Steven Stiefel

AUBURN — In memory of the late Congressman John Lewis, some local citizens gathered and created some “Good Trouble” of their own, assembling on the Moores Mill Road bridge and displaying handmade signs to Interstate 85 drivers. The signs spelled out, “Love Your Neighbor.”

LEE COUNTY — A month after Alabama lawmakers banned THC and CBD products from retail stores, local retailers say the industry faces devastation.

BY STEVEN STIEFELFOR THE OBSERVER OPELIKA — Administrators from Opelika City Schools were hosted by the Opelika Chamber during the Business Over Breakfast program. They shared their thoughts on the upcoming football season, the impacts of a new law prohibiting mobile phones in school and mentioned important ways the community can help young people achieve […]

LEE COUNTY — The Lee County Board of Education remains “right on target” with its budget at the three-quarter mark of the fiscal year, despite scaling most programs back to 70% to 80% of previous levels as federal COVID-19 funds expired.

BY STEVEN STIEFEL

BY STEVEN STIEFELFOR THE OBSERVER LEE COUNTY — The Lee County Board of Education is facing major changes following a work session last week where officials discussed major declines in student enrollment.The Board is in an untenable position due to a decade of student population decline, creating budget shortfalls and a school configuration that violates […]

BY STEVEN STIEFEL FOR THE OBSERVER LEE COUNTY — At its November meeting, the Lee County Board of Education approved an option for realigning Smiths Station elementary schools to account for funding shortages blamed on dwindling enrollment over the past decade. For the 2026 school year, the student population for the four Smiths Station Elementary […]

CONTRIBUTED BYSTEVEN STIEFEL AUBURN — An Auburn native finishing up her residency in anesthesiology has received praise from the program for recently saving a patient’s life. Dr. Victoria Starks was named The University of California Los Angeles Ronald Reagan Medical Center’s 2025 “Great Catch Winner” — voted the best among all employees throughout the year. […]

BY STEVEN STIEFELFOR THE OBSERVER LEE COUNTY — Lee County Board of Education plans to hold a special meeting to consider an employee pay increase on Thursday, July 23, at the Central Office, 2410 Society Hill Road in Opelika.Board members will consider a 2% pay raise for all personnel, including employees on extended contracts and […]