Food + Beverage

Simple summer pleasures

Homemade vanilla ice cream Article and Photography by Cullman City Lifestyle A yummy solution for beating the summer heat?  Homemade ice cream!  I have so many memories of making ice cream at my grandparents' home, waiting anxiously for the maker to stop churning so we could dig in!  Here's a simple, nostalgic recipe (you'll need an ice cream maker): Ingredients 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 1 1/2 cups whole milk 2/3 cup cane sugar 2 tsp. vanilla extract  1/8 tsp. sea salt Ice and rock...

June 2024

Entertainment

Summer reading list

Open a book, and a whole new world! Article by Wendy Sack | Photography by Various "Funny Story" by Emily Henry "A shimmering, joyful new novel about a pair of opposites with the wrong thing in common, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Henry." (penguinrandomhouse.com) "Swift River" by Essie Chambers “A sweeping family saga about the complicated bond between mothers and daughters, the disappearance of a father, and the long-hidden history of a declining New England mill...

June 2024

Life + Culture

Local summer tour

Adventure awaits! Article by Wendy Sack, contributed | Photography by Various Looking for some fun, local summer events and destinations? Here are a few to add to your calendar!   Fourth of July festivities Faith, Family & Freedom Firework Extravaganza Wednesday, July 3 | 6-9:30 p.m. Good Hope Family Park & Recreational Complex Hosted by Branded by Christ Cowboy Church and the City of Good Hope, this event will begin with a horse flag presentation followed by a dazzling fireworks...

June 2024

Life + Culture

Explore North Alabama!

Hit the Tri-Cities this summer Article and Photography by Missy Gurley I recently explored the Tri-Cities of North Alabama – Florence, Muscle Shoals and Sheffield – with my family. The area means a lot to me because my grandparents were born and raised there and we still have family there. We headed north to celebrate my Mom’s birthday and to tour the cities. My summers growing up were spent visiting my large family – swimming at Uncle Jackie and Aunt Debbie’s, riding 4-wheelers with...

June 2024

Education

Access to education

Events raise big bucks for local students Article by Wendy Sack | Photography by Shoals Scholar Dollars A little more than an hour northwest of Cullman, in Florence, Burt Helton directs an innovative education nonprofit: Shoals Scholar Dollars. The nonprofit’s roots date back to 2011, when members of the local Rotary Clubs heard about what a Rotary Club in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, was doing.   “The only problem was, there were 17 high schools in both Colbert and Lauderdale counties, and at...

June 2024

Food + Beverage

Summer snack pit stop

Standing the test of time Article by Wendy Sack | Photography by Keith Lann A great place to stop for a snack when you’re out adventuring around town this summer is Guthrie’s. It’s not flashy, but it’s local and it sure is good! Who doesn't love chicken fingers? The chain began in Haleyville in 1965. “My wife Donna and I are originally from Haleyville and knew the Guthrie family quite well and had followed their business for years,” said Owner Keith Lann. “We decided to buy the Cullman...

June 2024

Finance + Legal Services

Investing in the community

Local banks strive to serve Cullman residents Article by Wendy Sack | Photography by Lisa Jones Photography, Contributed Cullman is rich with local financial institutions, and those institutions invest back into the community, contributing mightily by supporting numerous nonprofits and schools, partnering with area businesses and positively impacting the overall quality of residents’ lives. Here, we take a look at four local banks: Cullman Savings Bank, First Community Bank, Premier Bank of...

May 2024

Health + Wellness

Preserving a legacy

'Small-town American feel in a wonderful community' Article by Wendy Sack | Photography by Amanda Myers - Fox and Hound Photography Gentlemen, show us your smiles! When it comes to your health, dental care is extremely important. Regular teeth cleanings and exams, and, of course, daily brushing and flossing are a must because, as the saying goes, “There’s no health without oral health.” Dr. Jonathan Echols knows a thing or two about that. Echols, the son of the late, beloved physician Dr...

May 2024

Local Services

A family affair

'Working together in this business, while it has its own challenges, has been somewhat second nature' Article by Wendy Sack | Photography by Muncher family There’s just something special about a father-son business. 1PointUSA has been providing access, video surveillance and audio/video products and services for commercial facilities in central and north Alabama since 2011. “1PointUSA was started in 2011 after my dad Scot Muncher had spent about 20 years in the security business with other...

May 2024

Local Services

'Dad & Son'

Get to know the sweet story behind D&S Pools + Outdoor Living Article by Wendy Sack | Photography by Tiffany Steele; Portraits by Peyton Pool season is here, and everyone loves a reputable local business, especially one built by family. Danny Steele worked in the pool industry for several years before taking his knowledge and branching out on his own – founding D&S Pools – in 1992.  “Internet and cell phones were not popular in the 90s so Danny went door to door and asked homeowners if they...

May 2024