280 Living October 2016 by Starnes Media

280 Living

October 2016 | Volume 10 | Issue 2

neighborly news & entertainment

A ‘major change’ nears for Chelsea

STEP by STEP

By ERICA TECHO In 2012, the race for two council seats entered a runoff election. One of those races was decided by less than 20 votes, said Chelsea City Clerk Becky Landers. “People don’t need to assume, ‘Well, my candidate did well this time,’” Landers said. “Look at Place 4 — that was decided by nine votes [in the general election]. They just can’t assume. Every vote counts.” The need to vote is especially important this year, Landers said, as the runoff Neuendorf election will determine who becomes the second mayor of Chelsea. “This is an important race, and it’s going to determine who will be the mayor of our city for the next four years,” she said. “It’s going to be a major change, and people Picklesimer need to be a part of that decision.” Both of the candidates, Dale Neuendorf and Tony Picklesimer, are sitting council members and have served more than one term on the Chelsea City Council. In the Aug. 23 general election, Picklesimer received 47 percent of the vote; Neuendorf received 32.5 percent, and Alison Moore Nichols received 19.7. About 28 percent of Chelsea’s registered voters voted in the election, and those numbers are expected to be lower in the runoff. “One of the things I’m doing is really

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See RUNOFF | page A31

Life-altering condition gives OMHS coach Cris Bell new outlook

By SAM CHANDLER

ris Bell is easy to spot on Friday nights. Identiﬁable by his 6-foot-3 frame, gray hair and portable headset, the ﬁfth-year head football coach at Oak Mountain High School patrols the sidelines with a glacial look that conveys austerity and concentration. But perhaps his most conspicuous trait — this fall, at least — is the distinct limp that accompanies every stride. There is a story behind the step. Bell, who has the chance this season to become the winningest football coach in Oak Mountain history, is on the road to recovery from an offseason back surgery that forced him to spend 40 days in the hospital. For seven of those days, he lost complete feeling and function in the lower half of his body, leaving him temporarily paralyzed from the waist down.

See BELL | page A30 Photo by Todd Lester.

INSIDE

Sponsors .............. A4 280 News ............. A6

Business .............. A12 Chamber..............A16

Community ........A20 School House ....A25

Opinion ................ C21 Calendar ............. C24 facebook.com/280Living

special section

home & garden

Sports .....................C1 Faith .................... C20

With the change in seasons comes home and landscaping improvements. Check out this guide to point you in the right direction.

See page B1

Got Hornet Pride? Chelsea High’s new band director Perry Lawley said he’s ready to make that great school spirit even greater.

See page C12

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About Us Editor’s Note By Erica Techo After moving from Athens, Georgia, to Birmingham last May, I quickly became familiar with the 280 corridor — and its traffic patterns. I learned the best times to leave the office in order to make it to Chelsea City Council, Shelby County Commission and Shelby County Planning Commission meetings on time. While my byline has been seen throughout this paper, this is the first time my name appears in an editor’s note. I’m excited to take on the role of community editor for 280 Living and to continue telling the stories of people, places and events along one of Birmingham’s booming corridors. In this month’s issue, you will find a list of fall festivals and Halloween celebrations (A23) to help you get in the autumnal spirit despite the Alabama heat. Football is in full swing as well, and you can find updates on teams throughout North Shelby County

as well as what to expect in October’s games (C4). While the leaves change color, the city of Chelsea is also readying to see a change. This month, Chelsea will find out who its new mayor will be, and the four new members of Chelsea City Council are preparing for their roles and setting goals (A6). Lt. Clay Hammac, commander of the Shelby County Drug Task Force, reached his one-year mark in the role in September, and he is continuing to battle drug addiction in Shelby County (C18). If you know of any events going on along U.S. 280 in the upcoming months, be sure to keep me up to date. I can be reached at erica@starnespublishing.com.

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

Residents of Danberry at Inverness feed and pet horses from the Birmingham Police Department on Sept. 12. Photo by Sarah Finnegan.

Publisher: Managing Editor: Design Editor: Director of Photography: Director of Digital Media: Community Editor: Sports Editor: Page Designers:

Dan Starnes Sydney Cromwell Kristin Williams Sarah Finnegan Heather VacLav Erica Techo Kyle Parmley Cameron Tipton Emily VanderMey Community Reporters: Jon Anderson Jesse Chambers Lexi Coon Staff Writers: Emily Featherston Sam Chandler Copy Editor: Louisa Jeffries

Advertising Manager: Matthew Allen Sales and Distribution: Warren Caldwell Don Harris Michelle Salem Haynes Brittany Joffrion Rhonda Smith James Plunkett Jon Harrison Gail King Eric Clements Contributing Writers: Ali Renckens Katherine Polcari Tara Massouleh Grace Thornton Caroline Carmichael

280 Living neighborly news & entertainment

Contact Information: 280 Living PO Box 530341 Birmingham, AL 35253 (205) 313-1780 dan@starnespublishing.com

Please submit all articles, information and photos to: sydney@ starnespublishing.com P.O. Box 530341 Birmingham, AL 35253

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For advertising contact: dan@starnespublishing.com Legals: 280 Living is published monthly. Reproduction or

use of editorial or graphic content without prior permission is prohibited. 280 Living is designed to inform the 280 community of area school, family and community events. Information in 280 Living is gathered from sources considered reliable but the accuracy cannot be guaranteed. All articles/ photos submitted become the property of 280 Living. We reserve the right to edit articles/ photos as deemed necessary and are under no obligation to publish or return photos submitted. Inaccuracies or errors should be brought to the attention of the publisher at (205) 313-1780 or by email.

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280 News

Incoming city councilors prep for office By ERICA TECHO Starting Nov. 8, government in the city of Chelsea will have plenty of new faces. While the city’s new mayor will not be decided until the runoff election Oct. 4, Chelsea City Council officially has four new members. The sole incumbent is Place 3 councilman David Ingram, who ran for reelection in August and received more than 78 percent of the votes. Other new council members include Cody Sumners, a lieutenant with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office; Scott Weygand, a local business owner and member of the planning commission; Tiffany Bittner, host of LawCall on Fox6 and a real estate agent; and Casey Morris, manager of Ground Up Coffee and Smoothies in Snider’s Pharmacy. The new council and mayor will take their oath of office in November, but the members of the 2016-20 council already have plans for the future.

PLACE 1: CODY SUMNERS Q: What is the first issue or issues you would like to work on starting in November? A: The first issue that I would like to address when I take office would be addressing issues of public safety. I would like to see our contract law enforcement more easily identifiable as a “Chelsea Car” and work to increase the number of law enforcement officers contracted to the city. Q: What is your No. 1 goal for your council term? A: My main goal for this council term is to become more knowledgeable of the day-in and day-out runnings of the Chelsea city government, to help determine issues that need to be addressed. To start off with, my main focus will likely be on public safety and public sector employment issues. However, I look forward to becoming more educated on all

PLACE 2: SCOTT WEYGAND Q: What is the first issue or issues you would like to work on starting in November? A: I think step one will have to be getting a firm understanding of the city’s financial situation and where we stand. An audit of the financials and analysis of the budget will be a great starting point. This will allow us to make any necessary adjustments, financially, so we can start moving forward with the issues that are important to the citizens of Chelsea. Q: What is your No. 1 goal for your council term? A: Growing our business community and addressing the safety issues within our city. Q: What are you most looking forward to about

aspects of city government. Q: What are you most looking forward to about serving on Chelsea’s council? A: I am looking forward to serving the city and people that I live and grew up with. I have lived in Chelsea for over 30 years and have seen a lot of changes during that time. I want to help the city grow responsibly into the future while still maintaining the charm and values that have always made Chelsea a great place to live. Q: How do you believe the new council will work together? A: I believe that the newly elected council will work together superbly. You have ﬁve people with different backgrounds and great ideas, all working together for one common goal. But above all else, you have a city council with people who love Chelsea and want what is best for the city and the citizens.

serving on Chelsea’s city council? A: I am looking forward to watching this city grow, yet keep its identity, and stay the family friendly community that we all have grown to love. Q: How do you believe the new council will work together? A: I think this council is going to be great. Each council person seems to be energized and ready to get to work for the city. We each seem to have a unique skill set that will complement each other while working together. Q: Any additional comments? A: I am looking forward to ﬁnding out who our next mayor will be so we can start creating a plan to all work together for the betterment of our city.

280Living.com PLACE 3: DAVID INGRAM Q: What is the first issue or issues you would like to work on starting in November? A: First and foremost, I hope that we will have completed Phase I of the sports complex and are playing fall baseball games there in the next few weeks. I would really like to see us fast track the addressing of retail development in our city. This is going to be key to success of the city and this council over the next four years. Retail development is key to growing the tax base, providing local jobs, and helps improve the quality of life in the community. Q: What is your No. 1 goal for your council term? A: My No. 1 goal is to make all decisions with the best interest of the people of our community in mind. We need to strive to improve the way of life of the citizens in our community. My goal is to be a responsible steward of municipal resources — resources meaning funds, people and facilities. We need to take

PLACE 4: TIFFANY BITTNER Q: What is the first issue or issues you would like to work on starting in November? A: The ﬁrst issue I would like to see the city tackle is looking at the sewage tap-in rates. We need to address what the city’s options are to handling the high cost of tap-in rates for new businesses as well as the rates that residents living in the city limits are paying. Secondly I think the council needs to come up with a comprehensive plan for addressing the trafﬁc congestion at the intersection of highways 47 and 39 in front of City Hall. Q: What is your No. 1 goal for your council term? A: There are many goals I have for our city that I would like see come to fruition during my term. Ranging from the previous large scale projects mentioned to smaller ones like sidewalks alongside Highway 47 by Winn-Dixie and new “Welcome to Chelsea” signs on Highway 280. But aside from projects and amenities, I would like to see more people get involved with local

PLACE 5: CASEY MORRIS Q: What is the first issue or issues you would like to work on starting in November? A: Having such a large turnover in leadership, I think it is crucial that we quickly develop and grow upon relationships with the county commission and SCBOE. A lot of the projects that have been discussed over the last 3 months will not be able to come to fruition without their partnership. Q: What is your No. 1 goal for your council term? A: There are many goals that are essential to making Chelsea the best, but I believe establishing an economic development strategic plan will best serve all plans and

October 2016 • A7 care of what we have and strive to provide more amenities to our community. Q: What are you most looking forward to about serving on Chelsea’s City Council? A: I am looking forward to continuing the momentum that we have established over the past 4 years. I am looking forward to working to continue to improve our recreational facilities and very much looking forward to what the sports complex is going to bring to the city. I want to start working more closely with the community center personnel in broadening what we are offering there. I am looking forward to working closely with the schools and Board of Education on opportunities to improve our school academic and athletic facilities. Q: How do you believe the new council will work together? A: I am very excited about our new city council. I think we will have very effective chemistry on this council as each individual brings a speciﬁc expertise to the table. I am very much looking forward to working with each of them.

government. Our citizens have a lot of community pride and I would like to see the numbers in attendance at council meetings go up. I want to see more residents engaged in the process. I think the city can help foster that through utilizing social media. Communicating to the public what will be on council agendas and sending out emails about current events. Q: What are you most looking forward to about serving on Chelsea’s City Council? A: I’m most looking forward to being a part of a team that cares about our city and is willing to consider progressive ideas and work together to ﬁnd solutions. Q: How do you believe the new council will work together? A: The good news is I already have relationships established with the members of the council. So I think that will help as we all settle into our jobs. I think it’s fair to say we will all be striving to bring the most beneﬁt to Chelsea. I’m humbled by the opportunity of getting to serve our great city and look forward to the days ahead.

ideas for future growth of the city. Q: What are you most looking forward to about serving on Chelsea’s City Council? A: Being able to work with the many different organizations and citizens in the city to help make Chelsea the best place to live, work and play. Q: How do you believe the new council will work together? A: I think we all have the same passion to make Chelsea the best and we each have unique talents and backgrounds to help make it happen. I think we will all work great together. Q: Any additional comments? A: I am excited about the opportunity to serve Chelsea, and thank you so much to everyone who voted for me.

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280 Living

Council names road to community center after 1st city clerk Mayor Earl Niven, right, thanks Bob Wanninger for his work with the city of Chelsea and announces that the road to the Chelsea Community Center has been named in his honor. Photo by Erica Techo.

By ERICA TECHO The road running from Highway 337 to the Chelsea Community Center is now known as Wanninger Way. The road gets its new name from Bob Wanninger, the first city clerk for Chelsea, and was named in his honor during the Sept. 20 Chelsea City Council meeting. “[Bob] has been a friend of Chelsea for, I don’t know, 20-plus years. He was one of the founding fathers of the city,“ said Mayor Earl Niven, “the first city clerk of Chelsea, the non-paid architect of our two first fire stations and the architect for the Chelsea Community Center. And I’m not naming everything because they want to get out before midnight." Niven thanked Wanninger for his work and dedication to the city of Chelsea and said naming the road in his honor was a way to show thanks. Anyone in support of the resolution to name the road Wanninger Way was asked to stand, and all members of the council and audience at the meeting stood in support. “You are a jewel in Chelsea, well-respected and loved by us all,” Niven said. The sign would be put up the morning of Sept. 21, Niven said. During its meeting, the council also voted to reject a rezoning request for the Cat & Bird Winery proposal, which formerly came in front of the council during its Sept. 7 meeting. At that meeting, the council voted to hold off on receiving the rezoning request, noting it would meet with City Engineer Keith Hager before setting a public hearing for the request. The decision to reject the rezoning request, however, was not a step toward denying the winery proposal, council member Juanita Champion noted. Rather, the rezoning request was found to be unnecessary. When planning and zoning laws for the city of Chelsea were modified a few years ago, some plots of land less than 10 acres in size were zoned as R-R, or rural residential. The 4.8-acre plot of land located at the intersection of Highway 43 and Highway 11, where Matt

and Robyn Lyons hope to open the winery, was determined to be zoned R-R. Rather than needing to rezone the land, the couple can apply for a major home occupation permit and open a winery on the land. This permit must be renewed yearly and does not cost anything, Champion said. “We should explain that rejecting it is a positive move,” said council member Dale Neuendorf. Because the council rejected accepting the request, it will go before the planning commission at its next meeting. Also at the meeting: ► The council approved an annexation

ordinance submitted by Darryl and Rebecca Eastman. The request was for a 0.69-acre property located on Highway 440. ► The council approved a resolution to accept the lowest and best bid for roadway improvements to Ferguson Drive. The bid from Kelley Contracting and Paving Inc. is in the amount of $23,400. ► The council approved paying the city’s bills. ► The council approved a resolution to accept a bid from Skelton Heating and Air for a new HVAC unit. The bid was in the amount of $14,500. ► Niven mentioned the city had been cited

by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) for a violation of dirt and water. ADEM quoted a ﬁgure of cost to the city, Niven said, and the city will be able to make a counter offer. Niven said he plans to consult with the city engineer on the matter to negotiate the counter offer. After discussing the counter offer, it will be brought before the council for approval. ► Niven said the City Council would discuss a general budget at a specially called meeting Sept. 26, but he would leave the capital budget up to the new mayor. Niven added he is willing to offer guidance on the new budget.

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October 2016 • A9

Chelsea fire department shows off new air packs By ERICA TECHO Chelsea Fire and Rescue Chief Wayne Shirley showed the mayor and City Council of Chelsea what equipment they are investing in during the Sept. 6 city council meeting. Firefighter Taylor Gunnels arrived at the meeting in his gear and safety equipment, including one of 28 new air packs the department has received. The city approved the purchase of the air packs ― which cost more than $180,000 ― and Shirley thanked the council and mayor for their support. “The work we ask our staff to do going in fighting fires is very, very dangerous,” Shirley said. “… This is a lot better version than the old air pack we had.” The new air packs include a beeping alarm which goes off if a firefighter is immobile. This allows for other firefighters to find the firefighter who might be injured or otherwise unable to move. They also include a voice amplifier, which Gunnels noted would help with communication during dangerous situations. “They were a significant investment for the city,” Shirley said. Mayor Earl Niven said while the safety equipment and gear for firefighters is not cheap, it is worth investing in the safety of the city’s firefighters. The air packs will be implemented next week, following the completion of training, Shirley said. Also during its meeting, the council voted to hold off on receiving a rezoning request. The request was to rezone a 4.8 acre property at the intersection of Highway 43 and Highway 11 from residential to agricultural residential to allow for the installation of a winery and to allow the individuals who submitted the request, Matt and Robyn Lyons, to live on the property.

“

The work we ask our staff to do going in ﬁghting ﬁres is very, very dangerous. This is a lot better version than the old air pack we had.

”

WAYNE SHIRLEY

While a zoning variance was approved by the Chelsea Planning Commission and the planning commission recommended the council approve the request, council member Juanita Champion made a motion for the council to meet with City Engineer Keith Hager before setting a public hearing for the rezoning request. Following a meeting with Hager, the council will consider whether to receive the proposal and set a public hearing. “We’re not trying to do anything to inhibit business or inhibit their operation, but there were just a few technical issues that popped up in here that we need to get resolved,” said council member Dale Neuendorf. The council also certiﬁed the election of Cody Sumners for Place 1, Scott Weygand for Place 2, David Ingram for Place 3, Tiffany Bittner for Place 4 and Casey Morris for Place 5 on the Chelsea City Council. The new council members will be sworn in on Monday, Nov. 7. It also awarded a $5,500 bid for the best price for the ﬁre department mobile home which was declared surplus property and approved to pay the city’s bills.

Chelsea ﬁreﬁghter Taylor Gunnels shows off the department’s new air packs during the Sept. 6 city council meeting. Photo by Erica Techo.

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280 Living

Commission approves ’17 budget By ERICA TECHO The Shelby County Commission has approved a budget for fiscal year 2017, which begins Oct. 1. The budget included more than $106.5 million in proposed revenues and more than $106.3 in proposed expenditures. When approving the budget at its Sept. 12 meeting, the Shelby County Commission also approved an amendment regarding funding for the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. The amendment was proposed by Commissioner Lindsey Allison, who said the amendment would allow the commission to monitor money in case of any budget overages in regard to the sheriff’s office. “My thought process was this was the first time, with the exception of one period about seven or eight years ago that we had a substantial overage by the sheriff’s department,” Allison said. “At this juncture, I think if all goes well, we will be able to cover that, but I was concerned about that being a pattern and practice in the future.” In addition to the funding for the Sheriff’s Office included in the budget — including more than $21 million in operating expenses, $100,000 in capital expenses, and funding for training, management and equipment and other expenses — the commission proposed for fiscal year 2017 $600,000 from General Fund reserves to be matched by $300,000 from the sheriff’s discretionary fund. The budget also projects $401,500 from the sheriff’s office’s federal inmate housing contract. The amendment would mean that $1,001,500 would be allocated as the fiscal year progresses so that the commission could monitor spending. “If there’s any overages of the budget, we can make adjustments possibly with that money to accommodate those overages,” Allison said. “If there’s no overages, the Sheriff will see an additional $1 million, be it through the federal inmate or the general fund reserve.”

District on ex-golf course changed, OK’d by 3-2 vote By ERICA TECHO

Commissioner Lindsey Allison at the Sept. 12 commission meeting. Photo by Erica Techo.

Commissioner Corley Ellis said while he agreed with the amendment, he wanted to make sure there was a standard for when the commission would review spending by the sheriff’s office, suggesting reviewing it on a month-to-month basis. Sheriff John Samaniego said the sheriff’s office will need to replace about 10 cars and one jail van this fiscal year, and holding the money back at this time could delay ordering those vehicles. “Fall is the time to order the car replacements, and if you don’t order then, then you’re not going to get them until the following summer,” he said. “That’s the only detriment.” He also said the sheriff’s office faces several variables and unexpected expenses throughout the year. The federal inmate money is not something he intends to draw on, Samaniego said, but would rather use that money for major projects or to cover any “outof-bounds” situations that come up. Allison said she understands that the sheriff’s office faces unexpected costs, but said

the amendment would allow the commission to monitor on a monthly or quarterly basis the ﬁnancial situation so that it doesn’t face an overage similar to this year’s, which will be a few hundred thousand. It will take a commission action to release the money, and the commission can choose to release the funds at the necessary increments, Allison said. The example she gave was if the sheriff needed funding for a new jail van, the commission could choose to release more than $100,000 to the sheriff’s ofﬁce while knowing there was more than $800,000 still available. The commission unanimously approved the budget and the amendment. Also at the meeting, the commission: ► Approved the holiday and payroll calendar for 2016-17 ► Approved an alcohol license for a convenience store/gas station located off of Highway 70 in Columbiana. ► Approved a three-year contract renewal with Waste Pro.

The special district for Griffin Park at Eagle Point, a development planned for the former Eagle Point Golf Course, is set to have two extra lots and a little less green space than originally planned. The special district, which initially was approved at the June 6 Shelby County Planning Commission meeting, received a few modifications at the planning commission’s Sept. 19 meeting. Originally, the development was set to include 122 60-foot-wide lots, 129 80-footwide lots, 51 100-foot-wide lots and two large acreage lots. This development was set to have 27 percent natural open spaces or parks. While the special district plan from June was brought forward by one developer, Connor Farmer with Highpointe Investments LLC, there are now two different developers set to work on the property. The amended special district request was submitted by those developers, Newcastle Development (which will develop Sector 1 of Griffin Park) and GPEP, LLC (which will develop Sector 2). There were three requested modifications submitted for Sector 1. These included relocating the northern entrance road from Talon Trace to Talon Lane, incorporating a plot of inaccessible green space into adjoining lots and adding one lot near the entrance to the new development. Relocating the northern entrance road was necessary due to a sight distance issue, said

See DISTRICT | page A11

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October 2016 • A11 The land that formerly houses Eagle Point Golf Course is set to be developed by two different development companies. Photo by Frank Couch.

DISTRICT

CONTINUED from page A10 Senior Planner Sharman Brooks, the staff member presenting the case to the planning commission. The addition of the lot near the intersection of Griffin Park Drive and Griffin Park Trace would increase the total number of lots in Sector 1 to 123. Two requested modifications were submitted for Sector 2. These included adding one lot and incorporating just under 8,500 square feet into another proposed lot. While most of the modifications drew no question from the planning commission, a lengthy discussion regarding the incorporation of community green space into homeowner lots ensued. A drainage space is planned for the area between proposed lots A-68 through A-75 and A-84 through A-93. Incorporating the green space into lots meant individual homeowners, rather than a homeowners association, would be responsible for maintaining the space around that drainage space, Brooks said. There would be an easement around the drainage area. Planning Commissioner Rachel Garrett said she was concerned that individual homeowners would not maintain that land, thereby causing an issue around the drainage area. “The problem with homeowners having responsibility or things like that is when the original sales agent sells the property one time, they may explain that to that homeowner that purchases, but the next time, it doesn’t go forward,” she said. “…And 10 years from now, when the house has been sold three times and there’s a problem, then it’s going to be all kind of ‘hm’ raising.” Other commissioners echoed that concern, noting it would be difficult to coordinate efforts between homeowners. “Incorporating multiple homeowners would be like trying to synchronize multiple red lights on 280,” said Planning Commissioner Jim Davis. David Stovall, engineer for the project, said it was their belief that incorporating the former

community or green space into lots was helping resolve an issue, not create a further one. The green space was inaccessible, aside from the easement which would exist whether the property was community space or private property, he said. Later in the discussion, Stovall added that there was a thought that a wooded area outside of private property lines could present a location for potential mischief. “People are going to have their privacy fences built along the back of it, then you’re going to have a big triangle area back there that’s wooded, that people are going to find a way to get back there to do whatever,” he said. “In our opinion, as engineers, we thought we were cleaning up a problem, not to create a problem.” Planning Commissioner Amy Smith said her concern was the loss of green space that came with modifications. “We approved a special district with a certain percentage of open space,” Smith said. “That’s being decreased now.” Modified plans for Sector 1, including the incorporation of green space into homeowner lots and the addition of one lot off of Griffin Park Drive, decreased the total green space to about

25.5 percent of the development, Brooks said. While Stovall said the green space was not intended to be a park or other community area, and would likely just be a wooded area, Smith noted the intention of green spaces is not just for community areas. They can be used for conservation, to provide permeable spaces and for other reasons, she said. While most conversation centered on the green space’s incorporation into lots, Smith said she was also concerned with the new lot off of Grifﬁn Park Drive. Discussion regarding the difference in liability for the drainage area, whether the property was a public or private space, eased concerns of some commissioners. After hearing the property was set to be cleared, Garrett said she felt better about including the property in private lots. Without clearing, she said there were concerns homeowners would not enter a wooded area to maintain the drainage space. Davis said he did not have a problem with decreasing green space from 27 percent to just over 25.5 percent, as that is still more than double the county’s 10 percent requirement. Following more than an hour of discussion, Garrett made a motion to approve the amended special district as submitted, with the addition

that the green space would be cleared. “I want it easily identified as a backyard,” she said. The motion was seconded, and during discussion Smith proposed striking the modification which would allow the additional lot be added to Sector 1. As this was mentioned during discussion, after the motion was seconded, it was not added into the motion. The request was approved as submitted by a 3-2 vote, with Smith and Planning Commissioner Bob Land voting against approval. A final plat will come before the planning commission at its Oct. 3 meeting, and GPEP, LLC representative Brooks Harris said they hope to begin work following approval of that final plat. Also at the meeting, the planning commission approved: ► A rezoning request for a 2.3-acre property located on Bridge Drive, off of Highway 119. The 2.3 acres were rezoned from agricultural district to single family residential. The request was submitted by Tom Werk of Covenant Builders Inc., who hopes to purchase the property, and said the intention is to build 10 homes on the 2.3-acre property. The homes would be similar in size and lot size to the homes across the street. ► A special district amendment to the Dunnavant Square Commercial District. The request, submitted by William Thornton, asked for the addition of a fourth gas pump at the previously approved service station as well as additional lighting on the property. David Collins, president of DC Oil Company, said having four pumps at a gas station has become an industry standard, and the extra lighting would illuminate the area around the station’s dumpster and employee parking. ► A subdivision request in Highland Lakes 11th sector. The request, submitted by Doug Eddleman, requested that 1.12 acres be subdivided into two lots to be known as Highland Lakes 11th Sector Phase 3. ► A resubdivision of two lots on Old Oak Cove, off of Old Highway 280 in Chelsea. The request was submitted by property owner James England, requesting that the resubdivision divide Lot 1-B and 1-A into three separate lots to fit standing houses to the lot lines.

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280Living.com

October 2016 • A13

Relocations and Renovations TJC Mortgage has relocated from Cahaba Heights to 1 Perimeter Park South, Suites 130 and 230. 776-8401, tjcmortgage.com

Lush Threading & Spa, 4618 Highway 280, has changed its name to Lavish Threading & Spa. lavishthreading.com

New Ownership The Hilton Birmingham Perimeter Park hotel, 8 Perimeter Park South, has been purchased by Peachtree Hotel Group. The new owners plan an extensive remodel of the hotel and will rebrand it as a DoubleTree by Hilton upon completion of the renovations. Renovations are expected to cost between $10-11 million. 967-2700, birminghamperimeterpark. hilton.com

News and Accomplishments Snider's Discount Pharmacy and Ground Up Coffee and Smoothies, 15582 U.S. 280, Suite 100, Chelsea, is celebrating 10 years of sponsoring Chelsea High School football. Snider’s is also the ofﬁcial merchandiser of Chelsea Hornet apparel. 678-3899, facebook.com/sniderspharmacy

and 3407 Colonnade Parkway, has installed public access deﬁbrillators in all of its locations. These devices will allow people with sudden cardiac arrest to increase the chance of survival by up to 70 percent. 968-4031 (Colonnade), 408-0897 (Greystone), edgarsbakery.com

Hirings and Promotions Strauss Financial Group, Inc., 2201 Cahaba Valley Drive, Suite 200, has hired Joseph Jones as a financial advisor/employee benefits consultant. Jones has over five years of retirement planning experience 967-9595, straussfinancial.com

Southeastern Bible College, 2545 Valleydale Road, has hired Lee Barnett as director for distance education. Dr. Barnett will help launch a new ACHIEVE adult degree completion program in Decatur, Alabama, while also assisting with the development of new online courses to begin this fall. 970-9200, sebc.edu

Edgar’s Bakery, with locations at 6801 Cahaba Valley Road, Suite 128,

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Business news

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A14 • October 2016

280 Living

Your Health Today By Dr. Irma Leon Palmer

It is no secret that anxiety is at an all time high. It appears humans are hard-wired for modest levels of anxiety. However, did you know that anxiety is a ‘fear-arousal’ warning mechanism? Anxiety may be characterized as uneasiness, fear, worry, and apprehension. Anxiety is a common psychological state in which the basic message is “get away from this situation”. This state is usually accompanied by numerous physiologic components including surges of adrenaline, increased heart rate and elevated blood pressure, and increased blood flow to the major muscle groups as the body prepares for “fight or flight”. Many have hear d of this by now and know these are all normal responses to environmental threats. The overall process is orchestrated by the amygdala and hippocampus, two regions of the brain’s limbic system which process memory, emotional response, and spatial navigation. But for many people, if anxiety states become frequent and prolonged by various developmental circumstances in childhood and their teenage years, they may begin to respond to perceived rather than real threats. The anxiety state can even become the default condition for the individual. According to research in the BCM Musculoskeletal Disorder Journal, “those with chronic anxiety may experience chronic back pain, chronic muscular tension, fibromyalgia, headaches, chest pain, shortness of breath, and heart palpitations.” Additionally, chronic anxiety may cause a person to anticipate the worst, to have ongoing feelings of dread, to be constantly irritable and tense, and to experience panic attacks. Eventually the person may become worn out from the constant drain on their inner resources and a likely outcome

Understanding anxiety

is depression. The person simply cannot take any more stress. Chronic anxiety has a specific impact on the musculoskeletal system. Persistently elevated levels of adrenaline create ongoing tension in the neck area, shoulders, and postural muscles of the lower back including the weight-bearing, antigravity gluteal muscles, pelvic musculature, and hamstrings. The long-term results may include chronic neck and lower back pain, headaches, inflammation of the sciatic nerve, and if left unattended can lead to further health complications. Of course, any of these health problems create more anxiety for the person, establishing a vicious circle of anxiety and pain. There are many holistic approaches to reducing anxiety. Exercise and nutrition are an excellent starting point. With nutrition, significantly reducing intake of simple carbs - soda, muffins, cookies, cake, fast food, and even juice - will often have a substantial impact. Making sure to have five servings of fresh fruits and vegetables every day provides great benefit. Reducing amounts of low quality foods lessens the demand of your body’s natural response of attacking those negative chemical toxins. With proper nutrition, vigorous exercise up to 30 minutes per day will positively impact your body’s ability to manage anxiety. It has been shown that negative lifestyle choices have created America’s top health issues such as obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure and it will take positive healthy lifestyle choices to change the direction of health as well. An additional holistic resource to the management of anxiety is of course, Chiropractic care. Chiropractic care can frequently provide considerable assistance to those with chronic anxiety. By normalizing activity of the nervous system,

chiropractic care helps balance the response of “fight or flight”. Besides working primarily on the Nervous System, chiropractic care affects the musculoskeletal system by helping to eliminate and reduce muscular stress and tension among unnecessary source of biochemical and physiologic stress. Chiropractic care is about much more than bones, joints, muscles, ligaments, and tendons. The focus of chiropractic is on the nervous and musculoskeletal system, and yet the benefits of chiropractic care extend far beyond these connective tissue structures. It is a powerful healing method that affects many body systems by simply removing the nerve interference to that body system. What this means is that the chiropractic adjustment re-aligns the bones of the spine to their proper alignment, allowing the correct information to get to and from the brain. This allows the body to function at 100% of its potential. On any given day, we face many challenges that can begin an anxiety cascade. It is the intention of chiropractic care, supported by the right lifestyle choices to get you through them with ease. A properly functioning nervous system, sound musculoskeletal structure and strong immune system are just the tip of the iceberg of benefits chiropractic care has to offer. Begin today by contacting our office. Chiropractic Today has been located in the Inverness Corners shopping center since 1993 serving our community. We provide multiple forms of support including chiropractic care and customized supplementation to help move individuals to greater levels of health from an inside-out approach. Visit our website at www. ChiropracticToday.com for additional information regarding our practice.

VOTE TUES., NOV 8

Paid for by Gary Palmer for Congress

SENSIBLE CONSERVATIVE AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP WWW.PALMERFORALABAMA.COM Paid for by Gary Palmer for Congress

280Living.com

October 2016 • A15

Treatment center aims to help women overcome addiction, eating disorders By ERICA TECHO Near the city line between Columbiana and Chelsea is a road many pass without noticing. For some, however, this is the road to recovery. A few miles off Chelsea Road and down Crenshaw Road is Magnolia Creek Treatment Center, a residential treatment facility for women that specializes in eating disorders and substance abuse. When Magnolia Creek opened in 2007, it was intended to be a small, quaint treatment location. Since Chief Operating Ofﬁcer Linda Smith started four years ago, they have worked to reach out to the community and make the center available as a resource. “It was like a hidden secret at the time, and the original owners did that for a purpose,” Smith said. “A lot of people in this area still don’t know we exist, so our goal is to get our name out there because we are the only residential program in the state of Alabama.” The 36-acre property’s remote location helps clients get away from a busy lifestyle and focus on treatment, Smith said. “If you have a mother who has children or she has a job, she’ll be able to come to a place where she is away from everything that kind of goes on in life,” Smith said. “I think it’s a healing that takes place here.” The campus initially included the ofﬁce building, a 14-bed residential building, a 10-bed partial hospitalization program, outdoor therapy areas and a small lake. In October, Magnolia Creek opened its substance abuse facility, which doubled the available beds on campus. Residential treatment is for clients whose acuity, or need for medical care, is high, while partial hospitalization is for clients who have made progress and do not need 24-hour care. Smith said

Above: Magnolia Creek is located on a 36-acre property, and the center utilizes outdoor areas for treatment and therapy. Left: The staff of Magnolia Creek Treatment Center. Photos by Erica Techo.

they accept many clients who might be turned away from other treatment centers, but because their team includes 24-hour nursing in addition to a psychiatrist, psychologist, family therapist, individual therapist, dietitian and physician, Magnolia Creek is able to help high-acuity patients. “A lot of places, due to liability purposes, they won’t accept those clients, but because we offer such a huge team here, and the 24-hour medical care, we’re able to help those clients,” Smith said. Clients adhere to a strict schedule which includes a variety of activities, ranging from

group cooking classes to outdoor therapy to art groups, and Smith said they open up lesson topics to client suggestions. The center works to focus on life skills, she said, such as job-interview preparation or writing a check, which can help clients readjust to everyday life following their treatment. “We make them do the work,” Smith said. “They have a very structured schedule every day, and we have to hold them accountable.” Magnolia Creek also takes clients on “experientials,” where they travel to and from the center’s property in a day-to-day setting. Taking

clients out to a restaurant and observing their behavior can help normalize life after treatment, and allow that client’s treatment to be tailored to their needs, she said. “To see the beginning [of treatment] to the end, that experience — no words can describe saving someone’s life, and to me, being able to offer that in a state that doesn’t have many resources, that is beyond amazing to me,” Smith said. “You have to love the work you do to be able to do this.” For more information about Magnolia Creek, go to magnolia-creek.com.

A16 • October 2016

280 Living

Preview of

Chamber

Luncheon

UM president discusses economic impact of college with chamber

October The South Shelby Chamber of Commerce is set to host its Shelby County Mayor’s Luncheon this October. During the luncheon, which is set for Thursday, Oct. 6, mayors from across Shelby County will give a ﬁve-minute update about their communities. The luncheon will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Columbiana First Baptist Church, and it will be sponsored by Hand Arendall. Chamber Director April Stone said they have invited mayors from around the county and that it will be a great program. The cost is $12 per person, and no reservations are required. For more information, go to southshelbychamber.com/events.

By ERICA TECHO Higher education makes for a good investment, and not just for those pursuing a degree. University of Montevallo President John Stewart shared this message with the South Shelby Chamber of Commerce, noting that for every $1 invested into higher education, the state of Alabama receives $12.50 in economic impact. “That’s a really great return on investment,” Stewart said at the Sept. 1 chamber luncheon. Alabama’s four-year state universities have a $20 billion economic impact, employ 69,000 individuals and have a total of 192,000 students, he said. Stewart said he is proud of the impact universities have on the state, and he is also proud of the accomplishments the University of Montevallo has made. “I’m not sure where it is in the New Testament, but I’m pretty sure Jesus said, ‘A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown,’” Stewart said. “So I think Montevallo is a little bit like that. We haven’t done a great job of bragging about ourselves or sharing information about our impact and kind of unique aspects about what we do.” U.S. News and World Report has named Montevallo a No. 1 Master’s level institution for the state, it has been named a Public College of Distinction ﬁve years in a row, 85 percent of the school’s science students who apply to medical, dental or veterinary school are accepted, and the university works to

UM President John Stewart speaks at the South Shelby Chamber of Commerce luncheon. Photo by Erica Techo.

foster community relationships, Stewart said. All of those things help make Montevallo a great university, he said, and they hope to continue to build upon what the university has to offer. One program Montevallo recently implemented is the Outdoor Scholars Program. Rather than start a football program, which would attract about 120 men to the school and run the risk of not being proﬁtable, Montevallo directed its attention to students who enjoy hunting, ﬁshing, archery and other outdoor sports, Stewart said. There are 25 students in the program, Stewart said, and the university is already receiving attention from a promotional video

that was recently posted. “I thought to myself, ‘What do young men in the state of Alabama love more than hunting and girls?’” Stewart said. “If anything, it would be hunting and ﬁshing. So we started this program … and I am so proud of it.” The program has several sponsors, and students do not just receive scholarships for accomplishments in hunting and ﬁshing, Stewart said. They must also write essays to show a dedication to game conservation and the environment. “That’s just something more unique we’re getting attention for,” Stewart said. The university’s impact on Shelby County also expands outside of the classroom or scholarships offered, Stewart said, noting the number of visitors that are brought to the campus for annual events. People come from out of town for athletic events and stay in Shelby County hotels, they visit the campus for Founders’ Day and commencement ceremonies, and thousands of students ages 9 to 17 participate in the university’s summer programs. “We do bring folks in, many of whom pay lodging tax, stay in hotels, eat at our local restaurants,” Stewart said. No matter how many articles debate the importance of a college education, Stewart urged chamber attendees to encourage students they know, or their own children, to pursue a secondary education. A college graduate can earn about $1 million more in their lifetime than a non-graduate, he said, and the investment is worthwhile.

280Living.com

October 2016 • A17

Chamber recognizes Health Care Professional of the Year By ERICA TECHO The Greater Shelby Chamber of Commerce was all about health care at its Aug. 31 luncheon. The chamber’s Health Services Work Group hosted its second annual Health Care Professionals of the Year community luncheon, and health educator Neika Nix Morgan from St. Vincent’s Health System shared tips on incorporating healthy practices into a busy life. “The last thing you want to hear is me to tell you, all right, you’re going to have to overhaul everything,” Morgan said. “You don’t need another job, you don’t need to be overwhelmed anymore, so my goal is to take the presentation and make it not so overwhelming and hopefully empower you.” Morgan narrowed her presentation to three main focuses — sleep, diet and movement. With each category, she provided facts on the importance of that focus and ways to improve in that focus. While sleep is a foundation of good health and well-being, most people do not or are not able to get the sleep their bodies actually need, Morgan said. Sleep is a time for the body to restore itself, Morgan said, and a lack of sleep can lead to poor decision making, decreased performance levels and increase in appetite. To work toward a better night’s sleep, Morgan said individuals can start setting a speciﬁc bedtime, establishing a nighttime routine, eliminating screen time (TV, smartphone, laptop or tablet usage) in the bedroom and limiting caffeine intake after noon. “As adults, we are the same we are as when we were infants — we like routine,” Morgan said, adding that a bedtime routine can help your body start preparing for bed, making going to sleep easier. Diet is also a vital component of a healthy lifestyle, Morgan said. Eating the right foods helps energize you throughout the day. Caffeine and sugar increase stress hormones, Morgan said, which can lead to health issues

such as chronic diseases, cancer or colds. Eating six small meals a day and incorporating protein, fat and carbohydrates into each meal helps balance out eating patterns, Morgan said, and meal preparation can help keep eating habits on track. Finally, Morgan discussed exercise. In a modern society, many people do not move around as much as they used to — most people will communicate via email rather than walking down the hall, they’ll text rather than walking to talk to a person — and bodies were meant to move, Morgan said. Simple steps such as stretches at a desk in the office or standing while talking on the phone, rather than sitting, can help keep the body active, Morgan said. Exercise is also something that has to be incorporated into a daily routine, Morgan said, otherwise people find it difficult to “find time” to go to the gym. It is recommended to get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week, Morgan said, meaning it can be broken into 10- or 15-minute intervals of exercise. The chamber also recognized all of the nominees for Health Care Professional of the Year. Nominees had to be accomplished in their discipline, show dedication to health care and achieved “outstanding status” in their health care community, said Kirk Mancer, chamber president and CEO. Dr. Richard Baxter of Shelby Pediatric Dentistry was named the winner of Health Care Professional of the Year. Nominees for Health Care Professional of the Year included: ► Diane Baribeau, Shelby Baptist Hospital ► Dr. Richard Baxter, Shelby Pediatric Dentistry ► Dr. Sloan Beard, The F.A.R.M.: Functional Athletic Rehabilitation and Movement ► Dr. Clayton “Clay” Buie, Greenvale Pediatrics – Alabaster ► Dr. Ann Byars, Southlake Pediatrics ► Dr. Robert Cefolio, UAB Hospital ► Dr. Douglas Clark, Pelham Eye Care

Preview of

October Luncheon

Dr. Richard Baxter of Shelby Pediatric Dentistry was selected as Health Care Professional of the Year. Photo by Erica Techo.

► Dr. Rosalynn Crawford-McKendall, Indian Springs Pediatric Dentistry ► Amanda Dye, LPN, Rehab Select Shelby Ridge ► Dr. John Farley, Birmingham Internal Medicine Associates ► Ann Gervin, HealthSouth Lakeshore Rehabilitation Hospital ► Dr. David Glasgow, Greenvale Pediatrics – Brook Highlands ► Dr. Renee Harmon, Double Oaks Family Medicine ► Dr. Joseph Jolly, Greenvale Pediatrics ► Jinnie Lacey, HealthSouth Lakeshore Rehabilitation Hospital ► Dr. Marty Lovvorn, Precision Chiropractic ► Dr. John D. McBrayer, Heartsouth Cardiovascular Group ► Daniel Mills, Alabama Emergency Medical Services Association ► Dr. Jill K. Meyer, Eye Care and Eye Wear ► Brandi Peoples, Quality Correctional Healthcare ► Ryan Pindroh, St. Vincent’s One Nineteen ► Dr. Todd Reeves, Reeves Cosmetic Dentistry

The Greater Shelby Chamber of Commerce’s October “Community Luncheon,” hosted by the Governmental Affairs Work Group, will feature a “State of the County” presentation Oct. 26. County Manager Alex Dudchock will discuss progress the county made last year as well as what is in store for Dudchock the county’s future. The meeting will be held in the banquet hall at the Pelham Civic Complex & Ice Arena. Doors will open at 11 a.m. for business networking and the showcase feature, and the program will begin promptly at 11:30 a.m. The cost is $20 per person for chamber investors and $30 per person for “future” investors and includes a luncheon buffet. For more information, or to make a reservation, please contact the chamber at info@shelbychamber. org, by telephone at 663-4542 or register online at shelbychamber. org.

A18 • October 2016

280 Living

Momma Goldberg’s opening at Lee Branch By CAROLINE CARMICHAEL A Momma Goldberg’s franchise location is scheduled to open in The Village at Lee Branch mid-November. Momma Goldberg’s previously had a location open on U.S. 280, but that restaurant closed in 2014. The Lee Branch location is set to replace the one near Riverhill Business Park and bring the franchise’s sandwiches back to Shelby County. “We’re very excited about it,” Nick Davis, president of Momma Goldberg’s, said. “It’s a great area for Momma Goldberg’s.” About 40 years ago, Momma Goldberg’s opened its “old school” deli to the public in Auburn. Nine years ago, Momma Goldberg’s opened its first franchises in Auburn and Homewood. The sandwich-serving chain now has 24 national franchises under its belt, including the Lee Branch location between Chicken Salad Chick and Panera Bread. Momma Goldberg’s offers a variety of deli selections, among which are the Momma’s Love signature sandwich and Momma’s Nachos, which feature Doritos tortilla chips. Sandwiches and salads also come with an option to “build your own.” One of the best aspects of Momma Goldberg’s, Davis said, is that it’s a family business. Davis purchased two Auburn Momma

Momma Goldberg’s is set to open mid-November in the space between Chicken Salad Chick and Panera Bread at the Village at Lee Branch. Photo by Caroline Carmichael.

Goldberg’s franchises from founder Don DeMent in 2009, including the rights to open a third franchise in Auburn. Davis is a longtime friend of the DeMent family, and now as primary shareholder and president of Momma Goldberg’s, he said he works to ensure the company’s familial roots and atmosphere are maintained. The Momma Goldberg’s family has experienced much success, Davis said, and in addition to opening a new location, this is a year

for celebration. Going strong since 1976, 2016 marks the Momma Goldberg’s 40th anniversary of business. “It is an incredible feeling to see this iconic brand grow across the Deep South,” Davis said. The Lee Branch acquisition is one of three Momma Goldberg’s franchises opening in the near future, including downtown Montgomery and Macon, Georgia. “We want to spread Momma’s Love to every

major trade area and ensure this brand continues for generations to come,” Davis said. “You ‘gotta’ have your Momma’s Love.” Projected hours of business for Momma Goldberg’s Deli at Lee Branch are between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m. The new Lee Branch location is at 611 Doug Baker Blvd., 35242, between Chicken Salad Chick and Panera Bread. For further information regarding Momma Goldberg’s, go to mommagoldbergsdeli.com.

280Living.com

October 2016 • A19

Ponder Properties hopes to provide four retail spaces in the Citgo gas station lot in Chelsea, located off U.S. 280. Photo by Caroline Carmichael.

Developer plans new retail space by station off US 280 By CAROLINE CARMICHAEL Ponder Properties hopes to provide four retail spaces in the Citgo gas station lot in Chelsea, located off U.S. 280. The property consists of about 1.7 acres. Building A would settle on the right side of the convenience store, offering two suites of about 932 square feet each. On the store’s left side, Building B would contain two larger suites with a total square footage of about 2,013. The building additions would be painted and stucco-finished, and would feature earth-colored face brick and large clear glass windows. The sandwiched store would be painted to match and adjusted to accommodate the new spaces. Landowner Moiz Foulad proposed the project to Ponder Properties in August 2015, desiring to lease the spaces to a variety of retailers. But commencing the project is not simply done. Much depends on the bank, and in turn, much depends on the leasers. According to commercial agent Glenn Ponder of Ponder Properties, the development initiation process is no longer as easy as “get the loan, build the building.” Ever since the recession of 2008, the bank requires 85 percent of the space guaranteed for lease before it supplies a loan. “The bank’s looking for guarantees from all angles now,” Ponder said. Thankfully, Foulad has received many inquiries from interested retailers. But difficulty remains. “Leasers want to see it before they sign it,” Ponder said. Ponder is a firm believer in first finding a need, and then filling it. He does not agree with the famous “Build it and they will come” philosophy from “Field of Dreams.” “You’ve got to hear where there’s a need,” he said, “and then find a good place where it makes sense to lay it down and put it down.” Ponder Properties has poured much into Chelsea, as there has been a great need for businesses in the city. Many businesses have moved to and flourished in the retail and office

“

You’ve got to hear where there’s a need and then ﬁnd a good place where it makes sense to lay it down and put it down.

”

GLENN PONDER

spaces the company has constructed, including Sherwin-Williams paint, The Ditsy Daisy boutique, Chelsea Lane gift shop and Little Caesars pizza. These businesses are prime examples of what Chelsea Mayor Earl Niven calls the “blend” of national and independent businesses charming Chelsea. “Business, of course,” Niven said, “is the bloodline for the city.” From its population of 906 in 1996, Chelsea has now reached approximately 13,500. “[Chelsea] is growing as a whole community,” Niven said. This creates a cyclic need for businesses and consumers alike. “What would really benefit the city now is some office complex,” Niven said. Niven said the community would also benefit greatly from a hardware store and a pet store. Nonetheless, an office complex remains the greatest need for the Chelsea community. Ponder Properties has fulfilled a sizeable portion of this need. “We do have a few vacant businesses at the shopping area[s],” Niven said, “but very few.” While the potential business spaces to open in the Citgo lot are catered toward retailers, perhaps the project is a step toward greater business growth and opportunities in Chelsea. In light of the greatest revenue the city has ever known, the outlook is positive. In Niven’s words, “The future of Chelsea is before us.”

A20 • October 2016

280 Living

Community Chelsea Fire and Rescue and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Ofﬁce will bring equipment and information to National Night Out. Staff photo.

National Night Out to bring equipment, information to Chelsea residents By ERICA TECHO The parking lot of Walmart in Chelsea will be full of law enforcement officers, firefighters and emergency vehicles on Oct. 4, but it will not be due to an emergency. Tuesday, Oct. 4 is Chelsea’s National Night Out, a night to bring together law enforcement agencies, first responders and the community. “It’s a great opportunity to interact with police and fire, but also a lot of other community-based organizations,” said Shelby County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Debbie Sumrall. “We have a lot of nonprofits and a lot of free services that residents may not realize are offered to them.” Shelby County Sheriff’s Office will bring its boat and tactical response truck, which Sumrall said are a hit with kids in attendance. Kids will

have the chance to play and see the emergency vehicles and equipment, as well as learn more about the first responders that serve them. “It gives a chance for your little ones, your kids, to interact with police and fire so that if they ever had an emergency, they wouldn’t be scared of us,” Sumrall said. “It’s cool to see the community come together there in Chelsea and everybody having a good time,” Sumrall said. Companies at National Night Out also bring their mascots, Sumrall said, and kids enjoy interacting with them. National Night Out will be in the parking lot of the Chelsea Walmart from 5-7 p.m. To stay up to date on the event, go to the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page. Any organizations interested in participating can contact Sumrall at DSumrall@ shelbyso.com.

Wrapped in Hope raises money for breast cancer patients By JESSE CHAMBERS The Wrapsody retail shops in Hoover and Auburn will, for the eighth consecutive year, host a special fundraiser to help kickoff Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. They also will raise money for care and support of cancer patients. The Wrapped in Hope event — formerly called Hope Floats — will be at the stores from Sept. 26 to Oct. 1. All Wrapsody customers will receive an honorary ribbon with each purchase so they can honor or remember a friend, family member or loved one with breast cancer in both stores’ celebration windows. “We want [Wrapped in Hope] to truly be about wrapping those going through breast cancer in hope and love — celebrating their fight, their daily struggles and caring for those that are faced with the hardship of this overwhelming disease,” said Wrapsody co-owner Sarah Brown. In Hoover, Wrapsody will raise money for the Angel Squad at the UAB Kirklin Clinic, and the Auburn store will raise money for the East Alabama Medical Center Breast Fund, Brown said; 10 percent of all sales that week will be given directly to the Angel Squad and to EAMC. “The Angel Squad … truly cares for those going through cancer in such a direct way” and are “angels to those that are touched by them,” Brown said. “Many of them are breast-cancer survivors themselves, so they are truly able to wrap them in hope and love due to their own experiences.” Each store also will hold a raffle for a $500 Wrapsody gift card. Raffle tickets are available with a $10 donation. All proceeds go to Angel Squad or UAMC. Brown and her co-owner, Terry Shea, will not hold a balloon release this year — the main focus of Hope Floats — due to

Hope Floats has become the new Wrapped in Hope event. Photo courtesy of Wrapsody.

environmental concerns after the balloons pop, Brown said. In 2015, employees and customers released thousands of pink-andwhite balloons at a celebration in October. The series of cancer fundraisers at Wrapsody began in 2009. “We honestly were inspired by customers and friends that had breast cancer,” Brown said. One of those customers was Rashel Ross, a survivor who had started a foundation to help cancer patients obtain meals and pay bills, Brown said. “The first year we actually gave the money to a local lady fighting breast cancer,” she said. Brown credits the store manager at the time, Merri Crow, with the idea of using balloons to honor or to remember patients as a way of celebrating something hopeful. The annual events have benefited such entities as the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer research and The Joy to Life Foundation in Montgomery. The events in 2015 raised almost $10,000 for the Angel Squad and the EAMC. For more information, call 989-7277 or 334887-7447 or go to wrapsodyonline.com.

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October 2016 • A21

FARE Walk to raise funds for food allergy research, education

Teams race with their rucks during the 2015 10K Ruck Challenge. Photo by Erica Techo.

By JESSE CHAMBERS

10K Ruck Challenge to return to Veterans Park By ERICA TECHO National Veterans Day in Birmingham is hosting its fourth 5K Family Fun Run/Walk and 10K Ruck Challenge in October. The annual event raises money for veteran charities and raises awareness of the events going on in Birmingham during Veterans Day weekend. In addition to a 5K family fun run or walk, there is also a 10K ruck challenge. The 10K ruck challenge, or Veteran Challenge, is open to individuals or teams of four or more. Runners will wear rucks — weighted backpacks or vests — that are 40 pounds

for men and 25 pounds for women. The teams competing in the 10K will decide which veteran charities will beneﬁt from this year’s proceeds. The military unit with the best time will receive 40 percent of the proceeds for their charity; second place will receive 20 percent, and third place will receive 10 percent. The civilian unit with the fastest time will receive the remaining 30 percent for the veteran charity of their choice. All money raised will be presented to the charities during the World Peace Luncheon on Veterans Day (Nov. 11) before the Birmingham Veterans Day parade.

In the 5K, the ﬁrst three men, women and youth under 13 to complete the race will be recognized. First-place winners in the three categories will also receive two tickets to the World Peace Luncheon and the Veterans Day Parade. The race is Oct. 22 at Veterans Park and starts at 8 a.m. The 5K fun run and 10K ruck is $20 per person, $25 after Oct. 15, and the 10K ruck for a group is $85, or $100 after Oct. 15. For details on the event or to register, go to active.com and search 4th Annual 10K Ruck Challenge Hosted by National Veterans Day in Birmingham or go to nationalveteransday.org.

The annual FARE Walk for Food Allergy will be at Veterans Park in Hoover Oct. 23 with check-in and other activities beginning at 1:30 p.m. The walk, held in hundreds of cities across the country, raises money for research, advocacy and education and to help support those living with allergies. It also raises public awareness of the need to create a safer, more inclusive world for the 15 million Americans who have food allergies, organizers said. “The FARE Walk is very motivational and uplifting as we recognize all of our local families, children and adults that have food allergies,” said Jim Steiner, national walk director. In addition to the walk, the event will feature music, kids’ activities and local and national sponsor tables and information, Steiner said. There is “no open food or eating at the walks,” Steiner said. However, the event features such national sponsors and partners as Enjoy Life, SunButter, Skeeter Nut Free, Nice N Clean and Don’t Go Nuts. Organizers also ask that no attendees bring pets to the walk, due to allergies. Some local support groups, such as the No Nuts Moms Group, helped to organize the event. The event has been a positive experience for Steiner’s 7-year-old son with food allergies, who Steiner said enjoyed a non-food trick-or-treat session at a FARE Walk last year. “The children at the walk could participate in a Halloween celebration where they were totally included,” Steiner said. “As parents, we could let him participate without hovering and pulling out all of the unsafe candy we typically see when trick-or-treating, and for him it was not a constant reminder that his food allergies limit his participation in common social events.” Participants in the FARE Walk raise money from sponsors prior to the event. To register, go to bit.ly/2cxEGkn. Each registrant is given a web page and access to fundraising tools. Learn more about No Nut Moms of Birmingham by searching No Nuts Moms Group of Birmingham Alabama Community on Facebook. To learn more about allergies, go to foodallergy.org.

A22 • October 2016

280 Living

Walk to cure neurofibromatosis to be held at Veterans Park By TARA MASSOULEH Veterans Park will once again play host to Alabama’s NF Walk Oct. 16. The 3-mile walk raises money for the Children’s Tumor Foundation, an organization that supports research to cure neurofibromatosis. Neurofibromatosis, or NF for short, is a genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow on nerves throughout the body. The condition can lead to blindness, bone abnormalities, cancer, deafness, disfigurement, learning disabilities and disabling pain. There is no cure or treatment for NF. During this year’s walk, adults and children of any age will take part in activities including carnival games, live music, dancing, face painting, children’s activities and a raffle-prize drawing. There also will be food and drinks.

The Alabama NF Walk is one of 40 walks put on by the Children’s Tumor Foundation nationwide. NF Walk Manager Jessica Beckerman said Alabama’s is one of the largest. The average attendance rate for other walks is about 200 people, but Alabama’s usually draws between 500 and 600. “It’s one of our biggest events,” Beckerman said. “The community really comes together for it.” The walk is superhero themed to celebrate and honor local “NF heroes” who are living with the disorder. Registration is $20 for adults, $10 for children and free for children younger than 3. Check-in for the race is at 1 p.m. The walk is at 2 p.m. with announcements, rafﬂes and other activities following. To learn more about the walk or register, go to nfwalk.org/Alabama.

Participants at last year’s NF Walk celebrate at the end of the 3-mile walk to raise money and awareness for neuroﬁbromatosis. Photo courtesy of Shelley Barrett Photography.

Hayrides return to Veterans Park By SYDNEY CROMWELL The best parts of Halloween are coming to Veterans Park, pulled behind tractors with Hoover city employees at the wheel. The annual Hoover Hayride and Family Night will be Oct. 27 from 5 to 8 p.m. Erin Colbaugh, who is organizing the event for the city of Hoover, said it will once again be free and will include costumes, candy and hayrides around the park. “It’s a great time for families to gather at the park in a safe environment,” Colbaugh said. Local businesses set up booths to hand out candy, and Colbaugh said last year there were more than 80 that participated. Other entertainment will

include balloon artists, face painters, visits from children’s characters and vendors with food available for purchase. The hayrides last about 15 minutes, but can be ridden multiple times. Colbaugh said the city decorates the ride route with different Halloween scenes. About 15,000 people attended in 2015, and the city is anticipating similar numbers this year. Colbaugh said keeping up with this many people takes a lot of volunteers, from the city staff driving the tractors to the high school groups, such as ambassadors and drama club members, who will spend their time in costumes and managing the activities. Find more information at hooveralabama.gov.

Costumed kids enjoy the Hoover Hayride and Family Night at Veterans Park. Photo by Patty Bradley.

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October 2016 • A23

Junior League’s Shop Save & Share returns for 11th year For the 11th year in a row, the Junior League of Birmingham (JLB) will hold its Shop Save & Share fundraiser in late October. This initiative supports the League’s more than 30 community projects while at the same time driving customers to local retailers and restaurants. When you purchase a Shop Save & Share card for $40, you receive a 20 percent discount on merchandise and food at the fundraiser’s more than 500 participating stores and restaurants. Since its inception, Shop Save & Share has put more than $475,000 back into the community. This year’s Shop Save & Share program will run from Oct. 19-30, and the Junior League of Birmingham is thrilled to have some of Birmingham’s best retailers and restaurants on board for 2016, including several located along or near U.S. 280. When it comes to using your card, many customers note that the variety of retailers is what keeps them coming back year after year. The list is constantly growing, and this year, Shop Save & Share is partnering for the first time with many stores and restaurants such as South Boutique in Lee Branch, Vocelli Pizza, and Blowfish on Highway 280. “Being a part of the community is a large part of our business, and partnering with the Junior League of Birmingham is one way we express our support of local nonprofits,” said Meagan Stephens, store manager of South Boutique in Lee Branch. Highland Shoe Company participated in Shop Save & Share for the first time last year and couldn’t pass up on the

opportunity to participate again. “We had several customers come in our store last year speciﬁcally looking to use their Shop Save & Share card, and it was our ﬁrst year to participate,” said Angie Navarre, owner of the Highland Shoe Company. “I knew I wanted our store to participate again to support the Junior League of Birmingham.” Mt Laurel is also home to several other Shop Save & Share participants, including Blissful Boutique, Favorite Laundry, Lucky Dog Grooming & Boutique, Pure Bliss Salon Spa, Simply Infused and Skin Therapy. Restaurants are always an important part of the Shop Save & Share event, and this year is no different. If a take-out family meal is a better option for you than dining out, Ashley Mac’s is an excellent choice. A proud Shop Save & Share participant for several years, Ashley Mac’s, with locations currently in Inverness, Cahaba Heights and Riverchase, is a great place to stop for frozen home-style casseroles. Some other 280-area retailers that will be participating in the 2016 Shop Save & Share event include Alabama Outdoors, Cowboy Chicken, Leah’s and The Pink Tulip, just to name a few. Visit shopsaveandshare.net for a complete retailer listing, to purchase a card, and for more information. Additional information about the fundraiser can be found on social media on Facebook: Shop Save & Share; Instagram: @jlbshopsaveshare; or on Twitter: @JLBirmingham (#jlbshopsaveshare). – Submitted by Junior League of Birmingham.

It’s time for costumes and candy as area churches host their fall festivals. Staff photo.

Churches in the 280 area host community events for fall, Halloween By JESSE CHAMBERS Ah, the joys of autumn, the traditional harvest time. Bracing cool snaps replace the oppressive summer heat. Leaves turn, popping red and yellow. Football fans cheer. Irresistible desserts made from apples, pumpkins and sweet potatoes tantalize with smells of big holiday feasts to come. There are also the fall festivals and Halloween events that allow communities to come together and enjoy the nice weather, as well as games, treats and other diversions of the season. Events at churches in the U.S. 280 corridor include: ► Chelsea Creek Community Church is having a Trunk or Treat event at Chelsea Park Oct. 30 from 3 to 5 p.m. Kids can trick-ortreat around the trunks of 20 decorated cars. There will be music, inﬂatables and free hot dogs and water. For more information, call 205-678-2406 or go to lovewell.us. ► Double Oak Community Church is hosting a Trunk or Treat event at the Town

Square in Mt Laurel Oct. 30 from 3 to 5 p.m. Church members will decorate their cars and line up around the square to hand out treats, with some cars offering games to play to “earn” treats. There will also be free inﬂatables, cotton candy and popcorn. For more information, call 205-995-9752, go to doubleoakcc.org or check the church’s Facebook page. ► Liberty Park Baptist Church, 12001 Liberty Parkway in Vestavia Hills, will host its annual Fall Festival on Oct. 26 from 5:30-8 p.m. This family-friendly event will offer food, candy, games and rides. For more information, call 969-1236, visit libertypark. org or its Facebook page, facebook.com/ libertypark. ► New Hope Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 5521 Double Oak Lane, will present its Fall Festival Oct 30 from 4 to 6 p.m. The free event will offer food and fun activities for all ages. For more information, call 205- 9915252 or go to newhopecpc.org. Maryellen Newton contributed to this report.

A24 • October 2016

280 Living

Paws for the Cause returns to Veterans Park By JESSE CHAMBERS The Shelby Humane Society in Columbiana takes in more than 5,000 unwanted pets each year — many of them lost, neglected or abused — but it takes a lot of money to care for these animals. That’s where Paws for the Cause comes in. The annual Paws fundraiser — now in its eighth year and featuring both a 5K run and a one-mile fun run and pet walk — will be at Veterans Park in Hoover Oct. 8. The 5K begins at 8:30 a.m. and the fun run at 9:30 a.m. Pets are welcome at the event. All proceeds will support the society’s efforts to care for animals and educate the public about the responsibilities of animal ownership.

The nonproﬁt Best Friends of Shelby Humane Society will plan the event with the help of The Animal League of Birmingham, according to Best Friends spokesperson Stephanie Clayton. Registration is $35 for the 5K, $25 for the fun run or $40 for both. Packet pickup the week of the race will be available at The Trak Shak at 4700 U.S. 280 E. Packet pickup and late registration will be on race day beginning at 7 a.m. Participants can register online at runsignup.com. For more information and updates, go to shelbyhumane.org or to the Facebook pages for Shelby Humane Society or Best Friends of Shelby Humane Society. Questions, including sponsorship opportunities, can be emailed to bestfriendsofshelbyhumane@gmail.com.

A colorful pup at the Paws for a Cause Run. Photo courtesy of Forget Me Not Photography.

Chelsea Day fundraiser set for Oct. 1 By JESSE CHAMBERS The members of the Marching Hornet Pride Band at Chelsea High School love to play music and represent their community, but the privilege doesn’t come cheap. “Most people do not realize that the schools are not able to furnish the instruments, uniforms and equipment for bands, or how much it costs to purchase these items,” said band booster President Jennifer Wilkinson. “It is up to the parents and the band boosters to help raise those funds so our children can perform at their best.” This is the reason for the annual Chelsea Day fundraiser, where a silent auction and dozens of vendors help raise money for the band. The event will be at Chelsea City Hall on Oct. 1 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The marching band will perform throughout the day, as well as the Chelsea Middle School band and local school choirs. “(Chelsea Day) showcases our band program and helps to bring our community together,” said event organizer Jon Curren. Chelsea Day is a special event, because the performances make it “more than just a craft fair,” Wilkinson said. However, the event’s key purpose is to help fund the band. “We raise money to purchase instruments, our ﬁeld show, equipment and transportation to and from games and competitions,” Wilkinson said, who notes the band’s uniforms alone cost more than $55,000. The auction features all kind of themed baskets, such as entertainment, movie night and sports, and there are also gift cards, Disney

The Chelsea High School band practices for Chelsea Day, scheduled for Oct. 1 at Chelsea City Hall. Photo courtesy of Chelsea Band Boosters.

tickets, home décor and more, Curren said. The kids in the band always enjoy Chelsea Day, at least in part because they are able to reach a new audience, Wilkinson said. “Not everyone is able to see and hear them at football games or to travel to band competitions to see them perform, so they enjoy reaching

more people with their music,” she said. Organizers hope to attract as many as 70 vendors. Those interested can contact chelseahighband2012@gmail.com. For more information, go to chelseaband. weebly.com or to the Chelsea High School Band Boosters Facebook page.

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October 2016 • A25

School House

Briarwood Christian’s renovations projects, which the school funded through a capital improvements fee from parents, focuses on both the academic and athletic sides of the school. Photos by Sarah Finnegan.

Briarwood kicks off school year with campus renovations By LEXI COON Beginning in 2014, Briarwood Christian School set off to provide upgrades and additions to its south campus. The south campus, which houses seventh through 12th grades, has been growing recently and was in need of additional class space. “[The] school has grown pretty much every year,” said Superintendent Barrett Mosbacker, mentioning that the south campus alone sees about 900 students daily. “We needed more space anyway.” The projects, which the school funded through a capital improvements fee from parents, focuses on both the academic and athletic sides of the school. The first addition to the campus was a new building that now houses robotics labs, a choral chamber, science labs and a new library. “We wanted to start with adding state-of-theart science labs,” Mosbacker said. The labs feature self-contained work spaces for the students to use with projects. The classrooms in the new section of the school also have large flat-screen TVs with Apple TV connected so students and teachers can use their school-issued iPads in collaboration. “We’re progressively moving away from [the SmartBoards],” Mosbacker said. Toward the back of the building is the new library, which is an open space and is moving forward with technology as well. “Most of our [library] collections are digital, too, but we have some print as well,” he said. “And since all of the students have iPads, they can always have access to the digital files.” Downstairs, the campus has an updated choir room, which was previously housed in another building. This room was outfitted with additional mirrors to perfect choreography during practices and designed acoustically so as to

not disturb nearby classrooms, which house the robotics labs. “They engineer, design and manufacture everything in here,” Mosbacker said of the robotics labs. He added the school also uses two 3-D printers for class projects. Outside of the academic buildings, the campus has finished projects for traffic and safety such as expanding the parking, installing a pedestrian bridge and adding a large amount of sidewalks. “There’s sidewalks everywhere now,” he said. The sidewalks make it safer, since many students frequently walk through campus to access different areas, Mosbacker said. The sidewalks lead students all over the campus, including to the ball fields, eight new tennis courts and an artificial track surface around the football field that will be completed shortly. This coming summer, students and teachers can expect more renovations as the school works on upgrading its existing high school building, and eventually, Briarwood is looking to continue with upgrades throughout the campus. “The next phase will be a large super-field. That will be on an additional 40 acres behind the tennis courts,” said Mosbacker. “We’re very blessed [to be able to do this].”

A26 • October 2016

SCHOOL FUNDING:

280 Living

What do Hoover superintendent, incoming mayor plan to do?

Mayor-elect Frank Brocato listens as Deer Valley Elementary School students explain a project they are working on in their STEM class Sept. 13. Brocato says he is prepared to work with the school system to solve its funding issue. Photo by Sarah Finnegan.

By SYDNEY CROMWELL and JON ANDERSON Education was, in Hoover schools Superintendent Kathy Murphy’s mind, the issue that defined the 2016 Hoover municipal election. With Hoover City Schools facing an expected $11.4 million shortfall in its 2016 budget and projected $1.9 million shortfall in 2017, school funding was on the minds of both candidates and voters in the weeks leading up to Aug. 23. “I don’t think there’s a bigger thing we could talk about,” Murphy said. It’s only one of the many priorities Mayor-elect Frank Brocato is thinking about in the weeks before his inauguration in November. As he is not yet in office, Brocato did not talk a lot of specifics. However, education was one of the main points in his campaign — along with public safety and creating a city master plan — and he said nothing about that has changed since election day. “We’re going to work with them to get them in the black, and I committed that to them,” Brocato said. “What that number will be? I don’t know yet because I have seven council members there, and they are committed to doing the same thing.” The Board of Education in September approved its budget for fiscal 2017, and Murphy stressed that what she presented to the board is a conservative plan. While there is still a deficit, Murphy’s budget reduced that by about $9.5 million through trimming school expenses, shortening contracts and finding ways to reduce staff through attrition rather than layoffs. In total, 26 jobs were cut this year, including 11 fewer bus drivers, school officials said. Some new employees who were hired to replace others aren’t getting paid as much, Murphy said. School officials plan to continue looking for places to cut expenses, potentially including athletic and extracurricular supplements, Murphy said. The 2017 budget includes $1.3 million for athletic coaching supplements and another $1 million for non-academic

280Living.com

CITY BUDGET TALKS

Budget talks are also underway at city hall, and Brocato expects to be part of that process after inauguration. He said he’ll have to balance education along with other city and personal

Hoover City Schools budget balances, deﬁcits Key:

HCS fund balance

HCS budget deﬁcits

*projected

$ 120 $100

$112M $102M

$80 in millions

supplements such as those given to the math and debate team coaches. Murphy said she has instructed principals that they soon will have to offer fresh justification for the amount paid for each supplement. Also, school officials will examine Hoover’s practice of paying supplements as a percentage of employees’ base pay rather than as a flat amount per job, Murphy said. Brocato said Murphy has committed all along that “she’s not looking for anybody’s handouts. She’s going to get her house in order. She continues to have that philosophy, and I appreciate that.” The budget also allows no room for expansion or facility improvements. “The budget that I’ve put before our public and before our board isn’t a budget that’s a growth model for growing new Murphy opportunities, growing new electives, adding additional academic experiences for our students,” Murphy said in a separate interview. “It is absolutely culled down to the necessities.” While Murphy believes this year’s cuts won’t impact the quality of Hoover students’ education, the next step to reduce the deficit in 2018 is either finding more revenue or making more cuts. And if more cuts are in order, Murphy expects many will come from the largest portion of the budget: personnel. Staffing costs account for roughly 82 percent of the total $169.9 million budget. At that point, reducing staff likely means larger classroom size or cutting electives. “It’s going to hurt who we are,” Murphy said. Revenues already have dropped from $13,715 per student in fiscal 2008 to an estimated $12,209 per student for 2017, school system records show.

October 2016 • A27

$94M

$93M $81M*

$60

$80M*

$40 $20 $0

$9.6M

$10.2M

$7.9M

2012

2013

2014

$11.4M* $1.9M*

$1.4M 2015

2016

2017

SOURCE: Hoover City Schools priorities: public safety, roadwork, sidewalks, creating green spaces, economic development and building a city master plan. Currently, city funding for the school system sits at about $2.4 million. Increasing that contribution means either finding new revenue or taking from other areas of the budget. Brocato said he does not feel like a tax increase to fund schools is the right move at this time. “I think that we’ve asked Dr. Murphy to look at her house and get it in order, and I think we have to do the same thing on our side and make sure we’ve done everything correctly, and we are being good stewards of the money the citizens of Hoover already provide before we go out and ask for more,” Brocato said. “I don’t even want to put it on the table because we’re not there yet.” Brocato said he’d like to reduce expenses first, but find a way to do so without negatively impacting the city. If the budget came up short for all the projects the city wants to fund, Brocato said, his approach wouldn’t necessarily be about picking one department over another. He said he would prefer temporary fixes or short-term delays so that everything can get

accomplished over time. “In my 40 years, I’ve never seen us be faced with that sort of critical situation where I couldn’t delay something or patch something,” Brocato said. The problem will be ﬁnding the right number for the city to contribute. An extra $1.9 million would cover Hoover City Schools’ deﬁcit, but Murphy pointed out that it would not leave room for expansion or new programs. “$2 million puts a Band-Aid on it,” Murphy said. “So $2 million just gets you to the starting line, because right now we’re several yards off the starting line. Two million takes us to the starting line, and then if we really want to be productive and run a great race, then I think we’re going to have to invest even more money than that in the schools in order to continue to be Hoover.”

‘WHO DO WE WANT TO BE?’

During rezoning meetings in 2015, Murphy at one point mentioned a $12 million ﬁgure that she would like to see from the city. Murphy said that number may not be exactly the right one — it depends on what Hoover residents, city

officials and school staff want in terms of school system growth. Murphy said a question needs to be answered before a dollar figure can be decided: “Who do we want to be?” After the cuts this year to reduce the deficit, Murphy said she feels like the school system has reeled in as much as it can without significant negative impacts, and it is now the city’s turn to look at its budget. She noted that she sees a disconnect between a school system that takes $11-13 million per month to run and a city contributing $2 million per year. “Clearly, if it costs us $11 million, plus or minus, a month to run this school district, it’s difficult in my mind to believe that the best that we can do for our children is $2 million from our city a year. I’ve been honest about that; I’ve said it. I’m not going to back off from it now,” Murphy said. There are some long-term financial needs for the school system that also need to be addressed, school officials have said. Personnel costs continue to increase, and debt payments will rise by $4.4 million a year in fiscal 2018 and another $8.6 million a year in 2026, financial records show. Plus, additional school facilities could be needed to handle enrollment growth. Hoover High School, even with a $13.5 million 36-classroom addition that opened in 2013, already is quickly nearing capacity, with more than 2,900 students this year. School officials must decide whether to add more room at Hoover or Spain Park high schools, or start planning for a third high school. Brocato has promised a meeting with Murphy 30 days after taking the mayor’s office. It will likely be the first of many between the pair, as well as the rest of the council, to define the path for the school system, the price tag for that path and how the city of Hoover will contribute to it. “The most important thing we can do is have a spirit of cooperation among each other,” Brocato said. However, the job of resolving Hoover City Schools’ funding is not one that can wait any longer, Murphy said. “Talk’s cheap. Rhetoric comes at no cost,” Murphy said. “It’s time for us to put up. It’s time for us to get it done.”

A28 • October 2016

280 Living Chelsea High School student Ellie Burchell (left) added light-up elements to her outﬁt as part of the Rising Design Star competition for Birmingham Fashion Week. Photo by Erica Techo.

Chelsea HS student makes finals in Birmingham Fashion Week challenge By ERICA TECHO A Chelsea High School student’s design made it to the runway in the finals for Birmingham Fashion Week’s Rising Design Star challenge. Ellie Burchell, 15, designed a dress with light-up accents as part of the challenge, which tasked high school-aged designers with creating an outfit out of recycled or alternative materials and without sewing. Hundreds of students apply to participate in the Rising Design Star challenge each year, and 60 designs are selected for Birmingham Fashion Week. Those 60 designs are divided into groups of 30 and featured in shows on the opening night and second night of Birmingham Fashion Week, which this year took place from Aug. 25-27 at Boutwell Auditorium. The 60 semifinalist designs are then narrowed

down to 30 for the ﬁnal night of Birmingham Fashion Week, and winners are selected from those 30 ﬁnalists. This year, Sarah Terral of Fairhope was presented with a full scholarship to University of Alabama. Savannah College of Art and Design presented three prizes — a $1,500 per year scholarship to winning high school seniors and a full week summer seminar for non-seniors. SCAD selected Vestavia Hills High School student Brooke Lindsey, Mountain Brook High School student Kathryn Sours and Homewood High School student Rigdon Hendrix for the scholarships. Scholarships were presented following the featured designer show at BFW. The show featured wedding dresses from Birmingham-based designer Heidi Elnora, and Oak Mountain High School student Stephie Soltys walked the runway during the show.

Music Academy hosts open house St. Francis Music Academy (SFMA) invites the public to their Open House on Saturday, Oct. 8, from 10 a.m. to noon, at the Episcopal Church of St. Francis of Assisi, 3545 Cahaba Valley Road. The Open House schedule includes meeting SFMA faculty and students, attending mini-classes and a short performance, and learning more about the Academy programs at a Q&A session. Featuring a world-class faculty, including members of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra and other professional musicians who have distinguished themselves as performing artists around the globe, the Academy is open to students of all ages and offers music instruction in piano, voice, violin, viola, cello, ﬂute, guitar and harp, as well as chamber music,

choral instruction, music theory and musicianship. Also offered are Music Together family classes designed for parents, grandparents and caregivers with children ages birth through 5 years. Registration forms are available online at saintfrancismusic.org. Some scholarships are available for low-income families. Operating as an extension of the music ministry of the Episcopal Church of St. Francis of Assisi, under the direction of Dr. Alina Voicu, director of music, SFMA also offers monthly Music Corner activities and concerts, open to the larger community free of charge. For more information, visit the Academy website at saintfrancismusic.org, contact Voicu at avoicu@saintfrancismusic.org or call the ofﬁce at 988-4371. – Submitted by St. Francis Music Academy.

280Living.com

October 2016 • A29

Oak Mountain teacher ﬁnalist for national award By ALI RENCKENS

Skye Otter, Willa Rose Akins, Lily Rourk and Catherine Hinson celebrate Hilltop Montessori’s 20th anniversary. Photo courtesy of Michele Wilensky.

Hilltop Montessori school marks 20th anniversary Hilltop Montessori School celebrated its 20th birthday on Tuesday, Sept. 6, at the school with a cake celebration and special decorations in the morning carpool line to greet the students. The school then held an “after party” at Treetop Family Adventures in Shelby County. To commemorate the occasion, Shiela Jones, the school’s office manager, created a three-tier birthday cake, which paid tribute to the school’s past, present and the future. The bottom tier was decorated with various Montessori materials, which were part of the school’s mission from the very first day. The middle tier of the cake was a beautiful tribute to the current LEED-certified green school and the top tier represented the donor wall that will be shaped as a tree and will grace the entrance of the Phase Three Expansion Project, which is currently under construction.

The students began their day by being greeted with a special balloon entrance, farm animals and a banner that was made by the upper elementary students. At the end of the day, the children gathered in the day-lit foyer and all sang happy birthday to the school. Students and faculty wore special green tiedye shirts to honor the occasion and then the school hosted an “after-party” at Treetop Family Adventures, courtesy of the Parrish family. The students enjoyed go-kart rides and other fun activities and dined on Italian ices, courtesy of the school. The school is also currently expanding with a Phase Three construction, so celebrating the birthday was especially meaningful as the school looks forward to another great 20 years serving the Birmingham community. – Submitted by Michele Wilensky, head of school.

For Jennifer Northrup, the best awards are smiles, bright eyes and the excited babble of high-pitched voices. However, as one of the ﬁve ﬁnalists in the state for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, the Hoover resident is receiving national recognition for her work at Oak Mountain Elementary School. PAEMST is the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government for K-12 math and science education, according to the PAEMST website. The award recognizes teachers who develop and implement a high-quality instructional program that is informed by content knowledge and enhances student learning. “I enjoy the students. I enjoy inspiring them,” said Northrup, who has been teaching third-grade math and science at Oak Mountain Elementary School for the past three years. “I have a passion for math and science and I just like passing that love on to them and seeing them getting an idea and seeing their creativity take off.” This past summer, Northrup spent three weeks as a trainer for the Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative, a program that Mountain Brook Elementary uses. As the lead math and science teacher for third grade at Oak Mountain Elementary, she attends Shelby County school board meetings and collaborates with other Oak Mountain Elementary teachers to determine the most effective teaching method, which often involves more hands-on learning, as opposed to simply reading a textbook. “When you’re looking at students’ learning, you have to look at the lesson you taught and whether they got it or whether they didn’t get it, then you have to adjust your instruction accordingly on whether it

was even just one child who didn’t get it,” Northrup said. “How are you going to meet all of different students’ needs?” Established by Congress in 1983, the proNorthrup gram authorizes the president to bestow up to 108 awards a year. Since the program’s inception, more than 4,400 teachers have been recognized for their contributions in the classroom and to their profession. Northrup expressed appreciation for all the support she has received over the years and hopes to inspire others the same way. “I always had adults — whether it was administration or colleagues or anybody — that had conﬁdence in me, so their conﬁdence in me drove me to want to do my best and continue going forward,” she said. In the Shelby County School District, Natalie Landrum, a fourth-grade teacher at Helena Intermediate School, was also nominated for PAEMST. Recipients of the award receive a certificate signed by the president of the United States, a paid trip for two to Washington, D.C., to attend a series of recognition events and professional development opportunities and a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation. “I don’t do what I do for the recognition, clearly, but it is nice to be honored and selected and recognized as a high-quality math teacher,” Northrup said. “I do what I do for my students and I always want to do what I think is the best practice at the time and give them the best instruction possible.”

A30 • October 2016

280 Living Oak Mountain head football coach Cris Bell persevered through a life-altering condition this offseason that required a 40-day hospital stay. Having been temporarily paralyzed from the waist down, Bell can now walk unassisted after months of physical therapy. Photo by Todd Lester.

BELL

CONTINUED from page A1 But, Bell said, thanks to a rigorous physical therapy regimen, widespread community support and the impact of prayer, he is expected to make a return to almost — if not completely — full health. “I tell people I’m very grateful to have gone through it,” Bell said. “I don’t know what that sounds like, but I think I’m much better for having gone through it. I think God has given me a perspective that either I didn’t have or maybe I just minimized before.”

A DEBILITATING PAIN

Feb. 16 is a date that will forever be etched in Bell’s memory. That’s when he married his wife, Kim, more than 26 years ago. This past February, that was the day he now points to as the beginning of one of his most challenging trials. “I remember waking up on the morning of our anniversary, and I actually had a doctor’s appointment with my dermatologist; I couldn’t get out of the driveway,” Cris Bell said. “The pain was shooting down my legs so bad. I was trying to drive over there, and I pulled back in.” The pain that shot down Bell’s lengthy legs on that mid-February morning originated in his lower back. The coach was diagnosed with spinal stenosis in 2009 and had spent a portion of this past winter in rehab after a flare-up around Thanksgiving. Stenosis, as Bell explained, indicates the narrowing of the open spaces around the spine. “If you compare the width of your spine to the height of a ceiling — you know, the average ceiling height is eight feet — well, my ceiling height would be four feet,” Bell said. “I guess my spinal column down there is about half the size that it’s supposed to be down in the lumbar region between L1 and L5.” In Bell’s case, the condition led to nerve compression that resulted in pain radiating from his back down his legs. He suffered through it for three days. Then, on Feb. 19, he received an epidural block in his lumbar region that was intended to bring him relief. Instead, it triggered catastrophe. Bell said his doctor believes too much fluid was injected into too little spinal space during the block. Rather than calming the inflammation, the injection irritated it even more. “I couldn’t imagine having pain worse than what I was enduring,” Bell said of his condition on Feb. 21, two days after the block. The next morning, he had his wife call an ambulance to come pick him up from their home. By the time he was admitted to Brookwood Baptist Medical Center about midday Feb. 22, he said he had lost all feeling and function below the waist. He wouldn’t start to regain it for more than a week. “In essence, I was paralyzed from the waist down by mid-morning Monday [Feb. 22],” Bell said. “I had no feeling.” Three days later, Bell’s doctor at Brookwood performed a laminectomy on his L2, L3 and L4 vertebrae. The procedure, he said, created space around the previously compressed nerves. “When I came out of the surgery, I still didn’t have any feeling at that point, but the pain was gone for the most part,” Bell said.

THE RECOVERY PROCESS

March 2 stands as another date that has

engraved itself in Bell’s recollection. It’s the date that he identifies as his lowest point. It’s the one time he worried. Having moved to Brookwood’s rehab floor earlier in the day, Bell received a visit from the hospital’s chief neurosurgeon during one of his first physical therapy sessions. Bell was told there were concerns about his lack of physical progress since the surgery. “That was the first time that I really began to get concerned, and I’d asked him, I said, ‘Should I be worried?’” Bell recalled. “He said, ‘Well, yeah, maybe you should, because I’d expect you to have a little more movement at this point.’” Five days removed from the procedure, Bell had regained little function in his lower half. He said the most he could do was move his legs about two inches while sitting down, with the aid of a foam roller. “At that point, they’re teaching you how to get in and out of a wheelchair. They’re treating you like you’re going to be confined to a wheelchair indefinitely,” Bell said. “When that was being thrown at me, that’s the first time I probably got overwhelmed a little bit. I’m starting to think, ‘Is this permanent? Is this something that I’m really going to have to learn to deal with?’ Up to that point, I had just expected to wake up one day, and it was going to come back to me.”

probably didn’t feel certain about how things were going to look when he was coaching, and so I felt for that.” The next day, March 3 — which also happened to be Cris Bell’s 49th birthday — things started to turn around. Almost instantly, he said he began to see noticeable improvements during physical therapy, slight as they may have been. His ﬁrst step in the right direction was transporting himself from a wheelchair to a therapy table without assistance. From there, he said he began to rejoice in every little victory. “I remember thinking to myself, ‘I can’t wait to when I can just walk across this room. That would be awesome to get to that point,’” he said. Kim Bell noticed a more rapid improvement in her husband’s spiritual state. After Cris Bell’s isolated instance of doubt on March 2, she said he went forward with an evident sense of peace. It’s an observation that Cris Bell veriﬁed. Following his one episode of worry, he said a heavenly peace lifted his spirits. “It slaps you in the face when you realize just how weak that we are, and really how utterly dependent we are on God to sustain us,” he said. “Coming to that realization was a great comfort to me.”

A STEADYING VOICE

Shuffle by shuffle, Cris Bell regained use of his legs throughout the final four weeks of his 40-day hospital stay. He went to rehab six days per week, and by the time he left Brookwood on April 1, he said he could walk 300 feet with the aid of a walker. “Each success created more anticipation for the next milestone,” Kim Bell said. “He was definitely more driven each time he accomplished something.” Equipped with a wheelchair, Cris Bell returned to Oak Mountain the week after his release from the hospital. At first, he used a wheelchair from his office to the classroom,

Although she admits to being more of a worrier than her husband, Kim Bell said she felt a responsibility to stay positive during Cris Bell’s weakest moments. She also said she still isn’t sure if her coolness was the effect of being in survival mode, or her faith prompting her to be strong. “I said, ‘OK, we are going to buckle down, and we’re going to hang in there,” Kim Bell said. “I mean, it was breaking my heart to see him so discouraged. I don’t know that I was discouraged at that time. I just felt for him knowing that the road was going to be long, and he

A NEW PERSPECTIVE

where he teaches social studies. Eventually, he progressed to a walker, and then a walking stick. Upon Cris Bell’s return, which coincided with the start of spring football, Oak Mountain defensive coordinator Rusty Frisch said the Eagles received their coach with a warm welcome. “I think the kids were really happy to see him,” Frisch said. “I think it was deﬁnitely a great example to our team of persevering and helping them understand, ‘You are going to have stuff like that in life. How are you going to handle it?’” How did Cris Bell handle it? He and his wife both credit his continued recovery to the power of prayer, quality care and community support. Cris Bell labeled all of the above as “phenomenal.” “I think that when the people from our church came to pray with him, and people were praying outside of the hospital, just around in the community, there’s no doubt in my mind that … had everything to do with the progress he made as quickly as he did,” Kim Bell said. Cris Bell continues to do physical therapy at an outpatient rehab center twice a week. He said he has regained full movement in his legs, and can now walk two to three miles unassisted. Although he said he still experiences some numbness in his lower legs and feet, he remains optimistic about his chances of a full recovery. His goal is to run-walk the Tuscaloosa Half Marathon in March. All in all, Cris Bell said the unanticipated reality of this past offseason taught him perseverance, deepened his faith and broadened his life perspective. “There are a lot of other people who go through a lot worse. I look at those people, and I have such admiration for them,” he said. “You look at the folks out there and how many people are really having to struggle just to get up in the morning. I really, really have such a greater appreciation and admiration for those folks.”

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October 2016 • A31 Dale Neuendorf, left, said both he and Tony Picklesimer, right, are passionate about the city of Chelsea and “want the best thing for Chelsea that we can have.” Photo by Sarah Finnegan.

RUNOFF

CONTINUED from page A1 campaigning hard to get people to come out and use the right that has been given to every American, to let their voice be heard at the polls,” Neuendorf said. “I would like to see at least 15 percent of our voters come out to vote, and that’s still a very small percent.” Echoing Landers’ message, both Picklesimer and Neuendorf said they encourage voters to turn out in what will be an important election for the city. “A favorite quote of mine is, ‘To simply not vote is not a sign of protest but rather a sign of surrender,’” Picklesimer said. “People have suffered and died for this right to vote. They deserve our participation. In addition, with a runoff, the will of the people in the general election is not guaranteed.”

TONY PICKLESIMER

Picklesimer’s goals for Chelsea include keeping residents safe, living within the city’s means, taking care of the city’s services and facilities and managing growth responsibly, which are goals he said have remained consistent throughout his campaign. “My message during the entire campaign has remained consistent,” he said. “I have received many compliments during the process for staying consistent on the issues and not changing my message and making promises that can’t be kept.” The only change, Picklesimer said, is his becoming a better listener. Different residents have different issues as priorities, and he is working to listen to all of those individuals, he said. After receiving the highest number of votes in August, Picklesimer said he would like to thank everyone who came out and supported his campaign. The race, however, is not over. “To receive more votes than any other mayoral candidate in the history of Chelsea makes me extremely proud, but I also realize with that comes a tremendous responsibility to keep my promises and stick to the issues at hand,” Picklesimer said. “I ask now that they vote again in the runoff on Oct. 4 to ﬁnish the process.”

For voters who supported one of the other candidates in the August election, Picklesimer said he commended their decision to exercise the right to vote and asks that they examine the platforms, qualiﬁcations and experience of both candidates in order to make an informed decision in October. Picklesimer said that his consistency in platform and focus are two things that make him different from his opponent in this election. “My thoughts and ideas on policies and the challenges we face are what I have consistently heard from our people,” he said. “I have a vision for the city of Chelsea. I believe I am more focused on the issues and needs of our city moving forward. I intend to be a mayor that is available and listens to the voters.” Picklesimer’s website and full platform are at tonypicklesimer.com.

DALE NEUENDORF

Neuendorf’s goals for Chelsea include increasing resident involvement, better communication with residents, recruiting new businesses, enhancing Chelsea schools and

continuing to enhance the city’s emergency services. “There really haven’t been any major changes in that I know my opponent is still pushing for a municipal court, and I am still not in favor of a municipal court at this time,” Neuendorf said. “The numbers and the estimate of cost and revenue and personnel are just all over the board.” Rather than establish a municipal court at this time, Neuendorf said there is a need for a code enforcement ofﬁcer who can issue citations for municipal ordinances. Neuendorf said the city should bring in an expert to advise on the anticipated cost and revenue of a municipal court as well as personnel needs for a court before making a decision. “That’s one of the big, key issues that continues to just bubble up and be a difference that so many people are passionate about,” he said. For those who supported him in August, Neuendorf said he hopes they come back out to vote in the runoff, bringing friends and neighbors with them. With voters who supported one of the other candidates, Neuendorf encouraged

them to attend the Sept. 29 candidate forum at Chelsea High School. The forum will allow Neuendorf and Picklesimer to answer community questions in the last few days before the election. Overall, Neuendorf said he and Picklesimer are passionate about the city of Chelsea and “want the best thing for Chelsea that we can have,” but there are differences in how he and his opponent would operate and structure things if elected. “I think I’m more conservative than Tony, and I certainly want to try and manage our ﬁnances, and one of my pledges and promises is that I will manage the ﬁnances to keep Chelsea strong and stable,” Neuendorf said. He added it is important for community members to be knowledgeable about the candidates and issues and “not let the mayor be selected by just a small selection of the voters.” Neuendorf’s website and full platform are at daleformayor.com. The only polling place is Chelsea City Hall, and it will be open Oct. 4 from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.

280 Living neighborly news & entertainment

SECTION

B OCTOBER 2016

special section

home & garden October is the time to take on a project or two. Whether you are looking to redesign a room, revamp your garden or prepare your home for winter, we’ve got you covered. Browse through our fall home and garden guide for advice, tips and resources for every aspect of home improvement.

INDEX Gardner Landscaping .....................B1 DSLD Land Management ................B2 Advanced Turf Care .......................B3 Carden Heating and Cooling ..........B3 Bob’s Power Equipment.................B4 Secret Garden ...............................B6 Urban Home Market ......................B9 Carbon Recall .............................. B10 Decorating Dens Interiors ............ B11

Flat Fee Real Estate .....................B12 EZ Roof ........................................B13 Budget Blinds ...............................B14 Greystone Marketplace ................B15 Preserve Paints ............................B16 Rosegate Design ..........................B17 Stock & Trade Design Co. ..............B18 Wedgworth Construction ..............B19 The Tile Cleaner ..........................B20 5 Star Rooﬁng ..............................B21 Ben Franklin - One Hour Plumbing B21

CitruSolution ...............................B22 Classic Gardens ...........................B22 Crown Construction ....................B23 Drapery Studio ............................B23 Hanna’s Garden Shop ..................B24 Homewood Antiques and Marketplace...B24 Hydro-Ponics of Birmingham .......B25 Mantooth Interiors ......................B25 The Insurance Place ....................B26 Sew Sheri Designs .......................B26 Bedzzz Express ...........................B27

GARDNER LANDSCAPING

Landscaping with attention to detail Grant Gardner grew up with a love for landscaping, which has allowed him to find a career that he is passionate about. He has worked in the landscaping business for 15 years, which led him to open Gardner Landscaping in 2007. The company prides itself on quickly responding to your needs with high quality work. Furthermore, in order to ensure customer satisfaction, each job is done to the owner’s specifications. “I am a very visual person, and I visualize what it will take to make a landscape that the customer will be proud of,” Gardner said. Gardner Landscaping offers full service landscaping, installation and design, irrigation, outdoor living areas, landscape lighting, patios and walkways, decks, gazebos, lawn maintenance, flowers, trees, lawn aeration, landscape cleanup, drainage systems and weed

control. Gardner Landscaping is a one-stop shop for all of your lawn care and landscaping needs. They also have a garden center, Gardner Nurseries, which is conveniently located by the Riverchase Galleria. Gardner Nurseries stocks a wide variety of plants, ﬂowers, trees, stone and hardscape materials. “We are able to provide the detail to what we do that makes our customers happy,” Gardner said. “We are able to complete projects within a short period of time and are responsive to our customers’ needs.” Gardner Landscaping works with all types of budgets and strives to provide customers with landscaping they will take pride in and that will increase property value. For more information, call 823-3168 or visit GardnerLandscapingLLC.com.

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B2 • October 2016

home & garden

280 Living

DSLD LAND MANAGEMENT

Design your dream landscape DSLD Land Management is a full-service design/build landscape contractor ﬁrm. We are a family owned and operated company that strives to meet and exceed the expectations of our clients. During our initial consultation, all on-site factors are considered from function to form, with special emphasis given to economy and value added work. DSLD Land Management, Inc. opened its doors in 1983. Today, DSLD has built an excellent reputation in landscape construction as a prominent design/build company that services central Alabama. Over the past 30 years, DSLD has been recognized and featured multiple times in publications such as Southern Living Magazine and Builder’s Architect Magazine. DSLD welcomes projects of any scope and size, and stands ready to serve our clients with a full staff of licensed and degreed designers, a full-time administrative assistant and one of the most experienced ﬁeld service teams in the business.

DAVID H. SHARP

Pursing his lifelong interest in horticulture and business, coupled with a background in drainage and soil erosion, David Sharp was inspired to create the ideal landscape construction company specializing in residential design and installation. This inspiration is now DSLD Land Management, a full service design/build landscape contractor ﬁrm founded in 1983. David studied Geotechnical Engineering at the Ohio State University. While a student at OSU David was offered and accepted a scholarship to Samford University in Birmingham,

emphasis in Landscape Design. While obtaining her degree from Auburn University, Megan was able to develop a strong foundation in landscape design. She has advanced training and specializes in software such as Dynascape and ProLandscape. Megan looks forward to continuing her career with DSLD Land Management and creating spaces that reﬂect the lifestyle, purpose and attitude of our projects as well as injecting it with her personal ﬂair.

RYAN H. LANSFORD

where he graduated with a degree in Business Administration. Soon after graduating, David became interested in applying his background in Geotechnical Engineering and Business Administration to a new course of study in Ornamental Horticulture. In addition to learning from the environment around him, David has developed a more thorough understanding of various cultural landscape design applications from his travels throughout Europe and Asia visiting gardens and landscapes in over 20 countries. David ﬁrmly believes in the value of family. Not only does he enjoy his family, but also works to improve the lives of families with at-risk children. David sits on several national boards of directors where he volunteers on behalf of foster and adopted children across the country.

J. COLE SHARP

Growing up alongside his father, Cole Sharp

learned the family business from the ground up. Cole attended Jefferson State Community College where he studied Computer Information Systems Technology and Mathematics. In addition to his major courses, he took Horticulture courses to enhance his knowledge of the family business. Today Cole is fully engaged in the day-today operations of DSLD; from sales to installation as well as providing technical support.

MEGAN A. MCNAIR

Megan McNair is a Landscape Designer. She is a graduate of Auburn University with a degree in Landscape Horticulture with an

Ryan Lansford

Ryan H. Lansford is the project manager for DSLD. He is a 2006 graduate of Auburn University with a bachelor’s degree in Building Services. Ryan brings years of strong work ethic, skills and experience to ensure all projects are completed professionally, successfully and meet or exceed customers’ expectations. Ryan is excited to be part of the DSLD team and appreciates how everyone works toward a common goal. He especially enjoys working with their landscape designers and is happy to work at one of the leaders in the Birmingham Design Build Landscape community. For more information, call 437-1012 or visit dsldlandmgmt.com.

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ADVANCED TURF CARE

CARDEN HEATING & COOLING

Eager to meet your yard’s needs Advanced Turf Care, locally owned and operated since 2010, is committed to providing the highest quality lawn care for their customers. “We have the expertise to develop a lawn care plan that will make our customer’s lawns ﬂourish,” said Grant Gardner, owner of Advanced Turf Care. “We have lawn technicians who have a personal interest and pride in making sure that the customer has the best looking lawn possible. We are responsive to our customer’s requests and work extremely hard to meet their needs.” Advanced Turf Care offers fertilization, weed control, tree and shrub applications, ornamental bed weed control, lime application, ﬁre ant control and lawn aeration. “We give our customers individualized and personal attention. We are not one of those companies that work on volume and a cookie

October 2016 • B3

home & garden

cutter business plan,” Gardner said. Advanced Turf Care’s customer’s needs are their top priority and customer satisfaction is the result. “Our customers tell us that once they give us time to correct their lawns that they have the best looking lawn they have ever had,” he said. Advanced Turf Care utilizes products that deliver superior results, and you will see the difference. Their employees work with customers to ensure they have the lawn they desire and keep it in excellent condition. Advanced Turf Care makes it easy to have a beautiful lawn, so that you can spend your time with family and friends and have the beautiful home you value. For more information, call 205-305-7949 or visit advancedturfcarellc.com.

Dependable customer service will leave you highly satisfied For more than 15 years, Carden Heating & Cooling has provided dependable, personalized service to Shelby County and the surrounding areas. Simon and Amanda Carden are the owners of this Christian, family-owned company with more than 20 years of experience. “We give honest, dependable service to customers,” owner Simon Carden said. “Most of our business is repeat customers and referrals from highly satisfied customers. Our business is successful because we put the customer first.” Carden Heating & Cooling does new construction and offers service and maintenance

on all brands of residential and light commercial equipment. Their experienced HVAC technicians deliver a thorough tuneup of HVAC units. “We pride ourselves on being on time and doing an outstanding job for our customers,” Simon Carden said. “Each person who allows us to service or maintain their heating and A/C system becomes part of our extended family. We’d love for you to allow us the opportunity to be your friend in the business.” For more information, call 205-669-2459, visit us at 1152 U.S. 31, Calera, or visit our website, cardenhvac.com.

B4 • October 2016

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280 Living

home & garden

BOB’S POWER EQUIPMENT

Get right power tools with help from Bob’s Power Equipment

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hy do popular box stores not sell some of the highest quality power tools? Because companies that produce high-quality equipment only want to be represented by stores that they can trust to provide equally outstanding service, like Bob’s Power Equipment. The store offers some of the most popular and reliable brands of power tools, such as Stihl and Honda. Stihl does not sell its products to box stores and requires its dealers to possess a complete understanding of the tools. Bob’s Power Equipment, one of the largest Stihl dealers in the southeast, retains mechanics with many years of experience in the business. They also undergo annual training with the major engine manufacturers that they work with in order to prepare them to perform repairs as needed and help customers select the best tool and instruct them on how to take care of the engine. The store makes it a priority to not only supply customers with a tool that will amply meet their lawn care needs, but also to ensure that no one has to throw away an expensive power tool just because one component broke down. The staff at Bob’s Power Equipment is fully capable of ﬁxing broken tools and keeps a supply of spare parts directly from the manufacturer. “When you spend a little extra money to get this quality, it [the equipment] is not disposable. We’re the second part of that equation, to make sure you can keep it going,” said Daryl Carr, owner of Bob’s Power Equipment. “A lot of box stores are just about the sale and not about the

A lot of box stores are just about the sale and not about the service after the sale. We service and stand behind everything we sell.

service after the sale. We service and stand behind everything we sell.” The store sells anything that either a homeowner or professional lawn maintenance worker may need to keep their yard, or their customer’s yard, looking beautiful. They offer everything from lawn mowers to hedge trimmers to generators. As fall begins and trees start to lose their foliage, customers may want to look at the backpack leaf blowers, which come in a variety of brands and prices. Carr recommends Stihl’s newest product, the BR 700 leaf blower, which possesses 20 percent more power than the previous model. “In Birmingham, leaf season is deﬁnitely a season … I know it’s not my favorite job, but the right tool makes a big difference, particularly for people in the lawn care business,” Carr said, adding that the 20 percent extra air volume will

make a noticeable difference in power and quality. “It pays to get a tool you can get the job done with.” Bob’s Power Equipment offers repairs on most push mower brands. They also perform lawn mower tune-ups, such as changing oil, sharpening or replacing blades and cleaning the fuel system. For the customer’s convenience, they will also pick up and drop off products within 15 miles of the store. In addition to mower blades, they also sharpen chainsaws and hedge trimmers and are a certiﬁed warranty center for several major brands, including Honda, Stihl and Kohler. Situated in the heart of Vestavia, Carr has found customers appreciate the convenient location and friendly, knowledgeable employees. “There’s some people that their parents

”

DARYL CARR

did business with us,” Carr said. “When they think of power equipment, hopefully they think of us…We appreciate their business and I think they appreciate us being here.” Bob Bird, the man who opened the store more than 30 years ago, may no longer own the business and the company has certainly expanded over its many years in operation, but, at its heart, Bob’s Power Equipment remains the same. “We’re still humble and we still want to serve each individual customer,” Carr said. “When the need rises, we’ll be here to take care of your equipment.” Bob’s Power Equipment has two locations, one at 637 Montgomery Highway in Vestavia Hills and the other at 4532 Valleydale Road in Hoover. They are open Monday-Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon. For more information, call 205-9793488 or visit bobspowerequipment.com.

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home & garden

October 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ B5

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B6 • October 2016

280 Living

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SECRET GARDEN

From maintenance to mulch, Secret Garden’s got you covered

ector Hoyos is quick to say his company, Dreamscape Landscape Development, is “in the middle of nowhere.” “But that’s not a problem,” Hoyos said. “The Lord just keeps bringing the people to us and we couldn’t be more grateful.” Located at 7854 Highway 11, Chelsea, Dreamscape Landscape Development has been a lifelong dream of Hoyos’. Now in its sixth year, the full service company not only offers free landscape design but also outdoor lighting, irrigation and drainage, and the construction of hardscapes — customized patios, walkways and living options plus ﬁreplaces and pits, and retaining walls. Lawn care programs, tree/shrub programs, maintenance, masonry, carpentry and water features are also available. “We will come to your home or business and discuss your needs,” Hoyos

“

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It is our goal to make your outdoor dream a reality personalized to your taste and desires.

said. “We provide free estimates and are committed to do the job according to the customer’s speciﬁcations and budget. It is our goal to make your outdoor dream a reality personalized to your taste and desires.” Hoyos is also dedicated to sharing his knowledge and expertise. This fall, the company will undergo an expansion that will include the Secret Garden, Dreamscape Landscape Development’s garden shop and ofﬁce that features an outdoor classroom for community education.

HECTOR HOYOS

With a completion target date of spring 2017, the Secret Garden will be a learning center filled with flowers, perennials, annuals, mulch, plants and shrubs. Customers can browse and receive free consultations. Class topics will range from planting and maintaining a vegetable garden to landscape design to the use of insecticides, Hoyos said. “Everything is possible when you come here because confidence comes when you are given knowledge,” he said. To celebrate the construction start of the Secret Garden and express his gratitude to

the public, Hoyos and his employees are holding the Big Fall Sales Event that runs through the end of November and includes 15 percent off all plants and shrubs and 20 percent off all trees. To receive the discounts, customers are asked to present the coupon shown on the opposite page. As Dreamscape Landscape Development continues to grow, Hoyos said he prides himself on keeping the simple objective of ensuring that clients have the highest level of service at all times from concept to completion. “It’s all about harmony — with our employees, our customers and the earth,” he said. “It is amazing what faith can do and I’m so grateful for this wonderful miracle from the Lord.” For more information on Dreamscapes Landscape Service and the Secret Garden, call 678-2411 or visit mydreamscapelandscape.com.

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October 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ B7

B8 â&#x20AC;˘ October 2016

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home & garden

280 Living

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October 2016 • B9

home & garden

URBAN HOME MARKET

Urban Home Market: Where style, design, passion collide

he Birmingham retailer is well known for the vibrant, 17,000 square foot emporium of a fresh mix of goods from home furnishings, lighting, architectural pieces, gifts and home design services. At Urban Home Market we not only know our customers, we embody them. Every season, the space is ﬁlled with the latest assortment of unique design products intended to make UHM more than just a furniture store — it is a lifestyle store. Our merchandise is always changing and we sell items right off the ﬂoor if desired. We want to immerse our customers in a complete experience appealing to all of the senses. Our aesthetic is authentic and approachable. While Urban Home Market is often mistaken as an upscale retail chain, we are a family-owned business that was spun out of a home and family grown passion. Therefore, we offer personalized service

“

”

Our customers are our friends, and what we do is never, ever about selling to them.

and products that big corporations and big box retailers cannot. There is no national sales plan provided by a corporate ofﬁce in another state; it is simply Kathy McMahon and her vision. Being local allows us to focus on the “family community” and serve each customer as a friend and neighbor. These friendships tie creativity and design with authenticity because of our knowledge of our customers. “Our customers are our friends, and what we do is never, ever about selling to them,” McMahon said. Urban Home Market’s core philosophy is guided by style, design and the passion

KATHY MCMAHON

to inspire imagination throughout our store. We have a dynamic, energetic team of designers and visual merchandisers that are responsible for every aspect of the store’s look and feel. “Storytelling” is a key focus for our showroom. Each vignette serves as a series of different inspirations created to be inviting and stimulating. Our merchandising does not highlight product so much as set a mood and create a starting point to direct the customer on their own path. Every season, our team of buyers travel across the country to attend major national

furniture and accessory markets to ﬁnd the latest product and design trends. This combined with our interests and the needs of our local customers determines our inventory. Our merchandising mix is very dynamic, layered and dense. We have many humble, recycled and natural materials. Many of the store’s most striking visual effects have been crafted out of mundane materials. This adds a rich layer of artistry and visual wit to the store experience. This fall, we combine classic elegance with a sense of easy going urban sophistication through the use of soft and mixed textures and warmer tones to give an earthier feel. To learn more about the coming trends for 2017 please be sure to connect to our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Our social media shows how to take trends and make them unique through our product shots and style tips for customers on the go. For more information, call 205-9804663 or visit urbanhomemarket.com.

B10 • October 2016

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280 Living

CARBON RECALL

Making a difference, One property at a time Carbon Recall helps lower your utility bills by focusing on making your property as energy efficient as possible. Their comprehensive plan for each property guarantees that all elements of the building work together efficiently to bring the lowest cost to the property owner. Carbon Recall Birmingham’s owner/operator is Sebastien “Skip” Kidd. He and his family have lived in the Birmingham area for six years. In addition, he was recently certified with the Building Performance Institute as a Professional Building Analyst. We recently sat down with him to discuss his business. Q: What is the typical process for a home owner? A: It starts out with finding out what the owner is looking for, what kind of issues are they having, basically why did they call us. Typically we start with a phone consultation to discuss those issues and determine the scope of the audit. Sometimes we are able to give the property owner a few pointers to save energy just over the phone. Next is the audit. They should expect at least a few hours for the audit. A few days after the audit, we will provide an analysis of the property and plan to reduce the utility bills, much of the plan will have work scopes, estimated costs and estimated savings. But what makes Carbon Recall different is we don’t stop at the plan. We work with the property owner to make the plan happen as well. A great plan is still only a plan, and not very useful if it doesn’t get implemented. Q: What challenges does your business face? A: I can think of four challenges that get in the way of energy efficiency. The first is many home owners think it will cost too much and not save enough, but the truth is most of the solutions have paybacks under three years.

Second, usually we wait until a failure to think about changing major appliances or A/Cs or hot water heaters. I know they’re expensive, and it can be a hard pill to swallow to change a working appliance, but you should at least have a plan before it fails. A bad decision could cost you for another 10 to 20 years. Third, we often forget that energy efﬁciency should be part of every job done in your home,

from painting to plumbing to heating and cooling to any remodel work. Lastly, and probably the biggest, is the impact on your property for resale. $100 per month or more in savings from energy efﬁciency is likely in most homes; at that rate, $100 per month on a 30-year mortgage could pay for $20,000 worth of principal. Carbon Recall will help make your home or

business more energy efﬁcient. Your property can increase in value and reduce its environmental impact while costing you less in the long run. This is how Carbon Recall lives up to their slogan, “Making a difference, One property at a time.” For more information, call 205-719-6886, visit carbonrecallbirminhgam.com or ﬁnd us on Facebook.

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October 2016 • B11

DECORATING DEN INTERIORS

Create perfect outdoor space for fall As our patios and porches are becoming more sophisticated and refined, today’s homeowners are driven to find peaceful sanctuaries as a prescription for their stressful lives. Outdoor spaces can also be an extension of your home, providing you with additional living space. Creating your perfect outdoor space will be the result of the successful combination of many design elements — landscaping, stonework, carpentry, furnishings, lighting and accessories. Careful planning will be the key to the creation of your personal sanctuary, so begin with creating your personal “wish list.” You may be amazed at how long this list might become! Think about incorporating your year-round needs. Do you frequently entertain outdoors? Do you spend time outdoors in the evenings simply relaxing? Is outdoor grilling a yearround requirement for you? Do you enjoy planning simple family meals outdoors? Once you’ve assessed your needs, then planning your outdoor space becomes much easier. Think about incorporating these simple ideas: 1. Comfortable furniture: This should be the most important element in your design. Today’s outdoor furnishings have been manufactured to withstand all that Mother Nature can bestow. The age of folding, vinyl strapped furniture is definitely over. Many furniture pieces of today look similar to indoor furniture but have been constructed and designed to stand up to all the outdoor elements. A comfortable outdoor sofa or swing can be the perfect place for a Sunday afternoon nap! 2. Fabulous fabrics: The biggest name in outdoor fabrics today is Sunbrella. This collection of fabrics is colorful, design-oriented

and totally durable. Sunbrella features gorgeous fabrics manufactured to resist fading from ultraviolet rays, mildewing from damp conditions, and odor absorption. It is just the ultimate outdoor upholstery or drapery fabric that will be used and enjoyed by your family for years. And of course, Sunbrella Fabrics are carried by Decorating Den Interiors. 3. Let there be light: Be sure to consider incorporating various types of lighting in your outdoor space design, just as you would inside your home. Landscape lighting, overhead lighting, ceiling fans, sconces and decorative side table lighting are all great ideas.

Develop a creative lighting plan to help you create a space with increased ambiance and functionality. An outdoor ﬁreplace or a ﬁrepit can be another great source for ambient lighting … and heat! 4. Don’t forget the draperies: Beautiful window treatments aren’t just for the indoors anymore. With the outdoor fabrics mentioned above, you can add softness and privacy to your outdoor oasis. From full draperies to pillows to canopies, the sky’s the limit for your outdoor space! As with your indoor spaces, you want to create an outdoor space that is perfect for you and your family’s needs. Planning is the most

important step in creating your outdoor oasis, and this may be a good time to call in a professional to help. A decorator can guide you through the steps and help you select the best products to make your room the perfect place for you to make lasting family memories. At Decorating Den Interiors, we have access to over a dozen outdoor furnishings, accessory and fabric vendors that can help you make your outdoor space the room of your dreams, with your ideas, your style and your budget. Call today for your complimentary consultation! For more information, call 205-447-1945 or visit laurapurvis.decoratingdens.com.

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B12 • October 2016

home & garden

280 Living

FLAT FEE REAL ESTATE BIRMINGHAM

Buying? Selling? Cut out the bargaining Maybe you’re looking to put your home on the market this fall. Or maybe you’re looking to buy a new home. If you’ve been through this process before, you know it can be stressful and expensive, especially in today’s real estate market. “We can make it easier and less stressful,” said Amy Landers Pewitt of Flat Fee Real Estate Birmingham. Flat Fee Real Estate is an innovative company designed to sell homes with a reasonable, predetermined listing fee, but with full real estate services. And it costs less, too. “By listing with Flat Fee Real Estate Birmingham, you will pay a low listing commission, thus saving equity, and also receive the benefit of a Realtor team dedicated to selling your home and assisting you in making wise and informed decisions when you purchase your next home,” Pewitt said. Amy Pewitt and Susan Haynes started the company with the foundation of using their more than 30 combined years of selling real estate and past experience as certified appraisers. This unique combination of Realtor with appraiser background sets them apart from the typical agent. They use their experience to assist their buyers and sellers in making wise decisions while saving money. “We have appraised thousands of homes in practically every neighborhood and market in the greater Birmingham area, and we’ve learned a lot about the market,” Pewitt said. “Hoover, Gardendale, Homewood, Vestavia, Inverness, Mountain Brook, Chelsea — and every area in between, we want to utilize our real estate experience to represent you and help you get the best possible deal when buying and selling.” Selling or buying a home is a major financial

decision, Pewitt said, and like other major life decisions like medical care or ﬁnancial planning, you should perform extensive research on the person you’re selecting to help guide you through the process. “Flat Fee Real Estate Birmingham has the comprehensive knowledge and experience to realize your real estate goals, while saving you as much money as possible,” she said. And they have season-speciﬁc suggestions for sellers looking to see their house sell this autumn.

“If you are selling your home during the fall, there are many decorating tips, staging tips and ways to embrace the fall season,” Pewitt said. As popular holidays such as Halloween and Thanksgiving roll around, there are things to keep in mind as you keep your house ready for potential buyers to drive or drop by, she said. They are little things that can make a big difference. “Don’t hesitate on getting your home decorated for the upcoming holiday, as it can help a potential home buyer envision themselves in

your home during these holidays,” Pewitt said. But, she added, “just don’t go overboard with your decorating.” It’s important to be selective in your choices this time of year, she said. “It not a good idea to decorate your home with gory Halloween decorations and then have a potential buyer walk in to be greeted by a bloody skull. Be tactful, and try to appeal to the masses.” For more information, call 205-970-6000 or visit ﬂatfeerealestatebirmingham.com.

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October 2016 • B13

EZ ROOF

Nominate a deserving family for a free roof You have come to know EZ Roof as your neighborhood roofing company, your friend in the roofing industry, who is going to treat you like family and act with integrity. We pride ourselves on our reputation, and our local roots. As a family-owned business with deep community ties, we know just how important it is to support our friends and neighbors. And we know that by helping those that need a hand, we will only make our community stronger. While we’ve been doing that on a small scale, we want to do something bigger. If there is one thing we’ve learned over the years, it is that everyone needs a roof, but not everyone can afford the unexpected expense it brings. We want to fix that, one roof at a time. We are launching a new tradition at EZ Roof: The EZ Roof Giveaway, in which we will donate a free roof replacement to a deserving family in our community. It is with great passion that we begin this new endeavor, and we could not have done it without your support! We invite you to nominate a family in need (or even yourself) for this unique opportunity. Visit our website, ez-roofer.com, and submit your nomination — including name, a brief explanation of why you think your nomination deserves a new roof, and a photo of the roof if available. You may also mail in nominations to our office at 2677-B Valleydale Road, Birmingham, AL 35244. Please make sure we have any necessary information to contact you or your nomination. The submission deadline is Dec. 1, 2016, and the winner will be selected Dec. 5. EZ Roof staff will select the winner in-house, but reserves the right to use social media such as Facebook as a means of narrowing down final selections or for choosing a winner from in-house selections. For official rules, visit ez-roofer.com. For more information about our services, call 205968-1034 or visit our website ez-roofer.com.

EZ Roof

Giveaway Free Estimates • Financing Available

Visit our showroom at the corner of Caldwell Mill and Valleydale Road 205.968.1034 | www.ez-roofer.com |info@ez-roofer.com

B14 • October 2016

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280 Living

BUDGET BLINDS

Ready to bring the showroom to you At Budget Blinds, Steve Thackerson says he does have a storefront, but there’s really no need to come there. If you need custom window coverings, he’s ready to bring his showroom to you, with all its fabrics, materials, colors and options. “We come to your home free of charge, bring samples and custom measure each window,” he said. “And anything you purchase from us, we come back and install.” It’s a service experience and quality product that’s made Budget Blinds one of the largest retailers of custom window coverings in the world — and made Thackerson’s franchise one of its top-producing stores. Different rooms have different needs, he said, and “we want to make sure we’re selling customers a window treatment that will meet the need for that particular room.” He encourages homeowners to think through the unique needs that each room in their house might have. That can mean window coverings that are insulating, child friendly, pet friendly, light ﬁltering or meant to black out the sun. That can mean colors and designs to change the lighting or mood of a room. And it can mean blinds, drapes, shutters or shades. “You can buy something off the shelf, and the price may be better, but it’s a totally different quality product. If you’re building a house or trying to improve a house, you want to make sure you’re getting a quality product,” Thackerson said. With Budget Blinds, the quality is not only obvious, it’s also guaranteed, he said. “There are a lot of companies out there, and our warranties are better than our competitors,” Thackerson said. “We have vendors that — due to our large volume nationwide — our corporate ofﬁce has negotiated warranties that none of our competitors get.”

Thackerson family.

And customers can rest assured that Budget Blinds will be around to see those promises through. “I’ve had the franchise for 22 years and been in the business for 30 years, so you can count on us sticking around,” he said. “My sales force, not including me, has over 40 years of experience without me.” Add Thackerson in, and it’s over 70.

“We’ve been around a long time,” he said, “so the customer can buy knowing we’ll still be around if there’s a problem.” It’s that kind of experience that makes Budget Blinds an easy choice. The company’s products have been seen on “Buying & Selling” with the “Property Brothers,” “This Old House,” “Designing Spaces’ Military Makeover” and more. In addition to custom window coverings,

Budget Blinds also offers bedding and pillows — all custom, too. For more information or to set up a time for an in-home consultation, call 205-824-3300 or visit budgetblinds.com/Birmingham. If you’d like to drop in, the storefront is located at 2130 Columbiana Road. Thackerson says he’s looking forward to hearing from you.

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October 2016 • B15

GREYSTONE MARKETPLACE

Quality, unique home décor awaits Great design, quality furnishings and a wide variety of merchandise are what you find when you walk into Greystone Marketplace. We have a large selection of furniture, accessories, clothing, flowers and greenery. Our furniture selection offers a wide range of vintage and new and high design pieces. From trendsetting chic and modern to comfy urban casual and the time-tested traditional, we have a lot to choose from, with professionally decorated vignettes to help visualize your room. Holiday décor is the heart of our floral department. Many hours are spent dreaming and designing Christmas trees, garlands, tabletop arrangements, wreaths and mailbox swags. Each Christmas tree is designed around a specific theme with coordinating ornaments, ribbons and bows. You will want to visit often. Our selections change daily, and you will save on our 5 percent sales tax. Many of our customers tell us what we already know: Greystone Marketplace is truly Alabama’s most unique store. Here are some testimonials from our customers: ► “It’s huge. It’s really mine. I found a perfect table for the lake house.” - Customer from Mountain Brook ► “Greystone Marketplace is a really unique place. I always start my furniture shopping here!” - Customer from Sylacauga ► “I love the staff and customer service. I am an interior designer, and I can find many nice things for my clients without shopping all over Birmingham.” - Customer from Vestavia

► “We shop at Greystone Marketplace because of the prices, the quality of the home furnishings and the expert help we get from the staff.” - Customer from Childersburg ► “It’s my favorite place to shop for my home. Many unique things. I brought two of

my friends with me and they love it!” - Customer from Childersburg ► “I bought my sofa here. It’s one of a kind. I always come to shop and get ready for Thanksgiving and the holidays. A great Christmas place.” - Customer from Birmingham

► “This store is not like the mall stores. They take items that have been a part of other people’s lives and give them a new life.” - Customer from Chelsea For more information, visit us at 5475 U.S. 280, Birmingham, call 205-995-4773 or visit GreystoneMarketplace280.com.

B16 • October 2016

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280 Living

PRESERVE PAINTS

Fulﬁlling your custom-color dreams Come in with a piece of wood, a paint chip or a scrap of fabric. Preserve Paints can give you a can of custom-color paint in any hue and will even deliver it to your doorstep with a smile. “We pride ourselves on our ability to do custom matching,” said Geoff Milham, operations manager of Preserve Paints in Vestavia Hills. “We’ll put in that extra bit of time to go the extra mile and get the color right.” Preserve Paints is a Benjamin Moore paint dealer serving Birmingham. Benjamin Moore produces some of the

highest quality paints on the market, with each can of paint carefully formulated to particularly suit any environment, from a humidity- and mildew-resisting paint specially designed for bathrooms to a long-lasting stain for outdoor decks. Benjamin Moore not only offers high performance oils but also offers a waterborne, which is a new technology that not only can be used for walls and trim but is an alternative to using oil and can be applied over oils with proper preparation. Not only does it last longer, but it’s also

non-yellowing and less expensive than oils. Preserve Paints carries most Benjamin Moore products, from wood stains to interior paints, at a reasonable price. Preserve Paints’ friendly staff, many of whom have 15-30 years of experience, can help direct customers to make the best choice in selecting paint and will even deliver orders directly to their house (minimum quantity required). A lot of customers have special projects they are trying to achieve and aren’t quite

sure how to get started or what they need to accomplish their goal. Preserve Paints offers a hands-on class in the store to guide them through a step by step process. “We treat our customers like family,” Milham said. “Many of them are repeat customers and we know them on a ﬁrst-name basis. Preserve Paints is located at 1457 Montgomery Highway in Vestavia Hills or 2815 Greystone Commercial Blvd., Suite 500. For more information, visit preservepaints. com.

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October 2016 • B17

ROSEGATE DESIGN, INC.

Meeting your decorating needs As summer gives way to fall, update classic design with fresh color and accents. Painted walls and furniture lighten up a room, while a unique lamp, rug or piece of art adds modern ambiance. An old piece of furniture becomes an eye-catching family favorite once again with new upholstery. Add a monogram, a ﬂoral arrangement or vibrant pillows to complete a warm, soft look for the upcoming holidays. Don’t forget to stop by our Holiday Open House on Nov. 3 to catch a glimpse of the latest trends in holiday design. Opened in 1999 by interior designer Nancy Norris, Rosegate Design is known for its friendly, creative and enthusiastic staff, including Abby Leib, who was added as a partner in 2013. Rosegate offers outside design services and a turn-key workroom for custom window treatments, bedding, upholstery and pillows. An on-site design center stocked with designer fabrics and samples, Rosegate Design is the perfect resource for designers, decorators and those wanting a beautiful home.

WHY CHOOSE ROSEGATE?

There are many interior design teams in Alabama to choose from. When considering either designing a speciﬁc room or your entire home, Rosegate offers a design team that is extremely knowledgeable and up to date on current trends to ensure that every client is happy with the overall design of their project. Whether your tastes are traditional or lean to the contemporary, our team has the resources to provide our clients with several amazing designs from which to choose.

DOES INTERIOR DESIGN FIT IN MY BUDGET?

Yes! Our professionals understand that our

clients expect their money to go as far as possible while also having a beautifully decorated home. When our clients give us a budget, we sit down with them and discuss their needs in order

to ensure that their valuable money is spent in such a way that it makes the greatest impact on the home. For more information, call 205-980-5014 or visit therosegate.com.

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B18 • October 2016

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280 Living

STOCK & TRADE DESIGN CO.

Let’s achieve your ideal home Furnishing or redesigning a living space can be a challenging task. That’s where Stock & Trade Design Co. comes in: a full service interior design firm with two home furnishings showrooms featuring custom upholstery, furniture, lighting, accessories, rugs and art. Stock & Trade has a diverse team with more than 30 years of interior design and home furnishings experience. With each design consultant having their own personal style, the team is able to cater to various client needs. Yet, these styles blend and work well together when collaborating on larger projects. “One of our main priorities is building relationships with clients to achieve a clear understanding of their lifestyle and needs, and working with them to successfully define and fulfill their vision, thus creating a long-term partnership for their future design needs” said Creative Director Christopher Rankin. “We work with clients with various needs ... people just starting out and looking to furnish their first home, those looking to freshen up their existing spaces and others doing whole house remodels or new construction who need everything. Every project, no matter how big or small, is treated with equal importance, because it’s important to the client who will be living in the space.” Stock & Trade is dedicated to providing a product mix that emphasizes both quality and value. Since its inception in 2012, the company has assembled a vast resource list, giving them access to hundreds of vendors for a wide range of style options. This allows them to shop the “look” that’s on trend while, at the same time, providing a product selection that suits the varied budget needs of all their clients. Providing some design tips for clients furnishing a new space or redesigning an existing one, the company’s Special Projects Team

offered this advice. “First, don’t feel compelled to choose everything at one time,” said Lead Designer Christopher Magidson. Shoppers may become anxious at the idea of having to ﬁnd furniture and accessories for an entire house, or even an entire room, rather than focusing on individual items or spaces. The team suggests, “Pick a starting point,

whether that be a color palette, a favorite piece of art, or a family heirloom.” Next, Rankin recommends patience: “Choose pieces you love and be willing to wait if those pieces have to be ordered,” he said. “Getting what you truly love versus what’s available immediately will pay off in the long run.” These pieces will be in your home for many years, so the client should not settle for

something he or she does not really love. “Your home will be a true reﬂection of who you are and your own personal style,” Rankin said. When asked what’s the best thing about being in the interior design business, the team agreed with Magidson when he said, “It’s the satisfaction of helping clients achieve their ideal of home.”

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WEDGWORTH CONSTRUCTION

Wedgworth delivers from start to ﬁnish Frustration and confusion often creep in during the construction process. Decisions have to be made, and questions arise during the process of building a place to call home. Wedgworth Construction stands with their clients every step of the way to guarantee they end up with the house of their dreams without going over budget. “We go to every meeting, we work with them, keep the budget in mind…we’re very conscious,” said Patty Leeming, project manager of the company. “We won’t just let you select something crazy without telling you.” This includes staying involved in every aspect of construction, working with the architect, interior designer and landscaper. For the construction company, which works largely in Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook, keeping a close relationship and constant communication with the client is the key to keeping the process smooth and making the ﬁnal product a success. “One thing about home-building is that everybody does it totally different,” said Mike Wedgworth, the founder of the company. “A lot of people do design build, a lot of people do custom homes, but ours is the real thing. If a person comes in, we take them from a blank sheet of paper, help them select a lot in one of

our communities and help them design the plan and decide on the products they bring in, all the time keeping the budget in sight.” Wedgworth graduated from Auburn University with a degree in building science. After four years of working for local constructions, he launched Wedgworth Construction. Since 1979, the company has built more than 400 homes, including energy star-rated homes that heat and cool at about $300 a month. “I believe we have more homes than anyone in the area that are certiﬁed by a third party and it really works,” Wedgworth said. “It’s cleaner air and a more comfortable home.” Currently, the company is developing three communities, one in Vestavia, one off Rocky Ridge Road and one in Mountain Brook. The houses range from $600,000 to $1 million. “Many homebuilders will just send the client to the decorator or to the light ﬁxture place without a lot of support. In our process, we give full support and we give the negatives or positives as to how it relates to the budget,” Wedgworth said. “We deliver from the beginning to the end.” Wedgworth Construction is located at 4154 Crosshaven Drive in Vestavia. For more information, call 967-1831 or visit wedgworth.net.

October 2016 • B19

B20 • October 2016

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280 Living

THE TILE CLEANER

Keep your hard surfaces looking great! The Tile Cleaner, LLC, was formed to provide both homeowners and business owners alike a service of caring for and repairing hard surfaces such as tile, natural stone, concrete and vinyl composition tile. Their services include: deep cleaning tile and grout; repairing tile and grout; clear and color sealing; cleaning, polishing and sealing natural stone; stripping and waxing vinyl composite tile; concrete cleaning; and brickwork

tuck pointing. With the tremendous growth in hard surfaces, primarily because of the permanency of a high valued amenity, there are not many companies that exist to help owners in the maintenance, repairs, and care of them. Hard surfaces cannot be installed and forgotten, they need routine care and cannot just be cleaned with anything. The Tile Cleaner is a member of the Better

Business Bureau and Home Advisor Pro, plus they’re fully licensed and insured with more than 25 years of installation and care of hard surfaces. They are part of a national afﬁliation of certiﬁed cleaners that take care in their services while utilizing the utmost modern equipment, technologies, and quality products. They use totally green cleaning emulsions and sealers. Not a franchise, the company is locally owned and operated.

Whether it is a kitchen, bathroom, shower, backsplash, patio, deck, sidewalk or driveway at your home, restaurant, store or church, The Tile Cleaner, LLC, can help repair, clean and maintain your hard surfaces. As with any valued asset, care and protection adds to its longevity, and we proudly provide these services in a professional manner. For more information, call 205-215-4007 or visit birminghamtilecleaner.com.

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5 STAR ROOFING AND RESTORATION

October 2016 • B21

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN/ONE HOUR PLUMBING

5 Star Roofing has you covered 5 Star Roofing and Restoration has all of your roofing needs covered. The family-owned business is fully licensed, insured and maintains the highest Better Business Bureau rating. “Our core business is to offer repairs and replacements of commercial and residential roofs,” said Adam Brook, operations manager. “Additionally, we have the experience, size and depth of knowledge to offer full storm restoration services including framing, siding and interior repair.” 5 Star Roofing and Restoration partners with GAF, the manufacturer of the best-selling shingle in America, to supply the highest quality shingles, professional sales training and factory installation certification. Their sales reps are factory trained, and the company maintains factory installation certification. They are committed to serving customer needs and providing them with prompt, professional service. “We strive to exceed customers’ expectations during every phase of the job process,” Brook said. “We achieve this goal by building into our processes our vision that quality and excellence are valued over short-term

Don’t let money drip away!

rewards. We believe the secret to our success is consistently holding to our core values of quality, honesty, integrity, ethics and accountability.” Fall is the perfect time to make those updates and small repairs to your roof to prevent further damage. Brook advises to “repair small leaks quickly, keep your roof and gutters free of debris, and install the proper attic ventilation to extend the life of the roof.” He also advises to have your roof inspected annually to look for tiny cracks in the shingles, granulation loss and seal around roof penetrations. Check out their $99 roof tune-up for fall. For more information, call 518-8433 or visit 5starroofer.com.

Your typical household headaches — be it water heater failure, bursting pipes or a breakdown in heating and air — can be tackled with one phone call to Benjamin Franklin Plumbing and One Hour Air Conditioning and Heating. “We have been servicing the community for over 100 years,” Vice President Dan Stomoff said. “We started as Evans Services in 1901 and have been keeping the area cool and comfortable ever since. Though we have changed our name to Benjamin Franklin Plumbing and One Hour Air Conditioning and Heating, we are still building on our decades of experience.“ The companies pride themselves on an extensive list of guarantees to their customer, including, but not limited to: ► On-time technicians and plumbers ► 100 percent satisfaction ► No overtime rates — EVER ► Friendly, courteous and skilled professionals Benjamin Franklin Plumbing and One Hour Air Conditioning and Heating have helpful

tips and tricks to help you save money: ► For leaky faucets and showerheads, make sure your washers and gaskets are tight. Replace them if they are worn with newer, water efficient options. ► The most common cause of a leaking toilet is often the inexpensive, rubber flapper. Check for wear and replace if needed. ► Inspect your irrigation system and garden hoses. The spigot where the hose is attached to your home is a common area for leaks. ► Most HVAC filters are disposable and should be replaced every month. Reusable filters that are designed to be cleaned with a vacuum or garden hose can be cleaned even more frequently to maximize their effectiveness. If you’re running your air conditioner with a clogged filter, you’re forcing your system to work harder, which wastes energy. It also accelerates wear on your HVAC fan and other components, which costs you more in system maintenance. For more information, call 205-533-7992 or visit benjaminfranklinplumbing.com/.

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B22 • October 2016 CITRUSOLUTION CARPET CLEANING

BEFORE

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DURING

CLASSIC GARDENS & LANDSCAPE

AFTER

Providing safe carpet cleaning CitruSolution Carpet Cleaning uses all natural products to leave your carpets like new, and it is safe for children and pets. Their patented CitruSolution cleaning formula uses natural citrus extract to neutralize and break down dirt and stains in your carpet, keeping your carpets cleaner longer. In addition, carpets dry faster because the award-winning CitruSolution process uses minimal moisture, so they don’t pump gallons of chemical and water into your home. The citrus-based solution dries quickly and leaves a fresh scent in your home. CitruSolution is an innovative system that doesn’t require large quantities of water, soap or detergent. Soap-based cleansers soak the carpets, leaving behind a sticky residue. The ﬁlm on the carpet attracts dirt and can cause old stains to reappear. The innovative CitruSolution system doesn’t use steam to clean, therefore there is no need for the use of large quantities of water and, as a result, your residue-free carpet will stay cleaner longer. CitruSolution Carpet Cleaning serves

Jefferson and Shelby counties. The company was established in 1990 and is committed to providing clients with the highest standard of dependable, trustworthy service with consistent quality care. Braun “We offer guaranteed pricing over the phone,” said Mike Braun, owner of CitruSolution Carpet Cleaning Birmingham. “There’s no bait and switch. We stand behind our work with an unconditional money back guarantee. “Many real estate professionals in the area have used us for years because of our dependable service. We want our customers to know that they can count on us to provide quality, dependable work,” he said. For more information, please call 678-7708 or visit their website, citrusbirmingham.com.

Where love of gardening runs deep Every Saturday morning from 8-9 a.m., owner Mike Pender, Chris Keith, and/or Chris Joyner answer horticultural questions from Birmingham residents calling into their live radio show on WERC 105.5. The owner of Classic Gardens draws on vast knowledge and years of experience. “I was born gardening,” Pender said. “Other kids would be playing baseball and football, and I would be planting ﬂowers.” In 1990, he and his wife, Ann, started Classic Gardens & Landscape Inc. in Birmingham. As the garden center grew, they added landscaping and fertilization/weed control of lawns. Ann was pregnant with their fourth child and Mike was working full time when he decided to go back to school. For two years, he took night classes at Jefferson State Community College and received his horticulture degree, an investment that seems to have paid off. “People are always impressed with the

depth of our knowledge,” he said. With fall approaching, Mike recommends that Birmingham residents winterize their lawns with Fertilome Winterizer, a fertilizer produced in Dallas. The danger of purchasing generic fertilizer is that it is often produced further north and is meant for a different type of grass. “Fertilome Winterizer feeds the root system, stores carbs and helps grasses green early in the spring,” he said. Classic Gardens’ many gardening products and services include landscaping, irrigation, hardscaping and fertilization/weed control of lawns and a garden center. “There’s a saying that goes, ‘Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life,’” Mike said. “I got into this business because it’s what I love to do.” Classic Gardens is located at 1855 Carson Road. For more information, call 205-854-4005 or visit classicgardens.com.

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MARIA CLAIRE DESIGNS/DRAPERY STUDIO

CROWN CONSTRUCTION

Successfully designing, remodeling and building new homes Since 1989, Crown Construction has been building and remodeling homes in the Over the Mountain area. Customer satisfaction has always been our number one goal, and we promise to treat every individual who puts their trust in us to build and/ or remodel their home with respect of your building goals, wants and desires. Crown Construction puts a great deal of emphasis on meeting with our clients to work with them through home conception, design and building. At Crown Construction, we realize that a home should be a representation of you and your family. We put a great deal of time into assuring that our craftsmanship is beyond quality, surpassing all of your expectations. We only work with the area’s ﬁnest subcontractors who have gained a respected reputation for quality work that’s built to your satisfaction. At Crown Construction, we’re not satisﬁed until you are. Accordingly, we build and remodel homes that are going to last. On top of that, we build your home affordably and work to make the homebuilding process as enjoyable as it should be. Since our inception more than 27 years ago, we at Crown Construction have crafted superior homes and continue to reach new heights

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in the craft. We take an innovative, dynamic approach to the process and have received numerous awards for our work. We know that as a quality home builder, our reputation precedes us. If you choose to build or remodel with Crown Construction, nothing will come before you. For more information, call 205-981-2445 or visit crownco.net.

Unlimited selection, design assistance at your ﬁnger tips Located off Highway 280, Maria Claire Designs/Drapery Studio offers custom design in drapes, bedding, plantation shutters, shades, blinds, lighting and all other home needs. Our studio offers a full range of custom and in-stock draperies. Varieties of shades include fabric, woven and solar. We partner with designers and manufacturers to provide our clients with an unlimited selection and uncompromised quality of furniture, decorative mirrors, wall art, lighting, botanicals and accessories. We can help with current trend ideas, such as blackout lining in bedrooms for late morning sleeping, woven wood shades to provide ﬁltered light while keeping a natural look, tape trims to add interest and color to existing or new draperies, and velvets for drapery, upholstery and bedding use. Located at Shops of Colonnade, Maria Claire Designs/Drapery Studio offers a wide selection of Sid Dickens Memory Blocks. We offer a free one-hour in-home consultation within a 30-mile radius.

Visit our showroom today and let our design staff make the experience of selecting fabrics for your custom job an easy process. For more information, call 205-969-5575 or visit mariaclairedesigns.com.

B24 • October 2016

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HOMEWOOD ANTIQUES - UPHOLSTERY

HANNA’S GARDEN SHOP

Welcome fall with a mini-garden in your favorite container Here are some fun tips from Andy Hanna, owner of Hanna’s Garden Shop on U.S. 280: ► Think outside the ﬂower box: Pansies, violas and mums are popular fall and winter annuals, but consider expanding your plant palette to include snapdragons, dianthus, ornamental kale, Swiss chard or mustard greens. All of these will last throughout a typical Alabama winter. You can also add acorus grass for green color all year. ► Vary container sizes: Instead of planting one large container, try placing plants throughout three different-sized containers in one location. Each can feature plants of the same color or complementary colors. Hanna’s sells ceramic and concrete containers in a variety of sizes and colors. ► Mix it up: In addition to your ﬂowers, try adding in greenery for a backdrop in your container. Ornamental grasses such as

carex or juncus complement any annual or perennial bloom, as do evergreens such as false cypress, boxwood and arbor vitae. Your summertime marigolds and petunias can also remain in your containers until the first frost of the season. ► Add pumpkins: Arrange a set of ornamental pumpkins around your containers. Hanna’s sells a variety of sizes and textures in greens, whites, yellows and classic oranges. Be careful not to water your pumpkins when you water your flowers, though, so they don’t rot prematurely. Hanna’s Garden Shop, located at 5485 U.S. 280 E. across from the Lee Branch Shopping Center, offers not just flowers but also trees, shrubs, sod, fertilizers and gardening accessories, as well as the expertise of its staff. For more information call 205-991-2939, visit hannasgardenshop.com or email support@hannasgardenshop.com.

Hernandez a ‘hidden treasure’ inside Homewood Antiques Tucked in the back of Homewood Antiques is a tradesman who specializes in the re-upholstery of furniture. In this “hidden” area of the store, you will ﬁnd a skilled craftsman who loves his work and loves working with people. Ricardo Hernandez begin working with furniture construction and upholstery in 2001 in Mississippi. He worked there for six years, while he learned about the trade through ﬁrsthand experience. In 2007, Ricardo decided it was time to go

on his own and opened his own re-upholstery business. He specializes in providing customers a new, transformed look to their existing home furnishings. Ricardo enjoys making his customers happy. “I thank Our Father every day for opening the doors for me to have my own business, and for this opportunity my customers have given me,” Hernandez said. For more information, call 915-1681 or come to the back and see Ricardo inside of Homewood Antiques at 903 Oxmoor Road.

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HYDRO-PONICS OF BIRMINGHAM

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MANTOOTH INTERIORS

Let them share interior motives

No space for garden? No problem Birmingham ﬁnally has a place where all of your hydroponic supplies — nutrients, media, lighting, pumps, tents, ﬁlters, fans and more — are under one roof. Open since May 2012, Hydro-Ponics of Birmingham has been in business for more than four years. The store is a progressive gardening center for indoor and outdoor gardening needs. Hydroponics is simply growing plants without soil. Dissolving plant food in water enables plants to grow faster and be ready for harvest sooner. This store was created with only safe and healthy gardening practices in mind. “It also allows us to garden/farm indoors and out in places we may not normally be able to,” said Hydro-Ponics’ Chris Gingrich. “Hydroponics can be done on any scale from the back porch to inside warehouses and even on the rooftops of buildings in urban areas.” Gingrich first became interested in

hydroponics while living in Florida. The extreme heat and sandy soil made gardening difﬁcult, and hydroponics offered solutions to many of the problems he was having. This technique helped his gardening become much more productive. The staff includes a master gardener and environmental scientist as a resource to customers for information and troubleshooting. They offer many types of products relating to hydroponics, aquaponics and organic food production, and they provide only 100 percent organic and natural plant nutrients and soils. For greenhouses and indoor gardens, they have lighting and climate control equipment to allow cultivation all year long. They consult and design custom gardens as well. “I believe this is the future of agriculture, and I want to bring it to the home gardener and small farmer,” he said. For more information, call 205-358-3009 or visit hydro-ponics.com.

Our team has interior motives. So when you meet us, don’t be surprised by how much we want to get to know you. Working with our clients to create comfortable and inspirational living environments is what makes the Mantooth design team excited every day. Our desire to collaborate with you so your style appears in every detail of your home is what sets us apart. Is your interior design team creative, collaborative and courageous? At Mantooth, these are crucial attributes we bring to your project. Creativity is a must. Collaboration means that your personality will absolutely shine through in every design detail. And lastly, courage is essential. You come to us expecting design expertise and our team is never afraid to share our vision with you. Your design vision begins with a Mantooth team that listens. We know our ear for what you tell us about you is just as important to the success of your project as our eye for style. Our desire to collaborate with you to create living spaces that reﬂect your style in every detail sets us apart. It’s true. And you’ll see how much in just one visit. With Mantooth you’ll see your personal style. But elevated. Together, we’ll create living spaces that

have “You” written all over them. Every line — every fabric — every last detail. All artfully drawn together to make you, your family and your friends say, “of course.” Let’s get to know one another. And let’s get started. For more information, visit us at 2813 18th St. South, Homewood, call us at 879-5474 or visit mantoothinteriors.com.

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home & garden

INSURANCE PLACE

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SEW SHERI DESIGNS

Providing clients peace of mind Since 1988, Insurance Place in Birmingham has offered personal and business insurance services, with numerous carrier choices to provide the perfect insurance ﬁt. Some of those included are: Auto Owners, Chubb, The Hartford, Columbia, Haulers, Travelers, Safeco, Liberty Mutual and many others. Located off U.S. 280 in Inverness, agency owner Marian Washburn and personal lines agent Marian Wynn, along with the rest of their team, are ready to help with your insurance needs. “A home is one of the biggest investments most people will make, and properly insuring it should be a priority,” Washburn said. Do you have enough coverage to replace your home in the event of a total loss? Debris removal, code enhancements and the cost of labor and materials can ﬂuctuate over the years.

A solution that can help you sleep better at night is to add an endorsement to your home policy that offers Guaranteed Home Replacement Cost coverage. With this extra, the carrier would replace your home regardless of the coverage limit and actual cost. There are other endorsements available that specify an additional limit of coverage in the event of a total loss. An increased limit of 25 percent of the coverage amount is an example. There are many other coverage concerns to consider: your contents and collections, property at another location, any business exposure you may have at home and even the family pet. Give us a call to discuss any concerns — we are happy to help. For more information, call 205-995-1956 or visit insuranceplacebirmingham.com.

Season of change at Sew Sheri Sew Sheri Designs specializes in custom fabrics, interior designs, window fashions and more. In business since 1991, Sheri Corey has a lifelong passion for sewing and design. Her business philosophy is simple: Create value by giving customers the highest quality service and work. However, Corey recently decided to make a change with her business. “After six wonderful years in our Mountain Brook Village storefront, we are transitioning from fabric store and workroom, to workroom only this fall,” she said. Corey and her team will continue to assist both designers and individual clients with their custom design projects and will be available for design consultations, workroom services

and ordering fabrics, trim and hardware in classic styles and the latest trends. Services offered include curtains, window treatments, bed linens, pillows and slipcovers. Personal in-home consultations are available. Their professional experience allows them to see the best treatment for your windows and the right fabric to match the aesthetic you want to achieve. “It has been a privilege helping you with your home décor projects over the years, and we are excited to see what the future holds,” Corey said. “We are looking forward to assisting you with your custom home projects for years to come. For more information, call 205-879-8278 or visit sewsheri.com.

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BEDZZZ EXPRESS

Choosing the right mattress can positively impact your life

ecause you’ll spend approximately one third of your life in your bed, insuring it’s comfortable should be a top priority at purchase. And you may be debating right now as to whether you need a new mattress, going through the struggle of, “Oh, it’s still okay,” and, “I’ll just ﬂip it again.” But if it’s often a topic of discussion in your home, chances are you know you need an upgrade. It’s an investment worth making because better sleep can positively impact you in many ways. With more than 20 years in the industry and loyal to our slogan, “Where Dreams Begin,” Bedzzz Express strives to successfully assist our customers in making the ideal mattress selection from the many brands and types we offer. Each team member is experienced and knowledgeable about identifying sleep habits and guiding families and individuals through selecting the perfect mattress for their lifestyle. Here are some things to consider when choosing the right mattress for you.

WHEN?

All mattresses should be replaced every 7-10 years. Other signs you need to replace your mattress are: ► Visible sagging, indentions or lumps ► Squeaking upon movement ► Waking up with aches and pains

We only offer quality top brands that offer great products. Buying a mattress is not only a necessary purchase but also an investment in your mental and physical health.

WHAT BRAND?

► You and your partner roll in toward the middle throughout the night

WHAT SIZE?

When shopping for a mattress, make sure to measure the area it’s going to go. Also take into consideration the size and number of people who will be needing the bed. Mattresses should be longer than the tallest person using it and wide enough to allow you to fold your arms behind your head without going off the mattress or touching your partner. The Bedzzz Express Mattress Size Guide will help determine which mattress is best for your speciﬁc needs.

WHAT COMFORT TYPE?

Our mattresses come in a variety of comfort types to ﬁt any preference. While some types are known to be better for back pain and sleeping positions, it ultimately comes down to your preference. Make sure to try out many different mattresses for 10-15 minutes before making a purchase.

WHAT LEVEL OF QUALITY?

One of the biggest factors affecting your sleep experience is the quality of your mattress. Higher quality mattresses last longer and will provide better overnight support for your back and neck.

At Bedzzz Express, we only offer quality mattresses from top brands. Our sleep experts are knowledgeable in our inventory and the different products available from different companies. We currently sell products by: ► I Comfort ► Tempur-pedic ► Beautyrest ► Serta ► Sealy ► Stearns & Foster ► King Koil Founded in Birmingham in 1995, Bedzzz Express now has 46 stores in four states and takes great pride in a top-brand inventory of best mattresses at the best prices. All premium mattresses come with a Triple Z Guarantee that includes a 90 day Simple Zzz’s guarantee, giving you the assurance that you will sleep soundly for 90 days or simply return it for a full store credit. Plus, the 90-day Lowest Price Promise means you got the very best price--if you ﬁnd your mattress cheaper within 90 days of purchase we will simply refund 115% of the difference. For more information, visit any Bedzzz Express location or bedzzzexpress.com.

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C OCTOBER 2016

Sports C4 Faith C20

COLUMBUS DAY SALE!

Opinion C21 Real Estate C23 Calendar C24

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‘I’M JUST A PLAYER’ Preparation, dedication carry Jags’ Larry Wooden to top of his game

By SAM CHANDLER

tanding along the home sidelines at Jaguar Stadium on an early September morning, Spain Park High School running back Larry Wooden Jr. was asked to describe his identity as a player. For a moment, he paused. Seldom are athletes in Wooden’s position prodded to formulate their own self-image. It’s something that is often contrived for them by external voices in the school, community and media. But after four seconds of hesitation, the running back delivered an answer that spoke volumes. “I’m just a player,” he said. “I just come out and play as hard as I can.” It’s a proclamation that unfolds under the Friday night lights. Wooden, a highly recruited senior, is one of the chief offensive weapons on Spain Park’s 2016 roster. A versatile threat out of the backﬁeld, he possesses the strength and vision of a running back and the hands of a wide receiver. To defenses, he presents a bit of a conundrum. “He has everything you want in a running back. He’s physical, he can block, he’s fast, he’s got great vision and his hands are

unbelievable,” Jags head coach Shawn Raney said. “Those types of kids are very rare, and we’re very fortunate to have him.” Wooden’s ascent to the top of the talent pyramid at Spain Park — and all of metro Birmingham, for that matter — wasn’t automatic. His climb, which ﬁrst started at age 7, has been characterized by perpetual physical transformation, persistent drive and, most recently, exemplary leadership.

FINDING HIS PLACE

Although Wooden has been enrolled in Hoover City Schools since his fifth-grade year at Riverchase Elementary, he is not a native Alabamian. He was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and lived there until he was 9. Wooden said the academic reputation of the Hoover school system coupled with the marriage of his father, Larry Wooden Sr., to his stepmother triggered the move following his fourth-grade year. The geographic shift signified the first major location change that shaped Wooden’s life path. The second transpired on a more magnified scale. When Wooden first started to play football, he didn’t line up five yards behind the center like he does now. At age 7, he was the center.

See WOODEN | page C17

Spain Park running back Larry Wooden possesses the speed to break one loose down the sidelines. Photo by Frank Couch.

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C4 • October 2016

Sports CHELSEA FOOTBALL: OCTOBER PREVIEW

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Hornets conclude regular season with 3 formidable region opponents in October By KYLE PARMLEY Coming off an open week, the Chelsea High School football team has three straight Class 6A, Region 3 games that will likely determine whether the Hornets’ season lasts longer than the regular season slate of 10 games. Opelika has been a thorn in the Hornets’ side since the two programs were paired in the same region three years ago. In 2014, Opelika hosted Chelsea and won convincingly, 60-14. In the return trip last fall, the Hornets fared much better, but still fell 40-25. The two teams will play in Opelika Oct. 7. The series between Chelsea and Chilton County has been an entertaining one, and the two teams will try to keep that going the following Friday night. The teams met for the first time in 1996 and have split 12 games between them. If Chelsea is to get a win in the game, the Hornets will have to buck a trend that has remained the same throughout the course of the series. Chilton County won the first two matchups, followed by Chelsea taking the next two. That Chelsea hits the home stretch with four games in October to cycle has repeated itself three times, with the conclude the regular season, after an off week at the end of Hornets winning the last two games. September. Photo courtesy of Cari Dean. Helena is next on the docket Oct. 21 and represents the final region game for Chelsea. The Huskies Chris Elmore. Mark Britton, Cullman’s head coach, played and Hornets played each of the last two seasons, the first for Elmore’s dad, Jerry, at Cullman in 1979. Jerry Elmore is not the only family member to coach the two years of Helena High School’s existence, with Chelsea winning both matchups comfortably. Helena made the jump Wildcats. Grady Elmore, Jerry Elmore’s uncle, coached at to Class 6A this year, as its growth has occurred quickly Cullman in the early 1950s. Two wins early in the month should be more than enough since opening. The final regular season game, a non-region matchup at for the Hornets to make the playoffs for the second consecCullman Oct. 27, has special significance to head coach utive season.

Regan Wortham Chelsea

Senior

6’0”

175

Q: Favorite social Wortham media platform? A: Twitter is most moved to deﬁnitely my favorite linebacker social media platfrom defensive form. Twitter is similar to reading the end for his senior newspaper to me; I season. always go to Twitter to get the latest scoop. Q: Favorite Olympian? A: Have to go with Andre De Grasse because he’s the only underdog who can compete with Usain Bolt, and who doesn’t like an underdog? Q: Favorite teacher? A: My junior English teacher, Ms. Parramore. She does a great job pushing students to reach their potential and relates well with younger people. Q: If you were a baseball player, what would your walk-up song be? A: Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen. - KYLE PARMLEY

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SPAIN PARK FOOTBALL: OCTOBER PREVIEW

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Spain Park concludes the regular season in October with four games: three region contests followed by a non-region contest at Minor to conclude the 10-game slate. Photo by Ted Melton.

Jags hope to build momentum for Class 7A postseason run By KYLE PARMLEY The Spain Park High School football team will not be able to duplicate its 2015 performance in Class 7A, Region 3, but the Jaguars have no shortage of goals in 2016. A loss to Hoover in September took another undefeated region slate off the table, but records can be meaningless come playoff time. The Jags conclude the regular season in October with four games: three region contests followed by a non-region contest at Minor to conclude the 10-game slate. They open the month with a Thursday night contest at Thompson on Oct. 6, a team looking for bigger things in Mark Freeman’s second season in Alabaster. The Jags have had an abundance of success against the Warriors in recent years, defeating them each year since 2009. The game was no cakewalk last year, though. Spain Park needed a late ﬁeld goal in the ﬁnal minute from Crosby Gray to win 15-14.

The Jags then host Tuscaloosa County in their ﬁnal regular season home game Oct. 14. The defense dominated on its way to a 24-0 win over the Wildcats last fall. Spain Park has won three of the four games the two teams have played, with two coming via shutout. A trip to Heardmont Park Oct. 21 wraps up the Region 3 gauntlet for the Jags, as they take on the resilient Eagles squad from Oak Mountain. The Jags held off the Eagles last year to ﬁnish off their unbeaten region road. Spain Park had its eight-game winning streak against the Eagles snapped in 2014. The Jags’ non-region contest against Class 6A Minor on Oct. 27 will prepare Spain Park for the 7A postseason, should it qualify. Minor is a top-notch 6A team that advanced to the third round in 2015 behind the explosiveness of do-it-all athlete Jaylond Adams, who is now a senior. The two teams last met in the second round of the 2009 state playoffs.

PAK MAIL

Damarius Farmer Spain Park

Senior

5’9”

165

Q: What is your Made the favorite social media platform? game-saving A: Snapchat, beinterception cause I get a lot of against Gadsden pictures and talk to people on there. City in the opening Q: Who was your game of the season. favorite Olympian? A: Justin Gatlin, because he’s a 100-meter sprinter and I’m a sprinter also. Q: If you were a baseball player, what would your walk-up song be? A: “Here Comes the Boom.” Q: What is your dream job? A: NFL. Q: What is your nightmare job? A: Anything in an office. Q: What show on Netflix are you binge-watching? A: I’m between series right now, but I just finished a show called “The Messengers.” - KYLE PARMLEY

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OAK MOUNTAIN FOOTBALL: OCTOBER PREVIEW The Eagles round out the regular season with three region games and a trip to Hazel Green. Photo by Todd Lester.

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Daniel Salchert Oak Mountain

Resilient Eagles enter final stretch of regular season By KYLE PARMLEY Things can change quickly in Class 7A, Region 3. Just ask the Oak Mountain High School football team, as it has witnessed that fact firsthand. Jackson Kimbrell was forced to take over at quarterback early in the season after an injury to Wyatt Legas, and the Eagles scuffled to a 0-3 start. But they picked themselves up and rallied to defeat Vestavia Hills convincingly, 34-7, in early September. That kind of fight and resilience will need to stay on display in the final month of the regular season as the Eagles play three consecutive region games in October. On Oct. 7, the Eagles will meet Tuscaloosa County, looking to knock off the Wildcats for the third consecutive season. Oak Mountain won 27-6 in 2014 and a lower scoring, 15-7, result last fall. The win last year was the first of the year for the Eagles, after a similar 0-3 start to the season,

and began a strong finish to the year. The Eagles are also looking for their third straight win against Mountain Brook, who they will host Oct. 14. The Spartans led the overall series 6-4, but last fall, Oak Mountain scored the go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter and held off Mountain Brook to win 21-14. Oak Mountain remains at home Oct. 21 to host Spain Park. The Eagles ended their drought in 2014, snapping an eight-game losing streak to the Jaguars to take some pressure off the matchup. They also made last year’s game interesting against the eventual state finalist, as Spain Park took home a hard-fought 20-10 victory. The Eagles will make a lengthy trip to Hazel Green to round out the season in a non-region matchup, on Oct. 28. The two teams have never met on the gridiron, but Hazel Green did advance to the playoffs for the first time in four years in 2015.

Senior

5’8”

165

Q: What is your Salchert favorite social media platform? ﬁnished with A: Snapchat because 101 yards and I use it the most. two touchdowns Q: Who is your favorite teacher? on 10 carries against A: Melissa WilliamVestavia Hills. son. She’s a good teacher and jokes around. Q: If you were a baseball player, what would your walk-up song be? A: Dreams and Nightmares by Meek Mill. Q: Who’s your top draft pick in an NFL fantasy league? A: Cam Newton. Q: What is your favorite movie? A: Lone Survivor. Q: What is your dream job? A: Sports medicine doctor. Q: What show on Netﬂix are you binge-watching? A: Friday Night Lights. - KYLE PARMLEY

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October 2016 • C7

BRIARWOOD FOOTBALL: OCTOBER PREVIEW The Lions play four games in October to conclude the regular season, with the hope of playoff action to follow. Photo by Todd Kwarcinski.

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William Gray Briarwood

Lions look to lock up playoff berth in October By KYLE PARMLEY The Briarwood Christian School football team has not failed to make the playoffs since the 1993 season, Fred Yancey’s third season coaching the Lions. Three region games remain in the month of October to ensure that streak has an extra year added to it. The Lions play four games to round out the regular season, Class 5A, Region 5 games against Woodlawn, Shelby County and Pleasant Grove and a contest against Madison Academy. Briarwood and Woodlawn will meet at Lions Pride Stadium Oct. 7 in the first meeting between the schools. The Colonels’ program has struggled in recent years, winning just five games total from 2012-2015, and once again got off to a poor start this fall. On Oct. 14, the Lions will travel to Shelby County. The Lions have won 11 of 14 contests against Shelby County and lost the first two games the teams played against each other in 1984 and 1985. They last met on the gridiron

in 2013 as Class 5A, Region 4 opponents, as Briarwood cruised to a 29-0 shutout victory — one of three shutouts the Lion defense pitched that season. Briarwood has a similar history against Pleasant Grove, who it will play the following Friday. The Spartans won the first game between the two teams in 1995, but the Lions have taken each of the last six. They faced off last in the first round of the 2005 state playoffs, with Briarwood winning 32-24. Briarwood concludes its regular season with an out-ofregion contest against Madison Academy Oct. 28, as the Lions and Mustangs go head-to-head for the third consecutive season. Madison Academy won both times, 49-21 in 2014 and 27-22 in 2015. The Lions had chances to knock off Madison Academy last year, as William Gray threw a long touchdown pass to give them the lead in the fourth quarter. He finished 9-of-12 passing that night for 199 yards. If things go according to plan, that game will once again be a tuneup for playoff action.

Senior

5’10”

190

Q: Favorite social Gray threw media platform? A: Instagram. I don’t just ﬁve have anything else. passes Q: Favorite Olympiagainst Moody, an? A: Michael Phelps for but four of them went his sustained domifor touchdowns. nance. Q: Favorite teacher? A: Bobby Kerley because he was so much fun in class and has coached me for years. Q: If you were a baseball player, what would your walk-up song be? A: Bring ‘Em Out by T.I. Q: Who’s your No. 1 draft pick in an NFL fantasy league? A: Julio Jones. Q: Dream job? A: General manager of the New England Patriots. Q: What show are you binge-watching on Netﬂix? A: Daredevil. -KYLE PARMLEY

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280 Living Photo by Todd Lester.

Photo by Todd Kwarcinski.

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS Photo by Ted Melton.

Photo by Todd Lester.

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HOMECOMING SPAIN PARK

Photos by Sarah Finnegan and Ted Melton.

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Cross-country teams look to keep momentum rolling in October

Spain Park senior Mary Katherine Tedder will help lead the Jags’ cross-country team into October. Photo by Sam Chandler.

By SAM CHANDLER Area cross-country teams kicked off their seasons in August and September. Now, it’s time to make some moves. The Jesse Owens Invitational on Oct. 1, Shelby County Cross Country Championships on Oct. 4 and Hoover Invitational on Oct. 20 highlight the upcoming month’s meet calendar. While one of the races may be more conducive to faster times, they should all provide teams with quality shots at testing themselves against high-caliber competition. Jesse Owens Invitational: Saturday, Oct. 1, at Oakville Indian Mounds Park in Moulton. Cool temperatures, a fast course and unrestricted competition traditionally make this the season’s fastest meet. Jesse Owens pits the best against the best — regardless of classiﬁcation — as Oak Mountain senior Cole Stidfole can attest. As a junior, he posted the state’s fastest

5K time of the season in a personal-best 15 minutes, 20.45 seconds, and finished second. Shelby County Cross Country Championships: Tuesday, Oct. 4, at Veterans Park in Alabaster. This one’s for bragging rights, though it typically gets taken less seriously considering its close proximity to Jesse Owens. Last fall, the Oak Mountain boys and Westminster School at Oak Mountain girls ran away with the team titles. The Oak Mountain boys placed four in the top six, and the Westminster girls placed three in the top five. Hoover Invitational: Thursday, Oct. 20, at Veterans Park in Hoover. It’s the last big invitational meet of the season before sectionals begin, giving runners their final chance to see how they stack up against competition from different classes. Due to the course’s challenging terrain, the most important thing to look for is place, not time.

Dig in the Park begins final month of season By KYLE PARMLEY Spain Park High School hosts its annual Dig in the Park volleyball tournament Oct. 1 to kick off a frantic last few weeks of the season. The all-day event will include Spanish Fort, Enterprise, John Carroll, Montgomery Academy and others. “It’s going to be tough,” Spain Park head coach Kellye Bowen said. The 16 teams will be split into four pools, with the action beginning in pool play at 8 a.m. Pool play should conclude soon after lunchtime. At that time, the teams are split into two single-elimination brackets. The top two teams in each pool move into the gold bracket, while the bottom two in each pool are placed in the silver bracket. Each bracket will play itself out, with the plan to conclude the tournament in the evening. In Bowen’s first two years at Spain Park, the Jags have had experience in both the silver and gold brackets, reaching the final in both sections, but have been unable to close out the win. Bowen said she likes the combination of competition and timing that the tournament presents. “It’s a really good tournament,” she said. “And it’s one day near the end of the season, so your kids are not exhausted.” The conclusion of the regular season also includes the Margaret Blalock Tournament at

Dig in the Park will kick off the ﬁnal weeks of the volleyball season. Photo courtesy of Jimmy Mitchell.

Homewood, held Oct. 7-8. “Only thing you can hope for in those last tournaments is getting ready for that last area match. You don’t want to peak too high in September,” Bowen said. The state tournament follows a similar format, forcing teams to win multiple matches in a single day. The Jags had success in a September tournament at Muscle Shoals, fighting back despite an early setback. “Our first game was a tough loss, which actually helped my kids,” Bowen said. “It motivated my kids to play better throughout the day. They responded and came back. They won five straight.” To get to that state tournament, the Jags have a set of important dates ahead. The area tournament is Oct. 17. If they advance, super regionals are later that week, needing a win to advance to state.

C12 • October 2016

280 Living

HORNET PRIDE

New band director ready to make great spirit even greater

By GRACE THORNTON Christine Sexton’s son is just a rising sixth-grader, but the new high school band director already has made quite an impression on them. “In the mail last month, he received a letter from Mr. Lawley introducing himself and telling my son how excited he is about him being a part of the band,” Sexton said of new Chelsea High School Band Director Perry Lawley. In the letter, Lawley offered encouragement for her son and told him that he, too, had chosen to be in band at his age. “It was one of the best decisions of my life,” Lawley wrote. “Band is a great activity. You will make friends and memories that will last you your whole life.” It was a kind letter, and Sexton said she was impressed with Lawley’s investment in the middle school band members. “The letter was individualized — it included my son’s name and referenced the instrument he is playing,” she said. “This meant a lot that in the overwhelming task of beginning a new job at a new school that he thought of and took the time to do this. It is classy, meaningful and so appreciated.” Coming from roles where he directed both middle school and high school bands, Lawley has seen ﬁrsthand the importance of building a band program from the beginning. He taught at Pinson Valley High School and Rudd Middle School for four years before moving in fall 2008 to teach at the middle school and high school in the town where he grew up — Montevallo. Now just down the road at Chelsea, Lawley said he “is looking forward to continuing the tradition of excellence that has been instilled in the band program for so long.” The “tremendous amount” of pride and history in the Chelsea band program makes the band a special group, he said. “The ins and outs and daily logistics of the program run so smoothly, which is a testament to both students and parents and their expectations. The Chelsea band is the embodiment of Hornet Pride,” Lawley said. The students work hard and take pride in what they do, he said. “I want to help facilitate that pride and tradition and hopeto fully achieve new heights,” Lawley said. That means growing in size and quality. The students are

New band director Perry Lawley looks on during a Chelsea High School band practice. Photo by Sarah Finnegan.

“fantastic” and put effort into achieving their goals for the day and their long-term goals as a band, he said. So far, Lawley said his transition to Chelsea High School has been “phenomenal.” “The students and parents have been overly welcoming and open to new ideas and changes,” he said. “I could not have envisioned a better change of hands. The previous director, Dane Lawley, has been very willing and available to help me with all my questions, and the parents have worked with tremendous energy to make everything happen.”

“

The Chelsea band is the embodiment of Hornet pride. I want to help facilitate that pride and tradition and hope to fully achieve new heights.

”

PERRY LAWLEY

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October 2016 • C13

Runners gather to raise money for ovarian cancer research

Clockwise from above: A group kicks off the Save the O’s 5K run at Greystone Golf and Country Club. A four-legged runner at the Save the O’s 5K in August. Fletcher Huey ﬁnishes the Save the O’s 5K. Photos by Lexi Coon.

By LEXI COON One of the ﬁrst things you read on the Norma Livingston Ovarian Cancer Foundation website is “Making a difference for mothers, daughters, sisters and friends.” On Aug. 27, the Foundation held its 12th annual Save the O’s 5K in an effort

to make that difference. The race, which took place at Greystone Golf and Country Club, is designed to raise money for ovarian cancer research and to recognize those who have fought against the illness. “My ﬁrst wife, Laura Johnson, died in 2004 so we started

[the Save the O’s 5K] in her honor,” said former president and current board member Johnny Johnson. “All of the money this year goes to the Norma Livingston Ovarian Cancer Foundation.” To read more on the Norma Livingston Ovarian Cancer Foundation, visit nlovca.org.

C14 • October 2016

280 Living

Police tap into drones as new crime-fighting, public service tool By JON ANDERSON The Hoover Police Department has a new tool officers say will provide a whole new perspective on fighting crime. The department has purchased and received its first drone — or small unmanned aircraft system, as the Federal Aviation Administration calls them — and is ordering two more, said Capt. Gregg Rector. The Phantom 4 Professional drone Hoover bought comes equipped with a camera that can relay real-time video footage to officers on the ground, as well as maintaining that footage in a recording. But don’t expect to see any gun-toting drones — like you see in some TV shows or movies — patrolling the streets anytime soon. While the military uses armed drones, Rector said he doesn’t foresee that crossing over into civilian law enforcement in the near future — at least not in cities like Hoover. But there are multiple uses Hoover police hope to get out of the drones, Rector said. They could be used for monitoring large crowds at public events and traffic flow during peak traffic times or locating a missing person or a suspect during a manhunt, he said. A drone can provide that aerial view over a large area that can’t be seen by officers on the ground, he said. Drones also could be used to inspect spills of hazardous materials or suspicious packages — situations where you want to get a close look but not expose a person or police dog to danger, Rector said. The drones also could come in handy for reconstructing accident scenes or crime scenes, he said. Now, officers sometimes have to call in a fire department ladder truck to get an aerial view of an accident or crime scene to help draw diagrams, he said. Sending a drone to get pictures and video would be much easier and not tie up a fire truck that may be needed elsewhere, he said.

Police now use helicopters for some of these functions, but drones are much less expensive to operate, Rector said. Hoover paid $2,749 for its Phantom 4 Professional drone. It weighs about three pounds and is controlled by a remote. It can go almost 20,000 feet above sea level, but Rector said he expects Hoover police to generally keep it under 400 feet. The drone batteries allow them to fly 28 minutes, but police have multiple batteries to extend flying time, and the batteries are rechargeable. Hoover police plan to initially train three officers to fly the drones, but that could be expanded to include more people in the future, Rector said. All officers who fly the drones will be certified, he said. Officer Barry Stamps, who primarily works in the U.S. 280 corridor, will be one of those trained. Stamps said he has been operating drones as a hobby for about four years and is looking forward to using one on the job. “I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time. I thought this was something that could help us,” he said. More law enforcement agencies have started purchasing drones, said Pat Bruce, the operations supervisor for the FAA Flight Standards District Office for Alabama and northwest Florida. He doesn’t have a complete list, but numerous agencies in Alabama already have them, including the Anniston and Northport police departments and Cullman and Dale County sheriff’s offices, he said. Selma Police Chief John Brock said his department purchased four drones early this year and began using them in March at the 50th anniversary of the historic civil rights march over the Edmund Pettus Bridge. They’re using them mainly for crowd control at public events, he said. “They’re helping us out a lot,” Brock said. “They’re giving great pictures. The picture

Hoover police Ofﬁcer Barry Stamps with the Phantom 4 Professional drone that the department bought to provide aerial views to ofﬁcers on the ground. Photo by Jon Anderson.

quality of the drones is outstanding.” “We will start using them for investigative purposes. We just haven’t gotten to that point yet,” he said. The FAA, U.S. Attorney General’s Ofﬁce and Alabama Attorney General’s Ofﬁce are still working out guidelines for proper usage of the drones, Brock said. “It’s real touchy on how you use them and when you use them because of the Privacy Act,” he said. Rector said Hoover police are still developing

their own guidelines for use but certainly will use discretion and get warrants when needed. He understands some people’s concerns, he said. “We don’t want to violate anybody’s rights. We don’t want to violate anybody’s privacy,” Rector said. “We want to use them to help us do a better job for the citizens we serve … If there’s an expectation of privacy, we’re certainly not going to be hovering in someone’s backyard looking at somebody where we’re not supposed to be.”

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October 2016 • C15

Sisters take baton twirling skills to national championship By KATHERINE POLCARI For sisters Sally and Susan Otts, baton twirling is a family experience. Both Oak Mountain students represented Alabama at the National Baton Twirling Championship in July. Sally, 12, competed for the title of Intermediate Preteen Miss Majorette of America. Her younger sister, Susan, who is only 10 years old, competed at Nationals for the first time this year and tried for the title of Beginner Juvenile Miss Majorette of America. “I started when I was 5, and my mom put me in some classes,” Sally said. “I fell in love with it.” Susan followed her sister’s lead in twirling, inspired by seeing her sister practice for countless hours and sitting in the audience during Sally’s competitions. It was Susan’s experience watching her sister compete in last year’s national championship, she said, that gave her the drive to want to make it to this year’s national competition. Before the girls could make it to the national level, however, they first had to compete at state in April. The girls both said they enjoyed the experience and felt confident because of all of their past practice. “It was a really fun experience because I had my twirling friends with me,” Sally said. “And I worked hard all year.” Susan had a similar experience, she said, and was particularly happy with the amount of support she received from friends and family. “Lots of friends came from out of state,” Susan said. “And my coach was there [with me], too.” Even with this outpouring of love and support, both girls said they knew how important the state competition was for them to be able to compete at the national level, and they had to overcome some challenges as they performed their routines. “I want to do my best, so sometimes I get frustrated,” Sally said. “There’s a bit of pressuring myself, but I went out there, and I was relaxed.”

“ ” We work hard and ran routines like crazy. Even if it sounds boring, I love it.

SALLY OTTS

Susan faced the same pressure, but said she also worried about dropping her baton. Having her coach at the competition, however, helped ease her nerves, she said. After succeeding at state, the pressure returned with the thought of nationals. “I’m excited that it’s my ﬁrst year going to nationals,” Susan said, “[but] I’m kind of nervous that there are going to be better people.” Both girls said they used their summer break to prepare the best they could, and they tried to calm nerves they felt during their time at the state competition. “We practice all summer long,” Sally said. “We work hard and ran routines like crazy. Even if it sounds boring, I love it.” At national’s, Sally place ﬁfth overall in the intermediate division, and Suscan placed fourth in beginners. The girls said that they usually practice about 25 to 30 hours a week during the summer, which does not account for the many hours that have been dedicated to traveling to be able to practice for team events. “Last year I didn’t do the pageant,” Sally said. “This year I’ll be with my friends. This year it’s going to be exciting.” Even though the girls are in the early stages of their careers, both Sally and Susan plan to keep twirling throughout school, including into college. “I’m going to twirl all through college for sure,” Sally said. “And then I want to teach people when I get older.”

Sisters Sally and Susan Otts both performed in this year’s national championship for baton twirling. Photo courtesy of Bob Fitzgerald.

C16 • October 2016

280 Living

Chelsea Middle School student receives National Lifesaving Award By ERICA TECHO When Arabella Gonzalez noticed smoke in her family’s apartment last summer, she knew how to act to get everyone to safety. Part of that she credits with her training and experience through Girl Scouts. “I know that I’ve done a babysitting course, and I’ve done multiple first aid courses, and … I feel like I was prepared in the moment, like I’ve been through it a million times, how you do things in a fire,” said Arabella Gonzalez, an eighth-grader at Chelsea Middle School. On Sept. 10, Arabella Gonzalez received the Girl Scouts of the USA Medal of Honor Lifesaving Award because of her actions in that fire. During the fire, Arabella Gonzalez heard a “pop” noise and noticed smoke pouring out of the vents in her family’s apartment. She helped alert her stepmother and brother, getting them and their pets out of the apartment in time. She also alerted their neighbors about the fire. At first, Arabella Gonzalez said the whole situation seemed surreal, but she did not hesitate to act. “I seriously ran out with no shoes on,” she said. While Girl Scouts taught her how to react in a fire or emergency situation through classes and safety tips, Arabella Gonzalez said she hopes her firsthand experience can provide further guidance to Girl Scouts. “Now, with other girls, I can tell them what it’s like in the real-life moment,” she said. During the award ceremony at the Kanawahala Program Center Girl Scout Camp in Chelsea, Arabella Gonzalez was recognized in front of her troop, her family and friends at the start of her troop’s field-day event. Karen Peterlin, chief executive of the Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama, said only 100 lifesaving awards are distributed each year, and Arabella Gonzalez joins a long line of Girl Scouts going out into the world and making sure others are safe. “Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama is very proud to have Arabella as a member, and I am honored to present the award to her. Arabella is a true inspiration and example of a young lady of courage, confidence and character who makes the world a

Mandi Gonzalez, Arabella Gonzalez and Karen Peterlin at the award ceremony. Photo by Erica Techo.

better place,” she said. Arabella Gonzalez’s mother, Mandi Gonzalez, has been involved in Girl Scouts since Arabella Gonzalez was in kindergarten and said she is glad to see Arabella Gonzalez has become so involved and shows such passion for the organization and her role as a Girl Scout. “It’s just a huge honor to know that she has instilled Girl Scouts in her everyday life, and being prepared and helping her

family during such an event,” Mandi Gonzalez said. Because her mother is so involved in Girl Scouts, Arabella Gonzalez said she has dreamed of growing up in the organization, including milestones such as receiving her 50-year pin. Receiving a pin such as the Medal of Honor Lifesaving Award, however, was something she never imagined. “Honestly it means the whole world to me,” she said. “I never would have thought that I would be here right now.”

280Living.com WOODEN

CONTINUED from page C1 “I was kind of chubby,” Wooden said with a chuckle. But his lineman status didn’t last long. During his tenure at Berry Middle, he transitioned to wide receiver at the recommendation of his coach. Wooden stayed on the flank throughout his middle school career and developed the receiving skills that are now a defining aspect of his game. He didn’t convert to running back until he entered Spain Park as a 5-foot-9, 135-pound freshman. Wooden said it was this second position change that helped him realize his potential in the sport, especially after he received a vote of confidence from the Jags’ coaching staff as a sophomore. “That’s when it all started,” Wooden said, “like I could be something.” Entering the 2014 season, Wooden presumed he would occupy the fourth slot on Spain Park’s depth chart at running back. But when it was released, the coaches listed Wooden second — behind then-junior starter Wade Streeter and ahead of two seniors. Raney said that Wooden’s performance in practices, as verified by end-zone view video recordings, propelled him to the backup role. “I’m making him see cuts that an ordinary kid does not see, so if we’ve got a front-side running play and something opens up on the back side, an ordinary back would just bull his head and go where the play’s supposed to be,” Raney said. “But a great back, when the play’s not there, he has enough vision where he can see and make the cuts that ordinary backs don’t make.” In addition to Wooden’s vision, Raney identified his running back’s innate athleticism as the second distinguishing quality that manifested itself on the practice film. After Wooden would select his running lane, Raney noted, he flashed the speed and acceleration necessary to slip through openings. “It was pretty obvious to me, even at an early age, how good he was going to be,” Raney said.

October 2016 • C17 THE TURNING POINT

In what Wooden now calls a “turning point” sophomore season, he accounted for 381 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns, according to totals from MaxPreps.com. But more than anything, he was given a chance. “They trusted me,” Wooden of the coaching staff. “I wasn’t too good in middle school, and then I had a good freshman year, but I didn’t think that was going to be enough to play behind Wade, because he was like the man.” As a junior, Wooden’s numbers more than tripled. Given an almost equal amount of playing time as Streeter in 2015, Wooden rolled up 895 yards rushing, tallied 344 yards receiving and scored nine touchdowns. The breakout campaign, which ended with an appearance in the Class 7A state final, put Wooden on the map. College recruiters took notice. In the past 10 months, Wooden has received 11 offers from schools varying in both size and proximity. Currently, he holds in-state offers from UAB, Troy and Samford and out-of-state offers from eight other schools, headlined by the University of Minnesota. While Wooden said he hasn’t thought too much about which names comprise the top of his list, he said the presence of recruiting interest has fueled him since the process began. “After I got my first offer, I was in the weight room like every morning, trying to get bigger and bigger,” said Wooden, who now stands 6 feet tall and weighs 195 pounds. Wooden estimated he spent six to seven hours a day this summer engaged in some form of preseason training. Whether it was playing catch with a teammate, working out with his father — whom he calls the most influential person in his life — or honing his speed and agility through sessions at Godspeed Elite Sports Academy in Hoover, Wooden was all football all the time. “Some games, I know I wasn’t prepared, and I don’t like that feeling,” Wooden said of his junior season. “I like games where I can have fun and do what I know I can do. That’s motivation for me.”

A dynamic backﬁeld threat, Spain Park running back Larry Wooden’s (25) pass-catching ability rivals his skill in the ground game. Photo by Ted Melton.

BIGGER, FASTER

Through ﬁve games this season, Wooden totaled 641 all-purpose yards and six touchdowns. He said his offseason conditioning has increased his durability and, compared to last year, has left his body feeling fresher after games. “He’s gotten better over the years — gotten bigger, gotten faster, gotten stronger,” said Houston Hollis, a Spain Park senior linebacker who has played with Wooden since middle school. His dedication, however, isn’t motivated solely by the desire to polish his recruiting appeal.

With the loss of a guiding voice in the now-graduated Streeter, Raney said that he has seen the soft-spoken Wooden step into an elevated leadership role. Even though he lets his actions do most of the talking, Wooden said the example he wants to set is one of humility and daily determination both on the ﬁeld and in the classroom. “For me to stand out there and watch the way he practices, it makes you proud as a coach to know that you’ve got 90 other guys watching him,” Raney said. “I’m just really proud of the kid and everything about him.”

C18 • October 2016

280 Living

Shifting focus in Shelby Drug task force commander brings new approach to outreach By ERICA TECHO

hen Lt. Clay Hammac was appointed commander of the Shelby County Drug Enforcement Task Force, he brought along the perspective of a white-collar crimes investigator. “What we’ve done over the past 12 months, close to it, is we’ve taken a different approach [to narcotics investigations],” Hammac said. “Investigating an organized crime ring or a financial structuring organization, really I’ve learned, is no different than investigating an organized drug enterprise.” Hammac was appointed as commander in September 2015, after working in patrol, criminal investigations, the U.S. Secret Service Task Force, crisis negotiations, Project Lifesaver and administration and media relations in his 11 years with the Sheriff’s Office. “When the opportunity [rose] to come into the narcotics world, especially in a command position, there was a little bit of intimidation,” Hammac said. “But I decided to lean on these investigators, who are experienced narcotics investigators, who are great at their job, great at what they do, and I decided to take my strength of financial investigations and their strengths as narcotics investigators and marry the two together.” Merging the two worlds of investigation has led investigators with the Drug Enforcement Task Force to focus more on the big picture, Hammac said, including suppliers and distribution channels, rather than street-level users. “Whenever we move our attention from the street-level dealers and users and focus more on the suppliers and larger dealers, we’re able to go after the larger volume of drugs,” he said. “And our mentality is that this is a force multiplier effect. We can rely on our uniformed deputies and police officers to help us enforce the street-level crime as we go after the more organized crime.” These strategies also lead toward investigations involving bank structuring, subpoenas for bank records and investigation into money laundering. “Things that you typically wouldn’t expect on a narcotics level, but we’re trying to embrace a multifaceted skill set

Lt. Clay Hammac said a key to his presentations is not watering down the message. He shows real photographs, shares real stories and gives real statistics so audience members can get an accurate idea of the area’s drug problem. Photo by Todd Lester.

to really hurt the drug dealers by going after their pockets,” Hammac said. In the ﬁrst three quarters of ﬁscal year 2016, which started in October 2015, the task force worked 749 cases, served 928 arrest warrants and made 505 arrests. They also have seized 77

pounds of drugs and 50 ﬁrearms and disposed of 435 pounds of drugs, according to statistics from the Sheriff’s Ofﬁce. “I want our drug dealers to say, ‘Shelby County is not a nice place to do business,’” Hammac said. “We’ve been very aggressive in pursuing our drug dealers.”

100 Corporate Parkway, Suite 450, Hoover, AL 35242 • browng@dot.state.al.us

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October 2016 • C19

EDUCATION, AWARENESS

The task force is not only focused on the supply of drugs in Shelby County. Half of the battle is against the demand and cultural perception, Hammac said. “I’ve been really surprised how casual the idea of narcotics use and experimentation has been with our young adults and students,” he said. “The challenge that I have seen ﬁrsthand is us battling the cultural perception. There seems to be an increase in cultural perception that casual use of marijuana and/or other prescription vices is not going to hurt anyone.” One of the strongest tools for battling this perception is education, Hammac said, and as commander of the task force, he frequently visits schools, parent and teacher groups, churches and other community organizations. “He’s in our speaker’s bureau, and he is probably the No. 1 requested presenter throughout Shelby County,” said Jan Corbett, coordinator of the Shelby County Drug Free Coalition. A key to his presentations is not watering down the message, Hammac said. He shows real photographs, shares real stories and gives real statistics so audience members can get an accurate idea of the drug problem in Shelby County, Hammac said. This approach is an effective one, Corbett added. “He’s great because he’s not only knowledgeable about the drug situation in Shelby County, but he’s also a great presenter,” Corbett said. “He makes it very interesting. He really tells parents exactly what they need to know. He doesn’t sugarcoat things. He really wants them to know the honest to goodness truth.” Another stance Hammac takes is one against marijuana, which he says is a deadly drug. While there have not been any marijuana overdose cases in his law enforcement career, Hammac said the deadly quality of marijuana comes from it acting as a gateway drug. “What I’ve seen is those who experiment and justify recreational marijuana use have a greater propensity to experiment and try something else,” he said. “So, in that sense, I do say that it becomes deadly.” This stance has led to negative feedback and harassing emails and phone calls, Hammac said, but it is one by which he stands. Over the last year, Hammac said, he has worked to open up communication and build up outreach to the community, even though it brings in some negative feedback. The task force uses social media to share information on cases and drug busts to keep Shelby County informed, Hammac said. “I don’t want drug use to be an issue of ‘out of sight, out of mind’ for Shelby County,” he said.

A HOLISTIC APPROACH

Shelby County also has worked to make sure drugs do not

Lt. Clay Hammac speaks to an audience at Coosa Valley Baptist Church during an event for the Shelby County Drug Free Coalition. Photo by Todd Lester.

become an “out of sight, out of mind” issue. The county, along with law enforcement agencies and municipalities, has developed COMPACT 2020 as an effort to battle drug use. COMPACT 2020 launched in July and approaches drug use from multiple angles, including prevention and education, pre-justice involvement and compliance. “I think this is going to be a model for the rest of the country for what we can do because I’m going to speak very candidly… our drug scene is not going away,” Hammac said. “Drugs are not going to disappear permanently.” By taking a holistic approach against drugs, COMPACT 2020 is able to stop some drug use before it happens, help those battling addiction and hopefully lower the demand for drugs, Hammac said. “We are genuinely concerned about what happens after the arrest process,” he said. “I’m one of those people who preaches until I’m blue in the face — recovery is possible. No one has to be enslaved to addiction for the rest of their life.” Even if only 20 to 30 percent of individuals going through the program recover from addiction, Hammac said, that is worth

any effort it takes. “You think, ‘Well that’s not very good. If you were a private business, you would be failing,’” he said. “No, we’re talking about humans here. We’re talking about human lives. If 20 to 30 percent are able to take control of their addiction and enter a state of recovery, then it’s succeeding.” Looking forward to next year, Hammac said he hopes to increase communication and share more information with neighboring agencies, something he said would act as a force multiplier on drug cases. Hammac said although they cannot eliminate drugs altogether, he hopes at least a few individuals hear the message and make the right choice as community outreach continues. “What I’m hopeful for is that we’re going to continue our community outreach efforts and educating our community … and what I’m hopeful for is that those efforts will prove to be successful,” he said. “That a young student, when offered a marijuana cigarette sometime in high school, they’re going to remember, ‘I remember some guy coming and talking to our class, and this could lead to other stuff.’”

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C20 • October 2016

280 Living

Faith Life Actually By Kari Kampakis

10 thoughts for my 10-year-old daughter There are certain people in this world who soften me when I look at them. My daughter Marie Claire is one of them. Maybe it’s her rosy cheeks. Or her starry eyes. Or her lyrical voice as sweet as honey that reminds me of a fairy. Then again, it could be what I know about Marie Claire that isn’t readily apparent. Like how kind, tenderhearted and compassionate she is. How she knows what to say to a friend who’s been hurt by another child. How she listens before she speaks and often makes remarks that make me think, “Wow, that’s really wise.” Clearly, there are many qualities that I admire and love about my girl. But if I had to pick a favorite, I’d choose her joyful spirit. It doesn’t take much to make Marie Claire happy. It really is the simple things — like having a dance party in the kitchen, or jumping on the trampoline with friends — that make her radiate. I want her to keep that light. I want her confidence and self-esteem to last for years to come. Where Marie Claire is now, fast approaching her 10th birthday, is the sweet spot before adolescence. As I think about what typically happens to girls in adolescence — how their confidence and self-esteem often begin to erode starting around fifth grade — I want to hug my baby tight, reaffirm who she is, and point her to the truth. Because only the truth can help her as she wrestles with life’s big questions and finds her place in this world. The first decade of Marie Claire’s life was major, and this next decade will be, too. From age 10 to age 20, she’ll evolve from childhood to womanhood. It’s crazy and hard to fathom

that these changes are even normal, because in my eyes she’ll always be the little girl who loves to dress up, play pranks and spray her bedroom with aromas from Bath & Body Works. Following are 10 things I want Marie Claire to know as she enters this next decade. 1. It’s OK to grow up at your own pace. It’s good to take your time and do what’s right for YOU. Our world pushes girls to the fast track. It wants you to paint your face with makeup, dress in revealing clothes and aim to look 20 when you’re really 13. Why? Because believing you need embellishments to look beautiful and desirable will make you buy whatever people sell. It’s a selﬁsh ploy, and I hope you see through it. I hope you trust your instincts and remember that the best part of your appearance — the one that ultimately sets you apart — is the light that shines from within. It costs nothing, yet it’s worth everything. As Anne Lamott says, “Joy is the best makeup.” 2. Being a leader sometimes means standing alone. It means making a brave choice nobody else is making, like sticking up for the kid being teased or avoiding a party where there’s sure to be trouble. 3. Nothing ruins a friendship faster than jealousy and competition. So when you’re jealous of a friend or secretly trying to one-up her, pray to get your heart in the right place. Remember that what’s good for your friend is good for you because you’re both on the same team. 4. Feeling different is completely normal. We all feel different because we are different. God created you uniquely so you can serve your generation like no one in the universe has ever served before. Rather than wish to be like

everyone else, look for ways in which your authenticity can be used for His purpose. 5. Every choice has a consequence, and the choices you make today impact the opportunities you’ll have tomorrow. While making positive choices (like working hard in school) will open doors down the road, making negative choices (like failing to apply yourself) will close doors. Whatever choices you make, be prepared to live with them. 6. Be kind to everyone, but distance yourself from negativity. Trust your gut instincts when you feel like a friend or group you spend time with would drop you in a heartbeat or purposely leave you out, because these instincts are usually correct. 7. Knowing who is good for you — and who isn’t good for you — is the key to healthy relationships. While good relationships give you the courage to be yourself, toxic relationships crush your spirit. They cause more stress, tears and drama than genuine joy, laughter and happiness. Learning to recognize when a relationship isn’t working — and having the courage to walk away when the warning signs appear — is an important life skill to develop. 8. There’s no such thing as a perfect friend or perfect relationship. While you should have standards for the people you allow in your innermost circle — expecting a certain level of trust and respect — you should also leave room for grace and forgiveness. All of us make mistakes and occasionally hurt the people we love. Don’t give up on a friend just because they messed up or did one thing you don’t agree with. 9. The best way to build conﬁdence is to challenge yourself and accomplish a goal

outside your comfort zone that forces you to stretch, grow, and master new skills. 10. Not everyone deserves a voice in your life. Not everyone has opinions worth your time and attention. When deciding whether to listen to a person, ask yourself this: Do I respect this individual? Do they have a history of making good choices in their own life? Do they genuinely love me? Do they care about my future? If I had a big decision to make, would I seek their counsel? Do they draw me closer to God and enhance my relationship with Him? If you answer No to any question, then think twice before taking their words or advice to heart. Most of all, Marie Claire, I hope you always remember how unconditionally loved you are. As much as your daddy and I love you, your heavenly Father loves you even more. He’s the only true expert of you, for only God has known since the beginning of time who you are, why you exist and what you were born to do. Happy 10th birthday, my little ray of sunshine, and thank you for your light. You’re a joy to know and a joy to raise, a sweet blessing in my life for which I am so very, very grateful. Kari Kubiszyn Kampakis is a Mountain Brook mom of four girls, columnist, and blogger for The Hufﬁngton Post. Her newest book, “LIKED: Whose Approval Are You Living For?” releases Nov. 15 and is available for pre-order on Amazon. Her ﬁrst book, “10 Ultimate Truths Girls Should Know,” is available everywhere books are sold. Join Kari’s Facebook community at “Kari Kampakis, Writer,” visit her blog at karikampakis.com or contact her at kari@ karikampakis.com.

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Opinion My South By Rick Watson

The month of October is not for pluviophiles The month of October is not for pluviophiles (people the side and waited. Some of the techniques picked who love rainy days), because it’s one of the driest up in my recent online meditation course came in months in the South. But it’s probably the favorite handy. month of the “philes” who love sunsets, because withInstead of getting all stompy-footy (is that a out rain clouds obscuring the evening skies, the sun word?) and huff up a lung, I sat there and breathed. shows out. I knew my daily walk would be delayed and that daylight was waning, but worse things could be October tantalizes all the senses. Driving home one evening earlier this week, a neighbor was burning happening to me. That lesson became clear a few autumn leaves. I’m not a fan of most kinds of smoke, moments later. but the aroma of burning leaves on the evening breeze An elderly lady who looked gravely ill took a seat is blissful. nearby while one of her grandkids (I’m guessing) A family cookout is on the calendar for my greatstood at the counter and handled the transaction. She nephew Stone’s birthday in a few weeks. We’re doing a was shadow-thin with dark circles under her eyes. Watson It’s hard to know her story, but I feel sure the last chili cook-off in the evening and we’ll eat outside while enjoying the warmth of the fire pit. few months have not been kind to her. She sat there uncomplaining Most years, our apple tree is loaded with fruit that’s at its peak as her gears began slowly turning. in October. The clerks behind the counter were scurrying about trying to work Last year we had a hayride and stopped the wagon beneath the out the kinks in my issue, but rather than have them frazzled and branches of the apple tree so that the kids could stand up and pluck have the lady beside me wait a second longer than necessary, I told softball-sized apples from low-hanging limbs. If you’ve never expe- them I’d call the insurance company later and work out the problem. rienced the sweet juice of a freshly picked apple, you haven’t lived As I turned to walk toward my truck I smiled at my chair-buddy fully. Our tree decided to take this year off, so there’s not a single and said a silent prayer for her. apple that made it through spring and summer. Once home, I grabbed my spider stick and headed out for a short October is not all fun and games, though, because that’s when the walk. flu bug seems to take root. So as a rule, I get a flu shot each October. At one point down close to the barn, the sun, in a last-ditch This year was no different, but when I ran by the local pharmacy effort, threw spears of light through the undergrowth and in those yesterday for the shot, the clerk got a snippy little message on his few moments created a sumac sunset. I thought to myself — only screen that said, “Not Approved.” I was a little perplexed because in October. I’d gotten the shot there last year. Rick Watson is a columnist and author. His latest book, “Life They said no problem, they’d file it another way. It’s easy to grow Changes,” is available on Amazon.com. You can contact him via impatient waiting for the rusty gears of the system to turn, but I sat to email at rick@homefolkmedia.com.

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Real Estate Listings MLS #

Zip

Address

Status

Price

762518

35242

2007 Belvedere Cove

New

$314,900

762600

35242

3275 Broken Bow Drive

New

$229,500

762597

35242

3133 Bradford Place

New

$374,900

762585

35242

3760 Keswick Circle

New

$599,900

762475

35242

3041 Brook Highland Drive

New

$435,000

762382

35242

5626 Crossings View

New

$426,500

762368

35242

4121 Kesteven Drive

New

$429,900

762301

35242

41 Hawthorn Street

New

$369,900

762285

35242

1018 Highland Park Place

New

$385,000

762280

35242

116 North Lake Drive

New

$494,000

762277

35242

217 Highland View Drive

New

$799,900

762593

35242

3321 Brook Highland Circle

New

$300,000

762249

35242

126 Ashford Circle

New

$525,000

762225

35242

392 Woodward Court

New

$949,900

762126

35242

3012 Newbury Circle

New

$399,900

762428

35043

205 Windstone Parkway

New

$230,000

762412

35043

635 Polo Circle

New

$212,830

762409

35043

196 Oaklyn Hills Drive

New

$279,900

762281

35043

1068 Fairbank Lane

New

$149,900

762050

35043

118 Windstone Parkway

New

$270,000

Real estate listings provided by the Birmingham Association of Realtors on Sept. 19. Visit birminghamrealtors.com.

2007 Belvedere Cove

3321 Brook Highland Circle

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280 Living

Calendar 280 Area Events Thursdays: Urban Cookhouse Summit Farmers Market. Summit Shopping Center. 3 p.m.–7 p.m. Visit thesummitonline.com.

Saturdays: Valleydale Farmers Market. 4601 Valleydale Road. 8 a.m.-noon. Visit valleydalefarmersmarket.com.

Thursdays: GriefShare. Faith Presbyterian Church. Thursday nights from 7 p.m.-8:45 p.m. Helping with the loss of a spouse, parent, child or family member. Trained facilitators will guide through difﬁcult experiences. Runs through Dec. 15. $20 registration fee. Visit griefshare.org/ groups/63460.

Sundays through Nov. 13: DivorceCare & DC4K (DivorceCare for Kids). Inverness Vineyard Church, 4733 Valleydale Rd. 1:30 p.m. A special weekly support group and seminar to help deal with the pain of the past and look forward to rebuilding your life. DC4K is a special group (ages 5-12) to help your children heal from the pain caused by a separation or divorce. Visit invernessvineyard.org.

Fridays: Line Dancing Classes. Heardmont Park Senior Center. 10 a.m. intermediate class, 11 a.m. beginner class. Call 988-0171 for information. Fridays: Adult Couples and Singles Rock and Roll and Classic Country Western. 7 p.m. Every fourth Friday night. $5. Featuring Larry Albright Band. Call 205-988-0171 for information. Saturdays: Lee Branch Farmer’s Market. 8 a.m.noon. Kids activities, fresh fruits and vegetables and Alabama artisans and craftsman. Visit facebook. com/themarketplaceatleebranch.

Oct. 1: Chelsea Day. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Celebration of the Arts hosting various vendors and artisans throughout the state with food, family fun, and local entertainment. Oct. 2: Shelby Humane Society’s 10th Annual Bark in the Park. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Veteran’s Park, Alabaster. Vendors, vaccine clinic, adoptable dogs and prizes. Visit shelbyhumane.org. Oct. 4: Greater Shelby Chamber Small Business Mentorship Program. 8 a.m. Greater Shelby County

Chelsea Library Wednesdays: The Tot Spot. 10:30 a.m. 30-minute story time for preschoolers with reading, singing and dancing. Fridays: BYOC (Bring your own crochet/craft). 10 a.m. Oct. 8: Lego Club. 9:30 a.m. For ages 5 and up.

Chamber, Pelham. Visit business.shelbychamber. org.

Work Group. 8:30 a.m. Location varies. Visit shelbychamber.org/beneﬁts/work-groups.

Oct. 5: Greater Shelby Chamber Ambassadors Work Group. 11:30 a.m. Location varies. Visit business.shelbychamber.org.

Oct. 14: Pioneer Con 2016. Health Sciences Bldg. Jeff State Shelby-Hoover Campus. Steampunk crafts, costume contest, student roundtables, food trucks and more. $15, $10 JSCC students with ID, $5 SKD members. Visit jsc-skd.wixsite.com/skdee.

Oct. 5: Greater Shelby Chamber Small Business Work Group. 4 p.m. Location to be determined. Visit business.shelbychamber.org. Oct. 8: Shelby Humane Society’s Paws for the Cause 5K and 1-mile Fun Run/Dog Walk. Veterans Park, Valleydale Road. Visit runsignup.com. Oct. 11: Greater Shelby Chamber Education Work Group. 8:30 a.m. Location varies. Visit shelbychamber.org/beneﬁts/work-groups. Oct. 12: Greater Shelby Chamber Existing Business & Industry Work Group. 8:30 a.m. Location varies. Visit shelbychamber.org/beneﬁts/workgroups. Oct. 14: Greater Shelby Chamber Health Services

Oct. 19: Greater Shelby Chamber Board of Director’s Meeting. 8:15 a.m. Location varies. Visit shelbychamber.org/about-us/ofﬁcer-board. Oct. 27: Greater Shelby Chamber Governmental Work Group. 8:30 a.m. Location varies. Visit shelbychamber.org/beneﬁts/work-groups. Oct. 29: Mt. Laurel and Dunnavant Square Joint communitywide garage sale. 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 30: Trunk or Treat. 5:30-7:30 p.m. Asbury United Methodist Church upper parking lot. For more information, email agongwer@asburyonline. org.

North Shelby Library Kids Mondays: Toddler Tales. 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Stories, songs, ﬁnger plays and crafts make up a lively 30-minute program designed especially for short attention spans. Registration required, and begins one week prior to each story time. Ages 19-36 months. Tuesdays: Baby Storytime. 9:30 a.m.-

10:30 a.m. A story program for ages up to 18 months and a caregiver. Stories, ﬁnger plays, and music provide interaction for the babies and time for caregivers to share with each other. Registration is required. Wednesdays: Family Storytime with Mr. Mac. 10:45 a.m. Family story time is for all ages. Stories, puppets, and lots of music are performed for every member of the family.

Thursdays, Oct. 6 & 13: PJ Storytime. 6:30 p.m. Kids of all ages to come and snuggle up and listen to bedtime stories and have milk and cookies. Oct. 1: Lego Club. 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. All ages welcome. October 4 & 18: Baby Tales. 10 a.m. Story time designed especially for babies and their

280Living.com caregivers. Ages: Birth to 18 months. Registration required. Oct. 8: Star Wars Reads Day. Drop in Star Wars craft anytime between 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 11: Picture Book Club. 10 a.m. Stories, games, crafts, and snacks featuring a different favorite book character each month. All ages welcome. Registration required. Oct. 14: Pumpkin Painting Workshop. 4 p.m. Bring your own pumpkin. All ages welcome. Registration required. Oct. 20: Tween Halloween Party. 6 p.m. For ages 8-13. Spooky stories, fun, and food. Registration

October 2016 • C25 required. Oct. 21: Homeschool Hangout. 1 p.m. Chew on This: Monster Mouths. Dr. Richard Baxter of Shelby Pediatric Dentistry discusses dental care. Ages 7-12. Registration required. Oct. 31: Trick-or-Treat at the Library. Stop by each department in the library for allergy-safe treats and goodies. Costumes welcome. Teens Fridays: Open Gaming. 3 p.m.-5:45 pm. Gaming, including Wii, XBOX ONE, board and card games and Minecraft. Teens need a parent permission slip on ﬁle to attend.

Mt Laurel Library Fridays, Oct. 7 & 21: Toddler Tales. 10 a.m. Storytime for ages 19-36 months.

Oct. 8: Star Wars Reads Day. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Drop in for a Star Wars craft.

Fridays, Oct. 7 & 21: All Ages Storytime with Ms. Kristy. 11 a.m. Stories, music and more for all members of the family.

Oct. 15: Crafty Saturday. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. All ages with parent help.

Oct. 6: Mt. Laurel Book Club. 7 p.m. Discussing The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton.

Oct. 18: Mt. Laurel Picture Book Club. 4 p.m. Celebrating books by Eric Carle.

St. Vincent’s One Nineteen Oct. 1: Lupus Support Group. 10 a.m.-noon. This group supporting lupus patients and their families will meet the first Saturday of every month. This month, a discussion will take place on managing holiday stress. Call 1-877-865-8787 for more information. Mondays: Next Chapter Book Club/ Greystone Chapter, starting September 12. 4:30-5:30 p.m. The Next Chapter Book Club (NCBC) offers weekly opportunities for people with developmental disabilities to read and learn together, talk about books and make friends in a relaxed, community setting. The current book the group is reading is The Never Ending Story by Michael Ende. For more information, please visit: facebook.com/nextchapterbookclubgreystonechapter. Wednesdays: Wellness Wednesdays. Stop by the Fitness Center for the following events: October 5: Workout of the Day/Sample Group Training; October 12: Dr. Andrew Bartlett from Alabama Vision; October 19: Healthy Halloween; October 26: Spooky Spa Specials. Wednesdays: Baby Café. 10 a.m.-noon. We invite breastfeeding moms to join us for our lactation support group meeting. Moms will have the opportunity to meet with a lactation consultant, as well as network with other breastfeeding moms. This event is free, and registration is not required. Oct. 11: Blood Pressure/Body Mass Index Screening. 8-11:30 a.m. A representative from Wellness Services will be screening for blood pressure and BMI in the front entrance. These screenings are free. Oct. 12: Viva Medicare Me. 10 a.m. Information on a Medicare Advantage plan called St. Vincent’s VIVA MEDICARE Me will be presented in this session. Come and find out more during this open enrollment period. To register, please call 1-800633-1542. Oct. 17: Breakfast with the Doc – Treatment and Management of Dry Eye. 8-9:00 a.m. Join Andrew Bartlett, MD, an ophthalmologist with Alabama Vision and Hearing Center, an ophthalmologist with Alabama Vision and Hearing Center, as he discusses the latest innovative treatment options now available for Dry Eye and Blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelid). Bring your questions and enjoy a light breakfast. This event is free, but please call to register 408-6550. Oct. 19: Walk and Talk. 9-9:30 a.m. Have a burning food or nutrition question? Join one of our dietitians, Donna Sibley, RDN for a walk and ask questions related to healthy food choices, shopping, cooking and more. Meet at the Fitness Desk at 9 a.m. We will walk the outdoor trail or indoor track depending on weather.

Oct. 20: Tiny Tot Chef Club. 9-10 a.m. This fun tot class for three to four year olds will feature some fall treats that aren’t too sweet. The cost is $10 per child, with an eight child minimum. Please call 4086550 for reservations. Oct. 20: Cuisine at One Nineteen. 6-7:30 p.m. Enjoy the flavors of the Middle East from Eli’s Jerusalem Grill. Eli himself will be preparing authentic, old-world fare. Bring a friend and a bottle of wine and enjoy a relaxing evening. Call 408-6550 to register. The cost is $25 per person. Oct. 21 & Nov. 30: Medicare Educational Meeting. October 21, 10 a.m.-noon. November 30, 1-3 p.m. Blue Cross/Blue Shield will hold a meeting to inform customers about senior products. This meeting is open to the public and free of charge, but please register by calling 1-888-346-1946. DISCLAIMER: The person discussing Medicare plan options is employed with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama and will be conducting a sales meeting to present Blue Advantage, Blue Rx, and C Plus. Plan information and applications will be available. Blue advantage is a Medicare Approved PPO plan. Blue Rx is a Regional Medicare Prescription Drug plan. C Plus is a Medicare Supplement Select Plan B. Oct. 22: Fall Cooking a Tasting at the Farmer’s Market. 9 a.m.-noon. Join our dieticians Donna and Jessica at the Lee Branch Farmer’s Market where they will be featuring fall vegetable recipes with adult and children’s offerings. This event is free. Oct. 24: Comfort Foods Made Healthy. 11 a.m.noon. With cooler weather, comfort food is often on the menu. Comfort foods don’t have to go to your waistline. Join chef and Registered Dietitian Jessica Ivey as she demonstrates how to make healthier foods for your fall and winter table. The cost is $12 per person for tasting and recipes. Please call 4086550 for your reservations. Oct. 25: Comprehensive Diabetes Education. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. If you have diabetes or are at risk, this seminar is a must. A physician’s referral is required. Pre-assessments are given preceeding the class time. To register, please call 939-7248. Oct. 25: Wellness Screenings. 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. To stay abreast of your numbers, cholesterol, blood glucose, blood pressure, BMI and waist circumference screenings will be held by appointment. Results and interpretation in fifteen minutes with a simple finger stick. The cost is $20 for members and non-members. Call 408-6550 to register. Oct. 27: Thyme to Cook. 4-6 p.m. Dinner 6-6:45 p.m. The cost is $25 per child. Enjoy dinner with your young chef at 6 p.m. for $5 per family member with an advanced reservation. Please call 408-6550 by October 25 to register.

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Area Events Oct. 1: Broadway Night at the Cabaret. RMTC Cabaret Theatre. 7:30 p.m. Some of Broadway’s best perform. Tickets start at $20. Visit redmountaintheatre.org. Oct. 1: “The Truth” About Breast Cancer Comedy Tour. 7 p.m. Featuring Carla “The Truth” Youngblood. Historic Carver Theater. $15. Visit keepyoulaughing. com. Oct. 1: 14th Annual Fiesta Birmingham. 12 p.m.8 p.m. Linn Park. Presenting the best of Hispanic art, music, food and dance. $10. Visit ﬁestabirmingham.com.

Free admission. Visit alysstephens.org. Oct. 6: Birmingham Art Crawl. 5 p.m.-9 p.m. Meet local artists and performers. Free. Visit birminghamartcrawl.com Oct. 7-8: Alabama Symphony Orchestra EBSCO Masterworks Series. 8 p.m. Performing Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony. Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center. $25-$74. Visit alabamasymphony.org. Oct. 7-9: 12th Annual Barber Vintage Festival. 8 a.m.-1 p.m. daily. $25. Visit barbermotorsports.com.

Oct. 1: Bark in the Park. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Veteran’s Park, Alabaster. Free admission. Visit shelbyhumane.org.

Oct. 8: Southeastern Outings Dayhike. 10 a.m. Bucks Pocket State Park. Depart 10:00 a.m. from the Food Giant parking lot in Pinson. For information, call 205-631-4680.

Oct. 1-2: Monty Python’s SPAMALOT. Virginia Samford Theatre. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. $15-$30. Visit virginiasamfordtheatre.org.

Oct. 8-9: Tannehill Woodcarvers Show. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park. $3$5. Visit tannehill.org/events.

Oct. 1-2: Alabama Ballet at Home. Alabama Ballet Center for Dance. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. $20. Visit alabamaballet.org.

Oct. 8-9: Alabama Gun Collectors Association Fall Show. BJCC Exhibition Halls. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. $9 adults, 12 and under free.

Oct. 1-2: Southern Women’s Show. BJCC Exhibition Halls. Fashion shows, celebrity appearances, food sampling and more. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. $8 advance, $10 at the door. Visit southernshows.com. Oct. 2: Fry-Down. 12 p.m.-4 p.m. Railroad Park. Fundraiser for the Cahaba River Society. $20 donation all you can eat catﬁsh. 12 and under, free. Visit frydown.com.

Oct. 8-31: Boo at the Zoo. 5 p.m.-9 p.m. Birmingham Zoo. Visit birminghamzoo.om for more information. Oct. 9: Vulcan AfterTunes: Big Sam’s Funky Nation with Tragic city. 2:30 p.m. Vulcan Park and Museum. $15. Visitvulcan.com.

Oct. 2: Southeastern Outings Sunday Afternoon Dayhike. 1 p.m. Hargis YMCA Retreat, Chelsea. Easy 4-mile hike. For information, call 205-317-5868

Oct. 9: Southeastern Outings Second Sunday Dayhike in Oak Mountain State Park. 1 p.m. Moderate 4 mile walk. Park admission: $5/person adults ($2 seniors over age 62 and children age 4-11) For information, call 205-317-5868.

Oct. 3: BAO Bingo. Birmingham Aids Outreach. 7 p.m. $15 for 5 games. Visit birminghamaidsoutreach.org.

Oct. 14: Black Jacket Symphony performing The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust. 8 p.m. Alys Stephens enter. $45.50. Visit alysstephens.org.

Oct. 6: Tiempo Libre. 7 p.m. Alys Stephens Center.

Oct. 15: Southeastern Outings Dayhike. 9 a.m.

Chief Ladiga Trail, Piedmont. Easy 7-mile dayhike and picnic. Depart 9:00 a.m. from Applebee’s Trussville or meet 10:30 a.m. at the Piedmont Civic Center. For information, call 205-764-2989. Oct. 15: Susan G. Komen North Central Alabama Race for the Cure. 8 a.m. 5K/1 mile walk. Visit komencnalabama.org. Oct. 15: Barktoberfest. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Helena Ampitheater. Presented by Two by Two Rescue. Kid zone, pet adoptions, live music and more. Visit twobytworescue.com.

Oct. 22: Walk with Compassion. 9 a.m. Railroad Park. Walk to end child poverty. Visit walkwithcompassion.com. Oct. 22: Postmodern Jukebox. 8 p.m. Alabama Theatre. $50-$103. Visit alabamatheatre.com Oct. 23: Newsboys Love Riot Tour. 6 p.m. BJCC Concert Hall. $27. Visit newsboys.com. Oct. 23: Vulcan AfterTunes: Amanda Shires with Jesse Payne. 1 p.m.-6 p.m. Vulcan Park. Visitvulcan.com

Oct. 15: Sadie Robertson: Live Original Tour. 7 p.m. $20-$49. Visit alabamatheatre.com/events.

Oct. 23: David Sedaris. 7 p.m. Alys Stephens Center. $48-$68. Visit alysstephenscenter.org.

Oct. 16: Tannehill Trade Days. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park. $3-$5. Visit tannehill.org/events.

Oct. 25: Alabama Symphony Orchestra concertmaster & Friends Series: The Five Senses a Tango celebration with Raul Jaurena. 7:30 p.m. Brock Recital Hall, Samford University. $32. Visitalabamasymphony.org.

Oct. 16: Love Jones: The Musical. 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. $48.75-$78.75. Visit lovejonesthemusical.com. Oct. 20: Trailer Park Boys. 7:30 p.m. Alabama Theatre. $27.50-$45. For mature audiences. Visit emporiumpresents.com. Oct. 20-23: Disney on Ice: Dream Big. Legacy Arena at the BJCC. Thursday and Friday, 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m., 2 p.m., 7:30 p.m. Sunday 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. $15-$80. Visit disneyonice.com. Oct. 21: Nick Lowe. Forum Theater at the BJCC. 8 p.m. $32. Visit ncklowe.com. Oct. 21-22: Alabama Symphony Orchestra EBSCO Masterworks Series. 8 p.m. Alys Stephens Center. $25-$74. Visit alabamasymphony.org Oct. 21-23: Alabama 500 Weekend. Talladega Superspeedway. 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Satuday, Fred’s 250 NASCAR Camping Word Truck Series. Sunday, Sprint up Series. Visit talladegasuperspeedway.com

Oct. 27-29: Men Are From Mars Women Are From Venus Live! Forum Theatre, BJCC. 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 4 p.m. Saturday. $52. Visit marsvenuslive.om. Oct. 28: Alabama Symphony Orchestra Red Diamond SuperPops! Series. 7 p.m. $10-$60. Visit alabamasymphony.org. Oct. 28: Del McCoury Band with David Grisman. 8 p.m. $48-$67. Visit alysstephens.org. Oct. 28-30: Bonnie & Clyde. Dorothy Jemison Day Theatre. Presented by the Alabama Ballet. 7:30 p.m. Friday, 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday. $25-$45. Visit alabamaballet. org. Oct. 29: A Social Christmas Bazaar. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Pelham Civic Complex. Oct. 29: 75th Annual Magic City Classic. Alabama State v. Alabama A&M. 2:30 p.m. Visit magiccitylassic.com.

280Living.com

October 2016 â&#x20AC;¢ C27

Time after time…We’re loyal to Royal. Don’t get us wrong, change can be great; here’s looking at you, GPS and seat heaters. It’s just that things happen so fast now, even change itself feels routine. We’ve got updates for our updates and it isn’t news if the next story isn’t one click away. That in mind, what you drive will eventually change too. When it seems like the only constant in this world is change, sometimes the most refreshing thing is to come back to the things you know will always be the same. For over 40 years, Royal has maintained an exceptional standard of service and care for the Birmingham community. We know that’s why generations of families keep coming back. Whether you’re shopping for your first car from Royal or your seventeenth, we’ll be here, treating people right.

(205) 823-3100 · www.royalautomotive.net 3010 Columbiana Rd · At the Corner of I-65 and Highway 31 in Vestavia