A water pump could mean economic growth in southwest Coosa County after the Flagg Mountain Observation Tower was dedicated this month as the terminus of the Pinhoti Trail, which connects hikers to the Appalachian Trail.
For three decades, The Front Porch has brightened televisions and radio airwaves each day as people tune in for local stories and community highlights. The feel-good morning show greets each sunrise with an array of special guests, local pers…
Crisp mornings, colorful leaves and the smell of food trucks in the breeze can mean only one thing – fall has arrived. From Dadeville’s bustling downtown festival to Alexander City’s beloved Oktoberfest and the pumpkin-packed fun at Russell C…
In the heart of Washington, D.C., hundreds of miles from her hometown of Alexander City, Rebecca Howard is lacing up her boxing gloves–not for glory, but to honor the lives cancer took from her.
For more than two decades, two familiar broadcasters have ruled the realm of local sports, bringing passion, grit and storytelling to the sidelines and airwaves. Brett Pritchard and Randy Lee Jr., lifelong friends and co-hosts of Sportz Blitz…
From humble beginnings at a lakeside retreat to hosting judges from the Grammys, the 5th Annual Lake Martin Songwriter’s Festival has exploded into a Southern music sensation.
Ever since the days of the gladiators competing in the Coliseum, sport has bonded human beings together. Sports demand unity, pride and an unwavering commitment to success. This is what Kirk Johnson is bringing to the table as the new Benjami…
Life is a puzzle, and even the most painful pieces can find their place in a larger picture of hope.
Alexander City is home to oustanding individuals who devote their time and energy to creating a stronger, more connected community. Among them is Christale Tuck, who was recently named the 2025 Woman of the Year by the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce. The honor, presented during the Chamb…
How do you properly evaluate the total success of a program? Perhaps it’s measuring the number of players who get to follow a childhood dream. For Larry Thomas and his Central Alabama Community College baseball team, those dreams are borderline a full reality.
So many share the same dream: to be seated on a porch, boots kicked up on the railing. The sun is shining down, and having worked beneath it all day, the shade of the porch feels godly. All around are crops – peaches, corn, okra, potatoes, carrots, peas and green beans – all planted in neat,…
Tucked away on sprawling farmland in Eclectic, Alabama, is a one-of-a-kind venture driven by passion, education and community service. At its heart is Allyson Andrews, the spirited 60-year-old owner of Wildly Blessed, whose unique endeavors in beekeeping, raising livestock and caring for the…
The bond among members of a football team is often referred to as a family, but when it comes to the Reeltown Rebels, they are a real-life generational legacy.
Nestled in the heart of Eclectic, Alabama, lies a hidden hometown treasure – a family-operated store run by beloved duo, Ronnie and Carol George of George Family Farm. Over recent years, it has become a cherished spot for the community, where…
Community might be the element that helps you stick to your plan when the holidays are over and the New Year rings in the resolve to lose weight, work out and eat healthier. Owners at three area gyms agreed that reaching those New Year’s goal…
The spirit of hope is what has driven Dadeville locals Kurt and Leigh Pfitzner to dedicate the last six years to Pennington Park, a small 2-acre haven in the community. The park has brought the magic of the holidays to life for locals; howeve…
Alexander City native Ben Chappell knew early on that science was his niche. It was on his mind even as he navigated the halls at Benjamin Russell High School, preparing to graduate in the spring of 2012. But he wanted an occupation that woul…
As anyone who lives in rural Alabama can tell you, football is more than a sport here.
Imagine a high school education system that taught more than the classical areas of study: math, science, history, literature – but which taught students how to interview with a potential employer, how to interact amicably with coworkers or h…
It was about 97 degrees outside when Wes Coleman stepped onto the tennis court at the Hoover Met in Birmingham. The heat index was up to 106 degrees, and it felt even hotter on the hardcourt, where dark blue and green concrete absorbed the su…
Harold Banks has published his epic solo paddling adventure journal, By Paddle and Pack: Headwaters of the Tallapoosa to the Gulf of Mexico, and it is a delightful, entertaining read.
In 2023, Alexander City dispatchers received over 29,000 calls.
Kylan “KJ” Eason had never been taught how to apply a tourniquet. He had not been trained to administer first aid, or to clean a wound, or to provide CPR. He is a 13 year-old boy who, like most other teenage boys, has no experience handling i…
Wind Creek State Park has gone through some changes in the last few years. But much of it is still the same: still ripe with tall, handsome trees, still home to quiet lake shores, and in the summertime, its campgrounds are still filled with k…
