504 Bienville Blvd.| 861-4800 Riverview Plaza (Fathoms House of Blues Gumbo Shack [THE BEACH] Original Oyster House Lounge) www.houseofblues.com www.guysgumbo.com Flora-Bama www.theoysterhouse.com 64 S. Water St.| 438-4000 225 Decatur St . |504-310-4999 212 Fairhope Ave. | 928-4100 www.florabama.com 3733 Battleship Pkwy. |626-2188 Royal Scam Manci’s Antique Club [Daphne] 17401 Perdido Key Dr., Pelican Pub & Restaurant Howlin’ Wolf www.royalscammobile.com www.mancisantiqueclub.com 850-492-0611 [Dauphin Island] www.thehowlinwolf.com/new- 72 S. Royal St.|432-SCAM (7226) 1715 Main St. | 375-0543 The Hangout 1102 DeSoto Ave.| 861-7180 orleans Royal Street Tavern McSharry’s [Fairhope] www.thehangoutal.com Pelican Reef Restaurant 907 S. Peters St. 26 N. Royal St. | 338-2000 101 Gulf Ct. | 948-3030 www.mcsharrys.com 11799 Dauphin Island Pkwy. 504-522-WOLF (9653) Saenger Theatre Live Bait | 973-2670 101N Brancroft St. |990-5100 Louisiana Superdome www.mobilesaenger.com www.livebaitrestaurant.com Moe’s Original BBQ [Daphne] Trader’s 6 S. Joachim St. |208-5600 24281 Perdido Beach Blvd. www.superdome.com www.moesoriginalbbq.com 4015 Battleship Pkwy Saddle Up Saloon 974-1612 1500 Poydras St. |504-587-366 6423 Bayfront Pk Dr.|625-7427 626-5630 www.saddleupmobile.com Lulu’s at Homeport Marina Tipitina’s Old 27 Grill [Fairhope] The Grand Mariner 9 N Jackson St. 285-4596 www.lulubuffett.com 501 Napoleon Ave. 19992 Hwy 181 | 281-2663 6036 Rock Point Rd. Serda’s Coffee Company 200 E. 25th Ave. 504-895-TIPS (8477) www.serdas.com Papa’s Pizza [Daphne] 251-967-LULU 443-5700 3 S. Royal St. | 415-3000 www.papaspizza.com Pink Pony Pub [Gulf Shores] The River Shack August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 | LAGNIAPPE | 37 MUSICRUNDOWN BayFest 5K T-shirt contest announced BY STEPHEN CENTANNI/MUSIC EDITOR | [email protected]

Photo/ nirvana.com A posthumous, self-titled collection of Nirvana studio tracks and B-sides will be available Aug. 28 on vinyl and newer formats.

efore BayFest fills the streets of downtown Mobile also are available for purchase, as are payment plans for those album also featured rare cuts such as the “Blew EP” version of with music Oct. 2-4, Alabama’s largest music festival who prefer to pay in installments. Information about the payment “Been a Son” and the single “Sliver,” which was a non-LP single. will fill the streets with runners. On Saturday, Sept. plan is on the BayFest website. On Aug. 28, this self-titled album will be released in three 25, at Bienville Square, BayFest will hold its annual forms that should make vinyl fans very happy. Enthusiasts can BBayFest 5K and Fun Run/Walk. Before the race begins, BayFest ‘Nirvana’ coming out on vinyl, other formats expect a 45 rpm on 200-gram heavy-weight vinyl and packaged organizers are giving a local artist the chance to score a pair of Nirvana was one of the most prolific bands to emerge from in “a furnace-black gatefold sleeve with liner notes.” This version BayFest weekend passes along with a pair of sponsor hospitality the ‘90s grunge rock revolution. This band helped pioneer the will also feature a download card for a 96 kHz 24-bit HD audio passes (valued at $2,090) through a T-shirt artwork contest. Art- distorted, post-punk sound, which still echoes throughout modern copy of the album. Another vinyl option will be a 33 rpm single ists should base their T-shirt design theme on the BayFest Music rock. In 2002, Nirvana fans received a posthumous, self-titled LP on 150-gram standard-weight vinyl. This option will feature Scholarship Program, which the festival benefits. Entries should collection of tracks that contained hits from the band’s breakout a download card for a 320 kbps MP4 audio version of the album. be submitted to [email protected] by noon Wednesday, Sept. 2. album, “Nevermind,” as well as cuts from its debut, “Bleach.” Finally, Nirvana fans can look forward to a Blu-Ray Pure Audio Advance weekend passes for BayFest are currently available In addition to these greatest hits, the album introduced Nirvana high-res version in PCM, DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby through the festival website. Bronze, silver and gold VIP passes fans to the previously unreleased “You Know You’re Right.” The TrueHD stereo audio formats.

38 | LAGNIAPPE | August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 | LAGNIAPPE | 39 FILMTHE REEL WORLD Vampire mockumentary is bloody hilarious BY ASIA FREY/FILM CRITIC | [email protected]

can tell you that “What We Do in the Shad- ows” is a mockumentary-style comedy about four vampire roommates, but I can’t capture in words the weird essence of this singularly Ihilarious oddity. While both the style and the sub- jects are arguably overdone, the characters in this little film are original and alive. Well, not alive exactly, but believable and vibrantly undead. Another fact I can give you to try to con- vey the spirit of this thing is that New Zealand comedian Jemaine Clement (“Flight of the Conchords”) co-wrote and directed it with costar Taika Waititi. They play housemates, vampires from different ages, which gives the film a lengthy comedic introduction. Clement’s character, Vladislav, is 862 years old, and sees things differently from the “bad Photo/ Unison Films | “What We Do in the Shadows” boy” Deacon, a mere 183. Waititi, meanwhile, Comedy meets tragedy as a film crew follows vampire roommates through west- plays a romantic dandy of age 379, and is a sweet and understanding den mother to the others. The ern society in the 21st century. vampires’ different backgrounds, and their result- Nick also has a human best friend, Stu, and practical considerations of fantasy figures are ing differences in attitudes, is endlessly amusing, the affection that all the old vampires feel for Stu played for laughs. Darby exhorts fellow were- at least to me. The eldest is thousands of years gives the film an almost emotional dimension. I wolves to wear big track pants to allow room for old and is more of a silent, Nosferatu type. would not go so far as to employ the word “seri- their legs to expand when they turn, and scolds There is not much of a plot; they just have ri- ous,” but the otherwise selfish vampires’ attempts one of the group for chaining himself to a tree diculous adventures, and the creators never miss to fend off attacks against Stu add a dash of heart that is too small, and using a combination lock. a chance to cram every situation with hilarious to the ludicrous mix, and concern for his welfare “What We Do in the Shadows” is a marvel- details. When a recent vampire convert named is the closest we get to suspense. ously preposterous romp, completely silly yet Nick, whom they tried to merely drink but inad- Werewolves, naturally, come to figure into intelligent and witty. Even the special effects are vertently turned into one of them, starts hanging this vampire story, and their alpha male is played sufficiently affecting. It is a ludicrous premise to around, the boys are reluctantly brought into the by another “Flight of the Conchords” alum, Rhys which some very talented and hilarious people 21st century. Darby. As in many situations in this film, the fully commit. NEW IN THEATERS NOW PLAyING INFINITELY POLAR BEAR Maya Forbes’ autobiographi- cally inflected “Infinitely Polar Bear” stars Mark Ruffalo as Cameron, a man who suffers from bipolar disorder. After a breakdown forces him to leave his family and move into a half- way house, he attempts to re- build a relationship with his two Photo/ BBC Films “What We Did on Our Holiday” daughters and win back the WHAT WE DID ON OUR theaters. theaters. trust of his wife, Maggie (Zoe HOLIDAy MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE THE GALLOWS Saldana). When Maggie decides Crescent Theater. — ROGUE NATION All listed multiplex to go to business school in New RICKI AND THE FLASH All listed multiplex theaters. York, they decide Cameron will Photo/ Paper Street Films “Polar Bear” All listed multiplex theaters. MINIONS move back in and provide day- STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON theaters. TRAINWRECK All listed multiplex to-day care for the kids. Due to Following the meteoric rise and FANTASTIC FOUR Regal Mobile Stadium theaters. his mercurial nature, this leads fall of N.W.A., “Straight Outta All listed multiplex 18, Carmike Jubilee SELF/LESS theaters. Square 12, East- All listed multiplex to a series of quirky, funny and Compton” tells the astonishing sometimes frightening epi- THE GIFT ern Shore Premier theaters. story of how they revolutionized All listed multiplex Cinema, Carmike MAGIC MIKE XXL sodes. Crescent Theater. music and pop culture forever. theaters. Wynnsong 16 Carmike Wharf 15 All listed multiplex theaters. SHAUN THE SHEEP PAPER TOWNS TERMINATOR GENISyS THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. All listed multiplex All listed multiplex Regal Mobile Set against the backdrop of the IRRATIONAL MAN theaters. theaters. Stadium 18 early 1960s at the height of Woody Allen’s latest film about MR. HOLMES PIXELS INSIDE OUT the Cold War, this film star- a tormented philosophy profes- Regal Mobile Stadium All listed multiplex All listed multiplex ring Armie Hammer centers sor who finds a will to live when 18, Eastern Shore theaters. theaters. Premiere Cinema, SOUTHPAW JURASSIC WORLD on CIA agent Solo and KGB he commits an existential act. agent Kuryakin. It’s directed by Carmike Jubilee Eastern Shore Pre- All listed multiplex Starring Joaquin Phoenix and Square 12, Carmike mier Cinema, Carmike theaters. Guy Ritchie and therefore has Emma Stone. Carmike Jubilee Wharf 15 Wynnsong 16 SAN ANDREAS potential. All listed multiplex Square 12, Eastern Shore Pre- VACATION ANT-MAN Regal Mobile theaters. miere Cinema. All listed multiplex All listed multiplex Stadium 18

Carmike Cinema’s hollywood stadium 18 Carmike Cinemas eastern shore Premiere Wynnsong 16 1250 Satchel Paige Dr. 23151 Wharf Ln. Cinema 14 785 Schillinger Rd. S. (251) 473-9655 Orange Beach (251) 981-4444 30500 Alabama 181 #500 (251) 639-7373 Spanish Fort, Al rave motion PiCture Cobb theatres PinnaCle 14 (251) 626-0352 CresCent theater Jubilee square 12 3780 Gulf Shores Pkwy Gulf 208 Dauphin Street 6898 U.S. 90 Daphne, Shores Information accurate at press time; please

area theaters (251) 438-2005 (251) 626- 6266 (251) 968-7444 call theaters for showtimes.

40 | LAGNIAPPE | August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 CROSSWORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1. Flavorful seed source 5. Croquet surface 9. Used a bench 12. Calculation for a tiler 13. Big or bright thing 14. “The check is in the mail,” usually 15. Laid up 17. Banquet holder 18. Albums, these days 19. Chronic butterflies 21. Like tough guys 24. Artist’s inspiration 26. Back 27. Bandit’s refuge 29. Pricing spec 33. Blushing 34. Hold to the fire 36. Slip in a pot 37. First place? 39. Monopoly card 40. “Frankenstein” setting 41. At all 43. Hurricane hazards 45. Gozo neighbor 48. Dental concern 5. Eye liners? 31. Dog covering 49. “___ momento” 6. Do the math? 32. City centers 50. Way below 7. Bairn-sized 35. Degas or Burroughs 56. Till bill 8. Grandmas, affection- 38. Court sight 57. Choice cut ately 42. Gymnastics feat 58. Alpine reflection? 9. Phony nickel 44. Bunk option 59. Baa ma 10. Show of vanity 45. Silence 60. Leaves home? 11. It may be pitched 46. From the top 61. Matting material 16. Causes of swoons, 47. Sans accomplices maybe 48. Kind of pool DOWN 20. Wedding page word 51. Here-there linkup 21. Colt carrier? 52. Money maker 1. Apply salve 22. Mellowed 53. Club member? 2. Boiling point? 23. Safety specifications 54. Cow or sow 3. Began a hand, 24. Coal porter 55. It’ll cover some perhaps 25. Drive, say ground 4. Noble fir 28. Caddie, for instance 30. Isn’t fine Answers on PAge 48

August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 | LAGNIAPPE | 41 C O E MISSION OF HOPE: RUN TO WIN WHEN: SATURDAY, AUG. 15, 7 P.M. WHERE: ARTHUR R. OUTLAW MOBILE CONVENTION CENTER, 1 WATER ST. A fundraiser to benefit the Mission of Hope, the “Run to Win” banquet will be held at the Mobile Convention Center (1 S. Water St.). The guest speaker will be legendary coach Gene Stallings, who led the Alabama Crimson Tide to a national championship in 1992. The emcee will be well-known Christian artist Alicia Williamson Garcia. There will be a silent auction of donated goods and services including unique autographed items from the University of Alabama. Funds raised at the event will go toward helping the ministry continue to reach indigent drug and alcohol addicts, including addicted pregnant women. For more information and tickets, visit www.missionofhopeministries.net or call 251-214-3778. Photo/Courtesy of Mission of Hope

August 13 week to experience the museum in new HR Boot Camp”). Attendees will choose and begins at 4 p.m. For more information Haven’s summer savings and exciting ways throughout the year. No one of the above tracks for the morning visit topofthehopsbeerfest.com/wharf/. The Haven Resale Shop at 357 Morphy reservations are necessary. MMoA is at session, followed by a joint lunch session Ave. in Fairhope is having a 50 percent off 4850 Museum Drive, Mobile. on “Culture Versus Strategy: How to Beat Mobile BayBears sale on everything in the store. This shop the Competition.” Advance registration is The Mobile BayBears take on the offers quality items at fabulous prices, August 14 required. For additional information and Mississippi Braves at Hank Aaron all to generate money for The Haven’s LoDa Artwalk fees see mobileshrm.org. Stadium, 755 Bolling Brothers Blvd., mission of aiding abused, abandoned Downtown is the place to be the second at 7:05 p.m. Saturdays offer a fun and and neglected animals. Through Aug. Friday of each month! Join downtown Dauphin Island free family movies unique theme throughout the game and 14, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the public will art galleries, institutions, studios and The town of Dauphin Island hosts free parking for all RAM trucks in the have the opportunity to look for fine china, unique shops as they open their doors free family movies on the beach each AutoNation RAM Truck Lot. This Saturday, glassware, framed pictures, books, small and welcome you inside to see beautiful Thursday and Friday night in the summer, the BayBears will host Iron Bowl Night furniture, jewelry, decorative housewares artwork, sample delicious foods and weather permitting. Aug. 14 features with all promotions and activities centered and more. Every dime generated goes to hear the sounds of the LoDa Artwalk. “Hugo.” The movie will begin at dark at around an Iron Bowl theme!

EVENTS | A UGUST 13, 2015 - 19, help the animals! For more information, The Artwalk gets better and better each the West End Beach, 3000 Bienville Blvd. call 251-929-1911. month. From 6 to 9 p.m. in the Lower Bring chairs, blankets, soda and snacks

OF Dauphin Street district. and bug spray, just in case. Mission of Hope: Run to Win Dauphin Island free family movies A fundraiser to benefit the Mission of The town of Dauphin Island hosts Ark of India Hope, the “Run to Win” banquet will be free family movies on the beach each “Ark of India: An Alabama Artist Explores held at the Mobile Convention Center Thursday and Friday night in the summer, Southern Asia” is an exhibit about (1 S. Water St.). The guest speaker will weather permitting. Aug. 13 features personal discovery and exploration. be legendary coach Gene Stallings, “Swiss Family Robinson.” The movie It’s an account of late 19th and early who led the Alabama Crimson Tide to a national championship in 1992. The ALENDAR will begin at dark at the West End 20th century India as seen by Alabama Beach, 3000 Bienville Blvd. Bring chairs, artist Roderick D. MacKenzie, using his emcee will be well-known Christian artist C blankets, soda and snacks and bug spray, paintings, drawings, sculptures and, most Alicia Williamson Garcia. There will be just in case. importantly, photographs and writings. a silent auction of donated goods and The exhibition is organized by the History services including unique autographed Fairhope town hall meeting Museum of Mobile, 111 S. Royal St. On items from the University of Alabama. Are you concerned about growth in view until Sept. 1. Admission is free. Funds raised at the event will go toward Fairhope? What do you want State helping the ministry continue to reach Highway 181 and Greeno Road to look Journey to Mars … Beyond Earth indigent drug and alcohol addicts, like? Come give your thoughts on the Photo/ www.milb.com In the not-too-distant future, astronauts including addicted pregnant women. For future of Fairhope at the Civic Center (161 destined to be the first people to walk more information and tickets, visit www. N. Section St.) starting at 6 p.m. If you Mobile BayBears on Mars will leave Earth aboard an Orion missionofhopeministries.net or call 251- have questions, call Jonathan Smith at The Mobile BayBears take on the spacecraft and begin their journey, 214-3778. 251-928-8003. Mississippi Braves at Hank Aaron carrying the spirit of humanity with them Stadium, 755 Bolling Brothers Blvd., at to the red planet. To highlight this mission North Mobile County Food Park and Mobile BayBears 7:05 p.m. The BayBears continue their in a fun and engaging way, the Gulf Coast Farmer’s Market The Mobile BayBears take on the most popular promotion as fans are Exploreum has collaborated with NASA Join us in downtown Prichard for a market Mississippi Braves at Hank Aaron invited to stick around after every Friday on the exhibits “Journey to Mars” and full of food trucks, local produce, meats, Stadium, 755 Bolling Brothers Blvd., at night game for a colorful fireworks show. “Beyond Earth.” The exhibits will run artists, crafts and music. The market 7:05 p.m. It’s College Night and Thirsty After the game, kids 12 years of age and through Sept. 7 at the Exploreum, 65 takes place the first and third Saturdays of Thursday. College students with a valid younger will be invited down to the field to Government St. For more information, call every month from 9 a.m. until noon at 204 student ID can attend the game with a run the bases. 251-208-6893. S. Wilson Ave., in the old Sawyer Furniture fellow student for the price of one. For parking lot. For more information, visit fans at least 21 years of age and older, Mobile SHRM mini-conference August 15 www.nomocofoodie.org. For help with Thirsty Thursday offers $2.50, 12 oz. Bud The Mobile Society for Human Resource Top of the Hops Beer Fest additional questions, contact Jonathan and Bud Light along with $2 Rolling Rock. Management (MSHRM) will hold its annual Join The Wharf for the 4th annual Top Adams at 352-217-780 or JonDAdams@ Fans of any age can enjoy $2 16-ounce mini-conference Aug. 14 from 8 a.m. until of the Hops Beer Festival. Patrons will gmail.com. soft drinks and everyone can enjoy 1 p.m. at the University of South Alabama receive a commemorative sampling mug discounted snacks (pizza, popcorn, chips, (USA) Student Center. The conference and have access to unlimited two-ounce Tales from the hive: bees ice cream) during every Thursday game. will feature two tracks, one focused on samplings of more than 150 craft beers. Honeybee hives have provided humans the interests of HR professionals (“HR Come enjoy the mass of craft beers with with honey and wax for centuries. Come Thursdays at MMoA Professional Track: How to Find and Keep live music and fun games! Tickets are on take a peek in the hive at 5 Rivers, 30945 Every Thursday from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m., the Best Employees”) and one focused on sale now at www.topofthehopsbeerfest. Five Rivers Blvd. Free, open to all ages, the Mobile Museum of Art offers free the needs of small-business owners and com. The Beer Fest takes place at The the class starts at 2 p.m. Call 251-625- admission to all visitors. Join MMoA each managers (“HR for Small Business Track: Wharf, 23101 Canal Road, Orange Beach, 0814 for more information.

SEND yOUR EVENTS TO [email protected]

42 | LAGNIAPPE | August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 “Mary Poppins” of Oz.” Doors open at 2:30 p.m. with 1070 Schillinger Road N., from noon to August 19 Mary Poppins, enchanted umbrella in the film beginning at 3 p.m. General 1 p.m. This month, Ellen Huckabay will Boardwalk Talks hand, descends on the east wind to admission tickets cost $6 per adult and discuss seed saving. For more information Boardwalk Talks are held the first and Playhouse in the Park stage for its final $3 per child age 12 and under or 60-plus. visit www.aces.edu/Mobile/mg or call third Wednesdays at 11:15 a.m. Come to performances of a four-weekend run of Tickets can be purchased beforehand at 251-574-8445. the Estuarium to participate in a dialog Disney’s Tony Award winning musical of either the Saenger Theatre Box Office, 6 with the experts at the Dauphin Island the same name. Fall in love with Mary S. Joachim St., downtown Mobile, or at Ballroom dance Sea Lab, 101 Bienville Blvd. The Northern Poppins all over again! Show runs through the Mobile Civic Center Box Office, 401 The Moonlight Chasse Ballroom Gulf Institute presents a series of informal Aug. 16 at 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays, Civic Center Drive. Tickets may also be Dance Society hosts dance classes conversations about all things scientific Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. purchased on the day of the showing at with professional instructors at 7 p.m., in the Gulf of Mexico region. For more Sundays. Reservations may be made by 12:30 p.m. from the Saenger Box Office. followed by dancing from 7:30 to 10 p.m. information, call 251-861-2141. calling 251-602-0630. Ticket prices are The main concession downstairs will be Admission is $10. This event is BYOB $15 for adults and $12 for students and open for snacks and beverages such as and no need to bring a partner. Beginners Blood drive seniors over age 60. popcorn, sodas, candy, beer, wine and are welcome. Fitzpen Place, 11247 State The American Red Cross urges blood mixed drinks. Highway 31, Spanish Fort. For more donors to give in the final weeks of “Avenue Q” information, email Cassie Fishbein at summer to help prevent a blood shortage. “Avenue Q” is a coming-of-age parable Sunday Sunset Concert [email protected]. Blood donations often decline in August satirizing the issues associated with The town of Dauphin Island hosts a as final summer vacations are planned entering adulthood. Its characters lament Sunday Sunset Concert series through Top Cats Toastmasters and back-to-school activities ramp up. that as children, they were assured that Oct. 11. On Aug. 17, enjoy The John Are you terrified at the idea of public On average, during the summer months, they were special; but as adults, they have Milham Trio at the West End Beach at 6 speaking? We were. We got over it. Top about two fewer donors give blood at discovered to their surprise and dismay p.m. Entrance fees are $10 per vehicle Cats Toastmasters invites you to join each Red Cross blood drive than what is that in the real world they are no more including passengers. Proceeds go to the us. We meet every Monday from noon needed. Please donate at the Creekwood “special” than anyone else. The musical is Little Red School House Fund. As always, to 1 p.m. at the Red Lobster near the Church of Christ, 1901 Schillinger notable for the use of puppets, animated attendees are encouraged to bring beach southeast corner of Airport Boulevard and Road, Mobile, from 4 until 8 p.m. Visit by unconcealed puppeteers, alongside chairs, blankets and bug spray (just in Azalea Road in Mobile. You can practice redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED human actors. This play contains explicit case) but please no pets, glass or grills. your speaking and listening skills and CROSS to make an appointment or for content and is intended for mature learn to think on your feet in a relaxed, more information. audiences only. The show runs Fridays, Mobile BayBears friendly atmosphere. Dues are $43 twice Saturdays (8 p.m. curtain) and Sundays The Mobile BayBears take on the a year, and lunch must be purchased. Ladies Wine and Drive Golf Clinic (2 p.m. curtain) through Aug. 23 at Joe Mississippi Braves at Hank Aaron Toastmasters International is a worldwide Learn to golf, improve your game or just Jefferson Playhouse, 11 S. Carlen St., Stadium, 755 Bolling Brothers Blvd., organization. For further information, call have fun with your girlfriends! Come out EVENTS | AUGUST 13, 2015 - 19, Mobile. For tickets and more information, at 5:05 p.m. Kids and their families will 251-344-2938. to Foley for a golf lesson, glass of wine call 251-471-1534. have a chance to play catch on the field and friendship. If you’ve always wanted to OF before the game. After the game, kids 12 August 18 learn, this is a great opportunity in a fun, “Big Bad” years of age and younger will be invited Railroad workers and retirees meeting low-pressure atmosphere. One-hour golf The Big Bad Wolf is on trial at South to run the bases. All fans will be invited The National Association of Retired lesson with glass of wine (before and after Baldwin Community Theatre (SBCT), down to the field to meet the BayBears and Veteran Railway Employees Inc. lesson) costs $20 per lesson. All lessons and his fate is in your hands. The most players and coaching staff for autographs (NARVRE) will present a program in the taught by PGA pro every Wednesday at notorious criminal in the fairy tale world, and photos. Special experiences for kids Mobile area to inform railroad industry 5:30 p.m. at Glenlakes Golf Club, 9530

Big Bad Wolf, is being slapped with a include an opportunity to be the public workers, retirees, spouses, widows and Clubhouse Drive, Foley. Contact David for ALENDAR

class-action lawsuit by the countless address announcer for a half inning as widowers about their pension benefits more information, 251-955-1220. C quirky characters he has wronged. well as an opportunity for a child to sit in under the Railroad Retirement Act. The 10 Now, the two greatest legal minds in the on the radio broadcast for a half-inning. a.m. meeting will take place at the Holiday Facebook boot camp Enchanted Forest — the Evil Stepmother It will be kids-only participation for all Inn Downtown, 301 Government St. There If new media feels overwhelming at times, and the Fairy Godmother — will clash in on-field contests and $2 slushies will be is no charge for your attendance and that’s understandable. Maybe it’s time a trial that will be remembered forever available for all kids throughout every participation. For more information, call you got a solid grasp on it once and for after. As Little Red Riding Hood, her Sunday game. Bark in the Park allows Whitey at 440-452-8427. all by enrolling in Social Media University grandmother, the Three Little Pigs and the fans to bring their dogs to The Hank and Facebook Boot Camp, a Global Marketing Shepherd in charge of the Boy Who Cried take in America’s Past Time with Man’s Addiction counseling Solutions course brought to by North Wolf testify, the wolf seems deserving Best Friend. Narconon would like to remind families Baldwin Chamber of Commerce. This full- of all that’s coming. Performance dates that the use of addicting drugs is on the day (8:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.) session will are Aug. 14-16. Curtain time for Friday Sunday matinee at 5 Rivers rise. Take steps to protect your family immerse students deeply into Facebook and Saturday shows is 7:30 p.m., and 2 Every Sunday throughout the day, take a from drug use. If you know anyone beginning at a very basic level and go p.m. for the Sunday shows. Tickets are step inside 5 Rivers Tensaw Theater and who is struggling with drug addiction, all the way through to insights and how $10 for adults and $5 for students, and catch a free film. This week’s movie is get them the help they need. Call for a to use them. The cost is $15 for North can be purchased at sbct.biz and at the “America’s Amazon,” a locally produced free brochure on the signs of addiction Baldwin chamber members and $25 theater box office Monday-Friday from 10 documentary about threats facing the for all drugs. Narconon also offers free for non-members. Lunch is provided. a.m. to 2 p.m. and one hour before each unique and diverse Mobile-Tensaw River screenings and referrals. Call 1-800-431- Registration required, call 251-9370-5665. performance. Credit cards are accepted. Delta. For more information, call 251-625- 1754 or visit DrugAbuseSolution.com. The camp will be held at North Baldwin SBCT is at 2022 West 2nd St., Gulf 0814. Chamber of Commerce, 301 McMeans Shores. For more information, go to sbct. Teen Tech Tutor program Ave., Bay Minette. biz or call 251-968-6721. Open Studio The Baldwin County Library Cooperative Come enjoy complimentary mimosas recently implemented a Teen Tech Tutor Downtown Toastmasters Greenleaf Writer’s Group as artists work at the Cathedral Square program at the Robertsdale Library. Are you interested in gaining more The Greenleaf Writer’s Group is currently Gallery, 612 Dauphin St., Mobile. Works This program is designed to match high confidence in your public speaking welcoming new members. We meet by more than 60 area artists also will be school age students who have strong ability? The Downtown Mobile every third Saturday of the month at the on display. For more information, call 251- technological skills with adults and Toastmasters Club 2815 invites you to Semmes library from 10 a.m. until noon. 694-0278. seniors who are unfamiliar with basic join us for our weekly educational lunch If you are an aspiring writer, come join us. laptop computer technology. The free meeting at T.P. Crockmiers, 261 Dauphin For more information call 251-490-5199. August 17 program is available Monday through St., from noon until 1 p.m. Practice your Mobile Master Gardeners Lunch & Friday from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. at 18301 speaking, listening and leadership skills August 16 Learn Pennsylvania St., Robertsdale. An in a relaxed, friendly environment. Lunch Saenger movie series: “The Wizard of Bring a lunch and bring a friend to the appointment is required; call the library at must be purchased. Our dues are $42 Oz” Mobile County Master Gardeners’ Lunch 251-970-4010. twice yearly. Toastmasters International The Saenger Theatre’s Summer Classic & Learn series on the third Monday of is a worldwide organization. For more Movie Series concludes with “The Wizard every month at the John Archer Center, information, call 251-404-3924.

August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 | LAGNIAPPE | 43 MEDIAMEDIA FRENZY ‘Code Readers’ set to change the way ratings are measured BY ROB HOLBERT/MANAGING EDITOR | [email protected] obile TV stations are trying to get used to the new feels the new system may have some benefits for stations that have We have a very successful weekday morning news operation and world of ratings measurement as code reader methodol- not been traditional ratings winners, such as WPMI. As WEAR is we expect to continue that tradition on Saturday and Sunday,” said ogy has been put in place in this market by Nielsen, the essentially the only game in town when it comes to local news in WALA General Manager Gary Yoder. company that monitors television ratings nationwide. Pensacola, WPMI is a newer station and also had a network affilia- The new broadcasts will air both mornings from 6-8 a.m. and MImplemented in February, the code readers are replacing the tion change a few years into its existence. will feature news, updated weather and live reports from local manual logbooks that have been used for decades. But with tech- “We feel confident that WPMI Local 15 will have a great events. Candace Murphy and meteorologist Matt Barrentine will nology comes change, and some station managers are expecting chance to gain traction in the Mobile news market,” Totsch said. anchor the broadcasts. to see ratings change once the system officially goes online for the “All local news ratings will be affected with the advent of the real “We are excited to launch these new newscasts. Not only will October sweeps period. time code reader measurement versus the antiquated diary system they keep viewers up to date every Saturday and Sunday morn- Previously, Nielsen households had a logbook in which house- that rewards legacy stations. As has been documented over the ing, they will also meet an important need for our advertisers and hold members were expected to write down what they watched. years, diaries are typically filled out and returned by a very small partners,” Yoder said. “FOX10 News is committed to covering our Critics have long suggested that method wasn’t terribly accurate as segmented audience that simply does NOT represent the popula- community in any way that is relevant to our viewers. These new it didn’t account for channel surfing, and the demographic of those tion/demographics in any marketplace.” newscasts will help us meet that commitment.” keeping the logbooks tended to be older. Totsch said what stations are seeing now will give them opportu- News Director Scott Flannigan added that the additional The system being used in Mobile actually picks up codes nities to make adjustments before October, so even though stations broadcasts will help viewers prepare for their weekends while also broadcast on roughly 500 different shows in the market. It makes may be seeing some preliminary numbers that concern them, the staying informed. it possible to pick up on how long people are watching a show and early numbers are not indicative of what the stations might see when “Our weather forecasts will be focused on how the weather when or if they change channels. the system goes live for the October ratings sweeps. Still, overall he could impact weekend plans. We’ll also report from community While the actual ratings determination gets a bit more complex thinks the biggest thing stations need to remember is the metering events that viewers may want to enjoy over the weekend,” he said. — involving not only the 500 or so readers in the Mobile market, will only be good for stations with strong news broadcasts. Yoder explained the move is one that is part of a national move but also comparing them with readers across the region to develop “The game has changed, and this methodology will surely by stations to find interesting ways to expand what they’re doing. an overall look at households — station managers who are getting represent a ‘what have you done for me lately’ accountability, or “Due to programming availability and audience preferences, initial data say they’re already seeing some changes. at least it’s designed that way. Digital and social media assets also local stations across the country have to be very creative when “I am still reviewing the initial ‘impact data’ received from play into this new identity for local audiences and stations ratings. identifying areas for growth,” Yoder said. “In the last few years Nielsen, which utilizes the new code reader methodology. We have The diary system basically rewarded a station before a rating book we’ve expanded our morning news by 90 minutes, launched a 4 received the February and May numbers with July coming out soon. even starts. The new system, while not perfect, blends a real-time p.m. newscast and now added weekend morning news — and The initial numbers vary with regard to favorability for WKRG,” local code reader sampling with regional viewing habits. Local we’re not done yet!” said WKRG General Manager Mark Bunting. “From my initial news stations will have to fight harder for viewers than ever be- While Sunday mornings have typically been the domain of po- glance at the numbers, it seems the lower-rated stations have seen fore, and ultimately that should benefit our viewers,” Totsch said. litically themed public affairs shows, Flannigan says the broadcasts less movement either up or down than those stations with higher won’t take on that tone, although they will cover politics thoroughly. ratings. Overall, as far as I can tell, there is not too much change in WALA adding weekend morning news “As with any of our newscasts, we will search for the most cur- station rank. There are some numbers which are certain to be of con- Those looking for a little local flavor on Saturday and Sunday rent and relevant information for our viewers,” he said. “Political cern for each station in this market. That said, I am confident Nielsen mornings will be happy to know WALA FOX10 announced plans news will be a large part of what we do in this industry for the next will make the necessary adjustments in their overall methodology to to produce two new weekend newscasts. 15 months. At FOX10, we are committed to our viewers. If that’s insure each television station is rated correctly.” “We recognized a day part that was underserved locally and weather or breaking news or politics or investigative journalism, Bobby Totsch, GM for both WPMI and WEAR in Pensacola, saw it as an opportunity to expand the reach of our news brand. that’s where we’ll be.”

44 | LAGNIAPPE | August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 THE LOADED QUESTION IF YOU COULD ONLY SMELL ONE SMELL THE REST OF YOUR LIFE WHAT WOULD IT BE?

ASked @ MOe’S BBQ

“Cookies”

-Katie

“Lavender”

-Scott

“My husband’s Old Spice cologne”

-Karen

August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 | LAGNIAPPE | 45 SPORTSUPON FURTHER REVIEW youth team shines at baseball championship BY J, MARK BRYANT/SPORTS WRITER | [email protected] | Twitter @goulaguy

Photo/ (left) Courtesy of John Berry, (right) Courtesy of Baldwin Bone & Joint (L) The Westside Athletic Association all-stars from Mobile finished third among U.S. teams at the recent Cal Ripken Major/70 World Series. (R) Drs. John Todd and Drew Corbett, orthopedic surgeons with Baldwin Bone & Joint, display some of 2,729 pairs of shoes collected during the 2015 Many More Miles Campaign.

he under-12 baseball all-stars from the Westside Athletic As- As the runner-up in pool play, Westside advanced to the U.S. sociation put on quite a show at the recent Cal Ripken Ma- semifinals. There they fell to East Brandywine, Pennsylvania. Laf- Student honors ● Julien Sargent, a former player at the University of Mobile, jor/70 World Series. The Mobile-based club finished third ferty (double, single, 2 runs), Cole Berry (2 RBIs), Webber (RBI) has signed a pro basketball contract with Melilla Baloncesto in among U.S. entries at the event in Aberdeen, Maryland. and Shirah (RBI) paced Westside. Webber took the pitching loss. Spain. The club is a member of the LEB-Gold League and opens TThe field included 10 teams from the U.S. plus eight interna- “It was a great experience,” John Berry said. “The field was play in October. Antonio Hester, another former Ram, is in the tional squads. A club from Mexico won the overall championship. incredible, and on our off day we went to the real Camden Yards league with CB Tarragona. “It was an awesome experience,” John Berry, whose son Cole to see the Orioles play the Atlanta Braves.” Sargent played two seasons with the Rams, averaging 8.4 played for the Westside all-stars, said. “The stadium is a scaled- Westside did manage to leave with a trophy. Brayden Brooks points and 5.9 rebounds. A member of the Southern States Ath- down version of Camden Yards (Baltimore Orioles’ home park). won the hitting title among the U.S. teams, thanks to a .500 bat- letic Conference’s All-Division team, he finished second all-time Cal Ripken was there, as well as his brother Billy.” ting average. at Mobile with a .639 career field goal average. Westside, which won the Southwest Regional, got started ● The Intercollegiate Tennis Association has named several quickly with three straight wins in pool play. The first game was If the shoe fits, donate it members of South Alabama’s tennis teams scholar-athlete award a 6-3 victory over Charles County, Maryland. Rhett Daigler had The 12th annual Many More Miles Campaign was another ma- winners. To be eligible, players must have a minimum grade point average of 3.5. The women’s squad had seniors Mary two hits and two runs scored, while also allowing three hits in jor success in 2015. Conducted by the Baldwin Bone & Joint group, Angela Martin and Emily Newton, juniors Cinta Papke and Paula four and one-third innings on the mound. Ethan Webber got the residents in Baldwin and Mobile counties donated 2,729 pairs of Sanchez and sophomore Monica Mitta. Among the men, senior pitching win. Noah Lafferty (2 runs), Cole Berry (2 hits), Cade running shoes. This shattered the 2014 total of 1,355 pairs. Daniel Leitner, sophomore Tuki Jacobs and freshman Olivier Wilson (2 RBIs) and Drew Murray (1 RBI) also contributed. Other organizers included the YMCA in Mobile and Bald- Gingras were recognized. Next up was a wild 7-6 win over Exeter, New Hampshire, win counties, the Port City Pacers, McCoy Outdoor Company, ● Two members of the women’s golf team at USA had impres- which included seven lead changes. Top hitters were Murray (2- Dr. Glenn Glass and the University of South Alabama’s Student sive finishes at the Kentucky Women’s Open. The tournament run homer), Brayden Brooks (3-for-3), Webber (RBI triple), Jay Recreation Center. The shoes will go to the homeless outreach took place the Cardinal Club in Louisville. Seymour (2 hits) and Andrew Shirah (2 runs, 1 hit). Wilson gave programs of the Wings of Life and Discovery Ministries. Madison Connell finished tied for 10th, with a two-round total up four hits in six innings of pitching. Students in both counties were able to earn funds for their of 151 that was 7 over par. MacKenzie Peyton was tied for 18th A 9-3 victory over Meridian, Idaho, followed. Westside came schools during the drive. Dixon Elementary received $300 for after turning in an 11-over-par total score of 155. Connell just home eight times in the second inning. Cole Tillman (3-run turning in 1,450 pairs of shoes. Fairhope Intermediate was second completed her freshman season at USA, while Peyton was the homer), Murray (2-run homer) and Shirah (2-run single) led the and received $200, while Spanish Fort Elementary earned $100 Kentucky high school runner-up in 2015. attack. Shirah got the pitching win with help from Webber. for third place. ● Spring Hill College has won an academic award from the Four fielding errors were too much to overcome in an 8-3 loss For anyone still wishing to donate, used running shoes can be American Volleyball Coaches Association. The award recognizes to Manoa, Hawaii. Lafferty took the pitching loss. Webber (2) and turned in throughout the year at McCoy Outdoor Company on teams that maintain at least a 3.3 GPA. Since the honor was estab- Cole Berry drove in the runs. Spring Hill Avenue. lished in 1993, the number of winners has increased from 62 to a current all-time best of 752.

46 | LAGNIAPPE | August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 | LAGNIAPPE | 47 STYLEPORT CITY PREMONITIONS Aries prepares for college football meltdown BY DR. ZODIAC/ASTROLOGY GUY Leo (7/23-8/23) — Successfully avoiding video clips and politi- proposed savings from suspended trips to the Redbox, you’ll have room left in the Republican primary, Sanders will continue his run cal spin for an entire week after the first televised GOP debate, to come back next month for a special session. as a Democrat, prompting a flurry of Throwback Thursday posts. you emerge from your cave with a guarded sense of optimism for Sagittarius (11/22-12/22) — When your company springs for Aries (3/21-4/19) — With only a few weeks left until college humanity. Content the sky is not falling, socialists haven’t raided a luxury box at Hank Aaron Stadium, your love for America’s football season, you’ll start loss-proofing your home. Supplies your bank accounts and illegal immigrants have yet to invade your pastime will be rekindled. You’ll spend the rest of the weekend include a shatter-resistant cover for your TV screen, padding for the neighborhood, you decide to treat yourself to an ice cream cone. perusing your old baseball card collection and on Sunday evening, walls and unbreakable plastic tumblers. The final preparation is a You’ll find the excessive heat and humidity and a back-to-school you’ll break out the Louisville Slugger for a round of backyard bat- Xanax prescription. If all else fails, not being able to feel anything rush have made most flavors unavailable so, much like the GOP, ting practice. After about an hour, the fun will end when you launch (including your face) can certainly take the sting out of a regular- you’ll end up settling for vanilla soft serve. a homer over the fence and through the kitchen window of your season loss. If somehow your team makes it into the playoffs, you Virgo (8/24-9/22) — You’re hit with a new sitcom idea after neighbor’s house. Afraid, you’ll destroy all the evidence and blame can always ask your doctor for a higher dose. learning two county employees have informed an independent your child for the mishap. Taurus (4/20-5/20) — You’ll applaud the governor for finally review panel they will not be interviewed separately regarding a Capricorn (12/23-1/19) — With the news the new “Fantastic taking a stand and removing state funding from any and all grocery questionable million-dollar contract. “Joey and Me” is part “Mike Four” film bombed in its opening weekend, you’ll decry the lack of stores. Grocery stores have long been at the heart of a divisive & Molly” and part “Laverne & Shirley,” but generally just a farce originality of comic book movies in Hollywood. You’ll remember debate over the merits of ice cream. For too long, grocery stores about a complicated work relationship and shenanigans between that one, “Dead Dude,” you wrote with a buddy in high school. have sold ice cream and you feel it must be stopped. Grocery store the two titular characters. Networks show interest in your pilot, After a discussion with said friend, the two of you decide to pitch owners and managers plead that ice cream is only a portion of what despite it just being dialog about technical specifications while the a “Dead Dude” movie to all the major studios. The story of a dude, they do and they donate ice cream to kids recovering from tonsil- pair commute together, work together, eat together and go to the who is dead, battling the forces of decomposition is sure to turn a lectomies. It’ll be too late. bathroom together. profit in creativity-starved Hollywood. Gemini (5/21-6/21) — It’ll be the fourth weekend in a row Libra (9/23-10/22) — Memories flood back as you take in the Aquarius (1/20-2/18) — With Donald Trump upset with the neighborhood kids will throw eggs at your house. This time, new Dr. Dre album — his first in 15 years — along with the new Megyn Kelly about her “unfair” questions during the first Repub- N.W.A biopic “Straight Outta Compton,” in theaters Friday. Never lican primary debate, you won’t know where to put your political though, you’re waiting, dressed in fatigues and hiding in the bushes. mind the fact you were raised in an Eastern Shore cul-de-sac, lined allegiances going forward. While you’ve supported The Donald When you see “the whites of their eyes” you’ll begin hurling left- by brick houses with manicured lawns, and you skated through since he first started making racist comments, you’ve also trusted over boxes of Whoppers, like grenades, at the pre-teens until they private school and college with a trust fund, tracks such as “F*ck Megyn as a defender of Christianity and freedom for several run screaming from your front lawn. You’ll enjoy yourself until the tha Police” and “Gangsta, Gangsta” continue to speak to you on a years. Sadly, the pulling from both sides will ultimately cause you cops show up to question you about the incident. personal level. Your fraternity brothers and business associates will to split into two separate people — both of whom inexplicably Cancer (6/22-7/22) — You’ll be happy to see Mobile, in fact, schedule a joint intervention after you light up a blunt during a PTA vote for Lindsey Graham. become the safest, most business- and family-friendly city in meeting and start calling everyone the B word. Pisces (2/19-3/20) — With little research into their cause and America by 2020. You’ll just hate to see how boring it gets. The Scorpio (10/23-11/21) — After spending the last week watching no idea that Bernie Sanders was arrested during the Civil Rights powers that be will allow a minority of residents to complain about the state legislature debate cutting essential programs from the state movement for orchestrating sit-ins, the young men and women downtown noise and eliminate all entertainment zones. People will budget, you’ll finally get around to examining your own expenses. of the #blacklivesmatter movement will continue to interrupt the move there by the busloads, attracted by the quiet life. Bars and You’ll spend a week studying receipts, deciding day care, school Democratic candidate’s speaking engagements with protests. After a restaurants will be forced to move across the bay. The lack of busi- supplies, groceries, Mexican food and hot wings obviously have while, the political toll will cause Sanders — a long-time supporter ness will result in the city collapsing, due to a lack of money. It’ll be to make the cut. After an intense internal review and only $50 in of racial equality— to become aggressively racist. With no more a sad decline.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE ANSWERS

FROM PAGE 41

F u t u r e s h o C k

48 | LAGNIAPPE | August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 STYLEEXTRA Prichard farmers market planting seeds of rebirth BY MICHAEL DEGEN/CONTRIBUTING WRITER

n 1879 Cleveland Prichard of Toulminville bought a tract of Kaboose, a food truck, set up shop from 9 a.m. to noon in the old dragging folding tables across the lawn. Beside her, Ellen Sims, land several miles north of Mobile and developed it into an Sawyer Furniture lot on 204 Wilson Ave. pastor at Open Table Church, shoveled dirt to clear out the plots agricultural hub. Capitalizing on the early growing seasons and Produce was provided by Old Shell Market, but the pop-up for community members or businesses to adopt. proximity to the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, Prichard bought venue also featured handmade traditional African dresses and Though Norwood’s work at ECN takes her to speaking en- Iproduce from local farmers which he would then ship north. To jewelry, Sarah’s Stuff (homemade arts and crafts and paintings), gagements across the country, she still finds time to promote the ensure crops stayed fresh across state lines, Prichard is said to John-Stanley’s Wooden Wonder Honey, locally made fruit and market on local airwaves and coordinate door-to-door canvassers have invented a refrigerated rail car. His success earned him the vegetable juices by Juice Faqtory (sic), Retriever Soapworks to spread the word. Ideally, the NoMoCo market will become not nickname “The Vegetable King.” (homemade soaps and other natural products), Danielle Delight’s only a boon for Prichard, but a destination for those in surround- Today, Prichard has been deemed a barren food landscape. homemade baked goods, and David’s Lemonade, operated by ing areas with similar limited access to fresh, local produce, areas In a study published in 2014, “Fresh Food for All: Improving 10-year-old David Bettis and his sister Hannah, age 7. The latter like Saraland, Chickasaw and Plateau. Access to Fresh Food in Alabama,” researchers working with the entrepreneurs’ mother, Teresa Bettis, is a member of the NoMoCo For now the goal is to prove that something like a farmers mar- Ford Foundation’s Wealth Creation Clinic at the Massachusetts market’s steering committee and a longtime resident of Prichard. ket can work in a place like Prichard. And according to market Institute of Technology defined a “food desert” as an area with “People used to be able to just walk down the street and there manager Jonathan Adams, even if farmers markets aren’t your lower-than-average income and limited access to fresh-food retail was J.C. Penney and Butler Shoes. Prichard was a hopping place. thing, there will be something for everybody. outlets. Heading the study, representing her own Mobile-based Now there have been two generations who have grown up only “The market will be a way to promote what’s already going nonprofit, was Prichard native Jessica Norwood. knowing this,” Bettis said, pointing to the rundown storefronts on in Prichard, an avenue for people to showcase their talents; a “The charge out of the Ford Foundation was to look at more ru- along Wilson Avenue. The city’s main thoroughfare — currently place for great food, culture and a common space,” Adams said. ral communities and how to make them more resilient, and how to undergoing resurfacing — provides a snapshot of Prichard’s years Battling the August sun, Rochelle French and her mother, build more local economies,” Norwood said. “You have folks who of economic hardship, which transformed the city like a field left Mary Ward, heard about the market on gospel radio station are growing but can’t get [their produce] to the market, whether it’s fallow and then forgotten. WGOK and wanted to check it out for themselves. For 10 years, a farmers market, or a [community supported agriculture program], all the way to a grocery store. Our job was to look at that entire After its heyday, major employers like Brookley Air Force French and Ward lived in Prichard, on Clark Street not far from food system and figure out where there were fractures, and where a Base and the Scott and International paper companies closed the Sawyer lot. Apart from seeking out a good deal on okra and financial intervention might help move it along.” down and people left town. At its peak in 1960, Prichard’s bell peppers, French was curious about what a market would look Like Prichard’s founder, Norwood is a visionary. In 2012 she population exceeded 47,000 people. In 2010, fewer than half that like in Prichard. She was encouraged by what she saw. was featured as one of Mobile Bay Magazine’s 40 brightest movers number called it home. The city’s identity as a promising com- “It helps to revitalize the city,” French said. “Over time we’ve and shakers under 40, and is the executive director and founder of munity, the prosperity of which was built on the backs of farmers, seen this place just kind of tear down and become a dinosaur, so the Emerging ChangeMakers Network (ECN). Looking for a low- has long been lost. this is a nice start. It made me excited to hear where it was going cost entry to address the problem of limited access to fresh produce Norwood, who grew up surrounded by those in public service to be.” in her community, Norwood looked back to its roots. — her father is former Prichard Mayor Jesse Norwood and her “Plus, we’re trying to eat healthy,” Ward added. In December 2014 she recruited members for a steering com- grandfather, Jesse Norwood Sr., founded the Prichard Mohawks Now that the market at Cathedral Square has closed for the mittee and drew up plans to bring the North Mobile County Food baseball team — is out to change all that. But she knows the proof season, more vendors and entertainers are expected to hop off In- Park and Market (www.nomocofoodie.org) to Prichard every first is in the pudding. terstate 65 to set up tents in the old Sawyer Furniture lot. Time will and third Saturday of the month. “You can tell people there’s a farmers market, but you have to tell if the market inspires the resurgence of the beleaguered city or After a soft launch July 18, the Prichard market had a grand get it on the ground for folks to believe it,” Norwood said. if, indeed, Norwood and company can be the catalyst that Cleve- opening on Saturday, Aug. 1. Seven vendors and Ben’s Burga And so she was there, at 7:30 a.m. July 18, setting up tents and land Prichard once was. The seeds at least have been planted.

August 13, 2015 - August 19, 2015 | LAGNIAPPE | 49 STYLEMOBILE MAGNIFIED The South did rise again BY BOOZIE BEER NUES/SOCIAL BUTTERFLY

he last weekend of summer was a hot one but it didn’t category to be added to the Nappies in 2016 if I can be the first to Maybe it has nothing to do with any of them, but clearly they keep y’all from misbehaving. So dive on in to Boozie’s expose the gossip behind it (pun intended). need to shoot season four in the Azalea City. And we even have pool of gossip and cool off. locally owned Leroy Hill coffee here, which everyone knows is Mobile getting ‘Rectified’? perfect for “matriculating into your general crack area.” (You’ll T If you’re a fan of “cracking out” on great TV and haven’t seen only get that last part after you watch it.) Darn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead! On Aug. 5, “troops” of kids and their parents headed to Sundance Channel’s original series “Rectify,” you should prob- Cathedral Square to fight the Battle of Mobile Bay on the 151st ably get your pipe, I mean, remote out and get to watching the It’s about to be a … girl fight anniversary of the famous Civil War naval conflict. There were first two seasons. The third is currently airing. The heat must really be getting to people and makin’ them no torpedoes involved this time, though, as the North and South The series centers around the life (and almost death) of Daniel crazy. One of my spies reported back that while riding the Wave instead launched water balloons at each other across a line drawn Holden (portrayed by Aden Young), who has just been released public transportation a girl fight broke out. This was no ordinary in the grass. from death row, as he tries to re-assimilate back into life with his fight; words were exchanged, then one woman broke out the Union Adm. David Farragut and Confederate Adm. Franklin family in a rural Georgia town, Paulie. DNA evidence allowed pepper spray and began spraying the other women. Not only did Buchanan led their “soldiers” into battle, as tunes such as the for his release, but as to whether he’s actually guilty or not, well, she spray the lady she had a beef with, but also a few riders who “William Tell Overture” and some Zeppelin blared over the that depends on who you ask. were children. Things got so out of hand the bus driver had to sound system. To make the event even more Mobile, the young You can watch for yourself but the reason I’m bringing it up pull over and have the woman detained. And Boozie thought the warriors also defended their honor with Super Soakers, which is because Mobile gets namedropped several times in the second heat was getting to her … were invented by native Mobilian Lonnie Johnson. season. Daniel tells some ladies he meets he is from Alabama, Though the Union won the battle 151 years ago, one 6-year- and they apologize to him for having to live there. (I think Just add alcohol old spy told me this one ended in a tie. Georgia must look on us like we look on Mississippi.) And later One spy scribbled down some notes on a bar napkin, while Kudos to Downtown Mobile Alliance for putting on such a he goes on to say he owns a bookstore in Mobile, all of which is enjoying a cozy barstool, that there was more than drinks being perfect event for a hot August afternoon. false, but later when his mom asks him where he would want to shaken at the Sandshaker in Pensacola. We hear one lady was live, if not in their hometown, he says Mobile. shaking it so hard that her white jeans had slipped down a little Nappie happy Why is Mobile getting so much love, you ask? Well my spies low to reveal her black underwear. While she thought she looked Just when we think the Nappies are over until next year, we tell me that the mother, Janet (played by J-Smith Cameron), has a cute letting it all hang out, she must have forgotten those weren’t come across Alison Baxter Herlihy’s ad for “Best Lawyer If Your friend who is from Mobile and may have even visited here during her cute underwear. Not only did she reveal they were inside out, Spouse is a Ho” (one of Boozie’s favorite categories) on two Mardi Gras. Could she have been offering our glorious locale up but also that they had a big ol’ hole in them. Needless to say she popular websites, The Chive and Tosh.0 blogger Josh Keown’s to the writers? Or maybe it was the actress who plays his sister was too holey to get lucky. page. The Chive posted the picture of the ad in its “Daily Morn- Amantha (Abigail Spencer), who’s from Gulf Breeze, or the ac- Well kids, that’s all I’ve got this week. Just remember, ing Awesomeness” section and Keown reposted it, asking for tor who plays his step-brother Ted Jr. (Clayne Crawford), who’s whether rain or shine, dramatic or scandalous, or just some plain “a friend” who won “Best Lawyer If You Want That Indecent from Clay, Alabama, and was also in the film “Convergence,” ol’ pepper sprayin’, I will be there! Ciao! Exposure Charge Dropped.” Boozie might have to push for that which was shot here. Who knows?

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