Local Services

East Point Animal Clinic - A Legacy of Care

Dr. Payden Smith blends decades of trust with a father’s heart for family and pets Article by Cullman City Lifestyle | Photography by Memories By Maddie For Dr. Payden Smith, veterinary medicine was never just a career path — it was the family business. A Cullman County native and 2014 graduate of Holly Pond High School, Dr. Smith grew up showing cattle and sheep, raising backyard chickens, and tagging along with his father, also a veterinarian, on house calls across the county. Those early...

Education

Turn the Page

Cullman’s Best Spots to Raise a Reader Article by Cullman City Lifestyle | Photography by various Skip the screen time — Cullman has no shortage of places to fall in love with a good book this season. It starts with a story. Long before kids master math facts or memorize state capitals, the foundation for school success often comes down to something simpler: a love of reading. With the new school year on the horizon, there’s no better time to build that habit at home — and Cullman makes it...

Professional Services

Catching Myopia Early

Dr. Spencer Boozer on why early detection of childhood myopia matters more than ever. Article by Cullman City Lifestyle | Photography by Boozer Eye Care If your child squints at the board, sits closer to the TV, or struggles to see street signs from the car, it may be more than a phase — it could be myopia, and Cullman optometrist Dr. Spencer Boozer wants parents to catch it early.   “The rate of myopia is rapidly growing around the world,” says Boozer, “and myopia progresses fastest in...

Health + Wellness

Prioritizing wellness

Gray Urology Wellness helps patients feel better physically and mentally Article by Wendy Sack | Photography by Brooke B Photography When the Cullman Urology office closed in early 2025, many patients wondered where they would turn for specialized, compassionate urological care. For Amy Burdette‑Gray, CRNP, CUNP, the closure marked not an ending, but the beginning of something deeply personal, and deeply needed. In March 2025, she opened Gray Urology Wellness LLC, a practice built on a decade...

Life + Culture

Explore Cullman

What are you waiting for? Article by Wendy Sack | Photography by Visit Cullman, Jay Betts, Joseph Cecil at Launch Production & Design, Siarra Hollingsworth Cullman isn’t just a dot on the map between Birmingham and Huntsville — it’s a community with a pulse, a personality and a surprising amount of momentum. If you’ve lived here long enough, it’s easy to slip into routine: the same routes, the same restaurants, the same weekend plans. But have you checked out Visit Cullman? It’s a reminder...

Sports + Recreation

Making waves

How Russell Marine is shaping the future of Smith Lake Article by Wendy Sack | Photography by Russell Marine, Jay Betts On the surface, Russell Marine looks like a premier boating dealership — a place to buy a wake boat, schedule a service appointment or grab gear before a day on the water. But talk to Emily Sprayberry, director of marketing, and a different picture emerges. Russell Marine isn’t just selling boats. It’s building culture. It’s fueling local economies. It’s shaping the way...

Life + Culture

Building a family legacy

‘I want my kids to be proud of what we’ve built’ Article by Wendy Sack | Photography by Ashley family On any given morning in Cullman, you might find Ryne Ashley at The Busy Bee, having breakfast while greeting the familiar faces that drift through the door. It’s a ritual that reminds him why he’s never wanted to live anywhere else. “It can be easy to take for granted what we have here,” he said, “but as the world gets crazier, it’s easy to see the greatness we get to live in every day.” ...

Local Services

Something that lasts

How faith, family and hard work drive Haynes Auto Detail Article by Wendy Sack | Photography by Nathan Haynes In Cullman and the surrounding areas, where community ties run deep and a handshake still means something, it’s not unusual to find business owners who pour their whole hearts into what they do. But for Nathan Haynes, the man behind Haynes Auto Detail, running a growing business while raising a big family isn’t just a balancing act — it’s a calling. “It’s busy; no way around that,” he...

Life + Culture

Finding strength in every challenge

'What’s the hardest lesson you’ve learned as a business owner, and how did it shape you?' Article by Wendy Sack | Photography by Contributed We asked nine local businessmen to share the hardest lessons they’ve had to learn — and how those experiences changed the way they show up as leaders today.   Shawn Doss The Cigar Box | www.thecigarboxalabama.com The biggest hurdle for me to overcome was recognizing the value of employees. In the beginning, I was a one-man operation. It was not...

Health + Wellness

'It's all interconnected'

Dr. Katherine Vintson’s roots, holistic philosophy and faith Article by Wendy Sack | Photography by Katie Sue Harris, Lisa Jones Photography When Dr. Katherine Vintson, DO returned to Cullman to practice medicine, she wasn’t just coming home. She was stepping back into a community she understands. A Cullman native now practicing at Cullman Internal Medicine, Vintson brings with her not only medical training, but also intimate knowledge of the culture and realities that shape her patients’...