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A call for action

What if Etowah County and the 4th Congressional District had the same leadership in our congressional representative as they do in South Alabama?

Last week, Congressman Bradley Byrne of Mobile made a strong public stand for construction of a bridge on Interstate 10 over the Mobile River. The congressman called the project “a national priority” and warned that inaction would endanger

Mary Harrison Lister, Etowah Historical Society Founder, Part Two

The Vagabond recently traveled to Montgomery to the state archives, where he discovered several photos Mary Harrison Lister, the founder of the Etowah Historical Society.

The following piece is a continuation of a book written by Elbert L. Watson about Mary Harrison Lister:

“My next direct contact with the society was at its Christmas gathering held at Mrs. Lister’s beloved Aloha Lodge

Local legislators help fund VFDs

By Chris McCarthy/ Publisher/Editor

Thanks to a line item appropriation by local state legislators, the coffers of area volunteer fire departments are a little bit bigger.

On behalf of the Alabama Forestry Commission, state representatives Mack Butler and Becky Nordgren and House Minority Leader Craig Ford presented grant checks to several Etowah County volunteer fire departments on May 15 at the Etowah

Kimberly volunteers to share love of tennis with B&G Club kids

By Donna Thornton/News Editor

Some Thursday afternoons, you can find Etowah County Circuit Judge David Kimberly at an entirely different kind of court.

Kimberly takes his enthusiasm for tennis and shares it with a group of young people from the Boys and Girls Club on Thursdays, at the Gadsden Tennis Complex. Armed with a large bag of practice balls and rackets, Kimberly

Moman’s Eyecare marks milestones amidst changes

By Donna Thornton/News Editor

With the closing of Hicks Family Shoes, Moman’s Eyecare – now in its 39th year of business – has the longest tenure of any retail business on Broad Street.

As Moman’s takes on that mantle, some changes are being made in the business that Juanita Moman opened in 1975 on Broad Street, as Moman’s Optical Dispensary.

Being owned and

Southern Cooking with Andy Bedwell

Cabbage Casserole and Strawberry Bread

I am a person who reads cookbooks the way other people read novels. My best weekends are enjoyed by going to estate sales and thrift stores looking for cookbooks and handwritten recipes. I also love to spend the day in libraries. 

When Mary Virginia was attending Jacksonville State, she would drop me off at the library while

Rainbow Manor is ready to serve any bride’s needs

By Donna Thornton/News Editor

Rainbow Manor Wedding Chapel in Rainbow City can take the work out of wedding planning for brides.

If she can’t provide it for you, owner Beth Staton said, she can recommend someone who can.

However, there’s not much Rainbow Manor cannot provide. Staton said they do catering, can direct your wedding, handle the rehearsal, take care of music and

Wedding venue open at Hokes Bluff’s Cove Acre Farms

By Laura Ann Tipps/Staff Writer

A new wedding venue opened in Hokes Bluff this spring, bringing the increasingly popular barn wedding to Etowah County. 

Cheryl and George Wright have transformed a 12,000 square foot barn on the picturesque Cove Acre Farms into a peaceful, charming space that can accommodate up to an approximately 225-person wedding. 

The venue is also available for many other

Grapes, no wrath at Maraella Winery

By Jim Lee/Vintner

I want to give you a little background information on myself and my family, with the hope that you will come to know us better, learn to like us and love our wine. 

From the age of four years I was raised with three sisters and three brothers on a 40-acre rock farm. The farm was located in Fords