Don’t miss Jim Photoglo’s Sundilla debut this Friday, March 5. Showtime is 7:30 and admission is just $10, $8 for students, and free for children 12 and under. We’ll have free coffee, tea, water and food, though as always you are welcome to bring whatever food or beverage you prefer. For an advance listen, be sure to tune in to Wildman Steve Radio at 3:00 PM Friday; Jim will be sitting in the studio with Wildman Steve, doing a little chatting and a lot of singing. Also, check out the interview with Jim that can be found on the OffBeat Auburn site. (Those web addresses are www.wildmansteve.com, and www.offbeatauburn.com.)

It’s not a stretch to say that no Sundilla performer has enjoyed the success that Jim Photoglo has. Until now, only Steve Forbert has actually had a Top 40 single; Jim has had two. As a writer, Jim has been even more successful, with two Number One hits, and so many other songs covered by different performers that I didn’t even bother counting. (Some of the names: Kenny Rogers, Brenda Lee, Faith Hill, Dusty Springfield, Kathy Mattea and The Everly Brothers.) (more…)

Quick Facts: Event Dates and Ticket Info at a glance: March 3-6, 2010 at 6:30 p.m., Saturday, March 6–Matinee at 2:00 p.m. and evening show at 6:30 p.m., Family Night Performance –Monday, March 8, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. ~ Tickets–$8 for adults, ($6 on Family Night Out) and $6 for students and seniors, Children under three get in free.  Location: Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center, 222 E. Drake Ave, across from the Auburn Post Office.  Make your reservations by emailing aactreservations@gmail.com or by phone at 770-928-7777.

Auburn area children and teens will bring that mischievous Cat in the Hat off the page and onto the stage in the Auburn Area Community Theatre production of the musical SEUSSICAL Jr!  Directed by Kim Hirt, the musical features all the favorite Dr. Seuss characters, including the Cat, Horton the Elephant, Gertrude McFuzz, Lazy Mayzie, along with the Whos of Whoville, singing and dancing and bringing the beloved children’s books to life.

SEUSSICAL Jr. has been called a “wild Seussian Gumbo of musical styles, ranging from Latin to pop, swing to gospel, and rhythm and blues to funk!” So let your toes tap, your fingers snap, and your imagination run wild when you join in for a celebration of music, books, and that special magic that generations of Seuss fans have loved.

On Saturday, March 6th volunteers of Keep Opelika Beautiful will be participating in the Citywide Cleanup. This local effort, an extension of the national program, Great American Cleanup, is an opportunity for citizens to join together in the fight against litter. Dr. Bob Patton has again agreed to chair the local event. Over 300 local volunteers joined Keep Opelika Beautiful in 2009 to participate in the event.
 
Established by Keep America Beautiful, Inc., the nation’s premier litter prevention and education organization, in partnership with state and local affiliates such as ours, the Great American Cleanup is our country’s largest annual cleanup, beautification and community improvement program. Each year, millions of volunteers in over 15,000 communities across the country take part in this program.

As in years past, GLAD is a national sponsor for the event and donates trash bags to assist the volunteers. Locally, East Alabama Medical Center is helping with supplies. The Opelika Exchange Club feeds all volunteers after the morning of picking up litter. Participants of the event include all Adopt-A-Mile sponsors, Afni, Auburn Opelika Elks Club, Opelika Exchange Club, Opelika Fire Department, Opelika High School FFA, Opelika Kiwanis Club, Opelika Lions Club, Opelika Rotary Club and Wal-Mart Distribution Center. Several civic organization including Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Phi Theta Kappa, Boys & Girls Club and various organizations at Opelika High School volunteer for the Cleanup. The Opelika Solid Waste Department, Opelika Mainstreet and Opelika Police Department also assist in the efforts. First Baptist Church of Opelika’s My Jerusalem program will also have volunteers throughout Opelika participating in the Citywide Cleanup.

Businesses and citizens are encouraged to join Keep Opelika Beautiful in the fight against litter. For more information call Keep Opelika Beautiful at (334) 749-4970.  (Source: KOB News Release)

The newly formed Auburn/Opelika Parkinson’s Disease Support Group has an upcoming meeting scheduled for Sunday February 21st from 2 to 4 p.m..  The meeting will be held in the Eagle’s Nest Meeting Room in the back side of Monarch Estates located at 1550 East University Drive in Auburn.  Those with PD, their family members or friends are invited and urged to attend.  Sheriff Jay Jones is the guest speaker.  For more information contact Linda Drummond at 334.444.2836 or Tom Bonniol at 334-887-1891.”

The Pink Ribbon Comedy Tour will be performing a special event; a stand up comedy show at Opelika’s Eighth an Rail on South Railroad Avenue, Thursday, Febaruary 25th. From January 21, 2010 through April 30, 2010, the Pink Ribbon Comedy Tour will donate 30% of the retail sales price for every ticket sold to Susan G. Komen for the Cure® with a minimum guaranteed donation of $10,000, in support of breast cancer awareness and research.

This one night only event includes four comedians, Brendan T. Gleason, Nick Hoff, Kevin Richards & Law Smith, for a PG-13 performance Information about how to become involved with Komen and breast cancer education pamphlets to follow the show.

The Pink Ribbon Comedy Tour is dedicated to Kevin’s mother, Renee Richards, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in the summer of 2009.  When the Pink Ribbon Comedy Tour was in the development stage the summer of 2009, Renee decided to take her own health seriously.  Upon a screening, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.  Presently, she is under treatment. She is the inspiration for Kevin and his fellow comedians to spread breast cancer awareness with the help of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. One life has been dramatically altered for the better because of the production of this comedy tour. The goal is to help many more.

About Susan G. Komen for the Cure®
Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. In 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure and launched the global breast cancer movement. Today, Komen for the Cure is the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists fighting to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures. Thanks to events like the Komen Race for the Cure®, we have invested nearly $1.5 billion to fulfill our promise, becoming the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world. For more information about Susan G. Komen for the Cure, breast health or breast cancer, visit www.komen.org or call 1-877 GO KOMEN.

The Opelika City Schools will be open on Monday, February 15 as a regular school day.  It was originally scheduled as a teacher work day but will now be a make up day for today’s snow day.  Southern Showcase scheduled for this weekend at OHS will continue as planned.  (Source: Opelika City Schools)

On Thursday, February 11, 2010 Frank Griffin will be signing his book, “Touched by Fire” at the Lewis Cooper Jr. Memorial Library from 12 noon –1 p.m. as a part of their Brown bag Lunch Series. Frank’s story is that of an ordinary young man caught up in extraordinary events.

Forty-five years ago Frank came back to Alabama accompanied by a sheriff’s deputy. He was about to serve two years for a theft he did not commit. Frank served his time, earned a pardon, moved to Texas, and lived the life of a solid citizen; he left his past behind. But the past he was leaving would not let go. Frank was born into the tumult of history, and up until he’d turned twenty-one history hadn’t let him alone.

In 1954 Frank’s father witnessed the murder of Alabama Attorney General-elect Albert Patterson, then was killed after testifying to what he saw. Less than a decade later Frank saw Lee Harvey Oswald fleeing the scene after the murder of Dallas police officer J.D. Tippit. Remembering his father’s fate, Frank walked away. In the years between the two assassinations Frank worked in the circus, ran moonshine, and became a U.S. Marine. At different times he found himself in Florida, Oklahoma, and on a U.S. Navy ship off Cuba’s coast. (more…)

If you like good music and some chocolate, then Eighth & Rail is the place to be on Saturday Night.   John Pringle will perform for this Valentine Soiree to benefit the American Red Cross.  And, oh yea, there’s a chocolate tasting. Yummy!

It’s back! Save the date! Friday, March 26th at 7PM at the National Guard Armory in Opelika, it’s the Opelika Historic Preservation Society Annual Money Rasing Event. Refreshments, Bar, Bingo (the real kind approved by Governor Bob Riley) and Entertainment.  Door prizes throughout the evening.  Those folks with the tickets each year, have them again.  Only 300 are sold.  Last ticket holder wins $10,000.  Milton McGregor, eat your heart out!