Feature stories - The LocaL

Hometown Heroes Take on The ICF Kayaking Freestyle World Championship

Posted on October 1, 2023October 1, 2023 by Editor - the Local

Anticipation in the community is building as over 300 athletes from more than 26 different countries are making their way to the Chattahoochee River for the 2023 ICF Kayak Freestyle World Championships taking place October 9 – 14. Mason Hargrove, local kayaker, Phenix City native, and 4x National Champion, along with his sister Makinley Kate, also 4x National Champion, sat down with me over coffee to share some of what is known in the kayaking…

Conversation Pieces – With Theo Burzynski

Posted on October 1, 2023October 1, 2023 by Editor - the Local

Theo Burzynski is a world traveler, a man of many rich adventures. He has seen wonders that few will ever have the opportunity to see, and those are the places and moments that inspire his work. Burzynski takes little pieces of everywhere he has been with him in his spirit. “It’s just an energy,” he says of the inspiration he feels when he connects with a special place. “It’s a vibe that you’re in tune…

Savage Hart Wildlife Rehab, Conservation and Rescue

Posted on October 1, 2023October 1, 2023 by Editor - the Local

We live among the wild things, even in an urban setting, sharing the planet with wild animals sometimes means coming across an animal needing help. We may not speak the same language, but compassion still compels us to do what we can to help injured or abandoned animals. Luckily, a local nonprofit works tirelessly to help wild animals live healthy lives right where they belong: in the wild. Winding country roads lead to a quiet…

It’s Time to Get Inked.. At the 3rd Annual Fountain City Tattoo Expo

Posted on September 8, 2023September 8, 2023 by Editor - the Local

Multifaceted tattoo artist Thomas Randall was born with ink in his blood. Even from a young age, he was fascinated with tattoos. “My grandpa was a World War II veteran and as a POW received a prisoner number tattoo while captured. I thought he was the greatest man, and I had a lot of respect for what that tattoo meant.” Now the owner of his own shop and the leader behind the fist and only…

Tried & True – Paul Voorhees Shares His Recipe For 60 Years of Success at Ranger Joe’s

Posted on September 6, 2023September 6, 2023 by Editor - the Local

“The most valuable thing in my life is the unconscious influence of my father” Paul Voorhees, 78, explains of the man who started his family’s iconic local business, Ranger Joe’s, now celebrating its 60th year. Paul recalls his father, the late Jack Paul Voorhees, as “a very gifted human being who could do anything he wanted to do.” His dad moved to Columbus from Corning, New York, in 1942 to be a paratrooper and met…

Conversation Pieces With Artist Shelley Helms Fleishman – A Return To Home

Posted on September 1, 2023September 1, 2023 by Editor - the Local

Shelley Helms Fleishman – Image by Jodi Craine

New Greenhouse Venue in Smiths Station Turns Heads

Posted on September 1, 2023September 1, 2023 by Editor - the Local

** Image by Monica M Enterprises Across the river from bustling Columbus lies the sleepy small town of Smiths Station,and tucked away in one of its green meadows sits an enchanted new venue, aptly and simply named The Greenhouse. Only a short drive up Old Opelika Road from Columbus, you may find yourself curiously drawn to a small shelter made entirely of windows. A hedge-type fence constructed of reclaimed plantation shutters allows passersby glimpses of…

Unleash Your Inner Boldness with Amanda Weldon – #LiveLoudlyBeBold

Posted on August 15, 2023August 15, 2023 by Editor - the Local

Amanda Weldon is an accomplished artist and interior stylist whose vibrant and eclectic creations have captivated the community. Her creative journey began with a deep passion for art, nurtured by inspiring teachers and her endlessly supportive family during her formative years. Amanda’s love for interior styling seamlessly intertwines with her artistic prowess, allowing her to craft unique and captivating pieces that play with duality and contrast in texture and color. Reflecting on her creative roots,…

Sherman Williams – Covering the Earth in EMusical

Posted on August 14, 2023August 14, 2023 by Editor - the Local

Life is a winding path of self-discovery, and local artist Sherman Williams has found a way to laugh at and learn from it while sharing his spark and talents with the world. We sat in a local coffee shop sipping our iced teas. Still sweating from the Georgia summer heat, I ask him to tell me his story – “How did you get here?” He starts with his time spent in the Air Force. Sherman…

Fields of Grace Flower Farm: The Healing Power

Posted on August 14, 2023August 14, 2023 by Editor - the Local

There’s a secret garden, the kind from a favorite storybook, less than 30 miles north of Columbus; down a hedge-lined driveway and through a tiny opening that you may have missed, a tiny sign points you toward Fields of Grace flower farm. As you approach, you are met with beds of flowers stretching before an old farmhouse. Children scamper through freshly cut grass and perch in trees, their tiny squeals the perfect expression of joy…

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