Conecuh man on hand for Casablanca Conference in WWII

FDR and Churchhill at Casablanca Conference

While looking through some old editions of The Courant this week, I read where the City of Evergreen recently passed two important anniversaries involving two things that most of us take for granted – street numbers and indoor plumbing.

Eighty-four years ago this week, in the Feb. 28, 1929 edition of The Courant, it was reported that city officials were to begin numbering houses in Evergreen on the following Monday. Reading between the lines, it looked like the city had made arrangements to have all the houses in the city marked with street numbers, which were to be supplied by the Evergreen Sign Shop. I’m not sure where the old Evergreen Sign Shop was located, but the minimum charge for house numbers was set at 25 cents. I don’t know if that means that it was 25 cents per number, but it does sound like the numbers might cost you more if you wanted something more fancy than just regular, old numbers.

Also that week, in the same edition of The Courant, it was reported that the city council had approved a public health ordinance that required the installation of “water closets, privies and dry closets.” The council passed the ordinance during a meeting of the city council that week, and the ordinance also regulated “their type, location, capacity, construction, maintenance and use and to further regulate the town’s water supply.”

A water closet was defined as a room containing a flush toilet, and a dry closet contained what we would consider today an outdated form of toilet that didn’t use water. A privy, also known as an outhouse, was a toilet located in a small shed outside the house. Most of us, myself included, take indoor plumbing for granted nowadays, but there are still a lot of people out there who grew up in houses without indoor plumbing.

Fifteen years later, in the Feb. 24, 1944 edition of The Courant, it was reported that Roland R. Riley had just finished serving 3-1/2 years aboard the USS Memphis, a U.S. Navy cruiser. The most significant thing to occur during Riley’s time aboard the Memphis happened in January 1943 when the cruiser escorted President Franklin Roosevelt to the Casablanca Conference. During that important WWII conference, Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill planned the upcoming invasion of Italy and the island of Sicily.

Last but not least, if you fast-forward ahead 30 more years to the Feb. 28, 1974 edition of The Courant, you’ll read where a young, 33-year-old named Edwin L. Booker made the decision to enter politics for the first time. In that edition of the paper, Booker announced that he’d qualified as a candidate for Conecuh County Sheriff. Booker won that election, and he still serves as Conecuh County Sheriff today.

Also that week, Robert J. “Bob” Floyd also qualified as a candidate for the Conecuh County Board of Education. He’d been appointed to the board in November 1973 to fill the unexpired term of a school board member who was no longer on the board, and he was seeking a full term in office during the ’74 election. Mr. Floyd is still active in the community today and is one of the most respected men in Conecuh County.

2013 World Baseball Classic officially begins on Saturday

If you’re looking for a good sports book to put you in the baseball mood, you might want to check out “Long Shot” by baseball great Mike Piazza and co-author Lonnie Wheeler. Released on Feb. 12, this autobiography of Piazza tells of how he rose from getting picked in the 62nd round of the 1988 baseball draft to become the greatest hitting catcher in the history of major league baseball.

This book must be pretty good because it debuted at No. 13 last Thursday on Publishers Weekly’s hardcover nonfiction bestsellers list. Another baseball book, "Francona: The Red Sox Years" by Terry Francona and Dan Shaughnessy, was No. 8 on that same list. I read that book a few weeks ago, and if you like baseball, I highly recommend that you check it out.

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Something else that might put you in the baseball mood this week is the World Baseball Classic, which is scheduled to begin Saturday in Japan and Taiwan. Teams in this year’s tournament will include Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands, Puerto Rico, Spain, United States and Venezuela. This tournament is always action packed, and every game of it will be televised on the MLB Network if you’d like to check it out.

Founded in 2005, this year’s installment of this international baseball tournament is the third all-time with the first two tourneys played in 2006 and 2009. Japan won both of those earlier tournaments, and the U.S. has never finished higher than fourth place. In other words, even though this event was created in part by Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association, the U.S. is sort of an underdog in the World Baseball Classic. I can’t think of a better reason to watch this year’s tournament and pull for U.S. team.

Players on the U.S. team include Craig Kimbrel, Jimmy Rollins, Mark Teixeira, David Wright and Shane Victorino. Joe Torre is the team’s manager, and Greg Maddux is the pitching coach. Dale Murphy is the first base coach, and Willie Randolph is the third base coach. Larry Bowa is the bench coach.

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From the weird news file this week, I saw an item in Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Wednesday of last week that talked about ultra-marathon runner, Andrew Hedgman of Paeroa, New Zealand. According to Ripley’s, Hedgman ran 621 miles last June from Brisbane to Sydney, Australia in just 15 days.

In February and March 2010, Hedgeman, 25, also ran the entire length of New Zealand in 28 days, an average of 50 miles per day. When you consider that a full marathon is 26.1 miles, this is pretty amazing. He did take one day off during that four-week period as he battled shin splints and a torn muscle.

Hedgeman’s writing a book about his experiences, and I bet it would be pretty interesting to read. It’s not every day that you get to read about a guy who can run that far for that long.

The Evergreen Courant's Sports Flashback for Feb. 28, 2013

Doug Barfield

NINE YEARS AGO
FEB. 26, 2004

“These youngsters would like to remind you that this Sat., Feb. 28, is the last day to sign up to play Little League baseball this summer. Registration tables will be set up at the Evergreen Municipal Park and the Piggly Wiggly parking lot Saturday morning.”

“Evergreen Little League will be holding sign-up for ages 5 –12, T-Ball through Little League, every Saturday in February at the Evergreen Municipal Park and Piggly Wiggly. Each child signing up will receive a free baseball pendant.”

“Steven Crosby and Luke Anthony caught this 33-pound catfish on Wed., Feb. 18, while fishing in the Alabama River.”

24 YEARS AGO
FEB. 23, 1989

“Lady Warriors 2nd in state: The Sparta Academy Lady Warriors made the trip to Montgomery to play in the 1A state tournament. They finished the season as the 1A runner-up to SMCA of Grady.
“In the first game Sparta defeated Warrior Academy of Eutaw, 33-27. Julie Johnson led the way with 13 points. She was followed by Christie Wright with 10. Abbie Till had four, Shawn Hammonds, two, Stacey Holmes, two, and Jennifer Brown, two, to round out the scoring.
“In the championship game, SMCA defeated the Warriors, 44-27. Stacey Holmes and Shawn Hammonds each had eight points. Julie Johnson had seven, and Christie Wright had four to complete the scoring.
“Julie Johnson made the 1A All Tournament Team and was selected to play in the all star game Feb. 25 in Huntingdon College.”

“School Board sued for hiring Coach Barfield: A lawsuit has been filed against the Conecuh County Board of Education for hiring former Auburn University head football coach Doug Barfield as head football coach and athletic director of the new Hillcrest High School.
“The suit, filed Friday in Federal District Court in Montgomery by Conecuh County High School head football coach Danny Covin, also seeks an injunction against the board to prevent spring football practice starting without him (Covin) as head coach.
“Covin claims that the Board of Education had entered into a consent agreement with him that, if the county’s high schools were consolidated, he would be named head football coach.”

39 YEARS AGO
FEB. 28, 1974

“Robin Hart, daughter of Mrs. Billie Hart Faulk of Greenville and the late Glenn Hart of Fairview and granddaughter of Mrs. W.C. Hart, Fairview, is a member of this Fort Dale Academy girls basketball team that recently won the district tournament. Pictured are Nan Dunklin and Carol Williamson, Coach Connie Ansley, Robin Hart, Tonya Cross, Lisa Scrugham and Linda Williams, Kathy Gates, Janie Wall, Beth Snellgrave and Carolyn Johnson, Liz-Bee Walters, Cathy Coker and Linda Gammage.”

84 YEARS AGO
FEB. 28, 1929

“LOCAL GIRLS WIN WAY TO BIG TOURNEY: Aggie Lassies And Frisco City To Play At Montevallo Next Week: Coming through the district tournament unbeaten in the two games played, the Evergreen Aggies girls won the right last week to play in the state tourney at Montevallo March 7, 8 and 9. Together with the Frisco City team, which also came through unscathed, the Aggies will represent southwest Alabama in the state meet.
“Evergreen won its way to the state tourney by nosing out Bay Minette in the final game Saturday night at the armory, 21 to 18, after having previously subdued Camden, 34 to 17. Frisco City defeated Robertsdale and Excel.
“After Saturday morning’s play, three teams, Frisco City, Bay Minette and Evergreen were left in the tourney. As two teams were to represent the district, only one more game was necessary, and it fell to Evergreen and Bay Minette to meet and Frisco City drew a bye.
“The meet was determined highly successful by local officials under whose direction it was staged. Interest and attendance was good and the Aggies made money.
“Miss Sheffield of Castleberry and Miss McMillan of Evergreen were official referees for the tournament while Miss Blackburn of Frisco City was official scorer.
“Eubanks of Bay Minette was high scorer for the tournament with 58 points in three games. She shot 22 against Mobile, 24 against Pine Apple and 12 against Evergreen. Bailey, of Evergreen, was second with 43 and led in average per game as she played in only two games.
“The Evergreen girls will leave Wednesday for Montevallo and the squad of nine or 10 who will make the trip will be picked from the following: guards, Snowden, Stephens, Heffner and Purnell; centers, Kelly, Pierce and Ivey; forwards, Bailey, Andrews and Dickerson; subs, Cox and Simmons.”

“Aggies Leave Thursday For Foley Tournament: The Evergreen Aggies left Thursday for Foley to enter the district boys tournament for South Alabama where they will attempt to emulate the girls and win the right to participate in the state tourney.
“Players picked to make the trip were: Clint Hyde, Billy Kamplain, Wilbur Kelley, Elmer Kelley, Herbert Sanders, Andrew Jay McCreary, Mabry Murphy and J.C. Miller. They will be accompanied by Coach Robinson and Prof. Fisher and will travel in automobiles, one of which was donated for the trip by R.G. Carter.
“Results of the tournament games in which the Aggies participate will be wired to Evergreen and posted in some prominent place downtown. Drawings will begin at 1:30 p.m. Friday and the tournament will begin shortly thereafter and be concluded with the final game Saturday night.
“Approximately $75 was donated by Evergreen citizens to defray the expenses of the team on the trip and before leaving. Coach Robinson expressed, in behalf of the team, appreciation for those who contributed to the fund.
“The Aggies continued to amass victories during the past week, adding four to their string and making it 29 wins to one loss before leaving for Foley. The scores were: Aggies 19, Fort Deposit 7; Aggies 36, Georgiana 17; Aggies 32, Pine Apple 8; Aggies 27, Bay Minette 11.”

Daily Weather Observations for Thurs., Feb. 28, 2013

Temp: 41.5 degrees F

Rainfall (past 24 hours): 0.0 inches

Humidity: 76 percent (Normal)

Conditions: Clear with trace clouds in the south; some standing water in the yard; birds audible and visible; moon visible in the west.

Wind: 0.6 mph out of the West-Northwest.

Barometric Pressure: 29.55 inHg

Week to Date Rainfall: 2.9 inches

Month to Date Rainfall: 12.5 inches

Year to Date Rainfall: 16.00 inches

NOTES: Today is the 59th day of 2013 and the 70th day of Winter. There are 306 days left in the year.

Readings taken at 0700 hrs Central Standard Time (1300 GMT) daily, just west of the Monroe-Conecuh County line, near Excel, Alabama, USA, in the vicinity of Lat 31.42834°N Lon 87.30131°W. Elevation: 400 feet above sea level. CoCoRaHS Station No. AL-MN-4, Station Name: Excel 2.5 ESE.

Historic marker describes the past of the St. Stephens Masonic lodge

This week’s featured historical marker is the marker in front of the old Masonic lodge at St. Stephens, Ala.

The marker is located in downtown St. Stephens on St. Stephens Ave., across the street from the post office and southeast of the First Baptist Church of St. Stephens. The Alabama Historical Association erected the two-sided marker in 1973. What follows is the complete text from both sides of the marker:

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“OLD ST. STEPHENS MASONIC LODGE NO. 9 (1821-1834): CHARTER AND EARLY MEMBERS WERE: Gov. Israel Pickens, Col. Silas Dinsmore, Thomas Eastin, R. Chamberlain, Thomas Malone, J.F. Ross, Daniel Coleman, John Womack, W.D. Gaines, James Roberts, James K. Blount, Ptolemy Harris, F.S. Lyon, Micajah Brewer and John F. McGrew. One of nine lodges that organized the Grand Lodge of Alabama at Cahaba in 1821, but Masonry existed here as early as 1811.”

“ST. STEPHENS LODGE NO. 81: After the decline of Old St. Stephens, a lodge was organized and chartered here in 1854. Minutes kept and meetings held continuously since charter date at this site. CHARTER AND EARLY MEMBERS WERE: T.P. Ashe, W.A. Bailey, Thos. H. Bailey, F.W. Baker, James K. Blount, R.L. Bowling, W.F. Brunson, John W. Carpenter, E.H. Gordy, Jackson W. Faith, James G. Hawkins, F.C. Koen, T.S. Parker, Daniel Rain, Benton C. Rain, John A. Richardson, James White and Walter Woodyard.”

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For those of you unfamiliar with St. Stephens, it’s located near the Tombigbee River in Washington County, Ala., north of Mobile. Less than 500 people live there today, but it was a major city during Alabama’s early history. In fact, before Alabama was a state and still a U.S. territory, St. Stephens was the territorial capital.

The old St. Stephens Masonic lodge building, which is also called the St. Stephens Courthouse, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The local historical commission now operates a visitors center and museum out of building nowadays, but the day I paid a visit to St. Stephens it was closed. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.

St. Stephens Lodge No. 81 is still in existence today, and its members attend lodge meetings in a modern single-story lodge building next door to the old lodge building. The cornerstone of that building reads as follows – “ST. STEPHENS LODGE NO. 81, F&A MASONS OF ALABAMA, CHARTER DEC. 8 AL5854, JERRY M. UNDERWOOD, GRANDMASTER; G. LEON COX, WORSHIPFUL MASTER; 18 SEPT. 1999 – AL 5999, S.G. DANIELS, SECRETARY.”

If you decide to visit St. Stephens today be sure to continue down St. Stevens Avenue to Old St. Stephens Historical Park, which is the site of a ghost town located on a high bluff overlooking the Tombigbee River. The trip is a must for anyone interested in Alabama history.

In the end, visit this site next Wednesday to learn about another local historical marker. I’m also taking suggestions from the reading audience, so if you know of an interesting historical marker that you’d like me to feature, let me know in the comments section below.

This week's movie picks are 'The Last Exorcism, Part II' and 'Breaking Dawn, Part II'

It’s Wednesday, so today I give you my weekly list of movies that will open in theatres this week as well as a list of movies that will be released this week on DVD.

I hope this will serve as a useful guide as to what’s going on this week if you happen to be near a movie theatre or if you’re looking for something to drop into your NetFlix queue or pick up at the local Redbox.

Movies that are scheduled to hit theatres this week include:

- 21 & Over (Comedy, R): Directed by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore and starring Miles Teller, Justin Chon, Skylar Astin, Sarah Wright and Samantha Futerman.

- Day of the Falcon (Drama, Adventure, R): Directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud and starring Mark Strong, Antonio Banderas, Freida Pinto, Corey Johnson and Tahar Rahim.

- The End of Love (Drama): Directed by Mark Webber and starring Webber, Shannyn Sossamon, Isaac Love, Michael Cera and Amanda Seyfried.

- Evocateur: The Morton Downey Jr. Movie (Documentary, R): Directed by Seth Kramer and Daniel A. Miller and starring Gloria Allred, Michele Bachmann, Glenn Beck, Richard Bey and Bill Boggs.

- Jack the Giant Slayer (Adventure, Fantasy, PG-13): Directed by Bryan Singer and starring Nicholas Hoult, Ewan McGregor, Eleanor Tomlinson, Stanley Tucci and Warwick Davis.

- The Last Exorcism: Part II (Horror, Suspense, R): Directed by Ed Gass-Donnelly and starring Ashley Bell, Judd Lormand, Spencer Treat Clark, Julia Garner and E. Roger Mitchell.

- Phantom (Action, Suspense, R): Directed by Todd Robinson and starring Ed Harris, David Duchovny, William Fichtner, Lance Henriksen and Jonathon Schaech.

- A Place at the Table (Documentary, PG): Directed by Kristi Jacobson and Lori Silverbush and starring Jeff Bridges and Tom Colicchio.

- The Playback Singer (Comedy, Drama): Directed by Suju Vijayan and starring Ross Partridge, Navi Rawat, Piyush Mishra, Joe Towne and Betsy Beutler.

- Stoker (Suspense, Drama, R): Directed by Chan-wook Park and starring Nicole Kidman, Mia Wasikowska, Matthew Goode, Dermot Mulroney and Lucas Till.

New DVD releases this week include:

- Border Run (Suspense, Drama, R): Directed by Gabriela Tagliavini and starring Sharon Stone, Billy Zane, Rosemberg Salgado, Miguel Rodarte and Giovanna Zacarias.

- Chasing Mavericks (Drama, Family, PG): Directed by Curtis Hanson and starring Gerard Butler, Elisabeth Shue, Leven Rambin, Abigail Spencer and Taylor Handley.

- Chicken with Plums (Drama, Comedy, PG-13): Directed by Vincent Paronnaud and Marjane Satrapi and starring Mathieu Amalric, Edouard Baer, Maria de Medeiros, Golshifteh Farahani and Eric Caravaca.

- Company of Heroes (War, Action, R): Directed by Don Michael Paul and starring Chad Michael Collins, Dimitri Diatchenko, Vinnie Jones, Melia Kreiling and Neal McDonough.

- Freaky Deaky (Comedy, Suspense, R): Directed by Charles Matthau and starring Billy Burke, Christian Slater, Michael Jai White, Crispin Glover and Roger Bart.

- Girls Against Boys (Horror, Suspense, R): Directed by Austin Chick and starring Nicole LaLiberte, Danielle Panabaker, Michael Stahl-David, Liam Aiken and Will Brill.

- Hardflip (Drama, PG-13): Directed by Johnny Remo and starring Randy Wayne, John Schneider, Rosanna Arquette, Sean Michael Afable and Jason Dundas.

- Man from Shaolin (Action, Drama, PG-13): Directed by Peng Zhang Li and starring Li, Brian Ames, Linda Elena Toyar, Jasmine Galante and Stass Klassen.

- The Master (Drama, R): Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson and starring Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jesse Plemons and Laura Dern.

- The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part II (Drama, PG-13): Directed by Bill Condon and starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Dakota Fanning and Ashley Greene.

If I could only watch one movie at the theatre this week, it would be “The Last Exorcism: Part II,” and if I had to pick just one DVD to rent this week, it would be “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part II.”

In the end, let me know if you get a chance to watch any of the new movies in theatres this week or if you’ve already seen any of the movies that have just been released on DVD. What did you think about them? Which would you recommend? Let us know in the comments section below.

Daily Weather Observations for Wed., Feb. 27, 2013

Temp: 43.7 degrees F

Rainfall (past 24 hours): 0.05 inches

Humidity: 81 percent (Normal)

Conditions: Mostly cloudy; some standing water in the yard; birds audible and visible.

Wind: 0.0 mph (No wind)

Barometric Pressure: 29.48 inHg

Week to Date Rainfall: 2.9 inches

Month to Date Rainfall: 12.5 inches

Year to Date Rainfall: 16.00 inches

NOTES: Today is the 58th day of 2013 and the 69th day of Winter. There are 307 days left in the year.

Readings taken at 0700 hrs Central Standard Time (1300 GMT) daily, just west of the Monroe-Conecuh County line, near Excel, Alabama, USA, in the vicinity of Lat 31.42834°N Lon 87.30131°W. Elevation: 400 feet above sea level. CoCoRaHS Station No. AL-MN-4, Station Name: Excel 2.5 ESE.

How many of these all-time Best Picture winners have YOU watched?

The 85th Annual Academy Awards were presented Sunday, and “Argo” received this year’s Academy Award for Best Picture. “Brave” received top honors as Best Animated Film Feature, and “Searching for Sugar Man” won for Best Documentary Feature.

Some of you will remember that in November 2010, I launched a movie-watching project in which I aim to watch all of the Best Picture winners, going all the way back to the first Best Picture winner in 1927. To date, I’ve managed to watch 81 of the 84 all-time winners. This project has taken some time, and it would have been very difficult to accomplish without the aid of NetFlix.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Academy Award for Best Picture, which is awarded each year by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, it is considered the most important of the Academy Awards. There was no Best Picture award in 1927. Instead, the award was called Most Outstanding Production. The following year, the name of the award was changed to Best Production. In 1931, the title of the award was changed to Best Picture.

Before I close this thing out today, I want to give you a complete, updated list of the all-time Best Picture Award winners, starting with the most recent winner and working my way back. Without further ado, here’s the list:

2012 – Argo
2011 – The Artist
2010 – The King’s Speech

2009 – The Hurt Locker
2008 – Slumdog Millionaire
2007 – No Country for Old Men
2006 – The Departed
2005 – Crash
2004 – Million Dollar Baby
2003 – The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
2002 – Chicago
2001 – A Beautiful Mind
2000 – Gladiator

1999 – American Beauty
1998 – Shakespeare in Love
1997 – Titanic
1996 – The English Patient
1995 – Braveheart
1994 – Forrest Gump
1993 – Schindler’s List
1992 – Unforgiven
1991 – The Silence of the Lambs
1990 – Dances with Wolves

1989 – Driving Miss Daisy
1988 – Rain Man
1987 – The Last Emporer
1986 – Platoon
1985 – Out of Africa
1984 – Amadeus
1983 – Terms of Endearment
1982 – Gandhi
1981 – Chariots of Fire
1980 – Ordinary People

1979 – Kramer vs. Kramer
1978 – The Deer Hunter
1977 – Annie Hall
1976 – Rocky
1975 – One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
1974 – The Godfather: Part II
1973 – The Sting
1972 – The Godfather
1971 – The French Connection
1970 – Patton

1969 – Midnight Cowboy
1968 – Oliver!
1967 – In the Heat of the Night
1966 – A Man for All Seasons
1965 – The Sound of Music
1964 – My Fair Lady
1963 – Tom Jones
1962 – Lawrence of Arabia
1961 – West Side Story
1960 – The Apartment

1959 – Ben-Hur
1958 – Gigi
1957 – The Bridge on the River Kwai
1956 – Around the World in 80 Days
1955 – Marty
1954 – On the Waterfront
1953 – From Here to Eternity
1952 – The Greatest Show on Earth
1951 – An American in Paris
1950 – All About Eve

1949 – All the King’s Men
1948 – Hamlet
1947 – Gentleman’s Agreement
1946 – The Best Years of Our Lives
1945 – The Lost Weekend
1944 – Going My Way
1943 – Casablanca
1942 – Mrs. Miniver
1941 – How Green Was My Valley
1940 – Rebecca

1939 – Gone with the Wind
1938 – You Can’t Take It With You
1937 – The Life of Emile Zola
1936 – The Great Ziegfeld
1935 – Mutiny on the Bounty
1934 – It Happened One Night
1933 – Cavalcade
1931-1932 – Grand Hotel
1930-1931 – Cimarron

1929-1930 – All Quiet on the Western Front
1928-1929 – The Broadway Melody
1927-1928 – Wings

I’m sure that more than a few of you have seen a number of these movies, especially those that were released in the past decade. In the end, how many of these movies have you seen? What did you think about them? Which would you recommend? Let us know in the comments section below.

Daily Weather Observations for Tues., Feb. 26, 2013

Temp: 51.4 degrees F

Rainfall (past 24 hours): 1.85 inches

Humidity: 72 percent (Normal)

Conditions: Partly cloudy; standing water in the yard; birds audible and visible.

Wind: 2.6 mph out of the Southwest.

Barometric Pressure: 29.13 inHg

Week to Date Rainfall: 2.85 inches

Month to Date Rainfall: 12.45 inches

Year to Date Rainfall: 15.95 inches

NOTES: Today is the 57th day of 2013 and the 68th day of Winter. There are 308 days left in the year.

Readings taken at 0700 hrs Central Standard Time (1300 GMT) daily, just west of the Monroe-Conecuh County line, near Excel, Alabama, USA, in the vicinity of Lat 31.42834°N Lon 87.30131°W. Elevation: 400 feet above sea level. CoCoRaHS Station No. AL-MN-4, Station Name: Excel 2.5 ESE.

LIFE LIST UPDATE – No. 203: Eat catfish at the Stage Coach Café in Stockton

I scratched another item off my “life list” Friday night when I ate catfish at the Stage Coach Café in Stockton, Ala. This is something I’ve wanted to do ever since the Alabama State Tourism Department named the Stage Coach Café’s catfish to its famous “100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die” list several years ago. To say that it was some of the best catfish I’ve ever eaten would be an understatement.

On Friday night, my wife and I, along with our youngest, made the trip to the Stage Coach Cafe, arriving there around 6:30 p.m. My wife claims that we’d eaten dinner there before, several years ago, but as best that I can remember, the only time I’d ever been to the Stage Coach Cafe was for breakfast almost 10 years ago. In any case, I was certain that I’d never eaten catfish there.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Stage Coach Café, it’s located at 52860 State Highway 59 in Stockton, which is an unincorporated community in Baldwin County. Aside from the Stage Coach Café, the community’s other claims to fame are the Bottle Creek Indian Mounds and the fact that one of the old “Friday the 13th” movies was shot in the area. If you’re traveling on Interstate Highway 65, exit the highway at the Stockton Exit and travel west on Highway 59 until you reach the restaurant. You can’t miss it.

The restaurant itself is located in a large, comfortable building that’s tastefully decorated and comes complete with plenty of places to sit. For a Friday night in February, there were a fair number of people inside the restaurant, but the place is large enough that you don’t feel crammed inside. The staff also kept a steady stream of food supplied to the buffet, which offered patrons with a wide variety of selections.

I was there for the catfish, but I also sampled their rice and gumbo, fried shrimp, fried oysters and spicy hushpuppies. My wife sampled the boiled shrimp, but unfortunately neither of use had room for the barbecue ribs that looked deliciously awesome. I also indulged in one of the restaurant’s dessert selections, which included ice cream and three different types of cobbler.

I was also impressed by the restaurant’s waitresses. Not only were they courteous, but they also kept our glasses filled and asked us numerous times if we needed anything. They genuinely seemed to care that we were having a nice meal and didn’t appear to be just going through the motions. Nowadays, this level of service is rare, so I give them an A+ in this area.

We definitely plan to return to Stockton’s Stage Coach Café, and next time I fully intend to leave room for the barbecue ribs that I didn’t get around to on Friday night. In the end, how many of you have ever eaten the catfish at the Stage Coach Café in Stockton? What did you think about it? Where would you rank it among catfish you’ve eaten in other places? Let us know in the comments section below.

The Evergreen Courant's News Flashback for Feb. 25, 2013

USS Memphis

NINE YEARS AGO
FEB. 26, 2004

“Dr. James Lamar Jackson, a minister who worked with the Alabama Baptist State Convention, passed away Sun., Feb. 22, 2004 at his home in Evergreen. He was 86.”

“Barnes Family Medical Associates is pleased to announce that beginning March 1, Dr. Drew G. Freeman will begin seeing patients.
“Dr. Freeman moved to Evergreen from Georgia where he completed his medical education.”

“Frankie Gibson, daughter of Robert and Lisa Gibson, won the AISA state spelling bee at Huntingdon College in Montgomery on Tues., Feb. 10, 2004. She is in the seventh grade at Sparta Academy.”

Weatherman Harry Ellis reported that Evergreen received .02 inches of rain on Feb. 16.

“Air Force Airman Justin D. Pemberton has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.”

“The Conecuh County Chapter of the Alabama Treasure Forest Association planted a tree in front of Evergreen Elementary School on Tues., Feb. 24, in celebration of Arbor Day. Evergreen Mayor Lomax Cassady, as well as members of Mrs. Kit Moss’s second grade class, were on hand for the tree planting ceremony. Don Stinson and Victor Howell represented the Conecuh chapter of the ATFA.”

24 YEARS AGO
FEB. 23, 1989

“Missi Sanford, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David Sanford, was named Miss Alpha at Sparta Academy’s annual pageant in the school gymnasium. Traci Booker, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Booker, was named first alternate and Abbie Till, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Max Till, was named second alternate.”

“Recently, there have been two confirmed cases of rabies in the Owassa area. One case involved a raccoon that ventured into someone’s yard and fought with the family dog. Another case involved a family dog.”

“Evergreen volunteer firemen fight to put out a burning car that burst into flames after landing on top of a propane gas tank Thursday morning in an accident about six miles from Evergreen on the Brooklyn Road. The tank was in the yard of the home of David Jackson and Donald Jackson. The late model car driven at a high rate of speed apparently went out of control in a curve, left the road and landed on top of a propane gas tank and immediately exploded, burning the driver inside the car.”

“Harry Ellis reports .06 of an inch of rain on Feb. 17, .21 on Feb. 18, .01 on Feb. 19 and 1.1 on Feb. 20.”

“The City of Evergreen recently recognized these employees for 15 years of service: City Councilman T.L. Sims, Stanley Bullock, Willie Dailey, Chief Leroy hall, Lt. Ernest Section, City Administrator Curtis Hamilton and Mayor Lee F. Smith.”

39 YEARS AGO
FEB. 28, 1974

“Earl Windham reports a total of 4.1 inches of rain this month through Feb. 21. Dates and amounts were: Feb. 6, 1 inch; Feb. 7, 2.4; Feb. 15, 0.3; Feb. 19, 0.3; and Feb. 21, 0.8.”

“Edwin L. Booker, 33, an Evergreen policeman, qualified Monday as a candidate for Sheriff of Conecuh County. It is his first venture in politics.
“Booker grew up in the Pine Orchard community in the northwest corner of Conecuh County. He graduated from Beatrice High School, students in that part of Conecuh attending that school then.
“Booker worked with Flxible Southern Co. for seven years, was shop foreman for Cotton-Hutcheson, Inc. for a year and has been on the local police force for nearly a year. He served for three years as an auxiliary deputy sheriff.”

“Robert J. (Bob) Floyd of Rt. C, Evergreen, has qualified as a candidate for member of the Conecuh County Board of Education, Place 4. Bob Floyd was appointed to the board by other members to carry out an unexpired term in November 1973 and is now seeking a full term of office.”

“The Depot Committee, appointed recently by the Evergreen City Council, met Monday morning with Dan G. Powers, president of The Cradle of the Confederacy Railroad Museum in Montgomery.”

69 YEARS AGO
FEB. 24, 1944

“Report of Evergreen Library for the month of February is as follows: Visitors, 304; books read, 266; and five new books received. Mrs. Mattie Lou Donald, Lib’n.”

“Mrs. Harold Bell and Mrs. Earl Sims spent Monday and Tuesday in Birmingham and attended the demonstration of Cold waving hair styling and shaping at the Thomas Jefferson Hotel.”

“Ensign Devon King, USNR, who graduated recently from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at King’s Point Long Island, is spending two weeks at home.”

“Roland R. Riley, mm1/c, USN, son of Mr. and Mrs. S.T. Riley, is now enrolled at the NTS (Turbo-Electric), General Electric Co., Syracuse, New York. He served aboard the USS Memphis for 3-1/2 years.”

“Specialist First Class (Recruiter) W.D. Paisley, Petty Officer in Charge of the Navy Recruiting Station, Evergreen, won honors in the recruitment of young men 17 and 18 years of age for naval aviation training in competition with 73 Southern recruiting stations, 11 of which are in Alabama, Lt. C.S. Carroll, Officer in Charge in Alabama announced.”

“Funeral services for Claude E. Hamilton, Sr., 74, who died in a Birmingham hospital at 10 p.m. Tuesday night will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday from the residence in Greenville.
“Born here Jan. 10, 1870, he received his early education in local schools, and at Holbrook School in Lebanon, Ohio. He was a prominent figure in the State Bar Association, and served as its president at one time.”

84 YEARS AGO
FEB. 28, 1929

“THREE FIRES IN EVERGREEN: Evergreen had three fires Sunday and Monday. On Sunday the residence of Dave Royster, near the negro school building, was destroyed. On Monday, the roofs on the home of J.I. Spence was slightly damaged while on the same date the private garage of Mrs. W.C. Carter was destroyed.”
“Evergreen Lions held their regular weekly luncheon at the club rooms in Newton Hall Wednesday with a large attendance. There were no discussions of special interest.”

“NUMBERING STARTS MONDAY: Numbering of Evergreen houses will begin Monday.
“Complete arrangements for the task have been worked out by town officials and the Evergreen Sign Shop.
“The minimum charge for numbers will be 25 cents.”

“An ordinance designed to protect the public health by making compulsory the installation of water closets, privies and dry closets and regulating their type, location, capacity, construction, maintenance and use and to further regulate the town’s water supply was enacted at a meeting of the town council of Evergreen Tuesday.”

“Confederate Veterans Dies At Age of 89: John J. Booker, well known and highly respected citizen of this county, died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Joe Andrews near Belleville, Feb. 16. Deceased was a native of Conecuh County, having been reared in what is known as the Lone Star community near Skinnerton. He was a veteran of the War between the States and at the time of his death was 89 years old. Interment was made in Lone Star cemetery Sun., Feb. 17.”

Daily Weather Observations for Mon., Feb. 25, 2013

Temp: 54.1 degrees F

Rainfall (past 24 hours): 1.0 inches

Humidity: 84 percent (Humid)

Conditions: Raining with overcast skies; lots of standing water in the yard; birds audible and visible; security light still on in the yard.

Wind: Not measured due to heavy rain.

Barometric Pressure: 29.35 inHg

Week to Date Rainfall: 1.0 inches

Month to Date Rainfall: 10.6 inches

Year to Date Rainfall: 14.1 inches

NOTES: Today is the 56th day of 2013 and the 67th day of Winter. There are 309 days left in the year.

Readings taken at 0700 hrs Central Standard Time (1300 GMT) daily, just west of the Monroe-Conecuh County line, near Excel, Alabama, USA, in the vicinity of Lat 31.42834°N Lon 87.30131°W. Elevation: 400 feet above sea level. CoCoRaHS Station No. AL-MN-4, Station Name: Excel 2.5 ESE.

Mike Piazza bio, 'Long Shot,' appears on best-sellers list this week

Today is Sunday, so that means that it’s time for my weekly breakdown of this week’s Publishers Weekly Best-Sellers Lists. According to the lists, there are two new books at the top of the four major best-sellers lists this week.

"A Week in Winter" by Maeve Binchy replaced "Until the End of Time" by Danielle Steel as the No. 1 book on the hardcover fiction best-sellers list.

"Life Code: The New Rules for Winning in the Real World" by Phil McGraw replaced "Shred: The Revolutionary Diet: 6 Weeks 4 Inches 2 Sizes" by Ian K. Smith as the top book on the hardcover nonfiction best-sellers list.

"American Sniper" by Chris Kyle, Scott McEwen and Jim DeFelice remained the top book on the mass market paperback best-sellers list for the second straight week.

"Proof of Heaven" by Eben Alexander remained the No. 1 book on the trade paperbacks best-sellers list for the 12th week in a row.

There were five books on this week’s hardcover fiction best-sellers list that weren’t on that list last week. They (and their places on the list) included "A Week in Winter" by Maeve Binchy (1), "Guilt: An Alex Delaware Novel" by Jonathan Kellerman (2), "The Power Trip" by Jackie Collins (6), "The Night Ranger" by Alex Berenson (14) and "The Dinner" by Herman Koch (15).

There were six books on this week’s hardcover nonfiction best-sellers list that weren’t on the list last week. They included "Life Code: The New Rules for Winning in the Real World" by Phil McGraw (1), "Coolidge" by Amity Shlaes (6), "Slim for Life: My Insider Secrets to Simple, Fast, and Lasting Weight Loss" by Jillian Michaels (7), "Drinking and Tweeting: And Other Brandi Blunders" by Brandi Glanville and Leslie Bruce (12), "Long Shot" by Mike Piazza and Lonnie Wheeler (13) and "Manology: Secrets of Your Man's Mind Revealed" by Tyrese Gibson, Rev Run and Chris Morrow (15).

There was only one new book on this week’s mass market paperbacks best-sellers list that wasn’t on the list last week - "Stay Close" by Harlan Coben, which was No. 3 on the list.

There were four books on this week’s trade paperbacks best-sellers list that weren’t on the list last week. They included "Private" by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro (9), "The Best of Me" by Nicholas Sparks (12), "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky (13) and "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel (14).

As a reminder, I’m posting these lists each Sunday because they, as a whole, represent a great, contemporary recommended reading list. These lists are initially released each week on Thursday, and if you’re interested in reading them then, visit Publishers Weekly’s Web site at www.publishersweekly.com. Below you’ll find all four of this week’s best-seller lists.

HARDCOVER FICTION
1. "A Week in Winter" by Maeve Binchy
2. "Guilt: An Alex Delaware Novel" by Jonathan Kellerman
3. "Until the End of Time" by Danielle Steel
4. "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn
5. "Private Berlin" by James Patterson and Mark Sullivan
6. "The Power Trip" by Jackie Collins
7. "A Memory of Light" by Robert Jordan
8. "Tenth of December: Stories" by George Saunders
9. "Touch & Go" by Lisa Gardner
10. "The Racketeer" by John Grisham
11. "The Fifth Assasin" by Brad Meltzer
12. "A Deeper Love Inside" by Sister Souljah
13. "Suspect" by Robert Crais
14. "The Night Ranger" by Alex Berenson
15. "The Dinner" by Herman Koch

HARDCOVER NONFICTION
1. "Life Code" by Phil McGraw
2. "Killing Kennedy" by Bill O'Reilly
3. "The Legend of Zelda" by Shigeru Miyamoto
4. "My Beloved World" by Sonia Sotomayor
5. "Shred: The Revolutionary Diet: 6 Weeks 4 Inches 2 Sizes" by Ian K. Smith
6. "Coolidge" by Amity Shlaes
7. "Slim for Life" by Jillian Michaels
8. "Francona: The Red Sox Years" by Terry Francona and Dan Shaughnessy
9. "No Easy Day" by Mark Owen
10. "I Declare: 31 Promises to Speak" by Joel Osteen
11. "The Future" by Al Gore
12. "Drinking and Tweeting" by Brandi Glanville and Leslie Bruce
13. "Long Shot" by Mike Piazza and Lonnie Wheeler
14. "Barefoot Contessa Foolproof: Recipes You Can Trust" by Ina Garten
15. "Manology" by Tyrese Gibson, Rev Run and Chris Morrow

MASS MARKET PAPERBACKS
1. "American Sniper" by Chris Kyle, Scott McEwen and Jim DeFelice
2. "Betrayal" by Danielle Steel
3. "Stay Close" by Harlan Coben
4. "Kill Me If You Can" by James Patterson, Marshall Karp
5. "Love in Plain Sight" by Debbie Macomber
6. "Safe Haven" by Nicholas Sparks
7. "Close Your Eyes" by Iris Johansen
8. "Criminal" by Karin Slaughter
9. "The Hunter" by John Lescroat
10. "Angel Mine" by Sherryl Woods
11. "Just Kate" by Linda Lael Miller
12. "Nineteen Minutes" by Jodi Picoult
13. "The Trail West" by William W. Johnstone
14. "The Last Mountain Man" by William W. Johnstone
15. "Shelter Mountain" by Robyn Carr

TRADE PAPERBACKS
1. "Proof of Heaven" by Eben Alexander
2. "Fifty Shades of Grey" by E.L. James
3. "Safe Haven" by Nicholas Sparks
4. "From Mama's Table to Mine" by Bobby Deen and Melissa Clark
5. "Fifty Shades Darker" by E.L. James
6. "Fifty Shades Freed" by E.L. James
7. "The Paris Wife" by Paula McLain
8. "ObamaCare Survival Guide" by Nick J. Tate
9. "Private" by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
10. "Quiet" by Susan Cain
11. "Low Pressure" by Sandra Brown
12. "The Best of Me" by Nicholas Sparks
13. "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky
14. "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel
15. "Rush" by Maya Banks

In the end, let me know if you’ve had a chance to read any of these books. What did you think about them? Which would you recommend? Let us know in the comments section below.

Daily Weather Observations for Sun., Feb. 24, 2013

Temp: 45.9 degrees F

Rainfall (past 24 hours): 0.1 inches

Humidity: 88 percent (Humid)

Conditions: Overcast; lots of standing water in the yard; birds audible and visible; fog with visibility less than 1/2 a mile; patches of spider webs visible in the grass.

Wind: 0.1 mph out of the North.

Barometric Pressure: 29.53 inHg

Week to Date Rainfall: 3.65 inches

Month to Date Rainfall: 9.6 inches

Year to Date Rainfall: 13.1 inches

NOTES: Today is the 55th day of 2013 and the 66th day of Winter. There are 310 days left in the year.

Readings taken at 0700 hrs Central Standard Time (1300 GMT) daily, just west of the Monroe-Conecuh County line, near Excel, Alabama, USA, in the vicinity of Lat 31.42834°N Lon 87.30131°W. Elevation: 400 feet above sea level. CoCoRaHS Station No. AL-MN-4, Station Name: Excel 2.5 ESE.

Who do YOU think will carry home this year's Nebula Award for Best Novel?

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association released on Wednesday its slate of nominees for this year’s Nebula Awards, which are given annually by the SFWA to recognize the best science fiction and fantasy fiction published in the U.S. during the previous year.

This year, awards will be given in six categories, including best novel, best novelette, best novella and best short story. There are also two special awards – the Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy Book and the Ray Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation.

The Nebula Awards are voted on by active members of the SFWA, and the winners will be announced during an awards banquet on May 19 in San Jose, Calif.

The Nebula Award that I keep an eye on each year is the Nebula for Best Novel. This year’s slate of nominees for Best Novel includes the following six novels.

- “Throne of the Crescent Moon” by Saladin Ahmed

- “Ironskin” by Tina Connolly

- “The Killing Moon” by N.K. Jemisin

- “The Drowning Girl” by Caitlin R. Kieman

- “Glamour in Glass” by Mary Robinette Kowal

- “2312” by Kim Stanley Robinson

The first Nebula Awards were awarded in 1965, and, as you might imagine, more than a few outstanding and famous sci-fi and fantasy novels have received the Best Novel award over the years. What follows is a complete of the Best Novel winners over the years.

1965 – “Dune” by Frank Herbert*
1966 (tie) – “Babel-17” by Samuel R. Delany and “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes
1967 – “The Einstein Intersection” by Samuel R. Delany
1968 – “Rite of Passage” by Alexei Panshin
1969 – “The Left Hand of Darkness” by Ursula K. Le Guin

1970 – “Ringworld” by Larry Niven
1971 – “A Time of Changes” by Robert Silverberg
1972 – “The Gods Themselves” by Isaac Asimov
1973 – “Rendezvous with Rama” by Arthur C. Clarke*
1974 – “The Dispossessed” by Ursula K. Le Guin

1975 – “The Forever War” by Joe Haldeman
1976 – “Man Plus” by Frederick Pohl
1977 – “Gateway” by Frederick Pohl
1978 – “Dreamsnake” by Vonda McIntyre
1979 – “The Fountains of Paradise” by Arthur C. Clarke

1980 – “Timescape” by Gregory Benford
1981 – “The Claw of the Conciliator” by Gene Wolfe
1982 – “No Enemy But Time” by Michael Bishop
1983 – “Startide Rising” by David Brin
1984 – “Neuromancer” by William Gibson*

1985 – “Ender’s Game” by Orson Scott Card*
1986 – “Speaker for the Dead” by Orson Scott Card
1987 – “The Falling Woman” by Pat Murphy
1988 – “Falling Free” by Lois McMaster Bujold
1989 – “The Healer’s War” by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough

1990 – “Tehanu: The Last Book of Earthsea” by Ursula K. Le Guin
1991 – “Stations of the Tide” by Michael Swanwick
1992 – “Doomsday Book” by Connie Willis
1993 – “Red Mars” by Kim Stanley Robinson
1994 – “Moving Mars” by Greg Bear

1995 – “The Terminal Experiment” by Robert J. Sawyer
1996 – “Slow River” by Nicola Griffith
1997 – “The Moon and the Sun” by Vonda McIntyre
1998 – “Forever Peace” by Joe Haldeman
1999 – “Parable of the Talents” by Octavia E. Butler

2000 – “Darwin’s Radio” by Greg Bear
2001 – “The Quantum Rose” by Catherine Asaro
2002 – “American Gods” by Neil Gaiman
2003 – “The Speed of Dark” by Elizabeth Moon
2004 – “Paladin of Souls” by Lois McMaster Bujold

2005 – “Camouflage” by Joe Haldeman
2006 – “Seeker” by Jack McDevitt
2007 – “The Yiddish Policemen’s Union” by Michael Chabon
2008 – “Powers” by Ursula K. Le Guin
2009 – “The Windup Girl” by Paolo Bacigalupi

2010 – “Blackout/All Clear” by Connie Willis
2011 – “Among Others” by Jo Waltons

Have you had a chance to read any of this year’s Best Novel nominees? Which did you like? Which do you think will win this year’s Nebula for Best Novel? How many of the past winners for Best Novel have you read? Which of did you like? Which would you recommend? Let us know in the comments section below.

For more information about the Nebula Awards, including the nominees in other categories this year, visit the SFWA’s website at www.sfwa.org.

(* Those that I've read as of this writing.)

Daily Weather Observations for Sat., Feb. 23, 2013

Temp: 52.5 degrees F

Rainfall (past 24 hours): 1.75 inches

Humidity: 86 percent (Humid)

Conditions: Overcast; lots of standing water in the yard; birds audible and visible; security lights still on in the distance.

Wind: 4.2 mph out of the North-Northwest.

Barometric Pressure: 29.43 inHg

Week to Date Rainfall: 3.55 inches

Month to Date Rainfall: 9.5 inches

Year to Date Rainfall: 13.0 inches

NOTES: Today is the 54th day of 2013 and the 65th day of Winter. There are 311 days left in the year.

Readings taken at 0700 hrs Central Standard Time (1300 GMT) daily, just west of the Monroe-Conecuh County line, near Excel, Alabama, USA, in the vicinity of Lat 31.42834°N Lon 87.30131°W. Elevation: 400 feet above sea level. CoCoRaHS Station No. AL-MN-4, Station Name: Excel 2.5 ESE.

Which of the 'Hellboy' trade paperback collections is the best overall?

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. I’m a huge fan of the two, live-action Hellboy movies, “Hellboy” and “Hellboy II: The Golden Army,” and to feed my hunger for all things Hellboy, I set out a year or so ago to read all of the Hellboy trade paperback collections.

Recently, I scratched one more of these awesome books off the list of those I hadn’t read – “Hellboy, Vol. 8: The Wild Hunt.”

Earlier this year, I finished “Hellboy, Vol. 1: Seed of Destruction, “Hellboy, Vol. 2: Wake the Devil,” “Hellboy, Vol. 3: The Chained Coffin and Others,” “Hellboy, Vol. 4: The Right Hand of Doom,” “Hellboy, Vol. 5: Conquer Worm,” “Hellboy, Vol. 6: Strange Places,” “Hellboy, Vol. 7: The Troll Witch and Others” and “Hellboy, Vol. 8: Darkness Calls.”

For those of you unfamiliar with the Hellboy character, he’s a comic book superhero with red skin, horns, a tail and an unusual, oversized right hand made of stone. Known as the “World’s Greatest Paranormal Investigator,” he works for the United States Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense. He does seem to have a few superpowers. He’s abnormally strong and appears to heal quickly among other things. He was created by writer and artist Mike Mignola, and most of the Hellboy comics have been published by Dark Horse Comics.

“The Wild Hunt” trade paperback collection was originally published by Dark Horse Comics in March 2010 and collects eight “chapters” that were published as single-issue comic books between December 2008 and November 2009. One big surprise in this book is that it indicates that Hellboy is a descendant of legendary British monarch, King Arthur, and that Hellboy is the rightful heir to the throne.

“The Wild Hunt” is one of my favorite Hellboy trade paperbacks so far and it was a nice follow-up to a story arch that started in “Darkness Calls.” It also left me looking forward to Vol. 10, the book that closes out the story arc started in Vol. 8. I hope to say that I’ve read it this time next month.

Of the nine Hellboy trade paperback collections that I’ve read so far, I’d have to say that “Seed of Destruction” was probably my favorite, with “The Wild Hunt” running a close second. “The Chained Coffin and Others” comes in third. That’s not to say that I didn’t really enjoy all nine.

By my count, I’ve three more trade paperback collections to read before I can say that I’ve read them all. Here a list of the other titles in order of their release.

- Hellboy, Vol. 10: The Crooked Man and Others (June 2010)

- Hellboy, Vol. 11: The Bride of Hell and Others (October 2011)

- Hellboy, Vol. 12: The Storm and the Fury (March 2012)

In the end, how many of these trade paperback collections have you had the chance to read? Which did you like or dislike and why? Which is your personal favorite and why? Let us know in the comments section below.

Daily Weather Observations for Fri., Feb. 22, 2013

Temp: 64.0 degrees F

Rainfall (past 24 hours): 1.4 inches

Humidity: 87 percent (Normal)

Conditions: Overcast; lots of standing water in the yard; birds and cows audible; security lights still on in the distance.

Wind: 3.1 mph out of the Northwest.

Barometric Pressure: 29.44 inHg

Week to Date Rainfall: 1.8 inches

Month to Date Rainfall: 7.75 inches

Year to Date Rainfall: 11.25 inches

NOTES: Today is the 53rd day of 2013 and the 64th day of Winter. There are 312 days left in the year.

Readings taken at 0700 hrs Central Standard Time (1300 GMT) daily, just west of the Monroe-Conecuh County line, near Excel, Alabama, USA, in the vicinity of Lat 31.42834°N Lon 87.30131°W. Elevation: 400 feet above sea level. CoCoRaHS Station No. AL-MN-4, Station Name: Excel 2.5 ESE.

Two UFOs reported in Alabama during the month of January

It’s the third week of the month, so this week I’m giving you an update on UFO reports in Alabama from the past month, courtesy of the Mutual UFO Network.

A search for UFO reports in Alabama between Jan. 1 and Jan. 31 on MUFON’s website, www.mufon.com, resulted in two reports from within our state during that time.

The first incident occurred on Thurs., Jan. 10, at 9:38 p.m. in Birmingham. The witness in that case said that a “very high” gust of wind followed by “what sounded like a converter box blow” caused him to go outside to investigate. A few moments later, while looking at the power poles in front of his apartment, he saw “two, bright lights, flying in an S-shaped pattern behind each other.”

The witness said that the lights started off as two separate points of light in the sky and “looked like they were either chasing each other or flying in an S-shaped pattern. The first light then morphed into what looked like the top of a trident.”

The outer edges of the lights were blue and the centers were red, he said. They flew across the sky for about two minutes. The witness went inside to get his camera phone, but by the time he made it back outside, the lights were gone.

The other incident occurred on Sat., Jan. 12, at 5:26 p.m. in Bay Minette. Details in that incident were few, but the witness in that case said that a field camera captured a photo of a UFO. He reportedly had the camera set up in a hollow on his property. No other details about that incident were available.

While we’re on the subject of strange, flying objects, many of you probably read about Asteroid 2012 DA14, which passed between the Earth and the moon on Friday. Amateur astronomers in Spain discovered this 150-foot space rock in February 2012, and it passed within 17,200 miles of Earth at 1:24 p.m. on Friday. You couldn’t see it from Evergreen though because at its closest, it was over Sumatra in Indonesia.

A distance of 17,200 miles sounds like a lot, but it’s not when it comes to the Earth and asteroids. That’s about 5,000 miles closer to the Earth than most of the weather and telecommunications satellites that orbit the Earth and about 1/13 of the average distance between the Earth and the moon. Scientists say that asteroids like 2012 DA14 “graze” Earth about once every 40 years and that similar sized asteroids actually hit the Earth about once ever 1,200 years.

Before closing out this week, I just want to put it out there again that I would be very interested to hear from any readers of The Courant who have witnessed a UFO in Conecuh County. I think a lot of other people would be interested in hearing your story too, and I’m willing to accept your report anonymously. You can contact me by e-mail at courantsports@earthlink.net or by phone at 578-1492.

Which of our local basketball teams had the best season overall?

Hillcrest's Keyshawn Roache

Another high school basketball season came to an end in Conecuh County last week, and all four of our local varsity teams had very good years. Who had the best season is up for debate, depending on how you look at their respective seasons.

All things being equal, Sparta’s varsity girls, led by head coach Russ Brown, had the best overall record. They went 19-6 overall for a winning percentage of .760. Hillcrest’s varsity boys, led by head coach Tommy Dukes, were next with an overall record of 14-7, a winning percentage of .667. Hillcrest’s varsity girls, led by first-year head coach Natalie Nelson, finished 9-11 overall, a winning percentage of .450. Sparta’s varsity boys, also led by Brown, went 10-15, a winning percentage of .400.

Sparta’s girls appeared to have the most potent offense. They scored 1,451 total points this season, an average of 58.0 points per game. Hillcrest’s boys followed with 1,203 total points, an average of 57.3 points per game. Sparta’s boys scored 1,230 total points, an average of 49.2 points per game. Hillcrest’s girls followed with 714 total points, an average of 35.7 points per game.

Hillcrest’s girls had the best defense in the county this year. They allowed just 825 total points all season, an average of 41.3 points per game. Sparta’s girls allowed 1,060 total points, an average of 42.4 points per game. Sparta’s boys allowed 1,245 total points, an average of 49.8 points per game. Hillcrest’s boys allowed 1,116 total points, an average of 53.1 points per game.

Hillcrest’s boys had the best record at home this season, going 8-0 on their home court. Sparta’s girls went 6-1 at Richard Brown Memorial Gymnasium in Evergreen this year, and Hillcrest’s girls went 6-3 in Evergreen. Sparta’s boys went 4-3 on their home court this year.

Sparta’s girls had the best road record this season, going 13-5 in road games this year. Hillcrest’s boys went 6-7 on the road, and Sparta’s boys went 6-12 in road games this year. Hillcrest’s girls were 3-8 in road games this season.

Sparta’s boys and girls both went 4-0 against area opponents this season, and Hillcrest’s boys and girls both went 4-2 against area opponents this season.

Sparta’s girls posted the longest winning streak of the season this year, winning eight straight games from Dec. 29 to Feb. 2. Hillcrest’s boys won six-straight games between Dec. 21 and Jan. 11. Hillcrest’s girls won three straight games two different times this year, and Sparta’s boys longest streak was a three-game run from Jan. 4 to Jan. 18.

None of the local teams lost very many games in a row this season. Sparta’s girls never lost back-to-back games except on one occasion this season. Hillcrest’s boys never lost more than two-games straight this season. Hillcrest’s girls never lost more than three games straight this year, and Sparta’s boys ended the season on a three-game losing streak.

When it comes to playing ranked opponents, Hillcrest’s boys went 3-2, beating the No. 1-ranked team in 1A, the No. 4-ranked team in 4A and the No. 8-ranked team in 4A. Sparta’s girls went 2-2 against ranked opponents, beating the No. 7-ranked team in the AISA and the No. 8-ranked team in the AISA on back-to-back nights in a December tournament at Fort Dale in Greenville. Hillcrest’s girls went 0-1 against ranked opponents this season, and Sparta’s boys went 0-3 against ranked opponents this year.

The Evergreen Courant's Sports Flashback for Feb. 21, 2013

Bill Curry

25 YEARS AGO
FEB. 18, 1988

“Kimberly Griffin and Christie Wright were voted to the all tournament team at the District APSA Girls Jr. Varsity Tournament held recently at Wilcox Academy in Camden.”

“Coach Curry heads Easter Seals again: The Alabama Easter Seal Society, provider of director services for the disabled, is pleased to announce that Bill Curry, University of Alabama head football coach, has again been named honorary chairman for Easter Seals for 1988. Curry is happy to support the Society for his second year and will help to promote the Easter Seals Shop and Care fundraising project which begins March 1.
“The Shop and Care project, continuing through Easter, will enable people to make donations to Easter Seals by purchasing participating products in grocery stores throughout the state.
“Thanks again to Bradford and Co., Inc., a Birmingham-based food brokerage, and several food manufacturers, a percentage of the purchase price for participating products will go to Easter Seals. These products will be on display in grocery stores and can be identified by the Easter Seal logo. Bradford and Co., Inc. is also involved with the project for the second year.
“Easter Seal spokesperson, Johnny Webster, said, ‘More than 92 percent of funds raised in Alabama stay in Alabama to help disabled citizens like Heather Oliver, our 1988 poster child. Our goal is to raise $30,000 from this Shop and Care project.’”

40 YEARS AGO
FEB. 15, 1973

“Clinton Jackson, welterweight from Evergreen, won and lost in two recent bouts. Clinton dropped a decision to the Russian Olympic semifinalist. On Feb. 3 in Ottawa, Ill., Clinton won by a knockout at 1:19 of the first round over Jim Slan of Beloit, Wisc. who is the AAU and Golden Gloves champion.”

From “Hi-Lites of EHS” – “The Devil was beaten out of Castleberry last Tuesday night as the Evergreen Aggies trampled the Blue Devils, 89-60.
“David Thomas led the Cagers’ charge as he barreled in 28 points and 23 rebounds. Other high pointers were Ausby, Fields, Jones, Ellis and Armstrong.
“’This is one of the largest crowds that has attended any of the games so far,’ said Charles Branum the coach of the undefeated Aggie cagers.
“When asked, ‘What was the outstanding part of this game?’ he replied, ‘We made 17 out of 18 free shots and not many colleges can brag about that.’
“The Aggies have one home game left after defeating T.R. Miller Monday night, 63-57. The game is against the Greenville Tigers Tuesday night.
“Only snowmen stood on the campus of Evergreen High School last Friday afternoon. Due to bad weather schools were let out. The Aggie car wash was postponed until this coming Friday. The Aggies are trying to raise money to buy new blazers to be worn in the district tournament.
“A case of 16-ounce Cokes were bought for a dime last Tuesday night at the Evergreen-Greenville basketball game. Chances were sold to help buy the new Aggie blazers.”

55 YEARS AGO
FEB. 20, 1958

From “Hi-Lites of EHS” – “Girls Basketball Tournament: After triple overtime, the fourth period girls’ physical education class, the Black Eagles, defeated the White Sox, fifth period class 24 to 22.
“The high scorer for the Black Eagles was Jean Brooks with 11 points. She was followed up by Nancy Watson with nine and Vivian Anderson with four.
“Laurice Adams was high scorer for the White Sox with 11 points. Georgiana White had six, Jane Johnson had three and Carolyn Wilson had two.
“At the half, the Black Eagles had 12 points and the White Sox had nine points. The score was tied at 18 points at the end of the fourth quarter.
“The $20.80 received from admission will be used to purchase new equipment for the physical education classes.”

“China Wins Invitation” by O.D. Tucker – “China received the scare of its life Saturday night, Feb. 15, but retained enough composure to eke a 35-30 overtime victory over the Lime Hill Hawks to climax a wild and wooly day and night of basketball.
“The Lime Hill Hawks, coached by Leon Randolph, had been spoiled in the tournament before. They had to eliminate a tough CCTS Jr. High team to meet the China aggragation. Most of the players and coaches were of the opinion that the championship game would be played between CCTS and China. Lime Hill had something positive to say about this and promptly eliminated a favored CCTS team in the second round.”

70 YEARS AGO
FEB. 18, 1943

“Aggies Down Miller In Rough Fracas, 35 to 25: The Evergreen Aggies gained their ninth win of the season in a thrilling conquest of Miller High of Brewton in a game played in Castleberry last Thursday night, 35 to 25. It was a rough game in which 23 fouls were called on Evergreen and the final two minutes played by four men for the Aggies with five having left the game via the foul route. The locals held an early lead before half-time, when Miller left the floor with a 16 to 13 advantage at the half. Coming back in the last half with their eye on the basket, the locals quickly took over the lead, and never relinquished it with Johnson and Thames hitting the cords from all angles. Thames held high scoring honors with 13, Johnson made nine, and the Miller attack was paced by Martin and Robertson with nine each.
“This was the locals’ ninth win in 12 starts. They have totaled 404 points for an average of 34 per contest. Their opponents have totaled 244 or about 20 each game. Johnson holds individual scoring honors with 185 or an average of better than 15 a game.
“Though no definite information is had at this time, there will probably be a county tournament held here Friday to determine representatives for the district tournament to be held week after next. Judging by past performances, Evergreen has the inside track to cop top honors for the county, but competition is always keen, making the outcome unpredictable.”

“The Georgia-Florida baseball league has abandoned its 1943 schedule.”

Daily Weather Observations for Thurs., Feb. 21, 2013

Temp: 38.1 degrees F

Rainfall (past 24 hours): 0.0 inches

Humidity: 66 percent (Normal)

Conditions: Partly Cloudy; standing water in the yard; birds audible and visible; security lights still on in the distance.

Wind: 1.7 mph out of the East-Northeast.

Barometric Pressure: 29.61 inHg

Week to Date Rainfall: 0.4 inches

Month to Date Rainfall: 5.95 inches

Year to Date Rainfall: 9.85 inches

NOTES: Today is the 52nd day of 2013 and the 63rd day of Winter. There are 313 days left in the year.

Readings taken at 0700 hrs Central Standard Time (1300 GMT) daily, just west of the Monroe-Conecuh County line, near Excel, Alabama, USA, in the vicinity of Lat 31.42834°N Lon 87.30131°W. Elevation: 400 feet above sea level. CoCoRaHS Station No. AL-MN-4, Station Name: Excel 2.5 ESE.

'Fort Gaines' historical marker describes fort on Dauphin Island

This week’s featured historical marker is about “Fort Gaines” and can be found on Dauphin Island, Ala., about 40 miles south of Mobile.

The marker is located east end of Bienville Avenue, in the parking lot in front of historic Fort Gaines. The Alabama Society Daughters of the American Colonists erected the marker in 1957. What follows is the complete text from the marker:

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“FORT GAINES: Established in 1821 for defense of Mobile Bay and named in honor of General Edmund Pendleton Gaines, 1777-1849, who played an important part in early Alabama History and while Commandant of Fort Stoddard captured Aaron Burr near McIntosh in February 1807."

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Fort Gaines is probably best known for its role during the Civil War’s Battle of Mobile Bay in which Union Admiral David Farragut said “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead! It served as a military installation until 1926 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. In 2011, it was named one of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. In 2009, it was listed on the Civil War Preservation Trust’s “History Under Siege” list due to the fact that it’s threatened by coastal erosion.

Congress named the fort after General Edmund Pendleton Gaines in 1853, four year’s after the general’s death. Gaines, a native of Virginia, is best known for being the man who arrested Aaron Burr at Wakefield, which is now a ghost town near McIntosh in Washington County, Alabama. Gaines died in New Orleans, but he’s buried in Mobile’s Church Street Graveyard if you ever get the urge to visit his grave.

The marker at Fort Gaines mentions that Gaines was the commander at Fort Stoddard (or Fort Stoddert) when Burr was captured. Stoddard was established in 1799 on the Mobile River and there’s a historic marker commemorating the fort on State Highway 43 near Mt. Vernon in northern Mobile County. The actual fort was three miles east of that marker on Mobile County Road 96.

Burr, who was vice president under Thomas Jefferson, is best known for killing Alexander Hamilton in a duel in 1804. In 1807, Burr was charged with treason by Jefferson and was arrested in present-day Alabama on Feb. 19, 1807, which was 206 years ago as of yesterday. Burr was acquitted at trial and died in September 1836.

If you decide to visit Fort Gaines today, be sure to check out the huge anchor that’s in the center of the fort’s central grounds. The anchor is from the USS Hartford, which was Farragut’s flagship during the Battle of Mobile Bay. Also while on Dauphin Island, you might want to take a trip on the Mobile Bay Ferry, which will take you from Fort Gaines, across Mobile Bay, to Fort Morgan, another historic fort located in Baldwin County, Ala.

In the end, visit this site next Wednesday to learn about another local historical marker. I’m also taking suggestions from the reading audience, so if you know of an interesting historical marker that you’d like me to feature, let me know in the comments section below.

This week's movie picks are 'Dark Skies' and 'Argo'

It’s Wednesday, so today I give you my weekly list of movies that will open in theatres this week as well as a list of movies that will be released this week on DVD.

I hope this will serve as a useful guide as to what’s going on this week if you happen to be near a movie theatre or if you’re looking for something to drop into your NetFlix queue or pick up at the local Redbox.

Movies that are scheduled to hit theatres this week include:

- Bless Me, Ultima (Drama, War, PG-13): Directed by Carl Franklin and starring Luke Ganalon, Miriam Colon, Benito Martinez, Dolores Heredia and Castulo Guerra.

- Dark Skies (Suspense, Horror): Directed by Scott Charles Stewart and starring Keri Russell, Dakota Goyo, Josh Hamilton, Kadan Rockett and J.K. Simmons.

- Inescapable (Action, Suspense): Directed by Ruba Nadda and starring Alexander Siddig, Marisa Tomei, Joshua Jackson, Oded Fehr and Bonnie Lee Bouman.

- Snitch (Action, Suspense, PG-13): Directed by Ric Roman Waugh and starring Dwayne Johnson, Susan Sarandon, Jon Bernthal, Benjamin Bratt and Barry Pepper.

New DVD releases this week include:

- Anna Karenina (Drama, Romance, R): Directed by Joe Wright and starring Keira Knightley, Jude Law, Kelly Macdonald, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Matthew MacFadyen.

- Argo (Drama, Suspense, R): Directed by Ben Affleck and starring Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, John Goodman and Kyle Chandler.

- Atlas Shrugged: Part II (Drama, Mystery, PG-13): Directed by John Putch and starring Samantha Mathis, Jason Beghe, Esai Morales, Richard T. Jones and Kim Rhodes.

- The Factory (Drama, Crime, R): Directed by Morgan O’Neill and starring John Cusack, Jennifer Carpenter, Dallas Roberts, Mae Whitman and Sonya Walger.

- Fun Size (Comedy, Family, PG-13): Directed by Josh Schwartz and starring Victoria Justice, Jane Levy, Chelsea Handler, Jackson Nicoll and Thomas Mann.

- The Great Fight (Drama, R): Directed by Sherri Kauk and starring Robert Loggia, Charles Durning, Martin Kove, Joyce DeWitt and Tonye Patano.

- The Mooring (Suspense, Horror, R): Directed by Glenn Withrow and starring Hallie Todd, Thomas Wilson Brown, Karli Blalock, Anna Goodwin and Larissa Hayden.

- The Package (Action, Crime, R): Directed by Jesse V. Johnson and starring Steve Austin, Dolph Lundgren, Darren Shahlavi, Monique Ganderton and Jerry Trimble.

- Sinister (Horror, R): Directed by Scott Derrickson and starring Ethan Hawke, Vincent D’Onofrio, James Ransome, Fred Dalton Thompson and Clare Foley.

- Undefeated (Documentary, PG-13): Directed by Daniel Lindsay and T.J. Martin.

If I could only watch one movie at the theatre this week, it would be “Dark Skies,” and if I had to pick just one DVD to rent this week, it would be “Argo.”

In the end, let me know if you get a chance to watch any of the new movies in theatres this week or if you’ve already seen any of the movies that have just been released on DVD. What did you think about them? Which would you recommend? Let us know in the comments section below.

Daily Weather Observations for Wed., Feb. 20, 2013

Temp: 35.4 degrees F

Rainfall (past 24 hours): 0.0 inches

Humidity: 71 percent (Normal)

Conditions: Partly Cloudy; jet contrails visible; standing water in the yard; birds audible and visible.

Wind: 0.2 mph out of the North-Northwest.

Barometric Pressure: 29.74 inHg

Week to Date Rainfall: 0.4 inches

Month to Date Rainfall: 5.95 inches

Year to Date Rainfall: 9.85 inches

NOTES: Today is the 51st day of 2013 and the 62nd day of Winter. There are 314 days left in the year.

Readings taken at 0700 hrs Central Standard Time (1300 GMT) daily, just west of the Monroe-Conecuh County line, near Excel, Alabama, USA, in the vicinity of Lat 31.42834°N Lon 87.30131°W. Elevation: 400 feet above sea level. CoCoRaHS Station No. AL-MN-4, Station Name: Excel 2.5 ESE.

How many of these Lincoln Prize winners have YOU read?

The winners of the 2013 Gilder Lehrman Lincoln Prize were announced recently, and this year’s winner was “Freedom National: The Destruction of Slavery in the United States, 1861-1865” by James Oakes.

The Lincoln Prize is awarded by the Civil War Institute at Gettysburg College and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. The award has been given annually since 1991 for “the finest scholarly work in English on Abraham Lincoln, the American Civil War solider or a subject relating to their era.”

Nominees for this year’s prize included 104 books. Other finalists for this year’s award included “More Than Freedom: Fighting for Black Citizenship in a White Republic, 1829-1889” by Stephen Kantrowitz and “Routes of War: The World of Movement in the Confederate South” by Yael A. Sternhell.”

The complete winners of the Lincoln Awards are as follows:

1991 – “The Civil War” by Ken Burns

1992 – “Frederick Douglass” by William S. McFeely

1993 – “The Peculiar Institution” by Kenneth Stampp

1994 – “Free at Last: A Documentary History of Slavery, Freedom and the Civil War” by Ira Berlin, et al.

1995 – “The Presidency of Abraham Lincoln” by Phillip Shaw Paludan

1996 – “Lincoln” by David Herbert Donald

1997 – “Prelude to Greatness: Lincoln in the 1850s and The Dred Scott Case: Its Significance in American Law and Politics” by Don Fehrenbacher

1998 – “For Cause and Comrades: Why Men Fought in the Civil War” by James M. McPherson

1999 – “Honor’s Voice: The Transformation of Abraham Lincoln” by Douglas L. Wilson

2000 – “Runaway Slaves: Rebels in the Plantation” by John Hope Franklin and Loren Schweninger

2000 – “Abraham Lincoln: Redeemer President” by Allen C. Guelzo

2001 – “A Great Civil War: A Military and Political History, 1861-1865” by Russell F. Weigley

2002 – “Race and Reunion: The Civil War in American Memory” by David W. Blight

2003 – “Fredericksburg! Fredericksburg!” by George C. Rable

2004 – “Lincoln” by Richard Carwardine

2005 – “Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation” by Allen C. Guelzo

2006 – “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln” by Doris Kearns Goodwin

2007 – “Lincoln’s Sword: The Presidency and the Power of Worlds” by Douglas L. Wilson

2008 – “The Radical and the Republican: Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln and the Triumph of Antislavery Politics by James Oakes

2008 – “Reading the Man: A Portrait of Robert E. Lee through his Private Letters” by Elizabeth Brown Pryor

2009 – “Tried by War” Abraham Lincoln as Commander in Chief

2009 – “Lincoln and His Admirals: Abraham Lincoln, the U.S. Navy and the Civil War” by Craig Symonds

2010 – “Abraham Lincoln: A Life” by Michael Burlingame

2011 – “The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery” by Eric Foner

2012 – “Lincoln and the Border States: Preserving the Union” by William C. Harris

2012 – “Lincoln’s Forgotten Ally: Judge Advocate General Joseph Holt of Kentucky” by Elizabeth D. Leonard

2013 – “Freedom National: The Destruction of Slavery in the United States, 1861-1865” by James Oakes

In the end, how many of these Lincoln Prize winners have you had a chance to read? Which did you like or dislike? Which would you recommend? Let us know in the comments section below.

Daily Weather Observations for Tues., Feb. 19, 2013

Temp: 59.0 degrees F

Rainfall (past 24 hours): 0.4 inches

Humidity: 87 percent (Humid)

Conditions: Mostly Cloudy; standing water in the yard; birds audible and visible; security lights still on in the distance.

Wind: 1.3 mph out of the West-Southwest.

Barometric Pressure: 29.55 inHg

Week to Date Rainfall: 0.4 inches

Month to Date Rainfall: 5.95 inches

Year to Date Rainfall: 9.85 inches

NOTES: Today is the 50th day of 2013 and the 61st day of Winter. There are 315 days left in the year.

Readings taken at 0700 hrs Central Standard Time (1300 GMT) daily, just west of the Monroe-Conecuh County line, near Excel, Alabama, USA, in the vicinity of Lat 31.42834°N Lon 87.30131°W. Elevation: 400 feet above sea level. CoCoRaHS Station No. AL-MN-4, Station Name: Excel 2.5 ESE

LIFE LIST UPDATE – No. 551: Run the Battle of Mobile Bay 5K on Dauphin Island

I scratched another item off my “life list” on Saturday morning when I ran in the 17th Annual Battle of Mobile Bay 5K on Dauphin Island, Ala.

This is a race that I’ve wanted to run for a long time, but I’d just never taken the time to do so until Saturday. All in all, it was a great experience.

Sponsored by the Port City Pacers running club in Mobile, the Battle of Mobile Bay 5K is one of the most unique footraces in Alabama. Since 1996, it’s been held on Dauphin Island and begins and ends at historic Fort Gaines. Built in 1821, this fort played a major role during the Civil War’s Battle of Mobile Bay. It was during that August 1864 battle that Union Admiral David Farragut said those famous words, “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!”

Saturday’s race officially began with a cannon blast at 9 a.m. and followed a 3.1-mile route through the island’s scenic neighborhoods. Starting in front of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab’s administration building, just up from the west entrance to Fort Gaines, the course proceeds up Bienville Blvd. The route then takes you along Audubon Street, Chenault, Cavalier Circle, Conde, Diard, Audubon Drive and Buchanan before putting you out on Bienville Blvd. for the homestretch back to the finish line. Dauphin Island’s not a big place, with a population of around 1,300, so you get to see a fair amount of the island during this 5K.

In all, 302 runners and walkers took part in Saturday’s race, and awards were given to the top three overall male and female finishers and the top three male and female finishers by age group. Awards were also given to the top male and female finishers in the Masters, Grandmasters and Senior Grandmasters categories. Proceeds from the race went to benefit historic Fort Gaines and the Port City Pacers.

Mitchell Jones, 34, of Daphne was the overall male winner, running the certified course in 16:43, a pace of 5:22 per mile. Jessie Stone, 40, of Theodore was the overall female winner, finishing the race in 19:18, a pace of 6:12 per mile. I finished 83rd overall and tenth in my age group, running the race in 24:51, a 7:59 pace.

The weather on Saturday was a little cool, but the wind made it feel a lot colder. Blasting in off the water, the high winds made it somewhat uncomfortable, but once we got going it wasn’t so bad. By the end of the race, I’d rolled my sweatshirt sleeves up and eventually came all the way out of my sweatshirt when I made it back to my truck.

In the end, I enjoyed scratching another item off my “life list” and will probably run this race again at some point in the future. How many of you have ever ran the Battle of Mobile Bay 5K? What did you think about it? Can you recommend any other unique footraces that are “bucket list” worthy? Let us know in the comments section below.

The Evergreen Courant's News Flashback for Feb. 18, 2013

USS Boyd

25 YEARS AGO
FEB. 18, 1988

“Ole Earl Windham was sick last week and didn’t turn in his report. He caught up this week by reporting 1.2 inches of snow and sleet on Feb. 4 and 5 and 1.04 inches of rain on Feb. 14.”

“Rogene Booker, well-known Evergreen businessman, today announced that he will be a candidate for judge of probate in the Democratic Primary Election in June. It will be his first political effort.”

“George Dewey (Mac) McKenzie, 81, of Magnolia Avenue, Evergreen, died Tues., Feb. 16, in a local hospital.
“A native of Laurel, Miss. and a member of a prominent family of that city, Mr. McKenzie had resided in Evergreen for nearly 50 years. Mr. McKenzie was an early aviation enthusiast and a fine pilot. He became a licensed instructor and taught many people to fly. He was a Mason.”

“One of the largest judgments ever rendered in Circuit Court here was levied in a trial Thursday of last week, according to Circuit Clerk Mrs. Jean E. Riley.
“A jury verdict for the plaintiff in the amount of $400,000 was rendered in the suit of Willie James Crosby vs. Container Corporation of America. He sued the company for damages as a result of injuries sustained in an accident on the job. Paul M. Harden and Windell C. Owens represented Crosby while Carroll H. Sullivan and William T. Chapman represented Container.”

40 YEARS AGO
FEB. 15, 1973

“Snow blankets South Alabama: An almost unbelievable snowfall Friday blanketed South Alabama and turned it into a sparkling white ‘Winter Wonderland.’
“Before day Friday morning freezing rain followed by sleet began falling. Then came the snow and instead of melting as it usually does in this area it stuck and piled up. Snow fell all day Friday and into the night.
“Saturday morning all one could see was white as the snow had completely covered everything. Estimates of the snowfall ranged from six to 10 inches over the county. Some areas in South Alabama reported depths of 14 inches to 16 inches.
“Children were not the only ones seen out enjoying the white stuff. Adults who had never before seen such snow were observed building snowmen and some (older girls, even) engaged in snowball fights. Improvised sleds brought enjoyment on well-covered hills.
“The ice and snow brought some troubles on the roads and highways.
“Bridges iced-over and caused many roads to be closed to traffic.
“Conecuh County was lucky in that there were no serious traffic accidents. However, numbers of vehicles wound up in ditches as drivers unused to driving in such conditions lost control and went into skids.
“There were some interruptions of electric service in various areas, but not for any extended periods. All in all, most seemed to fair well through the ‘white weekend.’
“It was a sight not soon to be forgotten and many will be telling their grandchildren about the big snow of February 1973. It is said to be the heaviest snowfall in this area since 1914.”

55 YEARS AGO
FEB. 20, 1958

“Cold Weather Cools Conecuh County Folks: ‘Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it.’ These familiar words were spoken by Mark Twain many a year ago, but the folks out at Uncle Sam’s weather station do something about it, they measure it!
“According to the data gathered by the airport, Evergreen was blanketed under approximately two inches of snow last Wednesday night and generally speaking, it has been colder than an ice house during the past few days.”

“U.S.S. FLEET (FHTNC) – Charles R. Bolden, seaman, USN, son of Mr. and Mrs. Willie M. Bolden of Rt. 1, Box 142, Evergreen, Ala., aboard the destroyer USS Boyd, is serving with the U.S. First Fleet off the coast of California.”

“Battery ‘C,’ 117th Field Artillery Battalion, local unit of the Alabama National Guard will hold an open house Sunday at Ft. Dave Lewis, according to Capt. J. Randolph Moorer, commander.
“Capt. Moorer said that the public is invited to come to the armory and look over the equipment which will be on display and observe the classes which will be in progress.
“Saturday is ‘Muster Day’ for National Guardsmen across the country, but it is being observed here on Sunday. Muster Day honors the nation’s first president, George Washington.”

70 YEARS AGO
FEB. 18, 1943

“Oscar Ernest Riley, age 65, well known citizen and long time resident of the county, was found dead in bed early Tuesday morning at his room at the home of Mrs. P.H. Drake on Desplous Street. It is believed that his death was caused by heart failure. He was a veteran of the Spanish-American War.
“Deceased was born at Carlowville, Wilcox County, Ala., April 1, 1877, the son of the late Dr. and Mrs. B.F. Riley. His father was a prominent Baptist minister, author and was for a time President of Howard College.”

“’Every person should register for War Ration Book Two, whether he needs it at present or not,’ Dr. H.C. Fountain, chairman of the Local War Price and Rationing Board, cautioned residents of Conecuh County today.”

“Pfc. Woodrow Windham, Fort Ethan Allen, Vt., was home last week visiting his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.M. Windham of the Mt. Union community.
“Friends of Joseph Moye Windham will be interested to know that he is somewhere in the Pacific and the last letter his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.M. Windham, had from him, he was doing fine.
“Friends of George Earl Windham will be interested to know that he is at Maxwell Field, Ala. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. J.M. Windham of Mt. Union.”

“Mrs. Billy Zepernick, formerly of Atmore, has accepted the position as Western Union operator in Evergreen and will make her home with her sister, Mrs. Bufred Johnson.”

85 YEARS AGO
FEB. 16, 1928

“Plans have been made for Conecuh County farmers to ship the first car load of poultry in the history of the county. By shipping poultry in car lots it is possible to get the highest price on the market.”

“State Begins War On Roscoe Machines: Giving warning that the state enforcement department intends to confiscate and destroy all slot machines and punchboards found in Alabama after Feb. 20, Walter K. McAdory, chief supervisor of the law enforcement department, Monday afternoon obtained from Judge Leon McCord in the circuit court, temporary injunctions preventing six persons from operating slot machines and Roscoes.”

“A meeting of the citizens of this county is called to take place at the City School Auditorium in Evergreen Thursday afternoon, Feb. 16, at three o’clock for the purpose of reorganizing the local Chapter of the Red Cross.”

“The Eastern Star of Castleberry is planning to given an entertainment on the evening of Feb. 24, which promises to be quite interesting. A program of music, readings and two very amusing plays will be given. The plays are ‘Sister Masons’ and ‘Can a Woman Keep a Secret?’ The price of admission will be 25 cents for adults and 15 cents for children, high school pupils 20 cents.”

“Kelly-Brantley Whippet Co. – We will have New Whippets on display at Peoples Auto Co., Saturday. Come in to see us and let us show and tell you about the car that has stood more tests than any other car in the light car field.
“The perfected Whippet, a product of Willys Overland Co., has been on the market for 19 months. During that time it has stood every test that proves the workmanship and material of a high class motor car. The perfected Whippet was the first to have successful four-wheel brakes. The long durability of the Whippet motors is due to force feed lubrication.
“BE SURE TO COME FOR DEMONSTRATION.
“Remember The Improved Whippet Is In The Low Price Field.
“Roadster, $485; Touring, $455; Four Door Sedan, $585; Coupe, $535; Coach, $535; Cabriolet, $545 – Prices F.O.B. Toldeo, Ohio.
“Kelly-Brantley Whippet Co., Evergreen, Alabama.”