When it comes to careers in aviation, the sky’s the limit.
That’s why the St. Clair County Airport is hosting its 5th Annual Aviation Career Day and Open House, set for Oct. 7 from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The goal of the free event is to showcase some of the many opportunities in the flight industry and to introduce youth and adults to exciting career paths they may never have considered. It also highlights the impact that airports make in the state and local communities.
Precision flying can be seen for miles around
“We had over 3,000 attend last year,” said Wendy Watson, airport manager, who along with Ike Newton, organizes the event. “It’s a great way to promote aviation in our community and to try to get more kids involved in aviation.”
According to a 2020 Economic Impact Study conducted by the Alabama Department of Transportation’s Aeronautics Bureau, the aviation industry accounts for more than 44,000 jobs in the state with an average yearly salary of $65,000. Statewide, airports generate more than $267 million in tax revenue.
The St. Clair County Airport has a $9 million financial impact on the region, according to the study, and the Federal Aviation Administration has designated it a “reliever” airport for Birmingham. It also has hangars available for rent, a flight training school, aviation maintenance facilities and an avionics shop.
“We can be proud of our airport system in Alabama and the daily contributions (airports) make to improve the quality of our lives and grow our economy,” Governor Kay Ivey said following the report’s release. “Aviation is a thriving industry in our state and an important part of our economic health.”
Sea plane a regular sight over Logan Martin
The Career Day fun begins with a free pancake breakfast, complete with pancakes, sausage, juice and coffee, which will be served from 7 :30 to 9 a.m. A free hotdog lunch with chips, soft drinks and water will be available from noon to 1 p.m.
Aerial demonstrations will be held during the lunch hour, and a variety of aircraft – from antique planes and military helicopters to private jets and kit planes – will be displayed. Helicopter rides will also be available for $75 per person.
In addition to pilots, there are many aviation careers in the commercial, military and corporate sectors, including air traffic controllers, avionic engineers, mechanics and more. Seminars throughout the day will explore some of those options. In addition, representatives from flight schools and universities will be on hand to answer questions.
The St. Clair County Airport is located at 240 Airport Road in Pell City. For more information about the event, contact Wendy Watson at wendy@plrairport.com.
Their early story is much like any other boy growing up around the water. When they’re old enough to walk and talk, they’re old enough to hold a fishing rod and reel them in. After that, they’re perpetually ‘gone fishin.’
That’s the story of Peyton and Colin Smith, a pair of Pell City cousins who just returned from national competition, representing their bass fishing team at Pell City High School. It’s the first time a Pell City team went to nationals since the team captained by now bass pro angler, Zeke Gossett, did it back in 2016.
“We’ve been fishing on the team for five years, and we finally did it our last try. It’s a compliment to fish with the best of the best,” said Colin, noting that they were thankful for “the opportunity to make it there.”
“It was an accomplishment just to be able to go and prove we can do it,” added Peyton. “It was a humbling experience.”
Peyton and Colin show off their catches
The road there was not an easy one. On the state level, they fished in Alabama Student Angler Bass Fishing Association (ASABFA) tournaments, finishing in the top tier to earn a state finals spot. They finished in the top five to capture a bid to the nationals, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors.
Among 480 teams competing from across the country, they finished “middle of the pack” at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina. While it wasn’t the finish they hoped for, the two are proud of their angling successes so far in their careers, and they’re pursuing even more.
Both graduated in May, and now they hope to head to collegiate level competition – together. They plan to attend the same college and compete on the same team. “We want to do it together so we don’t have to split up,” Peyton said.
Peyton and Colin’s fishing history together goes way back. “We’ve been fishing since we’ve been able to walk,” said Colin. “We’ve always fished together. We’ve had our ups and downs for sure, tempers flare when you lose a fish, but …” “We’re a team and family,” Peyton said, finishing the sentence and the sentiment they share.
They have been teammates for Pell City since eighth grade and earned “Angler of the Year” honors in 8th, 10th, 11th and expected – 12th grade – when the final tally comes in. Their 9th grade year was when COVID hit, and activities were cancelled.
As for their younger counterparts coming up through the ranks of the Ronda Parker-coached high school team, they do offer advice:
“Be patient,” Colin said. “There are times when we didn’t finish out the limit until five minutes before. Don’t give up on what you’re doing. Just fish, really.”
And from Peyton, “Keep your grades up. You can’t fish if you don’t have the grades. Keep your head down. Stay focused. Never give up.”
Story by Elaine Hobson Miller Photos by Richard Rybka
Hikers at Noccalula Falls now have easier access to the Gorge Loop section of the Black Creek Trail system, thanks to a collaboration between the City of Gadsden, Friends of the Falls and the Gadsden Runners Club. A walkway consisting of 104 steps and seven landings has replaced the treacherous access that intrepid hikers endured for years.
“Formerly you would rock-climb your way down from the campground to the trail,” said John Moore, director of Economic Development and Governmental Affairs for the City of Gadsden. “The new steps are on the north side of the Gorge creek, and there are other steps next to the Falls on the south side.”
John Moore says the city is proud of the new trail access
The Gorge Loop is five miles long and connects to another 11-12 miles of trails in the park. The new access was made possible by a $250,000 Regional Trails Program (RTP) grant from the state through Friends of the Falls. “The new access is the result of a collaboration between Friends of the Falls, Gadsden Runners Club, the City of Gadsden, and Congressional Districts 28, 29, 30, via our state representatives,” Moore said.
Bob Smith Construction built the steps and landings, which opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in early July. “The job was put out for bids, but there were none,” Moore explained. “So we called BSC, which also did the suspension bridge over the Falls and remodeled the covered bridge and boardwalk.”
The campground-to-trail access is part of a larger, $8 million project that includes adding sewer and power to each camp site, although most of the 120 existing camp sites already have power. Eight tiny homes will be added to the campgrounds, too. All sites will be reworked as pull-throughs, which means some will have to be enlarged, reducing the overall number to 100.
“We’ll be re-paving the roads, building a new road to the cabins on the backside of the camp, adding more signage and a rock face at the park entrance,” Moore said. “We’ll shut down the park campground for nine months, beginning in January for the project, but the campground is always closed in January anyway. It’s the mayor’s goal to give the facility more of a city park feel.”
Gadsden Runners Club and Friends of the Falls have donated more than $50,000 to the Black Creek Trails, according to board member Glenn Ingram. “We helped apply for the RTP grant, helped raise matching funds and promoted the project through social media and within our membership,” Ingram said. “Both Friends of the Trails and Gadsden Runners raise money for local projects. We were able to help not only with Gorge Trail steps but with other projects, including trail expansion and a Mountain Bike Skills Course. The upcoming renovation is the city’s project, though.”
The new stairs give easier access to the park’s natural beauty
Several entrances throughout the park enable hikers to reach the trails, including one at the chapel next to the Falls. “There was a treacherous ravine to walk down to enter the Gorge Trail prior to the new campground steps,” Ingram said. “There’s a loop that goes around the creek down in the Gorge, so you can actually go underneath the Falls. That one will also bring you back to the new steps in the campground.”
Ingram said Friends of the Falls and Gadsden Runners highly recommend appropriate footwear for hiking any of the trails at Noccalula Falls. “The Gorge Loop in particular is a very technical trail, which means it has lots of rocks,” Ingram said. “It’s not a Sunday-after-church walk. Hikers need to be prepared with appropriate shoes and maybe a hiking stick. Most of the other trails within Black Creek Trails are not as technical.”
More collaborations may be on the horizon. The Gadsden Runners and Friends of the Falls look forward to partnering with the City of Gadsden on other projects at Noccalula Falls, he said.
Small store in Oxford has big impact on regional fishing
Story and photos by Graham Hadley
For decades now, the Tackle BOX has been giving a leg up to fishing enthusiasts from its location in historic Downtown Oxford.
The name should sound familiar to anyone who has seen their iconic stickers on cars and trucks driving down I-20 or putting in boats at places like Lincoln’s Landing, Pell City Lakeside Park or Coosa Landing in Gadsden.
Anywhere there are fishing enthusiasts you are as likely to see the Tackle BOX logo along with other well-known brands like YETI, Orca or … LakeLife.
“I go on vacation and see Tackle BOX hats in places like Gatlinburg. I run into people everywhere. It is kind of surreal when you travel hours from home and people recognize the logo on my hat,” said Jason Earl Gator Howard, who helps man the store.
The original location on Main Street
Gator – actually his real name – credits much of the store’s success to the simple fact it is much more than just a store. Yes, Tackle BOX stocks everything a fisherman needs, whether it is starter gear for the beginner or everything you need for competition fishing, but the real hook is everyone there is ready to help with advice or to just chat and share stories.
“There’s good fishing stories always told here. It is to the point that we have people here to just help talk to customers. They don’t run the register, but they can answer just about any fishing question. Everyone hangs out, tells fishing stories – and lies (every good fishing story has a lie in it somewhere),” Gator said. “One of our biggest draws is our atmosphere. Good Southern hospitality. New customers can come in, we tell them where to fish. You are going to get good advice in the Tackle BOX.”
That perfect combination of great merchandise selection and sense of community have helped the store stay on top of its game, but Gator is quick to point out those are not the only factors that contribute to the Tackle BOX’s success.
The store originally opened in the late 1970s or early 1980s across Main Street in Oxford from its current location. The Main Olive and the law office for Baxley Maniscalco occupy the old building now, and the Tackle BOX has its own building and parking lot next door which can accommodate larger vehicles and boat trailers.
Owner Michael Pickette bought the business from the original owners around 12 years ago and oversaw the move to its new facility.
Gator also gives a lot of credit to Oxford for all the effort the city has put into revitalizing its historic downtown area with better parking, sidewalks and lighting – all of which help bring in more business, not only to the Tackle BOX, but also to the other shops and restaurants there.
“The city as a whole made an effort to redo all of downtown. Got rid of power poles everywhere, put in new sidewalks. They close the downtown for Oxfordfest in October.” All of which makes a big difference, he said.
Even though the Tackle BOX is not located on any specific body of water, it is only 15 to 30 minutes from many of the main regional fishing spots along the Coosa River and its tributaries, most notably Logan Martin and Neely Henry lakes.
“In under an hour or so, you can move from one great fishing location to another,” Gator said.
As successful as the business has been since it opened, the past half decade has seen the popularity of fishing, especially competitive fishing, explode.
Gator says a big part of that is the expansion of competition fishing teams in schools, both in grade schools and in colleges.
Tackle BOX helps local high school teams by giving special discounts to groups who display the business’s logo on their gear.
“We sponsor almost all the local high schools here in Calhoun County, and they get discounts when they come in.”
Gator touts competition fishing as one of the best ways to get an athletic scholarship to a college or university. “One of the biggest things driving fishing these days is the school teams. There are a lot of college scholarship opportunities for students. That is especially true for girls looking for a fishing scholarship.”
Gator said the COVID lockdown was also another driving force behind the growth of their business.
“COVID was a terrible ordeal. We are still living with it today and are learning to cope. But it was phenomenal for the fishing industry everywhere, not just us. We were told to socially distance, not gather indoors, get out and get some fresh air,” and fishing was an obvious way to do just that, he said.
“People who had never fished before came in, bought rods and reels and started fishing. They still come in today.”
You can see the growing popularity of the sport all over Alabama.
Gator helps Dawson and Davis Stone of Alexandria
“All the cities like Gadsden, Southside, Lincoln, Pell City and Riverside are upgrading their boat ramps and parks, hosting big fishing tournaments and boat shows,” all of which are great for the businesses around the lakes, he said. “We have even found new brands for our store from some of those shows.”
As an added bonus, the attention to fishing helps raise awareness for preserving the waterways in the area. “That environmental focus, especially restocking lakes, helps make the fishing better,” he said.
Tackle BOX carries a wide range of well-known brands like ZOOM and YETI – they even do some consignment sales on used gear for customers. But they take particular pride in stocking equipment from companies with local Alabama ties – companies like Reaction Innovations out of Alabaster, and NetBait, which started in Greenville. Gator was quick to show off one of the rods from MMA Fishing, another local company.
As the sport continues to grow, so does business for the Tackle BOX, and that is keeping Gator and the rest of the staff and help busy. He would not have it any other way.
“It is one thing to know about fishing, but you have to have a passion for fishing, for the outdoors and for conservation. I am lucky. A lot of people dread coming to work every day. I love coming to work here and getting to talk about fishing all day.”
As the days dwindle down and the holiday season approaches, three things are certain:
At Christmas, kids aren’t crazy about socks and underwear beneath the tree.
Thanksgiving means a feast, family, football and finally, a nap.
And here on Logan Martin Lake as Halloween approaches, Boo Bash is a straight up, surefire hit. You could say it’s BOO-ming.
In just its second year, the nautical fun fright fest is right up there with supersized candy bars and princess and superhero costumes.
Candy corn can’t catch a break.
The pier-to-pier party for trick-or-treaters of all ages is set for October 8. Logan Martin residents who join the party can expect their fair share of witches, Supermen, Barbies and maybe, just maybe, a pint-sized Oppenheimer.
No shortage of treats for everyone
Organizers Kelli Lasseter, Sonya Hubbard and a growing band of merry pranksters, expect a bigger, better event in 2023. Last year, even as rain fell, an estimated 45 to 50 piers – known affectionately as “dock or treaters” – participated.
As of July 26, some 60 pier owners had signed on to host dock-or-treaters. That number may double, Lasseter says.
Two restaurants, 30 to 40 boats and one personal watercraft braved the wet weather to join the fun in 2022. More are expected this year. In fact, the Boo Bash buzz was heavy, even before July 4 fireworks cooled.
“Obviously, we hope that we have more people who know about it,” Lasseter says. “Not only that, but people who want to participate – to host a pier, that want to get out, decorate their boat and take folks out for the treating.”
More are coming. One couple plans a 60s-themed pier. Others have approached organizers to pitch proposed themes for their piers and boats. And Boo Bash has – for at least one newcomer – helped boost the real estate market.
“I had someone come to me who’s new to the lake, who told me that Boo Bash was one of the selling points,” Lasseter says. “The Realtor told them about Boo Bash. She joined the group and is super excited.”
Lasseter also wants to see Boo Bash spread like the sci-fi creature, “The Blob,” to the upper reaches of the lake to Lincoln, Riverside and neighboring areas.
“Last year, they really didn’t know about it,” Lasseter says of the Lincoln-Riverside area. “We had a few places up there that hosted piers, but we’re hoping we can get some more folks involved.”
In 2023, organizers will have a backup date for Boo Bash in the event of wicked weather – Oct. 15.
Even with last year’s wet weather, the inaugural Boo Bash drew rave reviews. This was about more than kids, costumes and candy and adults bobbing for cocktails.
“It was overwhelming that people loved this event because it gave them an opportunity to spend time with family and friends, get to know their lake neighbors and just have fun,” Lasseter says. “That was the overarching theme. It just brought the community together and people just had a good time.”
Organizers have also stepped up their marketing effort through a more intense social media effort on Facebook, Instagram and hopefully, Tik Tok. Last year, a local radio station – 94.1 The River – Carl Wallace’s Lake Ramblings blog on Facebook and word of mouth also fueled turnout. Nearly 900 locals are considered Boo Bash members. The event also hopes for some bounce from broadcast, print and online media outlets.
Partners By Design, the parent company of Lake Life 24/7 Magazine®, and its sister publication, Discover St. Clair, is promoting Boo Bash 2023 with a specially designed Boo Bash T-shirt, available for purchase online and in Lake Life 24/7’s brick and mortar store. Pier signs are also available to identify participating docks. A percentage of the proceeds from sales will go to offset Boo Bash expenses for the all-volunteer event. As of this writing, Partners is one of 11 local businesses supporting Boo Bash.
“We think our lake is a special place,” says CEO Carol Pappas says. “We want to find ways like (Boo Bash) to promote it, enjoy it and share it.
“This event is a great way to get out and meet your neighbors and have a lot of fun along the way,” Pappas adds. “What a treat for kids of all ages.”
Wayne and Margie Brewer are part of the original group that crafted the inaugural Boo Bash. Their pier will echo the theme they used last year – Skull Island – and using a pole with a pot affixed, they’ll hand out plastic bags filled with candy and Mardi Gras beads. Revelers won’t have to dock.
The Brewers have lived on the lake for 20 years. Boo Bash is a chance to build lake residents into a neighborhood.
It’s a community gathering, to get to know everybody on the lake. It’s just something to do together,” Wayne Brewer says. “We’ve got a great environment here on the lake, and it’s great to have everybody get together and have an activity that’s fun for everybody.”
An earlier start means higher water levels on Logan Martin, making it easier for some residents to participate, Brewer says.
“Last year, some people couldn’t participate because there wasn’t enough water at their dock.”
In these fragmented times, events like Boo Bash bring a kindness to the lake community sweeter than a box of Goo Goo Clusters. Lasseter is emotional as she reflects on Boo Bash’s big splash as it enters its second year.
“It feels really good to see people come together, work together, to do something special for others,” Lasseter says. “This wasn’t about me or anybody else. Sonya and I just had an idea. The Logan Martin Lake community took it and ran with it. It was very special.”
Just how unique and special this event has quickly become was illustrated by the number of folks who approached organizers to sing the praises of Boo Bash.
“With every boat that pulled up, everybody was all smiles, all ‘Hi’s’,” Brewer says. “Every boat was a good experience, for us and the people on the boats.”
Consider the words of one unidentified little boy who was among the wet but happy band of Boo Bashers. Lasseter recounts his words.
“He said it was the best day of his life,” she says. “Out of the mouths of babes, right?”
She adds, “If it wasn’t (the best) for everybody else, it was for that little boy. It was well worth it.”
Just like the movement it represents, the God is Bigger annual fishing tournament on Logan Martin Lake continues to grow and inspire more and more to get involved.
The tournament returns Sept. 23 at Lakeside Park in Pell City. Ninety-four boats competed in 2022. More than 100 are expected to launch in this year’s tournament.
Guaranteed prize money is $6,000 and will be paid to 16 winning places. In addition, there’s a “No Weigh-In Drawing” for a chance to win $125. Entry fee is $130 per boat, which includes $10 for Big Fish.
In 2022, 94 boats competed. More than 100 are expected for 2023
Nitro, Triton, Tracker and Ranger Bass Pro Shops Tournament Rewards are for qualifying boats and sponsored through Sylacauga Marine. Bass Cash is available by AmFirst.
Tournament registration Is online at: gibmovement.com.
Pre-register by Sept. 21, and you’re automatically entered for a chance to win a seven-night stay at Seascape Resort in Miramar Beach, Fla. The beach giveaway winner will be drawn the day of the tournament, and presence is not required to win.
All paid anglers will be provided with breakfast, lunch and one free draw prize ticket. All registered boat numbers will be entered for a chance to win one of two $250 Bass Pro gift cards.
The event will center at the pavilion near the beach, Jerry Wood Memorial Pavilion, and while anglers are competing, there will be plenty of free activities, including drawings for prizes.
Bestselling author, Russell Estess will speak at the tournament and share his testimony on how the God is Bigger Movement impacted his life and the lives of his fans. His books will be available for autographs, and his new book, God is Bigger Than The Mountain You Are Facing, is tentatively set for release on Sept. 23.
Estess is one of the testimonies that has come out of the God is Bigger Movement. Someone gave him a God is Bigger bracelet, and it became his story and his mission because those three significant words, he said, helped give him the strength to fight the battle with cancer.
His friend, Shawn Dennison, Christian singer/songwriter will be performing in concert free to the public from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. and will be showcasing his new song that he wrote for Russell about his battle. The song is called God is Bigger.
Refreshments from food trucks will be available for those in attendance.
The Genesis of God is BiggerMovement, Tournament
When doctors gave Rachel Shaneyfelt the diagnosis no one wants to hear – “You have six months to live” – the year was 2011, and she was in school at the University of Alabama at Birmingham to become a nurse practitioner.
Rachel Shaneyfelt
The diagnosis didn’t dissuade her. Instead, she leaned on her faith to help her through, and it sparked a movement with worldwide impact. Early on after much prayer, she told one of the doctors she worked with that her lesion had shrunk 70 percent and followed it with, “Praise God.” The doctor, a non-believer, casually responded, “Go get a Tshirt.”
So she did. She had the words, “GOD IS BIGGER” printed on them and gifted them to friends and family who prayed for her. Paying it forward, she then bought 1,000 silicone bracelets imprinted with the words, “GOD IS BIGGER,” and started handing them out to strangers. Within a week, they were gone.
Others quickly joined her movement and today, 800,000 bracelets have shipped around the world.
Rachel finished her degree and worked in her field before succumbing to Mesothelioma. Her six months turned into six years of life dedicated to spreading the message. Her wish was to keep the God is Bigger momentum going.
Her cousin, Stacey Reed of Springville, is the driving force behind it now. Six years ago, an idea from a 13-year-old friend, Evan Meers, gave birth to the fishing tournament to raise money for the movement. Now, it’s one of the largest on Logan Martin Lake.
“I have big shoes to fill,” Reed said. This ministry truly has become a movement. It has evolved into “their story and their mission” through those three words that made an impact and changed their lives. “It’s given them hope, she said, quoting Luke 1:37: “For with God, nothing shall be impossible.”
Pro fishing tips on Logan Martin Lake and Neely Henry Lake with Zeke Gossett
Logan Martin
As we start to enter the fall time of year on Logan Martin, there are a lot of things beginning to happen.
One of the main things going on and happens every year is the fall water turnover. This is where the lake begins to lose oxygen out in deeper water and the lake turns over. You can even see the thermocline line on your 2D sonar and downscan.
During the turnover, you will begin to see shad starting their migration to the backs of the creeks, and usually the bass will follow. This is especially true once the nights begin to get cooler.
Another thing that begins to happen is the winter drawdown of the lake. Last year, the water level only dropped three feet compared to the usual five in prior years. This can be a very tough time of year to fish, but hopefully these tips can help you get a jump start to find fish quick.
Typically, I’m going to fish in shallow water during this time of the year. When I say shallow, I mean anywhere from 10 feet or less of water. I’m usually looking for docks, brush and grass in this depth.
I will try to start in the grass, especially in the earlier part of September. First bait I am going to reach for is a frog. The frog, in my opinion, is probably one of the best ways to get your better than average bite this time of year.
Another good option would be a buzz bait. Both baits can be fished fast and cover a lot of water in a short amount of time. Once the sun starts to get up, I will shift my focus to the docks and brush.
There are a couple of rods I reach for this time of year when fishing docks and brush. Usually, when the water temperature is still in the 75 degree-plus mark, I will fish a neko rig. The fish are still usually pretty finicky this time of year. The Neko rig is a great option for getting those finicky fish to bite when they’re not in the biting mood.
Once the water temperature gets under 75, that’s when I’ll reach for the jig. The jig is a very versatile bait this time of year. You can fish it around brush and docks. I might even flip it in grass and lay downs as well.
The early fall time of year can be some of the toughest times to fish on Logan Martin, but it can be the most rewarding if you figure them out. Keep it simple this time of year, and you will find success.
Neely Henry
On Neely Henry, these two months can be an interesting two months for those of us that fish Neely Henry. The fish are starting to feed up for the winter, and this is especially true after the first few cool nights we have.
I really like to focus on docks and grass just like at Logan Martin. Typically, I’ll focus on the back half of the creeks this time of year. You also want to make sure there are baitfish in the area. Most of the time the baitfish will be up near the surface of the water column. Make sure you keep an eye for schoolers as well.
The fall turnover is usually right around the corner or is already happening at this point. What that means is the oxygen levels in deeper water are beginning to get very low. That is the reason the shallow water tends to have a lot more bass activity due to food and oxygen levels. It also is why the baitfish tend to be near the surface as well.
When fishing docks I will typically start on the shallower docks. When I say shallow docks, I’m talking any docks five feet or less.
Don’t be afraid to try deeper docks as well. The deeper docks will sometimes get overlooked by a lot of fishermen. This allows fish to use every bit of the water column if they choose to. They can either stay shallow or move deeper if they please.
A few baits I like to try in these areas are either the neko rig or jig. These two baits give me options throughout about every depth. If it is cloudy and windy I tend to reach for the buzzbait and cover a lot of water.
If it’s more of a slick calm, sunny day, I like to pitch and flip the jig around wood and docks.
Lastly, another great place to try and find a bigger bite is in the grass. Throwing a frog early in the morning is a great way to get a bigger than average bite.
Once the sun gets high, don’t be afraid to flip the jig in the grass as well. Typically, you will not get many bites using these techniques, but the ones that do bite will usually be better than average.
One important point about fishing grass on Neely Henry this time of the year, don’t be scared to fish extremely shallow. The bigger fish will sometimes be in just inches of water.
Give these tips a try and keep your fishing simple this time of year. The fall time is all about trying to find activity. Fish tend to move around a lot, but don’t let that fool you. Keep your bait selection simple and keep covering water and you will find success.
Zeke Gossett of Zeke Gossett Fishing grew up on the Coosa River and Logan Martin Lake. He is a former collegiate champion and is now a professional angler on the B.A.S.S. tour circuit and is a fishing guide. Learn more about Zeke at: zekegossettfishing.com.
As summer melts into fall, and the leaves approach their seasonal change in color, you might think things on and around our lakes would slow down a bit. Not so!
The number and the diversity of them all continues to amaze us.
On Logan Martin, check out the God is Bigger fishing tournament Sept. 23, one of the biggest catches in tournaments around. The story behind it is nothing short of inspiring – how three words have impacted the lives of so many all around the world.
Carol A. Pappas, Editor and Publisher
Get your disco moves ready Labor Day Weekend when CEPA presents Black Jacket Symphony’s Saturday Night Live. This is one of the most anticipated events of the year each Labor Day, drawing crowds by land and by water to see and hear these musical performances as only Black Jacket can bring them to life.
Lakeside Live Music Festival heads to the shoreline in September, too. It promises to be bigger and better than ever with music, car show, vendors and activities galore for the kids.
Around Neely Henry, you don’t want to miss a trio of events – Art on the Rocks at Noccalula Falls, Alabama Wine Festival at Wills Creek Winery in Duck Springs and Taste of Northeast Alabama, a smorgasbord of tantalizing good eats at the Venue at Coosa Landing.
Aviation Day flies high over Logan Martin in October as St. Clair County Airport presents its annual air show and aviation career fair.
And Logan Martin’s Boo Bash is becoming a spooktacular tradition in October with dock-to-dock trick-or-treating by boat.
These may not be special events, but they are special nonetheless. We’ll visit more than just the kitchen of a family who loves to entertain. They granted the wish of their daughter-in-law-to-be, hosting a lakeside wedding worthy of storybook lore.
We’ll visit a bait shop in Oxford that lures anglers and their accompanying fish tales to their popular gathering spot for fun, fellowship and a tall tale or two.
The same holds true for the local color found beneath the tent in a Logan Martin convenience store parking lot on Saturday mornings as pound after pound of smoked butts, ribs, chicken and wings, cooked to perfection, are delivered to the arms of thankful customers. Oh yeah, there’s hams, too, and not just in the oven. The conversation among those that gather there as a Saturday morning ritual? Let’s just say, it’s colorful, too.
There’s even more to catch in this issue of LakeLife 24/7 Magazine®. Bass pro angler Zeke Gossett tells us where to fish with what and when on both lakes in September and October. We tell the story of two young anglers who just returned from the high school bass national tournament series, and they share their experience of chasing their dreams. And who can’t resist a kids’ event, where youngsters learn the art of casting, a skill that will no doubt set them on a course for a lifetime pursuit of ‘the big one.’
It’s all here in this issue of LakeLife 24/7Magazine®. Turn the page and discover it all with us.
This is a story of war and love, heartbreak and hope.
It’s a tale of an earthly hell and two parents’ dream of an earthly heaven for broken veterans and their families and a town that answered the call of duty.
And it’s the story of Daniel Centilli, a Marine’s Marine.
All are part of the story of Dovetail Landing, Pat and Alana Centilli’s mission to honor their fallen son.
First, the Marine.
Hell in Helmand Province
Lance Cpl. Daniel Centilli was a typical American kid. He loved Thanksgiving and fishing and football. A defensive lineman, he was part of Pell City High School’s “Thousand Pound Club,” with membership reserved for the school’s strongest athletes.
Girls loved him. And as it always seems with kids who leave us too soon, Daniel “lit up a room,” his mother, Alana Centilli, remembered.
“He never did anything 50 percent,” she recalled. “He loved hard.”
A day at the pool with family Sarah Morgan Grimes, Jessica Centilli Santos, Mary Esther Krantz, Daniel Centilli and Sam Grimes
A few years after graduation, he joined the Marines. Within months in 2011, he was a machine gunner in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
One soldier who served in the province described it to The Washington Examiner this way:
“It felt like we were on the moon. No trees. No plants. Just gravel.”
It was a hell on earth, where Daniel and his comrades were exposed, sitting ducks for Taliban fighters. An expert marksman, Centilli was in the lead vehicle in a coalition convoy.
As if that wasn’t dangerous enough, Daniel witnessed the murder of his sergeant by an Afghan interpreter.
And at Daniel’s December 2019 funeral, attended by his brothers in arms, one comrade recounted a time when the unit was under attack.
“We saw the red dust flying,” he said, “and I knew Daniel was coming.”
On May 10, 2012, Daniel’s Humvee was hit, and he suffered a severe traumatic brain injury, along with PTSD, the result of the “big blast.”
In 2014, after suffering numbness in his arm, he was taken to Duke University Medical Center where doctors discovered a brain tumor they believed related to the blast.
Then came the long road – hallucinations, where he believed their were aliens coming out of his phone. Another time he was unresponsive shortly after being found walking down a road in his underwear. He told Marines he was “walking with Jesus back to Alabama.”
He was later transferred to a hospital in Portsmouth, Va., and remained there until 2016 when he returned home to Alabama.
The next three years were a journey of psychiatric wards, hallucinations and wandering as far away as Arkansas. At one point near the end, he was placed in a medically induced coma, in hopes that his body would reset.
“This became normal life for us,” his mom said. “When he came out of that coma, he was about 15 mentally. It totally changed everything.”
In December, after a three-month stay in a Florida neurological hospital, he returned home. It was two days before Christmas 2019.
That night, he died in his sleep, not on the battlefield, but in his own bed, yet another casualty in the War on Terror.
“Daniel was just the sweetest soul,” Alana said as she wept. “He loved hard. He loved his family and God, he loved the Marine Corps.”
He was 30 years old.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBoAxHk-xck
The Parents and Their Dream
For two years after Daniel’s death, it seemed the oxygen was sucked from the earth for Pat and Alana Centilli. He was always present – in pictures, in the flag that draped his coffin, or in his crisp dress blues that hung in his closet.
But the Centillis are “fixers,” Alana said. The couple wanted to do something to free themselves from the shackles of grief and to honor their son. It was “their own personal therapy.”
“That’s the only way we could get out of it,” she said. “A part of it is selfish, never wanting anyone to forget Daniel and what he went through. Any of that.”
From tears that rest just under the surface and flow easily came the idea for Dovetail Landing, a place to provide food and shelter – 30 tiny homes and at least 25 family homes – mental health counseling and job training and other resources for vets, their families and caregivers.
Groundbreaking of Dovetail Landing with Mayor Lew Watson, Alana Centilli and Alan Cook
The project – on 57 acres donated by the City of Lincoln – is a place of peace, far from the pain of war. Work began in January 2022.
Billed as “A Veteran Transitioning and Wellness Community,” Dovetail will also help residents navigate the snarl of government red tape to obtain veterans’ benefits, Social Security and other services. At an estimated cost of $40 million, Dovetail will be a “one-stop shop” for all matters affecting vets.
Private citizens and organizations – like the World Games and Lakeshore Foundation – are getting involved, Alana said.
“This is going to help so many people. This is going to help veterans like Daniel. This is going to help people not go through what he had to go through. This is going to help families not go through what we had to go through. This is our push.”
She sees Dovetail Landing as a “transformational project” that in the years and decades ahead will positively impact generations.
“I think of the veterans and their families. We’re going to change their lives. It just gives me chills,” she said, adding, “To be able to do that is so healing for me.”
Lincoln and a militaryMom answer the call
Alana and Pat Centilli aren’t the kind to take “No” for an answer.
After two years of hard grief, they set about the business of making Dovetail Landing a reality. Land was the first priority.
In the hunt for land, Alana reached out to an uncle, Darrell Ingram, on the Talladega County Commission, who in turn connected her with longtime Lincoln Mayor Lew Watson and the Lincoln City Council.
Watson, a Vietnam veteran in 1966-67, served in country as the American buildup began. Duty took him from the Mekong Delta to the DMZ, two of the hot zones of the Vietnam War.
He’d seen two of his fellow servicemen take their own lives in Vietnam. And later in Lincoln, he counseled a troubled vet who also committed suicide.
After Alana’s pitch, Lincoln city leaders readily embraced the project.
“The reason why was the purpose,” Watson said. “We heard the story that Alana told us. I had seen a story on TV about veterans committing suicide, but I didn’t really get into it too deep, because it didn’t appear anything personal. But after listening to her talk, recognized hey, this is a real need. And if we’ve got the ability to do something about it, by gosh, let’s do something about it.”
The council’s decision to help Dovetail has been warmly received. Watson recounted a call he received from a veteran in Birmingham after the panel’s action.
“This is a good thing y’all are doing,” the man told Watson. “I came back (after serving), and I was totally worthless. My marriage was going to hell in a handbasket. I couldn’t stay off drugs and alcohol.”
The tormented veteran’s wife told him of a facility in Texas that might help. He went.
Daniel enjoying a day on the lake with his service dog, Diesel, and Diesel’s sister Sadie
“I’m here to tell you,” the man told Watson.” It saved my life. It saved my marriage. It saved me.”
The man told the mayor he’s ready to volunteer at Dovetail Landing.
Closer to home, Michelle Tumlin is also on board. She lost her son Houston, a member of the Army’s iconic 101st Airborne, to suicide after his battle against PTSD and CTE related in part to his military service.
Houston Project, a store in downtown Pell City owned by the Tumlin family, donates all proceeds of its sales to help meet the needs of veterans and their families.
Houston Project funded the first tiny house at Dovetail Landing. The house fulfills her son Houston’s dream of helping veterans – a sentiment he expressed a year before his death
“Dovetail Landing is going to be a great thing,” she said. “The main reason I wanted to volunteer aside from the fact that it will help so many veterans, Houston wanted to help veterans process out of the military to give them therapy they needed, a place to live, job training. He wanted to help them be able to re-enter civilian life.”
She added, “The minute I found out about Dovetail Landing, I got chill bumps all over my body.”
Epilogue
While many – individuals, the City of Lincoln, corporations, churches, businesses and groups like Alabama Veteran are joining the Dovetail Landing effort, the Centillis believe something larger is at work in a national effort.
“There’s a greater good out there that’s got control of this,” Alana said.” I think Daniel’s looking out for us a little bit. And I believe we’re going to get it done. I’m not going to stop until it’s done.
“It’s going to take Moms and Dads and sisters and brothers and friends stepping up and doing things like this, because (veterans) fought for all of us.”
At its core, this story that began in the heartache of war, grief and loss, is fueled by something higher.
“There’s so much love and sheer determination that’s going into getting this place built, Alana said. “It will help so many people. It’s a heart project for me.”
Reminders of Daniel are never far away. On Memorial Day, she received a text from one of her son’s Marine brothers.
“Dan was the best Marine I ever had the pleasure to lead … [K]now that he’s never forgotten by the guys he fought with … You gave us a warrior and a lifelong friend.”
For two nights in July, you might hear the roar of the crowd at Pell City’s lakeside Sports Complex, but it won’t be the familiar cheers as runners round the base or when a baseball heads skyward for a homerun.
On these two nights in July, the complex transforms into an arena with broncos, bulls and plenty of cowboys vying for top spots in the rodeo circuit.
It’s time for Bulls on the Lake – two nights of rodeo entertainment that attracted more than 3,000 people to its stands in 2022. And organizers predict this year’s rodeo presented by 5L Rodeo Company will be even bigger.
These are sanctioned events with the youth rodeo on Friday night and the pro rodeo on Saturday. The youth rodeo is for members of International Miniature Rodeo Association, ages 5-18. You must be a member to compete. There will be bulls, bareback and barrels.
On Saturday, pros are in the spotlight with bulls and broncs.
Gates open at 5 both nights with the Friday night event starting at 7 and the Saturday night rodeo at 8. Tickets for Friday are $10 and for Saturday, general tickets are $15, and kids under 12 cost $10.
Proceeds benefit the Pell City Future Farmers of America Alumni, which helps sponsor the Pell City FFA Chapter.
The offerings both nights are expanding with more vendors being booked, including Carpenetti’s Pizza, Taco Tuesday, Papa Queso, Southern Sno Shaved Ice, D & W Kettle Corn and Royal Slush. Four western boutiques will be offering their wares as well.
Title sponsors for the events are Tri Green Equipment, Smith & Sons Construction and AmFirst.
Tickets will be sold through the Pell City Civic Center and at the gate.
