This photo from the Leeds/Moody News column was misidentified as the Family Urgent Care Garner NASH Ribbon Cutting in the Jan. 26 2016 edition. This is Leadership St. Clair County touring Unipres Alabama Inc., on their last stop for Economic Day around Odenville, Moody and Steele. The company manufactures car parts for Honda and employs 200 people. Photo courtesy Dona Bonnett. 

Leeds ranks as one of Alabama’s healthiest housing markets, according to financial technology company, SmartAsset, which just released the rankings from its third annual study. 

The study measures market health by the average number of years residents spend in homes, home values, ease of sale and the cost associated with ownership. For more information on this study, please visit https://smartasset.com/mortgage/mortgage-calculator?year=2017#alabama. 

Chili cook-off enthusiasts had a great time last Saturday at Main Street Family Urgent Care, which hosted a chili cook-off event in celebration of its grand opening. Congratulations to Heather Clutts for having the tastiest chili! Heather won a Yeti Hopper 40-gallon cooler. For more information about the new Main Street Family Urgent Care, please visit its website at www.mainstreetfamilycare.com. 

Leadership St. Clair County toured Odenville, Moody and Steele for Economic Day. This group started out attending the St. Clair County Economic Development Council Partnership Breakfast at The Heritage House in Odenville. From there, the participants took a tour bus to the ground breaking of Gardner NASH, located on AE Moore Drive in Moody, and then on to Moody City Hall. LSCC attended a panel discussion regarding public/private partnerships for economic development projects with panel members St. Clair County Commission Chairman Paul Manning, Mayor Joe Lee of Moody, Pell City Manager Brian Muenger and County Attorney James Hill. 

Lunch was catered by Carpanetti’s. After lunch, the group heard from area chamber of commerce organizations including Moody, Pell City and Odenville. Everyone loaded back on the tour bus and headed to Steele where they toured a tomato farm with tour guide, Lyman Lovejoy. The last tour was Unipres, which is a company that manufacturers car parts for Honda and employs 200 people. It is so exciting to see the economic well-being over the entire county.

Leadership St. Clair County is a program for business professionals who would like a broader view of St. Clair County. For more information about this program, please contact Candice Hill at 205-814-1440. 

Leeds Jane Culbreth Library will host Family Movie Saturday at 10 a.m. on Jan. 28. They will be watching the Secret Life of Pets. 

The Leeds River Campus will host a 5th Sunday potluck lunch immediately following worship service. Please bring enough food for you and your family and share in the fellowship and relationship building. For more information, please visit EdenWestside.org. 

Meetings & Events

Moody City Council will meet at 6 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 30 at Moody City Hall. Leeds Lions Club is scheduled to meet at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 2 in the Leeds Masonic Lodge Building. 

The Leeds Masonic Lodge Community Breakfast will be at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 4. Breakfast is free, but donations are welcome. For more information, please contact T.V. Weaver at (205) 699-6742.

The Leeds Arts Council announces the auditions for the spring play The Dixie Swim Club to be held March 6 and 7 from 7-9 p.m. at the Leeds Theatre and Arts Center. The play dates are April 21, 22, 23, 28, 29 and 30. The characters are Sheree Hollinger — eternal tomboy, a health nut and an all-American mom; Dinah Grayson — wise cracking cynic, a lawyer who excels at everything … except romance; Lexie Richards — true Southern belle, keeps her cosmetic surgeon on speed dial, man-magnet, Jeri Neal McFeeley — ray of sunshine of the group; former nun, perky and naive; Vernadette Simms — marriage and motherhood came shortly after college, hard luck case, self-deprecating by necessity, faces tribulations with humor and support of lifelong friends.

The characters in this play will be portrayed at ages 44, 49, 54 and 77. Award winner director/actor, Cliff Keen, Jr., will direct. 

For more information please call Cliff at (205) 641-0975 or Sandi at (205) 640-4491. 

SAVE THE DATE: An Evening in Africa, the 3rd Annual Special Event Benefiting The WellHouse is scheduled for Sunday, April 23 from 5-7 p.m. at the Birmingham Zoo. This is a wonderful event which helps further their mission to rescue victims of human trafficking. For more information or if your business is interested in a sponsorship, please contact Ashley Anderson, development director, at (205) 362-0511. 

Job Opening(s): Jack’s Leeds. Apply today at www.workatjacks.com. 

Quote for the Week: ͞  “Happiness can be found in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” — Albus Dumbledore  

I truly appreciate each of you who read my column and I really love sharing news so please remember to send your Leeds and Moody news to me at leedsmoodynews@gmail.com. See you next week!