Decatur Restaurants Join Together to Promote New Eat Local Initiative

Decatur prides itself on a variety of locally-owned restaurants and eateries. From the oldest operating restaurant to the newest eclectic bistros, locals and visitors have a variety of options to choose from when it comes to dining options. Slated to kick-off August 16, 2013, in conjunction with Alabama Restaurant Week, is a new local campaign to help promote restaurants and food-related businesses located in Decatur. The “EAT Local, EAT Well, EAT Together, EAT Decatur” campaign is a collection of local, independently owned restaurants and food-related businesses providing an innovative concept to discover new dining options in the city of Decatur.

According to Rick Brown, spokesman for EAT Decatur, the purpose of EAT Decatur is to highlight local or independently-owned restaurants and businesses with a focus on food in Decatur through a grassroots effort. Through social media, the group will introduce followers to these businesses and their menus, specials, and activities. To date, 15 businesses are participating and include Back Alley Bistro, Casual Gourmet, Downtown Dawgs, Food-Fite, Mellow Mushroom, Albany Bistro, C.F. Penn Hamburgers, Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Que, The Magnolia Room, Bank Street Green, Petals for the Princess Market, Java Jaay Café, City Café, Morgan-Price Candy Company, and Daniel’s Seafood Market. 

“The EAT Local, EAT Well, EAT Together, EAT Decatur campaign is a long-term campaign formulated through volunteer efforts to help improve the visibility of what is available in the city of Decatur,” said Brown. While Brown acknowledges chain restaurants serve an important role, especially when people want a familiar menu, he also believes there are many individuals and families who welcome recommendations for good local fare. “Businesses participating in the program can join forces with one another to create new products and to cross-promote one another,” added Brown. Typical information that will be announced on the EAT Decatur Facebook page include pet friendly restaurants, special deals, and restaurants offering gluten-free menus or that have vegetarian options.

For more information, visit its Facebook page at EatDecatur.  Any food-related business interested in participating can send an email to Brown at eatdecatur@outlook.com.

Coordinated by the Alabama Tourism Department, Restaurant Week is a marketing event from August 16-25 designed to increase traffic by offering prix fixe lunch and dinner offering which typically include appetizer, entrée, and dessert at a set price. Twelve of Decatur and Hartselle’s best restaurants will offer special fixed price lunches and dinners during the 10-day promotion giving diners the opportunity to enjoy select dishes at a reasonable price point. There are no coupons or discount books to buy or bring. The Alabama Restaurant Week pricing is fixed at $10, $20, and $30 for dinner and $5, $10, and $15 for lunch. In most cases, the price is per person and does not include tax, tip and drink. For more information, visit www.alabamarestaurantweek.com.  

MAYOR DON KYLE and CITY COUNCIL CONGRATULATE DHCA STUDENT ANGLERS

Mayor Don Kyle, on behalf of the City of Decatur, Alabama,

Presents Brianna Tucker, Mitchell Gowen, and Blake Gowen – coach

Of the Decatur Heritage Christian Academy Fishing Eagles Student Angler Chapter Club

With Certificates of Recognition for their accomplishments in promoting the sport of high school bass fishing and for the team composed of Brianna, Mitchell and Boat Captain Norman Brown (not pictured) winning the inaugural Bass Anglers Sportsman Society High School Invitational Tournament staged out of Ingalls Harbor on Wheeler Lake on Saturday, July 20, 2013.

Decatur, Alabama is blessed by being located on the Tennessee River with renowned Wheeler Lake being on its doorstep, and the city having the leadership and vision to construct the now famous Ingalls Harbor which has led to multiple major bass fishing tournaments year around. The city is also honored to have a farsighted Mayor in Don Kyle and a City Council that understands the value of being a top venue for the sport of bass fishing. As such the city is also supported by the Decatur-Morgan County Convention and Visitors Bureau which maintains contact and relationships with major tournament organizations like TBF-FLW and the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.).

Mayor Kyle always attends the pre-tournament meetings and welcomes the organizations, anglers, and families to Decatur and is known to be standing on the dock every morning at 4:00 am for the tournament blast offs. A number of times he has served at MC or weighmaster on the tournament stage because he likes the sport and is well aware of the economic impact such events brings to the Decatur and Morgan County area. He and the City Council take special pride in what the Decatur area has to offer its visitors.

When Melinda Dunn, President of CVB, got wind of B.A.S.S. going to stage the first ever B.A.S.S. High School Invitational Tournament, she dialed in up front with Jon Stewart, Director of BASS NATION to be the sponsor city location. She is always looking out for a return on the city’s investment and B.A.S.S. always provides an excellent return. But this one was SPECIAL – it was to be a high school student angler event by a major national fishing organization. Jon Stewart, Hank Weldon – Tournament MC and B.A.S.S. brought it to town on Saturday, July 20, 2013. B.A.S.S. owner Don Logan is a native of the Hartselle area.

Decatur and Morgan County are not new to competitive student angler bass fishing. It was here that Blake Gowen, Norman Brown, and other interested individuals from all over the state kicked off the Alabama Student Angler Bass Fishing Association (recognized by the Alabama State Legislature as the OFFICAL student angler organization in Alabama) which has grown by leaps and bounds since 2010 with almost 2000 student anglers participating in (4) Regional

and the Alabama Student Angler State Championship in 2013. Blake, Norman, and other coaches/boat captains formed the Decatur Heritage Christian Academy Fishing Eagles and set out to make history by becoming the 2010 Alabama Student Angler State Champions with a trip to Montgomery to receive a Proclamation from the Governor.

Earlier this year, B.A.S.S. announced the organization’s development of the BASS Nation High School Bass Fishing Program and the DHCA Fishing Eagles also became a Chapter Club of this organization in order to expand their competitive tournament options.

On Saturday July 20 2013, the Decatur Heritage Christian Academy (DHCA) Fishing Eagles scored another first by student anglers Mitchell Gowen and Brianna Tucker, assisted by boat captain Norman Brown, taking 1st place team honors in the inaugural B.A.S.S. High School Invitational Tournament. Mitchell and Brianna out-fished 65 other high school teams to win the Invitational by bringing in 16 pounds, 15 ounces of largemouth bass. Three student angler teams from DHCA were entered in the event. The tournament weigh-in was streamed live on www.bassmaster.com .

In recognition of this achievement, Mayor Kyle and the Decatur City Council Presented Brianna, Mitchell, and Norman with Certificates of Recognition.

The Resolution read as follows:

 

WHEREAS, on July 20, 2013, Mitchell Gowen and Brianna Tucker, along with boat captain Norman Brown, with the Decatur Heritage Christian Academy (DHCA) Fishing Eagles, participated in the inaugural B.A.S.S. High School Invitational Tournament sponsored by the Decatur-Morgan County Convention and Visitors Bureau held on Wheeler Lake out of the Ingalls Harbor; and

WHEREAS, Mitchell and Brianna, assisted by boat captain Norman Brown, out-fished 65 other high school teams to take 1st place team honors in the Invitational by bringing in 16 pounds, 15 ounces of largemouth bass; and

WHEREAS, Mitchell and Brianna will go down in history as the first high school anglers to win a sanctioned B.A.S.S. high school bass fishing event; and

WHEREAS, Mitchell and Brianna have earned the right to compete at the 2014 B.A.S.S. High School Classic Exposition Tournament to be held in conjunction with the Bassmaster Classic out of Birmingham on February 21-23, 2014 and will have exclusive backstage privileges for the entire 2014 Bassmaster Classic;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Don Kyle, as Mayor of the City of Decatur, Alabama, do hereby congratulate Mitchell Gowen, Brianna Tucker, and Norman Brown for their achievements and express our appreciation for the way they have represented this city and wish them success at the tournament in Birmingham in February 2014.

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT ANGLER BASS FISHING IS TURNING INTO A MAJOR YOUTH SPORT!

Decatur to Host AHSAA State Football Officials' Camp August 15-18

The 2013 State Football Officials’ Camp will be held in Decatur August 15-18 with the Northwest District Football Officials of AHSAA and the Decatur/Morgan County Convention & Visitors Bureau as co-hosts. Some 126 officials along with 32 instructors from across the state of Alabama are expected to participate in the camp, which includes classroom sessions, applied mechanics, and on-field training.

The AHSAA conducts one statewide training camp annually for football officials. Decatur is hosting the camp for the second time.

The training also provides an opportunity for high school football teams to participate in intra-squad practice scrimmages. Along with the officials, 16 teams from the Northwest District will take part in the camp that provides intense on-field training for officials.

Educational sessions will be conducted at Turner-Surles Community Resource Center located at 702 Sycamore Street NW in Decatur on Friday and Saturday with intra-squad practice scrimmages held both nights at local high school football stadiums.

For more information on the camp, contact Leonard Morris, special events and sports marketing director for the Decatur/Morgan County CVB, at 256.350.2028.

Who’s Hungry? Decatur/Morgan County Gears Up for Restaurant Week August 16-25

For the second year, the Alabama Tourism Department is coordinating a statewide Restaurant Week, a marketing event designed to increase traffic by offering prix fixe lunch and dinner offering which typically include appetizer, entrée, and dessert at a set price. Twelve of Decatur and Hartselle’s best restaurants will offer special fixed price lunches and dinners during the 10-day promotion giving diners the opportunity to enjoy select dishes at a reasonable price point.

There are no coupons or discount books to buy or bring. The Alabama Restaurant Week pricing is fixed at $10, $20, and $30 for dinner and $5, $10, and $15 for lunch. In most cases, the price is per person and does not include tax, tip and drink.

Participating restaurants include Albany Bistro, Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q (both locations), C.F. Penn Hamburgers, Fite’s Waterfront Dining, Simp McGhee’s, Vittone’s, Back Alley Bistro, Timbuck2, and Wintzell’s Oyster House in Decatur, and Elizabeth G’s and Sedona Steakhouse in Hartselle.

To view a list of this year’s participants with menu options and price, visit www.alabamarestaurantweek.com. Martie Duncan of Food Network Star and Martie Knows Parties will be in Decatur on Saturday, August 17 in promotion of Alabama Restaurant Week.

Slated to kick-off in conjunction with Alabama Restaurant Week is a new local campaign to additionally help promote restaurants located in Decatur. The “EAT Local, EAT Well, EAT Together, EAT Decatur” campaign is a collection of local, independently owned restaurants and food-related businesses providing an innovative concept to discover new dining options in the city of Decatur. For more information, visit its Facebook page at EatDecatur.

Melinda Dunn, President/CEO of the Decatur/Morgan County Convention and Visitors Bureau stated that “Some of life’s best memories are those that revolve around a shared dish, a shared table and a meal with people that you treasure. It is exciting to see leaders in the Decatur dining scene working together to focus attention on our local restaurants during Alabama Restaurant Week and continue this effort throughout the year in a new campaign that invites local residents and visitors to EAT Local, EAT Well, EAT Together, EAT Decatur. This is a great opportunity for people to get out and experience a restaurant they may have never tried before and enjoy the diverse offerings in Decatur and Morgan County.”

For more information on Alabama Restaurant Week in Decatur and Morgan County, call Dunn at 256.350.2028.

Point Mallard will be Packed with Pickers Labor Day weekend

Creative hands and picky pickers now have another outlet to buy, show or sell unique items at an all new event at Point Mallard Park.  Point Mallard Pickers, an upscale marketplace, will be held at the Point Mallard Expo (formerly the Point Mallard Ice Rink) August 31 - September 1, 2013 from 7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. each day and will display arts, crafts, antiques, and other unique and collectible items. 

Event organizers wanted another draw to the park on Labor Day Weekend as the waterpark season comes to a close and to help boost attendance for the Battle for Decatur Civil War reenactment, also taking place the same weekend at Point Mallard Park.

Booths will be displaying items such as art, crafts, jewelry, crocheted and knitted items, hand-made clothing, quilts, collectibles, antique furniture, refurbished and repurposed items. 

“Repurposed items, shabby-chic furniture and anything with chalkboards are hot”, says event organizer, Julianne Lowman, marketing director for Decatur Parks & Recreation.  “I’m just so amazed at some people’s creativity!  What one person may see as an old window, someone else turns into a coffee table.  I love it!”   She says antiques and rusty items are also very popular as well.  Booth spaces inside the Expo are sold out, but booth spaces outside the venue are still available, but going fast.  The cost for a 15 x 15 outdoor space is $50, and 15 x 30 space is $75.

The event is free to spectators. As a bonus, visitors and vendors will receive a ticket upon entering entitling each to a free hot dog from Merchants Foods, a complimentary Pepsi and to register for a door prize.  Wintzell’s will be sponsoring a professional oyster shucking contest and an amateur oyster eating contest. 

Entertainment by Bluegrass band Dixie Flavor and other local musicians.  Miss Point Mallard Katie Malone, will also perform daily as well as encourage support for her platform: Ronald McDonald Houses.  She is collecting pop-tops from aluminum cans and is encouraging visitors to bring whatever extra pop-tops they have from home to donate when they visit her booth.   

What:  Point Mallard Pickers Market

Where:  Point Mallard Expo (old ice rink)

Time:  7:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Date:  Aug 31 – Sept 1 – Rain or Shine.

Items for sale: Arts, crafts, jewelry, antiques, collectibles, gently used furniture and other wonderful "finds".

Admission:  Free

Other attractions:

Battle for Decatur Reenactment:  Battles Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. – Free Admission

Point Mallard Waterpark Final Weekend: Saturday, August 31 - Monday, September 2^nd:  Hours: 10:00 a.m.– 6:00 p.m.  Admission: ages 5-11, Seniors 62+, Military ID- $15:  Ages 12-61- $20:  Ages 4 and under Free.  Free Kids’ Sunday, Sept. 1 – Kids ages 11 and under are free with a paid adult.

www.pointmallardpark.com

QUESTIONS: 256-341-4903

JRLowman@decatur-al.gov

www.PointMallardPark.com

Decatur Parks and Recreation to Host NFL Punt, Pass and Kick Competition August 7

The Decatur Parks and Recreation Department will host an NFL Punt, Pass, and Kick competition on Wednesday, August 7 at Wilson Morgan. Park. The competition is free and open to boys and girls ages 6-15 years old.

The NFL Punt, Pass and Kick football competition allows youth to showcase their talents in punting, passing and kicking with scores based on distance and accuracy. The competition begins at 9a.m. and will be held on the soccer fields located in Wilson Morgan Park. Youth will compete in age categories:  6-7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13, and 14-15.

Participants are allowed one opportunity to punt, pass, and to place kick as part of the competition. Scores are based on both distance and accuracy and the final score will be the cumulative total for the three events. For each age division, the top scorer from each of the girls’ and boys’ divisions at each local competition advances to the sectional competition (date and location to be announced). The top four first-place scorers in each age group for boys’ and girls’ divisions from the pool of sectional competition champions advance to the Team Championships which will be held during a Tennessee Titans game at the end of the year. The top four scorers from all Team Championships first-place finalists in each age division advance to the National Finals which will be held during a NFL playoff game in January.

All participants must complete a waiver form which is available online at www.nflppk.com and must show a valid birth certificate for age verification. Age classification is as of Dec. 31 of the current year. The event is free. Participants should wear sneakers (no cleats).

For more information, call Fred Pelle, Wilson Morgan Complex Supervisor, at 256.341.4817.

 

Donny Beck and Colby Beck win the 2013 Legacy Series National Championship

By Chad Hooker

Congratulations to Donny Beck and Colby Beck, 2013 Legacy Series National Champions!

As day 2 of the Legacy Series National Championship got underway at Ingalls Harbor in the beautiful city of Decatur, AL. Overcast skies did not get in the way of the excitement of the teams arriving with hopes of landing the weight needed to advance their placement on the leaderboard.

Teams reported catching fish various ways all throughout the day, from throwing 3/4oz swimbait to buzz baits and even flipping. A few bites came early that morning on a top water bite and others stated that holding off the main channel was the key factor of catching the limit. All teams had a three fish limit to promote fish health during the hot summer months.

1 o’clock weigh-in came quick as teams watched the scoreboard to see where today’s weigh would place them. The team to watch was defending 2012 Legacy Series National Champions Donny and Colby Beck who had locked in and took the lead on day 1 with 12.54lb. Donny and Colby came to the scales today with another amazing catch of 11.64lb, with combined total weight of 24.18lb awarded them 1st place and crowned the 2013 Legacy Series National Champions. Donny Beck stated, throwing a Texas rig in 15ft of water and a jig was the key baits thrown that lead to their success.

2nd place went to the team of Ken Callahan and Dallas McAbee with two day total of 21.63lb. Rick LaLance and Adam LaLance locked in 3rd with 20.84lb. With 20.64lb, Gary Riles and Garrett Riles took 4th place. 5th place was awarded to Jack Jr Napier and Ross Napier with 20.60lb.
6th place was awarded to Shane Cox and Ty Cox with 19.97lb. 7th place went to the team of George Elliott and Jordan Elliott with 19.68lb. William Parish and Charles Nottingham clinched 8th place with 18.98lb. 9th went to Donald Sentell and Katheryn Matoy who had 18.75 and 10th place was presented to Brent Jones and Bronson Jones who had 18.48lb. Congratulations to all the teams on your fantastic finish!

Big Fish for day number 2 was awarded to the Jr angler, Ty Cox locking in today with a 6.05lb. The adult big fish went to Jason Rice with 5.24lb. Day 1 Big Fish and day 2 Big Fish winners received a Duckett Micro Magic fishing rod!

Now with over 400 people present with fingers crossed in hopes of their lucky boat number being drawn to win the 2013 Skeeter TZX 190 with a 150 Yamaha. A quick little drawing was done first awarding the teams of Richard & Cameron McEarchern, Evan & Herb Owrey, Ken Callahen & Dallas McAbee with American Rodsmith fishing rod!

Now with all the boat numbers back in, it’s time to Win a Skeeter! The lucky team was Hubble Sowards and Conner Sowards who had fish both days but just were not able to have much luck catching any keepers, who had come across the scales both days with zero fish sure were lucky at the end of the day! When interviewed, we found Hubble and Conner Sowards to be in shock and truly at a loss for words in excitement of just winning a brand new Skeeter TZX 190!!

Fishers of Men would like to thank all of our fine sponsors; Skeeter Boats, Yamaha, Stren, Pflueger, Strike King Lure Company, Nester Hosiery, Marshall’s Marine, Kings Home, Nu Tech Global, Power-Pole, Lowrance, Duckett Fishing, Buckeye Lures, Keelshield, Solar Bat, Kistler Rods, Jacobs Glass, HydroWave, Rejuvenade, Berkley, and Rayjus Sportswear