The Southern Star

11/22/2025

Dale County celebrates producers and farmers

Submitted by County Extension Director Melissa Voynich The Dale County Farm-City Committee was pleased to honor the following students for their participation in the Farm-City County competitions. Each award recipient produced a work that was considered the best in the county and will advance to sta...

11/21/2025

Ozark City Schools posts steady growth with 2025 state report card score of 85
https://ow.ly/P53P50XvPup

11/21/2025

Clayhatchee council reviews law enforcement contract, senior program, and financial accountability concerns

By Christina Faulkner Clayhatchee — Mayor Steve Guice and the Clayhatchee Town Council addressed a wide range of issues during their regular meeting, including a proposed law enforcement contract with the Dale County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO), the senior program, needed repairs at the ballpark, an...

11/21/2025

Turkey Trouble? What to do when your bird isn’t ready on time

Submitted by Bridgette Brannon, REA Food Safety and Quality It’s Thanksgiving Day, and the centerpiece of the meal — the turkey — just isn’t cooking as quickly as you expected. Don’t worry! You’re not the first to face a slow-cooking bird, and you won’t be the last. With a few safe and...

11/20/2025

Here’s what’s happening in this week’s Southern Star, available at newsstands and online for digital subscribers today. We carry all your hometown news, serving Ozark, Dale County, and surrounding communities since 1867.
This week’s issue is packed with big news across Dale County. Dale County Schools made state history with a record-breaking 95 on the Alabama Report Card, while Ozark City Schools continued their upward climb with an overall score of 85.
We’ve also got full coverage from the Clayhatchee Town Council meeting, including discussions on the proposed law enforcement contract, senior program updates, and ongoing financial concerns.
In community news, Market on the Square begins a new chapter under owner Ben McLauchlin, and more than 200 participants turned out for the fourth annual Sweat4Vets Ruck March in support of Wiregrass Honor Flight.
And of course, don’t miss this week’s football contest, Heroes’ Corner, Extension Buzz, Star Ramblings, and all your favorite columns.
Pick up your copy today!

11/15/2025

Dale County and Ozark leaders celebrate shared bond with proclamation signing

By Christina Faulkner The Ozark City Council meeting opened on a note of unity and gratitude as Dale County Commission Chairman Steve McKinnon and Ozark Mayor Charles Ward came together to sign the 2025 Alabama Farm-City Week Proclamation. The joint proclamation, shared annually between the city and...

11/15/2025

From Chief to Mayor: Ozark’s finest honors Ward for legacy of service and integrity

By Christina Faulkner During Tuesday’s Ozark City Council meeting, it quickly became apparent that something special was about to happen. More uniformed police officers than usual filled the council chamber — a clear sign that the evening held more than routine city business. While it might have...

11/15/2025

Last week while I was out of town, Mr. Peter Bruggink notified us via email that as a YouTube TV Subscriber watching college football, fans possibly could not watch their favorite teams on ABC or ESPN because of a Disney/YouTube TV blackout. Games on Fox, CBS, or other non-Disney networks were not affected.
As a caveat, Mr. Bruggink was offering a solution to this issue using the Sling Day Pass for 24-hour access to the Orange package, which included ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN3. It was not confirmed at the time whether this would be beneficial to those games airing on the SEC Network, for which the Sports Extra add-on might be required.
As of this week, I have been notified by Mr. Bruggink that YouTube TV and Google reached an agreement with Disney so you may not need to activate your Sling Pass today.
The big question, will Ole Miss Coach Lane Kiffin walk over to the Gator side during the half? — Peter Bruggink
The games and the channels on which they will air with their start times are listed below:
SEC Games
11:00 a.m. South Carolina @ Texas A&M ESPN
11:45 a.m. Arkansas @ LSU SEC Network
12:30 p.m. Tennessee Tech @ Kentucky SEC Network Plus
2:30 p.m. Oklahoma @ Alabama ABC
3:15 p.m. New Mexico State @ Tennessee SEC Network
6:00 p.m. Florida @ Ole Miss ESPN
6:30 p.m. Texas @ Georgia ABC
6:45 p.m. Mississippi State @ Missouri SEC Network
Open Date: Auburn, Vanderbilt
Other Conferences
11:00 a.m. South Florida @ Navy
11:00 a.m. Notre Dame @ Pittsburgh
11:00 a.m. Michigan @ Northwestern
11:00 a.m. Wisconsin @ Indiana
11:00 a.m. Arizona @ Cincinnati
2:30 p.m. UCF @ Texas Tech
2:30 p.m. Georgia Tech @ Boston College
2:30 p.m. Appalachian State @ James Madison
2:30 p.m. Virginia @ Duke
2:30 p.m. North Carolina State @ Miami (FL)
2:30 p.m. Iowa @ USC
6:00 p.m. Utah @ Baylor
6:30 p.m. UCLA @ Ohio State
9:15 p.m. TCU @ BYU
Thank you, Mr. Bruggink for sharing your knowledge and thoughts.

SEC GAMES
11:00AM South Carolina Texas A&M ESPN
11:45AM Arkansas LSU SEC Network
12:30PM Tennessee Tech Kentucky SEC Network Plus
2:30PM Oklahoma Alabama ABC
3:15PM New Mexico State Tennessee SEC Network
6:00PM Florida Ole Miss ESPN
6:30PM Texas Georgia ABC
6:45PM Mississippi State Missouri SEC Network
Open Date: – Auburn, Vanderbilt
OTHER
11:00 AM South Florida Navy
11:00 AM Notre Dame 23 Pittsburgh
11:00 AM Michigan Northwestern
11:00 AM Wisconsin Indiana
11:00 AM Arizona Cincinnati
2:30 PM UCF Texas Tech
2:30 PM Georgia Tech Boston College
2:30 PM Appalachian State James Madison
2:30 PM Virginia Duke
2:30 PM North Carolina State Miami (FL)
2:30 PM Iowa USC
6:00 PM Utah Baylor
6:30 PM UCLA Ohio State
9:15 PM TCU BYU

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11/15/2025

‘Son of a Son’ brings Buffett’s journey to life at Flowers

By Christina Faulkner The tropical rhythms of Jimmy Buffett’s music will drift through the Flowers Center for the Performing Arts this week as Son of a Son, an original play written by Shawn Shirley and directed by Drew Kelley, takes the stage November 14 and 15. The production traces Buffett’s ...

11/14/2025

Ozark–Dale County Library rededicates monument honoring Revolutionary War veterans

By Mac Bates History is something that must be cherished—and that’s exactly what the Ozark–Dale County Library strives to do. On November 7, the library rededicated a monument and flagpole that honors the veterans of the Revolutionary War who settled in Dale County and laid the foundation for ...

11/14/2025

How Farm and City give thanks in November

Submitted by County Extension Coordinator Melissa Voynich November is nationally known as a month to pause and give thanks, and as the weather turns chilly and the ground starts to freeze, our Alabama growers get a different kind of pause. Between the harvesting, the pumpkin patches, and the cotton....

11/14/2025

Beyond the Myths: Bats play critical roles in environment

By Justin Miller As the only mammal capable of true flight, the bat is one of the most fascinating creatures in the world. From countless television shows and movies to Halloween décor, bats have become cultural phenomena. With this fascination comes a flurry of popular myths and misconceptions. In...