Special Feature |
MAY/JUNE 2018 |
The “Capital of Cool” has a new way for the young women of our community to give back and earn money for college in the process. After a successful 2018 program, the Miss Tri County pageant is already making plans for the 2019 program. Pageant coordinator and high school teacher Tatum Smith decided to start the program after talking to one of her former students about the need here in Central Alabama. She said, “I thought it was a crying shame. How does the Capital City not have a Miss Alabama preliminary? So, I called the Miss Alabama office and created Miss Tri County. We represent Autauga, Elmore and Montgomery counties.”
The Girls |
MAY/JUNE 2018 |
This issue has turned out to be one of my favorite issues to date. Meeting and interviewing so many incredible and talented people responsible for the revival of Kress on Dexter was a rewarding, personal experience.
Cover Story |
MAY/JUNE 2018 |
THEN
In 1896, S. H. Kress built a chain of five and dime stores that grew to 264 locations and dominated our country for years. Most were located downtown at five or six stories high and, because he was an avid art lover, each building incorporated distinctive architecture with detailed artistic flourishes on the exterior. His Montgomery store was his third to be built but was destroyed by fire in 1927. In December of 1929, architect George E. Mackay rebuilt it with a Greek temple design that remains today. It closed in 1981, and over the years began to deteriorate, along with several other buildings on Dexter Avenue. So much history happened on Dexter: Martin Luther King, Jr. led thousands on the Selma to Montgomery March from this street. Nonviolent activists organized sit-ins at the eating counters in the Kress Department Store. The Webber Theatre, the oldest theatre in Alabama, is where actor and assassin John Wilkes Booth performed regularly. Dexter Avenue created a platform for Civil Rights activists. It tells a story…several stories. How could Montgomery afford not to restore it?
In Motion |
MAY/JUNE 2018 |
In need of a good LAF with friends? Look no further. In an age where entertainment is readily available through cell phones, computers and video games, people have lost their touch with the fun of a simple game shared with others. The magic of winning a steep match of checkers or building something with colorful LEGOs has been lost. But, Julian and Carla Petty have set out- in a big way- to amend this. LAF is a company that provides “Large Amounts of Fun” through oversized yard and board games. Their inspiration comes from their two children, Elijah Alexander and Avery Elise. “Raising young children in an age where electronic devices are practically attached to everyone’s hand, we wanted more from their normal play activities.”
Special Feature |
MAY/JUNE 2018 |
Ronda Walker, vice chairman of the Montgomery County Commission, has had a desire to make her community a better place since before she could even vote. She is currently running for a seat in the Alabama State Senate, which is the culmination of a fulfilling but sometimes challenging journey for Walker. Through it all, however, her goal is clear—to serve the people of the River Region and see their lives changed for good.
Connections |
MAY/JUNE 2018 |
Say goodbye to what you knew about the Montgomery Regional Airport. It’s a new day! The latest developments have taken our airport from somewhere you have to be to somewhere you want to be.
Reply Yes |
MAY/JUNE 2018 |
Spring is melting into summer faster than a popsicle on a hot sidewalk, and it’s time to stock your bookshelves with some good reads. Put down your phone, pour yourself a cup of coffee and settle in for a cozy reading session with one (or a few) of these new releases.
Don't Ask... Doc Tells |
MAY/JUNE 2018 |
One of my friends made a statement that I had not really had to consider, until recently. He explained that there are two things in life that invoke passion and emotion nearly universally, and those are one’s children and their money. My grandfather had a similar philosophy, but he had a slightly different list of passions. He believed the only reason that might merit violence against another person was if they harmed his family or his dog. As a soon-to-be parent, I have now begun thinking about things differently. A child is your own flesh and blood, it makes a big difference.