LAKELIFE – Page 9 – LakeLife 24/7 Magazine

In the Kitchen

Cooking with the Hartleys on Logan Martin Lake

Story by Scottie Vickery
Photos by Kelsey Bain

A sign at the water’s edge of Donna and Lee Hartley’s Logan Martin Lake home offers a greeting to visitors, as well as the couple’s only rules. “Welcome to our Cottage,” the sign reads. “Relax, Unwind, Enjoy.”

It’s a simple philosophy, but it’s one that the Hartleys have embraced in the four years they’ve lived in the cozy three-story retreat. They’ve renovated the home and created an outdoor wonderland where the retirees enjoy the peace and quiet, in addition to their brand-new hobbies. “It’s perfect for us,” said Donna, who has taken up gardening while Lee has become an avid kayaker. “It’s so peaceful, and we love just being still and being appreciative.”

The Hartleys, who were high school sweethearts in Mobile and dated for a decade, have been married for 38 years. They lived in Moody for most of that time and had their eye on the Clear Creek home for years before making it their own. They first discovered it during the 15 years they had a camper at Powell’s Hideaway before deciding to downsize and make lake life a permanent state of mind during retirement.

“We rode all through these sloughs,” Donna said. “I kept telling Lee, ‘I want that house.’ ” Lee promised to make it a reality. “I kept telling her, ‘One of these days, I’m going to knock on their door, and I’m going to buy that house for you,’” he said.

When they finally got serious about looking, the house had come on the market, and he took her there one day. This time, however, they went by car, so Donna didn’t realize where they were. “Go down to the water,” Lee told her, and that’s when the realization that they were at her dream home finally dawned.

Reflecting their style

Although she’d loved the house from afar for years, Donna and Lee both realized some changes were in store. “The inside was set up like a lodge, and I told Lee, “We’ve bought a Holiday Inn,’” Donna said with a laugh. “Everything was very vanilla, but we’d redone two houses and knew we could eventually make it ours.”

One major focus was the kitchen. “It had to go,” said Lee, who is the cook in the family. “I like Cajun food the best. I love to cook it, and I love to eat it. One of my favorite dishes is to put crawfish etouffee over a grilled steak.”

Lee and Donna Hartley with their dogs Tiny Princess and Pancho

He comes by it honestly. Lee, who followed in his father’s footsteps, worked offshore as chief engineer on supply boats and as a commercial fisherman for most of his career. As a result, “I lived in Louisiana off and on for most of my life. Dad worked over there, and we moved there during the summer to be closer to him. I learned to cook when I was 13,” he said.

In order to work his magic, “the whole kitchen had to be reconfigured,” Lee said. The original design had a small peninsula with the sink under the kitchen window. “You couldn’t open the cabinets in the peninsula unless the oven door was open,” he said.

Now, the peninsula is gone, making way for a table that Donna loves to set with china that’s been handed down in Lee’s family for generations. The sink is in a large island, and the cabinets across the back of the kitchen have been extended. A quartz countertop and a subway tile backsplash have been added, and the result is a cheery, sunny space that’s perfect for gatherings.

“It’s more convenient now and much more usable now,” Lee said. The only thing missing is about 40 cabinets. “We had 60 cabinets in the kitchen in our old home, and we’re down to about 20,” said Donna, adding that the home where they raised their daughter, Victoria, was about 3,700 square feet while this house is about 1,800. “When I say we downsized, I mean we downsized.”

Even their furniture was larger at their previous home – too large, in fact, to fit in their new space. “This house has all 8-foot ceilings and our other house had 10-foot ceilings,” Donna said. “We couldn’t even get some of my armoires in the house because the doors were so small. We had to enlarge the door just to get the appliances in.”

One thing they made sure they had room for was a collection of old mirrors that hold sentimental value for the couple. “Between his family and mine, we had a lot,” she said. “I just love old mirrors.” Their daughter gave the collection new life with chalk paint and wax, and Donna said the result is an even better reflection of their more casual, relaxed lifestyle.

Although the cottage has three floors, the lower level is home for Lee’s 98-year-old mother. His parents moved in with the Hartleys about 18 years ago, and Lee’s father passed away three years ago at 95. “Dad lived offshore all those years. He never lived on the water and always wanted to,” Lee said. “He enjoyed it a year or so before he passed away.” Now, the arrangement gives Lee’s mom her privacy, a separate patio and a beautiful view of the lake.

The great outdoors

The view is something they never get tired of, Donna said. While the water is the main attraction, the outdoor oasis the Hartleys have created has taken things to a whole new level.

“When I retired, I took on planting flowers,” said Donna, who worked for AT&T for 30 years before leaving the corporate world a year and a half ago. “I’d never planted anything before, but Lee bought me two landscaping books.” Donna loves color, and she has since created beautiful beds filled with lantana, dwarf crape myrtles, Mexican heather, daylilies and other flowering plants.

Lee set the stage for her gardens with all the yard work he did the first year they were in the home. He leveled the yard, laid sod and removed bushes that were hiding the house. “He dug up 28 holly bushes,” Donna said. “You couldn’t even see the bottom porch or the railing.

Although the yard is a focal point, there’s one feature in the water that catches the attention of boaters, especially boats filled with children. A whimsical cement dragon, which has been in the water for decades, came with the house and has become a favorite of the Hartleys. “I bet it weights three tons,” Lee said. A neighbor, who is an artist, is going to paint the dragon when the water level is lowered this fall, he said.

Now that the hard work of creating their own little piece of paradise is done, the Hartleys are able to enjoy what they’ve created together. “We love to sit on the porch, even when it’s raining, and we eat dinner out here a lot,” Donna said.

They’ve also recently created an outdoor living room under the carport, complete with comfortable seating and a fountain, which Lee’s mother particularly enjoys. They’re planning on adding a television and creating a fun ceiling from either tin or old, colorful shutters, Donna said.

“We sit out here in the mornings,” she said. “I’ve got my Diet Coke, and he’s out here with his coffee.” Although they toyed with the idea of turning the space into an outdoor kitchen, they quickly decided they’d enjoy the extra living area more. “We didn’t want to have another kitchen to clean,” Donna said.

That’s not to say they don’t enjoy cooking out; Lee grills three or four times a week, cooking everything from steaks to marinated chicken or pork chops. “I grill a lot of vegetables,” he said, adding that he loves a good charcoal fire. “There’s more flavor when you use charcoal.”

Although they enjoy their outdoor living spaces, some of their favorite times are down by the water. Lee used to love fly fishing, but now he’s spending much more time on his new hobby: kayaking. “I’m in the water at 5:30 every morning,” he said. “I’ve been from here to the dam and back,” a total of about 8 miles.

Donna, especially, loves listening to the birds – a sound she compares to a symphony. “It’s just delightful to sit out early in the morning before anyone is up and outside,” she said. “The water is so still and peaceful, and you can sit and listen to the birds and appreciate the be beautiful work of God. We feel so blessed and thankful.”

Etouffee served over steak, a favorite pairing.

Crawfish Etouffee

3 pounds crawfish tail, peeled
2 bell peppers, chopped
½ cup crawfish fat
2 onions, chopped
1 cup parsley, chopped
1 bunch of celery, chopped
2 cups green onion, chopped
1 cup flour
3 tbsp roasted mashed garlic
1 cup oil
Cajun seasoning to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp paprika
Water, as needed

Slowly stirring flour and oil over a medium flame, make a light, golden-brown roux. Add all of the chopped onion, garlic, peppers, celery and parsley; cook until onions are tender. Add crawfish and fat. Cook for 20 minutes. Add very little water, stirring slowly and adding just a little at a time. Etouffee should begin to thicken up. Once it’s thick, add salt, pepper, paprika and seasoning to taste. Serve over white rice and garnish with green onions. NOTE: Shrimp, lump crab or chicken can be used as a substitute for crawfish tails and fat.

From Chef Jeff Warner, St. Francisville, La.

Cajun Seafood Gumbo

1 cup flour
1 cup oil
2 large onions, chopped
2 large bell peppers, chopped
1 bunch of celery, chopped
1 pound pork tasso
Mashed roasted garlic
1 bunch green onions, sliced
15 cloves
½ gallon water
Cayenne pepper and salt to taste
1 cup dried shrimp
1 bay leaf
1 tsp Italian seasoning
Louisiana hot sauce to taste
½ cup chopped parsley
2 pounds small shrimp
1 pound lump crab meat
1 pound crawfish tails
Cajun seasoning to taste

In a gumbo pot, mix oil and flour on high to medium heat to make a chocolate-colored roux. Add onions, peppers, celery and garlic and sauté well. Stir in tasso and cook for 2 minutes, then add water. Stir well and cook for 1 hour, seasoning occasionally to taste. Add parsley and dried shrimp during this procedure as well. Add shrimp after gumbo cooks for an hour, then cook an additional 20 minutes. Add crawfish tails and lump crabmeat. Cook for an additional 30 minutes. Add green onions, season, and serve over fluffy, white rice.

From Susan Clark, New Iberia, La.

Fishing the Coosa in the Fall

Catchin’ the Coosa with Zeke Gossett

As we move into the fall of year, there will be a lot of changes taking place day to day on the Coosa River. As the days shorten, and those cool, autumn nights start to roll in, the fish begin to make their moves.

A couple of things start to happen. First, the shad begin migrating into creeks and fish will follow them. Second, a lot of schooling action is set in motion during these two months due to the shad being up near the surface most of the time.

Moreover, another phenomenon will begin. The fall turnover will usually finish during this time period. With all of these factors to consider, this is how I approach fishing on Logan Martin.

Topwater baits become a staple in my arsenal this time of year. Whether it’s a buzzbait, walking style topwater bait or frog – I use them all at some point throughout a day of fishing Logan Martin.

Typically, topwater baits work best in low light conditions, such as cloudy days or early in the morning. I also look for schooling fish pushing bait. When I locate schooling fish, I will use a walking style topwater bait to get these fish to bite. This style of topwater fishing is awesome to use in these conditions because it allows me to fish fast and make long casts in case fish start schooling far away from me.

I also like to fish seawalls and grass this time of year especially if there is a little wind blowing on it. One factor that we need to consider is the crazy Alabama weather. It can still be scorching hot and muggy.

My favorite way to approach these kinds of days is to fish deeper and main river docks. I feel like the fish feel more comfortable with this type of cover due to the fact they can move up and down the water column easier.

If the fish are shallow, they will hang closer to the back of the docks, but some days they tend to be out on the end docks. It just varies day to day.

My favorite bait to fish during these conditions is a finesse jig in any crawfish color. When I fish the back of a dock, I focus on fishing my bait on the bottom. When I fish the end of a dock in the deeper water, I really like to let the jig freefall right beside the post of the docks and the fish usually will bite before it ever hits the bottom.

Try these tips for some early fall-time fishing on Logan Martin.

Neely Henry

Bass fishing at Neely Henry can become strange during these two months. After the first few cool nights, the fish will start feeding up for the winter.

I really like to focus on the backs of creeks when this happens. First, you want to make sure there are baitfish that have moved into these areas. Most of the time the baitfish will be up near the surface of the water column, and you can see them flickering on top. Make sure you keep an eye open for schooling fish in this scenario 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 depleted. These two factors cause the shallow water areas to become more active with baitfish, which in turn draws the bass in to feed on them.

The main types of cover I focus on in the creeks are grass, wood and rocks. I normally focus on channel swing banks as well. 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 want to do so.

A few baits I like to try in these areas are a buzzbait, finesse jig or squarebill crankbait. These three baits give me options throughout the water column.

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 grass. The squarebill crankbait allows me to cover a ton of water in order to find some active fish.

Give these tips a try on Neely Henry and hopefully, you’ll have some successful early fall fishing.

Alabama 650

Paddling toward October return

Story by Paul South
Submitted and Archive photos

The Great Alabama 650 is the Iron Bowl, Talladega 500 and marathons all rolled into one 10-day event, the world’s longest annual paddle race

Alabama’s most grueling sporting event is longer than the big races at Talladega and takes more time to win than the Iron Bowl.

Its competitors toil, sometimes night and day, in all kinds of weather, from waters coursing through the Appalachian foothills to Mobile Bay. In some stretches, the only spectators may be a leaping largemouth bass, a great blue heron or the occasional trail angel, good Samaritan volunteers along the course who offer help, water, food and cheers.

While boos and razzing may be college football and NASCAR cultural commonalities, a discouraging word is never heard in this under-the radar-but-growing competition.

So it is for The Great Alabama 650. It is the world’s longest annual paddle race at 650 miles over 10 days, attracting an international field of 20. It is a celebration of Alabama’s waterways and the wonder of the human spirit.

The word, “annual,” is key. The Yukon 1,000 may be longer, but it occurs every other year.

The Coosa River, along with its companion Logan Martin and Neely Henry lakes, is a key stretch of the course. This year’s race is set for Oct. 1-11.

Birmingham native Greg Wingo has been race director of the blossoming event since its inception in 2019. The event may have been one of the few international sporting events not hampered by the pandemic. In its brief history, paddlers have come from the United States, Canada and Europe.

The small field – and the built-in social distancing of the event – allowed the race to carry on in the dark days of the coronavirus and its variants, Wingo says.

“Immediately, once the race starts, no one is really able to see each other, so we were able to put it on when all the other races were having to postpone or cancel completely.”

There are 20 paddle races across the globe that are designated as qualifying races for the Great Alabama 650. Racers have to compete in one of those events in the past five years in order to take on Alabama’s rivers. The ability to complete those races is an indicator of a paddler’s ability to finish in Alabama.

“I always feel really confident that once they finish one of these qualifiers, they have a decent idea of what they’re going to experience in this race,” Wingo says.

The event showcases the Alabama Scenic River Trail, the latest chapter in the state’s love affair with its rivers, from the Tennessee to the Tensaw, the Coosa to the Cahaba. As every Alabamian of a certain age might recall, Alabama’s rivers played a key role in the state song written by social reformer Julia Tutwiler.

As for The Great Alabama 650, the race course runs from Weiss Lake in Northeast Alabama to Fort Morgan on the Gulf Coast.

Last year the team of Paul Cox and Joe Mann shattered event records, finishing the race in four days, 17 hours and eight minutes. Salli (cq) O’Donnell won the women’s solo competition with a time of four days, 22 hours and 39 minutes.

Paddlers compete in three divisions: male solo, female solo and two-person team. Racers can use kayaks, canoes or stand-up paddleboards interchangeably.

There are intangibles that have made the race so popular for paddle fans. Each year, spectator numbers grow.

“No. 1, people in this state are always supportive of people that come into their state to experience it, whether they are coming here to support the World Games … or whether they’re coming here for Talladega, or coming here for a football game,” Wingo says. “Whatever it is – I guess the easy answer is Southern hospitality – there’s just something about the people who get excited when people visit this state and are here to enjoy it.”

He adds, “In the last few years, once people started to realize it was happening, it did start to snowball and grow, especially in the first third of the race when you’re going through some major population bases on the Coosa. There’s just a huge turnout year after year along the different lakes.”

On the Coosa, Gadsden’s Riverwalk near Buffalo Wild Wings is a great spot for spectators, and the Alabama Power-built park near Logan Martin Dam is a portage, also a great spot. Area portages are at mile 88 of the race on Neely Henry and mile 135 on Logan Martin.

Fans can also follow the race – and racers – on its website, that has drawn more than a million hits, many of them from schoolchildren who follow their favorites through tracking devices on the racers, Alabama Scenic River Trail Board President Sam Howell says.

“From Northport, Ala., to Norway, you can be involved in The Great Alabama 650,” Howell says.

The race itself – as it relates to the competitors – is unique, and not only because of the distance.

“There are elements of this race that don’t exist anywhere else. And so, the racers themselves will talk very positively about the experience of being in Alabama, and I think the more that people who live here hear that, they get more excited about it … That has really helped it grow and grow.”

Another feature: Paddlers encounter every type of water, from calm Coosa waters to whitewater near Wetumpka. There’s tidal water on the coast and bay water. Competitors are allowed to change boats depending on the water. Like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates, they never know what they’re going to get,

“About 85 % of this race is flat water, with essentially no flow whatsoever. When the racers come to do this race, they’re not getting the assistance of the river flowing at four or five mph to give them a break and allow them to be able to move. If they stop paddling, they stop moving. And in a race that lasts up to 10 days, no movement means lost time. Very few races in the world are of such duration.

So, racers that come to do this race find out pretty quickly … there’s no easy gimme to this race … It’s a vastly more different race than any in the world. No other race can give you all the things this race has.”

But The Great Alabama 650, like every other endurance race, has more than its share of grit and goodness.

“Trail angels” pitch in to help competitors at portages along the route, fans cheer and paddlers push through the changing waters, often going days without sleep.

“We have an amazing group of people along the river that want to be out there throwing competitors a banana or a beer or whatever … That’s another thing that truly makes us unique,” Wingo says.

And as for grit, consider Texan Martha Avila Adame. She is a breast cancer survivor who competed in last year’s race, even without a lateral muscle in her back, a pivotal body part for any paddler.

Cox and Mann slept a total of six hours on the way to their 2021 tandem win.

And Alabama Scenic River Trail Communications Director Laura Gaddy remembered her post-race encounter with Floridian Salli O’Donnell, the women’s solo winner who has developed a bit of a fan base at the 650.

Where the thumb met the palm of one of O’ Donnell’s hands, Gaddy noticed a battle scar – a blister the size of a half-dollar.

Wingo sums up the race and its athletes. “There is a section of endurance athletes that thrive on events like this.”

For more information on The Great Alabama 650, go to alabamascenicrivertrail.com.

Bulls on the Lake returns to Logan Martin

Eight seconds. It doesn’t sound like long –
unless you’re atop a bucking bull whose
sole goal is for you not to be there.

Story by Eryn Ellard
Submitted photos

Eight seconds. It doesn’t sound like long – unless you’re atop a broncoing bull whose sole goal is for you not to be there.

When Bulls on the Lake heads to Logan Martin, crowds come from near and far to see which cowboy can declare victory amongst his competitors – who can hold on to a bucking bull or bronco for a full eight seconds (or the longest time if no cowboy can hold on for eight seconds), with one hand and without touching himself or the animal.

Sound intriguing? Bulls on the Lake will return for its 7^th Annual Rodeo, on the banks of Logan Martin Lake at Lakeside Park Friday and Saturday, July 22-23.

Over the years, countless locals have proudly declared that bull riding is on their list of things they wish to accomplish in this life – their bucket lists. But after seeing a real rodeo in person, most cross that one off their lists and replace it with a less dangerous, safer, feat like summiting Mt. Everest, lumberjacking or sparring with Mike Tyson.

The event is put on by the Pell City Future Farmers of America Alumni Association and is the organization’s largest fundraiser of the year. They have been working long hours since January –planning, organizing and executing the event with the help of countless volunteers, local businesses, sponsors, advisors and rodeo specialists.

Producer of this year’s event is Mike Hale, owner of Triple H Bucking Bulls and Rodeo Co. Hale is responsible for coordinating all the rodeo’s events and contests. In addition, Triple H also sponsors two scholarships each year for the Pell City FFA. The main sponsor of this year’s rodeo is John Deere Trigreen Equipment.

Pell City FFA Alumni President Tori Castleberry says it is a huge family weekend, with events, shows, games and more for all ages to enjoy. “We love that the rodeo is an all-inclusive event – nobody ever leaves disappointed,” Castleberry says.

The Pell City FFA Alumni Chapter is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and uses the proceeds from the rodeo for a host of things throughout the school year, including a wide range of competitions from livestock judging, small-engine competitions, land-judging competitions and so many more.

Many events the Pell City FFA attends each year happen outside of the classroom, so there are transportation costs, lodging and food costs, entrance fees and more. The Pell City FFA officers also attend the FFA National Convention in October in Indianapolis, and the alumni association makes sure that all officers can attend, despite any financial burden a student may be facing.

In addition, the officers attend an officer retreat every June to prepare as a team for the upcoming school year, and the officers also attend the state convention in June where they compete for highly coveted awards, as well as showing the rest of the state what Pell City is all about.

All these events and costs associated with them can add up quickly, so the alumni chapter knew they had to produce something big, something to drive the community to not only come out and enjoy themselves and their families, but also to participate in, get involved with and spend money at – for a strong and dedicated local organization that helps high school students.

Castleberry also noted that the rodeo helps to spark interest and a love for the world of agriculture in the hearts of so many area children, who will perhaps one day also join the ranks of the Pell City FFA. In the 2021-22 school year, the Pell City FFA had 160 active members and is projected to have 230+ for the upcoming 2022-23 school year.

Pell City Agriscience teacher and FFA advisor Ben Castleberry says the sole purpose of the FFA Alumni Association is to provide support to the FFA chapter.

“We are in a special situation in Pell City because our alumni pay for basically all the things we do, and that is because of the money raised from this rodeo,” he said. “No one else does anything like it.”

Friday’s events will focus on the young cowboys and cowgirls, giving them an opportunity to showcase their skills. Admission Friday night is $10, and ages 5 and under are free to attend.

Some of the highly competitive events include Mutton Bustin’ – an event where children under 65 pounds clamber aboard a wild, woolly sheep and try to hold on for six seconds.

In addition, children 5 and under, as well as ages 6-9, can compete in goat tail untying. In this event, children ride a horse to a tethered goat, untie a ribbon from its tail and hold it up, signaling finished. The time limit is 45 seconds. Dummy roping is also a popular event for the younger age groups.

For the more experienced young cowboys and cowgirls, Pee Wee mini bareback bronco riding will be available for ages 6-8, with a six-second time limit.

Opportunities for junior pony bareback bronco riding for ages 9-11, also with a six-second time limit, and senior bareback bronco riding for ages 12-15, with an eight-second time limit, are available.

Young bull riders also will compete at junior level, ages 9-11, with a time limit of six seconds and senior level, ages 12-15, with a time limit of eight seconds. First place in each event and age division will win a belt buckle.

The stock contractor for Friday night’s youth rodeo is 5L Farms. Both the youth and adult bull riding rodeos are sanctioned by the International Professional Rodeo Association and all contestants will be members of IRMA. Youth contestants competing in any event except for bull riding do not have to be members of any rodeo-sanctioning organization.

Saturday’s rodeo will be for sanctioned riders only, and tickets will be $15 at the gate for ages 12 and above, $12 for ages 6-12 and free for children 5 and under. Food trucks, inflatables and other novelty pastimes will also be a favorite among both the young and old, including a mechanical bull. Root beer floats and funnel cakes are also crowd favorites. Stock contractor for Saturday’s events is Circle J&K Cattle Co. They will be bringing all livestock, gates, chutes and other equipment.

After taking a year hiatus in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event kicked back into full swing last year, drawing in over 4,000 in attendance. “The atmosphere was electric,” Castleberry said. “After being apart for so long, everyone was so happy to be able to come out, have a ball and support a great cause. We are extremely grateful for the support and cannot wait to see what this year holds. To see this event come together enjoying a sport we do not get to see often is awesome.”

Castleberry also noted there are many people and organizations, that without whom, the rodeo would not be possible. “I could not do each year without our alumni parents and friends,” Castleberry said. “Cason Davis, is my right-hand man, our amazing ag teachers and FFA advisors, the parks & recreation department at the City of Pell City, especially Bubba Edge, also Mark Hale, the mastermind behind Bulls on the Lake, and most importantly, the support of our local businesses who sponsor this event each year.”

Fireworks, concerts, Christmas and more in July

There’s more to July than fireworks on and around our lakes, but of course, spectacular shows always take center stage. Or should we say, center sky?

On July 4, there are plenty of options on the water for viewing fireworks displays to celebrate our country’s birthday.

Logan Martin Lake

Pell City Lakeside Park – Come by boat, vehicle or on foot to this huge fireworks show that gets bigger and better every year. Hundreds of passenger-filled boats fill the lake to see the show that can also be viewed from the park. The fireworks begin at 9 p.m. on July 4.
Wood’s Surfside Marina – July 2 at 9 p.m., fireworks light up the skies over the marina with an impressive show.
Lincoln’s Landing – Festivities at Angler’s Pointe get underway at 4 p.m. with a free concert by Mike Parker, American Idol Season 20 Top-10 finalist. Food trucks and vendors will be set up as well.
River’s Edge Marina will present its fireworks show and event, beginning at 7 p.m. July 2. The fireworks show will end the night. The marina will have bouncy houses, a band, and the restaurant will be open along with their Tiki Hut. Southern Snow and Shaved Ice will be joining the festivities. No outside alcohol will be allowed.

At 8:30 p.m., get ready for the fireworks show at Lincoln’s Landing right next door.

Neely Henry Lake/Coosa River

Coosa Landing – A 4^th of July tradition, the fireworks show over the water in downtown Gadsden, this stunning show kicks off at 9 p.m.
Greensport Marina – This show is reserved for entertaining guests of the marina and RV park, but it can be viewed from the water. It gets underway at 9 p.m.

Summer Concert Series in Lincoln

In addition to fireworks all around on both the lakes, Lincoln Parks and Recreation continues its Summer Concert Series at Randolph Park. Held on the third Saturday of the month from June to October from 5 to 7 p.m., the series features all genres of music, and it’s free to the public.

In July, New Ground, a Southern gospel band will be headlining the concert. On Aug. 20, it will be Official Clutch Band, a jazz and blues group; Sept. 17, Allen Tolbert Unit, a bluegrass band; and on Oct. 15, Tremayne will close out the series with its brand of country music.

Series sponsors are Brandon Tate, State Farm, and Natasha O’Konski, Keller Williams.

Christmas in July at Pier 59

Pier 59 will be hosting the 13th Annual Christmas in July fundraiser on July 23. Benefiting the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind Foundation, the proceeds from this event help purchase Christmas gifts for students at AIDB.

You won’t want to miss this day of fun for a good cause. Live music is from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Boat Poker Run launches at noon with hands in by 4 p.m. Registration is at 11 a.m.

A live auction starts at 5 p.m., and there also will be a $5,000 giveaway for $50 a ticket.

Save the date and be there!

Multimillion-dollar ‘field of dreams’ rising on banks of Coosa

Story by Paul South
Submitted photos

As backhoes rumble and workers toil to bring a new sportsplex to life near the banks of the Coosa, no one could blame leaders of the City of Gadsden and Gadsden State Community College if they borrowed a line from a Hollywood classic:

“If you build it, they will come.”

But the new multimillion dollar project – softball and baseball fields, running track, even a Miracle League field for athletes with disabilities – won’t see the appearance of “Moonlight” Graham, “Shoeless Joe” Jackson or Jackson’s 1919 Chicago Black Sox teammates from Field of Dreams.

Instead, the City of Gadsden and GSCC have teamed up on the project, in hopes of hitting an economic grand slam for the city through big crowds flocking to the area for tournaments, for the college through increased visibility and in turn, a hoped-for rise in student enrollment.

“This is a long-term partnership between the city and the college,” Gadsden Public Affairs Coordinator Michael Rodgers said. “They are an important part of the community, and they’ve got some great things going for them.”

Phase 1 of the project – three NCAA-regulation multipurpose athletic fields – has been completed on the former site of the aquaculture pond. Those fields can also be scaled down to accommodate youth sports like soccer, according to Rodgers. A lighted walking trail, concession and restroom facilities and parking are included.

In Phase 2, four existing athletic fields will be renovated and improved. Phase 3 will be the Miracle League Park, where the quiet courage of athletes with disabilities will be louder than the crack of the bat.

The first three phases will total approximately $16 million, with phase three expected to be complete around late spring of 2023. Additional phases will likely occur if the next administration chooses to expand the Park.Work has been slowed by the coronavirus pandemic and accompanying supply-chain issues.The sportsplex is a new chapter in the longstanding partnership between the city and GSCC. The college was founded in 1925 as the Alabama College of Trades. The present-day institution is the result of a merger between the Alabama Technical College, Gadsden State Technical Institute, Gadsden State Junior College and Harry M. Ayers State Technical College. The school now has an enrollment of more than 4,000 students.

GSCC President Dr. Kathy Murphy hopes the project will grow the student roster in tandem with the resurrection of Cardinals baseball, women’s softball and the beginning of a cross-country program.

Cardinals softball and baseball will resume play in 2024. Baseball was shuttered at GSCC in 2011. Softball was discontinued in 2016.

“The opportunity to have the sports complex located on our campus allows people to come to our campus. So first of all, it’s an opportunity for visibility for our college.”

Land for the project comes through a lease agreement between the city and the college. While GSCC provides land and infrastructure, the city provides funding. It’s an example of cooperation and financial stewardship between the partners.

“We understand taxpayers’ money and that they expect us all to be savvy,” Murphy said. “When we think about being savvy, replicating facilities doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. So, the fact that the softball complex will be on our campus … and the fact that the city is going to allow Gadsden State to use one of those renovated fields that they are designing and building as we speak, is going to be exceptionally beneficial to our college.”

Murphy added that while the project property belongs to the college, the city has made the investment in improvement of those fields and the complex.

The fruits of that teamwork between the school and the city create “positive metrics,” says Murphy.

And as for the resurrection of baseball and softball and the expansion of athletics, Murphy believes it is critical to enhance overall student experience and growing the student body.

“We want to increase our enrollment,” she said. “We have many great athletes in our community and in our region and the service area that Gadsden State has here. We want to give those students the ability to continue their athletic career here, and also to come to Gadsden State, where they’ll receive a quality education and be able to continue their academic and athletic careers forward from here if they choose.”

As far as the benefit to the city, Etowah and surrounding counties, youth-sports-related tourism means an economic win, with booked hotel rooms, packed restaurants and crowded stores.

And it dovetails with a three-pronged economic development strategy of tourism, service sector jobs and industrial growth.

“When you bring people to town for whatever reason, they will spend money here, which stimulates the local economy and supports local businesses … That’s sort of the same idea that we used when developing Coosa Landing,” Rodgers said.

Too, the complex will bring more visitors to Noccalula Falls and surrounding river attractions, like the Venue at Coosa Landing, a multipurpose development on the river. As the crow flies, the sports complex is 1.5 miles downriver from Coosa Landing.

The bottom line? The riverfront development effort – from new construction to stocking Noccaula Falls with rainbow trout – aims to turn the Gadsden area into a tourist destination and to enhance the quality of life for locals.

“It’s both something for the community and also to benefit the community as far as bringing people to Gadsden, because this is a facility where we will be able to schedule some of our youth games. Part of the goal is to have a top-of-the-line facility to bring in some statewide tournaments, whether that is soccer, softball or whatever,” Rodgers said.

“It’s also accessible to I-759. It’s easy to get to. So, the longer-term plan is to get this out there to allow us to recruit some of these major traveling statewide sporting events.”

Another benefit will be a healthier community, Murphy said. Alabama lags behind the rest of the nation in the health of its citizens.

“I want to believe that the sports complex will make a difference in the health and wellness of our community as more people get out and exercise and participate in soccer or softball, or baseball, or whatever they choose to do in our sports complex,” Murphy said.

There’s also a larger benefit when considering the long-range impact of cooperative ventures like the sports complex. Borrowing again from James Earl Jones in Field of Dreams: “This field, this game, can remind us of all that once was good, and can be again.”

Murphy put it in a practical context, fitting in these divided days. “We have got to begin to demonstrate to the world how we find solutions together; how we take our resources, and the city takes its resources, and how do we put those resources together and create something better than we were separately.”

Riverside Renaissance

The Readmon
luxury community to give new life
to old name, lakefront site

Story by Carol Pappas
Photos submitted

Its name may have historic roots, but The Readmon condominium development coming to Riverside is a brand-new concept for lake living on Logan Martin.

This cutting-edge development of luxury condominiums featuring the latest in amenities sets a new standard for the lake, similar to communities usually found along the Gulf Coast.

It derives its name from the original Riverside, Readmon, which was established in 1882. In 1886, it was renamed and incorporated as Riverside and was St. Clair County’s largest industrial center at the time.

Jones Development, owned by Jeff Jones, hopes to reinvigorate the once thriving area with a development that will attract residents and investors to the Logan Martin shoreline.

Located on the property once occupied by Riverside Marina, The Readmon is a 52-unit community with three complexes of two and three-bedroom luxury condominiums, offering varying designs with standard to wraparound balconies overlooking the water. Ten-foot ceilings and eight-foot doors complement the look and feel of these condominiums, ranging from 1,400 square feet to 1,750 square feet.

The six-acre site includes an outdoor pool, 55 aluminum floating boat slips, electric vehicle charging stations and lakefront gazebo.

The vision for it has been years in the making thanks in part to a vision his father, Chip Jones, developed – Paradise Isle condominiums – located next door to The Readmon. “I’ve always admired my father,” Jones said. He was a building science major at Auburn University, and he moved ahead with his vision despite people telling him “it wouldn’t work.”

“I always thought this site was spectacular,” the younger Jones said of his own vision for the family-owned property. “It’s the best place on the lake. My goal was to find as good a project as I could for the site.”

Describing it as a “massive puzzle,” Jones fine-tuned the vision over the years, making it over legal, business and permitting hurdles en route to moving The Readmon from drawing board to reality. Pre-sales have started, and building is expected to begin in August or September by one of the largest general contractors in the state with extensive experience in multi-family developments. Completion is planned for the summer of 2024.

When developing the concept, Jones noted that habits and trends were changing during the COVID-19 pandemic. People wanted to live in a safe environment with a good quality of life. “I can’t think of anything much better than sitting at the lake and looking at the lake,” he said.

Couple enhanced quality of life offerings with the shortage of housing units for sale on the lake, and The Readmon answers the call, in essence creating 52 new waterfront homes.

Jones noted that it is situated on property that was once used for something else – a marina – and could be repurposed to meet the needs of today – kind of like its namesake.

There are certain properties along the lake that are ideal for transforming into new concepts to satisfy new trends and growing demands. “And this is one of them,” he said. “I couldn’t be more excited.”

Its proximity within a few hundred yards of I-20 and U.S. 78 and situated between major metropolitan areas like Birmingham and Atlanta add to its allure. And it offers an opportunity for people to downsize and still live on the lake.

“St. Clair County continues to be one of the fastest-growing communities in the state where young families, retirees and professionals are choosing to call home,” said Don Smith, executive director of the St. Clair County Economic Development Council. “For multiple reasons, homebuilders are struggling to keep up with this desire to live in our communities. This is seen increasing in the City of Riverside and our other lake communities. These areas have great schools, great leadership and so many quality-of-life offerings for the residents to enjoy.”

Jones is no stranger to developing communities in the area. Easonville, Hayden’s Reserve and Images townhomes at Logan Martin are among his company’s projects.

Nicole Anderson of Lake Homes Realty is exclusive agent for The Readmon, and Jones’ son, Coleman Jones, is development coordinator.

Catchin’ the Coosa

Fishing with Zeke Gossett

Logan Martin

The months of July and August can be hot, but so can the fishing if you look in the right places.

The water temperatures are usually in the mid-80s to low 90s, but this is good thing sometimes, and here’s why. Bass have a high metabolism, and they have to eat more this time of year. However, it is important to look in the right places at the right times, and this is my approach.

Usually in July on Logan Martin there are still a lot of fish out deep. Unfortunately, these fish have seen a lot of baits by this time, but they can still be caught. Knowing this, I start shallow in the mornings around docks and grass. I want to cover water fast and efficiently.

Two baits I like to keep in my hand during this time are a frog and swim jig. I’ll usually bounce around four or five different places trying to find the active fish. This is especially true if it is sunny. If you get a real overcast day you can stay shallow a little longer.

Overall, I’ll usually give this bite about an hour, then I’ll normally head out to deeper water. Once I’m out deep, I am looking at my electronics trying to find schools of fish and brush piles. I will idle around in my boat until I find what I am looking for and then start fishing.

Usually, you can find these type places on long points. I’ll look as deep as 30 feet sometimes, but the magic depth seems to be in that 15- to 20-foot zone. Once I find what I’m looking for, I will ordinarily try to get the fish fired up with either a deep diving crankbait or swimbait.

Remember, these fish are typically rather pressured at this point in the year. I’ll either fish exceptionally fast to get them to react to something or slow down to finesse tactics. If I feel like I need to slow down, I’ll either reach for a drop shot or a ned rig. This is great way to get some bites and hopefully get the school fired up.

Now, switching to the month of August, I will fish the same way as I do in July, but you will see some fish start making their way back to the shallows. This is mainly due to fishing pressure and oxygen levels out deep, especially if there hasn’t been much rain. I’ll look for these fish around shallow docks and grass off the main river.

This can be a tough bite sometimes, but if you’re in the right place at the right time it might surprise you. A couple of baits that are a staple for me in August are a Texas-rigged Senko and frog. These two baits are great for getting those finicky fish to bite in the shallowest water. If you can find shaded banks, they can be a big plus, too. Again, these might be the dog days of summer, but there are still plenty of ways to catch fish during these months.

Neely Henry

Neely Henry is great summertime lake. I’m going to break down the lake on how I fish it depending on what area you might want to target.

There are a lot of places to fish that set up well to be successful for July and August. At Neely, usually you can stick to shallower waters these two months and still do well.

If you’re fishing near the mid-section of the lake, there is a lot of willow grass that lines the banks. I will typically keep it simple with just a few baits. Early in the morning, I will stick with either a frog or swim jig. I will try to keep on the shaded banks and cover water to find the active fish.

Once the sun gets up, I will typically start pitching and flipping the grass with either a ½-oz. jig or some type of creature bait. Both are normally a green pumpkin color if the water is clear. If the water is more stained, I will use black and blue a lot of the time.

If I am in this section of the lake, I will generally stay shallow all day – even if the water temps are in the mid-80s to low 90s. The fish tend to live at shallow depths most of the time during these months.

Now, if I’m on the bottom end of the lake, I will kind of venture off the banks. The grass bite will still routinely be good. I will use the frog and swim jig in order to cover water and find active fish.

On the lower end of the lake, docks become a major factor for me. I will usually start on shallower docks in anywhere from one foot to about five-feet deep. I usually pitch a senko under these docks. Locating the docks with brush around them is always a plus.

Later in the day I will fish deeper docks on the main river with a jig. A lot of the deeper docks get overlooked since they take longer to fish. I will keep my eyes on my electronics and look for brush out in front of these docks as well.

Try some of these tips and pay attention to what part of the lake you’re on in an effort to find success this time of year on Neely Henry.

Editor’s Note:
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.
Follow him on Facebook:
@zekegossettfishing

Remember When: The Ark Restaurant

From Prohibition to Pandemic,
Still Going Strong

Story by Roxann Edsall
Photos by Graham Hadley
Submittted photos

If you’re not from around here, the sign wouldn’t draw you in, and the name wouldn’t make sense. The building is not an imposing brown boat, nor is it floating in water. The Coosa River is an important part of the story, though. The history is as fascinating as the food is good.

It’s a story that began in 1930 when E.O. “Red” Thompson decided to play a game of cat and mouse with the local authorities. After a decade of Prohibition, he hatched a plan to open a bar and restaurant.

His first step was to buy and refurbish an old dredging barge and park it 30 feet off the banks of the Coosa River. He outfitted it with a kitchen and tables and chairs and called it “The Ark.” He sold beer for 15 cents a can. Sixty cents would get you all the catfish and hushpuppies you could eat.

Customers to this floating speakeasy could either walk in on the gangplank or tie off by boat. Since the Coosa divided the counties of St. Clair and Talladega, The Ark was not in the jurisdiction of either county.

Local legend tells that if the Talladega authorities were on the way, he’d move to the St. Clair side of the water. If the authorities from St. Clair were on the way, he’d move to the Talladega side.

It was a dance that lasted for the next three years until the 21^st Amendment ended Prohibition. The barge eventually burned and sank, and Thompson built a log building on land and reopened the restaurant and bar. When that location also burned, he built the current building in Riverside just south of the Coosa River bridge on U.S. 78.

Bought in the late 70s by retired newspaper editor and publisher Bob and Sylvia Cornett, the new owners operated the restaurant with more emphasis on developing recipes and relationships than on evading the law. They kept catfish as their primary draw but gave the place a more family-friendly feel.

The opening of the Talladega Super Speedway in 1969 gave them a whole new clientele and they began to see NASCAR drivers like Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt on a regular basis. Autographed pictures of famous drivers and politicians grace the walls, giving a nod to the global appeal of a great plate of catfish. Recently, comedian Darren Knight was a guest.

Current owner Shirley Abts says they still get some business around race weekends, but it’s not what it used to be a decade ago. “Most of the drivers have their food catered now,” she said. “They just stay in their trailers and have the food come to them.”

Shirley and her (now deceased) husband, Richard, bought The Ark in 2013. They already had the Cropwell restaurant Even Odds when they were approached by Sylvia Cornett. “Sylvia came to me and asked me to buy it. They were struggling, and she said she was going to lose it if I didn’t buy it, so I did,” said Abts. “I had been coming here to The Ark for 30 years, and I didn’t want to see it close.”

Diverse chapters comprise Ark story

The restaurant was used as a movie set in 2019. The producers of the Netflix original, The Devil All the Time, starring Tom Holland, Bill Skarsgard and Sebastian Stan transformed The Ark into a 1960s diner, even replacing the sign with one calling it White Cow Diner, undoubtedly confusing passersby.

Antique cars lined the parking lot. “They came in and put up the sign and took out the air conditioners, fans and light fixtures,” Abts explained. “Then they put up curtains and a lot of 60s décor. Before they left, they put it ‘mostly’ back together,” she adds, with a chuckle. They did pay well enough, according to Abts, to pay the entire staff for several days they were not able to work due to the closure for filming.

2019 was a tough year for Abts, though, with the death of her husband early in the year, followed by a triple bypass surgery for her before the year ended. Then, just weeks after getting out of the hospital, she was told she had to close the restaurant when the pandemic halted in-person dining.

She acknowledges the community as being the blessing that came from that experience. “People supported us through that. People lined up outside for takeout orders seven days a week. And they tipped well to take care of our wait staff,” said Abts. “That was before delivery services like Door Dash and Jack Rabbit. It was so busy that we had to have a waitress go car to car taking orders because our phone was too busy that people couldn’t get through.”

The ’regulars’ and an icon

They have many loyal customers, including some who come every single day. Don’t ask for table six at 11:00; it’s reserved for Joey. He and his wife come in every day, from their jobs at a local auction house.

It’s the loyal customers that keep Sheerie Smith working there. She’s been a waitress at The Ark for over 20 years, starting when she was just 15. Her mom, aunt and grandmother also worked there, so the job has truly been a family affair. “We have a lot of the same customers that we’ve had for so many years,” says Smith. “These people have watched me grow up here. They ask about my kids. They’re family.”

As soon as she bought it, Abts found people who knew the original recipes that the previous owners had gotten away from. Then she rehired people who knew how to make those recipes.

She only buys U.S. farm-raised catfish and slices her produce fresh each day. “The former owners had been using frozen onions and when we went back to fresh cut, we could barely keep up with all the onion rings people wanted,” said Abts proudly. “Fresh makes a big difference in the taste.”

Shirley Abts overseeing the kitchen with Mary Caldwell

The difference is clearly a good one, as their catfish is listed on the Alabama Tourism Department’s 100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die. They were also a finalist in Bama’s Best Catfish Restaurant competition by the Alabama Catfish Producers and the Catfish Institute’s Top Ten Restaurants in America to Eat Catfish.

They’ve recently added a new “Remix” sandwich that features catfish and shrimp with a rémoulade sauce, topped with lettuce and tomato. While catfish is their signature dish, the fish and shrimp combo is what they sell most. “We don’t play when it comes to shrimp,” adds Abts. “We have really big shrimp!” They’ve also added desserts to the menu, currently featuring a homemade cheesecake by local baker Barbara Miller. On occasion, they also have buttermilk pie.

As with any business operating post pandemic, she struggles to keep fully staffed. There are signs at each booth asking people to be patient regarding wait times. It’s worth the wait, adds Abts. “We use fresh food. We don’t precook anything. It’s made to order. That’s why it takes a little while to get your food.”

The tiny sign outside says, “The Ark Family Restaurant.” It’s a family restaurant with a small sign, an unremarkable building, a storied past, but touting a big flavor, seasoned with staff dedicated to keeping it firmly in place in the landscape of their community.

Lincoln’s Landing becoming destination fishing spot

Story by Carol Pappas
Submitted photos | Archived photos

The saying goes, ‘Build it, and they will come.’ In Lincoln these days, they have already arrived.

Since opening less than a year ago, Lincoln’s Landing is now on the map as a destination point. Thousands of boats have already launched from this cutting-edge fishing park, and tournaments are already scheduled two years out.

Les Robinson, director of Lincoln’s Landing, has been “a real plus to this project and to our city,” Lincoln Mayor Lew Watson said. “He puts his heart into it, which is what you need if you’re going to have a successful project.”

Success? Just take a look at the numbers. Lincoln’s Landing has launched 50 tournaments since July, Robinson said. With tournaments and everyday use, it already has reached the 4,500 to 5,000 boats launched mark, “and we haven’t been open a year,” he added.

The prestigious Bassmasters College Series is coming to Lincoln’s Landing in June for a two-day tournament and in the next 18 to 24 months, Robinson predicts, a Bassmasters Elite or Bassmasters Open, which are major attractions in the fishing world, are in its future. But it doesn’t stop there. The tourist dollars it lures along with the notoriety for Lincoln will have a huge economic impact, not only for Lincoln but the surrounding areas.

In the next budget period, a pavilion, bridge and swimming beach will be on the agenda for the city and this 40-acre site. “Then we’ll catch our breath a little bit,” Robinson said.

The park already includes a 165-foot long by 60-foot wide, stacked stone grand pavilion with fireplace and 4,000 square feet of open space for other events, fishing piers and slips and a boat ramp that can launch 10 boats at a time. The first wedding at the park is already booked.

Parking also will be a consideration. While 250 parking spaces seemed like plenty when the park was on the drawing board. The Alabama Bass Trail event had every spot filled plus parking on the grass, Mayor Watson said.

Two other pavilions – both 30 x 30 feet – will be built near the shoreline and be rentable for events as well as everyday use. A pad is planned for a food truck area to serve tournaments.

“It’s more than just a fishing park,” Robinson said. “We have a lot to offer.”

In July, when construction was at its height, Watson could already see what was taking shape and its potential. He noted its accessibility – near Interstate 20 and U.S. 78. “It is right off the main channel on the lake, with year-round water,” Watson said at the time. “It is the perfect place for the park. It’s like, ‘If we build it, they will come.’”

Take a look around on any given day. They’re already here.