February 28, 2010

They say: "There is always a little something going on in Mobile" and that must be true. After church, I went by to see Marilyn Jones and she gave me a "mess" of collard greens which we will have for dinner this evening. Then, (for those who know me) I went downtown for my cup of Serda's coffee. The Mobile Boat Show was starting to wind down with vendors making "unbelievable" deals just so they wouldn't have to haul the merchandise back to Pensacola or

Theodore or wherever. There were some happy people leaving the show so they must have gotten a good deal. . . . . . unless those happy people were the vendors. I circled around Dauphin Street and a charitable organization was giving out home cooked meals to the homeless. It smelled so good I almost took off my jacket and messed up my shirt a bit!

February 27, 2010

Tonight was Mobile Symphony evening at the Saenger Theatre with Emil de Cou conducting. The Symphony in D minor by Franck and L'Apres-midi by Debussy took us til intermission. After the wine and bathroom break, we got to hear Ravel's Bolero which the conductor explained to the audience: "Sometimes when a man and a woman love each other very much, they do the Bolero"

Before going downtown this late afternoon there was an extremely bad automobile wreck on Highway 158 in Saraland just before Catfish Junction. I was right behind Henry Phillips and we both had to turn around because they shut down 158 from both directions.

February 26, 2010

This morning we met at Hadee's Restaurant on Lee Street (former yeaterdays) for a formal ribbon cutting. Mayor Pittman had business to attend to and was unable to be be there today.

So, between Ross Naze representing the city and me the Chamber Of Commerce, we were able to get the job done. I'm not even going to mention the Auditorium closing because that's all any one is talking about today. (see video below)

February 25, 2010

Before my Commercial Board Meeting I went by the Auditorium to see how everything was going. The room was packed with bingo followers eager to make a "score" on some quick earnings. I talked with a couple of newscasters there and was told that the ex-policeman Bob Ingle who was convicted of molesting his stepdaughter, committed suicide late this morning. Aiden McElvoy, the biological father of the young girl is a well respected Chickasaw policeman.

At the Commercial Board we voted yes on allowing Melissa Herrin to open the Herrin Insurance Agengy on 409 N. Craft Highway (where the old Dearborn Motors used to be.) Ms. Herrin will specialize in Homeowners and casualty insurance for this community. Before you pay that next high home insurance payment, give her a call.

February 24, 2010

Well, the day is just about here. The machines are in place and the Auditorium plans to open for business tomorrow. As has been said before: "The only difference between paper bingo and electronic bingo is the advent of the microchip." These machines issue a paper tally and you are still required to affirm you have a winning status. You play against other persons in the room. so the game is essentially the same. Both TV stations were there getting interviews from Mayor Pittman as to what effect it would have on Chickasaw. As he told them: "It could make all the difference in the world as to whether this city moves forward or stands still" My position in this is all about the success of Chickasaw; let's see what happens.

(pictured Hayward displaying paper bingo sheet, Hayward and Darwin Singleton from Local News)

February 23, 2010

I met our code inspector for lunch at the new Hadee's Restaurant so we could do site inspections on two new businesses that wish to open. One is a tire store and the other an insurance agency.

While we were there the Mayor and city attorney came in for lunch. Featured in the photo are the Attorney Jay Minus, Mayor Byron Pittman, Kim Hallmark, bus. owner and Carnes Craig, Code Inspector. By the way, the fried chicken and green beans and potatoes were very good.

Give them a try.

February 22, 2010

This afternoon at Kiwanis we had program chairman Ervin Dailey present Max Brazellton, a 13 year old national essay winner for a paper he had written on Thad Tingle (a Chickasaw resident) comparing him with Chris Kringle. One brings gifts to the girls and boys while Thad Tingle delivered mail during the war to fighting boys in the jungles of Manilla. Max's essay touched on times when Thad had to drop his mail bag and fire his rifle to keep from being attacked by Japanese eager to conficate his weapon. Max is an accomplished cello player, studying under one of Mobile's finest instructors. We also voted to help the First Baptist Church build a wheelchair ramp for one of our elderly Chickasaw citizens

January 21, 2010

This morning at St. Thomas Catholic Church mass, Father Saucier honored the new Parish Council. We are the advisers to the priest and a liaison between himself and the congregation. He gave us a blessing and thanked us for our assistance. This years officers are:
Tom Hayward, Chairman Mark Zimlich, Vice Chairman, Margaret
Czajkowski, Secretary and Margie Dunham, Financial Advisor. If you look hard, I'm the third from the left (the one with the thinning hair) After mass, I had lunch with several friends from church, then stopped at the grocery store for coffee and filters.

February 20, 2010

It was such a fantastic day (about 67 degrees) I cancelled my trip to Fairhope and worked in the garden and on the patio. I had discovered my ceramic fountain had cracked from the below freezing temperatures we had, into multiple pieces, but with the help of two-part epoxy glue and a little patience, I was able to save it for perhaps another year. I knew I should not have left water in it during the freeze (expansion-before-freezing), but how Georgia Tech allowed me to graduate, my bride still shakes her head in stunned disbelief. I then turned my talents to trimming rose bushes and an out of control pitosporum bush while Deborah attended a wedding shower. I am so stoked with this weather, I think I'll suggest we eat out on the patio tonight.

February 19, 2010

Tonight the 2010 Founders Day Committee met to continue their planning for October 30, 2010, Coming Home and Year of Smalltowns. We assigned chairmanship for the following:

Arts And Crafts - Margaret Czajkowski

Food Vendors- Kathleen Trent

Visual Displays- Teresa Goolsby

Entertainment- Tom Hayward

Marketing- Sherrie Graham

We will ask Barbara Pulliam to chair the Car Show Committee and Ed Baxley the Silent Auction Committee. Vendors applications and Sponsorship Levels were approved and Jennifer will ask the St Thomas Church for permission to use their parking areas if the Civic Center is used in lieu of Miller Park.

February 18, 2010

Chickasaw Chamber Of Commerce had their board meeting this morning followed by the chamber luncheon. Tickets became available for the April 15 Mobile Baybears "Chickasaw Night" where some lucky citizen will throw out the first pitch. The Noon Business Workshops have been scheduled for May and September. We will honor a student at Peter Joe Hamilton School on March 18, 2010 with a $50. bond and $50. in school supplies for their teacher. Todays speaker was Susan Parker, Commissioner of the Public Service Commission who stressed the need for cleaner coal power plants and the resolve to build more nuclear power providers. A very tasty meal was sponsored by First Baptist Church of Chickasaw and served by J.R. Rogers Barbeque.

February 17, 2010

The Mardi Gras festivities are over and it is time to get back to work. Tomorrow is the monthly Chamber Of Commerce luncheon and you are all invited. Our speaker will be Susan Parker of the Alabama Public Service Commission. If you think your phone, gas or electricity bills are too high, bring your questions and let Susan know how you feel. We will give someone the opportunity to throw out the first pitch on April 14, 2010 at the Mobile Baybears game for just $3. per entry. Must run up to UPS and get this months copy of the Tradition (Chamber Newsletter) printed. Then it's back to the office for invoicing and bill paying.

February 16, 2010 Mardi Gras Day

Where do I begin? Up at 5:30 AM to meet the entire Order of Athena for breakfast at the Exploreum. By the way, I don't consider myself "cheap" but $20. for parking at the Riverview

for 45 minutes is a bit excessive. After breakfast we escorted the ladies to their floats and I returned home to put on the tux and get the food for the ball. Saw Deb on Chan. 5 while I was dressing, loaded the SUV and beat a path to the Abba Shrine Center. The presentation of the Queen and her court of officers was next followed by the ladies of the different floats doing a little dance routine. Then each Athena lady and her escort paid homage to the Queen and the dancing, drinking and eating began in earnest. Some of the guests at our tables were Horace and Bonnie Allen, Rev. Dennis Brown and his wife, Sarah Jane Whitley and her date and others we met, but forgot their names. The band, Sweetbone, was excellent and we danced into the evening.

February 15, 2010

I missed Kiwanis today, because it was "load-in" day for the Order Of Athena parade tomorrow.

After setting up our tables for the feast and ball on Tuesday, we went over to Macaroni grill for lunch. There hilarity ensued with tales of falling off of floats, being too intoxicated to remember parades and others I am happy to say you won't find with Deb and me. We are excited, albeit wigged-out about getting dowtown by 7 AM in the morning. Her float will be the "Pagent Girls" and she will be at the top of the standing area. Look for her and yell: "Throw me some moon-pies, lady!"

February 14, 2010

Today is the third day of our three day meet with the Lionel Train Convention being held at the Riverview Hotel. The fist day they all went to BJ's Seafood on the causeway and toured the USS Alabama. Since I had other things to do, I skipped that (It was mostly for all the "out of towners"

Saturday was a tour of the Foley Railroad Museum and lunch at Lamberts. But today I participated in the visiting of one of our members layouts, before they left to tour Bellingrath Gardens. I will meet up with them later for dinner at Dreamland Barbeque. I almost forgot to mention that I went in to church early and traded out a defective wireless microphone system.

This morning Debbie bought my breakfast at Whataburger and we traded Valentines Day gifts.

She got me a travel bag with aftershave lotion (I wonder if that's a hint) and I got her a personalized coffee mug with our Mardi Gras picture.

February 13, 2010

We caught up with our daughter Courtney in Atlanta and they've been having a great time in the snow. Here's Debbie Jo, about ready to unload an 85 mph ball of fluffy precipitation to someone's kisser. Today I talked to our code inspector and two of our board members. Then I went down to Airport Blvd. to buy a vest for my tux. The one I wanted fit well in the waist, but was too bloused out near the neck. So I just rented one for Mardi Gras day and will look for one in earnest after "Fat Tuesday".

February 12, 2010

And the Mardi Gras season rolls on. . . . . Today I caught up on chamber work, garden club work and still had time to prepare a light supper for Deborah and be ready to go downtown. Tomorrow I must get a new black tie for my tux and get everything ready for Deb to load her float on Monday.

February 11, 2010

Tonight was the Mystic Stripers parade and we were honored to view it from the balcony above our law firm on Royal Street. A sumptious spread of rare roast beef, crawfish tarts, cheese grits and sauted shrimp and fried green tomatoes made up the menu along with a well-staffed open bar. About 6:55 PM the parade passed by our balcony and there was a multitude of beads, moon pies and stuffed animals to catch. We did just great and so did Margaret and Charles

Czajkowski, Horace and Bonnie Allen and Janice and Bob Talbott who were with us at the event.

February 10, 2010

Today was my brides day off so we had a leisurely breakfast and I ordered some equipment for a friend while she cleaned up my mess. Later on I paid a visit to Cheif Mike Reynolds and took my tux shirt to the cleaners for pressing. (for next weeks Athena Ball) By the time I got back it was time to get ready for the First Baptist Church Valentines Dinner. After a fine meal and dessert, we were treated to a rendition of songs from "Sound Of Music" with some outstanding solos. The friends we have made over at First Baptist are very important to us.

February 9, 2010

Well, it's all over! I snapped this photo at the moment the council voted 4 to 2 for electronic bingo in Chickasaw. I equate this whole scenario to long division or square roots. Back in the 50's we used to sit down with a piece of paper to do that kind of math. Now, with NASA space exploration bringing about the invention of the micro-chip, we have calculators for less than $10. to do all the long division you want. If you compare that with Bingo, all of it was paper Bingo just like the Bingo Parlor on N. Craft Hwy. from forty years ago, but now a micro-chip makes it happen faster and with more accuracy. I have full confidence that one electronic bingo casino will NOT bring organized OR disorganized crime to this city. But it will bring income, income we need to run our communities utilities and building funding.

February 8, 2010

I was so excited about our friends from New Orleans winning the Super Bowl that I forgot to blog last evening. We had some guests over to watch the game and it was terrific. This AM I attended Kiwanis and we presented another police officer with a plaque and awards for his being an outstanding asset to the force. Officer Winston A. Winfield II for his recent observance
and capture of automobile thieves stealing cars in Chickasaw and Prichard, then selling them to Alter Scrap Metals for cash earned the distinction of Officer of the Quarter from the Kiwanis. He also received certificates for complimentary meals from two nearby restaurants. Our program speaker this afternoon was Bill Heard, an Alabama Militia Lieutenant Colonel who fought in World War II and was deployed from France to Burchase Gardens to capture Adolf Hitler in his secret encampment. By the time they arrived at the encampment, the war had ended.

February 6, 2010

Deb and I enjoyed a liesurely breakfast before she headed off to work. My task was to secure all the "goodies" for Super Bowl Sunday. You know, you can't get through the day without some guacamole, wings and beer! After I put everything up I decided to hit the Mobile Museum Of Art. There were several fine displays by artists with whom I am not familiar, pictured are some

of the upcoming shows. Kate Clark and Shootin Southern look like favorites. As you might know, they won't let you take photos inside the building.

February 5, 2010

Today was Debs day off and we spent it having fun. After we did our chores, we went downtown to Spot Of Tea and had dinner. Then up the street to Bienville Square where we waited for both parades to commence. The Inca's started the evening followed by the Polka Dots. Between the two of us we must have caught about twenty pounds of beads, moon pies and stuffed animals. In fact we felt so guilty about raking in the "pile o' beads" that Deborah started sharing them with the two small children standing with their grandmother. A small glass of Cabernet red to top off the evening and we set out for home.

February 4, 2010

There was a Maritime Security meeting at the International Trade Center this morning held by Hal Hudgens. As afternoon approached the chances of rain became 100%. The only thing to be thankful about was the temperature was about ten degrees higher than in Atlanta, where a friend of mine said it was hovering just above the freezing mark AND raining. I will get out some invoices and pay a few bills. Here is one more picture taken at the Little Caesars Grand Opening.

February 3, 2010

The Dollar General store on N. Craft Highway will be the next business to open in Chickasaw. The sewer pipes and utility trenches are currently being excavated and the ground prepared for foundation pouring. If you haven't been up to Little Caesars Pizza, prepare yourself. They are encountering a deluge of business with the parking lots packed from morning opening until late in the evening. It is great to see the acceptance and response from the city. It won't be long before the start of the new Safe House on Iriquois St. gets under way. I'm guessing less than two months.

February 2, 2010

We decided to postpone the normal Commercial Board meeting since we are having a Townhall Meeting on March 11 and the Bakery application is not yet ready for a vote. This afternoon I sent out several business quotes and attended the Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Little Ceasars Pizza on North Craft Highway. They should do a "landoffice" business on Superbowl Sunday as their food is great. The picture is: presenting a welcoming gift from The Chickasaw Chamber Of Commerce to Jim Barton, Representative of the 104th District and part owner of the new business. I strongly urge you to support this new retail outlet in our town. You will be delighted with their product.

February 1, 2010

Todays Kiwanis was our business meeting where we discussed the success of the Disc Golf event.

The club voted to give Cecil (from the Auditorium) a check for $100. for all the work he does with the Kiwanis during the tournament. Right after the meeting the city code inspector and I met with Linda Whatly and her husband who wish to open a bakery in the large half of Yesterdays Market. She would like to have a sit-down area where you could buy a doughnut or cookie and eat it there with a cup of coffee or a soft drink. The Grand Opening of Little Ceasars Pizza was moved from 10 AM until 5 PM to allow officials and Representative Jim Barton to attend the ribbon cutting. (pictures to follow) Tonight I attend the Planning Commission at 6 PM.