Coosa Riverkeeper, LMLPA and community team up to teach fishing, water safety
Story by Graham Hadley Photos by Richard Rybka and courtesy of Coosa Riverkeeper
Want to teach children to love the Coosa River and our local lakes and streams?
The Coosa Riverkeeper says one of the best ways to do that is to teach children all about not just how to enjoy the water, but to learn why this natural resource is so amazing.
To that end, the Riverkeeper teamed up with the Logan Martin Lake Protection Association and the Pell City Boys and Girls Club to hold a Kids Casting free fishing clinic at Pell City’s Lakeside Park on Logan Martin.
“We have seen fewer children over the past few years who know how to fish. That is a multi-generational activity in Alabama, something that is important for so many reasons,” said Abby Brown, director of Community Engagement for Coosa Riverkeeper. It is a hobby, a sport, even a way for some people to help provide for their families.
Class gets underway
“We decided to start free fishing clinics this year, with the goal of teaching 100 kids how to fish. It is just over halfway through the year, and we have surpassed that number.”
The sessions focus on traditional fishing techniques with spincaster rods, how to tie knots and about lures and the tools they use to fish.
They also focus on how to be safe around water, and not just fishing.
“We teach kids about water safety and how to fish safely – check the weather, check people around you, use personal flotation devices if you are not a strong swimmer,” Brown said.
All fishing at the event is catch-and-release, and the Riverkeeper instructors take the opportunity to teach the young anglers about the different species of fish, where they live, what they eat and the ecology of their habitats.
“We talk about safe fish handling to reduce the chance of any injuries to the fish,” Brown said.
“Then we teach casting in the parking area. Once they are proficient there, the children are allowed to go ahead and fish in the water.”
At the end of the day, any child who does not have a fishing rod in their home to use is given one to keep.
“We would like, if we get more funding in the future, to be able to give every kid who attends one of these events a rod,” Brown said.
Every participant does, however, get to take home a tacklebox stocked with lures and other gear, along with all sorts of useful information on fishing and water safety.
The Pell City fishing clinic was one of several across the area, with other events on Choccolocco Creek in Anniston and Neely Henry in Gadsden and Rainbow City, and Brown is quick to point out how much of a collaborative effort these and similar classes are.
“The LMLPA did a great job securing the use of Lakeside Park for us,” she said.
Coosa Riverkeeper members help with donations to support the effort, as do other organizations similar to the LMLPA, groups like the Choccolocco Creek Watershed, which has played a big role in working with the Riverkeeper.
She also wanted to thank Bass Pro Shops for helping fund the projects with donations and grants.
“Our community groups, our cities, we all have to work together to get these done,” Brown said.
Because the programs are free, they often give children in underserved parts of the area a chance to learn to fish and about water safety, giving them access to one of Alabama’s greatest natural resources, its waterways.
“Alabama is the river state because we have so many of them” – over 130,000 miles of rivers and streams according to the Alabama Rivers Alliance – “Alabamians should have access to and be able to safely use those waterways. That is why we include water safety, even in a fishing class and provide families with swim guide information,” Brown said.
The fishing classes are just part of the Coosa Riverkeeper’s educational efforts. They sponsor a number of other classes under their Coosa River Environmental Education for Kids (CREEK) program. These cover a wide range of topics. In July, they partnered with Lovelight Farm from Wilsonville to teach children about biodynamic farming.
Organizations like the Coosa Riverkeeper, LMLPA, Choccolocco Creek Watershed, Neely Henry Lake Association and others all need support from local communities and businesses to keep programs like these free for local students. They post regular fundraising efforts on their social media pages and websites and are worth checking out.
Brown said they are a charity partner with the Kellypalooza festival coming up in Ohatchee, which is a great way to help support the Coosa Riverkeeper organization.
In all the years Terri and Anthony Riccio have owned homes on Logan Martin Lake, entertaining typically meant throwing some burgers on the grill for their sons’ friends or having a laid-back dinner on the patio with a few other couples.
So when their oldest son, Cannon, got engaged to Lauren Scambray last November, and their future daughter-in-law wanted an outdoor wedding at their house with the gorgeous water view as a backdrop, there was a moment of panic. Actually, there were many moments of panic.
“Anthony was sending her links to other venues every week,” Terri said with a laugh. “I finally told him he had to stop because this was where she wanted to have it.”
Once the decision was made, the two families joined forces and started planning. Despite a 6-month timeline and the fact that Lauren’s parents, Rachel and Scott Scambray, live in Las Vegas, they managed to pull off a beautiful June 3 event that was better than any of them imagined.
The couple exchanged vows at the water’s edge before guests and the wedding party headed across the yard for dinner under a sailcloth tent. After enjoying a buffet that included some of Lauren and Cannon’s favorite Italian dishes, the crowd toasted the couple with blue champagne before heading to the gray and white checkerboard dance floor where they celebrated under the stars.
“We wanted the wedding to be as much ‘Lauren and Cannon’ as it could be,” Lauren said. “We wanted all of our favorite things and all of our favorite people at our favorite place, and it was just perfect.”
The back story
Nearly three years before popping the question, Cannon met Lauren in an economics class at the University of Alabama. Lauren, who grew up in California, always knew she wanted to try something different after high school, so she applied to several out-of-state colleges. Alabama won her heart. Not long after they met, Cannon did, as well.
Lauren and Cannon Riccio
Before long they were spending all their time together, much of it at the lake with a group of friends. “We came every chance we got,” Lauren said. “If there was a free weekend, that’s where we all were.”
That was just fine with Terri and Anthony. After all, they’d fallen in love with Logan Martin years ago when they came to the lake with friends during college. After they married and had Cannon and his brother, Grant, they got a boat and then graduated to a mobile home at Pocono Park. They later bought a house in Country Club Estates on the Talladega side of the lake and used it as a weekend home for five years before they sold it in January of 2020 and started looking for a permanent home.
“We kind of started out slowly and put our toes in the water a little bit at a time,” Terri said. Although the Riccios loved raising their kids in Trussville, they knew they wanted to eventually retire to the lake, but the lure of life on the water was too strong to wait.
They bought their current house, which is in River Oaks in Cropwell, in April 2021 when Grant was nearing the end of his senior year in high school. Although they both still work in Birmingham – Terri’s in interventional radiology at UAB and Anthony’s a market executive and executive director with JPMorgan Chase – their view makes the commute worthwhile.
“God’s beauty is all around,” Terri said. “The sunsets are just gorgeous, and the wildlife here is beautiful, too. We have eagles, osprey, egrets and white squirrels. When we get home from work, we go down to the dock, turn on some music and enjoy the peaceful nights.”
The view wasn’t the only thing that sold them on the house. The downstairs living area, with two bedrooms, a bathroom and a great room was a factor, as well. “We knew it would be perfect for the kids to come, bring their friends and bring their families one day,” Terri said.
Details, details, details
Although Terri and Anthony loved entertaining their kids’ friends, they never expected to hold a wedding at their house. “When Lauren started talking about wanting to get married here, I said, ‘You know, Alabama weather is not like California weather. It’s hot in the summer, it could rain, there are bugs,’” Terri said.
But Lauren knew it was the perfect spot for the wedding of her dreams. “I’ve always wanted a beautiful background, whether it was water or a pretty view,” she said. “Cannon and I both knew this was where we wanted to get married.”
Despite being 1,800 miles away in Las Vegas, Lauren’s mother, Rachel, wasn’t intimidated by the challenge of planning the wedding long-distance. In addition to organizing several large fundraising events over the years, “I planned our wedding 28 years ago and the weddings of a couple of friends,” she said.
“She never seemed stressed out at all,” Terri said of the mother of the bride. “It also wasn’t at my house,” Rachel added with a smile.
The Scambrays, who had moved to Las Vegas from California two years ago, came to Alabama a few times during the process, but FaceTime and Zoom proved to be invaluable. As the families began to think through everything that hosting a wedding with more than 200 guests would require, the list started growing.
“It really was like building a venue from the ground up,” Rachel said. They realized they’d need a powerful generator, tables, chairs, linens, lighting and bar setups. The Riccios had to get permits as well as liability insurance for the day in case someone was injured. In addition to the tent for the reception, they also needed a separate tent equipped with tables, lights and fans for the caterers to use.
Sending the couple off with sparklers
They rented bathroom trailers equipped with air conditioning, flushing toilets and sinks with running water. Parking was a big concern until Anthony suggested guests park at the neighborhood boat launch, where they could shuttle to the site in rented vans or on a pontoon boat. “That was really fun,” Terri said. “Someone said they had never ridden to a wedding in a boat before, and another guest said, ‘I’ve never been on a boat before.’”
Once the logistics were covered, the focus turned to the details. “Lauren had a Pinterest board for years with the vision and fine details she wanted to come to life,” Rachel said. “It changed a little over the years, but there were some things I always knew I wanted,” Lauren added.
Her dream wedding included bouquet of peonies, a gray and white checkered dance floor, great music, and a cigar lounge area with tufted leather couches. She also fell in love with a chandelier made of crystal globes. “We designed the whole layout for seating based on the chandelier,” Lauren said.
She also always wanted to be a June bride. Since they got engaged in November, that meant they had to work quickly. “It was either plan it in six months or wait a year and a half,” Lauren said. “We didn’t want to wait.”
While Rachel and Lauren were booking the florist, caterer, DJ and other vendors, the Riccios focused on the rehearsal dinner, which was held at the Venue on 20th in Pell City, and getting the house and yard ready. That included putting out 200 bales of pine straw and spraying for mosquitoes and other insects. They had already planned to replace the deck with a larger one, so they moved forward with construction.
Unfortunately, because of weather delays and supply issues, the project wasn’t completed before the big day. That meant the plan to have the ceremony under the deck in case of rain was no longer going to work. “We decided we could move the head table out from under the tent, and guests could sit at their tables for the ceremony,” Rachel said.
They were all delighted that rain wasn’t an issue. “The second we decided the wedding was going to be outside, we started praying about the weather,” Lauren said. “Ten days before the wedding we were checking the weather every day – sometimes several times a day,” Terri added. “Friday and Saturday, we never even looked. At that point, we decided it is what it is.”
Their prayers were answered, and they were blessed with a beautiful day. “We had pop-up storms every day that week and there was a big storm with sideways rain on Sunday,” Terri said, “but Saturday was perfect.”
In the moment
The days before the wedding were a whirlwind. Vendors dodged construction workers, Anthony hung string lights in the trees, friends came with leaf blowers, and the neighbors on each side graciously allowed the setup to spill over a little into their yards.
“It was all hands on deck,” Lauren said. “We have so many great people in our lives, and we’re so thankful.”
The day went off without a hitch. Guests enjoyed an Italian buffet with flatbread pizza; pasta dishes with meatballs, chicken and shrimp; a salad bar; and vegetables. A beautiful Italian cream cake and an ice cream cart for Cannon, who doesn’t like cake, completed the menu.
Lauren’s grandfather, Steve Butterfield, knew she was planning to use blue and white accents in the form of chinoiserie vases, so when he and his wife had blue champagne on a trip to Italy, he had several cases shipped to Alabama for the wedding.
Even the fireflies cooperated. Nearly half the family and friends came from California and other states and stayed at Airbnbs around the lake. As they gathered near the cigar lounge and enjoyed the sunset, they were thrilled to see the glow from the lightning bugs, which many had never seen.
“I never saw any before I came to Alabama,” Lauren said. “We had a cool spring, so we didn’t see many, but about a week and a half before the wedding, they started coming out more.”
While their guests enjoyed the music and view, Lauren and Cannon slipped away for a sunset cruise. “Everything had been so crazy, so it was great to get a moment to ourselves,” Lauren said. “But then we wanted to go back and join the party.”
Although there were a few “what have we done” moments along the way, Rachel and Terri agree that all the planning, stress and worries were worth it. “Everything was perfect,” Rachel said. “The whole day was magical and dreamy.”
Lauren and Cannon agreed. “Everyone said that your wedding is the one time all of your people will be in one place, so soak it all in,” Lauren said. “That’s exactly what we did. We loved everything about the day, and I wish we could go back and live it again.”
Although Lauren and Cannon Riccio love Italian food, especially the dishes their mothers make, they knew asking them to cook for their wedding reception would be too much. Although Rachel Scambray and Terri Riccio left the buffet to the caterer, they agreed to share some of their favorite recipes.
Sausage, onion and pepper sauce
From Terri Riccio Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds mild Italian sausage links
3 cloves garlic, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 yellow onion, sliced
2 green bell peppers, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
29-ounce can tomato sauce
29-ounce can crushed tomatoes
6-oz tomato paste
Italian seasoning to taste
Salt to taste
Linguine
Directions: Saute garlic, celery, onion and peppers in olive oil until tender. Remove from skillet and set aside. Remove sausage casings and cut sausage into 1-inch pieces. Add more oil to skillet if necessary and cook sausage until done. In a large stockpot, add all canned items, cooked vegetables, sausage, salt, and Italian seasoning and simmer 30 minutes or more. If thinner sauce is desired, add ½ cup water. Serve over cooked linguine.
Pasta sauce
From Rachel Scambray
(Makes 10 to 12 large jars)
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 6-pound can tomato sauce
2 small cans tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine
1 32-ounce carton of chicken broth
6-7 Italian sausages, sliced
1 pound ground turkey or beef
1 package neck bones
1 beef roast (about 2-3 pounds of chuck or other roast) cut into chunks
2 onions, chopped
5 garlic cloves, crushed or chopped
1 pound mushrooms (optional)
Italian seasoning to taste
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
3-4 tablespoons dried parsley
1 tablespoon sugar
Red pepper flakes to taste
Directions:
Saute onions in olive oil and add garlic for the last few minutes. Set aside. Brown meats in same pan and add more olive oil if necessary. Combine onions, garlic, meats and all other ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a slow boil, then lower temperature to simmer. Simmer 3 to 4 hours, stirring often as it can burn easily. Remove bones when the meat falls off. Adjust spices as necessary and add broth and/or wine as needed for appropriate thickness. Use as meat sauce for lasagna, spaghetti or other Italian dishes.
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.”
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.
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.
When Casey Cambron and the Five16 Foundation created a music festival three years ago, the idea was born from a desire to give back to the community.
Fast forward those three years, and Lakeside Live Music Fest has grown into a communitywide event drawing more than 6,000 people to enjoy a day of music and fun for the whole family at Pell City Lakeside Park. It’s free to the public, courtesy of the sponsors investing in the effort, and gates open at 10 a.m.
On stage are noted musical groups like the Leverton Brothers, Wingnuts, Deputy 5 and the Ryan Waters Band.
Lining one of the fields is an impressive car show. Scattered throughout the grounds are all kinds of vendors, food trucks and a host of activities for the children.
One of the main events is Battle of the Badges, a friendly but fierce competition pitting the fire department against the police department.
Nearby, you can cheer on your favorites in the corn hole tournament offering a cash prize.
Couple all those features with hourly door prizes and drawings for major prizes like a kayak, flat top grill, a youth four-wheeler and a television, and what you have is the makings of a true family event that does indeed give back to the community.
Proceeds from Lakeside Live benefits worthy causes throughout the city – police, fire, school system, children’s organizations, Museum of Pell City and Pell City Historical Society.
“Our entire goal is to support our community, to bring people into our community to see what we have to offer,” said Cambron. And he and his band of volunteers have done just that. “We couldn’t host this without our great volunteers,” he said, noting how grateful the Foundation is to have a group of people willing to roll up their sleeves and go to work to support the effort.
“Our mission is to shine a light in our community,” Cambron said. “That’s our goal.”
Pro fishing tips on Logan Martin Lake and Neely Henry Lake with Zeke Gossett
Logan Martin
Logan Martin can be a tricky lake during the months of July and August. However, these two months are still great times to fish if you know where to look.
Specifically talking about July, there are still plenty of offshore fish to be found. Fish may be in offshore brush piles or actual schools. If you find schools of fish, they tend to move around a lot this time year, so you may have to play chase with them!
You must keep an open mind and use your electronics to stay on them. The schools may move from where you previously found them, but they will usually stay within eyesight from where they were.
Once I’ve found a school, I will typically try to catch the active ones first. Usually, the biggest in the school will eat first. My first bait of choice always is a deep diving crankbait. The reason the crankbait is always a good first choice is it allows you to get back in a school more quickly if the fish choose to bite.
If the school doesn’t seem to want to bite, or maybe there’s a lack of current in the system, I will reach for either a flutter spoon or a hair jig. These two baits are a little more subtle than the crankbait and will trigger bites if the fish are not as active.
Transitioning into the month of August, for me, brush piles and docks start to play a major role in catching bass. Once the schools start to break up after being pressured all summer long from being fished on hard, these fish will usually branch off and start getting into brush more heavily.
My favorite depth to target these fish is in anywhere from 10-15 feet of water. A couple baits you might want to try are a crankbait or a finesse jig. I let the fish tell me what they want. If you have a low pressure day (during the week), usually they’ll be more in the mood to chase the crankbait down and eat.
On the other hand, the jig is a lot better option if it is slick calm, sunny and a lot of boat traffic. Give these tips a try during the hottest part of the year, and you might find the dog days of summer are not so bad after all.
Neely Henry
Neely Henry has always been a good summertime lake in years past for me. Anglers can catch fish from a foot of water all the way out to 20 feet of water.
Typically, my better than average size fish will come shallow, especially early in the morning. I will usually target the area from the Alabama Highway 77 bridge section down.
Early in the morning, I will always start with either a hollow body frog or swim jig, trying to cover as much water as possible. This allows me to pick off those active fish in the lower light. I will either look for willow grass or seawalls on the main river to start with.
Got to have the right gear
If there is plentiful cloud cover, I will stay shallow – either a lot longer or all day if the fish are still showing activity. If the sun does decide to show up, that’s when I’ll move a little deeper.
In July, there still will be schools of fish to be found. These schools can either be found on road beds, long points and ledges. My first cast in these schools – just like Logan Martin – will be a crankbait. Once the school shuts down, I will play cleanup with either a jig or a drop shot.
Once August rolls around, I still will have the same morning routine as July. The only difference is that I will start mixing in a lot more dock fishing. The reason being, much like Logan Martin, the schools are separated from either pressure or maybe even lack of oxygen out deep if there hasn’t been any rain.
I usually will keep my bait selection pretty simple. I start out with either a finesse jig or Texas-rigged senko. These two baits will get bitten no matter what the conditions might be.
I will target docks anywhere from one foot to ten feet. You have to let the fish tell you what they’re doing on any particular day. Keep an open mind on the dog days of summer on Neely Henry and let the fish tell you where you need to be.
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.
The Black Jacket Symphony is again partnering with The Center for Education and Performing Arts, America’s First Federal Credit Union and the City of Pell City for the summer’s biggest lake event Sept. 2.
This year, it’s on a new night – Saturday – for the Fourth Annual Live at Logan Martin featuring a live performance of the legendary soundtrack, Saturday Night Fever.
This disco dance party will be held at the Pell City Sports Complex on Lake Logan Martin. The event site will open at 5:30 p.m., and the concert begins at 7:30 p.m. A rain date is set for the following evening, Sunday, Sept. 3.
“We are thrilled to once again be the presenting sponsor of this wonderful event. AmFirst is proud to support Live at Logan Martin and help bring this event to the community,” said Phil Boozer, SVP-Chief Sales Officer, Marketing for America’s First Federal Credit Union.
VIP squares and general admission tickets are on sale now at liveatloganmartin.com or pellcitycepa.com/tickets. VIP squares accommodate up to four individuals. Fans are allowed and encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs for seating. Table seating is available to sponsors only.
On-site parking will be free but limited. All attendees are encouraged to carpool. Due to the generosity of sponsors, the event is free to boats and will feature large video screens for optimum viewing.
Per regulations from the State of Alabama, bringing alcohol onto the event site is not permitted. Beverages will be available for sale at the event.
“I can’t thank the community enough for the support they’ve given this event over the past four years,” said Jeff Thompson, CEPA Executive Director. “What began as a means to bring joy to our community during the COVID-19 pandemic has grown in an unimaginable way, and we’re so grateful to AmFirst, the City of Pell City and The Black Jacket Symphony for another incredible show.”
Proceeds benefit CEPA Management Corp. and its efforts to increase access to the performing arts in St. Clair County, including live music performances at CEPA in Pell City, and the Spotlight Drama Education and Outreach Program, which helped St. Clair students and community members produce 12 different plays in 2022.
Sponsorship packages are available at Gold, Silver, and Supporter Levels. For more information on sponsoring this one-of-a-kind event in St. Clair County, please email Jeff Thompson at director@pellcitycepa.com.
