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Committee Chat

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Each CECHC member brings a different background and experience to our group.

This is their space to make committee position reports or share information about their personal passions with their neighbors. 

Please use the form on the "Contact Us"  page to make requests of any of our

members for future columns.

Meet The Committee

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Bobby Malone

Committee Founder/Spokesman 

Bobby's Updates

     The Enhancement Committee is composed of a groups of individuals who are citizens, non-citizens, friends and forever supporters of Hobson City! As the group's organizer, I can only say how proud I am of how far we’ve come in such a short time. What a great bunch of people!

     First, let me give a shout out to the Mayor and the Council for allowing us to work with them. They have been working tirelessly to bring projects to Hobson City. We applaud you for your efforts. Thank you for realizing that we are simply an extension of those efforts.

     Our committee is small in size but big in heart. We have taken on several major projects, everyone has a job to do, and we are all WORKING! This newsletter is a first notification to keep you the citizens informed of our ongoing plans. In the future, we hope you’ll visit the “in progress” website (www.CECHC.org) to keep abreast of all our hard work. It is also a way for you to share things with other citizens and the committee, via the forms on the Contact Us page in the Menu.

     To date, this Committee has sponsored: 2023 Juneteenth Celebration, a community park/yard sale, Sunday morning worship service in the park, a Farmer’s Market and the sale of  bracelets that state proudly “We Love Hobson City Established 1899.” (Do you have yours yet? We still have some available!)

     This year we will have banners placed on Martin Luther King Drive that proudly declare that same sentiment. We do indeed Love Hobson City!

     There’s a list elsewhere of our upcoming events. We genuinely wish for everyone to come out and join us as supporters if not as members.

     As citizens and supporters of Hobson City we must stop waiting on someone else to do things for us...we must show some incentive to get things done! The Mayor and Council have endorsed us, now we need YOUR support. I don’t think the people of Hobson City realize what a historic jewel we have here. Hobson City is one of the two oldest black municipalities governed by blacks in the United State. It is up to show the world that such a town can not only exist, but thrive!

     We need members that are willing to not only do the foot work, but people who have contacts in the community, city, county and state. Whether your preferred donation of time is writing grants or helping put up signs before our events...we need YOU! Even if you don't want to join the committee, please join us for our projects and programs. You will ALWAYS be welcome. 

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Alberta McCrory

Mayor of Hobson City

From The Mayor's Desk

Note: Although not an actual "member" of the Community Enhancement Committee, Mayor McCrory is a valued part of the group. We work together towards our common goal of making Hobson City a wonderful place to live, work and play. 

 

[See reports from council members below]

Elizabeth Rowe

Committee Member

     Hobson City is experiencing nothing short of a Renaissance. I am inspired and encouraged by the people who are coming together to make Hobson City a better place to work, live, worship and play. We are not trying to go back to the old Hobson City; but we are creating a better Hobson City that honors our past and our presence as Alabama’s first incorporated African American City in 1899.
     There is so much about our history that we don’t know, and I want to encourage each of you to explore our history and be motivated to be part of the change. We were incorporated in 1899 and our charter was abolished in 1909. We got very
little help from State and Federal Government Agencies that provide funding and support to cities. Hobson City has been historically overlooked and under- resourced, but our people have not given up.
     This year, 2024, in August, we will celebrate our 125th Founder’s Day as Alabama’s first incorporated African American City. The town’s charter was abolished ten (10) years later, but that’s not the end of the story. One hundred and nine (109) years later I asked Dr. Barbara Boyd, our State Representative to help us solve this problem. Dr. Boyd Introduced House Bill86 to the Alabama Legislature in 2018. The bill ratified and validated Hobson City, making Hobson City a legal city, eligible to apply for grants from the US Government and other resources.
     March was Women’s History Month and I want to celebrate Dr. Barbara Boyd for introducing House Bill 86, and celebrate Governor Kay Ivey for signing House Bill 86 into law making Hobson City a legal city.
     There is room at the table for you. I want our children and young people to come to our meetings and share ideas. There are no stupid questions and no one person has all of the answers. We have a history of proud people working together to find solutions and solve problems. Together we can make Hobson City a great place to live for generations to come.

We Are One Hobson City!!!

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Helen Weeks,

Committee Member

WHATCHA' GOT COOKIN'?

This time we're cooking OKRA STEW.  You can't live in the South and not love okra almost any way it's cooked. If you haven't before, you will now! I promise. 

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OKRA STEW

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  • â…“ Cup.Of Olive Oil

  • A Large Chopped Onion

  • 6 medium Carrots

  • 2 Pounds.Of Okra

  • 6-Ounces. Tomato Paste

  • Fresh Spinach; I used 1 pound

  • 3 Garlic Cloves -Chopped

  • 2 Tbsp.Of Bouillon Vegetable Paste

  • 1 Tsp.Of Salt

  • 4 Cups.Of Water

  • ¼ Cup.Of Fresh Parsley

  • 3 Garlic Cloves – Chopped

  • 1 Tbsp.Of Allspice

  • ½ Tsp.Of Black Pepper

  • 1 Tbsp.Of Cayenne Pepper

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Chop the parsley, onion, carrot, and garlic. Set aside. In a skillet, place the oil and heat it over medium-high heat. Once the oil has heated up, add the onions and carrots. Bring in the okra! Cook for about twenty-five minutes, stirring occasionally. Mash the okra with a spoon after it's tender, if you prefer. Cook for another twenty minutes with the lid on, stirring and mashing as desired. After removing the lid, add the tomato paste to the pot. Add the rest of the ingredients, to blend, give it a good stir.

 

That's some fine eatin'!

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Russell Sanderson

Committee Member

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VET ON VETS

FASHION TALK

     This will be brief for now. God blessed me with the talent and knowledge to be a seamstress. It helped me through my life to make a good living and meet some wonderful and exciting people. I didn't go to school to learn to sew, it was truly a gift from God (thank you, Lord!)

     We must all use what we have, and the gifts we have been given. By helping others, and with others helping us, we can overcome all obstacles. But we have to work TOGETHER!

     I never asked to make a name for myself. Just let me be a blessing to others. We must teach our children to work. And to work together. One day we older people will be gone. "We must do the work of He who sent us while it is day, when night cometh no man can work," said the Lord. 

     Hobson City, we must walk by Faith

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​     I am a service-connected, totally disabled, combat veteran. For my contribution to our committee newsletter and website, www.CECHC.org, I plan to provide up-to-date benefit information for our valued veterans and their families.

     During President Lincoln’s second inaugural address, he noted it is a nation’s responsibility “to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan.” While his remarks were made shortly after the Civil War, Lincoln’s commitment is represented in today’s federal Department of Veterans Affairs or Veterans Administration.

     According to their statistics, there are more than 400,000 veterans living in Alabama! Just who is eligible for VA-related benefits among that population? Generally, ‘those of us who served on an active military duty and did so honorably.’

     If that includes you and you are not receiving free veteran-focused, comprehensive healthcare, and/or you feel you may be eligible for a service-connected disability benefit...Read On!

     Gather your DD Form 214, Report of Separation from Active Duty, (basically your discharge document detailing your active service and type of discharge) and contact Calhoun County's Veteran’s Service Office for a free VA eligibility and benefits, face-to-face consultation: Kathleen Moore Calhoun County Veterans Service Officer, 1702 Noble St., S-109 (Ken Joiner Admin Building) or PO Box 643, Anniston, AL 36202. (256) 241-2950.

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Stay Tuned! Next Topic: What is ‘presumptive causation’? And, why I may ‘automatically’ qualify for VA disability benefits...just for having served in a certain place during a certain time. Until then, THANKS all you veterans for sacrifices you and your families have made through your service.                                                                                                                       

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Rev. Dennis McKinney

Committee Member,

City Chaplain

 FROM THE

CHAPLAIN'S DESK

To God be the Glory for the great and marvelous things He has done and continues to do.

    

     We as a committee feel that we have a great responsibility to our community. This year, we will be much more effective in reaching people within the city and creating an atmosphere for people to come than we have ever been in our city’s history. NOW IS THE TIME to work together to make a positive change to see some excellent results within our city and community.

     We desire to see the people of Hobson City living a safe and prosperous life, that is, the God kind of life. The word of God tells us in Deuteronomy 28:13, “And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and not beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God, which command thee this day, to observe and to do them.” I strongly believe that our committee’s vision is a divine imperative from God to bring about restoration and direction. “To develop and implement creative community-based strategies to enhance Hobson City’s image, build strong neighborhoods, and provide a framework for community input.”

     We are living in uncertain and difficult times, not unlike the experience of the early pioneers and Christians, whom Peter describes as “having had to suffer in all kinds of trials.” (I Pet 1:6) Like them, our world has been turned upside-down. Fear, insecurity, and anxiety concerning how COVID-19 will affect us, those we love, and our communities.

     God has blessed our city to go through very trying times. Someone said, “The storm is passing.” I must agree. However, whether in a storm or time of sunshine, we must remain focused on our Lord Jesus Christ. The beauty of coming through a dry spell is being able to store up for the next storm. When we store up and keep building, we can weather future storms without having a drought.

     Let us do all that we can to serve Hobson City, work together, and strengthen our city. This committee is a team of Christ. If everyone does his or her part, our city will be stronger and better for service. May we further our outreach by encouraging others and maintaining our commitment to the Lord and this city.

     God has graced this committee to serve, and we will serve to the best of our abilities. We are confident of this one thing; what God has started, He is faithful to see it through.

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Montressor Sudduth,

 Committee Member

Check back often to learn from Montressor how music has healing properties! 

HOBSON CITY FACTS

  • Hobson City covers almost exactly one square mile (all land, no water).

  • According to the last census, there are 947 residents, 847 black, 71 white, 29 non-Hispanic.

  • Home to military veterans of the two Gulf Wars and Vietnam.

  • 100% of HC residents are US citizens, all were born in the United States.

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Bobbye Hudspeth

Committee Member

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"Mary Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?"

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If Mary lives in the Deep South, this year her answer will be "not like anything I've experienced before." Gardeners around the south are seeing plants withering and dying without warning, getting odd molds and mildews, and being inundated with bugs they've never seen in their gardens before. Most are having problems getting tomatoes to ripen on the vine, and if they do ripen, they rot (or are attacked by garden monsters), before they can be picked and eaten. Corn was a disappointment for most this year, with only half of the cob having kernels, and lots of rotting, bug damage and weird kernel placement. One gardener was quoted as saying her corn looked like her Uncle Earl's mouth... missing teeth and what teeth are there crooked and strange colors. 

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Nobody is sure what is the exact problem, but it does seem to be related to the strange weather we've had this year. For two days in a row, we set record high temps. Highest temperatures that have EVER been recorded. That's scary in itself. And we all know excessive heat and brutal sun takes its toll on our  plants. The high humidity from one of the wettest late spring/early summers I can remember, can't do anything but hurt our precious plants. Maybe we need to all start planting tropical plants,  because  Alabama feels like the tropics to me. Stepping outside, I feel like I'm being cremated. 

 HERBS FROM THE 'BURBS

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Loretta Hanna

Committee Member

THE FUTURE: Young People of Hobson City

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Amos Smith 

Committee Member

Food for Thought

     An Award is described as a prize or other mark of recognition given in honor of an achievement.  You can be the best at whatever you set your mind to.

     Win, lose or draw if you have done your best, you received your award. A wise lady told her son this—“Man gives the Award and God gives the Reward,” Mrs. Lennis Washington shared with her son Denzel Washington.  

 

Moral of the Thought—Man does not hold your destiny in his hands.

READING IS "FUN"DAMENTAL

Joan Stephens

Committee Member, Librarian

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     A book is a gateway drug. If you read, you can imagine the story in your head instead of having to see it acted out on a screen. You can embellish the story, delve into the enotions of the words and learn a LOT more than just being told and shown what someone else wants you to see and feel. Every book is a treasure map. Where do you want to go?

     A reminder that the library isnot just a place you can go to get hard copy books to take home. It's a place to meet friends, use a computer, rent e-books, e-magaines and movies to read and watch on your computer or phone. There's free WiFi and a world of information right at your fingertips. 

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Drop by the library and let me show you what makes a library the heart of any community.

                                                   HEALTH CORNER

 

 Blood pressure is the force exerted by your flowing blood on the walls of your arteries. Arteries are tubular structures that carry blood to the different parts of your body. This means that your blood pressure is determined by both the amount of blood your heart pumps through the body's arteries and the amount of resistance to this blood flow. When your arteries are healthy and dilated, the resistance to blood flow is low and blood flows easily through your body. But, when your arteries are too narrow or stiff, the resistance to blood flow increases, and therefore your blood pressure rises This causes your heart to work harder than normal to pump blood through the body. The extra work thickens the muscles of your heart and further damages artery walls. The condition can also cause damage to other organs, especially the brain, eyes, and kidneys. 

     

Ways to control blood pressure without medications:

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Lose extra pounds and watch your waistline. Carrying too much weight around the waistline can cause disruptive breathing while you sleep (sleep apnea) which further raises blood pressure. Men are at risk if their waistline is greater than 40, and women are at risk at greater than 35. 

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  • Exercise regularly, at least 30 minutes of exercise every day.

  • Eat a healthy diet with grain, fruits veggies, and low-fat dairy products. 

  • Ask your care provider how much sodium and potassium you should have. 

  • Limit alcohol to one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for a man. 

  • Stop smoking. It increases blood pressure. 

  • Get plenty of rest.

  •  Reduce stress.  

  •  Monitor your blood pressure at home and try to get regular checkups. (If you are on medication, be sure you take it exactly as prescribed)

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     If  you need support beyond family and friends, consider joining a support group that can put you in touch with someone who can give you emotional support and boost your morale, as well as offer practical tips to cope with your condition. 

    Wishing you all good health and happiness!

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Keisha Fantroy 

Committee Member

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FROM THE HOBSON CITY COUNCIL

 

Each of our Hobson City Councilpersons were each asked to share a bit on their views of what 2024 has in store for HC citizens.

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                                     From Keisha Fontroy, 

                                     Committee Member

                                    City Council member/Chairperson of Park's and Recreation

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I bring you greetings from Parks & Recreation. I am not just a member of the CECHC Committee, I am also a member of the Hobson City Council and serve as the Parks & Recreation Chairperson. We have exciting news about the Park!

     We have started the groundbreaking of revitalizing the Park. On March 9, 2024, we planted trees, shrubs and flowers. We are working with ENI and the University of Alabama to create the “Healing Zone.”

     Stop by and see what’s “growing on!”

 

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From Coretta Chandler, City Council member/Chairperson of Street Department

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     To all of the citizens of the Town of Hobson city, I am glad to serve you and I look forward to us working together to build the kind of city that we want to see.  As chairperson of the Street Department, I am responsible for helping to keep our streets clean.  We have a BIG litter problem all over this county and in Hobson City.  During the month of April, we are encouraging everyone to join us in tidying up our beautiful community.  Hobson City, I know I can count on you.  Please let me know if you would like to become an ambassador for our street department and help to keep our city clean throughout the year

     I am responsible for large item pick up that will take place April 20th. Please have your items out before 6:00am.  I am sending a schedule out to each household so that you can also arrange to haul large items to the landfill on the FREE days.

     Time is passing and it will be Christmas again.  I would like to see more Christmas lights around the city, again, we need help to get that done and also help getting lights and other decorations donated to beautify our city during this joyous season.  

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     I want to hear from you.  I need to hear from you.  We are working together for a better Hobson City. 

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From Anita Jackson City Council member/Chairperson of Water Department

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     Hello! First of all, let me say thank you for all of the patience and support that you have given me since I took over the water department. I’m excited about the upcoming project that we have going on in the city. We will keep you posted, and continue to take care of your water problems to ensure that we have clean and safe water. If there’s anything that I can help you with, please feel free to give me a call at 256-239-7951

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