Bayfest Results in 13 Arrests the Mobile Police Department Is Continuing to Investigate an Oct

2 | LAGNIAPPE | October 9, 2014 - October 15, 2014 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••• LAGNIAPPE WEEKLY October 9, 2014 – October 15, 2014 | www.lagniappemobile.com

Ashley Trice BAY BRIEFS Co-publisher/Editor Inquiries from the mayor’s office appear [email protected] to have prompted the resignations of two Rob Holbert councilors from a Bayou la Batre board. Co-publisher/Managing Editor 6 [email protected] Steve Hall COMMENTARY Marketing/Sales Director City doubles down on litter enforcement. [email protected] Gabriel Tynes Assistant Managing Editor 14 [email protected] Dale Liesch BUSINESS Reporter Throwing the gauntlet of charitible [email protected] giving may offset funding challenges Jason Johnson for cultural organizations. Reporter 18 [email protected] Alyson Stokes CUISINE Web & Social Media Manager/Reporter [email protected] Head to the Beltline

Kevin Lee CONTENTS where sandwich fever Associate Editor/Arts Editor can be cured at [email protected] Stevie’s Kitchen. Andy MacDonald Cuisine Editor [email protected] Stephen Centanni Music Editor [email protected] J. Mark Bryant Sports Writer 20 [email protected] Daniel Anderson Chief Photographer COVER [email protected] The state of Alabama will Laura Rasmussen likely rely on a cocktail of Art Director funding sources to pay www.laurarasmussen.com 26 for the proposed billion- Brooke Wilder Advertising Sales Executive dollar bridge over the [email protected] Mobile River. Leigh Wright Advertising Sales Executive [email protected] Beth Williams Advertising Sales Executive [email protected] Beth McKee ARTS Advertising Sales Executive A lazy Sunday on St. Louis Street [email protected] warms hopes for a creative revival of Melissa Schwarz Editorial Assistant 28 “Auto Alley.” [email protected] Contributors: Asia Frey • Brian Holbert MUSIC Susan Larsson • Ron Sivak Widespread Panic Jeff Poor • Ken Robinson Clyde Foster percussionist Sunny On the Cover: Proposed I-10 bridge Ortiz gives a hat tip over Mobile River at night by ALDOT. to Spreadheads prior LAGNIAPPE (USPS 20) is published weekly, 52 issues a year, Volume 12, Issue 34, every to the band’s Oct. 12 Thursday by Something, Extra Publishing, Inc. Entered at the Mobile Post Office, 250 St. show at the Mississippi Joseph St, Mobile, AL, 36601. Coast Coliseum. Periodicals postage paid at Mobile Post Office, 250 St Joseph St., Mobile, AL 36601 and other locations. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to P.O. Box 3003 Mobile, AL 36652. Editorial, advertising and production offices are 32 located at 1102A Dauphin St. Mobile, AL 36604. Mailing address is P.O. Box 3003 Mobile, AL 36652. Phone: 251.450.4466 Fax 251.450.4498. Email: ashley- FILM [email protected] or [email protected] “The Boxtrolls” is a stop-motion visual

LAGNIAPPE is printed at Walton Press, 402 delight for young and old alike. Mayfield Dr., Monroe, GA 30655. All letters sent to Lagniappe are considered to be intended for publication. 38 Member: Association of Alternative Newsweek- lies and Alternative Weeklies Network MEDIA All rights reserved. Something Extra Publishing, Inc. Nothing may be reprinted, photocopied or Round two of a neighborhood fight in any way reproduced without the expressed permission of the publishers. against a cell tower was put on hold Individuals may take one copy of the paper free of charge from area businesses, by the zoning board. racks or boxes. After that, papers are $3 per 40 issue. Removal of more than one copy from these points constitutes theft. Violators are subject to prosecution. SPORTS Help support Lagniappe Weekly by becoming a “Friend with Benefits.” The USA Jaguars will enjoy a bye Scan this code for more info: week prior to kicking off homecoming 44 activities Monday. STYLE BayFest brings Boozie a bounty of 50 beautiful gossip.

LAGNIAPPE | October 9, 2014 - October 15, 2014 | 3 GOING POSTAL A classy name, fit for a lady An open letter to Ashley Rich about age-appropriate prosecutions Editor, District Attorney Ashley Rich, focus, caring, dedication and commitment to go the distance to reunification for the child. To rely on the Mobile juvenile court sys- I would like to express my opinion on the name of the The purpose of this letter is to speak out in the best interest of tem to determine the rehabilitative worth of McCants is a fallacy. proposed bridge over the Mobile River. But first I should 15-year-old Reco McCants, based on a Sept. 25, 2014 Lagniappe In conclusion, it is my opinion that: point out the negative actions that have occurred during the article “Vigor High School student with gun to be charged as • 15-year-old Reco McCants is a child and should receive a com- life of the Mobile-Tensaw Delta. adult.” The key phrase here is 15-year-old. If our children are to be plete evaluation regarding the circumstances of his personal life, the Many years ago the Delta was a lifeline as a food categorized as a child or adult, based, perhaps solely, on behavior, life of his family, as well as the circumstances o his alleged crimes, source for indigenous, proud people. The American Indian why do we have laws stipulating specific ages at which one attains prior to juvenile court hearings. respected all of the nature and was wise and caring steward the label child or adult? • Mobile juvenile court hearings are not adequate to determine of the delta. But due to shameful acts the nutrient-rich tide- I challenge all parties to take a deep breath and ask the question: the rehabilitative worth of McCants and I would suggest that the water was blocked with the asphalt causeway and polluted “What is in the best interest of 15-year-old Reco McCants?” At age necessary resources have not been provided for a thorough case with garbage thrown into the waterways. 15, McCants is a “child” who is incapable of understanding future evaluation. So I am proposing a name that will glorify the delta. consequences of imprisonment as an adult, based on his alleged • McCants must not be thrown away in an overcrowded Alabama The delta would be seen for miles from this high-rise crime. Each person capable of making decisions has something prison system to become another statistic with little or no chance bridge. I believe children should be educated on the “bad.” As a result, is it logical to label each person as a bad person? for rehabilitation. caretaking of nature and this name would create questions No, since we are all a work in progress. The result of metro jail and • McCants’ punishment (loss of a high school education with his about the delta. imprisonment as an adult will be to throw away a child, namely, peers, an adult criminal record as a result of imprisonment and the I believe it would be a world-class name. I would like to McCants. loss of meaningful future employment prospects, to name a few) propose the bridge to be named “The Lady Delta Bridge.” A fall 2014 Southern Poverty Law Center (SCLC) report identi- will not fit the crime. fied the state of Alabama with the most overcrowded prison system J. “Butch” Davis, in the country at nearly 200 percent capacity. As a prior volunteer Ernest L. Lynch, Mobile Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) in the juvenile court Mobile system, I was the only person on a child’s case with enough time,

MPD investigating double homicide BayFest results in 13 arrests The Mobile Police Department is continuing to investigate an Oct. 3 double homicide on Dela- Mobile police responded to 43 complaints and made 13 misdemeanor arrests during Bay- ware Street in Mobile. According to the MPD, officers responded to the 900 block of Delaware Street Fest 2014, held Oct. 3-5 in downtown. for a report of one down inside a residence. According to officials, officers arrested six adults for disorderly conduct, one adult for Inside, officers located 34-year-old Atteba Nettles and as officers canvassed the scene, they also theft, two adults for public intoxication, two adults for unlawful possession of marijuana and located 45-year-old Bryant Washington down in the backyard of the residence, according to MPD two minors in possession of alcohol. Public Information Officer Terence Perkins. In addition, four vendors were documented for providing alcohol to minors, MPD Public The Mobile Fire-Rescue Department pronounced both men dead on the scene, Perkins said. Information Officer Terence Perkins said. The cause of death has not yet been released, as the investigation is ongoing. No vehicles were towed throughout the course of the event, but six parking citations were It is also unclear who made the initial call to police at this time. issued. Authorities will continue the investigation. If anyone has any information regarding this case, authorities ask you call the MPD at 251-208-7211.

ess than a week after being replaced on 36-25-17, which states “every governmen- the local utilities board, it was con- tal agency head shall file a report within 10 firmed that Bayou la Batre City Council days on any matters that come to his or her members George Ramires and Kim- attention in his or her official capacity which Lberlyn Barbour opted to step down from their constitute a violation.” positions due to an inquiry from Alabama Despite some original concern over the Ethics Commission. wording of the law, Wasden said the com- Hugh Evans, general council for the Ethics mission staff confirmed mayors “were in fact Commission, told Lagniappe the two had required to submit such reports.” An Attorney voted to appoint themselves to the Utili- General’s opinion was also sought on the mat- ties Board of Bayou la Batre in November ter, he added, which confirmed Barbour and of 2012 — a position compensated with a Ramires’ votes were inappropriate. $4,800 annual stipend. “At the training sessions through the Based on information provided by the Alabama League of Municipalities they city, the use of “political power for personal talked about violations of the Ethics Commis- gain” would indeed be a violation of Ala- sion,” Dungan said. “It’s a requirement that a bama ethics code. council member must go through at training “That matter came before the commission program once they’re elected.” and the two individuals asked that their case Dungan said neither Ramires nor Barbour be handled administratively,” Evans said. “We have attended those training sessions, which have to get it approved by District Attorney he claims would have given them “very prac- (Ashley Rich) and then we’ll levy a penalty.” tical guidance on these issues.” Evans didn’t specify what penalty might Despite the confirmation that the votes in be assessed, but did say it would be handled question violated state ethics code, several in an open meeting of the Commission, most AG opinions – including the one sought by likely in December. The resignations for both Bayou la Batre – are very clear that a city council members took effect as of Oct. 1. council “has no authority to remove a member According to council minutes from Nov. 8, of a utilities board.” 2012, Ramires and Barbour did indeed vote That’s one reason why Sylvia Raley, chair- themselves into the paid position, but did so man of the Utilities Board of Bayou la Batre, in the presence of counsel, then city attorney said she thinks decision to go to the Ethics Missty Gray. The written minutes don’t sug- Commission was a calculated one. gest that Gray’s opinion was sought on the “He wants control of the utilities board,” vote and audio recordings of the meeting have Raley said. “He’s had a plan, and I guess he since been destroyed. had to dig to find it. If he wants to see that The same set of minutes also documents things are done right within the city, why councilmember Ida Mae Coleman voting in fa- not sic Ethics Commission on other council vor of herself to take the same position on the members and things they’ve done including utilities board, however that motion ultimately himself?” failed. It is unclear why Coleman was not Friction started between the two entities involved in the Ethics Commission’s query. after the board filed suit to block a Dungan At its most recent meeting, the council appointee intended to replace current board voted to fill to vacancies on the utilities board member Louis Hard. Since then, the have with Coleman and councilmember Annette gone to court to ask a judge to decide between Johnson — both of whom nominated one their conflicting ideas of what terms utility another on Sept. 26. Ramires was alone in op- board members should adhere to. position to each nomination, while Coleman For the time being, Hard remains on the abstained from voting this time around, as did board, which has also refused to recognize Johnson. the council’s latest appointment, Jeff Ladnier, Some speculated that Mayor Brett Dungan until a decision can be reached in court. was responsible for notifying the Ethics Com- Hard, whom a former mayor appointed, mission about the two-year-old violations, was also among four board members who an allegation later corroborated by Dungan failed to second a motion by Ramires to hire himself after he traveled to Montgomery to at- Dungan as the superintendent of the utilities tend the session where the issue was taken up. board shortly after he was elected – a position However, he said he wants to dispel rumors that comes with $24,000 salary. that he filed a “formal complaint.” Dungan acknowledged there are rumors “We were going back though some of the circulating about the timing of the Ethics actions the council had taken in previous Commission’s involvement with the utilities minutes and came across some irregularities board, but said he wanted to quash the no- the mayor is bound by state law to disclose to tion that “the mayor is out for these people’s the Ethics Commission,” he said. “The action heads.” was brought to the commission’s attention by “What the attorney (Wasden) did was me, not by a complaint filed.” disclose to the ethics commission what may City attorney Bill Wasden said the mayor or may not have been a violation of the law,” had “submitted a copy of the relevant council Dungan said. “I want to be very clear. The minutes from 2012 to the Ethics Commission, mayor never filed an ethics complaint against reflecting the votes in question. Both Wasden these people. The mayor is duty bound when and Dungan cited Alabama Code Section there is information that comes to light.”

s soon as they pulled up in the park- awaiting a separate court date, so no fine ing lot of a business on Navco Road would be written. Friday morning and noticed the rain- “The tires should be more contained,” he soaked trash on the ground, municipal said. “You have to keep the tires rotated by Aenforcement officers Paula Hillery and Wayne having them hauled off on a regular basis.” Rooks knew they’d be writing a litter citation Rooks noted that the ordinance was also to the property owner. trying to stop repeat offenders. An overflowing dumpster in the back of the “We’re trying to stop people who do this business, near a tributary for Bolton Branch continually,” he said. “That’s what this admin- Creek, didn’t make the situation any better. istration is after.” “The property owner will be ticketed,” Another area of concern was a shopping Rooks said. “This is the main thing we’re try- center on DIP, where a citation would also be ing to avoid.” issued, Rooks said. The property owner would “They will be getting a ticket for the park- be cited for old furniture in the dumpster area ing lot, the dumpster and the loose trash,” as well as trash behind the dumpster and the air Hillery added. conditioning unit. That’s one $250 citation for multiple viola- “This is cleaner than it usually is,” Rooks tions of the reinforced new litter ordinance. said. “They’re trying. They’re really trying.” Once they returned to the office and verified He noted that this property owner has begun the property owner, they would mail a ticket, to lock its dumpsters, which is recommended. Hillery said. “A lot of the trash in the dumpsters comes The focus of litter ordinance compliance so from people who come by and dump their trash far, since it went into effect Oct. 1, has been in the dumpster,” Rooks said. commercial properties and it will remain that Hillery added that property owners are way for another week or so, Urban Develop- responsible for keeping the city right-of-way ment Director Laura Clarke said. She added near a property clean as well, as she walked by that the group of property maintenance compli- an empty bag for chips on the ground. ance officers would begin patrolling residential “This is a problem area,” Rooks said. “This areas in a couple weeks. is high volume and kids walk through here “The focus is on commercial sites along ma- coming home from school.” jor thoroughfares,” Clarke said Friday morning. He nodded to the residential property across Also, there will be no warning for business- the street and pointed to a large amount of litter es or residents not in compliance, she said. on the right-of-way in front of it. Rooks said “We’re going straight to writing tickets,” residential property owners would be respon- Clarke said. “We worked hard over the last two sible for keeping rights-of-way clean once to three months to make the community aware enforcement began in those areas. of what’s coming. We feel notice was provided.” Officers haven’t begun enforcing a provi- Members of the group will be in teams of sion in the amended ordinance requiring two to begin enforcing the new litter ordi- dumpsters be enclosed on three sides because nance. Once the city spreads the focus to it was slightly amended. The original provision residential areas, the teams will split. Rooks would’ve required a gate, or a fourth side, as and Hillery spent a few weeks scouting out the part of the enclosure, she said. The three-sided neighborhoods surrounding Dauphin Island provision will be enforced beginning in May. Parkway and providing pamphlets to area busi- The biggest violations expected when nesses before enforcement began. enforcement turns to residential neighborhoods “They’ve all gotten pamphlets,” Hillery said will be on provisions requiring signs only be of the business on Navco Road. “We really placed on private property and grass clippings were thinking they’d clean this up.” and leaves not be blown into storm drains, Ex- They drove past a previously cited business ecutive Director of Planning and Development near the intersection of Pleasant Valley Road Dianne Irby said. and Government Boulevard, before stopping to “We’ve got serious stormwater issues and look at its dumpster. any litter goes straight into our rivers and “Anytime it’s over the edge where you can’t estuaries,” she said. close the lid that’s too much,” Rooks said of Additionally, the city will be on the lookout the trash in the receptacle. “They won’t be get- for junk cars and illegal tire dumps. Junked ting a ticket today. We’ll give them until their cars fall under already existing property main- court date.” tenance laws, but have been highlighted since All businesses and individuals cited for vio- the litter ordinance was announced. lations related to the new litter ordinance will “If it’s in someone’s backyard it’s not as be expected to show up in municipal environ- much of a problem,” Irby said. mental court around four weeks after they are If it’s in the front yard, it’s not registered cited, Clarke said. and it’s obvious you’re not working on it then The enforcement officers allow those it might be a problem, she said. cited until their court date to clean up any Enforcement of the ordinance will require problem areas. the filling of three more positions, all of which Hillery and Rooks stopped near another have been budgeted in fiscal year 2015, Clarke business on Halls Mill Road Friday to point said. The initiative is not designed to be a out the loose tires stacked up behind the shop. revenue producer, Irby said, even though fine Rooks noted that the loose tires were a viola- money goes into the general fund. tion, but the property owner was currently

8 | LAGNIAPPE | October 9, 2014 - October 15, 2014 BAY BRIEFS BB Prichard interim police chief named public safety director BY ALYSON STOKES/REPORTER | [email protected]

richard Mayor Troy Ephriam announced Oct. 3 that former leading him to believe it was a “con- interim police chief Michael Rowland will serve as the tractual issue.” city’s new director of public safety. Ephriam noted public safety as the “The role of public safety director is to make sure that most important issue as the city of Pat a most critical time right now, that the operation, the internal Prichard strives forward to establish investigations as needed – in concert with the DA’s office, the other progressive means of making the FBI, the Alabama Bureau of Investigation – will maintain its city stronger and better in the region continuity and its integrity,” Ephriam said. “It is clearly important and for Mobile County. to understand that at a time such a this, especially in the investi- Rowland’s salary as public safety gation of the loss of Hiawayi Robinson, that the necessary police director will “fall right in line” with leadership that we have established and exemplary administrative the $85,000 annual salary set aside for oversight and experience maintains its ability from the city of police chief within the city’s budget Prichard’s end.” and in this role, he will directly over- Ephriam praised Rowland’s leadership and used the words see police operations and if neces- “critical” and “instrumental” to describe how his role in the Rob- sary, any operations regarding the fire inson murder investigation played into his decision of appointing department, Ephriam said. him as public safety director. According to Ephriam, Prichard has “You can ask any of the other agencies, without his leadership, not had a public safety director since I don’t think we’re where we are,” he said. around 1995-1999, which was before Ephriam also noted that he is “very pleased” with Rowland’s his own time as a councilmember Photo/Alyson Stokes/Lagniappe leadership thus far and that he has received “rave reviews” from beginning in 2001. the ABI, FBI and DA’s office. Despite the council’s decision, Eph- Prichard Mayor Troy Ephriam (right) announced Oct. 3 that former “We have basically been fortunate … that we’ve been able to riam said he expects no push back from tap a top notch guy to lead this police department,” he said. “We his decision, and Rowland said he and interim police chief Michael Rowland (left) will now serve as the have not reached down. We have, in fact, reached up and we have the council have been successful work- city’s new public safety director. the best that we can afford doing the job we expect him to do.” ing together and believes that success During the Prichard City Council meeting last night, Ephriam will continue. outside. If a current member of the police force is named police said he attempted to provide councilmembers with a “contract for “I’m certainly happy about being able to carry on with the chief, there would be no compensation factors, he said. hire,” which would have allowed Rowland to move into the role direction that we’ve done in the last three months,” he said. “I’m “I think at the end of the day, myself, my council, we all want of police chief permanently. However, the councilmembers did feeling good about it.” public safety to be established for the city of Prichard,” Ephriam not uphold the contract, he said. As far as the search for a new police chief, Ephriam said they said. “Contractual issue or not, today’s decision ensures that we Ephriam said there were no “substantive” reasons given by the are not going to rush the process and that the city will find neces- are able to stay in line with that.” councilmembers as to why they chose not to affirm the contract, sary funding if they feel it necessary to bring in someone from the Meanwhile, there have still been no arrests in the Robinson case.

LAGNIAPPE | October 9, 2014 - October 15, 2014 | 9 BAY BRIEFS BB Targets of Robinson search warrants no strangers to courts BY ALYSON STOKES/REPORTER | [email protected]

earch warrants were executed Oct. 2 at the homes of get rampant in regards to the activities that have occurred in this home on Winchester Street was owned by Parker. Hiawayi Robinson’s father, Hiawatha Robinson, Jr., and particular case.” “I really am not going to comment on any of the specifics a person characterized as his girlfriend, Taisheira “Tasha” No arrests have been made and there is no anticipation of any of the investigation,” Rich said. “This is very much an ongoing Parker, but no arrests have been made in the murder other public activity happening in the case, she said. investigation being worked daily by the members of the FBI, the Sinvestigation, Mobile County District Attorney Ashley Rich said More than two weeks have passed since 8-year-old Hiawayi ABI, my office and the Prichard Police Department and this is at a press conference the same day. Rich said there would be just one of the things we are doing as part of the investigation.” no immediate arrests in the case, calling the searches “standard Rich emphasized the importance of the community learning procedure.” information from official sources in the case, which she named as According to records from the Mobile County Sheriff’s Of- We have to go through the pro- the DA’s office and the FBI, and not through the “rumor mill” by fice, Robinson’s arrest history includes accusations of assault, cess of getting a court order to way of social media. burglary and domestic violence, but few of those cases have held Sen. Vivian Davis Figures and State Rep. Napoleon Bracy, up in court. execute a search warrant and that’s what who have both played active roles in the case since Robinson was As for Parker, prior to 2006 she had been arrested in Mobile reported missing Sept. 16, were both present at the press confer- County for separate charges of negotiating worthless instruments we’ve done in this case, and it is often ence. and theft. times standard to wait until you get in- “Hiawayi stole our hearts, and when her body was found, our In 2008, according to court records, Parker’s 15-year-old hearts were broken, and now we’re trying our best to get justice daughter Cheryl and 31-year-old brother Brett were killed from formation that is necessary to put in the for her,” Bracy said. exposure to carbon monoxide poisoning at the home they shared affidavit and get a court order. While Figures said the community’s biggest concern is that in Chickasaw, with Parker barely escaping herself. there may still be a killer on the loose, she has full confidence in Parker later sued Mobile Gas for wrongful death. Attorney -District Attorney Ashley Rich all the law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation. Skip Finkbohner, who represented Parker in the case, said the “I truly believe they are doing everything they can … There parties reached a confidential settlement after it was discovered are things that they’ve sent off to be tested that’s a part of the Mobile Gas may have removed a “red tag” on a HVAC unit at the investigation,” she said. “They have to take everything into house that had been flooded in Hurricane Katrina. The tag was Robinson’s body was discovered near a vacant building in Prich- consideration, and I applaud them for that. They’re taking it all previously put there by the company to indicate the unit was not ard Sept. 18, but Rich assured the search warrants were “standard before they make a statement about something.” fit for use. procedure” in any investigation. As far as the community, Figures and Bracy both ask for According to a separate complaint filed later by Cheryl “We have to go through the process of getting a court order to citizens to be patient. Parker’s estranged father, Tasha Parker was awarded a “multimil- execute a search warrant and that’s what we’ve done in this case, “You just see a community that’s hurting right now, not lion-dollar settlement” in the case. and it is often times standard to wait until you get information knowing a lot of information, but we’re just basically asking Mobile Gas later confirmed the lawsuit, but citing confidenti- that is necessary to put in the affidavit and get a court order.” people to just be as patient as possible and just know that the law ality, refused to provide further information about the case. It is Rich noted the search warrants executed at Robinson’s home enforcement community is doing all they can to bring justice for also unclear how long Robinson has been dating Parker. on Stovall Street in Prichard and Parker’s home on Winchester Hiawayi,” Bracy said. “Just because you don’t see things happen- Rich said the brief and uninformative press conference was Street in Semmes were just another step in the investigation and ing doesn’t mean they aren’t actually happening.” held to confirm the search warrants had been issued and executed declined to make further comments about the case or if Robinson “so that we could hopefully make sure that the rumor mill didn’t was now a suspect or person of interest. Lagniappe confirmed the Gabriel Tynes contributed to this report.

10 | LAGNIAPPE | October 9, 2014 - October 15, 2014 BAY BRIEFS BB Trustees approve funding for Phase III oil spill projects BY JASON JOHNSON/REPORTER | [email protected]

he Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource right or left, that’s the only mile stretch of Damage Assessment (NRDA) Trustees uninhabited beach. It’s a conservation area,” approved the third and largest phase she said. “We have concerns about the noise of BP’s early restoration funds Oct. 3, pollution from a 300-person facility. That’s Tmaking nearly $627 million available for 44 certainly going to deter animals.” projects across the Gulf Coast. Though the lighting in the park will be However, some environmental groups, in- “sea turtle friendly” by design, Lankford said cluding the Ocean Conservancy, are upset that the lights from inside the convention center 85 percent of early restoration money coming wouldn’t be and could have an affect on the sea to Alabama is already earmarked for Gulf State turtle population. Park Enhancement Project. The trustees acknowledged some “minor BP initially pledged $1 billion in early and moderate adverse impacts” in the execu- restoration funds to address the ecological and tive summary of the project, but not the wild- economic damage caused by the Deepwater life issues raised by the Ocean Conservancy. Horizon Oil Spill in 2010, which has been The summary from the trustees also sug- accomplished through projects reviewed and gests the long-term benefits of dune restoration approved by the NRDA trustees. and increased recreational opportunities would In Alabama, that meant $100 million was outweigh any adverse impacts. made available for projects approved by the Among several improvements to the 6,150- trustees, who were outlined in the Oil Pollution acre property, the Gulf State Park project Act (OPA) in 1989 after the Exxon Valdez ac- created controversy by allocating $58 million cident and comprised several federal and state toward the revitalization of a hotel and confer- agencies. In Alabama, representatives from the ence center that was destroyed by Hurricane Department of Conservation and Natural Re- Ivan in 2004. sources and the Geological Survey of Alabama Other groups, like the Gulf Restoration were also appointed as trustees. Network, have also spoken out against using Significant public input was gathered dur- more than half of Alabama’s NRDA funding ing the development of the Early Restoration for a convention center. Plan and the Early Restoration Programmatic Gov. Robert Bentley has already contracted Environmental Impact Statement. The plan has with the University of Alabama to manage the guided the initial funding from BP, which has project. The university has been collecting re- been dispensed in three separate phases begin- quests for proposals, which are due by Oct. 17. ning in 2012. A research and education center for k-12 Phase III of the Early Restoration Plan sets students is also included in the project, as is an a strategic approach for the largest phase of interpretive center, which would create indoor early restoration activities and for Alabama, and outdoor exhibits “dedicated to promoting it means the final hurdle has been cleared for the value of Alabama’s natural resources,” ac- more than $93,000 of projects first teased by cording to the project’s description. Gov. Robert Bentley in 2013. Environmentally, the project aims to restore The list includes the $85 million enhance- 50 acres of dunes through the creation of sand ment project at the Gulf State Park in Gulf movement corridors, which will assist in the Shores, which according to NOAA, is part of natural build up of dunes in the future. $230 million (37 percent) of the total Phase III The remaining $8 million in Phase III not funding aimed at addressing lost recreational earmarked for Gulf State Park is being split services that resulted from Deepwater Horizon. between a $5 million living shoreline project Other similar projects include the Galves- and a $3.2 million oyster clutch restoration in ton Island State Park Beach redevelopment in Mobile Bay. Texas and other park projects in Louisiana. The oyster cultch project will restore oyster However, several environmental organiza- reefs in Mobile Bay and the Mississippi Sound tions and members of the public have been by placing “30,000 to 40,000 cubic yards of outspoken about Alabama’s use of the NRDA suitable oyster shell cultch over approximately funding. On Oct. 3, the Ocean Conservancy 319 acres of subtidal habitat.” released a statement immediately following the The third project will create 1.6 miles of trustees’ approval blasting the decision to move breakwaters covered with oyster shell along forward with the Gulf State Park Project. a 615-acre state-owned swift tract site in Bon “This project has the potential to harm the Secour Bay — part of the Weeks Bay National precious natural resources of a beloved state Estuarine Research Reserve. park, and yet our recommendations to protect Though Alabama set aside the majority this Alabama’s wildlife were dismissed,” Ocean most lucrative phase for recreational recov- Conservancy’s Interim Director of the Gulf ery, the first two phases of NRDA funding Kara Lankford said. “Further, this record of de- did address some of the state’s environmental cision contains no new information that would recovery. suggest additional thought went into the 2,400 In 2012, Phase I of the Early Restoration public comments that were provided.” Plan brought $62 million, which the state of Lankford went on to say the trustees did Alabama saw $13.8 million in the form of two “nothing to correct, or even address, the proj- projects – $11 million of marsh creation in ect’s very serious shortcomings.” Portersville Bay and a dune restoration project Lankford said one of her organization’s in Baldwin County. biggest concerns is the effect the project could The same year, Phase II split $9 million be- have on the habit of sea turtles, birds and tween two projects designed to improve avian beach mice. breeding habitats and sea turtle nesting sites “If you stand on the pier and look to the damaged by the oil spill.

LAGNIAPPE | October 9, 2014 - October 15, 2014 | 11 BAY BRIEFS BB Development expert advises leaders to focus on downtown BY ALYSON STOKES/REPORTER | [email protected]

hat makes a great 21st century city and how can a McMahon said cities must differentiate themselves, and “The places that people most want to visit are attractions in city striving for success and greatness uphold its Mobile is a city that has what he calls “great bones” in its grid of and of themselves, it’s not just one building or one block or one historic character while simultaneously attracting streets, a lot of historic character, open spaces, the Mobile River attraction,” he said. “It’s where the city itself has got a character the next generation of forward-thinking movers and and “unlimited potential.” that people find like a New Orleans or a Charleston or a Savan- Wshakers? “You have all this historic character here, which we’ve been nah, and [Mobile] could be just like those kinds of places but Ed McMahon, a senior fellow at the Urban Land Institute and systematically destroying for the last 50 years instead of system- even better.” a leading authority on economic development, addressed these atically restoring it … they [successful cities] make it easy to do According to McMahon, these cities pay attention to commu- questions as the keynote speaker for the Downtown Mobile Al- the things you want people to do,” he said. nity aesthetics and have strong leaders and committed citizens. liance annual meeting Sept. 26, unveiling what he believes are While McMahon said developing a strip mall in an empty He praised the leadership of the Downtown Mobile Alliance, secrets of successful communities. field used to be easier and more common than building a down- saying “all of the good things you see downtown, they have a Before the meeting, Lagniappe had the opportunity to sit town building, he said communities are starting to say, “Well, hand in those things somewhere.” down with McMahon one-on-one to talk about the bigger, na- let’s make it easier to build downtown where we’d actually like McMahon also believes now is the time for “mixed-use” tional trends affecting other cities and how those trends could be to have some development,” which leads to another one of his developments, which can include retail outlets, grocery stores, applied right here in Mobile. secrets to a successful city—pick and choose among develop- fitness centers, pools and apartment units where residents can For the first time in 75 years, cities are growing faster than mental projects. sleep upstairs and shop downstairs. their surrounding suburbs due to a changing economy, chang- “All development is not created equal,” he said. “One of the Seventy-five percent of American households without school- ing demographics, technology, consumer attitudes and market biggest impediments in my judgment to better development in aged children, such as empty nesters, retirees, young profession- trends, but out of the 25,000 incorporated cities and towns in small American cities has been a fear of saying no to anything. als and unrelated singles living together could utilize and benefit the U.S., only a handful could be considered truly successful, If you’re afraid to say no to anything, you’ll get the worst of from these types of developments. McMahon said. everything.” “We’ve built housing in America for 40 years like every A native of Birmingham who obtained a Bachelor of Science According to McMahon, Charleston, South Carolina Mayor single family was the Waltons – the mom, the dad, the two kids degree from Spring Hill College, McMahon has worked in more Joseph Riley, Jr., who has been in office for 36 years, denied and the dog,” he said. “Turns out that’s a tiny minority in Ameri- than 700 communities in all 50 states over the past 30 years, the development of high-end, high-rise condos along the two can families today.” leading to him to some conclusions as to why some cities are rivers surrounding Charleston. Instead, he decided to put parks McMahon also said successful communities use education successful and others are not. along the rivers so he could give the best of the city to everyone, and incentive, not just regulation, and he noted one of the major “I think that the number one successful communities always McMahon said. Now, the land next to those parks is the most things downtown Mobile lacks is an educational facility. have a vision for the future and those successful visions begin valuable land in the city. “You need more than just a restaurant and entertainment area, by inventorying your assets, whether that’s natural or cultural or McMahon also cited other cities that have capitalized on you need to have housing. You need to have some educational architectural or historical,” he said. “ … It’s not so much about riverfront property, noting Baltimore’s seven-mile long, 35-foot facilities,” he said. “You need to have parks and you need to what you don’t have. It’s about what you do have.” wide promenade and Detroit’s five-mile promenade along the St. have arts and culture. It’s sort of all of those things working According to McMahon, economic development used to be Clair River. together will make this downtown an even better place.” about “smokestack chasing,” “shotgun recruitment,” cheap land As far as the proposed I-10 bridge, McMahon believes it is Ultimately, Mobile has all the ingredients to be a great city, and cheap labor. In Alabama, especially in rural areas, he noted important that the bridge be multiuse and include a bike lane, especially with major businesses like Airbus bringing jobs and economic plans always focused on widening highways. stating it would be less than 1 percent of the total cost of the economic growth to the city, McMahon said. “Then we’d line the highways with a bunch of junk,” he said. bridge. According to McMahon, a 300-mile network of “Downtown is the heart and soul of any community,” he said. “That just doesn’t work in the world we live in today. Today, it’s bike trails was developed in Portland, Oregon for the same cost “If you don’t have a healthy downtown, you simply don’t have about laser recruitment, it’s about high-value positioning, it’s as one mile of four-lane urban freeway. a healthy town. The apple rots from the inside out. It’s kind of about highly trained talent, it’s about quality of life and ameni- However, he said it is always a mistake to put all your eggs in hard to be a suburb of nothing … If you don’t have that heart ties because capital is footloose in the world we live in today.” one basket. There is no one big thing, like a convention center, and soul, the rest won’t be as strong as it could be either … Today, anyone can run a business from anywhere in the casino, aquarium or park that will magically make a city success- Downtown has a big future, and I think I’m going to come back world, so McMahon asks the question: “Why would you pick ful, and it is always small things working synergistically together to this city in 10 years, and the downtown will be a very differ- Mobile over any other city?” off of a plan that makes sense, he said. ent place than it is today.”

Residents comment on hockey rink, skate park proposal BY DALE LIESCH/REPORTER | [email protected]

plan to build a roller hockey rink and a skateboard ramp space he’d need to skate without having to worry about trespass- only affects about a half mile of Interstate 10 and was a sugges- in Langan Park took a step forward Tuesday, as the ing. tion of the Alabama Department of Transportation. Mobile City Council heard from folks on both sides of She added that a quality skate park in the future could lead to “This is so it’ll get to 65 (mph) sooner,” she said. “It has the issue at a public hearing. revenue for the city. nothing to do with trying to ease congestion.” AThe plan wouldn’t cost the city anything, as the materials and “Keeping skateboarding at the fringes of our community is • Carmike, owner of the Wynnsong 16 cinema on Schil- labor would be donated, Council President Gina Gregory said. detrimental to the city,” Naylor said. “Mobile could generate linger Road, has withdrawn its application for an alcohol license To make the rink, workers would smooth out an already existing revenue from skating.” through the ABC Board. The council was set to vote on whether concrete slab that was at one time used as a changing room, she Gretchen McDermott said she opposed the idea because visi- or not to approve it, but instead tabled the measure on Tuesday. said. Workers would also add a fence. The addition of a skate- tors use the park for rest and peace and quiet is appreciated. She Councilwoman Bess Rich said she expects Carmike to reap- board ramp would also be part of the plans. said a skateboard ramp and roller hockey rink would be disruptive. ply for the license, which would allow the theater in her district Mae Naylor said she was in favor of the plans because of the Maureen Antone told the council she had concerns over safety to sell beer and wine to guests 21 or older. way skateboarding has changed her 9-year-old son. She told the because skateboarders don’t wear uniforms and hurt themselves. • The council approved a contract with Bill Smith Electric council since he’s picked up skateboarding, he has been more The council didn’t vote on the proposal Tuesday. for $100,989 for lighting, as part of plans for a new soccer field willing to finish projects that before he would’ve found too hard. In other business, the council unanimously approved at Herndon Park. The plan, which will use $1 million in county “Skateboarding has made my 9-year-old one of the most increasing the speed limit on the eastbound portion of the Bay- funds to develop a new field, was approved during the last coun- determined people I know,” she said. way to 65 miles per hour within the city limits. The speed limit cil meeting. At issue for Naylor is a lack of safe places where her son can has been 55 miles per hour from the George Wallace Tunnel • The council also approved a contract with Youngblood Bar- use a skateboard. She said when she drives around town she exit to the city limits. rett Construction and Engineering LLC in the amount of $13,945 looks for abandoned parking lots, or somewhere that has the Jennifer White, director of traffic engineering, said the change for renovations to the Mobile Police Department’s First Precinct.

t’s hard to imagine Mobile not strewn with are so fastidious they can’t bear to see a Taco there not being enough warnings for them to trash. It’s like trying to imagine TV without Bell bag rolling around on the floorboard for clean up derelict eyesores. And fingers are reality shows or Kentucky Fried Chicken even the length of time it would take to pull pointed at the city’s own properties that are without the Double Down Sandwich — Mobile, into a service station and throw it away. Such embarrassments, and at the school system, ITV and KFC would all definitely be better without debris is quickly and efficiently hurled into which has made a habit of abandoning build- such pox on their respective houses, but it’s hard to the streets where it can fertilize the city’s ings with little thought about what would fathom such a Bizarro world. famed azaleas. happen later. In any of the aforementioned cases it would But now comes along this bold new litter This is going to be the definition of tough take tremendous mental discipline to turn these ordinance to challenge the very definition of love — getting this trash-throwing commu- organizations away from their ruinous habits. For what it means to be a Mobilian. In essence St- nity to adopt a totally new attitude without instance, there would have to be someone in Holly- impson is demanding Mobilians accept adult- rebelling. Putting litterbugs’ photos online wood with the decency to stop the green-lighting of hood and the inconveniences that sometimes to brand them with the “Scarlet L” alone is any dumb show involving a Kardashian, a geriatric entails, such as putting that Big Gulp cup in bound to cause screaming. rock star or (God help us!) a cursing chef. the trashcan that’s three feet away instead of The city made the first move in showing Someone at KFC would have to show the cour- leaving it sitting on the curb. it’s serious when the city attorney and a city age to stand up to the fried chicken cartel and say, Are Mobilians ready for such responsibili- councilman met with Press-Register manage- “Our ‘chicken’ (air quotes) is already a danger to ties? Are we ready to move off the rundown ment a couple of weeks ago to tell them the society, can we really sell a sandwich using pieces hide-a-bed and into a king-sized bed with days of hurling advertising bundles and news- of fried chicken as bread?” sleep numbers and stuff like that, just like any papers to empty homes, vacant lots and to You see the type of courage it takes to change other mature city with a bad back? Does this people who don’t want them is over. Imagine thinking. city have a secretly anal side that could ease a mayor telling the Press-Register what to do. Fortunately Mobile may benefit from this type the strain this constant littering puts on our The nerve! of courage if Mayor Sandy Stimpson’s new litter waterways and resources? Maybe times they are a-changing. And ordinance is somehow able to cause a behavioral I guess we’re about to find out. maybe next time there is a changing the dirty change in what is — as most historians will agree The mayor has said since running for diaper won’t end up in my front yard. Maybe — a collection of people brought to this city for the office he is serious about cleaning up this it’ll become a citywide game to post photos sole purpose of covering it in debris. trashiest of cities. As he found out when of people throwing butts out on Airport Mobile’s love affair with litter runs deep. We’ve he finally saw what a wreck the previous Boulevard. Maybe the owners of buildings all heard about the city’s founding by those two administrations had left of the city’s finances, that have been boarded up and left to become intrepid French brothers, Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne, Stimpson probably has realized over the past rat-infested gathering places for the homeless Sieur de Bienville and Jacques-Yves Cousteau. year that trying to get Mobilians enthusiastic will be forced to show some responsibility. While they’ve been lionized locally, few realize about passing the white glove test is easier I imagine a Mobile like that would serve a they were actually forced to leave France after they said than done. grilled chicken sandwich on focaccia bread and climbed to the top of the Eiffel Tower and emptied Already people are complaining about watch PBS. We’ll see if that becomes reality. a month’s worth of trash from their Left Bank apartment into a 20-mph wind that spread yogurt cartons, cigarette butts and nudie magazines across The Gadfly half the city. As they high-fived one another on the way down, they were apprehended, banished and told to take their litter-loving ways to the New World. (This is the kind of history you won’t find in any of the Common Core texts, by the way. Thanks Obama!) After a six-month journey across the Atlantic and through the Gulf, during which they managed to tangle no fewer than 75 endangered sea turtles in discarded six-pack rings, the brothers landed on the pristine white sands of the Florida Panhandle. They promptly began throwing six months worth of saved up Marlboro Light butts onto the beaches. While that was satisfying, the brothers knew true happiness would only come in a place where litterbugs would not be shunned or banished, but embraced and honored. And that’s how Mobile was born. It has become the nation’s largest asylum for people too busy to throw something in a trashcan. For 300 years Mo- bile has sent a siren’s call out to those who know the deep satisfaction of throwing a Wendy’s bag, Steele Reserve can or dirty diaper into a stranger’s yard. The city has been the place where the art of carelessly flicking a cigarette butt into streets, sidewalks or cemeteries has been perfected. No one tosses a butt with as much disregard as a Mobilian. Jean and Jacques would no doubt be proud of what they began. After any big rain Mobile’s waterways are choked with thousands of plastic bottles and other refuse washed from temporary resting places in yards, parking lots and ditches.

One source of pride for our founders also might Cartoon/Laura Rasmussen come from knowing Mobilians are renowned for the cleanliness of the insides of their cars, as most Councilman Fred Richardson requested an exit sign for his birthplace of Nymph

14 | LAGNIAPPE | October 9, 2014 - October 15, 2014 HIDDEN AGENDA COMMENTARY C Sign, sign, everywhere a sign? BY ASHLEY TRICE/EDITOR | [email protected]

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign And is it even appropriate for a politician to make such a Blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind personal request of an entity he has to work so closely with as an Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign? elected official? What’s next? Adding “Birthplace of Fred Rich- - Five Man Electrical Band ardson, Mobile City Councilman, District 2. Make sure to vote in the next election!” to the sign? This just seems like a sketchy path ell you can sure read a sign that says Nymph now, to start heading down. thanks to Mobile If it meant so much to him and to avoid any conflict of interest, City Councilman Fred Richardson, who recently he should have footed the bill for this one. asked the Alabama Department of Transportation to As people have criticized him on news sites and via social me- Wadd a sign to the Castleberry Exit (Exit 83) on I-65 to recognize dia, in typical Fred fashion, he has attacked back by calling them the tiny community of Nymph, where the councilman was born negative and haters and people who just want Fred Richardson to and raised. be out of office. The sign cost the taxpayers of Alabama $3,000. He has brought up other signs along the interstate of other According to a news report by WKRG, the community communities he claims are smaller and asked who paid for them. consists of a couple of churches and a volunteer fire department I’m sure the state did, but did a politician request any of those? If and is so small many of the residents of Conecuh County, where the answer is yes, then we have a bigger problem. Nymph is located, didn’t even know it existed. Fred! Wake up! This is not about hate or negativity or your fa- On his Facebook page, Richardson said it deserved to be rec- vorite accusation to sling out there — racism. It’s about just being Photo/Facebook ognized because there are many important people from his little a good steward of taxpayer money. This, along with the ridicu- Councilman Fred Richardson proudly stands under a new speck on the map. lously excessive amount of globetrotting you do on the taxpayer’s sign along I-65 for his birthplace of Nymph, a very small “Nymph should been on the map. Google Moddie D. Taylor dime, aggravates people. They don’t hate Fred Richardson, they community in Conecuh County. Richardson personally of Nymph who helped make the atom bomb. What about Shelton hate the way Fred Richardson cavalierly spends their money and requested the sign from the Alabama Department of Trans- T. Richardson. Mayor of North Randall Ohio, from Nymph: and uses it to self-aggrandize — especially when our city and state portation and it cost taxpayers $3000, raising the question Lee Simmons who was an assistant for President Ford. He is from have so many unmet needs. of whether it was a good use of public money? Nymph. General Lloyd Austin who is over forces in Iraq and in Can’t you understand how wasteful these actions look in the charge of stamping out ISIS, has deep heritage roots in Nymph. current economic conditions? And can’t you realize how frustrat- If you told Fred yes, how could you tell them no? Just about Lease of all I’m from Nymph,” Richardson wrote on his Face- ing that is for your constituents? I promise you if any of the other every community has their own interesting story to tell or accom- book page. council members were making such requests, the level of aggra- plished native sons and daughters. How do you determine who is I can’t argue this isn’t a sweet gesture for the proud Nympho- vation would be the same. This isn’t personal. sign-worthy? nian (or is it Nymphonite? Nympho?) to do for his hometown, What I am more amazed by is that ALDOT actually agreed to It’s just a really strange precedent to set. And one that could although it’s hard to see how it really honors the very deserving do this. I am not trying to make a mountain out of a molehill here, really clutter up the side of every highway and interstate. people he mentioned. But even if it did, in a time when not just but now every time some self-important politico from Mobile to Sign, sign, everywhere a sign blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ our city but our entire state is struggling financially, is this really Muscle Shoals wants a vanity sign of their own, are we going to my mind. Not to mention the bank. the best use of taxpayer money? oblige all of them?

LAGNIAPPE | October 9, 2014 - October 15, 2014 | 15 BELTWAY BEAT COMMENTARY C Mississippi Democrat turns to Tea Party for election support BY JEFF POOR/COLUMNIST | [email protected]

arlier this year, Mississippi voters wit- country on a much grander scale. nessed perhaps their most contentious Childers, at least publicly, is portraying his statewide Republican primary election decision to cast his lot with the anti-amnesty in decades for the party’s U.S. Senate movement as a populist gesture. Eseat nomination – the seat six-term incum- “This is not aimed at anybody,” Childers bent Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) currently told the Jackson Clarion-Ledger. “Congress occupies. has kicked this can down the road. Washing- Cochran ultimately prevailed over so- ton tries to make this a partisan issue. This called Tea Party hopeful State Sen. Chris is an American issue ... We have laws on the McDaniel in a runoff contest in which books [on immigration]. If we are not going Cochran was able to rally unlikely traditional to follow that set of laws, what others are we Democratic voters from the Mississippi’s not going to follow?” African-American community. The Mississippi Democratic U.S. Sen- The sides consisted of the long-time ate hopeful’s move will make for interesting powerbrokers in Mississippi Republican bedfellows. politics led by former Republican Gov. Haley McDaniel voters, still bitter about the sum- Barbour, whose surrogates waged dirty but mer’s primary outcome, weren’t likely to go effective behind-the-scenes warfare to tarnish out of their way to vote for either candidate the reputation of McDaniel in the eyes of in the general. But this could give them a black voters. motivation to show up first to vote on a single The outcome was a narrow victory for issue that Ann Coulter and other conservative Cochran, but a victory that came at the cost opinion makers deem to be the most impor- of a bitterly divided Republican con- tant issue for Republicans and secondly to stituency, all the way from the outskirts of register a protest against Cochran, who they Memphis in the northwest corner of the state feel won the primary runoff contest unfairly down to the Ingalls shipyard in Pascagoula – with race-baiting advertisements aimed at in the very southeast. traditional Democratic Party voters. Cochran will face former Rep. Travis Couple that element, assuming the so- Childers, the Democratic nominee for the seat called FAIR pledge is enough to get them out in a month and the contest isn’t expected to be on Election Day, with Mississippi traditional close. The Real Clear Politics average gives Democratic voters, a state in which Barack Cochran a 14-point advantage with what little Obama took 43 percent of the vote, Cochran polling has been done to gauge the match-up. could have cause for concern. In a low- Last week however, Childers added a new turnout election with these two unique voting variable to the equation that may bolster his blocs aligned, Cochran likely won’t be able chances. take victory for granted. Childers became the first Democrat seek- Overcoming a double-digit hurdle will be ing national office to sign so-called Fed- difficult for Childers, but if we’ve learned eration for American Immigration Reform anything this election cycle, immigration is (FAIR) pledge, an anti-amnesty that binds the one issue that can ruin a candidacy. Ask candidates to oppose legislation granting ad- former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, ditional work permits or expand the number who lost his race to another Tea Party upstart of new immigrants and temporary workers named Dave Brat, who came out of nowhere into the United States. running on a single issue. It’s a pledge that has been often bandied In Alabama, the issue of immigration has about by conservatives, akin to the anti- not been a divisive one among Republican taxation Americans for Tax Reform pledge lawmakers. Sen. Jeff Sessions, arguably the championed by Grover Norquist. most-bulletproof politician in Alabama since The pledge has risen to prominence in George Wallace, has made opposing im- this election cycle especially as a result of migration his central cause, which has paid rhetoric from both parties in Congress and dividends both statewide and nationally. His the White House arguing for comprehensive efforts have helped keep the Alabama delega- immigration reform. Conservatives have tion hawkish on the issue. been reluctant to embrace an immigration His colleague Sen. Richard Shelby talks a reform measure by the federal government good game on immigration and to his credit, going back to the 1986 Simpson-Mazzoli Act, has the voting record to back it up. which promised border enforcement for the Alabama’s GOP is hardly lily white right exchange of granting amnesty to three million now, if you take into consideration everything immigrants in the United States illegally. including embattled House Speaker Mike The border enforcement measures of the Hubbard’s hints and rumors of ethics viola- legislation were never funded, thus break- tions and wrongdoing and in-fighting between ing the border enforcement promise and that the various elements fighting for control of a has changed the electorate in some states, party apparatus controlled by Bill Armistead, including California, to a more Democratic- but that’s nothing compared to what’s going friendly one. on within the ruling class in Mississippi. Conservatives fear new measures will One more reason of hundreds that it could have an even greater similar outcome and that be worse – at least Alabama isn’t Mississippi. could change the governing philosophy of the

16 | LAGNIAPPE | October 9, 2014 - October 15, 2014 COMMENTARY C Islamophobia holding us back BY KEN ROBINSON/CONTRIBUTOR

ho expected the 2014 NFL season to incidents have happened to other members as receive an extreme amount of atten- well. Fearing for their safety, they’re just going tion, but for all the wrong reasons? with the acronym OOI. Quite well known is the infamous Several months ago the Mobile City Wand inexcusable behavior of Baltimore Ravens Council, in a 6 to 1 vote, denied the appeal of a running back Ray Rice with his then fiancé and Planning Commission decision which gave the now wife in the elevator of an Atlantic City OK for a new Islamic school and mosque to be casino. built along East Drive near the University of Also, that of Minnesota Vikings running South Alabama. It seems like a fairly pedestrian back Adrian Peterson in the extreme punish- issue, as our community is full of religious/pri- ment of his 4-year-old child. Another recent vate schools and most of them are centered in incident, which was not an off the field inci- various neighborhoods throughout the county. dent and didn’t involve any type of criminal Besides, it wasn’t a strip club or bingo hall the behavior, nevertheless was definitely one that group was trying to build, but again, a school raised a lot of eyebrows and sparked debate and new mosque. across the country. But members of a neighborhood group in On the Sept. 29 telecast of Monday Night which Councilwoman Bess Rich resides and Football featuring the Kansas City Chiefs was the lone no vote, felt among other things, against the New England Patriots, the Chiefs’ their property value would decrease and traffic/ defensive safety, Husain Abdullah, intercepted a parking issues would ensue. Although traffic pass thrown by Patriots quarterback Tom Brady engineers and other officials cogently showed and, as they say, took it all the way to the house. these concerns were unfounded, residents were After his touchdown, Abdullah did what unmoved. a lot of players in various levels and types of Although it’s been more than a year ago, it’s sport do, he made a religious gesture showing hard to forget the uproar that was caused over gratitude and thanks to the God he worships. Daphne High School’s decision to offer Arabic However, it wasn’t to the Christian God. Upon as a foreign language option to its students. reaching the end zone, Abdullah slid to the Never mind how developing fluency in the ground, then knelt on both knees and bowed language, which is one of the most populous in reverence to Allah. Out came an official’s languages in the world, can open a world of yellow flag. He was penalized 15 yards for career opportunities, it’s just downright back- unsportsmanlike conduct. wards and silly to assume that if a child learns What made this so extremely eyebrow the language they will somehow be convinced raising and questionable is that even the most to become jihadists! novice follower of football is familiar with the Obviously though, this type of behavior many players that kneel in prayer after scoring can’t be attributed to what people would like to and even those who may not watch the sport classify as the typical Southern penchant for na- at all, have nevertheless heard of the term tivism or xenophobia. It seems to be a problem “Tebowing.” Indeed, at one point Tebowing nationwide that many of the Islamic faith have was a national, even international craze. People to struggle against: distrust of and bias against from all over the world took and posted on vari- their culture and beliefs. ous social media sites poses of them “Tebow- When I bought my house in the Oakleigh ing.” Kneeling in prayer, for a time, became a Garden District about five years ago, I was sit- fad. ting on my porch one day enjoying a peaceful But Abdullah’s show of reverence was not and beautiful ending to the day when a very as popular. Still, the NFL quickly cleared up the odd and unfamiliar sound caught my attention. controversy by having Vice President of Foot- It came across a loudspeaker that was in the ball Communications Michael Signora send out distance but distinct. It was the sound of a man a tweet the next morning stating, “Officiating praying in Arabic. Being a Baptist and having mechanics is not to flag a player who goes to grown up in the South this was definitely a the ground for religious reasons.” new experience for me. But far from making The mishandling of this on the field display me feel fearful, hearing this Muslim Adhan, or of religious faith, brought home to me some call to prayer, was a testament to the incredible local actions that have shown, like many com- diversity our port city of Mobile has always munities and people across the nation, even in been home to. Mobile there is a serious reluctance towards And it’s exactly this which makes America accepting and creating space for those of the so great, the fact that you have this marketplace Islamic faith. of ideas, assortment of voices and opinions, Several weeks ago, the all-female Mardi some we agree with, some we don’t, but the Gras parading society Order of Isis (so named beauty is that they can be expressed. after the Egyptian god of love and friendship) Yes, there is a very tiny fraction of those insisted on changing its name because people from this faith who desire to do us harm, but were mistaking them for being affiliated with the overwhelming majority (like the Japanese the international terrorist group ISIS! Go figure, and Germans living here during WWII or the but yes, there were some Mobilians who saw Vietnamese during the Vietnam War) have em- these Southern white genteel females out in braced the very ideals and principles that make public with their “Isis” shirts on and mistook up the bedrock of our democracy. them for terrorist fanatics trying to advertise Rather than acquiescing to fear and hyper- and recruit for their beloved militant brethren bolic talk about the apocalyptic consequences waging jihad in the Middle East! of those of an Islamic faith residing in our According to one of the group’s members, midst, let’s embrace the richness of a culture one OOI (Order of Isis) member was accosted from which we acquired our numbering system in Sam’s Club by a man who strongly ques- and helped lay the foundation for the Western tioned why she had Isis on her shirt. Similar Renaissance and Scientific Revolution.

LAGNIAPPE | October 9, 2014 - October 15, 2014 | 17 THE REAL DEAL BUSINESS BB Business leaders stepping into performance contract void? BY RON SIVAK/COLUMNIST | [email protected] | Twitter @rcvak

ecently BBVA Compass performed a location in Daphne in a shopping center located Commercial Real Estate Moves week of volunteer service for 12 local A 1,150-square-foot space at 77 South on State Highway 64 and U.S. Highway 98 nonprofit organizations with a team of Section St., Suite B, in Fairhope has been according to local franchise co-owner, Misty over 30 BBVA employee volunteers. leased for an upscale whiskey and martini bar. McClure. The grand opening is slated for the first RAdditionally, 8 hours has been allocated per Morgan Ashurst with Ashurst & Niemeyer quarter of 2015. The Auburn-based eatery opened employee at BBVA as paid time off (PTO) for worked for the tenant and Sharon Wright with its first location in the county in west Mobile last volunteer activities throughout the rest of 2014 White-Spunner Realty (WSR) represented the fall. with 16 hours PTO pledged per employee in landlord. The Bluegill Restaurant located at 3775 2015 for volunteer related activities. Louis Berger has moved its office to Battleship Parkway just purchased two lots east “This is a huge commitment from the bank downtown and leased three office suites at56 of the eatery with plans to accommodate a larger, nationally to volunteerism. We typically focus St. Emanuel St. Sharon Wright represented outdoor concert style format for customers in the on financial literacy, pro bono work and com- the tenant and John Peebles with Peebles & near future. munity service,” Mark Fillers, BBVA’s south Cameron worked for the landlord. Local accounting firm J.T. Murray, III, CPA, Alabama market commercial banking president Thai Diner leased a 1,200-square-foot res- LLC, recently moved from 4365 Midmost Drive, said. “The local impact is significant since we taurant space at Sugar Mill Village on Hillcrest Suite 4, in the Downtowner Loop office park area have approximately 125 employees in Mobile Road. The eatery will offer Thai dishes and to 3958 Snow Road, Suite K, in Semmes, effec- and Baldwin counties. Historically, our teams sushi. Sharon Wright handled the transaction tively doubling office space due to recent growth. volunteer significantly more than eight hours per for both landlord and tenant. person. Last year we recorded over 2,500 volun- Xtreme Nutrition & Smoothies has leased Goodwill Easter Seals opens teer hours in total, which averages more than 20 a 1,400-square-foot retail space in Fountain massive Spanish Fort facility hours per employee.” Plaza on State Highway 59 in Foley. Sharon Goodwill Easter Seals (GES) recently an- BBVA’s Week of Service began with the Wright managed the transaction. nounced a new 26,420-square-foot facility in Goodwill Easter Seals and concluded with the Covenant Hospice has leased a Spanish Fort in the Eastern Shore Center across American Heart Association Heart Walk. The 3,318-square-foot medical space at 3103 Air- from Publix Super Market. The new complex, charity work was focused on giving back to low port Blvd. in Hilton Square and plans to move located at 10718 Eastern Shore Blvd., will house and moderate income organizations/individuals their old office to the new locale in the near a retail store, donation center and community throughout Mobile County as evidenced by nine future. Sharon Wright worked for the tenant center. of the 12 organizations served having qualified and Justin Toomey with Stirling Properties “Having a facility of this size and scope in for Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) bank represented the landlord. the Spanish Fort area will help us to bring many lending credit. Postmark Inc. leased a 6,400-square-foor more services to individuals and families living in “I was really impressed with having Mayor office/warehouse space at755 Middle St. in Baldwin County,” Frank Harkins, president and Troy Ephriam of Prichard assist Jamie LeDoux, Fairhope. The digital printing and direct mail CEO of Goodwill Easter Seals said. BBVA’s global wealth manager, Vice-president company will relocate operations, currently a GES’ mission is to provide services to individ- Marc Jackson, and myself in a financial educa- few blocks over on 918 Nichols Ave., to the new uals and families in need of children’s services. tion discussion with over 300 students at Blount space soon. Sharon Wright worked for the ten- They also offer education and employment ser- High School,” Fillers said. ant and Philip Hodgson with Coldwell Banker vices including job training and career assistance To maintain the momentum of charitable Reehl Properties represented the landlord. to people with disabilities, those lacking educa- work being performed by local business leaders Local investors purchased a 6,000-square- tion/work experience and others facing challenges in the community, Fillers recently threw down foot office/warehouse space at26121 Equity that impair finding gainful employment. the gauntlet of challenge to friend Daniel Den- Drive in Daphne for $200,000. Pratt Thomas Goodwill has partnered locally and regionally nis, president at Roberts Brothers Inc., to also with Merrill P. Thomas & Co. represented with Roberts Brothers Commercial & Property hold a week of volunteer work at their company. the buyers and Sharon Wright worked for the Management Inc., Redan I LLC, Gini Properties Dennis gamely accepted and now a new week sellers. LLC, Horizon Construction Company and Archi- of volunteerism sponsored by Roberts Brothers According to Merrill Thomas with the Merrill tect Graig Waldon on the design and construction starts in October. P. Thomas Company, a Louisiana speculator of the new facility. “My hope is that he will challenge other recently acquired the Dollar General Store A United Way Partner Agency, GES oper- business leaders locally to follow suit, similar located at 4690 Springhill Ave. across from ates 13 retail stores, 12 stand alone donation to the Ice Bucket challenge. This would have Municipal Park for $850,000. Brokers Paul centers, eight community centers and two child the potential to fuel a need for volunteers in Trawick with Folmar & Associates and Ralph development centers along the central Gulf Coast our community, especially in light of the city’s Neal with Watson Realty also helped handle throughout Alabama and Florida. Ninety cents performance contract funding challenges,” the transaction. of every dollar is spent on services to individuals Fillers said. Chicken Salad Chick is opening their second and families in a 12 county area.

18 | LAGNIAPPE | October 9, 2014 - October 15, 2014 LAGNIAPPE | October 9, 2014 - October 15, 2014 | 19 THE REVIEW | CUISINE Sandwich fever can be cured at Stevie’s Kitchen BY ANDY MACDONALD/CUISINE EDITOR | [email protected] do love a good sandwich place, and I do not subscribe to the theory of soup only in the cooler months. I want soup with my sandwiches year round, and I don’t mean gazpacho. I’ve mentioned some of my favorite sandwiches in past columns.I Those who know me understand I have issues on both sides of the line when it comes to sandwiches. I know I do. On one hand I often place too much importance on my love for sandwiches and should lighten up. On the other hand I can get overly fired up when a sandwich doesn’t meet my expectations. For this, I should also lighten up. When I got the call for this week’s assignment at Stevie’s Kitchen, I knew it would be chock full of Boar’s Head meats and plenty of bread choices. What I didn’t expect was the expansive menu including shrimp salad, Chicago dogs, quesadillas and stuffed potatoes along with a daily special. I was in the mood to sample as much as I can, so dining in wasn’t an option. It’s a day for packing in about three meals in one order to review a cross section of what these guys have to offer. The special of the day was red beans and rice with Mexican cornbread, but it was Thursday. I reserve Monday for what partially made New Orleans famous, so that was out. But hey, more room for sandwiches. I grabbed a couple of Photos/Dan Anderson soups, a couple of sandwiches, a In addition to sandwiches, Stevie’s Kitchen provides an expansive couple desserts, a side salad and a single loaded potato and headed out menu including shrimp salad, Chicago dogs, quesadillas and more. into the fall rain. traption. A nice, nutty The day was not ruined by the sandwich. It came with loaded Let’s break this down one at a not-too-soupy broccoli potato salad that had kind of a ranchy hint. I enjoyed it. time. I first popped open a bowl salad accompanied the From the stuffed baked potato menu I selected one called the of seafood gumbo ($8.50). For the Philly. Kitchen Sink ($9.75). The menu reads “a twice baked potato price this is a hefty amount. My All was well. Then stuffed with cheese, scallions, Boar’s Head bacon, butter, sour particular bowl was a medium/ disaster struck. I cream, and chicken.” Sounded good to me, and it was. The only dark roux with tiny gumbo shrimp opened my muffaletta thing that struck me as odd was the chicken. This was shredded and crawfish tails that appeared in ($10, Central Grocery barbecue chicken. Though the menu never said anything about almost every spoonful. This also spells it muffuletta barbecue, and the smell hit me immediately. But you know I really had sausage, which I don’t mind so that’s how I spell didn’t mind it. Sure it was a bit strange, but it was pretty good. in my seafood gumbo, and the dish as a whole was very good. it) box to find my muffaletta was not a muffuletta at all. It was a The portions were incredibly large. Above average, I’d say. Maybe it was a touch on the salty side, hoagie. The deception is unforgivable. French Silk pie ($4.75) was amazing but was overshadowed by but there wasn’t much rice. I don’t mind, for that can only mean I’ve said it before and I will say it with my last breath. If you peanut butter pie (also $4.75). I strongly suggest on your next visit more gumbo. It was too much to finish if I was going to sample have a muffaletta on your menu and it comes on a hoagie or you not leave without trying this when it’s available. everything else. French bread or anything besides muffuletta bread then it isn’t a So here’s the skinny. I like this place. I like this place a lot. Soup number two was chicken pasta ($4 per cup). Well sea- muffuletta! The bread came before the sandwich. Call it a muffu- It’s hard to keep my mouth shut on a subject I feel so strongly soned and full of flavor, this is basically chicken noodle with veg- letta po-boy or something. That’s like ordering a pizza and getting about, and muffulettas and chicken on a stick occupy more of my gies. Not bad for a rainy Thursday, and I never touched a cracker. it home to find out it’s really a pizza sandwich. thoughts than they should. Stevie’s Kitchen is a cool lunch spot It was perfect with a side salad ($4.25). They make their ranch I should have read the fine print, but I thought I knew what a (open 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., closed Sunday) and on most days a $10 dressing in house. I commented that was usually the only dressing muffuletta was. Sure, it had ham, salami, kudos for the capicollo bill will get you a special and a drink with some change for a tip. restaurant chefs didn’t make. It was a winner. on the menu but I found none on mine, a bit of olive salad (you They deserve our support. I’m certain that despite my com- Just as I was replacing the lid on the soup the clock struck can’t fit enough on French bread) and an odd twist of spicy mus- plaining these folks will be around for quite a while, hopefully sandwich time. The first of my sandwich duo was Ricky’s Philly tard. It’s not that it tasted bad. It just wasn’t what my mouth was long enough to order some muffuletta bread. cheese steak ($9.75). The menu promises this one is the best in aching for. town. They could be right. Mushrooms, bell peppers, onions came If you think I’m being a little harsh then see the disclaimer Stevie’s Kitchen with pepper jack and provolone with horseradish cream sauce. I in the first paragraph. I’m working on it. I need a therapist who 41 West I-65 Service Road N., Suite 150 specializes in New Orleans sandwich therapy. Maybe hypnotism must admit this was one tasty sandwich. If there was a complaint Mobile, AL it was that I would have enjoyed more veggies, but in the end I is in order. appreciated that it was not a gargantuan food coma-inducing con- Deep breath. Find your happy place, Andy. 251-287-2793

20 | LAGNIAPPE | October 9, 2014 - October 15, 2014 W ORD OF MOUTH CUISINE CC Lay down that bouzouki funk and get your Greek on! BY ANDY MACDONALD/CUISINE EDITOR | [email protected]

doubt I have missed one since I moved to Mobile, and I don’t and it’s high time we all went pink. Zea’s Rotisserie and Grill Hangout Oyster Cook-off and Craft Beer week- intend for this year to be any different. Greek Fest 2014 is has done just that. The successful chain that began in Harrahan, upon us, and the October favorite turns 52 this year! Get end gets better everyday La., and made its way to University and Airport is offering spe- It is sure to be a big early November with the Hangout Oyster ready for Greek music, Greek dancing, Greek coffee and cial drinks to raise money for the important cause. Cook-off and Craft Beer weekend on the 7, 8, and 9. We keep IGreek food galore Oct. 16, 17, and 18 (Thursday, Friday and There is an alcoholic and non-alcoholic version so both kinds getting nuggets of information as this one takes shape. The latest Saturday) at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church at 50 S. of diners may contribute. For every glass of pink lemonade sold news is a list of the celebrity chefs who will be involved in some Ann St. a dollar will be donated to the Susan G. Koman Foundation fashion or another. There is always fun for the whole family, and true, I go for helping to raise awareness for this dreadful, but in many cases You’ve seen Jason Roberts on “The Chew” and “Rachel Ray.” the food and the music. The festival runs each day from 11 a.m. stoppable, disease. For those who imbibe, Zea’s has created the Food Network Star has provided multiple seasons of winners and until 10 p.m. and admission is only $2, so what have you got to Pretty in Pink cocktail which credits $2 to the same foundation. runners up that are making their way to the Gulf Coast. These lose? But some of you may not have time to stop, park and stroll You’d be hard pressed to find anyone who has not been af- include Michele Ragussis, Ippy Aiona, Linkie Marais, Nikki through the church grounds. For those hungry and in a rush there fected by breast cancer. I know those suffering right now. Early Martin and Martie Duncan. The last of whom is, of course, the is a curbside drive-through service that runs from 10 a.m. until 7 detection is the key, so give ‘til it hurts. Go Team Pink! pride of Alabama, and we are impatiently waiting for the release p.m. Just follow the signs, but you may miss out on the charm of of her new cookbook. I’ll keep you posted. the pastry shop and the big family dinners to go. Music will be provided by Nashville’s Steelism and our very International Wine and Food Society to form Mo- You know anything that has been around for over 50 years is own Mulligan Brothers, who have taken time from recording and bile Chapter worth going to. Visit www.greekfestmobile.org for more infor- constant touring to blow you away next month. Prepare your glass and palate for a presentation discussing the mation. We will see you there. For those interested in the craft beer portion of the three-day formation of a local chapter of the International Wine and Food event check out www.hangoutcookoff.com/breweries for a list of Society. The IWFS has chapters worldwide and basically brings Red or White grand opening in new location participants. like-minded people together to discuss and enjoy wine and food. So part of me will miss Red or White being on Old Shell Every chapter governs itself, so it basically gets only as fancy as Road. I’ve received a healthy dose of Chef Arwen’s culinary the comfort zone of its members. skill in that building across from the Dew Drop Inn. But the No confusion, just Fusion Have no fear, the Crooked Martini has just changed names Tuesday Oct. 14 the Italian Fisherman will play host to a other part of me is way more excited the team is moving to a and gone in a completely different direction — 7939 Cottage presentation on this topic if you’d like to find out more about new location. Embrace the change! Hill Road is now known as Fusion. The new name and new the organization. An IWFS member from the New Orleans area In the former True Midtown Kitchen at 1104 Dauphin St., menu are bringing an Asian flair to West Mobile. The offerings will be speaking, and one can expect appetizers and, of course, the new Red or White is prepped and ready to go. With more are plentiful with a large number of appetizers, tons of traditional wine. Cost of admission is $25 per person to cover the food and space for retail and dining, our favorite wine restaurant has also sushi and signature rolls, traditional stuff from the grill, and an beverage. received a kitchen upgrade in the form of a wood fire pizza oven! interesting section where you select a curry, then a meat and then The presentation should last an hour or so, and it begins at 7 It’s really the only pizza I get excited about. a heat. p.m. Call for reservations at (251) 478-2881. Leave your name, The grand opening is Oct. 16 with a reception from 6 p.m. There is still a full service bar if you wish to get a little number of people in your party and a good number to be reached until 8 p.m. Stop in to catch the innovative photography of Fairn crooked. on Monday. If not enough people sign up by Monday the event Whatley. If you can’t make it for this you’ll have more opportu- will be canceled. I seriously doubt that happens. I’ll see you nity. Expect this showing to be on display at Red or White until there. Jan. 15, 2015. Zea’s goes pink for October Recycle! We all know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month,

LAGNIAPPE | October 9, 2014 - October 15, 2014 | 21 6700 Airport Blvd. • 341-1111 DELISh DESSERTS ($) 3696 Airport Blvd. • 344-9500 306 Dauphin St. • 433-9009. 1208 Shelton Beach Rd., Saraland Great desserts & hot lunch 5602 Old Shell Rd. • 287-6556 SOuThERn DECADEnCE DESSERTS 442-3335 23 Upham St. • 473-6115 MOnTEGO’S ($-$$) ($) Soups, Salads, Desserts & zEA’S ($$) DEW DROP Inn ($) Fresh Caribbean-style food & craft Sandwiches. 1956 B University Gourmet rotisserie with prime rib Classic burgers, hotdogs & setting. beer. 6601 Airport Blvd. Blvd. • 300-8304 & seafood. 1808 Old Shell Rd. • 473-7872. 634-3445 STevIe’S KITCheN ($) 4671 Airport Blvd. • 344-7414 DOWnTOWnERS ($) MOSTLy MuFFInS ($) Sandwiches, stuffed potatoes, $ uNDER $10/PERSoN Great sandwiches, soups & salads. 107 Muffins, coffee & wraps. soups, salads & desserts $$ 10-25/PERSoN Dauphin St. • 433 8868 105 Dauphin St. • 433-9855 41 West I-65 Service Rd. N Suite 150. $$$ ovER 25/PERSoN E WInG hOuSE ($) MuDBuGS AT ThE LOOP ($) STRAy DOG’S hASh Completely 195 S University Suite H Cajun Kitchen & seafood market. hOuSE DInER ($) ComfortaBle 662-1830. 2212 Dauphin Island 2005 Government St. 478-9897 Breakfast & lunch made to order Business Casual AL’S hOTDOGS ($) Pkwy • 479-2021 MuG ShOTS ($$) 263 St Francis St. • 402-4919 BOnEFISh GRILL ($$) Classic hotdogs, gyros & milkshakes FIREhOuSE SuBS ($) Bar & Grill. TAMARA’S BAR & GRILL ($) Eclectic dining & space. 4701 Airport Blvd. • 342-3243 Hot subs, cold salads & catering. 6255 Airport Blvd. • 447-2514 Wings, po-boys, burgers. 6955 Airport Blvd. • 633-7196 AShLAnD MIDTOWn PuB ($-$$) 6300 Grelot Rd. NeWK’S exPReSS Cafe ($) 210 Eastern Shore Center, Hwy. 98 BAuDEAn’S ($$) Pizzas, pastas, & calzones. 631-3730 Oven-baked sandwiches & more. • 929-0002 Fried, grilled, steamed & always 245-A Old Shell Rd. 479-3278 FIShERMAn’S LEGACy ($) 252 Azalea Rd. • 341-3533 TP CROCKMIeRS ($) fresh. 3300 River Rd. 973-9070 ATLAnTA BREAD COMPAny ($-$$) Deli, market and catering. OLD 27 GRILL ($) American Restaurant & Bar BOuDREAuX’S CAJun GRILL ($-$$) Sandwiches, salads & more. 3680 4380 Halls Mill Rd. • 665-2266 Burgers, dogs & 27 beers & wines. 250 Dauphin St. • 476-1890 Quality Cajun & New Orleans Dauphin St. • 380-0444 FIvE GuyS BuRGERS & FRIES ($) 19992 Hwy. 181 Old County Rd. ThE BLInD MuLE ($) Cuisine. 29249 US Highway 98 BEnJAMIn’S ($) 4401 Old Shell Rd. • 447-2393 Fairhope • 281-2663 Daily specials made from scratch. Daphne. 621-1991 Burgers,wings and seafood. 4663 Airport Blvd. • 300-8425 ORLEAnS PO-BOyS ($-$$) 57 N. Claiborne St. • 694-6853. ED’S SEAFOOD ShED ($$) 2107 Airport Blvd. • 450-9377 fOOSaCKly’S ($) Po-boys, gumbo, seafood & wings. ThE COuRTyARD AT 311($) Fried seafood served in hefty BRIqueTTeS STeaKhOuSe ($-$$) Famous chicken fingers. 960 Schillinger Rd S. • 633-3900 Great food and large selection portions. 3382 Hwy. 98 Grilled steaks, chicken and 310 S. University Blvd. ORLEAnS CAFE ($-$$) of spirits. 311 Fairhope Ave., 625-1947 seafood. 720A Schillinger Rd. S. 343-0047 Po-boys, gumbo, seafood & wings. Fairhope • 928-2032 FELIX’S FISh CAMP ($$) Suite 2. • 607-7200 2250 Airport Blvd. • 479-2922 ThE hOuSE ($-$$) Upscale dining with a view. CAFE 219 ($) 7641 Airport Blvd. • 607-7667 3721 Airport Blvd. • 380-1503 Seafood, sandwiches, salads & 1420 Hwy. 98 • 626-6710 Salads, sandwiches & potato salad. PAnInI PETE’S ($) soups 2558 Schillinger Rd. • 219-7761. Original sandwich and bake shop. hALF ShELL OySTER hOuSE ($) 219 Conti St. • 438-5234 3249 Dauphin St. • 479-2000 4513 Old shell Rd. • 408-9622 3654 Airport Blvd. • 338-9350 CAFE MALBIS ($) ISTAnBuL GRILL ($) 42 1/2 Section St., Fairhope • 929-0122 ThE hunGRy OWL ($) LEGACy BAR & GRILL ($$$) Contemporary fare & eclectic 19 S. Conception St. • 405-0031 Burgers, flatbread pizza & Authentic Turkish Resturant. PDQ ($) American, Seafood,Stekhouse. spirits. 28396 Hwy. 181, Daphne • 3702 Airport Blvd. • 461-6901 seafood. 7899 Cottage Hill Rd. 9 Du Rhu Dr. S. • 341-3370 661-6620 JAMAICAn vIBE ($) Chicken fingers, salad & 633-4479 LuCy B. GOODE ($$) CAJun SEAFOOD ($) Mind-blowing island food. sandwiches. 1165 University Blvd. The ROyal KNIGhT ($) Gulf Coast cuisine, reinvented. Seafood market & deli fresh • 202-0959 Open for lunch & dinner. 3700 Government Blvd. Ste A queeN G’S Café ($) 3004 200 E. 25th Ave., Gulf Shores seafood. 408 Dauphin Island Pkwy. 602-1973 Gov’t Blvd • 287-1270 967-5858 478-9897 JIMMy JOhn’S ($) Down home cooking for lunch. ThREE GEORGES CAnDy ShOP ($) LuLu’S ($$) CaMIlle’S SIDeWalK Café ($) Sandwiches, catering & delivery 2518 Old Shell Rd. • 471-3361 Light lunch with Southern flair. Live music & great seafood. Gourmet wraps, pizzas, & more. too. ReGINa’S KITCheN ($-$$) 226 Dauphin St. • 433-6725 6920 Airport Blvd. Sandwiches, subs and soups. 200 E. 25th Ave., Gulf Shores 5817 Old Shell Rd. 414-5444 TROPICAL SMOOThIE ($) 967-5858 343-0200 JOe CaIN Café ($) 2056 Government St. • 476-2777 Great smoothies, wraps & ORIGInAL OySTER hOuSE ($-$$) CaMellIa Café ($-$$$) Pizzas, sandwiches, cocktails. RIveR ShaCK ($-$$) sandwiches. Du Rhu Dr. Seafood, burgers & steaks. A great place for kids and Contemporary southern fare. 26 N. Royal St. • 338-2000 378-5648 seafood. 3733 Hwy. 98 61 Section St., Fairhope KITCheN ON GeORGe ($-$$) 6120 Marina Dr., Dog River 570 Schillinger Road 634-3454 626-2188 928-4321 Contemporary American food. • 443-7318. WILD WInG STATIOn ($) OySTeR ROCKefelleR ($$-$$$) 312 CAMMIE’S OLD DuTCh ($) 351A George & Savannah St. 436- ROLy POLy ($) 1500 Government St. Schillingers Rd. • 607-9527 Mobile’s classic ice cream spot. 8890 Wraps & salads. 287-1526 2511 Old Shell Rd. • 471-1710 LAP’S GROCERy & GRILL ($-$$) 809 Hillcrest Rd. • 607-6378 yaK The KaThMaNDu KITCheN RICE ASIAn GRILL & SuShI BAR ($) CARPE DIEM ($) Casual Seafood & southern 3220 Dauphin St. • 479-2480 ($-$$)Authentic foods from 3964 Government Blvd. Deli foods, pastries & specialty classics. ROMA CAFE ($-$$) Himalayan region. 3210 Dauphin 1595 Battleship Parkway, Pasta, salad and sandwiches. 378-8083 drinks. 4072 Old Shell Rd. Spanish Fort • 626-0045 St. • 287-0115 ThE hARBOR ROOM ($-$$) 304-0448 LAvA 7143 Airport Blvd. • 341-7217 Unique seafood. ChAT-A-WAy CAFE ($) ($) Fish & Chicken ROSIE’S GRILL ($-$$) Sandwiches, southwest fare, 7 days. 64 S. Water St. • 438-4000 Quiches & sandwiches in Spring 396 Azalea Rd. • 345-8121 1203 Hwy 98 Ste. 3D, Daphne ‘Cue TaCKy JaCKS ($-$$) Hill. 4366 Old Shell Rd. 343-9889 MAGhEE’S GRILL On ThE hILL BaCKyaRD Cafe & BBq ($) Gulf Shores favorite on the ChICKeN SalaD ChICK ($) 626-2440 ($-$$) Great lunch & dinner. ROyAL STREET CAFE ($) Home cookin’ like momma made. Causeway. 1175 Battleship Pkwy. Sandwich, Chicken Salad, Salad & 3607 Old Shell Rd. • 445-8700 621-8988 Soup. 2370 S. Hillcrest Rd. Unit R • MAMA’S ($) Homemade lunch & breakfast. 2804 Springhill Ave. 473-4739 TP CROCKMIeRS ($-$$) 660-0501 Slap your mama good home 104 N. Royal St. • 434-0011 BAR-B-QuInG WITh My hOnEy ($$) American Restaurant & Bar COWBOyS & AnGELS ($) cooking. SAGE RESTAuRAnT ($$) BBQ, burgers, wings & seafood 220 Dauphin St. Inside the Mobile Marriott. 250 Dauphin St. • 476-1890 5428 Halls Mill Rd • 665-5310 432-6262 19170 Hwy 43 Mt. Vernon. • 839-9927 ThE BLuEGILL ($-$$) CRAvIn CAJun ($) MARS hILL CAFE ($) 3101 Airport Blvd. • 476-6400 BRICK PIT ($) A historic seafood dive with live Po-boys, salads & seafood. Great sandwiches, coffee & more. SATORI COFFEEhOuSE ($) Coffee, smoothies, lunch & beers. A favorite barbecue spot. music. 3775 Hwy. 98 625-1998 1870 Dauphin Island Pkwy 5025 Cottage Hill Rd. 5460 Old Shell Rd. • 344-4575 5456 Old Shell Rd. • 343-0001 ThE ITALIAn FIShERMAn ($$) 287-1168 643-1611 DREAMLAnD BBQ ($) Seafood Italian style. CREAM & SuGAR ($) MaRy’S SOuTheRN COOKING ($) SERDA’S COFFEEhOuSE ($) Coffee, lunches, live music & gelato. Ribs, sandwiches & great sides. 2503 Old Shell Rd. • 478-2881 Breakfast, lunch in Oakleigh. Ice 3011 Springhill Ave. • 476-2232 TIn TOP RESTAuRAnT & OySTER BAR ($$) cream too. MELLOW MuShROOM ($) 3 Royal St. S. • 415-3000 3314 Old Shell Rd. 479-9898. Best seafood, premium aged 351 George St. #B • 405-0003 SMOKey DeMBO SMOKe hOuSe MOE’S ORIGInAL BAR B QuE ($) Pies & awesome beer selection. ($) steaks, extensive wine list. 6232 Bon D’ MIChAEL’S ($) 2032 Airport Blvd. • 471-4700 3758 Dauphin Island Pkwy. Bar-b-que & music. Bayfront Park Secour Hwy County Rd. 10.• 949-5086 Philly cheese steaks, gyros & 473-1401 5660 Old Shell Rd. • 380-1500 SPOT OF TEA ($) Dr., Daphne • 625-RIBS WInTzELL’S OySTER hOuSE ($-$$) more. 7101-A Theodore Dawes MOMMA GOLDBERG’S DELI ($) 701 Springhill Ave. 605 Dauphin St. • 432-4605 Rd. • 653-2979 Sandwiches & Momma’s Love. Mobile’s favorite spot for breakfast & lunch. 410-7427

22 | LAGNIAPPE | October 9, 2014 - October 15, 2014 RED OR WhITE BR PRIME AT BEAu RIvAGE ($$- 323A De La Mare Ave, Fairhope 990-0003 is tHe Game on? olé mi amiGo! $$$) Fine dining establishment. 1801 Old Shell Rd. 478-9494 BuFFALO WILD WInGS ($) CABO COASTAL CAnTInA ($) 875 Beach Blvd. ROyAL STREET TAvERn Best wings & sporting events. 225 Dauphin St. • 441-7685 888-952-2582 Live music,martinis & a light dinner 6341 Airport Blvd. • 378-5955 DAuPhIn ST. TAQuERIA ($) JIA AT BEAu RIvAGE ($-$$) menu. 26 N. Royal St. BuTCh CASSIDy’S ($) Enchiladas, tacos, & authentic Exotic Japanese, Thai, Chinese, 338-2000 Famous burgers, sandwiches & fare. 661 Dauphin St. • 432-2453 Korean & Vietnamese cuisine. SAuCy Q BARBQuE ($) SOuThERn nAPA wings. 60 N. Florida St. • 450-0690. EL ChARRO ($) 875 Beach Blvd. Award-winning BarBQue. Bistro plates, craft beers and CALLAGhAn’S IRISh SOCIAL CLuB Finest Mexican in WeMo. 888-952-2582 1111 Government Blvd. pantry. 2304 Main Street. ($) Burgers & beer. 7751 Airport Blvd. • 607-0882 MEMPhIS Q AT BEAu RIvAGE ($) 433-7427 375-2800 916 Charleston St. • 433-9374 FuEGO ($-$$) Memphis-style Q. WhISTLE STOP ($) hEROES SPORTS BAR & GRILLE ($) Outstanding Mexican cuisine. 875 Beach Blvd. Sandwiches & cold beer. Home cookin’ & BBQ. 2066 Old Shell Rd. • 378-8621 888-952-2582 273 Dauphin St. • 433-4376. LOS ARCOS ($) COAST RESTAuRAnT AT BEAu 110 S. Florida St. • 478-7427 falafel? try Hillcrest & Old Shell Rd. • 341-9464 Quaint Mexican restaurant. RIvAGE ($) MCShARRy’S IRISh PuB ($) 5556 Old Shell Rd. • 345-7484 Sports bar-style joint. some Hummus Brillant Reubens & Fish-N-Chips LA COCInA ($) 875 Beach Blvd. • 888-952-2582 Drop DeaD 7 SPICE ($-$$) 101 N. Brancroft St. Fairhope Authentic Mexican cuisine. lB’S STeaKhOuSe aT GRaND Healthy, delicious Mediterranean 990-5100 4633 Airport Blvd. • 342-5553 CASInO ($$-$$$) Gourmet food. 3762 Airport Blvd. ThE LAnDInG ($) SAnTA FE GRILL ($) Fine dining with juicy steak ALABAMA CRuISES ($$) 725-1177 From seafood to steaks. Locally-owned, fresh cuisine. & fine wine. Fine dining & sailing from Of ABBA’S MEDITERRAnEAn 11799 Dauphin Island Pkwy. 3160 Bel Air Mall • 450-2440 280 Beach Blvd. • 800-946-2946 Orange Beach • 973-1244 CAFE ($-$$) 973-2696 Cuu LOnG SuPER PhO AT GRAnD BAy GOuRMET ($$) Beef, lamb & seafood. luCKy’S IRISh PuB ($) CASInO ($$) Irish pub fare & more. A premier caterer & cooking 4356 Old Shell Rd. • 340-6464 no GamBlinG Asian noodle soups, bubble teas classes. 1880-A Airport Blvd. JERuSALEM CAFE ($-$$) 3692 Airport Blvd • 414-3000 & more. 450-9051 ThE STADIuM ($) 280 Beach Blvd. • 800-946-2946 Café 615 ($$-$$$) Mobile’s oldest Middle Eastern Catch the games with great food. Casino fare EMERIL’S GuLF COAST FISh hOuSE cuisine. 5773 Airport Blvd. 19270 Hwy. 98 Fairhope atmore American fare with local fIRe aT WIND CReeK CaSINO & AT ISLAnD vIEW CASInO ($$-$$$) ingredients. 615 Dauphin St. 304-1155 990-0408 Kick it up a notch. KaN ZaMaN Cafe ($) WEMOS ($) hOTEL ($$-$$$) 432-8434. World-class prime steaks, seafood 3300 W. Beach Blvd. Café ROyal ($$-$$$) 326 Azalea Rd. 229-4206 Wings, tenders, hotdogs & 877-774-8439 Prime steak & seafood in elegant MEDITERRAnEAn SAnDWICh sandwiches. 312 Schillinger Rd. & wine. 303 Poarch Rd. 866-946- C&G GRILLE AT ISLAnD vIEW 3360 setting. COMPAny ($) Great & quick. 633-5877 GRIll aT WIND CReeK CaSINO & CASInO ($) 101 N. Royal St. • 405-5251 274 Dauphin St. • 545-3161 Large breakfast, lunch or dinner nOJA ($$-$$$) hOTEL ($) menu. 3300 W. Beach Blvd. Inventive & very fresh cuisine. 2502 Schillinger Rd. Ste. 2 • 725-0126 Contemporary & old-fashioned 877-774-8439 MINT hOOKah BISTRO ($) favorites. 6 N. Jackson St. • 433-0377 mama mia! WAhOO’S POOLSIDE BAR AnD Great Mediterranean food. BEnTz’S PIzzA PuB ($) 303 Poarch Rd. • 866-946-3360 OSMAn’S RESTAuRAnT ($$) Homemade pizza and Italian GRILL AT PALACE CASInO RESORT Supreme European cuisine. 5951 Old Shell Rd. • 450-9191 ($-$$) ZORBa The GReeK ($-$$) dishes. 28567 County Rd. 13 Biloxi 2579 Halls Mill Rd. • 479-0006. 625-6992 vIBe aT haRD ROCK hOTel Fresh seafood & more. ROyAL SCAM ($$) Shawarmah & baba ghanouj. BuCK’S PIZZa ($$) 158 Howard Ave. • 800-725-2239 Gumbo, Angus beef & bar. AnD CASInO ($-$$) MIGnOn’S AT PALACE CASInO 1222 Hillcrest Rd, Ste. D Delivery. Fine surf, turf, atmosphere & cigars. 72. S. Royal St. RESORT ($$-$$$) 633-2202 350 Dauphin St. • 431-9444 777 Beach Blvd. • 877-877-625 432-SCAM (7226) GAMBInO BROThERS ($) RuTh’S ChRIS STeaK hOuSe aT Extraordinary wine, steaks & RuTh’S ChRIS STeaK Homemade pastas & sandwiches. haRD ROCK hOTel & CaSINO ($$$) seafood. hOuSE ($$$) 873 Hillcrest Ave. 344-8115 158 Howard Ave. • 800-725-2239 Exceptional service & taste. far eastern fare Exceptional servie & taste. ThE DEn AT TREASuRE BAy BaNGKOK ThaI ($-$$) GAMBInO’S ITALIAn GRILL ($) 777 Beach Blvd • 877-877-6256 271 Glenwood St. • 476-0516 Delicious, traditional Thai cuisine. Italian, Steaks, Seafood, haRD ROCK Café aT haRD ROCK CASInO ($-$$) TAMARA’S DOWnTOWn ($$) 3821 Airport Blvd. 18 Laurel Ave. Fairhope Intimate & casual with daily Casual fine dining. hOTEL AnD CASInO ($) specials. 344-9995 990-0995 American fare & rockin’ 1980 Beach Blvd. 104 N. Section St. Fairhope BAnzAI JAPAnESE RESTAuRAnT GuIDO’S ($$) memorabilia. 800-747-2839 929-2219 777 Beach Blvd. 877- CQ AT TREASuRE BAy CASInO ($$- ($$) Traditional sushi & lunch. Fresh cuisine nightly on menu. 877-6256 unIOn ($$$) 312 Schillinger Rd. • 633-9077 1709 Main St., Daphne • 626-6082 SaTISfaCTION aT haRD ROCK $$$) Premium steaks & burgers. GOLDEn BOWL ($) LA PIzzERIA ($$) Elegant atmosphere & tantalizing hOTEL AnD CASInO ($) entrees. 659 Dauphin St. • 432-0300 Hibachi Grill & Asian Cuisine Italian, pizza, seafood & steaks. Southern favorites & fresh-smoked 1980 Beach Blvd. ThE BuLL ($-$$) 309 Bell Air Blvd • 470-8033 1455 Monroe St. • 380-6419 800-747-2839 N. Mexico/Santa Fe & Gulf Coast meats. 777 Beach Blvd. 877-877- BLu AT TREASuRE BAy CASInO ($) LIQuID ($$) LA ROSSA ($$) 6256 cuisine. Amazing sushi & assortment of Catering and Market. TIEn AT IP CASInO Lounge with cocktails & tapas 609 Dauphin St. • 378-5091 rolls. 661 Dauphin St. • 432-0109 1716 Main St. Ste. C, Daphne RESORT SPA ($-$$) menu. 1980 Beach Blvd. ThE TRELLIS ROOM ($$$) MIKaTO JaPaNeSe STeaK hOuSe 625-0345 800-747-2839 Italian dishes & local flair. Pan-Asian cuisine made in front MARGARITAvILLE ($$) Upscale sushi & specialties. PICKlefISh ($$) of you. Battle House Hotel, Royal St. 364 Azalea Rd. • 343-6622 Pizza, sandwiches & salads. RESTAuRAnT ($$$) 338-5493 850 Bayview Ave. Burgers, salads, specialties & ROCK N ROll SuShI ($$) 5955 Old Shell Rd.• 344-9899 888-946-2847 3299 Bel Air Mall. • 287-0445 PAPA’S PLACE ($$) hIGhLIGhTS SPORTS LOunGE AT IP more. 160 5th St. WASABI SuShI ($$) A Taste of Italy . BYOB. CASInO RESORT SPA ($) 855-667-677 Japanese cusine FEEDInG FREnzy BuFFET ($-$$) a little Vino 28691 U.S. Highway 98, Daphne Brews & game on 65 screens. (MARGARITAvILLE CASInO) DOMKe MaRKeT 3654 Airport Blvd. suite C 626-1999 850 Bayview Ave. 888-946-2847 Wine, Craft Beer, Gourmet foods, 725-6078 RAvEnITE ($) hIGh TIDe Café aT IP CaSINO Featuring Gulf Coast Cuisine & more. 2410 Dawes Rd. Ste. D. yEn RESTAuRAnT ($) Pizza, Pasta, Salad & more 160 5th St. • 855-667-677 RESORT SPA ($) MaRINa aT laNDShaRK 375-0599 Authentic Vietnamese cuisine. 102 N. Section St. • 929-2525 Casual & relaxing, extensive menu. FAThOMS LOunGE vIA EMILIA ($$) LAnDInG($-$$) 763 Holcombe Ave. • 478-5814 850 Bayview Ave. (MARGARITAvILLE CASInO) A tapas reaturant, cocktails & live Jubilee Shopping Center, Daphne Homemade pastas & pizzas made 888-946-2847 music 64 S. Water St. 625-4695 daily. 5901 Old Shell Rd. 342-3677 4 portable food stations. 438-4000 160 5th St. • 855-667-6777

LAGNIAPPE | October 9, 2014 - October 15, 2014 | 23 CC THIRSTY WORK CUISINE One tequila, two tequila, three tequila … there are six, actually BY SUSAN LARSSON/CONTRIBUTING WRITER | [email protected]

re you confused by all the tequilas agave” on the label to avoid undesirable addi- in the liquor store — wondering tives.) The added aged tequila will make these how much to pay without getting drinks softer than unblended clear tequila. ripped off? Does color matter? Does “Reposado” (rested, from the same root Aa fancy square bottle make a difference? And word as “repose”) — aged no less than two what about small-print Spanish words like months, but no more than one year, in (poten- “reposado” and “añejo” on the label? tially huge) oak barrels. A reposado will be a Unless you’re part of the “upside-down mellower drink, with agave flavors muted as margarita” brigade, happy to drink whatever the liquid absorbs companion flavors — just gets poured into your wide-open, conga-line like wine does — from the barrels. mouth, you should know that understanding “Añejo” (aged or vintage, from the word tequila in 2014 is practically akin to un- for “year”) — aged no less than one year, derstanding fine wine — but that’s actually but no more than three, in smaller oak casks. good news (and there really is no bad news). More mellow and woody than reposado, some If you just know a few key facts — many, may be aged in barrels previously used to age many fewer than with wine — you’ll be whiskey or other spirits, adding even more well on your way to avoiding another life- complexity to the flavor profile. disaffirming hangover from too many shots “Extra Añejo” (extra aged) — a category of “scorpion juice.” established in 2006 for tequilas aged in oak Like the French with Champagne, the casks for a minimum of three years. These are Mexicans have established laws stipulating the mellowest of all, meant to be drunk neat — that the name “tequila” can be used only to as are most añejos — and not used in cocktails. mean a distilled liquor made in a specific Some experts argue that an aged tequila region and from a specific ingredient: the blue isn’t necessarily “better” than an un-aged one; agave plant. It can be made only in the state it just depends on what you plan to do with of Jalisco and in specified areas of four other it. For what it’s worth, I tend to agree. My states (Guanajuato, Michoacan, Nayarit, and basic rules are to avoid additives and to make Tamaulipas). So, just as California can’t make mixed drinks with blanco, plata, joven, oro or “Champagne,” places with other names can- reposado tequilas — depending on whether not make “tequila.” you want a friskier or calmer drink. I wouldn’t As for blue agave, it’s one of more than want to drown an añejo’s flavors in lime juice. 200 agave species (related to the yuccas you But I can’t say that I recommend a particular may grow in your yard, but you really don’t tequila brand. My main shopping tip is this: If want to be distilling those). It’s different from you’re in Mexico, buy your tequila in the gro- the plant used to make mescal (or Mezcal, cery store not the Duty Free shop. Seriously, mostly made in the state of Oaxaca), which is you’ll often get a better selection and always a the maguey plant — a type of agave (but not way-better price. blue) possibly first distilled by Fernando Cor- I can, however, recommend a killer Mar- tez’s desperate soldiers, finding themselves guerita (the original spelling) recipe. Mix four parched in the patch of New World they had parts reposado tequila with two parts Coin- conquered. When you combine regional speci- treau, the juice of two fresh limes and half an ficity with precise ingredient specificity, you orange, and a tablespoon (or less, or none) of realize tequila is a pretty special beverage. powdered sugar; shake thoroughly with ice To understand what you’re looking at on and serve in salt-rimmed glasses. This is an the store shelf, first divide all the tequilas old-school cocktail, not a “frozen Margarita” into two categories: “mixtos” and pure agave. pumped out of what looks like a front-loading Discard the former — completely. They may washing machine on Bourbon Street. You can contain as little as 51% distilled agave juice play with the proportions, but fresh ingredi- (with sugar-cane juice as filler). If you pour ents are key to a great cocktail. I bet you’ll shots of sugar into your body, you’re just ask- like it — and still like it the morning after. ing for trouble. And for you fans of Harper Lee, I’ve found Then memorize some basic facts about the two recipes for the Tequila Mockingbird five remaining varieties of pure-agave tequilas cocktail. The first calls for mixing two parts (I promise this won’t hurt a bit, just do it silver tequila with one part mint liqueur (such before you start drinking). In order of age, the as crème de menthe, depending on whether five are: you want green coloration) and the juice of “Blanco” or “plata” (white or silver) one lime, shaking with ice and serving either — clear spirits, Mexico’s answer to white straight-up or on the rocks. Another says lightning, usually un-aged and bottled imme- to muddle one slice of jalapeno pepper in diately after they’re distilled. No surprise that the bottom of a shaker; add 2 ounces silver these have the harshest mouth-feel and most tequila, 1.5 ounces watermelon-basil puree distinctive agave flavors. (made by blending two cups of watermelon “Joven” or “oro” (young or gold) — un- with a few basil leaves), ¾ ounce fresh lime aged blanco or plata, blended with darker, juice and ¾ ounce agave syrup; shake well aged tequila in the best case, but in the worst and serve over rocks. Anyone brave enough they’re mixed with caramel coloring, oak to try either one of those concoctions should extract or sugar-cane syrup — and you need please write and tell me how it was. I’m stick- to know which is which. (Look for “100% ing with my Margueritas.

ast month in a large conference room across the hall from There, the bridge on Interstate 65 in downtown Louisville is took away from its “D.C. fly-in” last month, President and CEO U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne’s office in the Rayburn House Of- being replaced with $648 million in bonds or bond anticipation Wiley Blankenship said the group was planning to host a breakfast fice Building in Washington D.C., a relatively small contin- notes, $452 million in federal loans, and $352 million in state and meeting Oct. 22 to recap. gent representing the Coastal Alabama Partnership gathered federal aid. But offering a preview, “there were a couple of things we Lfor a quick debriefing. Alternately the second bridge, a new span linking Interstates 265 learned,” he said. “First, a term you’re going to hear a lot of going The group, including about 16 Mobile and Baldwin County and 71 east of downtown Louisville, will be financed with $676 forward is ‘projects of national and regional significance.’” elected officials and business representatives, had spent the previ- million in private activity bonds, $392 million in “milestone pay- Blankenship said the DOT requested ALDOT fill out a survey ous day and a half in a whirlwind of meetings in the offices of ments” from the Indiana Finance Authority, $78 million in private for an unfunded program that nevertheless aims to see where the the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway equity contributions and $2.7 million in interest income. project falls in line with the significance of those in other states. He Administration. pointed out that part of trip was devoted to meetings with lawmak- Earlier in the summer, the DOT released a long-awaited Draft ers in neighboring states with the goal of making a more regional Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the proposed $1 bil- argument for the bridge. lion “Interstate 10 Mobile River bridge and Bayway widening proj- Indeed, late in the debriefing at the Rayburn Building, Florida ect,” which calls for a new six-lane bridge to alleviate congestion at Congressman Steve Southerland entered with staff members to in- the Wallace Tunnel and seeks to widen the adjoining Bayway’s four dicate his interest in and possible support of the project. Rep. Byrne lanes to eight. said he has had similar conversations with Florida Congressman The release of the draft environmental statement was considered Jeff Miller and Louisiana Congressman Steve Scalise. a milestone, as the federal government’s original Notice of Intent Mike Lee, the president of Page & Jones and a member of the for the project had been registered more than 10 years earlier, partnership, commented that, “the only way to promote the bridge in October 2003. The statement’s release obligated the Alabama now is not just as a local, feel-good project, but one of regional and Department of Transportation to manage an ongoing, mandatory national significance for economic development, quality of life and public comment period locally, but it also opened the door for the emergency preparedness.” state to explore financing options. Aside from those two hurdles, Rep. Southerland suggested the Northwest Florida Beaches In- ALDOT will also have to settle on a route and design before ac- ternational Airport, which was completed in 2010 at a cost of $318 quiring a final environmental assessment, then purchase necessary million, was promoted using similar talking points. rights of way before beginning construction. “The other thing we discussed is creative ways of funding,” Photo/kyinbridges.com Alabama is not alone in its efforts to complete what is catego- Blankenship continued. “If the state only gets certain amount from fuel tax – my understanding is tax is going down because cars are rized as a “major project” by FHA standards. But the congressional The proposed Louisville downtown crossing. abolishment of earmarks in 2011 and evaporating gas tax revenues more efficient and people are driving less – there are a couple of from more fuel efficient vehicles requires that mixing a strong things we can do. 1992 was the last time the federal government cocktail for major project funding take a more creative approach. The Federal Highway Administration’s Office of Innovative Pro- raised the fuel tax and the states mostly followed. I don’t know Along with bonds, loans and both federal aid and state road gram Delivery, which hosted a meeting with the Coastal Alabama what the future holds … but I don’t see that happening. We’re funding, officials may also seek private partnerships for the pro- Partnership last month, noted the state of Indiana opted to finance going to have to figure out [if some taxpayer] money should be posal to be feasible. And after initially being wary of the idea, the the east crossing of the Ohio River Bridge Project through an committed, but while we were discussing that with the feds, the Coastal Alabama Partnership’s trip to D.C. appears to have warmed “availability-pay P3,” while Kentucky is delivering the downtown discussion of tolls evolved. Would it help? We need to have it on the local delegation to the idea of imposing tolls to partially pay for crossing through a “more traditional design-build contract.” the table.” the project. Meanwhile, New York lawmakers and transportation officials Jim Tymon is the director of management and program finance Returning from the trip, Mayor Sandy Stimpson referred to tolls are largely banking on toll revenue bonds and notes to pay for the of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation as a “viable option,” although one that would ultimately rest upon enormous $5 billion Tappan Zee Bridge replacement 25 miles north Officials (AASHTO), a national organization that works with state traffic and revenue projections. of midtown Manhattan, which has secured less than half of its esti- departments of transportation to develop and evaluate transporta- In the Port of Miami this August, Florida transportation officials mated cost through federal loans and state programs and attracted tion finance and program funding proposals for projects like the cut the ribbon on a $1.1 billion tunnel project that imposed no tolls, little interest from private investors. Mobile River bridge. Although he declined to talk about Alabama’s but represents one of the first public-private partnership (P3) trans- When it is projected to open to traffic in 2017, travelers may pay proposal specifically, Tymon said there are “many ways” to lever- portation projects in the country. as much as $15 for a single round trip ride across the bridge, which age financing without tolling. Nearly a third of the Miami tunnel was paid for with state funds, would saddle the average New York City daily automotive com- “I think what [we] are seeing with a lot of these sized bridge but another third was borrowed from a consortium of banks and the muter with about $300 in transportation costs each month. projects is either entering into some kind of public-private partner- remainder was financed by the project’s developer, Miami Access Back in Alabama, officials have suggested that if the new bridge ship or securing some type of credit instrument to help finance it,” Tunnel LLC, which secured a $341 million low-interest loan from includes a toll, the existing tunnels and Cochrane-Africatown he said. “So either through loans or through bonding.” the federal government and more than $80 million in equity contri- Bridge will remain toll-free, providing an unimposing option for Tymon mentioned the DOT’s Transportation Infrastructure butions from international investors. local commuters. But due to the availability of funding elsewhere Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA), which “established a federal Officials in Indiana and Kentucky jointly compiled different and the comparatively low cost of the project, proposed tolls on a credit program for eligible transportation projects of national or packages for a $2.5 billion, two-bridge proposal in Louisville in bridge over the Mobile River would likely never reach the heights regional significance” and allows the DOT to provide three forms what is generally referred to as the Ohio River Bridge Project. of those over the Hudson. of credit assistance – secured (direct) loans, loan guarantees, and Neither bridge will impose a toll. In order to disseminate what the Coastal Alabama Partnership standby lines of credit.

26 | LAGNIAPPE | October 9, 2014 - October 15, 2014 Photo/newnybridge.com

The proposed Tappan Zee Bridge replacement in New York.

Tymon said successful TIFIA applicants 10 percent annual return, but if they can get a may obtain as much as a third of a project’s single-digit return on their investment every funding through the program, where the goal is year over several decades, they view that as an to “leverage the loan to attract private and other attractive investment.” co-investment to make critical improvements to But at the same time a toll, Tymon said, may the country’s surface transportation system.” provide a much more attractive security for The DOT also encourages applicants to private investors than state funding. consider Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicles Blankenship seemed to agree. Although (GARVEE) bonds, which essentially allow state lacking a revenue study, he explained “it DOTs to issue bonds and pledge future federal doesn’t take a lot of days, if you have the traf- money as repayment. fic, to have a billion dollar bridge paid for.” A Capitol Hill staffer with appointments on ALDOT’s preliminary cost estimate of $850 transportation committees prior to joining AAS- million on the low end to $1.2 billion on the HTO, Tymon said he is seeing more and more high end was based upon “information received private investment in large-scale transportation from similar bid projects in Alabama and other projects in the U.S., whereas the practice has states with preliminary estimating charts based long been commonplace in foreign nations. on project scope,” according to a spokesperson. “It’s a maturing market as it relates to private “The economy (cost and availability of mate- investment, but I would say we’re probably rial, contractor interest, labor wages, etc.) will 20 to 30 years behind other parts of the world affect the estimated cost over time. Any design that have been doing this a lot longer than we changes (i.e. length, features, height) have the have,” he said, pointing to Spain and Australia potential to affect the estimate positively or as two examples of countries with heavy private negatively.” investment in transportation infrastructure. Costs for the Port of Miami tunnel project Generally, Tymon said, a group of investors ballooned as it stalled during the economic will front a portion of the project’s construc- recession and today, many Floridians continue tion budget then recoup the investment from to question its benefit. Similarly, New York Gov. “availability payments,” which he compared to Andrew Cuomo has received backlash for ongo- a mortgage. ing finance proposals for the Tappan Zee Bridge. “Rather than say, ‘I’m going to pay you On the other hand, the Ohio River Bridge back with toll revenue,’ I’m going to pay you a Project is considered cost effective and has certain amount every year or every month for faced little opposition from lawmakers or the next 30 or 50 years, then it’s up to the project public. But Tymon warned that time can affect sponsor to figure out whether they want to the perceptions of a project, or of proponents’ charge tolls or whether or not they want to take competency to properly manage it. that amount from their budget over the next “One of things that will almost increase 30 to 50 years and pay this private company,” cost is how long elapses between the estimate he said. “In that case, the project sponsor gets and putting a shovel in ground,” he said. “So to spread out the cost, but like a mortgage, I would say that is the most sure fire way, if it you’re paying a premium and the private sector doesn’t get moving for another 10 years or so, is getting a rate of return. They may not see a there will be a natural cost of inflation.”

LAGNIAPPE | October 9, 2014 - October 15, 2014 | 27 ARTIFICE | ART Gallery owners flee Dauphin to breathe life into ‘Auto Alley’ BY KEVIN LEE/ARTS EDITOR | [email protected]

mpeccable weather is a thrill at summer’s end. Its reign over in Fairhope some time ago, a graduate of the Organic School who in the dry autumn breeze. a lazy Sunday stroll through art’s organic garden gave heft passed her passion on to Ingersoll. The teacher would later leave Most tantalizing was his mention of an upcoming Holly Krause to the aspirations voiced. On a day like that, it’s easy to see her prized tools to her protégé. project for Halloween. The cryptic mention of the holiday and her possibilities. Ingersoll now pays the tutelage forward by teaching Tuesday employ of 15 mannequins was enough to spark imagination. I“Yeah, we were looking for another name, something to brand and Thursday silversmith classes at Innova. She has 13 students DePolo’s establishment in his new place is a little slower. He’s us apart from the LoDa thing,” Devlin Wilson said. “Maybe Auto already. one of our younger Mobile creatives to find steady work in the Alley or maybe the Deco District.” Wilson told me he teaches painting classes on Saturday and movie business, handling props, making costumes and the like. Wilson pointed to the Buick building across St. Lawrence dropped a line about Wednesday figure drawing instruction. “We’ve found someone to be a gallery manager for us: Sasha Street, then to the structure directly across St. Louis Street. Innova’s spot was once a diner and the interior bears the ves- Shirazi who was a student at Spring Hill [College],” DePolo “Can’t you see where there were big windows there, where the tiges. An immaculate tile floor, a long bar in the back with scars said. In the meanwhile, his space is obviously a work in progress. door was?” Wilson asked. “This used to be the street where they where the swiveling stools were planted into the floor, it bears On one wall are large paintings by a Hawaiian guest artist who had all the car dealerships, before it moved west.” witness to a time when St. Louis Street hummed with commerce. painted them on-site during an event then danced in front of them Other artists joined Wilson around the table on the sidewalk In the back, under the hood vent that once swept kitchen fumes up afterward. Lashed to a pole is a fabric sculpture by John Ross outside Innova Arts at 505 St. Louis St., Jim Maurer, Shelley through the ceiling is Ingersoll’s work area. Thomas, assembled from leftover scraps from a ballet company’s Ingersoll, the inimitable B. Yobe (Bob Dorsey, to laymen) and The center of the main room is dominated by a baby grand costumes and adorned with antlers. Other boxes are marked with others. piano covered in Wilson’s characteristic post-Impressionist style, labels from movies on which DePolo has worked. “My place used to be the service department of a Chrysler with Mobile landmarks aplenty. Local piano dealer Broussard’s “It’s half prop house, half studio, half gallery,” he joked. “But shop,” Zach DePolo said. He’s right around the corner – 163 N. requested the work, but now it sits on St. Louis Street. we hope to be done by November.” Lawrence St., at the corner of Lawrence and St. Anthony – liter- “Last Artwalk, we had a homeless guy stop in here, 74-year- Work on the upcoming Robert De Niro movie being filmed ally close enough to hit with a rock, provided you have an arm old black guy and started playing this thing,” artist Chel Beeson here looms. like a centerfielder. said. “He was incredible, playing all this blues and stuff. I buddied DePolo plans to install a doorway into a rear wall for better DePolo and Wilson have known each other for years, shared up to him just to keep him playing.” access to his kilns in the back yard. For now, a large garage door spaces and dreams for downtown Mobile. The pair of artists also A photographer, Beeson has made his way to Innova via Al- provides fresh air and bountiful light. know a value when they see it and needed one. buqurque, New Mexico and other global locales. He’s eager to see While I’ve heard some bemoan exhibit spaces leaving Dau- For years they occupied a storefront on Dauphin Street under something come from the new exhibit space and motivated by the phin, I think it’s a great sign. This is honest-to-goodness gentrifi- the name PortAL Studio. They had some marginal success with energy and vision he’s found here. cation at work, what it looks like in its organic state. seasonal events but it wasn’t translating to anything that would At 3,200-square-feet, Innova is sizable but dwarfed still “Ron Barrett just moved in down the street,” Wilson said. take off the pain from the monthly bite in overhead. When they by the adjoining open lot that’s easily three times its size. The He hopes to be on the crest of a wave. stumbled upon some available spots a few blocks north, it was too grassy area continues behind Innova’s building and connects with I bought it simply because the vibe on that sidewalk reminded good to let pass. another open lot on the other side of the block. The abundance of me of an old haunt in Mid-City New Orleans, above Zeitgeist “I’ve got twice the space at half the rent,” DePolo said. room begs to be employed. Multi-Disciplinary Arts Center near the Warehouse District. It felt That’s four times as good, right? “We want to do something outside here,” Wilson said. He homemade and real and rustic. Wilson is joined by other locals like Ingersoll who has filled talked about movies, bazaars, festivals. It’s easy to see how it A step from the trampled path is one of progress where art’s Innova with her silverwork. She picked up the skill from a mentor would launch ambitions, especially standing under brilliant skies concerned. I hope it holds rewards.

Mad Men: Sinatra and the Pack Trio fills Eichold with music Where: Saenger Theatre, 6 S. Joachim St. When: Oct. 11-12

ust off your fedoras and skinny ties, the cocktail hour is at hand! No Don Drapers to be had here, just hours of the The Archduke Trio music that kept the Cold War hot and the Jet Age soaring when the Mobile Pops launch the 16th season of Mobile Where: Eichold Gallery, Spring Hill College Symphony. When: Oct. 9, 7:30 p.m. Conductor Scott Speck is eager to take his musicians through original big-band arrangements through territory new Dto some but they’ll be accompanied by a familiar name. Vocalist Steve Lippia has worked with Speck four times and brings a The Creagan Concert Series is dedicated to the memory of the late heady resume that includes packed engagements in both Atlantic City and Las Vegas. Rev. Daniel Creagan, S.J., first chair of the fine arts department at The Mobile show will feature crooners’ classics such as “Come Fly with Me,” “My Way,” “What Kind of Fool am I,” “Fly Spring Hill College. Creagan taught art courses and led the department Me to the Moon,” “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” and many more. from 1961-1983. In 2006, he returned to Spring Hill College, where he Saturday’s show begins at 8 p.m. and the Sunday matinee at 2:30 p.m. remained until his death in March 2009. Tickets range from $20 to $65 and can be purchased by calling the MSO box office at 251-432-2010, in person at 257 Dau- The Archduke Trio – Enen Yu, violin; Guo Sheng Huang, cello; phin St. or online at www.mobilesymphony.org. and Robert Holm – piano, will perform Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio in More details and a complete schedule of the MSO’s 2014-2015 season, including a downloadable brochure, can be found C minor and Smetana’s Piano Trio in G minor. The trio first performed online at www.mobilesymphony.org. together in 2006 at the University of South Alabama. In addition to performances at USA, the group has performed at the University of Mis- sissippi, the Eastern Shore Art Center, the University of Mobile, Christ Church Cathedral and the Larkins Center. Tickets are $10, $5 for students. Symphony lands ‘fortunate’ grant For more info, call 251-380-3861.

ongrats are also in order after the Mobile Symphony secured $52,300 in funding awarded by Music series continues at the Alabama State Council on the CArts. In light of recent budget concerns, it helped ease tensions. MMoA According to a press release, the money will go toward offsetting costs of producing not only their 18 regular Omari Jazz season concerts but also holiday concerts Where: Larkins Auditorium, Mobile Museum in Monroeville and Thomasville, a pair of of Art, 4850 Museum Drive Young People’s Concerts for elementary school kids and five Mobile Symphony When: Oct. 16, 7 p.m. Youth Orchestra concerts. Literally thou- Mobile Museum of Art’s Muse Music series continues with Brook- sands of regional lives will be touched by lyn-by-way-of-Birmingham visual and musical artist Omari Jazz. this effort. According to a press release, his music “explores the line between “Ticket sales cover less than half the composition and performances, and the relationship between sight and cost of producing concerts,” Celia Mann sound, harmony and dissonance. Looping layers of drums and samples, Baehr, President/CEO of MSO said in his music influences include hip-hop, early 1970s-era rock ‘n’ roll and the release. “We rely on grants such as soul music.” this one from ASCA to help defray the This performance series is geared toward those who want to focus costs, and we are particularly grateful on music apart from the “hectic, grabby, gabby bar scene” in order to this year when our funding from other concentrate on the art. sources is declining. The arts are critical Doors open at 7 p.m. to a community’s well being. Fortunately There is a $10 suggested donation. Beer and wine will be available for us and many other arts organizations Photo/ www.mobilesymphony.org by donation. in Alabama, our state arts agency not only understands this, but also advocates for The Mobile Symphony Orchestra recently secured $52,300 arts funding on our behalf.” in funding awarded by the Alabama State Council on the Arts.

Band: Widespread Panic Date: Sunday, Oct. 12, 8 p.m. Venue: Mississippi Coast Coliseum, 2350 Beach Blvd., www.mscoastcoliseum.com Tickets: $43-$53 through Ticketmaster

or almost three decades, Widespread Panic has traversed the globe with their Southern fried take on rock ‘n’ roll. Since the early days in Athens, Ga., this icon of the jam scene has lost no momentum. The same can be said Ffor their legion of dedicated fans, known as “Spreadheads,” who still travel far and wide to experience the band in a variety of live settings. The Azalea City has no shortage of zealous Spreadheads and many will be heading west for Widespread’s Biloxi date. With that in mind, Lagniappe could not refuse the offer of an extremely rare interview with the band’s longtime percussionist Domingo “Sunny” Ortiz, who was recently recuperating from a Saturday filled with SEC football games. SC: Through all the years, Widespread still manages to pack Photo/ www.widespreadpanic.com out venues and collect new fans. What do you think of the phenomenon that Widespread has become? Domingo “Sunny” Ortiz has played percussion alongside Widespread Panic since 1987. DO: Part of that phenomenon is the communication and the vibe of the fan base. After all these years, they’re still excited about the music. They’re excited about the whole issue of folks the people that you’re up on stage with. To be honest with you, I do it, and it was something different. It’s always a democratic vote getting together. It’s like a football game. The excitement is there enjoy my downtime, but I also realize that it’s good to get out and when it comes to producing and editing certain factors of it. It was before the game with tailgating … waiting for the doors to be broaden your horizons, so to speak. Now that I’m in my early 60s, kinda fun to do, and we’ll be doing it again. We’ll probably wait opened. They’re excited about the actual performance. Afterwards it doesn’t bug me to play with other musicians. awhile to see what’s next to come out. too, it segues into people talking about the show and talking to SC: You mentioned joining the band in ‘86. Widespread was SC: Y’all must have had a really good time in the Dominican other people and how many shows they’ve been too. They talk born out of the legendary Athens music scene. How would you Republic last year for “Panic En La Playa,” because you’re doing about where they’re going next and where we’re going next. compare the scene in Athens now to back when you first joined it again this year with another destination performance. How They’re planning their spring breaks and summer vacations to the band? would you describe this experience to those debating whether or places where we’re playing. The phenomenon is the people them- DO: To me, there’s nothing that’s going to compare to the mu- not to go? selves and how they create that environment. sic scene in the mid-‘80s and early ‘90s in Athens. There’s a great DO: Number one, it’s a vacation and it’s on the beach. It’s four SC: During your downtime, I know a lot of the guys in the amount of entertainment and bands out of Athens, but it’s just days of beach, four days of sun, four days of listening to music band have their individual side-projects. How do you spend your like with us. We had to broaden our horizon outside of Athens in not only from us. It’s all-inclusive. The food is great and the golf- downtime? Are you the one guy who takes advantage of your off- order to sustain ourselves. That’s why we started touring as much ing is awesome. I was playing golf at every morning at 7:30 in time and relaxes? as we did. We knew that we couldn’t sustain ourselves by hiding the morning. To me, if I was looking for a vacation from the cold DO: You know, I got a few side-projects. I do one side-project out here and playing the circuit scene here in Athens, because weather or just a vacation after the holidays, it would be the thing with Isaac Bramblett, who is the son of Randall Bramblett (Bon- we would have worn ourselves out. Nowadays, I think the music for me to do. Last year, we went over in March, which was kinda nie Raitt, Gregg Allman). I do things that I like to do when I’m scene here in Athens has somewhat calmed down. Now, I think tough, because everybody is traveling in March for spring break. off the road. I like to work in my studio and play golf. When I everything has moved to Colorado. You have some killer bands This year, we’re going in late January. It’s the time of year that the first came into the project in 1986, I arrived via Austin, Texas. such as Leftover Salmon and String Cheese. You’ve got Jerry water is incredibly warm and beautiful. There are also less people From 1975 to right before I moved to Georgia, I was playing with Joseph still hanging out and Pretty Lights. The music scene here in these hotels then, because it’s considered off-season. a countless amount of musicians in Austin. So, I got my fill of in Athens still lingers, but I just don’t think it’s as popular as some SC: Either live or studio, when’s the next release? What can side-projects. When I moved to Georgia, I had no anticipation of of the other places coming up with their hot musicians. There’s we expect from Widespread in the future? getting into a rock ‘n’ roll band again, but once I heard the boys still some great music here, but as in anything, you have to get out DO: You can expect as much as we can give you. 2015 is go- play, I said, “You know, this is an opportune moment.” They of Athens to establish yourself. ing to be a busy year. The fans can expect us to be on top of our offered me a position, and I had really gotten my fill of playing SC: You just reissued your back catalog in vinyl. What made game. They can expect us to also play some new material. As far with multiple bands. Now that we’ve been together for almost 30 you guys want to use this medium for this project? as the products that will come out, they’re going to have to wait years, I’m saying that I wouldn’t mind collaborating with other DO: You know, it’s posterity. Vinyl is something that is retro and see. It all depends on what our year looks like next year, as musicians, not necessarily going out and traveling. Nowadays, if and is coming back. People are now going out and purchasing far as when we can have some downtime to possibly get into the they use a piece of my music, they will certainly give me credit. turntables and it’s something that’s unique. Not everybody can do studio or dig into our archives and bring out some stuff that’s been It’s just like with Widespread Panic. You have to feel good with it. We just felt that it would be nostalgic. It was the perfect time to sitting in the vaults for all these years.

ach Wednesday night, Cal- as the inspiration of “Southbound: An laghan’s features the delight- Illustrated History of Southern Rock.” fully Southern sounds of “In a way, my book is sort of a throw- Deluxe Trio. However, those back to that era,” Bomar said. “Even the Ewho decide to sample the sounds of De- layout and design have a bit of that retro luxe Trio on Wed., Oct. 15 will also get feel, which helps pull the reader into that another treat. Los Angeles-based author whole experience. I wanted to present a Scott B. Bomar will present his book full history that focuses on the obvious “Southbound: An Illustrated History of bands like Skynyrd and the Allmans, but Southern Rock” (available at Bienville it also delves into groups like the Atlanta Books). Rhythm Section, Black Oak Arkansas or Bomar will not only be reading from the Outlaws, and even beyond to more his book, but he will also be signing cop- obscure groups such as Grinderswitch and ies and holding a Q&A session. Hydra.” In the late ‘80s, Bomar was a teen Bomar hopes that his readers will ex- growing up in Nashville. During the perience many things through his book. time, radio was filled with synth-based First, he hopes to create wider interest in new wave sounds definitive of the era. a genre he feels has been “overlooked or However, Bomar was drawn to more not given as much credit as it deserves.” Photos/Backbeat Books guitar-oriented rock. Bomar satisfied his He also hopes to dispel the stereotype craving with his father’s extensive vinyl of the genre as “ignorant, backward Author Scott B. Bomar collection and classic rock radio stations redneck music.” Finally, Bomar desires (above) will be at Cal- such as WGFX 104.5. for his book to shed a fresh light on a laghan’s Oct. 15 to These outlets introduced the young musical genre that deserves more credit discuss his book “South- Bomar to Southern rock bands such as than it has received. the Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bomar also thinks that one aspect of bound: An Illustrated His- Marshall Tucker Band and Wet Willie. “Southbound: An Illustrated History of tory of Southern Rock.” This led Bomar to enter a “gateway into Southern Rock” will be quite appealing The book is a visual embracing the music of the past,” which to Mobilians. profile of the musicians, included his exploration of R&B, blues, “I think the folks in Mobile will country and early rock ‘n’ roll. In a time particularly enjoy the chapter on Wet producers, record labels without the Internet, he furthered his Willie, which came out of Mobile in the and movers and shakers musical journey with illustrated books early 1970s with their no-frills full-on that defined the genre. covering Southern rock and its musical rock-and-roll-swagger to become one of roots. These highly visual books served the great bands of the era.”

34 | LAGNIAPPE | October 9, 2014 - October 15, 2014 Blues Traveler pops into Soul Kitchen Oct. 16 BY STEPHEN CENTANNI/MUSIC EDITOR | [email protected]

Band: Blues Traveler Date: Thursday, Oct. 16, 7 p.m. Venue: Soul Kitchen, 219 Dauphin St., www.soulkitchenmobile.com Tickets: $25 adv./$28 day-of/$35 VIP avail. at Soul Kitchen, their website, Mellow Mushroom (MiMo/WeMo) and by calling 1-866-468-7630 lues Traveler began their musical journey in the late ‘80s. In the early years, the band maintained an extensive cult following until their single “Run Around” brought worldwide focus to their music. Armed with a unique brand of harp-laden blues rock, Blues Traveler became infamous for their elaborate live jams. BTheir performances on various late night talks shows were usually interrupted by the end credits. When they were not performing, the members of Blues Traveler busied themselves with organizing the epic H.O.R.D.E. Tour, which featured a seemingly endless list of like- minded musical acts. Both collectively and individually, Blues Traveler has definitely faced many obstacles. However, they still continue to bring their own brand of jam to the masses. In 2012, Blues Traveler released their 11th studio album, “Suzie Cracks the Whip,” on the indie label 429 Records. The namesake of this album is Suzie Shinn, who is an assistant engineer at Killingsworth Studio in Valley Village, Ca. Shinn was known for her tireless work ethic while recording the album. “Suzie Cracks the Whip” proves that Blues Traveler is still using the right ingredients in their aural recipe. Front man John Popper’s vocals still maintain their fresh clarity, and their musical energy is undeniable with impressive rhythm breaks and flawless instrumentation. Photo/ Blues Traveler/Facebook| Blues Traveler Acoustic sensibilities likely to define Emily Stuckey releasing self-titled The Smart Brothers’ OGD set list debut at McSharry’s

Band: The Smart Brothers Band: Emily Stuckey CD Release Party Date: Sunday, Oct. 12, 7 p.m. Date: Thursday, Oct. 16, 6 p.m. Venue: Callaghan’s Irish Social Club, 916 Charleston St., www. Venue: McSharry’s, 101 N. Bancroft St., www.mcsharrys.com callaghansirishsocialclub.com Tickets: Call 251-990-5100 for more info Tickets: $8 at the door inger-songwriters are definitely a bunch of brave souls. In their purest form, these musical allaghan’s will echo with modern Americana from the West Coast. The Smart Brothers acts consist of one person with nothing but their instrument of choice and a pocketful of made an extremely positive first impression with the denizens of the OGD. With their personal experience. They walk on stage and pour out the contents of their heart and soul extended absence from Mobile, this local favorite’s crowd should be quite lively. on a crowd mostly populated with strangers. The Smart Brothers have been able to exist in a world of their own by filling their con- SEmily Stuckey is one such brave soul. Stuckey regularly goes through the motions as she fre- Ctemporary music with old school folk sensibilities. While this description might lump them with quents venues in the Mobile Bay area. Whether performing full shows or leading an open mic night, the current Americana craze, The Smart Brothers’ minimalist approach to their music shows a band her original work has earned her many fans in the area. Anthony Crawford of Sugarcane Jane/Willie in touch with the purity of the old school folk sound of Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie. Sugarcapps fame happens to be one of them. The Smart Brothers’ set list will be filled with crowd favorites as well as new material off their When Stuckey began laying the groundwork for a debut, Crawford stepped forward to take on EP “Come On.” Electric instruments find their way into some tracks, but the acoustic aspect of this production duties. Together, the duo have created Stuckey’s debut self-titled debut. “You’re No album is dominant. Along the way, mellow harmonies slowly weave in and out of measures. Good” is the first single from the four-song release. With the single, Stuckey mixes soft purring vocals with emotional vocal overloads that demonstrate her passion for the craft.

Photo/The Smart Brothers/Facebook| The Smart Brothers Photo/Emily Stucky/Facebook| Emily Stuckey

LAGNIAPPE | October 9, 2014 - October 15, 2014 | 35 AREA MUSIC LISTINGS OCTOBER 9 - OCTOBER 15

Robertson Show, 5:30p//// LeaAnne Mena Band THURS OCT 9 Creswell Trio, 6p//// Lee Yankie, 6p//// Hard Rock (Center Bar)— Phil MON OCT 13 Bill’s by the Beach— Jeff Jay, 7p Johnny Barbato, 7p//// Big Muddy, 10p//// Vaught, 9p Felix’s— Jon Miller Blues Tavern— Biscuit Miller & The Smokin’ Elvis’, 10p//// Southern Drawl, Hard Rock (Live)— Herman’s Flora Bama— Cathy Pace, 5p// J. Mix, 8:30p 10:30p Hermits, 8p Hawkins & James Daniel, 9p Celtic Irish Pub— Jeff Ruby Hangout— Mario Mena Band// Foxy IP Casino— Legendary Ladies of Rock Lucky’s Irish Pub— Marcus, 8p Dahlia’s Electric Piano Hall— Iguanas & Roll, 8p Lulu’s— Brent Burns, 5p Scott Morlock, Gene Murrell & David Hard Rock (Center Bar)— Chris Lulu’s— CoConut Radio, 5p White Young, 8p McSharry’s— DJ Carter, 10p TUE OCT 14 Felix’s— Grits N Pieces Hard Rock (Live)— Phil Vaught, 9p Moe’s BBQ (Mobile)— Andrew Ellis, Butch Cassidy’s— David Jernigan & Flora Bama— Destiny Brown, 2p// Laps— Jerri Trio 6:30p Karl Betts Gove Scrivenor, 3p/// Megan McMillan, Legacy— Lisa Mills// Jimmy Lumpkin Moe’s BBQ (Daphne)— Chad Cockeyed Charlie’s— Matt Neese & 5:30p//// Bo Roberts, Mark Sherrill, Chris Lulu’s— Kyle & Karl, 5p Parker, 7p Josh Ewing Newbury & Friends, 10p//// Southern McSharry’s— DJ Carter, 10p Pinzones— Amy True and John Felix’s— Ryan Balthrop Drawl, 9:30p//// Hung Jury, 10p//// Lee Moe’s BBQ (Mobile)— Christina Cochran Flora Bama— Perdido Brothers, 5p// Yankie, 10p Christian Duo, 6:30p Tropics— Buzzard Bait, 2p// Roger Logan Spicer & Tony Ray Thompson, 9p Hard Rock (Center Bar)— Phil Moe’s BBQ (Daphne)— Hotel Wheeler & Alan Hartzell, 7p Hungry Owl— Grant & Bayne, 5p Vaught, 8p Oscar, 8p Saenger— Mad Man: Sinatra & The Lulu’s— Jimmy Lumpkin, 5p Hard Rock (Live)— Count’s, 8p Pinzones— Chris Spies and John Pack, 8p R-Life Live— David Chastang Hungry Owl— Wes Loper, 5p Cochran Veets— The Family Jewels, 9p Veets— Bennie & Katrina Austin, 7p AREA MUSIC LISTINGS | Legacy— Eric Erdman R-Life Live— Grant Dunaway Lulu’s— Cool Rayz, 5p Traders— Grits N Pieces SUN OCT 12 WED OCT 15 McSharry’s— Kyle & Karl, 7:30p Tropics— Rogerwood, 8p Blues Tavern— Al & Cathy, 5p BLUEGILL— Ross +1, 6p Moe’s BBQ (Daphne)— Soul Kitchen— Jamestown Revival Callaghan’s - Smart Brothers Blues Tavern— Art & Lou, 8p Yellowhammer Productions, 8p with The Black Cadillacs, 8p Felix’s— Bobby Butchka Bucky’s Birdcage (Grand R-Life Live— Grant Dunaway Veets— The Family Jewels, 9p Flora Bama— Cowboy Johnson, 12p// Hotel)— Adam Holt Piano Show, 8p Soul Kitchen— The Head and The Windmill Market— Lisa Mills, Jezebel’s Chill’n, 12:30p/// J.Hawkins & Callaghan’s— Deluxe Trio Heart with Rayland Baxter, 7p 11:30a// The Sound Carpenters, 6p James Daniel, 2p//// Southern Drawl, Cockeyed Charlie’s— Dave & Alice Veets— David Jernigan, 8p 4:30p//// Big Muddy, 5p//// Perdido Felix’s— Chris Powell SAT OCT 11 Brothers, 6p//// Nick & The Overols, Flora Bama— Neil Dover, 3p// FRI OCT 10 Beau Rivage— The Beach Boys, 8p 9:30p//// Logan Spicer, 10p Smokin’ Elvis’, 6p/// Logan Spicer & Tony Beau Rivage— The Beach Boys, 8p Blues Tavern— Harvest, 9p Islanders (DI)— Super Funk Fantasy, 4p Ray Thompson, 10p Blues Tavern— Smokin’ Toasters, 9p Celtic Irish Pub— Gerard Raley & Laps— Ryan Balthrop Legacy— Brent Loper Celtic Irish Pub— Oktoberfest Guests Lulu’s— Greg Brown, 1p// Greg Brown, Lulu’s— Lee Yankie, 5p Cockeyed Charlie’s— 3HG DeCuba— Matt and Sherry Neese, 8p 5p R-Life Live— Brett LaGrave Dahlia’s Electric Piano Hall— Felix’s— Blind Dog Mike McSharry’s— Trad Irish Session, 6:30p Soul Kitchen— Lionize, 7p Scott Morlock, Tony Edwards & David Flora Bama— Cowboy Johnson, 12p// Old 27 Grill— Lisa Zanghi, 11:30 a Veets— Grits N’ Pieces, 7p White Jack Robertson Show, 1p/// Jezebel’s Record Bar— Spanky 5p DeCuba— Triple Threat, 8p Chill’n, 1p//// Kyle Parker, 2p//// Cat Saenger— Mad Men: Sinatra & The Felix’s— DOTC Rhoades & The Truth, 6p//// Hung Jury, Pack, 2:30p Flora Bama— Jezebel’s Chill’n, 1p// 10p//// Southern Drawl, 10:30p Veets— The Perry Wall, 8p J. Hawkins & James Daniel, 2p/// Jack Hangout— The Investments// Mario

SEND yOUR MUSIC LISTINGS TO [email protected]

36 | LAGNIAPPE | October 9, 2014 - October 15, 2014 AREA CLUB LISTINGS [DOWNTOWN] 9 N Jackson St. 285-4596 Ravenite Pizzeria [Fairhope] 251-967-LULU Trader’s Serda’s Coffee Company 102 N. Section St. | 929-2525 Pink Pony Pub [Gulf Shores] 4015 Battleship Pkwy626- Alchemy Tavern www.serdas.com Rosie’s Grill and Record Bar www.pinkponypub.net 5630 alchemy.joltpro.com 3 S. Royal St. | 415-3000 [Daphne] 137 East Gulf Pl. | 978-6371 The River Shack 7 S. Joachin St. | 441-7741 Skyview Lounge www.rosiesgrill.com Pirate’s Cove [Elberta] 6120 Marina Dr. S. The Blind Mule Atop the Lafayette Plaza 1203 U.S. 98|626-2440 www.piratescoveriffraff.com (under Dog River bridge) 57 N. Claiborne St. | 694-6853 301 Gov’t St.| 694-0100 Windmill Market [Fairhope] 6600 County Rd. 95| 987-1224 443-7318 Boo Radley’s Soul Kitchen www.windmillmarket.org Tacky Jacks www.booradleysmobile.com Tin Top www.soulkitchenmobile.com 85 N. Bancroft St. | 517-5444 www.tackyjacks.com 276 Dauphin St. | 432-1996 6232 Bon Secour Hwy. County 219 Dauphin St. |433-5958 [Orange Beach] The Bar Rd. 10 | 251-949-5086 Spot of Tea’s Jaggers [WESTMOBILE] 27206 Safe Harbor Dr, |981-4144 352 St. Francis St. | 648-1596 VFW Post 7320 [Saraland] 310 Dauphin St. | 375-6772 All Sports Bar & Grill [Gulf Shores] The Brickyard 244 Old Telegraph Rd. |679-1188 Studio 5’4 3408 Pleasant Valley Rd. 249 E. 24th Ave.| 948-8881 266 Dauphin St. | 473-4739 Whiskey Blues [Theodore] 216 Dauphin St. | 725-0406 345-9338 [Gulf Shores] Buck’s Pizza 5791 Swedetown Rd.|633-1769 T.P. Crockmiers Billiards Club 1577 Alabama 180|968-8341 www.buckspizza.com Zebra Lounge 250 Dauphin St. | 476-1890 4130 Gov’t Blvd.|447-2132 The Handlebar [Pensacola] 350 Dauphin St. | 431-9444 2343 Dauphin Island Pkwy. Veet’s Midnight Rodeo www.handlebarpensacola.com Cabo Cantina 473-2997 www.veetsbarandgrill.com 7790 Tanner Rd., Ste. B|639-2222 319 N. Tarragona St.| 434-9060 225 Dauphin St. | 441-7685 66 S. Royal St.| 694-3090 Cockeyed Charlies The Wharf [Orange Beach] Callaghan’s Irish Social Club 6920 Airport Blvd.|725-1112 4985 Wharf Pkwy.| 224-1000 [CASINOS] www.callaghansirishsocialclub.com [Biloxi] [MIDTOWN] Crooked Martini Beau Rivage 916 Charleston St. | 433-9374 AREA CLUB LISTINGS | MUSIC Ashland Midtown Pub www.thecrookedmartini.com [AROUND AND ABOUT] www.beaurivage.com Dalhia’s Electric Piano Hall www.ashlandmidtownpub.com 7639 Cottage Hill Rd. #C |633-5555 Bill and Charlie’s [Theodore] 878 Beach Blvd.|228-386-7111 258 Dauphin St. | 378-5025 2453 Old Shell Rd.| 479-3278 Flashback Club 11470-B Bellingrath Rd.|973-0388 or 888-595-2534 Dauphin St. Blues Company Blues Tavern 10071 Airport Blvd.| 634-2239 Blue Gill Restaurant Hard Rock Hotel & Casino & Draft Picks www.bluestavern.com Jag’s Sports Bar & Grill www.bluegillrestaurant.com [Biloxi] 564 Dauphin St. | 725-6429 2818 Gov’t Blvd. |479-7621 5602 Old Shell Rd.| 725-1102 3775 Battleship Pkwy. |625-1998 www.hardrockbiloxi.com Firehouse Wine Bar Shop Butch Cassidy’s Cafe Lucky Irish Pub & Grill Bottoms Up 777 Beach Blvd. 216 St. Francis St. | 421-2022 www.butchcassidys.com 3692 Airport Blvd.| 414-3000 2605 Halls Mill Rd. | 287-7781 |228-374-ROCK (7625) Gabriel’s Downtown 60 N. Florida St. |450-0690 Mellow Mushroom Briar Patch Harrah’s Hotel & Casino 55 S. Joachim St. | 432-4900 Kimberly’s Midtown Bar www.mellowmushroom.com 9371 Dauphin Island Pkwy. [New Orleans] The Garage 2660 Old Shell Rd. |478-1477 5660 Old Shell Rd. | 380-1500 973-1120 www.harrahsneworleans.com 9 S. Washington Ave. | 433-2223 Mellow Mushroom Moe’s Southwest Grill Burnout’s Bar & Grill [Saraland] 228 Poydras St.|504-533-6000 Grand Central www.mellowmushroom.com www.moes.com 7151 Hwy 158 W | 679-9255 [Biloxi] grandcentralmobile.com Grand Casino 2032 Airport Blvd. |471-4700 280 McGregor Ave. S.| 342- 5233 Celtic Irish Pub [Pascagoula] 256 Dauphin St. | 432-6999 www.grandcasinobiloxi.com Royal Knight Restaurant Royal Knight 4901 Chicot St. | 228-938-6800 Hayley’s Downtown 280 Beach Blvd. 3004 Gov’t Blvd. |476-6044 3004 Gov’t Blvd.| 476-6044 Ed’s Seafood Shed 278 Dauphin St. | 433-4970 228-436-2946 Silver Horse Pub Patches www.edsshed.com Joe Cain Café IP Casino Resort & Spa 151 S. Florida St. |478-7030 5100 Girby Rd.| 661-8028 3382 Battleship Pkwy. | 625-1947 26 N. Royal St. | 338-2000 [Biloxi] Whistle Stop Bar & Grill Satori Coffee House Felix’s Fish Camp Liquid www.ipbiloxi.com 110 S. Florida St.|478-7427 www.satori-coffee.com www.felixsfishcamp.com 661 Dauphin St. | 432-0109 850 Bayview Ave. 5460 Old Shell Rd. | 344-4575 1530 Battleship Pkwy. |626-6710 Loda Bier Garten 800-436-3000 [EASTERN SHORE] Runway Billards Midnight Rodeo 251 Dauphin St. | 287-6871 Wind Creek Casino Bay House Pub [Daphne] 8000 Airport Blvd. | 634-8006 7790 Tanner Rd. |639-2222 Mobile Civic Center www.windcreekcasino.com 28850 Bayline Dr. | 626-0158 The Hungry Owl Mississippi Coast Coliseum www.mobilecivicctr.com 303 Poarch Rd., Atmore Club 44 [Daphne] 7899 Cottage Hill | 633-4479 [Biloxi] 401 Civic Center Dr. | 208-7261 866-946-3360 28850 US 98, #100 | 445-8069 Stir Mobile www.mscoastcoliseum.com O’Daly’s Irish Pub Gumbo Shack 5821 Old Shell Rd., Ste. D | 342-9995 2350 Beach Blvd. |228-594-3700 564 Dauphin St.|725-6429 www.guysgumbo.com VFW Post 49 The End Zone Sports Bar [NEW ORLEANS] OK Bicycle Shop 212 Fairhope Ave. | 928-4100 2528 Govt Blvd. | 471-9438 [Mt. Vernon] 19170 Hwy 43. House of Blues 661 Dauphin St. |432-2453 McSharry’s [Fairhope] 829-9227The Oar House www.houseofblues.com Pat’s Downtown Grill www.mcsharrys.com [THE BEACH] [Dauphin Island] 225 Decatur St . 271 Dauphin St. | 438-9585 101N Brancroft St. |990-5100 Flora-Bama 1504 Bienville Blvd.| 861-4800 |504-310-4999 Riverview Plaza (Fathoms Moe’s Original BBQ [Daphne] www.florabama.com Original Oyster House Howlin’ Wolf Lounge) www.moesoriginalbbq.com 17401 Perdido Key Dr., www.theoysterhouse.com www.thehowlinwolf.com/new- 64 S. Water St.| 438-4000 6423 Bayfront Pk Dr.|625-7427 850-492-0611 3733 Battleship Pkwy. |626-2188 orleans Royal Scam Old 27 Grill [Fairhope] The Hangout Pelican Pub & Restaurant 907 S. Peters St. www.royalscammobile.com 19992 Hwy 181 | 281-2663 www.thehangoutal.com [Dauphin Island] 504-522-WOLF (9653) 72 S. Royal St.|432-SCAM (7226) Papa’s Pizza [Daphne] 101 Gulf Ct. | 948-3030 1102 DeSoto Ave.| 861-7180 Louisiana Superdome Royal Street Tavern www.papaspizza.com Live Bait Pelican Reef Restaurant www.superdome.com 26 N. Royal St. | 338-2000 28850 US Hwy 98| 626-7662 www.livebaitrestaurant.com 11799 Dauphin Island Pkwy. 1500 Poydras St. |504-587-366 Saenger Theatre 24281 Perdido Beach Blvd. Plow [Fairhope] | 973-2670 Tipitina’s www.mobilesaenger.com 974-1612 96 Plantation Pointe| 410-7569 Tacky Jacks [Spanish Fort] www.tipitinas.com 6 S. Joachim St. |208-5600 Lulu’s at Homeport Marina Courtyard 311 www.tackyjacks.com 501 Napoleon Ave. Saddle Up Saloon www.lulubuffett.com 311 Fairhope Ave. | 928-2032 1175 Battleship Pkwy. |621-8988 504-895-TIPS (8477) www.saddleupmobile.com 200 E. 25th Ave. LAGNIAPPE | October 9, 2014 - October 15, 2014 | 37 THE REEL WORLD/MOVIE REVIEW | FILM ‘The Boxtrolls’ is a visual delight for young and old BY ASIA FREY/FILM CRITIC | [email protected]

e parents are living a golden age of non-annoying children’s entertainment, when we get to go see “The Boxtrolls” under the auspices of a playdate. Witty, funny, fast paced and not even Wtwo hours long, I think I might have enjoyed it more than my daughter and her friend did. Above all, I feasted my eyes on the gloriously Dickensian production design of the town and people of Cheesebridge, and the titular Boxtrolls dwelling below. AREA While computer animation has produced plenty of amaz- ingly slick, eye-popping films that I have certainly loved, THEATERS it’s also wonderful to see the hand-made quality of stop motion animation like this from Portland, Oregon based animation studio Laika. Although computer assisted, films like MOBILE “The Boxtrolls,” “Paranorman” and their Oscar-winning masterpiece “Coraline” stand out in their marvelously tactile COUNTy physical presence. I could write a separate article just about the details on their little shoes. Photo/imdb.com | “The Box Trolls” CARMIKE The town of Cheesebridge is strictly social stratified, with CINEMAS the cheese-scarfing White Hats controlling everything and An orphan boy named Eggs is reared by reviled, misunderstood, box-dwelling trolls. Wynnsong 16 generally lording over the lowly Red Hats. From the ranks of 785 Schillinger Road S. the Red hats, a desperate man named Snatcher dreams of social cardboard boxes as clothing and also as a sort of turtle shell, and each character is 251-639-7373 climbing and decides to do so by vowing to eradicate of the town’s Boxtrolls, capital- known by whatever is written on his box, hence “Eggs,” and also “Fish” and “Frag- izing on dim rumors to fuel public fear of the shadowy figures. ile.” The town’s hatred of Boxtrolls centers around one important event, the capture of As the revolting Snatcher closes in on the Boxtroll population, Eggs is drawn to the CRESCENT a baby boy. Above ground, Boxtrolls are feared, reviled and hunted. Below ground, a surface to save his friends, and takes up with the daughter of the most powerful White THEATER Hat in town, a hilariously morbid little girl who doesn’t get enough attention from very different picture of the creatures exists and living as one of them is “Eggs,” the 208 Dauphin St. her father. Together they must uncover the truth about Eggs’ past and reveal the true, human baby, who believes himself to be one of them. 251-438-2005 In their subterranean world of repurposed human junk, the clever Boxtrolls invent gentle nature of the Boxtrolls to the people of Cheesebridge. While suspense is not a huge factor, particularly for adults, I will only say that things are resolved through all manner of whimsical clockwork life hacks, and their charming steampunk world HOLLyWOOD recalls the grimy glory of French director Jean-Pierre Jeunet (“The City of lost Chil- bravery, ingenuity, and the leveraging of a severe lactose intolerance. STADIUM 18 dren,” “Mic-Macs,”) run through the sensibility of “The Borrowers.” They all wear “The Boxtrolls” is now playing at all multiplex theaters. 1250 Satchel Paige Drive 251-473-9655 NEW IN THEATERS NOW PLAyING “GONE GIRl” Shore Premier Cinema 14 BALDWIN All listed multiplex theaters. “WHEN THE GAME “THE DROp” STANDS TAll” COUNTy Carmike Wharf 15 Regal Mobile Stadium 18, RAvE MOTION “ANNAbEllE” Eastern Shore Premiere Cinema Regal All listed multiplex 14, Carmike Wharf 15, Cobb PICTURE theaters. Pinnacle 14 JUBILEE “THE GOOD lIE” “lET’S bE COpS” SqUARE 12 Carmike Wynnsong 16, Eastern Regal Mobile Stadium 18 6898 U.S. Highway 90 Shore Premiere Cinema 14, “THE GIVER” Daphne Cobb Pinnacle 14 Regal Mobile Stadium 18, 251-626-6266 “lEFT bEHIND” Carmike Wharf 15 “THE HUNDRED-FOOT All listed multiplex theaters. CARMIKE Photos/ imdb.com “THE SONG” JOURNEy” Carmike Wynnsong 16. Carmike Wharf 15 CINEMAS “THE JUDGE” “My OlD lADy” “TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA 23151 Wharf Lane Crescent Theater TURTlES” Orange Beach Robert Downey, Jr. stars as “AlExANDER AND THE “THE bOxTROllS” Regal Mobile Stadium 18, 251-981-4444 TERRIblE, HORRIblE, NO a big city attorney who All listed multiplex theaters. Carmike Wynnsong 16, Cobb GOOD, VERy bAD DAy” returns to his hometown “THE EqUAlIzER” Pinnacle 14 COBB to defend his father, the All listed multiplex theaters. “GUARDIANS OF THE THEATRES Steve Carrell and Jennifer town’s judge, from charges GAlAxy” Garner star as parents of “THIS IS WHERE I lEAVE PINNACLE 14 of murder. This looks incred- yOU” Regal Mobile Stadium 18, a family experiencing out- Carmike Wynnsong 16, Eastern 3780 Gulf Shores Pkwy ibly cheesy in the previews. All listed multiplex theaters. Gulf Shores rageously bad luck on the Carmike Jubilee Square 12 “A WAlk AMONG THE Shore Premiere Cinema 14, same day. All Listed multi- Carmike Wharf 15 251-968-7444 TOMbSTONES” “lUCy” plex theaters. All listed multiplex theaters. “20,000 DAyS ON EARTH” Regal Mobile Stadium 18 “THE MAzE RUNNER” EASTERN “DRACUlA UNTOlD” This is only playing for three Information accurate at press SHORE days, October 16-18th, so All listed multiplex theaters. time; please call theaters for I find it hard to believe that PREMIERE I’m giving you an extra week “DOlpHIN TAlE 2” showtimes. there is anything left “un- All listed multiplex theaters. to plan to see a category- CINEMA 14 told” about Dracula, but I do “NO GOOD DEED” defying film that delves into 30500 State Highway 181 appreciate seasonal movies Regal Mobile Stadium 18, Spanish Fort the mind and creative pro- and it’s almost Halloween. Carmike Wynnsong 16, Carmike 251-626-0352 cess of Nick Cave. Crescent Jubilee Square 12, Eastern All listed multiplex theaters. Theater. Information accurate at press time; please call theaters for showtimes.

38 | LAGNIAPPE | October 9, 2014 - October 15, 2014 LAGNIAPPE | October 9, 2014 - October 15, 2014 | 39 MEDIA FRENZY | MEDIA Round two of cell tower fight halted by Zoning Board BY DALE LIESCH/REPORTER | [email protected] fter a denied application in January and a subsequent will try to locate a tower near the center of the problem area, only “19 percent of new households will have a landline,” making lawsuit, AT&T’s fight to build a cell tower over the ob- which happens to be at the site less than 200 feet from Muir the need for better cell service important. jections of residents will last for a little longer. Woods residents. “You can’t let 52 households decide what the other 3,428 are On Monday afternoon the Board of Zoning Adjust- Along with the company’s desire to build the tower in the cen- going to have,” Armbrecht said. mentsA delayed a vote on the structure for at least another month ter of the gap area, Van Maitre told the board, other sites recom- David Akridge, Mobile County Public Schools’ executive man- – despite Planning Commission approval – to allow Muir Woods mended by Muir Woods residents created too much interference ager of information technology, told the board members better cell subdivision residents to hire an engineer to study AT&T’s newest because they weren’t far enough away from other AT&T towers coverage would assist the school system in a pilot program to give radio frequency findings. and others were in areas zoned residential, whereas the proposed students at Burns Middle School cellular WiFi hotspots as part of AT&T’s original application for the tower was previously site is zoned for business. the system’s bring your own device program, launched about 18 denied by both the Planning Commission and the Board of Zon- Board Chairman William Guess asked Van Maitre about months ago. ing Adjustments. The move sparked a lawsuit filed by an AT&T placing an antenna on a pole already built on Mobile Christian “We feel like it’s important and something the school board is contractor, but citing jurisdiction, it was swiftly dismissed by U.S. Academy grounds. Van Maitre said C Spire owns the tower and in favor of,” he said. District Judge William Steele. would require the antenna be placed below one operated by the Muir Woods resident William Finnegan said the group is in The company agreed to reduce the height of the proposed tower rival company, which is also too low to meet AT&T’s needs. favor of “great cell service” and that’s not at issue. He said he be- to 140 feet and also agreed to construct an eight-foot privacy “It wouldn’t be high enough,” Van Maitre said. “It would be 60 lieves AT&T can achieve what it wants to with improved coverage fence, in order to gain Planning Commission approval Thursday, to 70 feet at the most.” without building a 140-foot tower in residents’ backyards. Oct. 8. AT&T claims it needs to build the tower in order to give its Don Williams, the brother-in-law of a Muir Woods resident, Finnegan offered several alternatives to the proposed site, coverage area the strongest possible signal. asked the board to hold over a decision until the homeowner’s including property behind Publix on Hillcrest, the pole already in Spokespersons for the company had to come in front of the association could hire its own radio frequency engineer in order to place at Mobile Christian and on property at Burns Middle School. board Monday to ask for changes in the height requirement and study the claims made by AT&T. He also mentioned sites at Asia Garden and at Port City Church. the setback requirement from neighboring property lines. The cur- “This project was denied last January by this board,” Williams “That’s the real story,” Finnegan said. “I believe if you find an rent ordinance doesn’t support a 140-foot tower and also restricts said. “For about nine months AT&T has had a chance to (prepare). alternate site you’ll get the coverage you need.” the setback distance to 200 feet. The proposed location is 184.5 The residents haven’t seen what’s been delivered to the commis- AT&T representatives said they had researched the previous feet from the nearest property line, AT&T attorney N. Andrew sion and haven’t had time to prepare. locations and they wouldn’t work. Rotenstreich said. “Once that tower goes up it never comes down,” Williams The Rev. Emile Noel III, a Mobile native and priest currently He told the board that the size of the property at 6311 Cottage added. “They’ve waited nine months, what’s one more.” living in Louisiana, said he was concerned over the proximity to Hill Road made it impossible to meet the setback requirements Gigi Armbrecht, an AT&T employee, said the decision could his family’s cemetery, which would be in front of the proposed and that the strength of the signal required the variance in tower affect as many as 3,480 households inside the coverage gap area. cell tower. He added that the cemetery was listed on the state’s height because of the elevation of the parcel. That’s 7,866 people “positively affected” by the new tower,” she historic cemeteries registry and any tower placement near it would Sean Van Maitre, a radio frequency engineer, said the tower is said. have to be reviewed on the federal level. needed in the location because of a gap in coverage along Cottage “We are proposing that this tower have room for three ad- Councilwoman Bess Rich also spoke on behalf of residents of Hill Road. Specifically, he mentioned areas of Knollwood Drive ditional cell company antennas,” she said. “That would make for Muir Woods, which is in her council District 6. She told the board and Rolling Acres. He explained that alternate locations, like a site less towers.” that allowing time for the residents to hire their own engineer behind Publix on Hillcrest Road, wouldn’t work. She said denying the tower’s proposed location would create a might help restore their trust in the process. She also reminded “We knew that was significantly outside the area we needed,” safety issue, as 70 percent of 911 calls come from cell phones, cit- board members the final say on the tower does not necessarily rest he said. ing a study from the South Alabama Regional Planning Commis- with them, as the residents can appeal it to the City Council within He said in situations where a gap in coverage exists, AT&T sion. She added the same study suggested by the end of this year, 15 days.

40 | LAGNIAPPE | October 9, 2014 - October 15, 2014 LAGNIAPPE | October 9, 2014 - October 15, 2014 | 41 C O E

by Crittenton Youth Services and the ACS VINTAGE AFFAIR GALA Mobile Coalition Against Bullying.

WHAT: THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETy VINTAGE AFFAIR GALA October 14 WHEN: THuRSDAy, O CTOBER 9, 6–9 P.M. HSMAI Gulf South Chapter Meeting WHERE: ALABAMA CRuISE TERMINAL, 201 S. WATER ST. Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Gulf The American Cancer Society Vintage Affair Gala will be at the Alabama Cruise South Chapter will host their meeting/ Terminal, 201 S. Water St. from 6-9 p.m. Guests can enjoy fine wines from Red or luncheon 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. White, decor from Room Service and cuisine prepared by Clifton Morrissette. Live at Bonefish Grill, Edgewater Mall, and silent auctions including original local art, trips, jewelry and other items. The 2600 Beach Blvd. Biloxi, Mississippi. Topics to be discussed include keys to late night party (included in ticket) is from 9 p.m. until midnight on the terminal success, Linkedin updates and social rooftop. Tickets are $100 and can be purchased by calling 251-344.9858. Visit www. media. The cost for members is $20, vintageaffairmobile.org for more information. Photo/American Cancer Society non-members $30. Please RSVP at 228-872-6370.

Anti- Bully: Bullying Ends With Me! October 9 the Weeks Bay Reserve Visitor Bras Across the River and Fun One Fit Mobile Health Parents and students are encouraged Think Pink Thursdays Center, 11300 U.S. Highway Run Awareness Day to attend the anti-bully play “Bullies Infirmary Health System Improve your health, fitness 98, in Fairhope. For more Singing River Federal Credit and Lady Dogs.” Showtime is 7 encourages you to wear pink and wellness by joining us in information, call the Reserve at Union is asking women across p.m. at the downtown Mobile Public each Thursday during the month downtown Mobile at Bienville 251-928-9792. the Gulf Coast to decorate and Library’s Bernheim Hall. The cast of October as a reminder for the Square, 9 a.m. -1 p.m. You will donate bras for Bras Across for this one-act play is made up of women in our lives to schedule have access to many health and Art Exhibit and Sale the River, a fun run/walk that 15 Mobile County middle school their annual mammograms. For fitness vendors, exercise demos Watercolor & Graphic Arts will feature thousands of bras students. The play’s message more information call 251-435- and displays from area gyms, Society of Mobile will host an stretched across the Moss promotes zero tolerance of bullying 3939 or email jennifer.velliantis@ free health screenings, LifeSouth Art Exhibit and Sale at the Urban Point bridge on State Highway and gives students some hands on infirmaryhealth.org. blood donation, a kid’s zone, Emporium, 260 Dauphin St. 613. Check-in begins at 8 ideas of how to stop bullying acts. as well as live music. The event There will be a reception 5:30–9 a.m. and the event begins at 9 Following the presentation a certified Vintage Affair is held in conjunction with The p.m. with awards at 5:45 p.m. a.m. Participants should pre- counselor, specialized in bullying will The American Cancer Society Color Run, Market on the Square The Artwork will be on display register for the run at www. host a question and answer session. Vintage Affair Gala will be at The and Keep Mobile Beautiful. through Nov. 14. srfcu.org, a $15 donation is For more information contact Joy Alabama Cruise Terminal, 201 S. Perfect for the whole family, you asked. SRFCU will donate $1 Logan at this email address jlogan@ Water St., from 6-9 p.m. Guests can find more information at

EVENTS | OCTOBER 9, 2014 - 15, for every bra to breast cancer crittentonyouthservices.com. can enjoy fine wines from Red or LODA Artwalk www.onefitmobile.com. research. Bras can be new or White, decor from Room Service Join downtown art galleries, gently used, and decorated bras October 15 and cuisine prepared by Clifton institutions, studios and unique October 12 OF PAWSitively: Four Paws. One Morrissette. Live and silent shops as they open their doors to honor loved ones fighting Pink Heart and Ponies Mobile. auctions including original local and welcome you inside to cancer, or to memorialize Join the OK Bike Shop, 661 Join PAWSitively’s inaugural Fall art, trips, jewelry and other items. see beautiful artwork, sample breast cancer victims, are Dauphin St., and Brent Loper 2–5 Gala from 5:30-9 p.m. at the Ezell The late night party (included delicious foods and hear the strongly encouraged. For more p.m. for Pink Heart and Ponies. House, 407 Conti St. The event in ticket) is from 9 p.m. until sounds of the LoDa Artwalk. The information, call 228-475-9531 Donate a pink heart to your loved will feature live music by the band midnight on the rooftop. Tickets ArtWalk gets better and better or visit www.srfcu.org. ones to hang on the walls of the Bust, a silent auction of art, services are $100 and can be purchased each month. From 6-9 p.m. in the OK Bike Shop the entire month of Screen on the Green During and gift certificates, food from local ALENDAR by calling 251-344-9858. Visit lower Dauphin Street district. October as well as bid on silent Halloween restaurants, beer and wine. Tickets are

C www.vintageaffairmobile.org for auction items, raffles, appetizers $15 each and the proceeds will go to more information. It’s time to get out the blankets, donated by local eateries. Salon October 11 support local spay and neuter, TNR, lawn chairs and popcorn to join West 5400 will be available for Step Out: Walk to Stop and low cost vetting for cats and dogs Thursdays at the Museum The Village of Spring Hill for any ponytail donations (must be Diabetes in the Mobile area. Every Thursday from 10 a.m. - 9 The Step Out: Walk to Stop movies under the stars kicks off at least 10 inches) and offering p.m. the Mobile Museum of Art, the second annual “Screen on pink streak hair extension. Diabetes is a 3-mile walk through Brown Bag in Bienville Square 4850 Museum Drive, offers free the Green During Halloween,” a the University of South Alabama Fall is back and so is live jazz. Brown admission to all visitors. Join free outdoor film festival. “It’s the Open Studio campus beginning at the Moulton bag your lunch and sit under the swirl MMOA each week to experience Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown” Come enjoy complimentary Bell Tower at 8 a.m. The event of the oak trees in Bienville Square the museum in new and exciting mimosas as artists work at the includes a Health and Wellness (rated G) and “Monsters Inc.” 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Live music ways throughout the year. No Cathedral Square Gallery, 612 Festival, the Healthy Kids Zone, (rated G) will start at 7 p.m. provided by the City of Mobile Special reservations necessary. Dauphin St. There will also be free health screenings, live on the great lawn adjacent to Events Department and Catt Sirten. the Avenue of the Oaks on the works by more than 60 area October 10 music, lunch and more. All funds artists on display. For more campus of Spring Hill College. Bend & Brew Mobile SPCA Rummage Sale support the American Diabetes information call 251-694-0278 Come dressed as your favorite Join Fairhope Brewing every The Mobile SPCA’s Giant Association and its mission to ghost or goblin. There will be Wednesday night starting at 6 p.m. Rummage Sale will feature prevent and cure diabetes and October 13 a costume contest for children for Hoppy Yoga. The taproom is thousands of items at a great to improve the lives of all people Anti-Bully: Bullying Ends With ages 2-9. transformed into a yoga studio with price. Gates open at 8 a.m. affected by diabetes. For more Me! Soul Shine Yoga leading the session. Friday, Oct. 10 and Saturday, information call 251-423-1272. Mobile County Coalition Against Dauphin Island Art Trail It’s only $5 to participate in the class Oct. 11 at Mobile SPCA, 620 Bullying is launching in its 4th annual Art Trail at 17 and then you can stick around for Zeigler Circle West (near the Market on the Square Anti-Bullying Week Awareness locations featuring more than beer specials as well as light snacks Fairgrounds). Anything you need The fall harvest is in so join Campaign to be held Oct. 13-17. 50 artists. Pick up a map of any provided by Pretty Mean Sweets. will be on sale. All proceeds help us in Cathedral Square (lower Students, parents and faculty stop and have it stamped at 10 Fairhope Brewing is located at 914 Mobile’s homeless pets. For more Dauphin) and come get your members are encouraged to or more stops to win great prizes Nichols Ave., Fairhope. information call 251-633-3531 or fresh greens, fall corn, squash, purchase a “Bullying Ends With and bonus for all 17 stops. Ride visit MobileSPCA.org. Me” T-shirt or wristband to be peppers, sweet potatoes, pastas, Tour Space 301 your bike, your car or the two worn on their school’s Spirit Day seafood, sausages, eggs, goat Tours of the Main Gallery and Weeks Bay Native Plant Sale antique trolleys from Old Shell during the Anti-Bullying Week. milk cheese, breads and baked Fabrication Hall are every Wednesday The 22nd Annual Native Plant Trolley Company which will T-shirts are only $8 for children, goods. Also, shop for locally and Saturday, 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Sale benefitting the Weeks Bay transport visitors from spot to $12 for adults, and wristbands produced crafts like handmade at the Centre for the Living Arts/ National Estuarine Reserve will spot with a pickup at the ferry are $2. All money raised from candles, soaps, pottery and Space 301, 301 Conti St. Tours be held Friday through Sunday, as well for walk-ons from Fort the sale of the T-shirts and much more. Stay for live music. included with the price of admission. Oct. 10-12, from 9 a.m. until 4 Morgan. The event begins at wristbands will help finance For more information, please call Call 215-208-5671 or visit www. p.m. The sale will be located at 9 a.m. For more information the Olweus Bullying Prevention 251-208-1550. centreforthelivingarts.com for more Safe Harbor, directly across from contact Dena at 251-861-2473. Program offered in area schools information. SEND yOUR EvENTS TO [email protected]

he University of South Alabama football squad does the championship round. not return to action until 6:30 p.m. Oct. 18, but the The Jags went 16-5 in the tourney, countdown to the Jaguars’ homecoming celebration will with 11 singles wins and five doubles kick off much sooner. USA will face the Georgia State victories. Sophomore Tuki Jacobs lost in TPanthers in the “Clash of the Claws” at Ladd-Peebles Stadium the Flight Two championship. in a Sun Belt Conference showdown. • The University of Mobile upset The Jaguar Bash will start the celebration Monday from 6-8 second-ranked William Carey 2-1 in p.m. in the Student Center parking lot. Students will have a women’s soccer last week. Katie Comp- chance to meet the football team, enjoy free food and entertain- ton and Tyler-Rae Molloy got the goals ment, plus have the chance to “bash” a car bearing Georgia for the Lady Rams, who moved to 2-0 in State decals. league play. Events continue throughout the week, leading to Friday’s • The Rams’ Cody Scott has been busy schedule that includes a luncheon with head coach Joey selected to the National Association of Jones at noon and a college reunion party on the Alumni Hall Basketball Coaches’ Honor Court. The Lawn from 4-6 p.m. The homecoming parade along South honor recognizes the talents and gifts Drive starts at 6 p.m., with a pep rally to follow on the Mitchell that student-athletes possess off the court Center’s North Plaza. Closing out the night will be a Lady and the hard work they exhibit in the Jaguar soccer game (featuring free admission) at 7 p.m. and a classroom. A junior majoring in account- Battle of the Greeks step show at 8 p.m. ing, Scott has previously been named Serving as the grand marshal for this year’s parade is profes- Capital One Academic All-District, sional race car driver Grant Enfinger of Fairhope. Enfinger, who SSAC All-Academic and Daktronics- holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from USA’s Mitchell NAIA Scholar-Athlete. College of Business, just finished second in the ARCA circuit’s • South Alabama has also received drivers championship after winning six events this season. honors off the field. The athletic depart- The pre-game tailgating that Saturday will include the Spirit ment earned four 2014-15 Sun Belt Stick competition at 8 a.m. For ticket information, visit www. Conference Team Academic Awards usajaguars.com. For a list of homecoming events, visit www. — twice as many as any other league southalabama.edu, or call 251-460-7191. member. The squads having the highest The Jaguars are coming off a 47-21 SBC victory over Ap- grade point averages in the SBC were the palachian State. USA collected an impressive 582 yards in total softball team, the men’s track and field Photo/Facebook offense, improving to 3-2 overall and 2-1 in conference play. program, plus the women’s and men’s cross country teams. Fairhope’s Grant Enfinger, who recently finished second in the Tip of the ball cap • For the sixth season in a row, the ARCA circuit’s drivers championship, will be the grand marshall Several local college athletes and teams have lately received Golf Coaches Association of America of USA’s on-campus homecoming parade Oct. 17. special recognition. Leading the way is the Spring Hill men’s named the USA men’s golf program an golf team, which opened its season with a win at the Union Uni- All-Academic Team. The Jaguars had a versity Fall Invitational. school-record four individuals honored as All-American Scholars — seniors Lane Hulse and Blake Kel- Happenings on the Hill The Badgers earned the victory despite not winning a single Spring Hill College officials have announced several person- ley, plus juniors Miachel Garretson and Tyler Klava. round, with a 29-over par score of 893. Sophomore Sheldon nel moves in their athletic department. Not to be outdone, the USA women’s golf team has three Statkewicz, a McGill-Toolen grad, finished sixth in individual Sheila L. Martin has been hired as the assistant athletic players named Women’s Golf Coach Association Division I play with a six-over par total of 222. director for internal affairs and compliance/senior women All-American Scholars for the 2013-14 campaign. There were • The Southern States Athletic Conference has named Bailey administrator. She will be responsible for the school’s compli- Ingrid Hagen, Jordan Knight and Ashleigh Ryals. Nations of the University of Mobile the Volleyball Player of ance procedures as the Badgers continue their move into NCAA the Week. In helping the Lady Rams to three straight-set wins Ten members of the USA softball team have been selected All-America Scholar-Athletes by the National Fastpitch Division II. over SSAC foes, Nations has 35 kills over that stretch. For the The college also announced the hiring of Carrie Clayton as season, the junior outside hitter leads the team with 122 kills. Coaches Association, as the team finished 28th nationally in the school’s spirit program coordinator, as she will deal with the • Daniel Leitner, a senior on the USA men’s tennis team, overall grade point average. Earning at least a 3.5 GPA were Badger Cheer and Dance programs. Prior to coming to SHC, went undefeated to claim the singles Flight One title at the Blair Johnson, Kaitlyn Griffith, Julie Moss, Taylor Rodgers, the UMS-Wright grad was a performer and assistant coach with Crimson Tide Four-in-the-Fall tournament. Leitner, who is from Clara Bowen, Amanda Herron, Farish Beard, Alex Breeden, the South Alabama’s Prowlers Dance Team. Germany, beat Josh Yablon of Princeton 6-4, 6-7 (1-7), 6-3 in Emily Messer and Alyssa Linn.

44 | LAGNIAPPE | October 9, 2014 - October 15, 2014 LAGNIAPPE | October 9, 2014 - October 15, 2014 | 45 CROSSWORD PUZZLE

ACROSS 1. “Space Oddity” major 4. Radiate 8. Bank offering 12. “___ momento!” 13. Double agent 14. Disco do 15. Dog holder? 16. Kid’s transport 17. Burgoo, e.g. 18. Covert comments 20. Babysitter’s charge 22. Causing a pucker 23. Latched, in a way 27. Rob Roy, et al. 29. Whistle-blower 30. Ecol. watchdog 31. Anecdotal history 32. Assist the waiter 33. All hands on deck? 34. Fossey subject 35. Fee follower DOWN 26. Vampire’s curfew 36. Queens, for example 1. Marching-band burden 27. Bacon buy 37. Retired, with “down” 2. Difficult duty 28. Get along 39. For Pete’s ___! 3. Recorded (progress) 29. French way 40. Cookbook direction 4. Fading memories 32. Sotheby’s patrons 41. Rich, as foods 5. Like a good cake 33. Popular pop 44. Naval base? 6. Sort 35. Bureau member 47. Panache 7. Cuts canines 36. On notice 49. Mad Hatter’s drink 8. Doesn’t fall apart 38. Loiter 50. Colorful mineral 9. Frequent, to Keats 39. Cartographer’s concern 51. Cheese off 10. A word with you? 42. Scarcely enough 52. Be fallible 11. When, for an eager 43. Kitten’s plaything 53. Glimpse from afar beaver 44. Break new ground? 54. Broke a limit 19. Time line inclusion 45. Boom periods 55. Hibernation spot 21. Big galoot 46. A place of luxury? 24. Pervaded 48. Some disrespect 25. Tool for a duel Answers on Page 48

46 | LAGNIAPPE | October 9, 2014 - October 15, 2014 THE LOADED QUESTION

WHAT IS THE BEST HALLOWEEN COS- TuME yOu HAVE EVER HAD? ASKED @ BAyFEST

“I went as a baby, in just a diaper.” Jared

“I was a tar ball after the BP oil spill.” -Savanna Harris

“We went as the Ninja Turtles with some other girls.” - Mary Alice (Left) and Bylee (Right)

LAGNIAPPE | October 9, 2014 - October 15, 2014 | 47 PORT CITY PREMONITIONS | STYLE Leo finds love on a landline

BY DR. ZODIAC/ASTROLOGY GUY

Libra (9/23 – 10/22) - You’ll be feeling and unsettled stomach, you’ll drink an entire jar red in the face after your favorite college team of pickle juice. You’ve heard it cures hangovers, blows a shot at the National Championship so you’ll think now is the perfect time to test the because of an “unsportsmanlike conDUCK” theory with your own version of Mythbusters. penalty. Your Thursday night quickly turns into However, after it’s too late, you’ll find out the a drunken stupor complete with a vivacious perfect remedy includes just one shot of pickle dialog between you and imaginary referees in juice mixed with beef bouillon. You’ll be closer your apartment. In the morning’s light, you’ll to the porcelain throne than ever before, wishing start a change.org petition to permit any and all you only had a simple hangover instead of these celebrations, which miraculously passes through Ebola-like symptoms. the NCAA. Years from now, people will still have you to thank for classic celebrations like Taurus (4/20 – 5/20) - On a whim, you’ll the “Drop Trou Eyebrow.” decide getting a tongue ring is a good idea. While everything will seem hunky dory at first, Scorpio (10/23 – 11/21) - You’ll be waiting a deeper problem will be brewing under the sur- outside the house of a suspect in a high-profile face. After a few days, you’ll experience some case when a woman leaves the home to check pain and swelling. Assuming it is normal after her mail. Surprisingly to both you and your a needle has been shoved through your tongue, followers online, she notices your camera as you’ll ignore the symptoms until your tongue she approaches the mailbox and does something swells so much that you can’t speak or eat. unspeakable. At first she begins convulsing, but Reminiscing on the days you had your tonsils eventually splits down the middle — opening removed, you’ll embrace the situation, crash at up so that a completely separate, second woman your parent’s place, eat ice cream and secretly appears to emerge from within her. The second steal their pain pills until the situation resolves. woman promptly shows you the middle finger and the proceeds to check that mail angrily. Gemini (5/21 – 6/21) - Beer Fridays will soon turn into Liquor Fridays. Instead of Sagittarius (11/21 – 12/22) - Inspired by a partaking in one harmless beer during the last recent story out of Louisiana, you’ll start look- 30 minutes of your workday, you’ll graduate ing for dates in the teacher’s lounge of the local to hard liquor, specifically the horrible cheap high school. Infiltrating the student population, kind like Aristocrat vodka. Naturally, you’ll go you’ll eventually make a move on a couple of HAM one afternoon and cubicle volleyball will cute English teachers. You’ll tell them you’re turn into volleyball suicide. You’ll spike on your having trouble with a John Donne assignment neighboring cubicle, causing your coworker’s and ask if they’d mind getting “metaphysical” bottle of water to spill everywhere and ruin one with you afterschool. Not only do they say no, of the new computers your boss just bought for CROSSWORD PUZZLE ANSWERS they remind you that you are, and very much the entire staff. AA is in your near future. look like, a 40-year-old as police arrive to arrest you. Cancer (6/21 – 7/22) - You’ll still be getting up to change the channels on Saturday after Capricorn (12/22 – 1/19) - You will applaud destroying your remote during Alabama’s upset slowly as a municipal enforcement officer writes to Ole Miss last weekend. Switching between a litter ticket for the annoying neighbor across the Tide and the other, lesser games won’t be the street who made a fort for his kids out of an option, but just before the Arkansas game, rusty car shells. The attention is well overdue you’ll find a package from a coworker — an and appropriate in your opinion because his Auburn fan — sitting on your porch. After tetanus infected children keep begging for a play opening up what appears to be the box for a date with your children. The action will ease new Direct TV remote, you’ll be surprised to your mind because you have always worried find “Hotty Toddy” written on several thousand that his fort would lead to the start of a zombie pieces of paper. apocalypse. Leo (7/23 – 8/23) - After trying for days Aquarius (1/20 – 2/18) - After missing to download iOS 8, you’ll finally decide that his flight home and sleeping in your friend’s you’ve had it with cellular technology. Bran- minivan for a week, Kid Rock will show up at dishing a set of tin cans on a string, you won’t FROM PAGE 46 your doorstep looking for a place to stay. He get much of a response from local singles. How- explains he has the money to get home because ever, when make a connection with a perspec- he’s a world-famous musician, but instead wants tive employer, you’ll get a surprising reaction to to get the flavor of the working man by crashing the date’s form of communication. Sealing the F at your pad. You will try hard to hide your total deal with “Morse code texting” you’ll become a disgust before agreeing to allow him access to sales manger for a respected company. How- U your home. When he starts to play the acoustic ever, once the senile gentlemen who hired you T guitar he brought however, you kick him out. passes, you’ll be immediately fired – via the tin can phone. U Pisces (2/19 – 3/20) - Playing with inflat- R able balls will get prohibited in the office, after Virgo (8/24 – 9/22) - Taking a page from the E a dumb coworker knocks over a large bottle of Raven-Symoné playbook, you’ll refuse to be water with a beach ball. HR and other bosses are defined by race or sexual orientation. You’ll also alerted to childlike behavior because the water take it step further by rejecting any identifica- S spills on a pricey piece of office equipment. tion by gender, country of origin or even the You will be forced to work for free for the next name your parents gave you. With some dif- H month before you’ll be fired for instigating the ficulty, you’ll try to convince others to refer to O offense. Not to fear, however, as you will be you solely as “an inaudible noise that can’t be hired immediately as a seaside concert promoter. represented with English letters.” Mumbling and C flailing alone at a Blue Wave bus stop, you’ll K Aires (3/21 – 4/19) - You’ve been hungover finally feel free from the weight of society’s for days thanks to the aftermath of BayFest. In rigid labels. an attempt to cure your excruciating headache

48 | LAGNIAPPE | October 9, 2014 - October 15, 2014 STYLE Indy designers branding ‘MOB*ILL’ with different approaches BY CLYDE FOSTER/CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Editor’s note: This is the second install- amount of attention is UN-U. Started by ment of a two-part series beginning with “Fly Elijah McCreary, UN-U has a unique name Times Boutique bringing street wear culture and philosophy. to Mobile,” which was published in the Oct. 2 “UN-U meaning ‘Not You’ is just being edition of Lagniappe. aware that we are all different in many fac- ets.” McCreary said of his brand. “Whether obile and cities like it could lifestyle, fashion or creativity. It’s creating indeed be the revival that street your own destiny and being responsible of wear culture needs, not only from how and when that destiny is created.” a consumer’s perspective, but While aware of how outsiders view the Mfrom a creative one as well. As Tony Davis, city, McCreary is making efforts to change owner of Fly Times Boutique mentioned, the that perception through one of his most Secret Scientist brand has influenced multiple popular designs (one that caught the eyes of a people to start their own brands. For Bobby Lagniappe staff member): The “MOB*ILL” “it’s B.J.” Jiles, it was only an opportunity to T-shirt. advance the brand he had been working on for “We have a stigma on being behind in a more than 10 years. B.J., local hip-hop artist, lot of things culturally because we are down has a line of fully custom clothing. South, but thanks to the Internet and social “[Call it] Designs by Bobby Jiles or cus- media it has allowed us to be more abreast tom designs by B.J. if you needed to put a title on the fashion world abroad.” McCreary to it,” he said recently. said. “I try to capitalize by giving my city its For Jiles, who recently dropped a project own identity by using these tools to create a entitled “The Standout,” it’s about exactly brand my city could not only embrace but to that. be proud of and stand behind. My MOB*ILL “I’ve always had a passion to stand out tees are just that.” with my clothing,” he said. “I always hated to UN-U has signature tees featuring their go somewhere and say for instance some- mascot: a lion sporting a bowtie and a one would have on the same thing I have monocle. It’s a rather odd visual combination, on. I literally would want to go home and but not only does McCreary make it appeal- just change, but I figured if I was to create ing, he makes it logical. my own clothing there’s no way that could “The lion for many years has symbolized happen again so that’s when I decided to start king of the jungle. The UN-U lion symbol- creating my own.” izes being king of your world that you create The same exclusivity that has helped push around you,” McCreary said. “The crown other brands into the limelight is what drives symbolizes wisdom. The monocle symbolizes BJ’s line tenfold, as he makes clothes solely clearer vision. The bowtie symbolizes being by custom order, a process he admits has its distinguished and walking in excellence.” ups and downs. McCreary’s website – www.unuluxe.com – “The advantages to making custom cloth- also features special pink designs for October ing is there is no limit to what I can create and as breast cancer awareness month. the disadvantage is working for people with While the future of street wear culture as closed minds really drains creative side over a whole is up in the air, one thing is for sure: time.” it has influenced a demographic it could have Although he specializes in custom cre- possibly never even considered. It’s only ations, he does not rule out the possibility of right, though. eventually expanding. A smaller city tapping into its creativity “Eventually further down the line I look is in the exact same spirit of how street wear forward to making a clothing brand that’s started. It is about culture and philosophy. It is made for the world but until I have that op- about giving the otherwise voiceless an outlet portunity I plan to keep my clothing company and being undeniably fly while doing so. Photos/(top) unuluxe.com, (bottom) facebook customized. I just like to see people wear stuff that represents them.” Clyde Foster is a freelance writer based in Elijah McCreary’s UN-U brand prints logo and MOB*ILL tees and accessories Another brand starting to garner its fair Mobile. while designer and hip-hop artist Bobby Jiles creates custom pieces.

LAGNIAPPE | October 9, 2014 - October 15, 2014 | 49 MOBILE MAGNIFIED | STYLE BayFest brings Boozie a bounty of beautiful gossip BY BOOZIE BEER NUES/SOCIAL BUTTERFLY

ctober is going to be the death of this gossip columnist. very talkative all There’s just too much going on I tell you, too much! I’ve night and claimed never seen so much great live music lined up in 30 days. the last time they It’s crazy! I mean it’s awesome but it’s insane. played in Alabama OMy spies are going to be claiming overtime. I hope the gossip he was wearing department budget can handle it. And of course, their livers. But a dress and had at this point, I have determined they must be absolutely inde- purple dreadlocks structible. and got threatened by a KKK member. BayFestin! Not sure how he You could not have asked for more glorious weather for knew the Klan was BayFest. It was absolutely perfect, so I was a little surprised the after him, but OK. turnout seemed to be a bit light, but I guess with so much going Some lady flashed on from football to other fall festivals, along with said glorious him and he compli- weather, it shouldn’t be that surprising. But those who didn’t mented her on her make it certainly lost out because there was much to be seen on “assets.” and off the stages. There were multiple appearances Random sightings over the Coca-Cola At The Roots show Saturday night, a couple in Bienville stage during the Square literally decided to get wrapped up in one another. These weekend of a quad- lovebirds brought a big ‘ol bedspread with them and put it copter “drone” with Photo/Boozie Spy around them so tightly they looked like a love burrito. With extra a camera attached, cheese, I might add. but when Perry Jane’s Addiction’s performance at BayFest featured a burlesque suspension show. Speaking of BayFest loving, one randy couple engaged in a noticed it he called pretty intense make-out session right outside of the VIP area on it a UFO and tried saying the best LOCAL show, I think it was the best show of Royal Street Saturday night. They were leaning up against a wall to knock it out of the sky with a bouquet of flowers. Also two the weekend. These guys are going to go far, so you better catch going to town, which is not that unusual at a music festival, but women in burlesque lingerie were suspended over the stage with them while you can. they each had an empty yard-long daiquiri cup in their hand. And hooks in their flesh while two others danced on stage. There was however one obnoxious dude on the front row, ac- neither one ever let their cup go during the rather lengthy ses- I’m told they flew out of Mobile the next day and had their cording to my front row spy. He was double fisting Miller Lites sion. Perhaps this new litter law really is working! shoes shined by the world famous Nelson Easterling at his stand, and screaming obscenities. My spy said he wasn’t quite certain After all this lovin’, comes babies. Well, sometimes. But there although he had no idea who they were. And they weren’t even why he was doing this, as he seemed to be enjoying the show were some pretty creepy looking babies in the kids’ area spot- flying first class. Could you imagine plopping down in the seat immensely. They are pretty (expletive)-ing good, so maybe that ted on Sunday. No, not actual babies. Those were all beautiful, right next to Perry Farrell or Dave Navarro? Nothing would have is just how this dude expressed his enthusiasm. of course. No, my spies said they kept seeing little girls toting been more shocking! around these rather strange looking flesh-colored balloon babies, Rotary Club’s 100th Anniversary Gala a with hair and faces drawn on them. Apparently while the babies Riders on the storm We always like to get our hands on the riders — the wacky smash hit were somewhat strange, the baby’s “bottle” reached a whole Move over fancy schmancy Mobile Mardi Gras parties since new level of weird. things the bands request to have backstage or in their hotel rooms. This year we did get word of a couple of requests, though the beginning of time. Word on the street is the Rotary Club’s “It looked like my daughter was feeding her baby with an A- 100th Anniversary Gala at the Battle House Hotel on Thursday, cupped sized boob sans nipple,” one spy said. “But she seemed the names of the bands were withheld to protect the identity of the aging rock stars. But it will be fun for us to guess, right? Oct. 2 may have been the best party in the history of the Port to love it, so who cares.” Not sure if she was referring to her City. I kid you not. Someone uttered those exact words to me. daughter or the balloon baby. Maybe both! We hear one aging group of rockers requested B-12 shots before their set. What?! No whiskey shots? That’s against the rules My spies said the super swankiness was due in part to the For the record, I think all baby dolls are kind of creepy. It’s uber-coolness of “interactive centerpieces” on the food tables, just something about their cold, dead eyes. Whaaaaaa! in the rock star handbook. And we hear one R&B band requested something like 100 i.e. real live people dressed up as Bacchus (on the champagne After their Saturday night show, The Roots’ guitarist Captain table of course), a mermaid (on the seafood table) and Diana Kirk Douglas showed up at Veet’s with local musician Ben Jerni- towels total be placed in their hotel rooms. Perhaps they like frequent showers! Goddess of Hunt (on the meat table). I am told the local event gan and had a little post-BayFest jam session. company of Barrett Greer was responsible for this over-the-top awesomeness. You can check out the photos and videos for your- Jane’s Addiction show shocks and awes Go see the Mulligan Brothers while you self on their Facebook page. One of the most talked about shows was Jane’s Addiction’s on still can Well kids, that’s all I got this time. Just remember, whether Saturday night. Frontman Perry Ferrell was chugging a bottle of OK, so I’m just going to say it. I think the best show of rain or shine, dramatic or scandalous or some plain ol’ lovin’ in a vodka he eventually gave to someone on the front row. He was BayFest was by our very own Mulligan Brothers. No, I’m not burrito, I will be there. Ciao!

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