Dixie Auto: 45 Years and Still Going

FREE June/July 2018 THESTAR VALLEY SERVING THE TENNESSEE VALLEY www.thevalleystar.net Dixie Auto: 45 years and still going t’s been 45 years since Richard signs of slowing down despite the equipment. The company is still With 45 years of experience and Keyes started Dixie Auto Parts competition of large chain stores in the auto parts business, and being one of the largest stocking Iin Athens with silent partners located in the community. even makes hydraulic hoses. dealers in the country, Dixie Auto H.H. Keyes, his father, and friend, “We’ve grown every year we’ve Dixie Auto Parts employs 15 peo- Parts is well-equipped to handle Carlos Black. A year later, been in business. We started out ple. The company carries Toro, all your outdoor power equipment Richard’s brother, Bill, bought with a full line of auto parts, and Husqvarna, Echo, Shindaiwa, and needs. Black’s share of the business. then in 1978 we bought our first many other brands, as well as Dixie Auto Parts Both the elder Keyes and Black lawn tractors,” Bill said. being a serving dealer for Kohler, 525 Hwy 72 West are deceased, and the business Kawasaki, Honda, and Briggs & Today, the company sells large Athens, Alabama remains in the family with no Stratton engines. numbers of lawn and garden 256-232-8811 THE SONNY SIDE by Sonny Turner Blackberry pickers beware: Chiggers looming 've noticed that blackberry are red in color and may be best vines are loaded this year and appreciated when clustered in THE VALLEY Ithose of you who love to pick groups on the skin. them should expect a good crop Chigger mites infest human skin STAR come July. via areas of contact with Publisher/Editor in Chief The experts say once you see the vegetation, such as pant cuffs or Sonny Turner [email protected] tiny red drupes begin to form shirt sleeves and collars. They 256-431-5498 from the flowers, it will only be migrate on the skin in search of Co-Publisher/Photography two to three weeks until harvest. an optimal feeding area. A Danny Johnson | [email protected] Copy Editor You will know that your common myth about chiggers is Debra Johnson | [email protected] blackberries are ready to harvest that they burrow into and remain Owner when the fruit are completely inside the skin. This is not true. Chris Shindorf Advertising staff: black, but still firm. They will be Chiggers insert their feeding Sonny Turner | 256-431-5498, sweetest in this state. Immature, structures into the skin and inject Danny Johnson | [email protected] not have to worry much about red blackberries will be too tart to enzymes that cause destruction Kathy Thornton | 256-777-1425 ticks like today, but chiggers were eat. If you see soft or moldy of host tissue. bad and loved to bite you all over. So, if you are planning to pick blackberries on the plant, remove Chigger bites themselves do not blackberries this summer, this is The diesel fuel was good at and discard them to prevent produce any long-term a warning to be on the lookout for times, but it never did keep all bacteria or fungi from spreading complications. However, because chiggers. Without some kind of the chiggers off at blackberry to the rest of the plant. of the intense itching, prolonged protection against them, they can picking time. Back then chiggers I remember back years ago we scratching may lead to skin deal you a lot of misery. and blackberries went hand-in- used to go out and pick those wounds that may become Blackberries are delicious, but hand. wild blackberries. We soaked a infected by bacteria. Chiggers in watch out for the chiggers. rag with diesel fuel and rubbed it Chiggers are barely visible to the North America are not known to on our ankles and wrists to ward naked eye. A magnifying glass carry any diseases, unlike some off chiggers. Back then we did may be needed to see them. They other arthropods. LIFE AT 90° © 2016 American Standard Heating & Air Conditioning All rights reserved 1003 South Jefferson St. Athens, Alabama 35611 CONSISTENT COMFORT. BECAUSE SOME LIKE IT HOT. Whatever your perfect temperature, you’ll enjoy consistent comfort with the heating and cooling systems homeowners ranked number one in durability.* American Standard. A higher degree of comfort. Page 2 THEVALLEYSTAR.NET June 8, 2018 Mike Chapman Memorial Music Scholarship 2018 The Mike Chapman Memorial was one of the most sought after Music Scholarship for 2018 was Nashville studio musicians for the presented May 17th, 2018 to past two decades and a member Jennifer Strickert, a Clements High of Garth Brooks studio band the School graduate who will be “G-Men”. Yesterdays Event Center, attending the University of where Chapman had performed Alabama in Huntsville this fall. over a dozen times in the past few Jennifer was a Clements band years, created the scholarship in student for seven years, Mike’s memory in 2016, with performing on a variety of Strickert being the second percussion instruments, and recipient. The $1000.00 Scholar- assumed drumline leadership ship will be presented each year to responsibilities for 2017-18. She a Clements High School plans on taking some music graduating senior who is courses this fall and performing in continuing their pursuit of music the UAH Pep Band. The excellence at a college or presentation was made during the university of their choice. It is a May Senior Lunch Matinee at 501c(3) non-profit charitable Yesterdays Event Center Athens, organization open to outside From left: Mike’s wife Connie Chapman, Yesterdays Event Cen- Al. In attendance were Chapman’s contributions, which are tax ter Director and Scholarship Fund Administrator Glenn Hall, wife Connie, members of the deductible. 2018 Scholarship recipient Jennifer Strickert, and Clements Strickert family, and 230 lunch In addition to the Scholarship, High School Band Director Gary Russell. matinee guests. Yesterdays Event Center presented school’s music department, and County public high school Chapman was an Athens a donation for $1000.00 to plans to make a similar donation beginning in 2019. Limestone County native who lost Clements High School Band to each Athens and Limestone his battle with cancer in 2016. He Director Gary Russell for the ASU to host Flag Day Ceremony thens State’s annual Flag pus. The event, which honors the quartet. Day Ceremony and cookout U.S. flag and our nation’s first re- For more information, please visit Ais scheduled for Thursday, sponders, is free to the public. athens.edu/flagday or contact June 14 at 12:00 noon in the San- Music will be provided by the University Advancement at dridge Student Center Ballroom on Athens State Community Band [email protected] or the Athens State University cam- and Copeland road barbershop 256-233-8215. Golf Classic raises $26,000 for scholarships he Athens State University 1st Place First Flight – Athens Men’s Longest Drive: Russ tary Edu- cation), and Amber Alumni Association hosted Creekside Drugs (Mike McCoy, Mitchell (Health and Wellness). Tthe 27th Annual Golf Classic, Danny Crawford, Rick Mould, Don Women’s Longest Drive: Linda presented by Athens Creekside Bowling) Ekstrom Drugs, on May 19. The event, held 2nd Place Championship Flight – The 2017-2018 golf scholarship at Canebrake Club in Athens, Bank Independent (Jack Bauer, recipients were Jacey (Elementary raised over $26,000 for student Spain Reese, Mike Medlen, and Education), Stephanie (Health and scholarships. The generosity of Scott Smith) Wellness), Gregory (Biology/Edu- golfers, donors, and volunteers 2nd Place First Flight – Athens Pri- cation), Dustin (Mathematics), helped fund student scholarships mary Care Associates (Tracy Ingle, Megan (Early Childhood Educa- ranging in amount from $1,500- Marvin Barkley, Jackie Burgreen, tion), Becky (Special Education K- $4,000 annually. and Jason Murphree) 6), Alexandria (Biology), Brady Prizes were awarded for the follow- Men’s Closest to the Pin: David (History), Cristin (Elementary Edu- ing: Brown cation), Landon (Physical Educa- 1st Place Championship Flight – tion), Bayley (Elementary Women’s Closest to the Pin: First National Bank (Russ Mitchell, Education), Brett (Social Sci- Linda Ekstrom David Hyman, and Charlie Cook) ence/Education), Bailey (Elemen- June 8, 2018 THEVALLEYSTAR.NET Page 3 Garden is growing, so are the weeds By Debra Johnson little late doing this, but still will be when the temps start to get really get the hilling of the potatoes e are in the growing pe- beneficial. Hilling means pulling hot. They are usually harvested taken care of, we will have to put riod of the garden right mounds of dirt up around the after their tops begin to die back. some stakes and wire up for the Wnow. Vine plants are plants. This allows for drainage as We should have squash and cu- beans to climb on. After that, it will spreading, tomatoes are blooming, well as providing more loose dirt cumbers soon. The pole green mainly be maintenance and begin- and we are seeing some of our for the potatoes to grow in. Last beans are beginning to put on ning to gather those fresh vegeta- first fruits, such as peppers. year, we did this by hand, shovel- shoots and will soon be wanting bles! ing dirt. This year, we are trying to Along with the plants growing, so something to climb on to. After we build a device that will automate are the weeds. It is especially hard this process by pulling it behind to keep the weeds out because the tractor. The older we get, the the needed rains come, but then it more we try to reduce our ‘hand is too muddy to get in and till the and back’ labor.

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