280 Living June 2018

June 2018 | Volume 11 | Issue 10

280LIVING.COM

THE 280 CORRIDOR’S COMMUNITY NEWS SOURCE

TROUBLE MAKERS Tragic City’s junior roller derby team looks to make its mark

By AL Y X CHAN D L ER or ragic City rouble aker Brianna armley, known in the rink as idin erby, competing on a roller derby team has been has been on her radar ever since she watched her first bout. s soon as my mom mentioned it to me, was ready and wanted to go play, said armley, who is 1 years old and attends Chelsea igh School. e actually got skates that week. ragic City rouble aker ead Coach achel allin, who also goes by oad ach, said that unlike some of the other girls who recently oined Birmingham s only unior roller derby team, armley is a bit ahead of the game. any of the girls are still in the process of learning to skate. t sounds cra y, but it s fun to watch them fall the right way, said allin, who is also a ayden igh School teacher. hey re little sponges, really taking it all in. tell them they come in and train ust like adults do.

So far, the unior league is made up of around girls in the efferson

See ROLLER DERBY | page A29 Brianna Parmley smiles at the edge of the rink before a roller derby practice April 25. The junior roller derby group, known as the Trouble Makers, meets every Wednesday evening at Skates 280. Photo by Sarah Finnegan.

re-Sort Standard U.S. Postage PAID upelo, S ermit

RPCGB principal planner Lindsay Puckett gives a presentation at the April CBA luncheon.

Puckett is working with Chelsea to develop an overlay district for B-2 properties in the city. Photo by Erica Techo.

Chelsea considers US 280 overlay district

By ERICA TECHO riving down .S. 280, it can be difficult to tell the difference between oover, Birmingham, efferson County and Shelby County. But Chelsea wants to make sure drivers know when they have entered city limits. he city took the first step toward cultivating a distinct look on the 280 corridor in ebruary when it entered a contract with the egional lanning Commission of reater Birmingham to create an overlay district on a portion of .S.

INSIDE

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

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Events ................. A24 Sports ................... B4

280. n overlay district is an additional set of oning regulations which is placed over the existing base z oning district. n this case, the overlay district will apply to the general business district, or B-2, parcels in Chelsea. n a map of the city, those 12 parcels totaling 81 acres line the main drag along U.S. 280. hile the general business district is only around . percent of the total city limits, the

Business Spotlight ... B14 School House ...... C4

See DISTRICT | page A30 Community ......... C10 Calendar .............. C21 facebook.com/280Living

Dream come true

Back to work

Spain Park alumnus Josh Magette enjoys success in the NBA.

Jefferson State Community College’s Back to Work 50+ program guides career changes after 50.

See page B1

See page B12

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About Us Editor’s Note By Erica Techo Don’t forget: Alabama primary elections will take place June 5.

Y ou probably read about them in our May issue of the paper, along with our list of races that would affect the 280 Living coverage area, but it’s important to keep that date in mind.

There are several races that only have Republican candidates on the ticket, meaning that if you want to make sure your voice is heard, you’ll need to vote in the primary.

Growing up, my family did not talk that much about politics, but I remember how important it was to vote. N o matter the number of races on the ticket, my parents would make sure to head to the polls. A lot of times, this meant my mom had all three of us kids in tow and would convince the volunteer at the end to give each of us a sticker.

Then, in college, the importance of voting was re-emphasiz ed. I was a political science major and

saw the models of how few people turn out to vote in midterm elections and how fewer will make it to the polls during the primary.

People tend to feel like their vote will not have much of an impact, but elections — like the one coming up in June and then in N ovember — are a good counter to that concern.

Sometimes, it’s easy to feel distant from what’s going on in W ashington, D.C., but I want to encourage you to fight that distance this month. on t let it discourage you from voting in races that can directly affect your community, your schools and your state.

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Inverness Elementary School kindergartener Bailey Harris cruises by as his classmates cheer him on a ter rece g s c sto e g eer g st e ts t t e ers t o la a a o t tte t e small electric car with a specialized driving system for Bailey, 7, who lives with Roberts Syndrome, to operate with the use of his left foot. The car will allow Bailey to navigate around the school more independently. Photo by Sarah Finnegan.

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280 News

Chelsea appoints Crystal Etheredge as new city clerk

By ERICA TECHO The city of Chelsea had a new face at its May 15 council meeting.

Crystal Etheredge took minutes at the pre-council and regular council meetings prior to her name appearing in a resolution on the budget. Etheredge was one of about 30 candidates who applied to be city clerk for Chelsea following the retirement of Becky Landers, said Mayor Tony Picklesimer. At Tuesday’s meeting, a resolution to appoint her to the position was unanimously approved. She will take over duties as city clerk from Gerri Roberts, who was appointed as interim city clerk on April 9.

Following the approval of the resolution, Picklesimer said he was appreciative of Etheredge’s experience and work ethic, which she will bring to the job.

Etheredge served as court clerk/magistrate in the city of Piedmont from 2002-08 and as city clerk in the city of Headland from 200814, respectively, according to her LinkedIn page. She also served as accounting officer for Hughes Construction Services LLC from 201417 and as payroll administrator for Machen McChesney — CPAs and Business Advisors since 2017.

Etheredge has a bachelor’s degree in psychology/criminal justice from Troy State University and a master’s degree in public administration with business concentration from Jacksonville State University.

“I just really have a passion for the job. I love working with people, and I was just excited to get back in it,” Etheredge said. “... It was, I think, the Lord working in mysterious ways.

I had been wanting to get back in municipal government, and it was just one of those things that fell in my lap.”

Picklesimer said after his interview with

The Chelsea City Council voted to appoint Crystal Etheredge, left, as the new city clerk during its May 15 meeting. Photo by Erica Techo.

Etheredge, the references he followed up with were “glowing” and that he believes she will take the job to a new level within the city. Etheredge officially started in the position ay 21.

“I’m just really thankful for the opportunity,” she said, adding that she looks forward to settling into the job and seeing if there are any ideas she can bring to the table.

The meeting’s brief agenda also included a resolution regarding unused sick leave. By approving the resolution, full-time city employees will now be able to convert their unused sick leave to retirement service credit, Picklesimer said. He said, too, it could be an incentive

for city employees and to encourage people to come and work for the city.

Also at the meeting, the council: ► eard from three candidates seeking office in Shelby County, including atrick ennedy, who is running for Shelby County Circuit Court Judge; Dickie Drake, who is running for re-election as Alabama State Representative for District 45; and Joe Starnes, who is running for Shelby County Probate Judge. ► eard an update from ana olk regarding the Chelsea Public Library. The library’s new location opened six weeks ago, and Polk said “we have been extremely busy.” They have

issued 165 new library cards in the last six weeks and circulated more than 9,500 items in April, she said. She also discussed the library’s summer activities, including a new Hands-On Thursday which will take place weekly from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. starting June 14. ► eard from ony Nivens regarding the Chelsea istorical Society. Nivens mentioned that the new Chelsea Historical Museum is set to have a grand opening June 10. The celebration will also act as an Alabama bicentennial and the 110th anniversary since the post office came to Chelsea. ► oted to pay the city s bills.

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Shelby County voters will see something new at the polls during the June 5 primary — an iPad for check-in. This addition of technology will help streamline the check-in process and shorten lines, said Probate Judge Jim Fuhrmeister. Photo by Sarah Finnegan.

Voters to use new iPad sign-in technology at June 5 primaries

By ERICA TECHO Check-in at the June 5 election primaries is going to look a little different this year.

Rather than typical pen and paper, poll workers will use electronic poll books to check-in voters. The new system uses iPads with a barcode scanner, Shelby County Probate Judge Jim Fuhrmeister said, which will scan the voter’s driver’s license or ID and pull up their voter information, including their name, address and, in the case of run-off elections, which party they voted for in the primary.

Legislation regarding crossover voting, Fuhrmeister said, led the county to start pursuing new voter technology.

“If a voter voted in one of the party primaries, they could not crossover and vote in the other party’s runoff election,” Fuhrmeister said regarding the legislation. “So we really had to start keeping up with what party the voter voted for in the primary and make sure they didn’t cross over in the runoff.”

V oters can choose candidates from either party in the general election, regardless of their votes in the primary. This extra step in the primary, he said, was going to be a burden on poll workers, slow down check-in lines and lead to a potential for human error, so they pursued what technologies were available. fter finding an electronic poll book option, the county used the new system at one voting precinct in 2016. This served as a test run, Fuhrmeister said, and it went better than expected.

“The voters and the poll workers were just really craz y about it,” Fuhrmeister said. “They just thoroughly enjoyed it.”

Initial concerns included training the poll workers on a new technology, but he said the program used for check-in is intuitive and volunteers were able to pick it up easily. And while sign-in will no longer use pen and paper, Fuhrmeister said polling places will continue to use paper ballots and the same voting machines people are used to seeing.

Instead of breaking down check-in by last name, polling locations will have the same number of lines as they have iPads, and voters can go to any line. After having their scanned by the i ad, the voter will confirm that the information on the screen is correct, the poll worker will confirm the photo matches the person receiving a ballot, and the voter will “sign” on the screen. They will get a small printed receipt, and the voter will exchange that for a paper ballot.

Fuhrmeister said they expect the check-in process to move more qui ckly with the use of these iPads. They expect to reduce the number of poll workers at that part of the process and instead increase the number of poll workers in the area where voters fill out their ballots. think that the voters are going to find that it’s really going to make the voting process easier for them,” Fuhrmeister said.

Communication between county officials and polling locations will also be simpler, he said. The iPads have a “central command” that connects to the probate office. hile it does not show individual voters by name, the Chief

Probate Judge Jim Fuhrmeister speaks to the Shelby County Commission on Feb. 26.

At the meeting, the commission approved the purchase of new voter check-in technology. Photo by Erica Techo.

Clerk will be able to check that all iPads are up and running on election day. She will also receive communications if there is an issue or shortage of supply at precincts.

“If an issue occurs at a precinct, they can basically text message the probate office, Fuhrmeister said.

These problems could include anything from running short on ballots or pens to a security issue, he said, and can easily be sent to the probate office and then communicated with others around the county, including Shelby County Sheriff’s deputies who are patrolling the polling places. e can resolve any issues that come up more efficiently and more quickly, he said.

If someone is at the wrong polling place, Fuhrmeister said the iPads can help in that instance as well. The voter information will include the proper polling location, and poll workers can inform voters of that address and provide directions through the new system, Fuhrmeister said.

The Shelby County Commission was very receptive to the new technology, Fuhrmeister said, even though it was not an “inexpensive item.” Initially, the county had concerns with the fact that there was state legislation regarding prevention of crossover voting, but no funding was provided to address those issues.

Funding has since opened up, however, which Fuhrmeister said means “Shelby County is not going to take the financial hit that we originally thought we would.”

The bid price awarded by the commission in February was $171,0 00 for the necessary software and hardware. hile there will be annual maintenance agreements to keep the systems up to date, Fuhrmeister said the hardware — meaning the iPads — is expected to last several years.

“These iPads are going to be used at election time, and then they’re stored in our secure election facility until the next election,” Fuhrmeister said. “So they don’t get nearly the use that my iPad or your iPad might on a daily basis.”

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280 Living

Commission OKs Buckhorn Valley Estates master plan

By L EX I COON The Buckhorn V alley Estates master plan was approved at the May 7 meeting for the Shelby County Planning Commission.

The plan looks at what is currently Buckhorn Ranch, which sits along the east side of Cahaba V alley Road adjacent to the Stone Bridge and Eagle Point subdivision. The working farm is approximately 110 acres, and under the master plan, will contain 18 lots ranging in siz e between 3.7 and 5.5 acres.

Buckhorn Ranch is z oned A-1, or agriculture residential district, which dictates that each residential lot must be at least one acre in siz e. The z oning will not change under the subdivision.

Senior Planner Sharman Brooks said there are three “distinct areas of topography” within the property: a lowland flood plain area towards the front of the property near Cahaba V alley Road; a midland area in the middle of the property; and ridge tops located just west of the Eagle Point subdivision. Brooks said the midland would be best suited for developments.

The total development area of the master plan is about 77 acres. The remaining acreage is exempt from the master plan and while future development may occur, there are no plans for it at this time, Brooks said.

Skipper Consulting performed a traffic study for the area and said the proposed development

Senior Planner Sharman Brooks discusses the newly-approved subdivsion at the current Buckhorn Ranch along the east side of Cahaba Valley Road adjacent to the Stone Bridge and Eagle Point subdivision. Photo by Lexi Coon.

has adeq uate access via Bridge Lane and Bridge Drive to Cahaba V alley Road, although Brooks said the plan proposes to extend Ridge Lane to end in a 2,400-foot cul-de-sac. Because of the siz e of the development, sidewalks are not requi red.

Commissioner Bob Land pointed out if there is a need for interconnectivity amongst the subdivisions in the area in the future, any possible roadways would be expensive to construct and could affect the existing traffic report.

The subdivision will be within the N orth Shelby fire district and will required three fire hydrants, Brooks said. Each plat will be serviced by Birmingham W ater W orks and have

its own septic tank. Any children within the development will attend Oak Mountain schools.

Because the property is located in the Cahaba River Basin, it will be subject to MS4 permit req uirements later in the subdivision process when individual plat plans are assessed.

Charlie Beavers, representative of the family, said, “The family is very pleased with this development and very proud of it.” Family members were present for the presentation and no one spoke in opposition of the subdivision.

The Planning Commission passed the master plan 5-0, with both Amy Smith and Michael O’K elley absent.

The Planning Commission passed two

additional cases: ► Case No. SN18-003, from property owner Shirley Bailey to approve a final plat to resubdivide lot one of Bailey subdivision into two residential lots, adding acreage that was not originally part of the subdivision. The property is located at 8048 and 8142 Shelby County 55. ► Case No. Z18-002, from property owners John and Jane Ellison, for approval to change the z one district boundaries from R-1 single family district to A-1 agricultural district for about 2.35 acres to allow for the construction of an accessory structure in their front yard.

The property is located at 10 Southern Magnolia Lane.

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June 2018 • A9

rones to be prohibited over .S.

omen s pen Shelby County Manager Alex Dudchock speaks during the May 14 Shelby County Commission meeting. Photo

by Erica Techo.

By ERICA TECHO W ith the date of the U.S. W omen’s Open golf tournament nearing, the Shelby County Commission approved an extra step of security at its first meeting in ay. he commission voted ay 1 to approve a resolution prohibiting drones from being flown in the vicinity of the Shoal Creek golf course during the time of the tournament. ccording to the resolution, which was unanimously approved by the commission, any “unmanned aerial aircraft, unmanned aerial air system, model aircraft or any aerial aircraft that is operated without the possibility of human intervention directly within the aircraft without direct and written permission from the United States Golf Association is prohibited within a two-mile radius and within 300 feet of the ground at 100 New illiamsburg rive, Shoal Creek. he dates of this no drone one are from ay 28 through une 3.

Shelby County Sheriff ohn Samaniego said this restriction was requested as a security precaution during the golf tournament, which will bring in golfers from around the globe and is expected to be a very large event. e ve got 1 golfers from 3 different countries coming into Shelby County, so we are all hands on deck at the Sheriff s ffice providing the security there, and we thank the commission for the help they ve given us, Samaniego said.

The commission also heard updates regarding road work that is planned throughout the county. County Engineer Randy Cole started off by saying he had good news and bad news regarding paving in the county.

The company set to complete the paving pro ects for this fiscal year will not start work for another month, Cole said, which was the bad news. he good news, however, was the reason for the delay, he said. The same company is

completing the paving work along nterstate , and while that s not a county pro ect, we ll all directly benefit from that, Cole said, which was the good news.

Cole also announced a project that the city of Chelsea is planning. The railroad crossing at Shelby County 3 near Shelby County 11 is set to be closed down at some point this summer, Cole said, which will eliminate a dangerous cut through. That area is under the city of Chelsea s urisdiction, so they will be handling the project, he said. hat is a giant safety improvement. want to publicly commend the mayor and the council for taking that step that is going to significantly improve the safety out there, Cole said. n 200 , Sterrett resident annah eager,

1 , was killed at that intersection after a train collided with the S she was in. ive other students were in ured in the accident.

Also at the meeting, the commission: ► eard from three candidates who will be on the une ballot, including Stella ipton for probate udge, ewis Brooks for Shelby County Schools superintendent and avid arren for Shelby County coroner. ► pproved the minutes from the pril 23 commission meeting, as well as bills, requisitions, check register – government funds and proprietary funds. ► warded bids for water service and highway materials. ► roclaimed National Stepping p ay, a nationwide initiative which addresses the prevalence of people who have mental illness in

ails and recogni es counties who are taking steps to address that issue. A representative of the National lliance on ental llness was present at the meeting and thanked the commission and the sheriff s office for their work in addressing mental illness within the county, as well as preparing law enforcement officers and first responders through Crisis ntervention Training. ► iscussed other tourism events, including the upcoming Regions Tradition. County anager lex udchock said he encouraged individuals to keep an eye for digital signs that will direct them to the appropriate parking locations. The area that has been used for parking in the past is now under construction for the attersall ark commercial development.

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280 Living

OMSP director credits new park amenities for rise in visitors Families hang out on the beach at the front of Oak Mountain State Park on May 12.

The park has added several amenities in the last few years and has seen attendance increase.

Photo by Erica Techo.

By ERICA TECHO uring the past five years, ak ountain State ark has seen a significant increase in visitors, with a nearly 200,000 ump from 2013 to 201 . ark irector elly ell credits the addition of amenities for the change. e have partnered with the county to make some improvements: the new beach at Beaver ake, new fishing piers and a new swimming pier, ell said, noting pro ects that were completed in time for the summer of 201 . think those things have had a positive impact on visitation . catalyst for additional features near the park s back entrance in 201 was shifting park usage to new areas. ast year, they saw many more people in a traditionally underutili ed part of the park, ell said. e definitely saw more people who were utili ing that beach in the back area, ell said, regarding 201 . hen it was crowded here at the front beach , they d go back there. ell said the park has also benefited from the 201 passage of mendment 2, which allowed state parks to keep the money they make through entrance fees and other means. t s made it where we keep the money we make, and we re able to invest it back in the park, and we ve done some really good things with that money, she said. hose funds have gone toward building improvements and changes to park infrastructure that ell said would have been impossible before. t also allows the park to partner with Shelby County more frequently, which has led to the construction of new bathhouses, road improvements and other changes. ith each pro ect, ell said, they hope to expand their reach into the community. his park in particular has a lot of local users, ell said. e still have folks who come from out of state. e have a lot of folks who come to the area and stay at the park or

“

We definitely saw more people who were utilizing that beach in the back area [in 2017].

KELLY EZELL

stay outside the park and use the park, but we have a very large user group that s local. n ay 2018, hase 1 of a bike lane widening pro ect in the park was set to wrap up, making the roadway safe for bikers and cars at

the same time, ell said. he Birmingham area has a large biking community, which made the bike lanes a priority. t s ust such a big sport here. eople en oy it so much, she said. he park has also added amenities that help reach other groups. hey have improved the cable wakeboarding area, reopened the stable and guided horseback trail rides, added an archery course and have the labama ildlife Center and the ak ountain nterpretive Center for those who want to have a hands-on wildlife learning experience. think that ak ountain State ark offers an avenue for everybody to be able to get out in nature and to get out and be able to en oy a beautiful day, ell said. t offers the

community a better quality of life. hey hope to keep making improvements that benefit the community as well, ell said. s part of a statewide survey, S is asking park patrons specific questions about their experiences: re you bringing your dog hat activities do you take part in s there anything you would like to see improved or changed hose answers will be distributed in an official report, and the park will use those results to steer future pro ects. e want to reach as many people as we can, but our goal really is to ust make the improvements to the park that need to be made, she said. ... ur goals are really to improve the park to the best that it can be.

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280 Living

Managers report Hoover Met Complex had $3.6M impact in 1st quarter of 2018 Managers recently told the Hoover City Council that the Hoover Metropolitan Complex had an estimated $3.6 million economic impact in the first quarter of 2018. Photo by Jon Anderson.

By J ON AN D ERS ON Events at the Hoover Metropolitan Complex had a $3.6 million economic impact in the first quarter of this year, complex managers told the oover City Council recently. hat includes 3 million in direct spending by visitors on things such as lodging, food and gasoline and $600,000 in indirect economic benefits, said ohn c onald, a vice president with Sports Facilities anagement S , which runs the complex for the city. hose estimates, calculated by the Birmingham Convention and V isitors Bureau, were based on the number of visitors who attended four events in anuary, two in ebruary and five in arch, c onald said.

The biggest draws were volleyball tournaments at the 1 ,000-squarefoot inley Center, which tend to attract a lot of family members, he said. verall direct revenue for the oover etropolitan Complex for the first six months of fiscal 2018 ctober 201 through the end of arch 2018 was 0,000, c onald said. hat was 28,000 less than was expected in the complex budget, likely due to delays in the opening of a climbing wall in the lobby of the Finley Center and a planned sports performance facility to be operated by the labama Sports oundation, he said. otal expenses were about 03,000, compared to about 0,000 in budgeted expenses. he end result was a loss of about 33,000 instead of the 1 0,000 loss that had been pro ected for the sixmonth period.

ason Clement, the C and co-founder of S , said his company remains optimistic about the future of the complex and his company’s ability to improve the bottom line, increase the economic impact of the complex and provide recreational opportunities for Hoover residents. nstallation of the climbing wall at the inley Center should begin after the S C Baseball ournament, which is ay 22-2 , and should be complete by this summer, c onald said. nd S is close to finali ing its contract with the Alabama Sports oundation for the ,000-square-foot sports performance, training, rehab and education center, he said.

lus, good progress is being made on the outdoor sports complex that is under construction, c onald said. he first of five baseball softball fields will be ready in time for use as a batting practice facility for the S C Baseball ournament, and the other four baseball softball fields are on schedule to open in ugust, said Corey Collier, the project manager for the Brasfield orrie construction company handling the work.

Site work is well under way for the five-field complex for soccer, football, lacrosse and rugby and the 1 -court tennis complex, Collier said. oundation work for the soccer football fields should start in

about two weeks, and that complex should be done by anuary, he said.

Construction on the tennis complex should start in uly and be done by anuary as well, he said. onty ones, general manager of the Hoover Metropolitan Complex, said booking for the complex is gaining momentum. here are 3 more events already booked for the rest of this year, including basketball, baseball and softball tournaments, four more gun shows, a cheer competition, two food shows, a Birmingham ssociation of ealtors summit, Sherwin illiams Expo, Alabama Apartment Association trade show and the unior eague of Birmingham s arket

Noel. Negotiations continue for additional events, ones said. he complex also continues to get a lot of use by oover residents, including , 00 hours of local use from ctober through arch, ones said. ost of that is ondays through hursdays because the facility typically is booked on the weekends, he said.

Clement said his company is starting a scholarship program to provide scholarships for oover children who can t afford to participate in activities at the complex and is asking companies and individuals to donate to that program. S is providing 1 ,000 in seed money for scholarships, he said.

280Living.com

Ricky Brooks, CEO of Express Oil Change & Tire Engineers, delivers the keynote a ress at t e oo er a or s ra er rea fast at t e att e e r – The Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover on May 8. Photos by Jon Anderson.

June 2018 • A13

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Express Oil CEO touts power of prayer at mayor’s breakfast

By JO N AN D ERS ON The CEO of Express Oil Change & Tire Engineers talked about the power of prayer with about 480 people at the 2018 Hoover Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast on May 8.

Ricky Brooks, the head of the Hoover-based business with about 800 locations across the country, told the crowd at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham — The W ynfrey Hotel that prayer has played a tremendous role in his life.

Many people say their faith World War II veteran John Little stands as he is walk is the result of the prayers recognized during the breakfast. of parents or grandparents, and he is one of them, he said.

“My mother prayed with me every single sales and profits 13 years of same-store sales day,” he said. “W e prayed every night until I growth except for one quarter and average store sales that are 30 percent higher than their went to college at age 17.”

Then, he drifted away from prayer and got industry average, he said.

In March, Express Oil & Tire Engineers started in business with the misguided goal of wanting to be a millionaire by the time he merged with the N ew Y ork-based Mavis Diswas 30, he said. is first ob was manager of count Tire, which had more than 400 stores. a Bonanz a Sirloin Pit and then he became the This year, the combined company ‘ s more youngest franchisee for Sonic Drive-In restau- than 800 stores will have sales of $1.3 billion, Brooks said. rants in the 1970s.

All of that is a testament to answered prayer He had success in business and a nice income but felt empty inside, he said. “N o level of and the grace and blessing of God, Brooks said.

Throughout the years, he and other managers success we could experience will provide an answer to that loneliness other than a relation- have tried to build their business on Christian principles of integrity, honesty, loyalty and ship with God,” Brooks said.

He had partners and business associates in treating others how you want to be treated, he his Sonic franchises who were Christians, and said, and he feels God has blessed that effort.

He has also had answered prayers in his perlong talks with them and 18 months of studying Scripture finally led him to a place where he sonal life, he said, including a wonderful wife was ready to change his life and return to his of 29 years and guidance through a son’s leukemia diagnosis four years ago, he said. Though faith at the age of 27, he said.

He then went into the investments and insur- their son at one time was given a 20 percent ance industry from 1980 and moved from Tus- chance to live, he now is in full remission after caloosa to Birmingham. It was during that time going through chemotherapy, radiation and a that the Lord humbled him as he went through stem cell transplant and is competing regionally all his money and the equ ity in his house and in weightlifting and endurance competitions, he said. developed a pile of debt, he said.

Brooks said he, his family and business asso“That time was used to teach me to trust [ God] and to trust in the power of prayer,” he ciates are grateful for the blessings that God has provided and encouraged the crowd to said.

Brooks and a partner, Joe W atson, opened remember the power of prayer. He encouraged their first xpress il franchise in 1 88 and them to pray for the city, its leaders, employees, by 1995 had expanded to 14 franchise stores, businesses and families.

Brooks oined three ministers in praying which were more stores than the founder of the company owned. They bought out the founder with the crowd, including the Rev. Christoin 1996 and immediately had 25 of the 48 pher DeGreen from Christ the K ing Lutheran Express Oil Change stores under their control. Church, the Rev. Phil Reddick from Briarwood In 2013, Express Oil bought Tire Engineers Presbyterian Church and the Rev. N ancy Harper and began merging the two business models to from Riverchase United Methodist Church.

ABC 33/40 news anchor Christopher create one-stop auto service shops. Additional acq uisitions of tire businesses grew the com- Sign served as master of ceremonies for pany to about 400 stores and increased sales the breakfast, which was organiz ed by revenues from $ 30 million in 1996 to more than the Hoover Beautification Board. Hoover police Officer Steven Easterling sang the $525 m illion in 2017.

The company has had 22 years of record national anthem.

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280Living.com

June 2018 • A15 at 11 .S. 280, Suite 31 , ahead of anticipated growth.

53180, as c e n s i on i t - l l c .c om

Now Open Th e L e e Br an c h F ar m e r s M ar k e t , an open air, rain-or-shine, Alabama-certified farmers market, has now re-opened for 2018 and is open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon through Sept. 2 . t is still at the ee Branch Shopping Center but is now located closer to Baumhower s. t h e m ar k e t p l ac e at l e e b r an c h .c om

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G r an d vi e w Can c e r Ce n t e r , 3 randview arkway, held its ribbon-cutting ceremony ay 31.

New Ownership 12 L am 95-

News and Accomplishments M sa on M u s i c is now offering trumpet lessons, in addition to piano, guitar, drums, voice and violin lessons in reystone at 0 .S. 280.

874980, m as on m u s i c s t u d i os .c om

ATI P h ys i c al Th e r ap y has opened a new location in iberty ark at 3 3 Corporate oods rive, Suite 10 . he clinic provides physical therapy and sports medicine. t is open onday through riday, a.m. to 7 p.m.

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F i r s t Com m e r c i al Ban k , 102 nverness Corners, has rebranded and is now Synovus Bank. he bank has long been in the Synovus family, and all Synovus banks nationwide are now under the Synovus Bank name.

8691 1 1, s yn ovu s .c om / l oc al / b i r m i n gh am - al

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Hom e 2 S u i t e s b y Hi l t on - Bi r m i n g h am Col on n ad e , 3 20 Colonnade arkway, is now open. he hotel is owned and managed by am otels.

967631, h om e 2s u i t e s 3.h i l t on .c om

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Coming Soon W sa ab i Ju an ’ s will open in late ay or early une in the nverness eights arket, 03 .S. 280. his will be its second location in oover and third overall. w as ab i j u an .c om

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Hirings and Promotions Ch e l s e a E ye Car e , 300 oothills lace, Chelsea, has hired Jay H al s e y as an optician. ay obtained his degree from the niversity of labama and is also a talented musician.

678256, c h e l s e ae ye c ar e .c om

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G r ac e K i d s Ch i l d D e ve l op m e n t Ce n t e r , 12 Sicard ollow oad, will open uly 30 at iberty Crossings nited ethodist Church. hey will be a full-day, child development center for children weeks to 12 years old.

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S t r au s s F i n an c i al G r ou p In c . , 2201 Cahaba alley rive, Suite 200, has hired L au r e n S e r r an o as their client services and operations specialist. auren has worked in the financial services area for six years and has been a marketing guest speaker for many colleges and N .

967-9595, straussfinancial.com

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Relocations and Renovations Hi gh Cot t on Bou t i q u e , speciali ing in clothing for women and tweens, has relocated next to ublix in Chelsea at 1 Chelsea Crossroads.

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Hi gh l an d S h oe Com p an y has relocated to another area in the Lee Branch Shopping Center and is now at 01 oug Baker Blvd., between South Boutique and Carmike Cinema.

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P e r r y W ar r e n , an insurance and financial services agent with armers nsurance, has relocated his office to 2803 reystone Commercial Blvd., Suite 1 . is office was formerly located at 11 .S. 280, Suite 30 .

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Exp e d i a C r u i s e S h i p Ce n t e r s , 2 0 oug Baker Blvd., Suite 00, is celebrating its fourth anniversary in une. r u i s e s h i p c e n t e r s .c om / gr e ys t on e al N ra r ow s F am i l y Eye Car e , 13 21 ld ighway 280, Suite 2 , is celebrating its 11th anniversary in une. ar r ow s f e c .c om

P r i m r os e S c h ol at L i b e r t y P ar k , 1800 rban Center arkway, is celebrating its eighth anniversary in une.

96820, p r i m r os e s c h ol s .c om / s c h ol s / l i b e r t y- p ar k

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Cac h é S al on has moved to another 10 location in the ee Branch Shopping Center. t is now at 01 oug Baker Blvd., Suite 10 .

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L a P az Re s t au r an t an d Cat e r i n g , 3 t aurel ve., is celebrating its first anniversary of its t aurel location.

Closings S mo e W e ar i n Ti m e , 1 1 1 .S. 280, Chelsea, has closed after 20 years in business, including the last four years in Chelsea.

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Business news to share?

If you are in a brick-and-mortar business along the 280 corridor and want to share your event with the community, let us know.

Email ldudley@ starnespublishing.com.

A16 • June 2018

280 Living

‘ Th e b e s t t h i n g w e c o u l d h a v e d o n e ’ Inverness family finds success with Bohemian chic boutique at Galleria

By JO N AN D ERS ON V ictoria Lester opened a tiny boutiq ue in the Colombian city of Medellin at the age of 19.

N ow, about 30 years later, she is reliving that experience with her husband and 26-year-old daughter with a relatively new and expanding store at the Riverchase Galleria.

Lester moved to the United States in the mid-1990s and came to the Birmingham area because of a cousin who was a Catholic priest here. Her daughter, Melissa Lopez , was 4 at the time and shared her mother’s eye for fashion.

Lopez was voted best dressed at Hewitt-Trussville Middle School and continued her love for fashion and jewelry when the family moved to Hoover. She graduated from Spain Park High School in 2010 and got her degree in merchandising from the University of Alabama at Birmingham Collat School of Business in 2016. hile she was in college, about five years ago, she and her mother and stepfather started a business called Brio. They made handcrafted jewelry and leather accessories such as wallets and cuffs, using leather from Colombia.

Lopez ’s stepfather, Mitch Lester, cuts the molds for the leather goods, and then she and her mom handstitch them.

They spent several years selling their goods in craft shows and artisan booths at places like Mt Laurel and the Moss Rock Festival at The Preserve and at markets in Atlanta and Chattanooga.

They also started selling their jewelry and leather items by consignment at a couple of boutique s in the Riverchase Galleria.

Melissa Lopez, a 2010 graduate of Spain Park High School, and her mother, Victoria Lester, make jewelry May 3 in their Luna by Brio store at the Riverchase Galleria. Photos by Jon Anderson.

TAKING A LEAP

The Brio items were selling so well that Lopez and Lester approached mall management about starting their own store. So in April 2017, Lopez and her mom and stepdad opened a store called Luna by Brio in a 700-sq uare-foot space between Starbucks and V on Maur.

“It was the best thing we could have done,”

Lopez said. “It was very well-received.”

They noticed a lot of their customers were women in their 20s and 30s, who often were accompanied by their mothers, so they decided to add clothing to their merchandise lineup and offer styles to fit both the young ladies and the “chic grandmas,” Lopez said.

They sell a lot of Bohemian-style clothing

that is loose-fitting and flattering to all shapes, she said.

Sales took off, and Galleria managers asked if they wanted a larger location. In April of this year, Luna by Brio moved three doors down into a 2,800-squa re-foot space formerly occupied by arper ane. t s on the first floor of the Galleria near the food court, situated between

280Living.com

June 2018 • A17

Right: Melissa Lopez makes jewelry inside Luna by Brio.

“We make jewelry every single day,” she said. “Eighty percent of our jewelry is made here in house.

We solder all the stones.”

Far right: A close-up of some of their customized jewelry.

Luna by Brio • WHERE: Riverchase alleria first oor near ood court • HOURS: Monday through aturday 10 a.m. to p.m. unday noon to p.m.

• CALL: 7 0 220 • WEB: lunabybrio. com

goods either in their two-car garage basement or at the store, she said.

“It’s all handstitched and handcut,” she said.

“And I love bringing that little bit of Colombian culture to Birmingham.”

Mike W hite, general manager of the Galleria, said it’s very unusual for the Galleria to have tenants who make their own merchandise right in the store. About 90 percent of tenants are national companies, and about 10 percent are locally-owned boutique s, he said.

Lopez said being around all the national chains has actually been a tremendous benefit for Luna by Brio. “It sets us apart,” she said.

And the custom work helps them build better connections with customers, V ictoria Lester said. They like to know their customers’ names and try to treat everyone like family, she said. Because they come from different generations, they can relate to a variety of customers, she said. “It’s like you’re shopping with your girlfriends.”

Molly Green and Champs Sports, across from Michael K ors.

The new space has worked out great, Lopez said. They have a lot more room to spread out their merchandise in more appealing displays and now have six fitting rooms instead of one.

“Our customers have just been so excited for us,” Lopez said.

BEST-SELLERS

Their top-selling items are the custom

jewelry they make right there in the store. “W e make jewelry every single day,” Lopez said.

“Eighty percent of our jewelry is made here in house. W e solder all the stones.”

They make only about three to six of the same-style jewelry pieces, she said. “I love it so everybody’s not wearing the same thing.”

Their second best-seller is the leather goods.

They’ve added new items, such as backpacks, and can customiz e to meet their customers’ desires, Lopez said. They go to Colombia four times a year to buy the leather and make the

FAMILY BUSINESS

It is very much a family business. Lopez and her mother are in the store almost every day, and her 21-year-old cousin, Manuela Molina, works there, too, and solders all the jewels. Her stepdad, while not in the store regularly because of his primary job, cuts the molds for the leather and helps out in many other ways.

The store is named after Lopez ’s 13-yearold sister, Luna, who is a student at Berry

Middle School, and they named the different handbag styles they make after members of the family as well.

Lopez said her mother provides a lot of vision and encouragement, while she keeps up with the latest fashion trends and helps build the business on social media. Lester said her daughter has a lot of fresh ideas and an open mind to try new things and is a perfectionist.

Lester said she has come a long way from her tiny store in Medellin and has loved opening this new store and expanding it.

“W e are blessed,” she said. “I enjoy getting to work with my daughter and with my family. … Sometimes, I think it is a dream.”

Lopez , who glows when she talks about the store, said she is doing what she always wanted to do. “My whole life — it’s just been an obsession. I’m a collector of jewelry, and I love fashion,” she said. “Doing it with family makes it even better.”

W hite said Lopez and the Lesters have a really good business model. They have uniq ue merchandise and a commitment to customer service, he said. “I could see them growing far past this property.”

Lopez said she could see that, too. In the next five years, she hopes they have a second store in Atlanta or maybe Tuscaloosa, she said.

In the meantime, she’s living her dream and feels like she s fulfilling her mother s dream at the same time, she said. “This is my baby.

I love this.”

A18 • June 2018

280 Living

Entrepreneur uses podcast to boost Birmingham’s startup community

By JE S S E CHAM BERS Entrepreneur Mart Marasco gave up a full-time business development job in his hometown of Altoona, Pennsylvania, to move to Birmingham with his family in February 2017 and help start a new company.

And Marasco q uickly discovered the Magic City’s vibrant tech and startup business community.

“There’s a lot of cool activity,” he said. “There’s a good foundation being built.”

This activity deserved to get more local attention, Marasco felt.

“There’s a lot of stuff going on, but a lot of people don’t know about it,” he said.

To help change that, Marasco started a new podcast called “Savvy Startup Birmingham” in N ovember 2017. The podcast consists of 30- to 60-minute interviews with the owners of local startups and former startups that have become success stories.

Marasco also talks to representatives of local profit and nonprofit entities, including universities and business incubators that offer information and resources to entrepreneurs.

The response to the podcast among business people has been positive, according to Marasco.

“They think the word needs to spread about the startup community in Birmingham,” he said.

Marasco graduated from Penn State in 2005 with a degree in supply chain and information systems.

He worked in business development for about 12 years and had what he described as a six-figure salary.

But Marasco said he “always had the entrepreneurial itch and finally

Mart Marasco, left, speaks with Robert Ferrara of anchorspace, right, during his podcast “Savvy Startups.”

Marasco started the podcast as a way to interview upcoming tech businesses in the Birmingham area. Photo

by Sarah Finnegan.

chose to scratch it by moving to Birmingham to serve as COO for a techbased medical startup.

However, that company dissolved in summer 2017 and during the transition, Marasco decided to do his own podcast as a potentially fruitful side project.

“It’s a chance to introduce myself and also provide the opportunity to help other people get introduced to the startup community in Birmingham,” Marasco said.

He has done nine episodes so far, with interview subjects such as Devon Laney, CEO of Innovation Depot;

K imberly Brock, owner of Bitty’s Living K itchen; and Tony Summerville, founder and CEO of Fleetio.

And it hasn’t been a problem for arasco to find willing interview subjects.

“There’s lots of people who’ve been there, done that and are eager to support entrepreneurs and also build something to help the community,” he said.

The podcast gives entrepreneurs a chance to promote themselves. “They want people to hear about their company, their startup,” Marasco said.

But it also seems that taking part

in the podcast can be “kind of therapeutic” for entrepreneurs, according to Marasco.

The interviewees get a chance to step back and review the factors that led them to make the “huge life decision” to start a company, he said.

“It gives them a fresh perspective on what they’re doing and energiz es them moving forward,” Marasco said. he podcast certainly benefits its creator, according to Marasco.

“It has helped me focus on the expertise I bring to the table and how I can help support someone’s else business or their needs,” he said.

Marasco is in the midst of his own new entrepreneurial venture, launched in 2017. He is a managing partner at BFC ( Better Faster Cheaper) Global Services LLC, based at Innovation Depot.

Marasco describes BFC as “a global sourcing company that has boots on the ground in most low-cost countries, like China, to manage q uality and sourcing of any company’s products or components.”

The podcast helped Marasco realiz e he’s coping with the same “pains and struggles” as anyone else trying to start and grow a business.

“And I am continuing to grow a network of folks who have skills sets I don’t have, that I can rely on in the future,” Marasco said.

Marasco and his wife, Cameron, live in Inverness with their three children: girls Marli and Alaina, ages 4 and 2, respectively, and newborn boy Micah. His goal now is to grow the listening base for “Savvy Startup,” and he wants the podcast to help entrepreneurs reach out and connect with each other.

Marasco said he also hopes his podcast will show that entrepreneurship is not at all glamorous. “If you want to achieve something, you have to get through the pain to get there,” he said.

Another goal is to allow business people to learn about some of the free or low-cost resources available in Birmingham.

“A lot of startups don’t realiz e all the programs and services that are out there,” he said. o find Savvy Startup Birmingham,” go to savvystartupcity.com.

For more about Marasco’s startup, go to bfclife.com.

280Living.com

June 2018 • A19

SHAKE IT UP Shake Shack to open its 1st location in the state at The Summit

By S Y D N EY CROM W EL L There’s no shortage of burger joints in Birmingham, but Shake Shack Chief Operating fficer Zach off said the restaurant is defined by its really thoughtful ingredients.

Shake Shack s first labama location is under construction at he Summit, scheduled to open in late summer. he restaurant chain started in New ork in 200 and now has roughly 1 0 locations around the world, from the east and west coasts of the .S. to countries like apan, Bahrain, the nited ingdom, ussia, urkey and South orea. off, who opened the company s fourth location and has been with Shake Shack eight years, said they have had their eye on Birmingham for a while. hen a location opened at the Summit, off said it was a perfect fit. think people go there to do exactly what we help do, which is have a place to gather and go out, off said. he 3, 00-square-foot space will eventually hold indoor and outdoor seating, including some tables made from reclaimed bowling alley lanes. off said recycled and sustainable materials are

an important part of the construction process. ou wouldn t believe how cool of a place it is to get a cheeseburger, he said.

Shake Shack s menu is built around burgers made with hormone- and antibiotic-free ngus beef and a potato roll. ther staples include chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, fries, beer, wine and the restaurant s namesake: milkshakes, fro en custard, floats and ice cream cones. hough Shake Shack started as a roadside burger stand, off said the fine dining background of several of the creators translates to all of the love and attention and care that you would receive at a fine restaurant in the food. off said Shake Shack is currently on the hunt for local food vendors to provide locally-sourced ingredients for some of the menu items, including the custard. ou ll find us including a lot of cool, local food items into our custard menu, he said.

Shake Shack also seeks out local charities to support with some of their menu item proceeds, off said, such as the resh ir und in New ork or beach cleanup efforts in lorida.

Shake Shack serves burgers, hot dogs, milkshakes and frozen custard in around 170 locations, including the one under construction at the Summit.

Photos courtesy of Shake Shack.

off said the charity for Birmingham has not yet been chosen. fter the Summit location is established, off said Shake Shack will begin looking for the right opportunity for a second restaurant in Birmingham. rand opening events will also be announced later in the summer.

“W e go to cities knowing there’s always more than one, off said.

“W e built this company to be the one great roadside burger stand and then we reali ed we had something, off said. e have roots that then translate into some of the best-tasting burgers.

A20 • June 2018

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‘Local taco joint’ opens doors at the Colonnade

By ERICA TECHO A new taco spot has opened up in the Colonnade shopping center.

Local Taco opened its second location in the Birmingham area on April 2, but this time with a new concept. hile the first ocal aco in the area, located in Lane Parke in Mountain Brook, opened as a full service restaurant in N ovember 2017.

The Colonnade location, however, will offer both fast-casual service and a sit-down tequi la bar, said Jess Eccher, director of marketing and brand development for Halo Restaurant Group.

Halo has acq uired three Local Tacos in 2016 and has continued to open more locations.

Local Taco • WHERE: 3419 Colonnade Parkway, Suite 100 • HOURS: Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

• WEB: localtaco.com

t definitely allows us to reach everybody, ccher said. f you want full service, you can go one place, or if you want fast casual, to grab a qu ick lunch, there’s this location. t really gives a lot of options to our customers.

o a a o a re o a a t a ou ta roo oo a e s o at o t e r se o t e r o tequ a ar Photos by Sarah Finnegan.

The tequi la bar also offers a good place for friends to stop by and hang out, Eccher said, and while the restaurant’s hours are listed as 11 a.m. to p.m. Sunday through hursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. riday and Saturday, the bar stays open until 11 p.m. or midnight a lot of nights. ocal aco aims to be exactly what its name implies — a “local taco oint, ccher said, and the Colonnade provided an ideal spot.

“W e love Birmingham, and we found that shopping center and it actually was such a great space, ccher said. t s quite large.

Since opening, ccher said they

o at o re e t a area

o e e a e store fro t offer ot fast asua ser

have had a lot of support from the community. ts location on .S. 280, she said, meant that more people in the Greater Birmingham area are able to stop by.

“A lot of people are super excited that we re in the Colonnade area, Eccher said. “It’s a lot more accessible than our ane arke location.

The Local Taco menu is the same at all seven of its locations, and includes inventive and creative tacos, Eccher said.

“Our N ashville hot chicken is our best seller by a landslide, ccher said. That taco includes fried chicken in a house hot sauce, poblano cream

t e ea

ast

sauce, coleslaw, cilantro and pickles.

Other items on the menu are the labama white, which includes smoked chicken, coleslaw and Alabama white sauce spicy Ba a shrimp with fried shrimp, pickled onions, coleslaw, pico de gallo and a “boom boom sauce.

All of the tacos are $ 3, and Eccher said their house margarita special is also popular. Rather than have a happy hour special, the ocal aco house margarita is always priced at $3.75, s he said. ou really can t get a margarita that cheap and that great anywhere else, she said.

280Living.com

June 2018 • A21

Cubed3 brings clients personaliz ed workout Co-owner of Cubed3 Frank Romano, who is also the sole workout leader of Cubed3, stands where classes take place. New personalized workout center, Cubed3, provides a unique workout after assessing individual needs.

Photo by Alyx Chandler.

By AL Y X CHAN D L ER Cubed3 co-owner Frankie Romano said his studio focuses on a three-fold approach to uniq ue and effective fitness: personal and group training, reformer Pilates and assessment.

“Y our workout is completely uniq ue to you. I have a ton of people that come here for different needs,” Romano said. “That’s a big reason why people come here versus other gyms.”

Cubeb3 — tucked in the building behind Ragtime Café at 2080 V alleydale Road Suite 8 in Hoover — is a referral-based business that opened its doors to clients in July 2017.

Since then, they have had more than 50 people join, all from word of mouth, Romano said.

W hat makes Cubed3 different from personal training, Romano said, is that clients pay for a membership instead of paying per session.

“W e take what you would pay for a personal trainer and cut it in half, plus you get specializ ed Pilates and personal training sessions,” he said.

Romano, who graduated from the University of Alabama with a degree in exercise and sport science, has experience as a Strength and Training Specialist, Certified ersonali ed rainer and Balanced Body Pilates instructor. W hen the opportunity arose in 2016 for Romano and his partner to open their own workout studio, Romano jumped at the chance to use his combined experience to share the power of personal training and reformer Pilates with Hoover residents.

“In our curated session, you can gain strength or tone up. W e are going to have correctives on each and every workout, whether it is knee, hip, whatever, this is stuff you might see in physical training in our functional form of Pilates,” he said.

Cubed3 has two main workout rooms, each reserved for a different aspect of fitness. he main room is for personal and group training, which involves clients using a mix of TRX

straps and free weights to benefit from body weight exercise and cardio. The smaller room in the back of the building is for reformer Pilates, which includes classes of one to three people focusing on core, mobility and tone with workout machines.

Even though group sessions and Pilates classes are for multiple people, Romano said that clients go into the class with individualiz ed workouts and goals that were discussed

beforehand. The small class siz e ensures that Romano — who currently acts as Cubed3’s full-time trainer — is able to focus on each individual and their separate workout. That way, he said he can see ways they can improve and grow in fitness ability.

Clients can range from beginners to experts, Romano said, and he encourages anyone who might be interested to give it a try.

Cubed3 gives interested clients one free

week, Romano said. W hen someone comes in for the first session, he spends about 1 -20 minutes on a basic evaluation of fitness goals, what has and hasn’t worked in the past and injuries that might require modified training. he new client then spends 40-45 minutes doing Pilates, personal training or fusion, which means a combination of both.

Cubed3 has classes for 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. To learn more, go to cubed1.com.

A22 • June 2018

Preview of

June

Luncheon

280 Living

Chamber Assistant DA gives update on Compact 2020 Assistant District Attorney Ben Fuller gives an update on Compact 2020 at the South Shelby Chamber of Commerce luncheon May 3. Photo by Erica Techo.

By ERICA TECHO

The South Shelby Chamber of Commerce’s June luncheon will feature a presentation from Yvonne Murray, the executive director of 58 Inc. As the county’s new economic development Murray initiative, 58 Inc. aims to recruit new businesses as well as retain and expand existing businesses, in addition to establishing workforce readiness in the county.

Rather than take place the first week o the month as is usually the case, the June luncheon will be June 14 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Columbiana First Baptist Church.

No RSVP is required, and the cost is $15 per person.

For more information, go to southshelbychamber.com.

Compact 2020’s name tells a lot about its goals and mission, according to Assistant District Attorney Ben Fuller.

W hen he addressed the South Shelby Chamber of Commerce during its May luncheon, Fuller said “compact” represents the promise to the county to work to eradicate drug use and “2020” represents the goal for four years of dedicated work.

Compact 2020 was established in 2016 as a program to help battle drug use and abuse in Shelby County, and since its formation, the initiative has expanded to more cities in the county and started to work with more community groups.

“Compact 2020 is addressing a problem I think we can all agree is important,” Fuller said.

The initiative has a three-pronged approach through enforcement, the drug court and with intervention and prevention.

Of the three, Fuller said intervention has been a large focus. Getting involved early on and stopping an addiction before it starts, he said, can be easier than helping someone who has been addicted for several years.

To pinpoint issues within a community, Compact 2020 has created drug prevention teams in different areas of Shelby County.

These groups come together to discuss the problems and potential solutions for the place they live or work.

“W e have a Shelby County Drug Free Coalition; we’ve had one for many years. It’s a great organiz ation, but the problem was that it was tough for the Drug Free Coalition to address 808 sq uare miles and 220,000 citiz ens of this county with just two people full time,” Fuller said. “W hat we wanted to

do was break it down smaller than that — smaller than countywide — break it down into the individual communities and have people involved in those communities to be the ones knocking on doors.”

Compact 2020 has community liaisons who work with these drug prevention teams and investigate leads on drug use. They use a lot of social media, Fuller said, which helps them see who is potentially using, selling or otherwise interacting with drugs.

“For better or worse, our youth today, our kids today are showing anything and everything that they’re doing to the world on social media,” Fuller said. “... Regardless of legality, regardless of who sees it, they are willing to put it all out on social media. And we are making full use of it.”

Looking into social media posts that relate to drug use or sale, including some posts as blatant as bags of pills or a bong used for smoking marijuana, helps identify where the drugs and drug problems are, Fuller said.

Other places, including a variety of cell phone applications and websites on the dark web, help facilitate communications related to drugs, Fuller said. And while the dark web might sound like something complicated, Fuller assured those at the chamber luncheon that it is not as difficult to find as it might seem.

“Our kids have access to this stuff, so it’s important that in addressing this problem and addressing this problem of drug use in our kids and adolescents, that we be as techsavvy as they are, that we use the means they are using,” Fuller said.

Moving forward, Fuller said it will continue to be important to maintain these efforts and conversations within the community.

Looking at the whole picture and involving individuals of all walks of life in the conversation, he said, can help strengthen Compact 2020’s efforts.

“It’s extremely important to target the whole picture,” Fuller said.

280Living.com

June 2018 • A23

Chamber adds awards in recognizing students, educators Each year, the Greater Shelby Chamber of Commerce hosts a luncheon to honor two teachers and two students in Shelby County.

This year, the chamber continued that tradition while taking the chance to honor two additional individuals.

At the April 25 Student and Educator of the Y ear awards luncheon, the chamber recogniz ed the college ready and career ready students of the year, as well as the recipient of the future leader award — a new addition. The elementary, middle and high school educators of the year were also recogniz ed.

Chamber President and CEO K irk Mancer said the opportunity to add the future leader and middle school educator of the year awards was thanks to the luncheon sponsor.

“Given that our 1,000-plus investor organiz ations are the future employers of these students, we think it’s an important step to recogniz e the excellence that is taking place throughout our Shelby County classrooms at both the student and educator level,” Mancer said.

The chamber is also involved in Shelby County schools through its K eeping it Real program, a yearly Career Awareness Fair and other programs. It is important to stay involved in schools within the county, said 2018 Chamber Chair Joe Meads, for two reasons — it helps ensure there is a q ualified workforce within the county and it is a good opportunity to showcase to students that there are great job opportunities within Shelby County.

The college and career ready students of the year were evaluated based on GPA, extracurricular activities and awards, a submitted essay and a letter of recommendation. They also attended a 20-minute interview with a panel of three judges.

Teachers were nominated by their school principals and evaluated based on their philosophy of teaching, community involvement

Preview of

June

By ERICA TECHO

Luncheon

Nominees for College Ready Student of the Year at the April 25 Greater Shelby Chamber of Commerce luncheon. Photo by Erica Techo.

and recommendations from colleagues and school administrators.

“Our panel of judges who reviewed the information once again had an extremely challenging time in choosing just one recipient in each category. That’s a true indication of the excellence we have right here in Shelby County classrooms,” Mancer said.

The students received a $ 1,000 cash award, and the three educators received a $750 cash award, suggested to be used for continued education and career development or for classrooms, respectively. The recipients were as follows: ► College eady Student of the ear: essica Lewis, Chelsea High School ► Career eady Student of the ear: Diego Flores, Thompson High School ► uture eader: essie vans, ontevallo High School ► lementary School ducator of the Y ear: N atalie Landrum, Helena Intermediate School ► iddle School ducator of the ear: Donna Ott, Thompson Sixth Grade Center ► igh School ducator of the ear:

Rebecca Burnett, Pelham High School

COLLEGE READY STUDENT OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Oscar Becera, Calera High; Alex Smith, Cornerstone Christian; Caitlin Rutland, Helena High; Cade Horton, K ingwood Christian; Cole Sullivan, Oak Mountain High; Gracyn LeSueur, Pelham High; Dakota W ells, Shelby County CTEC; Tyler Morris, Shelby County High; Tyrone Tyger Q uarles, Thompson High; Colby Brooks W est, V incent High

CAREER READY STUDENT OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Cason Crowe, Calera High; Luke Carter, Chelsea High; Carlee Halbert, Cornerstone Christian; Andy Perry, Helena High; K ayci Forrest, Montevallo High; Jan Foksinski, Oak Mountain High; Joshua Brantley, Pelham High; Destin Sackreiter, Shelby County CTEC; N icholas Crittenden, Shelby County High; Samantha W alker, V incent High Go to 280living.com for a full nominee list.

The Greater Shelby Chamber of Commerce’s June community luncheon will feature Alabama Tourism Deputy Director Grey Brennan, who is set to give a short, informative message on the economic benefit of tourism in Shelby County.

He will also talk Brennan about possible ways to increase tourism in the county and plans to bring 100 copies of the latest Alabama Visitor Guide.

Brennan joined the Alabama Tourism Department in 2001 and holds both bachelor’s and master’s of arts degrees from the University of Alabama, where he studied marketing and communications.

Prior to joining the Alabama Tourism Department, Brennan lived in Shelby County and worked at one of the local television stations.

The luncheon will be from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. on June 27 at the Pelham Civic Complex & Ice Arena.

Investment is $20 for investors and $30 for “future” investors. Reservations requested by noon Monday, June 25. Register by calling the Chamber at 663-4542 or register online at shelbychamber.org.

A24 • June 2018

280 Living

Events The 2018 Power Run, e efit out ro ra s ta e a e at etera s ar on June 23.

Photo courtesy of Alabama Power.

Camping-centered comic convention comes to OMSP

By EM IL Y F EATHERS TON A new event at Oak Mountain State Park is looking to bring together two worlds that, to some, would be an unlikely pair: comic enthusiasts and those who enjoy outdoor activities.

Campicon, which is scheduled for June 15-17, will be like many comic conventions — including games, cosplay and comic books — but instead of being in a convention center, everything will be outside.

“It’s an event geared toward bringing the outdoor community and then the comic book and gaming community together,” organiz er Jacob Lindsey said.

Lindsey said the idea came to him when he and his wife were camping.

As someone who enjoys comic books and video games as well as being in the outdoors, Lindsey said he realiz ed how much fun it could be to have the communities come together for a weekend of playing games, trading comics and other activities, but in an outdoor location where they could camp and enjoy nature.

He said that he knows there are likely many who know someone who is interested in comic books and video games, but that might not necessarily be “outdoorsy,” and he thought this would be a way to create new experiences. fficials at S , he said, also liked the idea.

“They were really excited about the idea to try to bring a different avenue of people to the parks,” he said.

The event will begin on Friday with those who want to camp for the weekend. Campers can set up and then come together for a campground party complete with free food, gaming,

e first a o o es sa t e out oors ta e a e t s u e Photo by John Michael Simpson. o

trading and movies.

On Saturday, Lindsey said, the main event will kick off at 8 a.m. and include panels, celebrity guests, cosplay, an archery tournament and more.

Lindsey said those interested shouldn’t be afraid of the heat, because the site will have cooling stations and emergency medical services, if needed.

The event will also have a controlled-climate tent where guests can trade comic books or just take a break from the heat.

Finally, on Sunday there will be a treasure hunt in the park with a grand priz e of $2,000.

Campicon ticket holders will also have access to all of OMSP’s amenities.

“W e’re kind of taking those two aspects and blending them together to have a good, family-oriented event,” he said.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit campicon.com.

V eterans Park to host The Power Run

By L EX I COON On Saturday, June 23, runners will take to V eterans Park to race in The Power Run, presented by Alabama Power Service Organiz ation.

The Power Run serves as a fundraiser for Y MCA youth development programs.

“Every day, the Y MCA ensures that everyone, regardless of age, income or background, has the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive,” the event website said.

According to their website, The Power Run is a family event with opportunities for children including inflatables and workout activities in addition to the main race.

The main event — a 5K race through the park, which is described as relatively flat will begin at 8 a.m. The half-mile fun run for kids ages 10 and younger will begin at 9:15 a.m.

Awards will be presented to the overall top three male and female finishers in each age bracket and all participants in the half-mile fun

The Power Run • WHEN: June 23, 8 a.m.

• WHERE: Veterans Park • DETAILS: $30 before June 23; $35 on race day for 5K; $10 for halfmile fun run • WEB: powerrun.org

run will receive an award.

Packet pickup will be the preceding days: June 21 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and June 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Alabama Power Corporation headq uarters Light Room or on race day at V eterans Park before the start of the 5K . Registration for the 5K is $30 before June 23 and $35 on race day, and registration for the half-mile fun run is $ 10. Other available kids activities are free.

For more information or to register for the race, visit powerrun.org.

280Living.com

June 2018 • A25

The Buster Britton Triathlon, set for June 9 at Oak Mountain State Park, includes a 400yard swim, 12 miles of cycling and a 3-mile run. Photo courtesy of Faye Yates/Team Magic.

Buster Britton Triathlon marks 32nd year

By S Y D N EY CROM WE

L L

The Buster Britton Triathlon will be hosted at Oak Mountain State Park for the 32nd year on June 9.

The race includes a 400-yard swim, 12 miles of cycling and a 3-mile run. It is named in honor of local triathlete Buster Britton, who lost his life in a fun run after completing the Hawaii Ironman.

Faye Y ates of Team Magic, which organiz es the triathlon, said this year’s event will have the same swimming and cycling courses, but the run has been moved to a paved course through the park. Y ates said the run was partially on offroad trails in the past three years, including a loop around Double Oak Lake, but a vote from participants showed a preference for staying on pavement.

“There’s not any dirt trail action; it’s all on the roads,” she said.

Y ates said Double Oak Lake is an ideal triathlon lake because it is calm and easy for infreque nt swimmers to cross.

“Oak Mountain State Park is just this unbelievable resource to the Birmingham area,” Y ates said. “Having that beautiful, calm lake

Buster Britton Triathlon • WHEN: June 9, 7 a.m.

• WHERE: Oak Mountain State Park • DETAILS: $75 individuals, $120 two-person relay, $135 three-person relay through June 6. Fees increase on race day.

• WEB: team-magic.com/events/116

is really a nice feature.”

Team Magic is anticipating 350 to 400 participants in this year’s run, and the typical demographic is triathletes ages 35-50.

The Buster Britton Triathlon starts at 7 a.m.

Registration is $ 75 for individuals, $ 120 for a two-person relay or $ 135 for a three-person relay through June 6. On race day, the fee increases to $ 85 for individuals, $ 130 for a two-person team and $ 145 for a three-person team. The registration includes park entry fee.

Find a race map and more information at team-magic.com/events/116.

Runners participate in the 2017 Take the Reins 5K at Veterans Park. s ear s ra e returns June 9.

Photo courtesy of The Red Barn.

Take the Reins 5K returns June 9 to Veterans Park

By ERICA TECHO Runners will have the chance to celebrate veterans and give back to The Red Barn this June.

At the fourth annual Take the Reins 5K , runners will take to the trails of V eterans Park for a 10K , 5K and 1-mile fun run in support of The Red Barn’s mission to provide equi ne-assisted activities to individuals of all abilities and circumstances.

The Red Barn, located in Leeds, works with children and adults with physical, cognitive and emotional disabilities, as well as veterans and their families.

The Take the Reins run is a way to highlight those services, said program coordinator Grace Butler, and is held in memory of a veteran who died by suicide, Cpl. Anthony Clay W ard. “[ The W ard family] and their daughter started participating in the Barn as part of their healing,” Butler said.

Each year, about 100 people come to the race, and many of them are men who served with W ard, Butler said. They come together from all over the country.

“There is a kind of camaraderie that happens

Take the Reins 5K • WHEN: June 9, 8-11 a.m.

• WHERE: Veterans Park • DETAILS: 10K, 5K and sleep-in option: $35; fun run: $20 • WEB: theredbarn.org/take-thereins-run

during the run. They run as a team, but we also let them speak and tell their story,” Butler said. “...I think that’s just true to who we are as far as our character as an agency. W e want to offer all our families, even our families of children with special needs, a special place to celebrate the life that they have.”

The cost is $35 for the 10K or 5K , as well as for a sleep-in option for people who would just like a T-shirt. The 1-mile fun run is $20.

By participating in the run, Butler said everyone is helping support veterans as well as The Red Barn’s programs as a whole.

For more information or to register, go to theredbarn.org/take-the-reins-run.

A26 • June 2018

280 Living u or e ut e oar of t e er a a er o et out e o e ers fro eft aure o a e aure or o a at er e ou reau s o off t e er o ostu es t e a to ear at t e re a a u e a e as o art to o quer a er Photo courtesy of the American Cancer Society.

About 400 people showed u for t e first fi t e ree r a s su er out oor o e ser es o u e at etera s ar Photo by Jon Anderson.

2 0 1 8 F r e e F r id a yF lic k s to b e g in w ith ‘S ta r W a r s ’

By JO N AN D ERS ON The Force is coming to V eterans Park for the 2018 Free Friday Flicks summer outdoor movie series.

“The Last Jedi,” the eighth episode of the Star W ars series, will kick off this year’s lineup of movies on June 1.

Here is the rest of this year’s lineup: ► Ju n e 8: “W onder” ► Ju n e 15: “Beauty and the Beast” ( 2017 version) ► Ju n e 2: “Peter Rabbit” ► Ju n e 29: “Despicable Me 3” ► Ju l y 6: “Paddington 2” ► Ju l y 13: “Ferdinand” ► Ju l y 20: “Coco” ► Ju l y 27: Rain date Most of the movies are rated PG, for rude humor, action, violence, thematic elements, frightening images, bullying or mild language, depending on the movie. The one exception is “Star W ars: The Last Jedi,” which is rated -13 for science fiction action and violence.

K eri Lane Hontz as, the founder of the

movie series and the company called Backyard Movie Parties, said this year’s events will run much like previous years.

The movie images are 30 feet wide and are shown on a 38-foot-wide screen on the grassy area near the main pavilion at V eterans Park, off V alleydale Road.

Each movie is scheduled to start at dusk.

The sun sets between 7:52 and 8:01 p.m. during the weeks the movies are scheduled.

Hontz as encourages people to come early — around 6:30 p.m. — and have picnics in the park prior to the show. There is a playground nearby and Hontz as also encourages people to bring blankets or lawn chairs.

Little Caesar’s Piz z a is scheduled to have piz z as available for sale, but people are welcome to bring their own food, she said. ont as plans to have an inflatable bounce house for kids, face painting and a balloon twister there.

To get updates on movie cancellations due to bad weather, follow Backyard Movie Parties on Twitter at @ BY MovieParties or on Facebook.

Inaugural Brenda Ladun Decade Dash & Block Party set for June 23

By JE S S E CHAM BERS ABC 33/40 news anchor Brenda Ladun has battled cancer twice and lost friends to the disease.

But she fights back by raising money for the American Cancer Society “I’m more determined now than ever before to reduce pain and suffering caused from this illness,” she said on the organiz ation’s website.

Her efforts continue with the Brenda Ladun Decade Dash & Block Party to Conq uer Cancer at St. V incent’s One N ineteen Health & W ellness in Hoover on June 23.

The day’s running events include a 1-mile Color Fun Run beginning at 5:30 p.m. and a 5K at 6 p.m.

A block party will also take place, featuring food, beverages and live music, as well as such kids activities as face painting and bounce houses.

Attendees can “time travel” by wearing their favorite outfits from the 1 0s through the 1 0s, and there will be awards for the best-dressed attendees in several categories.

This event was formerly known as the Conq uer Cancer Run, which was held for 13 years.

Ladun and the ACS “felt it was important to put a new and exciting spin on the event to

Brenda Ladun Decade Dash • WHEN: June 23, 5:30 p.m.

• WHERE: St. Vincent’s One Nineteen • DETAILS: $40 for ages 17 and older; $25 for ages 16 and younger • WEB: fightcancer .com

bring back past participants but also engage new participants,” said Mallory Hill, ACS South Region director of communications.

“Having everyone decked out in their favorite decade threads is going to be fun,” Hill said.

Registration for the 5K is $40. Registration for the Color Fun Run is $40 for participants ages 17 and up and $25 for kids ages 16 and under.

June 21 is the deadline to register. or more information, go to fightcancer BHM.com.

To register, go to runsignup.com/Race/AL/ Birmingham/DECADEDASH.

280Living.com

June 2018 • A27

A28 • June 2018

280 Living

Above left: The country band Deputy 5 provided entertainment at the Feast of Saint Marks on April 28 at the Saint Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church. Above right: Kaitlyn Sippola tosses a ring onto bottles in the kids zone. Photos by Lexi Coon.

Hu n d r e d s g a t h e r f o r F e a s t o f S a in t M a r k

By L EX I COON Saint Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church held its seventh annual Feast of Saint Mark on April 28. The event started with an early Saturday mass, held at 3 p.m., and was followed by plenty of food, kids activities and entertainment.

Foods included varieties of pasta, artisanal cheeses, piz z a, gelato and shaved ice from local establishments.

The goal of the event was to recogniz e the story of Saint Mark the Evangelist; help educate the understanding of the Catholic faith; be genuine and authentic to Italian culture; and provide a multi-generational and enriching experience for attendees, among others, according to the event website.

Counterclockwise, from above: Hundreds of people of all ages gathered for the Feast of Saint Mark. A boy tries his hand at putt-putt. Kimberly Farr tries a sample of pasta from Bare Naked Noodles. Samiah Jones and Ansley Smith get some cotton candy. Kids take a spin on a carnival-like ride. Families enjoyed lawn games, food and quality time.

280Living.com

June 2018 • A29

ROLLER DERBY

time so we are constantly having to communicate with each other,” Fallin said. “It’s not a sport where you can get out there and be the best all by yourself.”

A point of pride, Fallin said, is that roller derby is specifically known as being a women’s — or in this case, girl’s — sport.

“Y ou have soccer, and then you have women’s soccer, and you have basketball and women’s basketball.

W ell, in roller derby, you have roller derby and then you have men’s roller derby,” Fallin said. “It’s one of the few sports where it’s actually like that.”

Parmley said it’s a lot of fun to be able to play with all girls, especially playing one of the only “sports on wheels.”

Practices for the junior leagues are run the same way as they are for the adult league, Fallin said, with the team eventually scrimmaging each other.

“It’s amaz ing, and I’m not just saying this, how much they have progressed already,” Fallin said. ike the very first practice they couldn’t even stay up, they were like a baby giraffe on ice and needing to clench onto someone’s hand or a wall, and now these girls are already ust figuring it out.

Currently, Fallin said they don’t have the specifics on how they re going to split the girls up, but they will be playing girls closer to their own age, she said. In the near future, they will also be involved in the community through several charity events and with this year’s Tragic City Charity Partner, the Magic City Acceptance Center.

The Tragic City Trouble Makers are hoping to have their first bout with another junior league in August. To get involved, email juniors@ tragiccityrollers.com.

CONTINUED from page A1 County area between the ages of 7 and 18. W ith the creation of the Tragic City Trouble Makers, Birmingham has joined other Southeastern cities such as Atlanta, Huntsville, Chattanooga, N ashville and Athens, Georgia, in having a junior roller derby leagues.

Since February, the Tragic City Trouble Makers have practiced at 280 Skates for an hour every W ednesday night, with players learning how to start and stop, and then advancing at different paces.

Many are currently mastering the ability to land on their kneepads and “fall small,” Fallin said, so they don’t trip each other up.

Birmingham’s adult roller derby league, Tragic City Rollers, started in 2005.

Fallin said that parents and girls have been asking for a junior league for years, and she’s thrilled to be chosen to coach it. Tragic City League President Heather Meadows, also known as Claw and Order, was the one who got the junior league going.

As of April, Fallin said the league has been a hit in Birmingham, and community members have been showing support by reaching out to offer the girls sponsorships.

“Roller derby is really a great sport for kids because anyone can do it. W e take them even if they don’t know how to skate, they’ve never been an athlete,” Fallin said.

Roller derby is not like most sports, Fallin said, where everyone grew up running and kicking and generally knowing the rules. In roller derby, it takes some time to get the hang of the game and pick out a nickname, she said.

Members of the Trouble Makers, the junior roller derby league in Birmingham, work on their speed during an April 4 practice at Skates 280. Photo by Sarah Finnegan.

Roller derby is a contact sport where two teams of five face each other in the rink. Each team has four blockers, who try to keep the opposing team from scoring, and one jammer, who aims to score a point by making it around the rink.

Players can use their hips and shoulders to block people from scoring, but it is against official rules to get rougher than that.

“Everyone is on different levels right now. There’s people trying to get good at skating, and there’s people who are trying to perfect skating backwards and doing all the tricks,” Parmley said.

Parmley said even though she hadn’t skated a whole year before getting on skates again for roller derby practice, it’s been pretty easy

to pick it back up again. She also loves how much she’s learning.

Fallin said it’s important that players learn how to skate right next to each other without tripping before they graduate onto “bumping each other around a little bit,” she said.

Even though the Tragic City Trouble Makers are hoping to have their first bout with another unior league in August, Fallin said they’re going to have to wait and see how much they’ve progressed.

“It’s just one of those sports where you really, really want to be ready before you get out there and play a game because you don’t want injuries,” Fallin said. ne of the first things allin and assistant head coach Bethany Snow explained was that although roller

derby is an aggressive sport, Fallin said, “it’s not a sport where you bring your aggression to the tracks.”

Rather, it’s a full contact sport with rules just like in any sport with physical contact, she said.

“People think that roller derby is the place where when you’re in a bad mood, you can come out and hit some girls,” Fallin said.

“That is not what this is. Y ou lift each other up, and it’s very much a team sport,” she said, which is something teammates learn to take pride in about each other.

Over time, Fallin said the girls will develop trust and learn to depend on their teammates in order to be successful and win games.

“It’s a sport where we are playing offense and defense all at the same

A30 • June 2018

280 Living

DISTRICT

CONTINUED from page A1 overlay district would be a chance to make the main corridor in Chelsea stand out. It gives the chance for a “main street” feel, said RPCGB Principal Planner Lindsay Puckett.

“W e say it’s just to create more sense of place, because you’re promoting that consistent use of design elements throughout the design area,” said Puckett, who is also working with Chelsea as it pursues becoming an Alabama Community of Excellence.

At the April Chelsea Business Alliance luncheon, during which Puckett and ACE Team member N isa Miranda gave an update, Puckett said the overlay district can help “the corridor to look more uniform in appearance and be more aesthetically pleasing, instead of like everywhere Alabama.” They also discussed encouraging a pedestrian feel for the area, which could make it a more welcoming shopping spot. uckett said she was first approached by Mayor Tony Picklesimer because he knew neighboring municipalities, including the city of Hoover, Jefferson County and Shelby County, had overlay districts on U.S. 280. He wanted to look at setting up standards for building materials and design guidelines while making that easy to understand, according to Puckett.

At this time, there are not hard and fast design standards for developing a B-2 property in Chelsea, city engineer K eith Hager said at the April 23 Chelsea Planning Commission meeting, where uckett first formally discussed the overlay district standards. Having these guidelines in place, however, will provide a clearer vision for B-2 development.

“It will give the process more structure, which from my standpoint not only professionally but also from my time sitting on the Planning Commission, structure is a good thing,” said Cole W illiams, who serves on the planning commission and works as a civil engineer with Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood. “Right now, we lack structure in that review process, so I won’t say it would streamline the process but it certainly will structure the process so that it is predictable.”

The standards, however, will not force

e ro ose o er a ar e s t e t of

str t e sea

t e t of ost of

already developed properties to change anything, Puckett said. Of the 127 parcels z oned B-2, about half are already developed and would be grandfathered into the current standards. The 61 undeveloped parcels would have to follow the additional standards. Significant redevelopment at grandfathered properties, however, could trigger the application of overlay standards.

Chelsea is at an opportune time for creating this district, Puckett said, because there is still room to grow on the 280 corridor and a chance to get ahead of some of that development.

“First of all, it helps the applicant and the city staff identify design issues early on in the

e sea ou are a o

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ar e s

e t fie o t s a re There are around 127 B-2 Map courtesy of the city of Chelsea.

process, in making sure things are reviewed for compliance early on instead of later in the game,” Puckett said. “It also helps keep those development decisions from being made independently with little or no regard to adjoining properties.”

As they look at standards, W illiams said it will be important to mesh with what has already developed in the area and to ensure that it will not deter development.

“To me, it’s important that we’re not trying to create a restrictive covenant or to negatively impact the economics of developing in Chelsea,” W illiams said, “but at the same time we want to make sure the city has some extra

measures of control on what that corridor looks like in 20 years.”

Standards — which will cover categories such as building design and orientation, architectural and window treatments, screening and fencing and parking — will be stricter than what currently exists in the B-2 z oning, Puckett said, but are not arbitrarily created.

“W e will be building off of Shelby County, Jefferson County and Hoover. They all have a 280 overlay district, but they don’t take it to the next level of some of these architectural treatments,” Puckett said, adding that the standards in neighboring districts include some building orientation or material req uirements, just to a

280Living.com

Jumping off point: Suggested standards in Chelsea overlay district At the April 23 Chelsea Planning Commission meeting, RPCGB Principal Planner Lindsay Puckett suggested several standards to include in the overlay district. While Puckett these were just points of discussion rather than final regulations Puckett said they were a good jumping off point for planning.

The commission will be able to make adjustments and is planning to listen to public input be ore finalizing the overlay district. ► Building setbacks: Setbacks are the minimum and maximum distances required between a building and a property line. They can be set for the front, back and sides of a building.

A 50-foot minimum setback on the front and 25-foot minimums on the sides and rear have been proposed.

Puckett also discussed the option of setting maximum setbacks to prevent “a sea of parking” in front of buildings and to further develop a “main street” and walkable feel.

lesser degree.

Puckett and her team also looked at the recently approved Alabama 119 overlay district in Alabaster for a baseline.

At the April 23 Planning Commission meeting, Puckett facilitated a “working” discussion of the proposed standards. She presented her proposal for the district and addressed q uestions and concerns from the Planning Commission.

W hile it was a public meeting, no community members were present.

► Minimum first floor height: Puckett proposed setting a minimum first oor height o 1 eet to create a more welcoming experience.” The taller structures would encourage walkability. ► Architectural treatment standards: These standards would refer to the types of materials used on buildings, the combination of materials, permitted colors and other facets of how a building looks. Puckett suggested the following: » Avoid monotonous building materials and walls. » Construct facades that are varied and include large windows. » Establish a minimum percentage of glass or transparency that must be included on the front of a building. » Limit building to three colors. » Avoid building materials such as metal, vinyl, aluminum, stamped/applied stone, plastic and plywood. » Avoid awning materials made of plastic, fabric or glossy material.

Encourage longer awning lengths. » Buildings located at the intersection of two streets should “address” both streets. ► Screening, fence and wall standards: These standards include both building materials and regulations on what needs to be screened from view.

A few concerns arose during the discussion, including what the threshold would be before a developed property would be brought under the overlay district. In the Alabama 119 overlay district, for example, a redevelopment adding 2 - 0 percent more floor area would mean parking and screening standards would apply to that property.

Building standards and architectural treatment, however, would not have to change, according to a graphic provided by Puckett.

Puckett suggested the following: » Screen service and loading areas, trash containers and mechanical units from view. » Prohibit the use of chain link, plastic, wire or unpainted cinder blocks as a wall or fence. ► Parking standards: This includes placement of on-site parking, encouraging shared parking and standards for lighting and landscaping. Puckett suggested surface parking be located behind or on the side of buildings, sharing parking between buildings or stores, landscaping around and inside of parking lots and using shorter lighting fi tures. ► Access standards: Access standards dictate the numbers of driveways off of a main road, encouraging “frontage roads,” shared driveways and cross access. By making these changes uckett said it can minimize tra fic issues along . . 2 0. ► Grading and drainage standards: Puckett encouraged establishing materials and height standards for retaining walls and prohibiting open ditches and drainage structures. Rather, she suggested using subsurface drainage structures, which are covered by grassed swales, and look more like landscaping than concrete pipelines.

Any “major” redevelopment, which adds more than 0 percent to the floor area or to the value of the property, would have to comply with all of the overlay district standards.

Planning commissioners seemed to express approval for setting a threshold, although the percentage of change was not agreed upon.

They also asked about areas that were destroyed in a storm or natural disaster, to which Puckett emphasiz ed that those property or business owners would have a set amount of time as a

“

June 2018 • A31

We say it’s just to create more sense of place because you’re promoting that consistent use of design elements throughout the design area.

”

LINDSAY PUCKETT

grandfathered entity in order to rebuild.

After recommending moving buildings closer to the street and placing parking behind or to the side of buildings, once again encouraging a pedestrian feel, Puckett said, the q uestion of how parking would be handled at big box stores, such as a hardware store, also arose.

“W e don’t expect to see another W almart, but we could see a Home Depot or a Target, we could see another grocery development,” Picklesimer said.

In the case of those businesses — which typically have a large amount of parking in front of the building — Puckett said there would probably need to be a variance for larger developments.

Overall, however, the planning commission said they were ready to make a few tweaks and move on to the next step of the process.

“I think that this is wonderful, but at the same time we also have to be careful that we don’t push [ development] away as well,” city councilor Scott W eygand said.

To ensure affected parties are included in the conversation, the Planning Commission plans to hold a public involvement meeting where landowners and the development community can discuss any concerns with the plan. From there, uckett will develop a final plan to be approved by the planning commission.

W hile there was not a set timeline for those meetings, Puckett said the overall process of developing an overlay district can take several months.

SECTION

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Sports B4 Inverness Business Spotlight B14

JUNE 2018

A DREAM COME TRUE

Spain Park alumnus enjoys success in the NBA

By CHRIS M EG G IN S ON

Josh Magette of the Atlanta Hawks takes a shot against the LA Clippers on Nov. 22 at Philips Arena in Atlanta. Photo courtesy of Scott Cunningham/NBAE/Getty Images.

On Oct. 18, 2017, Josh Magette pulled up on the left wing and hit a 3-pointer to extend a lead for his team on the road in the season opener. It wasn’t any season opener, though. It was Magette’s N BA debut as an Atlanta Hawk. Dirk N owitz ki, a 13-time N BA All-Star, former league and N BA Finals MV P, inbounded the ball for the Dallas Mavericks.

“It was pretty incredible to have my parents, my brother and fianc e there. he shot was icing on the cake. It was a night I will never forget for sure,” Magette said. “Y ou grow up watching all of these guys, and irk is a legend. o be on the same court was awesome. I was just happy to be out there and kind of arrived.” cameras quickly found agette s family in the arena, with a close-up of his dad, Jimmy, high-fiving those around him, even avericks fans.

“I felt like I was shot out of my seat,” Jimmy Magette said. “I jumped out of my seat so fast. It was a wonderful, unbelievable, unexpected experience. It was outstanding.” t was the first NB moment by a Spain ark High School or University of Alabama in Huntsville men s basketball player. he family was invited down to the court after the game, where former awk ominique ilkins made it a point to introduce himself to the Magettes, and the family was invited to dinner with the team. he night was the culmination of a six-year professional journey for Josh Magette, that has included time in Holland, a stint in Los Angeles with the N BA D-League ( now G-League) , a year

in Greece and then the last two years back in the D-League in Los Angeles. t s been a dream come true. he culmination of the last 20 years of playing basketball, especially the last six of my professional career. It’s something I never would have imagined happening, but obviously it’s something you have to pinch yourself sometimes to remind you where you’re at and how far you’ve come,” Josh Magette said.

Magette’s journey began in the Hoover Rec League, where he was part of an All-Star state championship team. After playing on the freshman and JV team at Spain Park High School, he was the backup point guard for the Jags when they scored more than 90 points in an upset of Gadsden City, in front of a packed house at the AHSAA N ortheast egional final to advance to the Class semifinals. e was named for the tournament. e had no business beating them, but we shot like 0 percent from 3, agette recalled. t was one of those confidence things. nce it happens it’s like, ‘ I can do this every night.’ Once you do it against the really good competition, it instills some confidence in you. t the time, he was -foot, 1 0 pounds on a good day.

“Y ou looked at him, and he’d be the last one picked in a pickup game,” said Brian Moon, former Spain Park boys basketball coach. “But when we subbed him in, we knew we were better.

He made everybody better. He’d make an average player good and a good player great, and I think that s his No. 1 quality. e s very crafty he

See MAGETTE | page B13

B2 • June 2018

280 Living

Y our Health Today

By Dr. Irma Leon Palmer

The once believed “chemical imbalance” theory of depression is under attack by a growing number of health care professionals.

Instead of siding with drug companies, health care professionals are looking at the root cause. Currently, there are easy alternative treatments for depression instead of relying on a variety of strong medications that end up depleting the brain and body, in addition to causing symptoms that worsen the depression state. eview last month s article for the specifics.

Here are a few actions steps to lower the intensity and freque ncy of depression: To start, stop consuming fake, processed foods that contain no nutritional value. They increase risks and severity of depression. N eurologist and author of the popular “Grain Brain” book Dr. David Perlmutter states: “It is now proven that depression is an inflammatory disease caused by chronic inflammation. ny type of inflammation disrupts the normal functioning of your immune system, which is linked to a greater risk of depression. The reaction created by ingesting bad toxic foods every day triggers cytokenes that are released into the blood stream. Too many cytokenes increases inflammation.

Sugar, as well, enhances the freq uency and severity of depression because it triggers a cascade of chemical reactions in the body that promotes chronic inflammation. ccording to Dr. Perlmutter, sugar consumption suppresses activity of a key growth hormone called BDN F ( Brain Derived N eurotrophic Factor) , which promotes healthy brain activity. dditionally, research revealed that individuals who suffer with depression and schiz ophrenia have critically low levels

P a r t II: D e p r e s s i o n Ac t i o n S t e p s

of BDN F hormone. Therefore, cutting out bad toxic foods, grain, wheat, sugary sweets and sugary drinks is essential in the fight against depression. lternatively, add to your diet high consumption of healthy fermented foods such as kimchi, sauerkraut, kifir, kombucha and Greek yogurt, and drink plenty of water to rebuild the gut lining and the digestive system.

N ext action step: heal the gut and brain connection. Probiotic and prebiotic supplementation is a non-negotiable! ccording to r. oseph ercola, we all have two brains”: one in our skull, and one in our gut. Both need their own nourishment. r. ercola states: hese two organs are actually created out of the same type of tissue. During fetal development, one part turns into your central nervous system while the other develops into your enteric nervous system.

The vagus nerve ( a cranial nerve that runs from the brain to the abdomen) is what connects the two brains together.” herefore, our intestinal health has a profound influence on our mental health! dditionally, 80 percent of the immune system lies in our gut. W hen the gut-brain connection is stable, so is our mood and mental health. edi erb supportive vitamins such as Digest Forte herb aids with proper gut function and promotes healthy gastrointestinal tone. N evaton Forte, another edi erb vitamin, helps with the gut-brain connection by supporting healthy nervous system intercommunication. hese vitamins are available at our office.

Lastly, go outside, and soak up the sunshine! This helps improve mood and depression spells. etabolic pathways for vitamin D are located in the hippocampus and cerebellum

of the brain. V itamin D helps modulate the relationship between depression and inflammation. ccording to r.

Stephanie Seneff: “Being out in the sunshine is the best way to enhance vitamin D levels in the body through skin absorption. W hen you expose your skin to sun, your skin synthesiz es vitamin D3 sulfate. This form of vitamin D is water soluble, unlike vitamin D3 supplements, which are unsulfated. The water-soluble form can travel freely in your bloodstream, whereas the unsulfated form needs LDL ( also known as “bad” cholesterol) as a vehicle of transport.”

Dr. Seneff also states: “The oral non-sulfated form of vitamin doesn t provide all of the same benefits as the vitamin D created in your skin from sun exposure, because it cannot be converted to vitamin D sulfate.” So, get outside for 15 minutes a day and get your vitamin D because our bodies are designed to get vitamin D primarily from the sun.

Let’s all agree: Depression is devastating, and it can take a toll on the healthiest of families. It is my hope you don’t feel judged here, but rather that you are encouraged and inspired to possess knowledge from these health information articles. encourage everyone to live a balanced life. ut first things first, and don t ignore your body s warning signs.

Please realiz e this truth: symptoms are the only way your body can communicate a change is needed. nd, should you seek to make those changes, decide to change toward a healthier lifestyle.

I know this for sure, even the most complex tasks can be made easy if you just take one step at a time toward success. Have faith, be strong, and strive forward! Contact us for help.

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June 2018 • B3

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280 Living

Sports

Briarwood boys repeat, girls finish 2nd in state tennis tournament

By K Y L E P ARM L EY The Briarwood Christian School boys tennis team fulfilled its lofty expectations, as the Lions dominated the Class 4A-5A tournament to repeat as state champions.

Briarwood accumulated 87 points in the state tournament, more than doubling LAMP’s second-place total of 40 points.

The girls team earned a trophy as well, scoring points to finish as the runner-up to UMS-W right ( 81 points) .

The Lions boys earned their status as one of the top teams in the state all year long and did nothing to suggest otherwise at the state tournament, held April 23-24 at the Mobile Tennis Center.

“It was exciting,” said Briarwood coach Jeremy Mears. “I just wanted us to play to our potential. I thought the guys stepped it up.”

For the boys, Parker Bradbary, Connor Coleman, Ethan Carr, Alex Felts and Tyler Guerra all won singles championships. The Lions’ N o. 1 singles player, John W olf, was forced to complete the tournament the following onday and finished as the runner-up.

All three Briarwood doubles teams

won their respective brackets as well.

John W olf and Bradbary teamed up in the top doubles pair, Coleman and Luke W olf won N o. 2, and Carr and Guerra won the third doubles bracket.

Mears said that the strength and depth of the boys team was one of its biggest advantages throughout the season, since the Lions practiced against top competition every day.

He said, “There was no letdown and they just pulled for one another throughout the year.”

For the girls, Callie W are and K atelyn Bussey teamed up in the N o. 2 doubles bracket to win the championship. W are, Bussey and Hancock each reached the final of their respective singles brackets, while K ara Coleman and aura erren finished runner-up in N o. 1 doubles. Coleman and Grayson merson reached the semifinals in singles and Emerson and Hancock were quarterfinalists in No. 3 doubles.

“I was really pleased with the girls,” Mears said.

Bradbary’s eligibility expires after this year and is the only loss on the boys side. Herren, Bussey and K eaton Cross were the girls team’s three seniors.

Br ar oo ’s o Wol a o e a arker Bra ar at t e Class ect o to r a e t rl at Br ar oo C r st a c ool Photos by Sarah Finnegan.

280Living.com

June 2018 • B5

Chris Laatsch hired as SPHS basketball coach

By K Y L E P ARM L EY The Spain Park High School boys basketball program has found its new leader.

The Hoover board of education named Chris Laatsch as the Jags’ new head coach on Tuesday, May 8, taking over for Donnie Q uinn, who retired following the 2017-18 season.

“It’s a little bit surreal,” Laatsch said. “I’m just humbled and honored that they would entrust this program to me. I grew up in Hoover and remember watching Spain Park get built.”

Laatsch has served as the head boys basketball coach at Helena since 2014 and spent the past year as the school’s athletic director.

He spent 16 years at Briarwood Christian School prior to that. During his time there, the Lions reached the Final Four once and won four area championships. Laatsch remains the winningest coach in the school’s history and was an assistant coach for four years at UMS-W right before then.

He boasts 378 career wins.

“Coach Laatsch brings a lot to the table for Spain Park,” Spain Park Athletic Director Patrick K ellogg said.

“He is not only a great coach, but a great leader, program builder and has an excellent vision for our boy’s basketball team.”

Laatsch started the program at Helena and led the Huskies to the playoffs each of his four seasons.

His inaugural team posted a 17-14 record in 2014-15, while his 201718 team went 30-3 and advanced to the regional semifinals. aatsch was named the Birmingham Tip-Off Club Coach of the Y ear.

“It’s tough to leave Helena, a program that I was there when the doors were opened and was the first coach of the school. That community is so special to me and my family,” Laatsch said.

Spain Park struggled to a 5-20 overall record last season, but has been to the state semifinals as recently as 2016.

“Of course, in high school athletics, there’s ups and downs,” Laatsch said. “Those years do happen, but I just believe that the overall pedigree, character and things that are in place here will hopefully give us a chance.”

The girls basketball team’s state championship in March is the Jags’ most recent blue map, but Laatsch said he is excited to join a school with successful teams throughout the athletics department.

He said, “W atching the body of work for so long, they’re so competitive across the board in so many other athletic programs. I have a lot of respect for a lot of the coaches here

Chris Laatsch, left, was named the boys basketball head coach at Spain Park High School on May 8 after four years at Helena, where he led the Huskies to the playoffs each season.

Laatsch was named the Birmingham Tip-Off Club Coach of the Year for the 201718 season.

Photo courtesy of Todd Kwarcinski.

and what they do.”

In order to elevate his new program to that standard, he will use the same formula he has found success with in previous stops.

“W e’re going to work hard and we’re going to try to put a good product on the floor. But most importantly, we’re going to try to have a program

that develops character in men, that they’ll be great men, husbands and fathers one day,” Laatsch said. “That’s going to be the foundation of our program.”

Laatsch grew up in Bluff Park, so the move is in essence a homecoming.

“I’m coming home to Hoover,” he said. “It’s a great school system, a

great city, a great community, great athletic program. I just think it’s one of the top in the state. W hen you get the opportunity, you have to take it.”

Laatsch is a 1994 graduate of the University of Montevallo. He and his wife, Leigh, have seven children and a daughter-in-law.

B6 • June 2018

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280 Living

t e el r g a Class c a o s g akes a sa e Photos by Todd Lester.

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Lions toppled by Randolph again in final

By ROBERT CARTER Briarwood Christian School scored the first goal in the Class 4A-5A boys soccer championship match on May 11.

But the defending champions reeled off the next five goals of the match, as the andolph School came back to roll over the ions, -1, and capture its second straight title in a rematch of last year s final. ogan rost delivered the opening goal for

Briarwood in the sixth minute, as he finished a run down the left sideline, turned the corner toward the andolph net and scored. nfortunately for rost, that was the last offense he and his mates could muster.

Sean O’Hare tied the match eight minutes later on a score from an Ian K rajna assist. It was the first of two goals for are. Sam artley found the back of the net twice for andolph as well. arker eague gave the aiders the lead for good in the 37th minute with a goal.

The late barrage of goals took the life out of the ions attack, and by the time the hydration break at the 0-minute mark came, Briarwood’s hopes for a fourth state championship were gone. ions goalkeeper rant ielding had three saves for the match. he ions finished the season with a 23-3-1 record. o reach the final, they defeated olt, 10-0, rinity resbyterian, -0, and , -1.

The Briarwood girls team was unable to

defend its state championship, as the ady ions were defeated by rinity resbyterian, 1-0, in the quarterfinals.

Both Chelsea soccer teams also made the playoffs, but both came up a little short. he ady ornets fell to eventual Class champion ohn Carroll, -0 in the quarterfinals, while the boys team dropped a 2-1 decision to ohn Carroll in the first round. ach ak ountain team fell to estavia ills in the first round.

280Living.com

June 2018 • B7

Knights capture 2nd state title

By ROBERT CARTER

Above: Westminster-Oak Mountain's Matt Wilson (6) and West Morgan's Jose Segoviano (6) during a Class 1A-3A championship match between Westminster-Oak Mountain and West Morgan on May 11 at John Hunt Park in Huntsville. Below: Westminster-Oak Mountain celebrates the victory over West Morgan during a Class 1A-3A championship match. Photos by Todd Lester.

A coach isn’t often asked his age following a state championship match.

Christian dkins, in his first year at the helm of The W estminster School at Oak ountain s boys soccer team, grinned as he revealed he was ust 2 years old.

In other words, if Adkins wasn’t already well known to S officials watching from the press box, he could have probably slipped into the match as one of the nights players. dkins didn t have to. is estminster squad defeated a speedy-but-small est organ side by a 2-0 score ay 11 and won the school s second Class 1 -3 state championship in the past four years.

The K nights got on the board in the first half with a goal by ouston ikens, off an assist by ohn ichardson in the 32nd minute. But the team s second score was the one that brought the fans at ohn unt ark to their feet. att ilson was working his way with the ball ust outside the penalty area and parallel to its long edge. Suddenly, ilson stopped and fired a left-footed blast at a 0-degree angle to his path that rocketed past the ebels goalkeeper. he 30-yard missile came in the 8th minute to give the K nights some breathing room the rest of the way. att can go all over the place. e s got the longest legs you ve ever seen, but they work in his favor, dkins said. e works super-hard to get into position to score.

estminster had an equally strong night from their keeper, Brodie inks. e came up with nine saves to keep a clean sheet for the night.

Nearly all of est organ s players were small in stature but made up for it with blaz ing speed. Such an opponent can sometimes be problematic for a bigger team, but the K nights were able to keep up, in large part due to a conditioning program that Adkins emphasiz es. That program paid big dividends on the night. itness played a great part in this. e strive to be our fittest for these games, dkins said. hey push me to be better every day in training, and want to push them to be the best. m a firm believer that fitness is a big issue. rice eonard, who scored two goals in estminster s 2-1 semifinal victory over Bayside cademy on ay 10, was named the game s ost aluable layer. e s skillful, he s fast, his work ethic is unbelievable and he’s the fittest guy on the team, dkins said. he championship is dkins first as a head coach, but he is no stranger to the big blue map trophy. t neighboring ak ountain igh School, he was part of two title teams as a player. hen he returned to the Eagles as an assistant coach, the school won two more crowns before W estminster hired him to run its program.

The K nights close their championship season with a 2 -2-1 record, while est organ ends with a 21-3-0 mark.

B8 • June 2018

280 Living

Greystone hosts Regions Tradition for 8th year Celebrities and professional golfers alike took advantage of Greystone Golf and Country Club’s 18 holes for the annual Regions Tradition.

The event lasted from May 16-20 and was open to professional golfers ages 50 and older as part of the PGA Tour Champions. The Tradition kicked off with the annual Celebrity Pro-Am on a sunny W ednesday, with celebrities such as Gus Malz ahn, N ick Saban and Greg McElroy teeing off. ans filled the stands throughout the week to watch the competition for a piece of the $2.4 million total purse.

Greystone has hosted the Regions Tradition annually since 2011.

Clockwise, from top left: Former American Idol winner Taylor Hicks plays the harmonica before teeing off during the NCR Celebrity Pro-Am on May 16. Alabama A&M football coach Connell Maynor and Alabama State University football coach Donald Hill-Eley pose together before teeing off. University of Georgia head football coach Kirby Smart tees off. Auburn head football coach Gus Malzahn tees off. Former Auburn running-back Bo Jackson prepares to tee off. Former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy tees off.

University of Alabama head football coach Nick Saban tees off. Former United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice addresses the crowd before teeing off. Photos by Layton Dudley.

280Living.com

June 2018 • B9

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280 Living

Elmore leaves Hornets, takes job at alma mater

By K Y L E P ARM L EY There are some opportunities that are too good to turn down.

Chris Elmore encountered one of those recently and made it official on hursday, April 26. Elmore was approved as the next head football coach at Fort Payne High School following five years in the same position at Chelsea.

Fort Payne represents home for Elmore.

It’s his alma mater and where his dad coached from 1984-1998. really wasn t looking for a ob, said Elmore. “I really like Chelsea and didn’t want to leave, and could ve seen myself there for a long time.

Paul Ellis served as the Fort Payne coach the last 1 years, but his position was made vacant when he took a new job in Georgia. But Elmore wasn’t going to return home just for the sake of doing so. He wanted to make sure it was the right opportunity.

Being home is a big deal, but didn t want to ust do it because of that, he said. think it is a great opportunity, great town. lways has been.

Elmore left the program at Chelsea in “great shape, according Chelsea athletic director Michael Stallings. Elmore led the Hornets to three winning seasons, including consecutive playoff berths in 201 -1 , and compiled an overall record of 27-25. rior to coming to Chelsea, he spent eight years as an assistant coach at Hueytown. Fort ayne has had a run of success in recent years, q ualifying for the playoffs in 13 of the last 15 years.

“He is going to be tremendously missed by not ust the coaches and the players, but ust the faculty in general, said Stallings. reat guy to work with, always set a great example. lmore said the most difficult aspect of leaving Chelsea would be the kids and coaches left behind.

Chelsea head coach Chris Elmore argues a call in a game against Cullman on Nov. 3. l ore co Chelsea. Photo by Frank Couch.

“It was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do, was telling them was leaving, he said. “I still get emotional talking about it. I can t tell you how special those kids are there. think Chris was very happy here, Stallings said. “In his professional and in his personal life, it s a good opportunity to get to go back home. There’s a lot to be said for getting to go back home. I don’t fault him one bit for the decision.

ast season, Chelsea finished with a 2-8 record, but picked up both wins over the last three games of the season. The Hornets replaced every starter on the offensive side of the ball, but with a year of experience under their belts, lmore said, they ve got a great future.

“I was looking forward to having a great season, lmore said.

Defensive coordinator Z eb Ellison will

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serve as Chelsea’s interim head coach through the spring, as the search for the next permanent head coach begins. he mission now is to find the next guy that’s going to lead them and keep that culture and keep the direction of the program moving the right way, Stallings said. e will start that process of finding our next head coach and I am sure within the next couple of weeks we will start interviewing candidates.

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June 2018 • B11

Left: Briarwood's Michael Hiers (8) pitches during a game between Chelsea and Briarwood on March 8 at Jay D. Kynerd Field. Hiers played football, basketball and baseball in his time at Briarwood. Photo by Kyle Parmley. Ce ter so arts el r s a ter t e catc t e Class c a o s ga e et ee Br ar oo a t a l’s o ec at Br a t e ta scaloosa e a le e asses or ar s a t o to c o s Photo by Todd Lester. g t Br ar oo ’s Carso akes a rece t o r ga Class arter al ga e aga st to a o o at o s r e ta s ea g to a or to la college ase all Photo by Jimmy Mitchell.

Briarwood trio ‘will always cherish’ friendship

By G ARY L L OY D The trio of Briarwood Christian School seniors has more chemistry than the periodic table. ut of Carson ddy, udson artsfield and Michael Hiers, only Eddy’s initials show up on the periodic table of elements, but it’s rather fitting for the group. Ce is the atomic symbol for cerium, a chemical element that ignites spontaneously. Like cerium, these three Lions are explosive. ddy and artsfield consistently made big plays for the Briarwood football team in 2017, a team that was undefeated until a 17-14 loss in the Class state championship game against St. Paul’s. Each made these plays due to the arm of Hiers, the Briarwood q uarterback. Eddy made the Alabama Sports W riters Association All-State second team as a wide receiver, while iers was an honorable mention. artsfield,

also a wideout, did not earn All-State honors, but he did collect five receptions for 8 yards and both the Lions’ touchdowns in the state title game. n the baseball diamond this spring, ddy led the ions with a . 2 batting average, 32 runs batted in, 3 runs scored and four triples. iers batted . 18, finished one B behind ddy, and recorded a team-high strikeouts as a pitcher. e tied ddy with 2 singles, 11 doubles, and two home runs. artsfield batted . 00, collected a team-high hits, scored 3 runs and collected 22 B s. he trio often batted in the second, third and fourth spots in the lineup, a true urderers ow of Class baseball. fter the state championship football game, Hiers credited the team’s success to chemistry. hese three have been building theirs for a long time. artsfield met iers when he transferred to Briarwood when he was about 10 years old.

Eddy has known them both since he was 7. artsfield and ddy played on the same Cubs recreational baseball team at Heardmont Park.

Eddy lives just up the street from Hiers. hese are friendships that will always cherish, and ll keep in touch with them for the rest of my life,” Eddy said. he trio played three sports together in seventh and eighth grade. artsfield and iers played all three together as freshmen. ll three have played baseball together since seventh grade. Before that, they were part of the United States Specialty Sports Association state championship team when they were 11. The list could go on. think we have so much chemistry because we do so much together and are ust always around each other, and it’s been like that for so long, iers said. e work out together and practice together, so think that creates a special connection.”

ddy and artsfield said the same thing.

Eddy said the three do not have a favorite sport to play together. hey focus their attention on the one that is in season. artsfield and iers said the same thing. e ve grown up playing together, so whichever sport is in season we buy into that sport and give it our best effort, artsfield said.

Said Eddy, “They should know that they are both great teammates who make others around them better. hey brought out the best in me each and every day at practice.” or the first time in more than a decade, the trio will be apart for an extended period. Eddy will play baseball at Samford University. Hartsfield is heading to roy niversity to play baseball. Hiers will make his way to Murray State in K entucky to play qua rterback. Hiers said he will be making trips to see his best friends play. gain, ddy and artsfield said the same thing. Chemistry.

B12 • June 2018

280 Living

Jeff State program guides career changes after 50

By S Y D N EY CROM WE

Tamara Payne is the director of career and job resources at Jefferson State Community College and leads the Back to Work 50+ program.

Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

L L

For those who haven’t applied for a new job in decades, re-entering the hiring market can be a daunting experience.

Handing out resumes at businesses door-todoor has been replaced by online application forms, among other changes, and some workers have outdated skills or aren’t sure where their experiences can land them in a new field.

At Jefferson State Community College, the Back to W ork 50+ program offers not only training in job hunting and new skills, but also the reassurance that others have faced the same challenge.

“Once you’re 50 and older and you think, ‘ I want to get back in the workforce or I’m trying to get another job,’ you think you’re the only one out there in this boat. And it’s nice to be around other people who are doing the exact same thing,” said Jefferson State success coach Lynn Chambers.

Back to W ork 50+ is a four-year-old program at Jefferson State funded by a grant from the AARP Foundation. Director of Career and Job Resources Tamara Payne said more than 300 people have participated at the Shelby campus, near Spain Park High School, and the Jefferson County campus, in the Pinson area.

Those participants come into the program with a variety of needs. Chambers said they have helped men and women who have been laid off, need a new career field, are looking for a pay raise or are entering the workforce after a long absence. Some have had a high school diploma or GED, and Chambers said at least one participant had a Ph.D. but wanted a career change.

There are special challenges that come with being an older job-seeker, Chambers said, including a lack of familiarity with more recent hiring practices. lot of times we find people that have been at a ob for 2 years and all of a sudden they find themselves laid off, and they haven’t applied for a job,” Chambers said, adding that online

application forms and interviews via phone or video chat can be “rather daunting.”

The Back to W ork 50+ program incorporates group and individual coaching sessions, resume and cover letter writing sessions, mock interviews with local employers, assistance in finding and prepping for ob opportunities and access to training classes. Chambers said these classes run the gamut from basic and advanced computer skills to Jefferson State’s workforce training programs. hese programs include certifications and training in everything from icrosoft ffice and welding to some assistant- and technician-level medical careers. Payne said Back to W ork 50+

participants are eligible for scholarships for some of these programs. here are also benefits to the program, Chambers said, that don’t come in the form of a new resume or new skill. lot of it is building confidence, she said.

“Y ou think, ‘ W hat can I do now? ’ It’s nice to know there’s other people in the same boat, that you can do this.”

Back to W ork 50+ is free to participants through the AARP Foundation grant. Payne said Jefferson State holds two introductory sessions for those interested at its Jefferson and Shelby campuses each month. They will continue until late September or early October, when the grant

expires, Payne said.

After the grant ends, Payne said they are seeking additional funding sources to continue the program, possibly condensed into a weeklong “boot camp” format rather than classes over several weeks.

“W hen you reinvent yourself, you can do it after 0. t s scary, but it s definitely something that can be done,” Payne said.

Jefferson State Community College’s campuses are located at 4600 V alleydale Road in Hoover, and 2601 Carson Road, near Pinson and Center Point. Call 855-850-2525 or visit jeffersonstate.edu for more information about Back to W ork 50+ and upcoming session dates.

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CONTINUED from page B1

Josh Magette of the Atlanta Hawks handles the ball against the Chicago Bulls on March 11 at Philips Arena in Atlanta. Photo courtesy of Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images.

“

June 2018 • B13

understands the game and he knows where his teammates are. He’s always looking to pitch the ball ahead to get it to the right person.”

UAH, an N CAA Division II program, was the only school that offered Magette a scholarship and planned to redshirt him until the players convinced head coach Lennie Acuff otherwise. N ow in his fourth seasons in the N BA D-League/G-League, Magette has dished out more than 1,600 assists in the G-League, including leading the league in assists per game the last three seasons.

As a two-way player in 2017-18, he collected more than 430 assists between Erie and Atlanta, including 57 in 18 games played in the N BA. As a two-way player, Magette’s schedule was always fluid during the season. He opened the season with the Hawks in Dallas and played eight games in the first two months with the team, one game in January, one in February and then eight more in March and pril. n his final eight NB games, he averaged 4.3 assists and 18 minutes played.

W hile each year has left uncertainty about what’s next, Magette said he’s not once thought about cutting his journey short.

“I’m having fun and truly enjoy playing the game every year. It hasn’t really felt like a job for me. I get to go out and play basketball,” Magette said. “I felt like every year I was getting closer to getting that shot at the N BA. I felt like I was improving and gaining ground on achieving a dream.

I didn’t feel like giving up on that until I saw it all the way through or until I regressed. I felt like I was on the rise at all times.”

Moon said he is proud to have

I’m having fun and truly enjoy playing the game every year. It hasn’t really felt like a job for me. I get to go out and play basketball.

”

JOSH MAGETTE

agette as Spain ark s first NB player.

“He’s the most competitive kid you’ll ever see,” said Moon, who spent the last seven years in the Atlanta area at N orth Forsyth High School. “He’s going to keep going. I don’t think this is a one-and-done deal … It’s pretty cool to say you’ve coached a kid in the N BA. N ot everybody can do that, and it’s good to be able to relay messages to a kid who may think he can’t succeed that Josh is a great guy to point to and say, ‘ This guy did, and he looks like you.’ Josh is a great example of how you can reach excellence.”

Josh said the support has been great, from calls and texts from former teammates and coaches, to seeing people he knows show up at cities all across the nation.

His dad said the same is true back home in Hoover.

“I’ll see somebody I haven’t seen in a long time, and the first thing they want to talk about is Josh. A lot of people have kept up with him, and I appreciate that,” Jimmy Magette said.

– P o r ti o n s o f th i s sto r y w er e p r ev i o u sl y p u bl i sh ed o n g sc sp o r ts. o r g .

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INVERNESS

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

INDEX Four Corners Gallery........................ B14 Bunch Bakeshop ............................... B15 Isbell Jewelers .................................. B16 Gameday In Style Boutique .............B17 Inverness Country Club ................... B18

Healthy Smiles of Birmingham....... B19 Space Cadets ................................... B22 Fancy Fur ......................................... B20 Encore Rehabilitation ..................... B22 Inverness Golf and Repair .............. B20 MD Wellness and Aesthetics ..........B23 Growing Up Pediatrics ..................... B21 M&M Jewelers .................................. B21

FOUR CORNERS GALLERY

Preserving Your Personal History With Four Corners Gallery How many stories are hidden away in shoeboxes full of love letters, or drawers stuffed full of old documents? What about the ones snapped and sealed into digital space within our mobile devices?

Preserving and displaying memories, achievements and sentiments is a way to tell your story and Four Corners Gallery is dedicated to helping you do that. They have had the honor of working to restore, frame and preserve art by notable artists, but they also treasure items of sentimental value. Cherished CARLA HAMILTON letters, diplomas, sketches and e en your a orite selfie or group AND KAREN CLANTON photo, “that’s [your] personal history,” said Hamilton and, “if it’s worth framing, it’s worth Gallery offers a wide selection of archival preserving.” storage boxes and preservation sleeves.

While they are best known for custom Carla Hamilton became co-owner of conservation framing, Four Corners Gallery also offers photo restoration. You Four Corners Gallery in 2004 and brings her graphic design background to each may choose from paper, canvas, acrylic project. Having grown up in the art world or metal prints. This is a great way to she has strong respect for the history share your images with others. They can that art preserves. Karen Clanton has also restore and preserve original works been in the industry for over 30 years of art, repair damaged and antique and, together with the experienced frames and assist with arranging and team at Four Corners Gallery, each piece properly installing art in your home or completed is done so collaboratively and o fice. with great pride.

If you don’t intend to display your Four Corners Gallery, 4700 U.S. 280, pieces right away, Hamilton advises Suite 8, is open 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. protecting them from environmental pollutants such as light, moisture and oil. Monday–Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday. For more information, visit Whether it’s a watercolor, drawing, photo fourcornersgalleryonline.com or call or document “you should store all works 205-980-2600. on paper in an archival fashion.” The

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June 2018 • B15

BUNCH BAKESHOP

Making tasty food that’s also naturally gluten-free In most people’s minds, gluten-free food translates to yuck-food, but not at Bunch Bakeshop. Angel Mefford, owner and long-time foodie, has dedicated the last six years of her life to making tasty treats and hot meals available for people diagnosed with celiac disease and gluten intolerance.

She’s gotten so good at what she does that most of her customers don’t even realize her decadent chocolate cupcakes and savory dinners-to-go are gluten-free.

The secret is in the ingredients.

Gluten is only found in wheat, barley and rye, but because of their preservative nature and low cost, large companies often add these ingredients in order to give their products a longer shelf life.

Instead of using ingredients that have been processed, Mefford searches for fresh ingredients free of any processing.

“There are a million ingredients out there that we just don’t take advantage of,” said Mefford. “Other countries are already using ingredients that are naturally glutenfree [and] there are tons of alternatives out there for us.”

Mefford’s dedication to glutenfree baking and cooking began when she was diagnosed with celiac disease, a condition that causes gluten intolerance. y first thought was that m never going to be able to eat the

things I truly love again,” she said.

Never one to allow circumstance to hold her back, Mefford began her search for alternatives that would allow

her to continue her enthusiastic growth as a bakery chef.

“Instead of staying down in the dumps about it I just started making gluten-free versions of the food that I loved,”

Mefford said.

Since opening her doors in February of this year she has been able to help many others.

She once baked a cake for a boy’s sixth birthday. He’d had

celiac disease his entire life and never been able to blow out the candles on a birthday cake.

“His mother cried and hugged me when she picked up his cake and it just meant the world to me to be able to do something for their family that many people take for granted,” said Mefford.

When she saw how much her efforts impacted the lives of others living with similar conditions, Mefford decided to extend the services of her bakery and began offering dinners-to-go in the afternoon.

“For someone with celiac or someone with a gluten intolerance, it’s very hard to go to a local restaurant and pick up diner without having to eat a bowl of lettuce. That’s why I created the dinners to go,” she said. “It’s for the people who are too busy to cook and find themselves eating out most of the week.”

Bunch Bakeshop offers a full line of gluten-free bakery items, prepared dinners to-go and full service catering. In mid-July, the bakery will also be hosting a seminar on organizing your pantry when a family member eats gluten-free.

Bunch Bakeshop, 4647 U.S. 280, is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tuesday–Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Monday.

For more information, visit bunchbakeshop.com or call 205-408-9825.

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INVERNESS BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

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280 Living

ISBELL JEWELERS

Creating timeless, personalized pieces In today’s world of fast fashion, fast consumption and mass production, there are still artisans creating beautiful custom pieces. Located just one mile from I-459 in Inverness is a hub of artistic jewelers ready to create something timeless, elegant and classic just for you.

Since 1982, Isbell Jewelers has been designing custom jewelry, repairing broken or damaged pieces and restoring family heirlooms to their former glory. As a family owned and operated business, Isbell Jewelers is able to do all of their work in-house, making sure that every design, engraving or restoration is done with honesty and integrity.

The motivation behind everything Isbell Jewelers does is the value of crafting custom jewelry in a way that per ectly re ects the intent o gi t givers or the personal style of the individual.

“I’m passionate about jewelry. For me, it’s like a kid working in a candy store,” said co-owner Suzy Isbell. Part of the joy of her job is the opportunity that Isbell gets to interact with customers that come into the store.

“We are fortunate to get the chance to experience the special moments in our customers’ lives: birthdays, engagements, anniversaries. The best part is helping a guy pick out [or design] the perfect engagement ring,” she said.

The design process of Isbell Jewelers is one of the many things that sets them apart from other jewelers in the area. Isbell Jewelers specializes in creating unique designs from scratch.

From engagement rings to modifying outdated jewelry into something new,

they create one-of-a-kind masterpieces.

The design and crafting team can start with an old piece of jewelry that has become outdated and turn it into something truly magnificent or take your fresh new idea and create a masterpiece. All the customer needs to bring is their old jewelry or a new idea. From there, the artwork begins.

The team creates an artistic rendering of your new jewelry that matches your preference and style.

Most jewelry designers send their pieces to another location to be finalized but sbell does it all themsel es to insure that every detail is perfect.

Once the new design has been approved, the team creates a wax molding of the new piece before it is cast in your choice of precious metal.

The results are breathtaking.

In addition to creating wonderful custom pieces, Isbell Jewelers also has in store a large selection of vintage and

estate jewelry. Isbell Jewelers also buys jewelry, diamonds, gold and silver.

If you are in need of a special piece for that special someone or want a piece o ewelry to re ect your personal style, contact Isbell Jewelers.

Isbell Jewelers, 448 Cahaba Park Circle, is open Tuesday–Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, visit isbelljewelers.com, call 205-995-7990 or go to @IsbellJewelers on Facebook.

INVERNESS BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

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GAMEDAY IN STYLE BOUTIQUE

Find your new look at Gameday In Style Boutique The moment you realize you have nothing to wear usually occurs when the entire content of your closet has been strewn across your bed and you’re standing in the mirror looking at yet another outfit that just doesn’t look quite right anymore. Gameday In Style Boutique carries more than stylish clothing in team colors for gameday.

The store has a huge selection of fashionable, on-trend boutique clothing and footwear and one of the largest selections of handmade jewelry from all over the world.

Sometimes it’s just time to update your wardrobe and other times you just need a few new pieces. Gameday In Style Boutique’s friendly staff will greet you and offer you individual attention. The personal stylists will help you select a fresh everyday look or find the per ect special occasion outfit rom their large inventory.

Sylvia Gonda, owner and founder of the boutique, is originally from Europe and loves to travel the world to find unusual edgy and stylish fashions and seek out artisans that make unique jewelry. ccessories make the outfit and they pro ide the finishing

touch that can make any ensemble spectacular. Putting together a complete look is our specialty. When you look good, it makes you feel good and your confidence shows Sylvia said.

Many customers come in the store or retail therapy to uplift their mood. Sylvia believes that clothing is an intricate part of a person’s identity. t s important to find clothing that suits your style, personality and body type and to explore new trends. “The best part of my job is to get to know our customers and form a personal connection, so they have our trust to try new things and know that they will get an honest eedback yl ia said. t is such a rewarding feeling to put a smile on their face because they finally find outfits that they lo e.

Stop by today at Gameday In tyle outi ue to find the look that will make you happy. New merchandise arrives daily.

Gameday In Style Boutique is located at 450 Inverness Corners, next to Winn Dixie, and is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday–Saturday. For more information, visit gamedayinstyle.com or call 205-637-7003.

INVERNESS BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

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280 Living

INVERNESS COUNTRY CLUB

Making New Friends at Inverness Country Club Where did all my good friends go?

This is a question that plagues far more adults than many people realize.

After college, when “real life” starts, people get new jobs, get married, have kids and slowly realize that growing up means growing apart from the friends that were made in college and high school. This discovery is often coupled with the realization that making new friends is much harder than it used to be.

On May 1, 1973, Inverness Country Club opened its doors to the public for the first time. heir mission was and still is to create an environment centered around community, where good times and new friends are only a visit away.

According to The New York Times the three conditions necessary for fostering new friendships are, “proximity; repeated, unplanned interactions; and a setting that encourages people to let their guard down and confide in each other.” These conditions are easily met early in life during college, high school and the whirlwind o your first career job. But in their 30s and 40s, people often realize that their friend-group has shrunken and wonder why.

Inverness Country Club has created a place where all three conditions of riendship are ulfilled. hey start by addressing the largest barrier to new friendships: time.

Finding the perfect balance between time spent with friends, time spent with family and time spent advancing your career is made easier by the family-friendly environment created at Inverness Country Club.

General Manager Steve Korson described it as “a club where you’ll create lifelong memories with your family and friends.”

With three pools, a championship 18-hole golf course, six tennis courts, fitness center and clubhouse there is something for the entire family to do.

Best of all, there are many families from

different backgrounds for members to get to know. think our fitness acility is special.

[It’s a tight-knit] group that takes part in the many complimentary classes and complimentary childcare,” Korson said. In addition to childcare at their fitness center the clubhouse is home to chef Daniel Michell, who is dedicated to providing healthy, savory meals for the entire family. The plush green turf of their golf course invites people to indulge in riendly or fierce competition and the tennis courts offer lessons for people of all ages and experience.

“The entire staff at Inverness Country Club has a service heart. They’re thrilled to provide memorable experiences each time you visit the club,” said Korson.

“If you want to be connected with people that share your same interests, Inverness Country Club is where you need to be a member.”

Inverness Country Club, 1 Country Club Drive, is open 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Tuesday–Thursday, 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Friday and 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For more information about becoming a member, visit iccalabama.com or call (205) 991-8608.

INVERNESS BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

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HEALTHY SMILES OF BIRMINGHAM

Enhancing smiles for more than 10 years Most people don’t think of dentists as the type of doctors responsible for saving lives. What they don’t realize is that a regular visit to a properly trained dentist can actually help improve your overall health and extend your life.

Since opening their doors in 2007, Dr. Paige Lester and her staff at Healthy Smiles of Birmingham have been helping people enhance their smiles and improve their health in the process.

“The moments that I remember the most are the times that we share happy tears with patients who used to hate their smiles, and in fact, would hide their teeth behind their hands during a rare smile in public,” said Dr. Lester. “I have one such sweet patient who recently had fullmouth reconstruction due to the severe wear on her teeth.”

One of the things that Dr. Lester does at her practice is educate her patients about the effects their habits can have on their smile. For instance, every morning when your favorite cup of joe jolts you awake, it’s also giving a jolt to your teeth, but not in a good way. The acidity of coffee, tea and energy drinks actually breaks down the enamel of your teeth accelerating decay. Enjoying one or two cups of coffee a day is normal, but there are some people who find themsel es in need of higher amounts of caffeine even if they’ve gotten a full night’s sleep.

This may be caused by sleep apnea, a condition in which a person’s airway becomes blocked during sleep. Sleep apnea makes it impossible for people to fully rest during sleep, which in turn causes them to drink more caffeine throughout the day, further damaging their teeth. Healthy Smiles of Birmingham

can help put an end to this vicious cycle by creating an oral appliance that will prevent airway blockage and help you sleep better.

“We noticed during [the reconstruction] treatment that she would occasionally stop breathing for a few seconds at a time. This lead us to get her tested for airway problems, and it turned out that she had a severe case of sleep apnea,” Dr. Lester said of her patient.

“There has been so much research in this field o late r. ester added and I am fortunate to have received training rom some o the best in the field.

Dr. Lester and her team are able to create custom appliances for people suffering from this condition. These devices are more comfortable than having to use a CPAP machine and work by holding the jaw in a position that will prevent airway blockage. “[The patient] has thanked us over and over again for ‘saving her life,’” said Dr. Lester, “and she is thrilled with how her smile makeover turned out.”

Healthy Smiles of Birmingham is a cosmetic and general dentistry o fice that focuses on their patient’s overall health, including routine dental check ups fillings and crowns, replacement of missing teeth, treatment for gum disease and snoring/ sleep apnea therapy. he o fice also o ers smile makeovers and teeth whitening.

Call today to schedule your appointment.

Healthy Smiles of Birmingham, 100 Heatherbrooke Park Drive, Suite A, is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday– Thursday. For more information, visit healthysmilesofbirmingham.com or call 991-9535.

B20 • June 2018

INVERNESS BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

FANCY FUR

INVERNESS GOLF AND REPAIR

We treat your pets like family Your furry friends are more like family members than pets and Fancy Fur in Inverness is passionate about helping you give them the best life possible.

Fancy Fur is a grooming salon and pet boutique founded in 2008 by Christine Sato and Mary Woolbright.

Woolbright, who leads the grooming side of the business, prides herself on making each of her furry clients feel pampered .

“We’re team-based, not commission,” said Sato. “That allows us to take time [to address] any health or grooming issues and keep the environment as stress-free as possible.” During full grooming sessions your pet will be treated to a customized hair-cut suitable to their breed, a luxurious bath with the best hypo-allergenic grooming products, nail trim, ear cleaning and anal gland expression.

While they wait their turn to be

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pampered, Woolbright and her team make sure that your pet feels safe and comfortable. They’ll be given fresh water, approved treats and a leisurely walk. The team at Fancy Fur is so dedicated to providing the animals in their care with the best treatment available that often the pets run in to meet their groomers.

“We also have a boutique that carries high end items that we feel are best for our furry friends,” said Sato.

The boutique offers items that aren’t found in big box stores like Fromm Family pet food, pet clothes and safety items like PAW riders. o find a team that will lo e your pet as much as you, visit Fancy Fur in Inverness.

Fancy Fur, 5291 Valleydale Road, Suite 139, is open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Monday–Friday. For more information, visit fancyfurpets.com or call 205408-1693.

eel onfident in yo golfing e ip ent Nothing ruins a day on the green like breaking your favorite golf club, but Inverness Golf and Repair is here to get you back on the course quickly.

Founded in 1990, Inverness Golf and Repair has been supplying Inverness area golfers with quality equipment for almost 20 years.

As a family owned business, the team at Inverness Golf and Repair is dedicated to helping customers find the perfect set of clubs or repair their damaged or broken equipment at a reasonable price to put them back in the game as soon as possible. The shop carries the latest equipment from all of the top manufactures, including PING, Titleist, Parsons Xtreme Golf, Taylormade, Cobra, Bridgestone, Mizuno and Callaway. If you have old, outdated equipment or you just feel like it’s time for an upgrade, the shop also accepts trade-ins and will give you the

best value they can to offset the cost of your new driver or iron set.

It can be an overwhelming experience shopping for new equipment, especially or no ice gol ers purchasing their first set. The staff at Inverness Golf & Repair understands and will do all they can to make your shopping experience stressfree. They will walk you through the entire process and assess your needs based on your skill level, swing and preferences. You can even test out your swing in their indoor hitting range.

When you leave Inverness Golf & epair you will lea e with confidence knowing that you are leaving with equipment perfectly designed for you.

Inverness Golf and Repair, 4647 U.S. 280, Suite D, is open 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday–Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. For more information, visit invernessgolfbham.com or call 205-991-1008.

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GROWING UP PEDIATRICS

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June 2018 • B21

M&M JEWELERS

Your local expert in the jewelry business since 1991

6 reasons to choose Growing Up Pediatrics The diverse, multilingual staff at Growing Up Pediatrics has been striving to bridge the language barrier between parents and children of all backgrounds since they opened in 1989. The team at Growing Up Pediatrics have become experts at translating growing pains into happy, healthy children.

1. Icky-tummy-itis: At Growing Pediatrics, we speak toddler. Our experienced staff takes the time to get to know each patient and their guardian so that when they don t eel well, we can translate their complaints into a diagnosis and help your little one feel better fast.

2. Can’t-miss-work-itis: We speak ommy and addy too and we ll do our part to help you balance your responsibilities at work with your duties as a parent. We re open until 7:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every Saturday so you don t ha e to take o work.

3. We’re actually multi-lingual: We strive to make our superior medical

care available to every child. All of our records and forms are available in Spanish and with nine bilingual staff members at all levels, there will always be someone on staff to assist.

4. We’re better than Google: When it comes to your child s health we know you re always on the clock. While your first instinct in late night situations may be to search every symptom online, you should know that we have a licensed provider on-call at all times.

5. We’re familiar with your needs: Our medical records are stored in the cloud so that whenever you call, whether it s to set up an appointment or for an after-hours question, our oncall provider can access your records quickly to address your concerns.

6. You’re covered: here s no need to worry. At Growing Up Pediatrics we accept all insurance providers, including Medicaid.

Growing Up Pediatrics is located at 200 Riverhills Business Park, Suite 250.

For more information or to make an appointment, call 205-995-0899.

M&M Jewelers started in 1991 in the Shops at Colonnade before moving to 440 Inverness Corners on U.S. 280 in November 2013.

Laura Robinson is the sole owner and a graduate gemologist, having attended the Gemology Institute of America in Santa Monica, California, in 1987. M&M Jewelers specializes in design, appraisal, watch and jewelry repairs, insurance replacements, engagement rings, exotic color stones and pearl jewelry.

Robinson can replicate pieces that her clients love or tailor a design to fit their budget.

“Our goal is customer service and to keep the hometown jewelry store atmosphere,” Robinson said. “We strive to help with everything from a simple watch battery to an extravagant engagement ring purchase.”

Robinson has three sons and is active in the community, including attendance at Church of the Highlands and membership in the Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce.

Because M&M Jewelers is locally owned rather than a chain, “customers can be confident they re getting competitive prices and good advice,” Robinson said. She also has more than 30 years of experience in the jewelry business to better serve clients and lea e them completely satisfied with their purchase.

Over the years, M&M Jewelers has become a name that families rely on. t s a rewarding eeling when customers we sold engagement rings to years ago have their children coming in and getting engagement rings,” Robinson said.

M&M Jewelers, 440 Inverness Corners, is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday-Friday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Saturday. For more information, visit mmjewelersbirmingham.com or call 991-0593.

B22 • June 2018

INVERNESS BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

SPACE CADETS

special advertising section

280 Living

ENCORE REHABILITATION

Turning stressful spaces into peaceful places You’ve tried to become more organized but it’s Monday morning again, and you’re stretched out on your stomach straining to reach your other shoe, wondering how it got lodged behind the bedpost in the first place. ou wrench it free, shove your foot in and do a mad dash through the living room scanning every surface for your keys. nough is enough t s time to ask or help.

For the past 17 years, Kim McBrayer, owner and founder of Space Cadets, has made it her mission to help people transform their cluttered, “stressful spaces into peace ul places. pace Cadets is a full service closet design and installation firm that specializes in helping people organize their residential storage areas. was my [own] first client c rayer said. ter de eloping solutions that helped me cope with clutter better realized my greatest passion is to help others through their disorganization, too.

McBrayer’s go-to organization tool is the Freedom Rail, a fully adjustable storage system, strong enough to handle spaces designed or acti e amilies.

McBrayer highly recommends the reedom ail. ha e it in e ery space in my home and o fice and ha e yet to find a place where it isn t the per ect solution she said.

“With our closet design and

You deserve a team of physical therapists as remarkable as you installation, we offer three different product lines for varying price points and personal needs. c rayer designs each space based on the people that utilize it. ery space that she designs is uniquely fashioned to suit the needs of her clients.

“Designing a space with the mindset of a professional organizer changes the functionality for how a closet can be customized. consider how someone li es works and plays in their spaces c rayer said.

Space Cadets, 5291 Valleydale Road, Suite 121, is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday-Friday and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. For more information, visit spacecadetsorganizing.com or call 205-326-7025.

When a new season starts, parents and ans ock to the stands or stretch out in front of the big screen to watch their a orite teams. he athletes that compete and perform for their fans are remarkable people. hey train their bodies to achieve extraordinary feats that amaze spectators e erywhere.

So when athletes become injured, they need physical therapists as remarkable as themselves to help get them back in the game uickly. hat s what ncore ehabilitation is or. ncore ehabilitation is a rehab ilitation company focusing on physical and occupational therapy, specializing in orthopedics and sports medicine.

Marc Bernier, clinical director of ncore ehabilitation enter brings with him the expertise and knowledge of serving as a sports medicine consultant to several professional uropean soccer teams. is client list runs the gamut from little leaguers

hitting their first home run to professional athletes competing for he World up to grandparents. t is an honor to ha e people entrust us in helping them overcome in uries to return to acti ities said ernier. t s ery rewarding to ha e patients come back and tell us how much they appreciated our help, and how much better they eel ter specializing in the rehabili tation of athletes overseas, Bernier decided to settle down in n erness to be close to his family and focus on working with high level high school and collegiate athletes.

For a team of physical therapists as remarkable as you call ncore ehabilitation.

Encore Rehabilitation, 291 Valleydale Road, Suite 113, is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday–Friday. For more information, visit encorerehab.com or call 205-4084123.

INVERNESS BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

280Living.com

special advertising section

June 2018 • B23

MD WELLNESS AND AESTHETICS

Transformation with MD Wellness and Aesthetics MD Wellness and Aesthetics is a group of experts brought together by Dr. Brian Campbell and his wife Lela in 2014 with the goal of helping their clients achieve an optimal level of health and wellness.

Every member of the staff at MD Wellness and Aesthetics is dedicated to helping people transform into the best version of themselves and achieve an overall sense of well-being.

“We’re a medical practice that offers an [array] of services including physician supervised weight loss programs, hair restoration, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy — including implantable pellets — and a variety of aesthetic services,” Dr. Campbell said. he first step to trans ormation is identifying your health and wellness goals. MD wellness focuses on four core areas: medically supervised weight loss, aesthetic services, platelet rich plasma (PRP) treatments for hair restoration or skin rejuvenation and bioidentical hormone replacements for healthy, aging patients.

The staff at MD Wellness and Aesthetics helps patients identify what factors are most affecting their wellbeing and works with them to bring those factors into a manageable balance.

The team assesses every individual on a case-by-case basis “to formulate custom solutions and protocols to fit your lifestyle and budget.”

“I became a physician because I wanted to help people,” Dr. Campbell said.

That can mean utilizing PRP to help regrow lost hair or one of the clinic’s newer procedures for implantable bioidentical hormone replacement pellets.

Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy can be beneficial or both men and women. Bioidentical hormones are identical in molecular structure to the hormones that our bodies produce naturally. This means that bioidentical hormones will produce the same effect

that naturally occurring hormones would eliminating hot ashes night sweats, weight gain and other common symptoms in women. For men, therapy can help prevent loss of muscle mass, low libido and depression.

“I love developing a relationship with

our patients seeing the transformation many of them achieve and knowing they feel better physically, mentally and emotionally,” Dr. Campbell said.

Often, losing weight can be a hard thing to accomplish without support. With the multitude of crash diets, weight loss pills and gimmicks that are found on the market today, it can be confusing to know where to start or even who to trust. One of the things that makes MD Wellness different from other practices is their focus on the relationship between the staff and their patients.

Having a staff of trained experts available to answer questions, give advice and even help keep you motivated throughout your transformative journey can make a big difference.

The clinic offers two highly effective, medically-supervised weight loss programs: a 30-day prescription hCG program and a more long-term prescription appetite suppressant program. Even though the visual appeal of weight loss is the primary reason for most people’s decision to utilize weight loss programs the health benefits for these patients are enormous,” Dr. Campbell said.

MD Wellness and Aesthetics also offers vitamin injections, Vampire Facials (Micro-Needling with PRP), Hydrafacials, chemical peels oto dermal fillers and facial and body contouring.

MD Wellness and Aesthetics, 650 Inverness Corners, is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday. For more information, visit mdwellnessandaesthetics.com or call 205-582-9216.

SECTION

C ‘A new stake in the ground’ JUNE 2018

School House C4

Faith C15

Opinion C8

Metro Roundup C18

Community C10

Real Estate C20

Gift Guide C14

Calendar C21

Local architect helping rebuild a new future for Sutherland Springs Church in Texas

By ERICA TECHO Local architect Michael O’K elley’s project No. 1 has more significance than ust being the first at his new architecture firm. t s also a pro ect to help rebuild a community. elley, along with estavia ills-based development company yrick, urosky ssociates nc. , is working to build a new church for the exas town of Sutherland Springs after a 2 -year-old gunman opened fire on the irst Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, killing 2 and in uring 20 on Nov. , 201 . here was ero hesitation, elley said.

Number one, was glad to have something was working on from day one, and number two, thought it was a great pro ect and it kind of fits with work ve been doing over the year. he pro ect, called estore Sutherland Springs, broke ground on ay , six months after the shooting. t his previous ob, elley worked on several church pro ects, and said the Sutherland Springs restoration is a way to help design a building that will be a beacon for the

community and a symbol of hope. would hope that they see the tragedy doesn t have to be the end of the line, that you can rebuild and restore hope, elley said. he first phase of the pro ect, which includes a new worship center and education building, is being funded by the North merican ission Board, an entity of the Southern Baptist Convention. N B approached Scott urosky from in ecember, who in turn approached elley about the pro ect. f course we were excited about the opportunity, so we said yes, urosky said. n anuary, they started meeting with the community, and elley was the first person he called to oin in on the pro ect. ur company has done around 300 church-related pro ects over the last 23 years, so that s our specialty. nytime when you have a church like this, that has had this kind of horror around it we re uniquely suited to help a client like that, urosky said. s he worked on the plans for the sanctuary and worship wing, elley said he sought to convey permanence. hey are using all authentic materials mainly native exas limestone

The design for the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs includes materials that are intended to signify strength, like native Texas limestone, in the sanctuary, seen above.

Rendering courtesy of Restore Sutherland Springs.

to kind of portray the significance of strength and stability to the community, urosky said. nother part of the design will be two bell towers. he first will hold the bell irst Baptist Church has had since the 1 20s, and the second identical in design to the first tower will be illuminated at night. he pastor said from ay ne that they really want this facility to be a light in the community, in exas and the .S., urosky said. he Sutherland Springs and irst Baptist Church communities have been heavily involved in the design process, elley said, and they have worked to confer with the congregation to make sure the design matched their vision. hey ve been extremely grateful, elley said. e had some people who approached us after we did the initial design presentation that were borderline in tears. he community, especially astor rank omeroy, whose 1 -year-old daughter was

killed in the shooting, have been very supportive of the pro ect, urosky said. nd elley echoed his thoughts. ven though it was a terrible day and families are still dealing with grief, he s not going to let tragedy be what s the final say, elley said.

Construction started immediately following the groundbreaking, and they aim to have the new buildings open in spring of 201 . his new building is a way to put a new stake in the ground for Sutherland Springs, urosky said, and will help mark the church s place in the community and the victims place in history. hey want the legacy of these 2 people who were killed in their facility to be remembered decades and decades from now, urosky said, adding that there will be a small memorial inside the church in the victims honor. hat hopefully will move this congregation forward.

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280 Living

School House Ch e l s e a S G A d o n a t e s b e n c h e s t o c i t y, f a m i l i e s The Chelsea High School Student Government Association presented several benches to the city of Chelsea on April 17. The benches were a project that helped SGA partner with the city, said SGA President Tanner Middleton.

Photo by Erica Techo.

By ERICA TECHO This summer, there are a few extra places to sit in the Chelsea Recreational Park, thanks to the Chelsea High School Student Government Association.

The project, SGA President Tanner Middleton said, came from a desire to get involved in the community.

“A lot of us have been involved with SGA in the past, and we’ve never really done service projects before, like with the city or anything,” Middleton said. “It’s mainly been in school type things. Really, we just wanted to get involved with the city and start something up because as a student government, we thought we could collaborate with the city government.”

They approached Chelsea Mayor Tony Picklesimer about completing a pro ect to benefit the city, which brought up the idea of building and painting benches for the park, which is located near Chelsea Middle School. The project was announced at a Chelsea City Council meeting, after which Middleton said they received recommendations and other community support.

Upon one of those suggestions, they reached out to V an W hite, a teacher at the Career Technical Education Center, for help building the benches. They also received donations of supplies from Mark Hamilton at the Hoover Home Depot and a monetary donation from the Chelsea High School PTA through Donna Bowles.

W orking with the CTEC students was a highlight, said CHHS junior Reagan Y oung, because they do not always see classmates who go to CTEC. “W e don’t really get to see a lot of the CTEC students and what they get to do, or see them, and they’re still a part of our school,” she said, “so I think that was a nice way to collaborate.”

W hile the initial plan was to build and donate four benches to the city, students in SGA decided to also do something for some of their classmates.

“The senior class this year has gone through a ton of stuff this year,

and I think it’s been a time where we’ve really seen the community come together to support seniors as they go through situations you never would have imagined someone going through, especially at our age,” said senior Emma Bunyard.

Three members of the Class of 2018 had parents who died during the school year, and SGA decided to create three additional benches in memory of those individuals. In addition to the four benches for the city, benches in memory of K risti Barker Ingram, Jennifer Lowe Berry and Thomas Smith were stained, and Bunyard painted special designs on each article. For Ingram, she painted the

K BI logo associated with her foundation, and for Berry and Smith she picked Bible verses and images that would evoke happiness and peace.

W hen the benches were presented at the Chelsea City Council meeting on April 17, Y oung said seeing the families’ reactions were a great moment.

“W hen we were standing up there at the city council meeting, Alex Rettig, his grandmother and I made eye contact, and she just said, ‘ Thank you.’ W e really just spared a weekend, and that’s one of those sweet memories that you won’t ever forget,” she said. his pro ect was a first for S ,

but Middleton said they hope it isn’t the last.

“It was great seeing how to start from sq uare one,” Middleton said.

“Hopefully they’ll [ future members of SGA] follow kind of what we started and help the new members get things started as well.”

As a junior, Y oung said she thinks future SGA classes will want to take on this type of community projects.

“Any issues that come up later on, I don’t see how we could not do something. N ow we know connections and that it is possible. … I think it definitely shows that if we come together, we can do a whole lot,” Y oung said.

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June 2018 • C5

Chelsea High School juniors and seniors gave “Shark Tank”-style presentations May 4 as part of their entrepreneurship class. The presentations were based on a product that the students thought up, priced out and then proposed as an investment opportunity. Photos by Erica Techo.

Students present business ideas ‘Shark Tank’ style

By ERICA TECHO A triangle-shaped candy bar. A portable barber shop. A solar-powered phone case. A backpack/cooler combo.

These were four of the many ideas tossed into the “shark tank” at Chelsea High School on May 4.

As part of teacher Clarissa Clark’s entrepreneurship classes, 11th- and 12th-grade students presented their business ideas to a panel of community members, including Mayor Tony Picklesimer, Shelby Baptist Medical Center CEO Mike Rickman, Butch Mayhew of Daxko and several others. his is Clark s first year of teaching the entrepreneurship class and said she wanted to find a way to

connect her students and what they’re learning with the community.

W hen she reached out to the community for panel participants, Clark said she initially expected three or so people to respond.

“It was overwhelming how many people were excited,” Clark said.

They ended up with enough panelists to have two presentation rooms.

The presentations were done in the style of popular reality television show “Shark Tank,” during which entrepreneurs speak to a panel of potential investors, presenting their ideas, breaking down the cost and potential sales price and asking for potential investments.

W hile the panel of “sharks” would not end the day actually investing money into these proposed

companies, they did rate presentations based on four main categories: product; PowerPoint or “Prez i” presentation; presentation; and commercial.

Students were expected to be original with their business or product idea, well prepared and persuasive in their presentation, and to have accurately calculated cost and pricing.

All year, students had been preparing for the presentations through “Shark Tank Fridays,” Clark said, where they would watch “Shark Tank” episodes, discuss the products and presentations, and learn more about business and investment.

“W e’ve been practicing presentations all year long, so if you watch them, they re more confident, Clark said.

After giving a brief presentation and showing a pre-recorded “commercial” for their product, students responded to q uestions and suggestions from the panelists.

Critiq ues ranged from the price being too high or low to not being able to physically see the product, while some product ideas were celebrated by the panelists for their originality and practical use.

The feedback is beneficial for the students, Clark said, because it comes from professionals with a business background or other leadership position.

In addition to preparing students who will participate in the upcoming Future Business Leaders of America competition, the “Shark Tank” exercise helped prepare students for

outside of the business world, Clark said.

Students were encouraged to follow checklists to prevent procrastination on the project and told that even if they had a group member who was absent, that was not something they could use as an excuse in the real world.

“Y our boss wants results,” Clark said, adding that a boss would not care that “my group member is absent and has our PowerPoint. “I’ve been really tough love about it. …

I’m trying to prepare them for college, for state competition.”

Students also had to be creative, confident and work on problem solving, which can be used in and outside of school.

“The skills that they’re learning are lifelong,” Clark said.

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BORN TO

Berry Middle School science teacher Lincoln Clark, left, and Greystone Elementary School second-grade teacher Carol McLaughlin were honored as al sts or 2018-19 Alabama Teacher of the Year at the RSA Plaza in Montgomery on May 9. Clark was in the top 16 and McLaughlin was t e al o r Photo by Jon Anderson.

TEACH

Greystone teacher Carol McLaughlin honored among best in state

By J ON AN D ERS ON Carol McLaughlin grew up in a teaching family.

Both her mother and father were teachers. Her grandmother was a teacher, and she has three aunts and an uncle from the teaching profession.

W hen she was growing up, she would help in her mother’s classroom, and she thought that would be the best job in the world — to get to inspire children to learn, she said. “I love seeing their eyes spark up when they learn something new.”

McLaughlin, a second-grade teacher at Greystone Elementary, now has 27 years of teaching under her belt and was honored this past month in Montgomery as one of the top two elementary teachers in Alabama.

She was one of the final four teachers competing to be the 201819 Alabama Teacher of the Y ear.

Gov. K ay Ivey announced Z estlan Simmons, an English teacher at Booker T. W ashington Magnet High School in Montgomery County, as the overall winner. Meghan Allen,

a special education teacher from Minor Community School in Jefferson County, was named the 2018-19 Elementary Teacher of the Y ear and Alternate Alabama Teacher of the Y ear.

Blake Busbin, a social studies teacher from Auburn High School, was the other finalist in the top four. Berry Middle School science teacher Lincoln Clark was among the top 16 and also was recogniz ed in Montgomery.

W hile McLaughlin didn’t win the overall competition, she said it was an honor to be considered and still loves her job. She has taught second grade at Greystone for 13 years. All but one year of her career has been in Alabama schools.

McLaughlin began her career using mostly traditional teaching methods but has sought out ways to make her instruction more creative and engaging, according to a biography she wrote after being named her school’s Teacher of the Y ear this year.

She creates a classroom environment where the students become

leaders and are encouraged to be active in their own learning. She also tries to inspire other teachers to re-evaluate their teaching methods and create more innovative learning environments in their classrooms.

“I think you have to engage students in the learning process,” she said. “Y ou have to know them as individuals. Children, at 7 and 8 — they are just little people. They may just be 7 and 8, but they’re still people with their own interests and their own passions and their own needs. W e have to find out what their strengths and weaknesses are and what they want to do and make sure you have lessons that engage them in those things.”

CONNECTING GLOBALLY

McLaughlin also tries to help her students connect with children from other countries. In 2015, she started a worldwide Twitter educational chat

called # 2ndchat for teachers to share innovative ideas, and she makes sure her students do projects with children from around the globe through Skype or Google Hangout.

“W e’re in a world where everything is connected. Y ou can’t just close it off, and so we need to use it for educational purposes and get them to see the power in connecting globally,” McLaughlin said. c aughlin was infield City Schools’ Teacher of the Y ear in 2005 and Greystone’s Teacher of the Y ear both this year and in 2006. The Greystone Parent Teacher Association also named her its Teacher of the Y ear in 2008 and 201 . She was certified by the N ational Board of Professional Teaching Standards in 2008 and named a PBS Digital Innovator in 2016.

Greystone Principal Stacey Stocks said in a recommendation

letter that when she became assistant principal in 2013, she q uickly noticed McLaughlin as an exemplary teacher.

“Carol demonstrates her understanding of children and how they learn by creating lessons that provide opportunities for every learning style,” Stocks wrote. “Carol is passionate about eq uipping her students with 21st century skills, such as collaboration, creativity, communication and problem solving.”

Alison Parker, the mother of one of McLaughlin’s former students, said McLaughlin is strongly committed to her students.

“They know that she loves them and that they are her passion,” Parker wrote in a nomination letter. “Miss Mac teaches the whole child, not just their brains, but also their hearts, and they leave better students and people for being in her classroom.”

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June 2018 • C7

A man loads pine straw into a truck bed for distribution around the grounds of Greystone Elementary during a 2017 Hoover City Dad Brigade cleanup. Photo by Jon Anderson.

Signup for Hoover City Dad Brigade begins June 4

By JO N AN D ERS ON Signup for the 2018 Hoover City Dad Brigade back-to-school cleanup begins June 4.

Hoover Councilman Derrick Murphy, the lead organiz er for the event, said he hopes 500 to 600 men and high school boys will sign up for cleanup effort, scheduled for July 28.

This is the fourth year for the event, where male volunteers gather at Hoover schools to help spruce up the buildings and grounds prior to the start of the school year, which is Aug. 8.

Principals at the schools develop lists of work they would like to see done, which typically includes landscaping, spreading pine straw, trimming bushes, pressure washing, painting and general cleanup.

The men are invited to gather at the Home Depot in Riverchase for a breakfast provided

by Chick-fil- and to hear instructions before dispersing to Hoover’s 16 schools. Some men go straight to the schools to help.

W hile it’s called the Hoover City Dad Brigade, men do not have to be fathers of students in Hoover schools to participate. Grandfathers, uncles, brothers and unrelated men are invited to assist, but volunteers must at least be high school age, Murphy said.

Freque ntly, several Hoover religious organiz ations send teams of men to help. Those who assisted last year included Hunter Street Baptist, Green V alley Baptist, Shades Crest Baptist, Cross Creek Church, Christian Life Church and the Hoover Islamic Center.

Corporate partners providing money, materials or other support for the event include ome epot, Chick-fil- , Zaxby s, labama Rentals, Allworld Project Management, the Hoover Rotary Club, Legends Barber Shop, Hoover Tactical Firearms, Pete’s Printing, Riverchase Car W ash & Detail and the Hoover City Schools Foundation. o sign up, find the oover City ad Brigade on Facebook or check with school offices.

ar al er co gress a or la a a’s t Co gress o al str ct rece tl congratulated the winners of the 2018 art competition for his district. From left: Olivia W ll a s o a ark g rst lace er race ar er o oo er g a r ella r olo o Br ar oo C r st a c ool ger l a o esta a lls g e al er ga l o o a o e tt r ss lle g a e arr gto o oo er g t r lace er Ba le os o ee s g a seco lace er a to a s o a gel C r st a c ool l a Black a er ro a r gs c ool as unable to attend. Photo courtesy of Gary Palmer.

Rep. Palmer names winners in ’18 Congressional art competition

By J ON AN D ERS ON Three students from schools in the U.S. 280 area were among nine winners named in Congressman Gary Palmer’s 2018 Congressional Art Competition.

Olivia W illiams from Spain Park High School won the Chuck Close Award for the most realistic drawing or painting, while Gabriella Priolo from Briarwood Christian High won the V incent V an Gogh Award for most expressive brushwork in painting, and Eliz a Black from Indian Springs School won the Leonardo Da V inci Award for most innovative artist.

They were among nine students selected as winners from among 64 students from 17 high schools that participated in the competition. he first-place winner was race arner from Hoover High, while second place went to Payton Hays of Evangel Christian School

and third place went to Bailey Gosdin of Leeds High. Other winners were Ginger Llivina from V estavia Hills High ( David Hockney Award for best drawing) ; Abigail Donovan from Hewitt-Trussville High ( Claude Monet Award for best depiction of light on a subject) ; and Raven Harrington from Hoover High ( Hokusai Award for best nature depiction) .

All of the students’ artwork was displayed April 14-22 at the Riverchase Galleria, and now V arner’s piece will hang in the U.S. Capitol for a year with winners from other Congressional districts.

“Each year I am impressed by the creative talents of the young people in Alabama’s Sixth District,” Palmer said in a news release. “I would like to congratulate Grace V arner on winning the competition this year, and I look forward to seeing her in D.C. this June for the N ational Art Reception.”

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280 Living

Opinion My South By Rick Watson

The importance of friendships Abigail Brock, a second-grade teacher from FOES, was recognized as Hero of the Month on Monday, May 7.

Photo courtesy of Amber Brittain of MortgageBanc.

Chelsea teacher honored through Homes for Heroes

By ERICA TECHO A Forest Oaks Elementary School teacher was recently honored for her service within the Chelsea community.

Second-grade teacher Abigail Brock was honored as Hero of the onth by omes for eroes affiliate mortgage specialist Amber Brittain on May 7. Brock had been nominated by a parent after Brittain posted to Facebook asking for Chelsea teacher nominations for Hero of the Month.

On May 7, Brock was presented with a gift basket full of items that were donated by local businesses, including a few items for the child she is expecting.

“Mrs. Brock is a dedicated educator,” Principal Sasha Baker said. “It is evident that Mrs. Brock views her profession as a calling and works tirelessly to support her students.

She is a teacher who truly cares about the well-being of the whole child and advocates on their behalf.”

Homes for Heroes was established following Sept. 11, 2001, as a way to say thank you to individuals for their service and sacrifice, according to a press release from ortgageBanc, and is a nationwide community of real estate and lending specialists who work to provide easy ways for firefighters, law enforcement, military, health care workers, S and teachers save money when they buy, sell or refinance their homes, according to the release.

“It is an honor to present this award and to thank Abigail Brock for her outstanding service,” said Brittain of MortgageBanc. “Mrs. Brock focuses on making sure her students are excelling in their everyday work, while also making sure they know they are loved.”

My wife Jilda and I have pictures on our fridge. The photos are of three friends we’ve lost in the past year. They each held a special place in our hearts. noticed the pictures recently as filled a glass of ice from the icemaker. W e put the pictures there to remind us the importance of friends in our lives.

It’s hard to understand the importance of true friends when we are younger. Life is just beginning, and we invest our time and energy finding our way. e have friends, but often don’t have the wisdom to appreciate them.

I focused much of my youth on making money, building a home and buying things. Sometimes, I took my friends for granted. W hile material things are important, they are just that: things.

Many friends appear when you least expect them, and before long, you can’t imagine life without them. It’s the experience of navigating life with people you can count on that forms the rich relationships that are hard to describe with words.

Our friend Louis W illiams is one friend who appeared at low tide in our lives.

Jilda was undergoing monthly treatments at an infusion center.

The big green faux leather recliners looked sad in the fluorescent glow of the treatment room. I went with her to each appointment. For hours, I sat beside her while medicine as thick as syrup dripped through tubes at a snail’s pace. The chairs around the room were filled with others receiving treatments. It was not a happy place — until Louis clicked in on his cane.

He’d been coming to saying goodbye. the treatment room for The last time Jilda and I years, and he never met drove to Birmingham for a a stranger. He brought visit, we sat for a while and a little non-artificial held a one-sided conversation. Then we said our light into the space and into the lives of those goodbyes. gathered there.

I remember the following Jilda, Louis and I day like it was yesterday became instant friends.

— a routine Sunday for us.

She is q uick to say W e read two papers as we that the best part of sipped coffee and listened to cello music on the stereo. those three years was Watson befriending Louis.

After our morning walk, He’s spent ThanksgivJilda decided to cut a watering with us a few times. He also became melon we’d bought the day before. W e the star of our annual fish fry at our house. called our great-nephew Jordan, who He invited us into his home for lunch. W e loves watermelon.

As Jilda cut the melon, I sat at the table spent most of the time walking around and looking at the pictures hanging on his and observed. I felt the phone buz z in my wall and listening to their stories. pocket. Pulling it out, I saw that I had a I wrote about Louis a while back when new email. Touching the screen, there was his health began to fail him. Then, in the message from Louis’ friend, James. The summer of last year, he went into hospice. note said that Louis had died.

I waited until the kids had watermelon Each week, Jilda and I drove to town to visit with him. t first, he seemed fine and went back home before telling Jilda and talked about going home in the days the news. Tears filled her eyes, and she said, “I knew it would be today. I’m ahead.

But his caregiver nephew walked us not sure how I knew, but I did.” out one day after a visit and told us that A while back when Louis was stronLouis would not be going back home. He ger, Jilda talked to him every day. Before did not have to tell us. The next few times hanging up, she always said, “I love you, we visited, he was unresponsive.

Louis.” He responded, “I love you more.”

W hen we visited Louis last May, he W e still miss our friend. was sitting up in bed sipping tea and crunching the ice between his teeth. He R i c k W a tso n i s a c o l u m n i st a n d a u th o r . had half a doz en friends around him, and H i s l a test bo o k , “ L i f e G o es O n , ” i s a v a i l he was holding court. It wasn’t until later a bl e o n a m a z o n . c o m . E m a i l h i m a t r i c k @ that we realiz ed that was Louis’ way of r i c k w a tso n - w r i ter . c o m .

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C10 • June 2018

280 Living

Community Camp Journey expands to Chelsea Middle School Educational resource returns for 2nd year for rising 6th-graders

By ERICA TECHO Some Shelby County students will get an opportunity to learn more about the Sheriff’s ffice, leadership and their school resource officers this summer.

Camp ourney, a oint effort between Shelby County Sheriff s ffice, Compact 2020 and the Shelby County Board of ducation, will return for the second year this une. n 201 , the one-week camp was only available to rising ak ountain sixth-graders, but this year they chose to expand to Chelsea area students as well, said Sgt. Nathan endrick. rom one-on-one conversations with the kids, they seemed to really take well to it and were interested in what we did, and honestly we had a fun time doing it, endrick said. hat feedback led them to work to expand Camp ourney to another school with sheriff s office deputies as their school resource officers. ast summer, students would start their day with a guest speaker and then move on to activities both in and out of the classroom. essons ranged from leadership and teamwork to etiquette and assertiveness, drawing on curriculum from the Leader in Me program at Oak ountain ntermediate School and from Compact 2020 lessons. hile Compact 2020 is an organi ation

Above: Student Lucas Cecil holds his diploma following the Camp Journey graduation June 23, 2017. Left: Students work as a team on break-out boxes. Photos

by Erica Techo.

focused on drug-free education and battling drug use within the county, endrick said the lessons taught at Camp Journey are not drug-centered. nstead, they teach students skills to deal with situations where someone might have or be offering drugs. endrick cited the example of teaching assertiveness, which can translate into how to tell someone no and mean it. hey also participated in fun games, such as a schoolyard game called square, which endrick said was a hit among students and deputies alike. ne of the biggest travesties of my youth was that they hadn t invented square when

was a kid, endrick said. hile they ll continue classroom lessons at this year s Camp ourney, endrick said they also plan to have more outdoors and recreation-based instruction.

He said the ultimate goal of Camp Journey is to build a relationship with students so that they feel comfortable coming to their schools S s or other deputies if they ever need help. By hosting the camp for rising sixth-graders, endrick said they are able to connect with an age group that isn t too cool for the deputies. he fact that students are also transitioning into a middle school setting, which can be daunting, is also a plus. personal goal for endrick is reaching

students who might have a negative memory of law enforcement and show that S s are a resource. aybe those kids, they only contact they ve had with law enforcement is when mom and dad are fighting, and they take daddy to ail, endrick said. e want to let these kids know we re here to help them, and we re their friends, and they get to see us in that light. alking with kids now can help create a solid group of leaders in their middle school, endrick said, and hopefully deter kids from going down a negative path. hat we ve seen time and time again is if we can intervene early on, it s easier to prevent than it is to correct, endrick said.

Camp ourney will take place at ak ountain iddle School in the third week of une, and at Chelsea iddle School the fourth week of une. hey expect about 0- 0 students per school to participate.

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June 2018 • C11

et e oo er er ce Cl a ar e sc olars s to o r oo er g c ool st e ts at t e cl ’s l c eo at t e oo er Co tr Cl o a o ere ro le t are oo er g ss sta t r c al Carr e B s st e ts or a Col a etr s a e a r a ra a race Waters a oo er g college a career co selor C Bo Center: The Hoover Service Club awarded scholarships to three Spain Park High School students o ere ro left: a ark college a career co selor rac rater st e ts or a aso a l a r ea a ark r c al arr a grosso ot ct re s sc olars er ess ca a g t oo er er ce Cl res e t a la Ca ell r g t honors reg a o aBs o t t e lora ae ke ar or o tsta g ol teer ser ce a lea ers to t e co t or t e r ork t t e oo er Helps organization t at ro es oo or ee st e ts o t e eeke s a r gt es er Photos by Jon Anderson.

Hoover Service Club doles out $34,000 in scholarships

By J ON AN D ERS ON The Hoover Service Club in May awarded $ 34,000 worth of scholarships to nine students from Hoover and Spain Park high schools and honored six middle school students for outstanding academic performance and citiz enship.

The club gave out the scholarships and awards at a luncheon at the Hoover Country Club, with representatives from the students’ families and schools present.

The Service Club divided $ 33,000 between four students from Hoover High and three from Spain Park High and awarded two Margaret Alford Memorial Community Service Scholarships valued at $ 500 each. Of the $ 33,000, $ 28,000 came from the

Service Club’s fundraising efforts, and $ 5,000 was a grant from the Jefferson County Commission, club member Mary Howard said.

Here are the scholarship winners and their college plans: ► ordan Colin, of oover igh, is headed to Jefferson State Community College to study business marketing ► ametrius ayne, of oover igh, is headed to awson State Community College to study nursing ► Sabrina irani, of oover igh, is headed to University of Alabama at Birmingham to study pediatric psychology ► race aters, of oover High, is headed to Mississippi State University to study agricultural communications ► oriah ason, of Spain ark

High, is headed to Samford University to study broadcast journalism ► livia ride, of Spain ark High, is headed to Samford University to study international relations and law ► essica Shaw, of Spain ark High, is headed to Auburn University to study accounting The two winners of the Margaret Alford Memorial Community Service Scholarships were Olivia Bishop of oover igh and anya upta of Spain Park High.

Bishop has logged more than 600 hours of community service with groups such as the Hoover Belles, Camp innataska, Children s of Alabama hospital, Riverchase United Methodist Church and the Hoover Helps program that provides food to

needy students over the summer, outgoing Service Club President Paula Campbell said. She plans to attend the University of Alabama and major in nonprofit management. upta, who is ranked No. 1 among the 404 students in her senior class, has spent more than 420 hours in community service by volunteering at math tournaments, the Birmingham Zoo, the elay for ife fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, elementary school celebrations, school competitions, K ey Club and Spain Park Ambassador events, tutoring sessions and National onor Society projects, Campbell said. She plans to attend the eorgia nstitute of Technology and major in computer technology.

The middle school students

honored for outstanding academic performance were Joseph Mudano from Berry Middle, Olurotimi K ukoyi from Bumpus Middle and Allie Ford from Simmons Middle. Those honored for outstanding citiz enship were Ramsey El-Fallah from Berry, Jessica Taylor from Bumpus and Abigail Pate from Simmons.

Campbell said the students recogniz ed this year are not only intelligent but display a servant’s heart. Tera Simmons, an assistant superintendent for Hoover City Schools, commended the students for all they do to give back to the community, and Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato encouraged each of them, once they get through with their studies, to consider coming back to Hoover to be the next generation of city leaders.

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280 Living

Local churches hosting vacation Bible school camps

By L EAH IN G RAM

EAG L E

separate track called The W ay, led by the Double Oak student ministry team. ► Th e m e : Shipwrecked: Rescued by Jesus ► P h on e : 995-9752 ► W e b : doubleoakcc.org/vbs

Searching for a vacation Bible school for your child to attend this summer? Here are a few programs planned at local churches, with information on how to register.

FAITH PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

A2 CHURCH

► Wh e r e : 4601 V alleydale Road ► D at e s : June 4-7 ► Ti m e : 9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. ► Op e n t o : Rising first- through sixth-graders ► Cos t : $35 pe r child ► Th e m e : W onderLab art and science camp ► P h on e : 991-5430 ► W e b : faith-pca.org/wonderlab

► W h e r e : 6 Greenhill Parkway ( Behind Superior Grill on U.S. 280) ► D at e s : July 16-18 ► Ti m e : 9 a.m. to noon ► Op e n t o: 4 years old through completed fifth grade ► Th e m e : Camp W annastay: “As kids head off to camp, they will learn how to be leaders who set an example for others in everything they say and do. They will have so much fun that they will W annastay all summer.” ► P h on e : 447-5948 ► W e b : a2church.org/a2kids-camp

FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH

ASBURY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

► Wh e r e : 6690 Cahaba V alley Road ► D at e s : June 25-28 ► Ti m e : 8:30 a.m. to noon ► Op e n t o: Rising K 5 through sixth grade ► Th e m e : Rolling River Rampage: Experience the ride of a lifetime with God ► P h on e : 995-1700 ► W e b : asburyonline.org/vbs

CHELSEA VILLAGE BAPTIST CHURCH

► Wh e r e : 10699 Shelby County 280 ► D at e s : July 9-13 ► Ti m e : 8:30-11 a.m. ► Op e n t o: Rising kindergartners through fifth grade ► Th e m e : How we can grow in the fruit of the Spirit. ► P h on e : 678-9697 ► W e b : chelseavbs.com

Students at the 2017 Vacation Bible school at CrossBridge Church of Christ. Photo courtesy of CrossBridge Church of Christ.

► Wh e r e : 4954 V alleydale Road ► D at e s : July 9-13 ► Ti m e : 9 a.m. to noon ► Op e n t o : Ages 3 through rising sixth-graders ► h e m e : Rolling River Rampage ► P h on e : 991-5000 ► W e b : fcc-bhm.org

INVERNESS VINEYARD CHURCH

CHRIST CHURCH UNITED METHODIST

► Wh e r e : 5091 Caldwell Mill Road ► D at e s : June 4-7 ► Ti m e : 9 a.m. to noon ► Op e n t o: ges through fifth-graders ► Th e m e : Shipwrecked: Rescued by Jesus ► P h on e : 991-5065 ► W e b : christchurchtv.org

► Wh

CROSSBRIDGE CHURCH OF CHRIST

e r e : 3039 Brook Highland Parkway

► D at e s : June 4-8 ► Ti m e : 9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. ► Op e n t o : Children 3 years old to completed fourth grade ► Th e m e : Shipwrecked: Rescued by Jesus ► P h on e : 991-1978 ► W e b : sunar.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/ 63/responses/new

► Wh e r e : 4733 V alleydale Road ► D at e s : July 23-26 ► Ti m e : 9 a.m. to noon ► Op e n t o: Rising kindergartners through fifth-graders ► Th e m e : Shipwrecked: Rescued by Jesus ► P h on e : 980-1690 ► W e b : invernessvineyard.org/vbs

DOUBLE OAK COMMUNITY CHURCH

LIBERTY PARK BAPTIST CHURCH

► Wh e r e : 115 Olmsted St. ► D at e s : June 11-15 ► Ti m e : 9 a.m. to noon ► Op e n t o : ising first- through sixth-graders. Rising sixth-graders will participate in a

► Wh

e r e : 12001 Liberty Parkway

See VBS | page C13

280Living.com VBS

CONTINUED from page C12 ► D at e s : une -8 ► Ti m e : a.m. to noon ► Op e n t o : Children who will be years old by Sept. 1 through those who have completed the fifth grade ► Th e m e : ame n earing up for life s big game ► P h on e : -123 ► W e b : libertypark.org vbs

MEADOW BROOK BAPTIST CHURCH

► Wh e r e : 8 eadow Brook oad ► D at e s : une ► Ti m e : a.m. to noon ► Op e n t o : Completed kindergarten through fifth grade ► Th e m e : ame n earing up for life s big game

June 2018 • C13 ► P h on e : 1-838 ► W e b : meadowbrookbaptist.org

MORNING STAR UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

►Wh e r e : 110 2 ighway 11, Chelsea ► D at e s : une ► Ti m e : :30-8 p.m. dinner served ► Op e n t o: ges through completed fifth grade ► Th e m e : olling iver ampage ► P h on e : 8-2 2 ► W e b : mstarumc.org

NORTH SHELBY BAPTIST CHURCH

► Wh e r e : ► D at e s : ► Ti m e : ► Op e n sixth-graders ► Th e m e : big game ► P h on e :

100 Belcher rive une 11-1 a.m. to noon to : ising first- through ame n

earing up for life s

- 0

► W e b : northshelbybaptist.org

OAK MOUNTAIN PRESBYTERIAN

► Wh e r e : 080 Cahaba alley race ► D at e s : une ► Ti m e : a.m. to noon ► Op e n t o: ges -12 ► Th e m e : Shipwrecked: escued by esus ► P h on e : - 2 ► W e b : ompc.org

ST. CATHERINE'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH

► Wh e r e : 10 Shelby County 3 ► D at e s : une 12-1 ► Ti m e : p.m. to 8 p.m. ► Op e n t o: ising kindergartners through fifth-graders ► Th e m e : illy onka s Chocolate actory ► P h on e : 18-83 ► W e b : stcatherinesal.com

ST. MARK THE EVANGELIST

► Wh e r e : 3 0 Cahaba alley oad ► D at e s : une 11-1 ► Ti m e : 8: a.m. to noon ► Th e m e : arvelous ystery: he mass comes alive ► Op e n t o: ges -11 ► P h on e : 80-1810 ► W e b : stmarkrc.org

VALLEYDALE CHURCH

► Wh e r e : 232 alleydale oad ► D at e s : une 11-1 ► Ti m e : 8: a.m. to noon ► Op e n t o : ising first- through fifth-graders ► Th e m e : ame n earing up for life s big game ► P h on e : 1- 282 ► W e b : valleydale.org events K n o w a v a c a ti o n B i bl e sc h o o l th a t w a s l ef t o f f th e l i st? E m a i l er i c a @ sta r n esp u bl i sh i n g . c o m .

Inverness couple named Heartsaver Heroes for saving boy at hotel pool

By JO N AN D ERS ON

Brady McLaughlin of Trio Safety CPR+AED Solutions, center, presents Keith and Libby Jacobson, left, with the American Heart Association's Heartsaver Hero Award on May 14 for saving the life of Zachary Kohen, 4, of Sandy Springs, Georgia, after he almost drowned in a hotel pool in Stone Mountain, Georgia, on April 28. The Jacobsons are shown here with their children, Sam and Sarah Claire, and Zachary is with his mother, Robyn Kohen, right. Photo by Jon Anderson.

he merican eart ssociation on ay 1 honored an nverness couple with a eartsaver ero award for saving the life of a -year-old boy who sunk to the bottom of a hotel pool at Stone ountain, eorgia, in pril. eith and ibby acobson were attending a dermatology conference at Stone ountain when a woman pulled lifeless -yearold Zachary ohen from the hotel pool and tried to begin mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. But the woman wasn t sure what to do. r. ibby acobson, a dermatologist who had undergone C training, umped out of the pool and took over, starting chest compressions. eith, a retired oover fire captain,

oined her and started rescue breathing.

Color began returning to Zachary s face, the paramedics arrived and took Zachary to the hospital for further treatment, and he was fine and off oxygen later that night. n ay 1 , Zachary and his mother, obyn ohen, came from eorgia to help honor the acobsons for saving Zachary s life and to spread the message about the life-saving power of C .

Not everybody has such a happy ending.

Because of the acobsons, we do, ohen said. e can t imagine that any other way, and we never want to imagine that for any other family. rom the bottom of our hearts, thank you. eith acobson said he and his wife didn t do anything that anyone else couldn t have done.

e doesn t really think the term hero applies in this situation because the real heroes are people like active firefighters who put themselves in eopardy to save others, he said. here was no eopardy for us. t was ust an attempt to save an ama ing little guy, eith acobson said.

Brady c aughlin of rio Safety C Solutions, which provides C training for the merican eart ssociation, presented the award to the acobsons on behalf of the association. e thanked them for acting courageously and quickly to offer lifesaving aid. oday, he stands before you as a testament of how easy it is to use your C skills, usually when you least expect it, to help save a life, c aughlin said.

C14 • June 2018

280 Living

father’s day gift guide For the

PET DAD Tuff Toys Prices start at $11 Toys for Dad’s best friend! Choose from Tug-A-War or Floatable Tuff Toys.

For the

GRILL MASTER Himalayan Salt Plate and Holder $50 The perfect accessory for grilling out this summer! Simply place the salt block directly on the grill and cook your food on the salt block for a delicious seasoning. Great for any type of meat, from fish and chicken to burgers. Comes with a serving and storage tray.

Magnolias Gift Shop 48 Chesser Crane Road, Chelsea 678-9800

Fancy Fur Pet Grooming & Boutique 5291 Valleydale Road, Suite 139 408-1693

For the

PAMPERED ‘PA

Father's Day Kit $25 Box includes one bottle of beard oil, one shampoo bar and two soaps.

For the

DAD WHO GETS BETTER WITH AGE Coolsculpting Battle the dad bod with Coolsculpting. Gently freeze away fat cells without surgery. Many packages to choose from.

Buff City Soap 5361 U.S. 280, Suite 105 730-9199

Skin Wellness Center of Alabama 398 Chesser Drive, Suite 6 678-7518

For the

For the

SNAPPY DRESSER

SALT LOVER Pink Himalayan Salt Blocks $56 to $79 These 2-inch-thick slabs in round or rectangle blocks are perfect for grilling.

Michael Ryan Southern Gentleman Sterling Silver and Enamel Cuff Links $250 Designed and handcrafted in Birmingham. Additional colors available.

Spiro Salt Room and Massage Therapy 2816 Culver Road (in the Mountain Brook Mall) 445-0448

Bromberg & Co. 131 Summit Blvd.; 969-1776

For the

DAD ON THE GO Beretta hybrid briefcase/ backpack in camo $499 Caliber 2822 Central Ave., Homewood 917-5800

For the

DAD WHO’S ALWAYS SMILING Sinsational Smile teeth whitening treatment $99 Sinsational Smile is the original 20-minute in-office teeth whitening system that uses fast and effective technology with our patented pre-filled silicone tray allowing the jaw to remain relaxed and comfortable throughout the treatment.

Healthy Smiles 100 Heatherbrooke Park Drive, Suite A; 991-9535

Let us help spread the news! Email sydney@starnespublishing.com to submit your announcement.

280Living.com

June 2018 • C15

Faith Life Actually By Kari Kampakis

Give friends room to have a bad day My friend texted me at 5 a.m. — then followed up with an email.

In both messages she apologiz ed for a reaction from the night before. Another mom had acted self-righteous toward her, and she took it out on me.

I wasn’t angry because I knew her response was out of character. Still, I appreciated the apology. I was glad she reached out.

I called my friend later to assure her we were good. “Don’t worry about it one more second,” I said. She confessed she’d been up all night long worrying; mad at herself for not handling the situation better.

That part got to me. It reminded me of when I’ve been in her shoes.

K icking myself for a bad reaction.

Tossing and turning in bed as I wished for a re-do.

Mentally beating myself up for what I did or said.

W e all make mistakes, and truthfully, I’ve made similar mistakes before. I’ve been on the other side, and maybe that’s why I could respond as I hope my friend would respond to me — with grace, with forgiveness, with a sincere desire to not let a little slip-up ruin a good relationship.

Unfortunately, this is common these days. Slip-ups, tensions and resentments that silently build are eating away at relationships. Among women and teen

girls, one cause is an expectation of perfection. Just as we expect perfection of ourselves, we expect it from those around us. And when they slip, we forget grace.

Pope Francis, with his trademark humility, has defined modern society as a “throwaway culture” marked by disposable relationships. He says we’re q uick to say goodbye, and I agree. Today’s relationships have little loyalty, so it’s no surprise why people get clingy and insecure.

Expecting perfection makes it easy to write people off. W hile relationships certainly need kindness, respect and consistency, they also need grace and forgiveness. Any relationship that lasts long enough will have highs and lows.

Learning to respectfully talk things out and love a person even when the feeling fades can keep things afloat when the low points come.

This is how relationships survive. This is how friendships go the distance, lasting 20 years or more.

Recently, I spoke with a woman who mentors teen girls. She’s observed that what begins as an issue between two girls often escalates into an issue between two groups as word spreads and people take sides. Someone’s feelings get hurt or they get angry, and rather than talk with the person who hurt them, they talk it out with everyone but that person.

This breeds drama.

This blows issues out of proportion.

Issues can often be resolved or partially settled if the two people involved have a calm conversation that’s not an attack.

N obody teaches this life skill, yet they should. I’ve seen relationships restored and strengthened when two people learn to sit down, hear each other out and see the situation from each other’s perspective.

Sometimes getting out of our own head is the best therapy of all.

This mentor tells her girls: “Give your friends room to have a bad day. W e all get moody and grumpy sometimes, and you have to create space for your friends to be themselves.”

Is she giving the girls permission to jump each other’s case because they feel salty or on edge? N o, of course not.

Just because you’re in a mood doesn’t give you an excuse to take it out on someone. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ask for forgiveness when you lose it or mess up.

W hat it means is that our friends need grace like we need grace. Our friends need safe relationships, people who love them unconditionally and won’t dump them over every stumble.

W e women and girls are tough on ourselves, and that makes us tough on each other. W hile we can’t stop the trend of disposable friendships, we can counter it. W e can decide to not be that friend who dumps their friends on a whim by

choosing instead to: ► alue loyalty ► orgive and apologi e ► resume positive intent ► et go of the notion that a perfect friend” exists; and ► emember everyone s life is hard, and when a person acts out, there’s often a hidden issue that explains what’s going on.

Chances are, someone in your world will stumble this week. They’ll mess up and feel terrible, maybe lose a little sleep.

Before responding, remember your mess-ups. Call to mind your mistakes. If someone threw a bone to you, remember that gift of grace. Think of how it felt to realiz e they wouldn’t give up on you.

That’s the comfort people hunger for and the security that gets lost in a throwaway culture.

W e all have bad days — and we all need friends who allow them. Friends who can witness our messy truths and choose to love us anyway.

That’s the friend I want in my corner.

And the friend I hope to be.

K a B ir m a n d a n d k a m p k a r ik

r i K u bi in g h a m m sp ea k er .

F a c ebo o k a k i s. c o m , a m p a k i s. c

sz y n K a m o m o f fo u r J o i n h er o , v i si t h er o r c o n ta c t o m .

p a k is i g i r l s, a u n I n sta g bl o g a t h er a t k a

s a th o r r a m k a r i r i@

C16 • June 2018

280 Living

FIRE IN THE FOOTHILLS

By EM IL Y F EATHERS TON

he Chelsea iwanis Club and city officials couldn’t have planned better weather for the 2018 Fire in the Foothills BBQ and Chili Cook-Off, as the event saw sunny skies and mild temperatures throughout the day.

Chelsea community members gathered April 21 to sample a variety of smoked meats and chili, enjoy live music and mingle with those running for local elected office. he event is co-hosted and co-benefiting the Chelsea K iwanis Club and Chelsea Fire and Rescue, and the barbecue portion is a K ansas City Barbeq ue Society-recogniz ed event.

Each competition saw more than a doz en entries, and awards were given in each category.

CHILI WINNERS

► F i r s t p l a c e : Cody Sumners ► S e c o n d p l a c e : Jane W eygand ► Th i r d p l a c e : Justin Fogo

BBQ WINNERS

► G r a n d Ch a m p i o n : W right On Q ► Re s e r v e G r a n d Ch a m p i o n : Lee-La Q ue ► P e o p l e ’ s Ch o i c e Aw a r d : Team Spirit

Right: The 2018 Fire in the Foothills was held at Chelsea City Hall. Guests sample barbecue from local vendors, churches and other groups. Photos by Emily Featherston.

Clockwise, from top left: There were many types of barbecue available for guests of the 2018 Fire in the Foothills event to enjoy, and by donating “tips” to the Kiwanis Club, guests could vote for the crowd favorite. Larissa Daniels and Leonard Sneed of the Holy Smokes BBQ team serve pulled pork. Sam Wheeler and Oscar Crawley of the Sleepy BBQ team serve guests samples. In addition to the barbecue competition, several community members entered the Chelsea Fire Department chili cook-off.

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June 2018 • C17

C18 • June 2018

280 Living

Metro Roundup HOOVER

Hot Rod Power Tour to cruise through Hoover on June 11

By JO N AN D ERS ON People who love hot rods, street rods, custom trucks, muscle cars and other high-performance vehicles and classic cars are in for a treat in June when the Hot Rod Power Tour returns to Hoover Metropolitan Stadium.

Thousands of the vehicles are expected to roll Brought to into the stadium parking you by our lot on June 11 and be on sister paper: display for the public to see for free.

Hoover is the third stop on a seven-day, 1,300hooversun.com mile tour that begins June 9 at the Beech Bend Raceway in Bowling Green, K entucky, and winds its way through six Southern states before ending at the z MAX Dragway in Concord, N orth Carolina, on June 15.

Other stops along the way include: Chattanooga State Community College in Chattanooga; Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia; Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina, and PN C Arena in Raleigh, N orth Carolina.

The tour is organiz ed by Hot Rod magaz ine and is expected to draw more than 6,000 classic, custom and high-performance vehicles and more than 100,000 spectators. Organiz ers expect 1,500 to 1,700 vehicles to cruise the entire tour, while thousands more will go for part of the journey or register to be on display at one of the seven stops, said Jonathan Mill, publisher and general manager for Hot Rod magaz ine.

This is the tour’s fourth time to come to Hoover Metropolitan Stadium, with previous visits being in 2010, 2013 and 2015.

“Hoover’s an awesome stop,” Mill said.

There are tons of people in Alabama who follow Hot Rod magaz ine, he said.

Plus, the large parking lot at the Hoover Met has enough room for an autocross course

The Hot Rod Power Tour drew an estimated crowd of 10,000 to 15,000 people in 2013 and 2015, said Erin Colbaugh, the c t o oo er’s events coordinator.

This is the to r’s o rt time to come to the Hoover Met. Photos courtesy of Lance Shores/ the city of Hoover.

Hot Rod Power Tour ► When: June 11, noon-7 p.m. ► Admission: Free ► Parking: Hoover High School, free ► One-day vehicle display registration: $45 ($50 after June 1) ► Multiday vehicle display registration: $129 ($160 after June 1)

that lets people who register their vehicles for the event see how well they navigate through orange cones and tight curves at high speeds, racing against the clock.

Staying safe this summer: As heat rises, so does need for caution As spring transitions into summer and the days turn warmer, estavia ills first responders hope all V estavia Hills residents, but especially senior citiz ens, will pay attention to their health and safety.

Brought to According to the you by our Centers for Disease sister paper: Control, on average more than 600 people a year succumb to a heat-related illness, vestavia even though it is usuvoice.com ally preventable.

V estavia Hills Fire Department Capt.

Ryan Farrell said older adults are more susceptible to the heat and humidity Alabama experiences each summer because of age and certain medications.

“That can affect your body’s ability to deal with the heat,” he said.

There are varying levels of heat-related illness, including heat cramps, heat exhaustion and ultimately heat stroke.

Dehydration is the most common concern, Farrell said, and folks should increase their fluid intake regardless of whether they feel thirsty.

and see some of the best performance cars as far as hot rods and current cars that have been modified, arks said.

The Hot Rod Power Tour drew an estimated crowd of 10,000 to 15,000 people in 2013 and 2015, said Erin Colbaugh, the city of Hoover’s events coordinator. Because the Hoover Met parking lot is being used for registered vehicles, guest parking will be at Hoover High School, with free shuttles to the Met parking lot, she said.

The gates are open from noon to 7 p.m.

W hile admission to see the tour is free, people who want to register their vehicle for display can do so at hotrod.com for $ 45 ( $ 50 after June 1) . Registering for multi-day display at several sites or for the long haul costs $ 129 ( $ 160 after June 1) . For more information, go to hotrod. com and look under events.

DEGREES OF HEAT-RELATED ILLNESSES SYMPTOMS

VESTAVIA HILLS

By EM IL Y F EATHERS TON

The Hot Rod Power Tour also features colorful mobile displays from more than 50 high-performance manufacturers and aftermarket specialists who are showing off the latest innovations in car technology and custom design and giving advice to car enthusiasts.

There also is a main stage with local musicians, celebrities, games, priz es and plenty of food vendors, Mill said. This year, one of the celebrities is Mike Finnegan, one of the hosts on “Roadkill,” an auto-themed internet show produced by the Motor Trend and Hot Rod magaz ines.

Doyal Marks, chairman for the Team Corvette Alabama club, said most car clubs and car buffs really look forward to the Hot Rod Power Tour.

“It’s really a great opportunity to come out

Symptoms of heat-related illness can be minor at first, arrell said, and many will try to “push through” and keep working in the yard or exercising in the heat, when in reality those experiencing any symptoms should seek shelter as soon as possible in a cool place.

Those who think they might be suffering from heat exhaustion should seek shelter, loosen clothing, place cool cloths on the neck and sip water slowly while monitoring for symptoms of heat stroke.

The CDC and Farrell warn that anyone experiencing shortness of breath, extreme diz z iness, nausea or heart palpitations should seek medical help immediately.

After calling 911, those experiencing heat stroke symptoms should not be given anything to drink, as this might cause vomiting, but a cool cloth should be placed on the back of the neck and behind the knees until help arrives.

Farrell said the summer months are also more active for other safety concerns, particularly falls both outside and inside the house.

Seniors should make sure tripping haz ards are minimiz ed and appropriate handrails are in place, especially if the individual has balance concerns, he said. hen in doubt, he said, give first responders a call.

There are varying levels of heat-related illness, including heat cramps, heat exhaustion and ultimately heat stroke:

HEAT STROKE HEAT EXHAUSTION HEAT CRAMPS

► Heavy or excessive sweating, especially during exercise ► Pain or muscle spasms

► Excessive sweating ► Cold or clammy skin; paleness ► Fast, weak pulse ► Minor nausea or vomiting ► Muscle cramps ► Tiredness or weakness ► Dizziness and headache ► Fainting

► Body temperature of 103 degrees Fahrenheit or higher ► Sudden ceasing of perspiration ► Hot, dry or red skin ► Fast, strong pulse ► Severe headache ► Dizziness ► Nausea or vomiting ► Confusion; memory loss ► Losing consciousness or fainting

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June 2018 • C19

HOOVER

QUICK HITS

A typical Aldi store design, although the Hoover Aldi store may look different.

Rendering courtesy of Aldi.

Highlands Bar & Grill, chef win Beard Awards

ldi r ery medi al ffi es coming to Stadium Trace Village

By JO N AN D ERS ON An Aldi grocery store and UAB Health System medical office building are coming to the new Stadium race illage shopping center under construction along ohn awkins Parkway at Interstate 459 in Hoover, the developer of the shopping center said.

Brought to ldi plans to put a you by our new prototype store sister paper: at Stadium race illage, according to Broad Metro LLC, hooversun.com the developer of the shopping center. arly site plans showed a 22,220-square-foot grocery store. nside, the store will feature a fresh design, open ceilings, natural lighting and environmentally friendly building materials, Broad etro said in a news release. he store will put an increased emphasis on fresh produce with larger and more visible displays. roy arshall, vice president of ldi s ount uliet division, said construction will begin soon, and the store should be in

place this fall. eanwhile, the niversity of labama at Birmingham Health System has said it will build a 3 ,000-square-foot medical facility to house a variety of medical services, including primary care doctors, obstetrics, gynecology, oral surgery and other specialties.

B is moving its ,000-square-foot clinic at 2321 ohn awkins arkway ( near Lake Crest) down the highway to the Stadium race illage property on the other side of nterstate . Construction is expected to begin in early 201 , and the new office building should open in early 2020, B said in a news release.

B spokesman Bob Shepard said the new offices will allow B to add staff and probably more specialties, but all those details have not been determined. and clearing and site preparation for Stadium race illage started last year, and the first parts of the pro ect are proected to open late this year, Broad etro said. he development also is expected to include hotels, restaurants and specialty retail shops.

BIRMINGHAM – Birmingham’s growing reputation as a foodie paradise got another big boost on May 7 when The James Beard Foundation announced its Restaurant and Chef Awards for 2018 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Brought to Highlands Bar & you by our Grill in Five Points sister paper: South was named Outstanding Restaurant and Dolester Miles, the restaurant’s pastry chef, won the ironcity.ink award for Outstanding Pastry Chef.

This was the 10th year in a row that Highlands – known for its classic French technique and fresh ingredients – was a final nominee or best restaurants and the third year in a row that Miles had been nominated.

The Beard Awards, which have been given since 1990, are thought to be the highest honor for food and beverage professionals in the United States.

50-acre wildflower preserve opens access HOMEWOOD – The Freshwater Land Trust has opened 50 acres of property in western Homewood to the public, for those interested in spotting salamanders or watching wild owers bloom. he Wildwood Wild ower reser e located at the end of Forest Brook Circle, opened to public access April 29. The land was originally acquired by the Land Trust in 2001, Communications Director

Mary Beth Brown said, and opened as the l aso Wild ower Preserve in 2012 for appointments and private tours.

The property inthehomewood cludes a 1.6-mile loop star.com trail with benches and bridges for visitors to walk and enjoy tree coverage and an array o spring wild owers.

Stewardship Director Jeffrey Drummond noted a number of native plants and wildli e isitors can find in the preser e. t s also ecologically important to filter runo rom nterstate be ore it reaches Shades Creek.

Learn more about the Wildwood Wildower reser e and the work o the land trust at freshwaterlandtrust.org.

Brought to you by our sister paper:

Local schools named among top in state BIRMINGHAM METRO – U.S. News & World Report recently named several local high schools among the top in the state in its recent rankings.

Mountain Brook High School placed second in the state, beaten only by Loveless Academic Magnet Program High School in Montgomery. Homewood High School placed third, followed by ak ountain igh chool in fi th place Vestavia Hills High School in sixth place and Hewitt-Trussville High School in seventh place. Ramsay High School in downtown Birmingham ranked as the 12th best high school in Alabama, and Spain Park High School ranked 14th. Chelsea High School landed at 19th on the list, while Hoover High School was ranked 26th.

The 2018 rankings are based on data from the 2015-16 school year.

C20 • June 2018

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280

Real Estate Listings

2150 Kirkman Drive

MLS #

Zip

Address

Status

Price

816197

35242

2150 Kirkman Drive

New

$575,000

816409

35242

900 Park Crest Circle

New

$549,900

816399

35242

2041 Regent Park Lane

New

$320,000

816373

35242

548 North Lake Cove

New

$535,000

816369

35242

3337 Afton Lane

New

$535,000

816356

35242

2579 Willowbrook Circle

New

$439,500

816349

35242

7480 Kings Mountain Road

New

$799,000

816335

35242

3004 Shandwick Court

New

$480,000

816333

35242

5020 Shandwick Circle

New

$1,489,000

816199

35242

355 Greystone Glen Circle

New

$599,900

816193

35242

585 Reach Drive

New

$170,000

815656

35242

5304 Woodford Drive

New

$400,000

816190

35242

5051 Applecross Road

New

$274,999

816148

35242

5228 Crossings Parkway

New

$524,900

816057

35242

2316 Brock Circle

New

$700,000

816252

35043

1053 Crawford Court

New

$249,900

816240

35043

616 Chesser Court

New

$209,900

816181

35043

612 Shelby Forest Trail

New

$179,000

815924

35043

3295 River Birch Trail

New

$279,900

815777

35043

1036 Kingston Road

New

$439,900

Real estate listings provided by the Birmingham Association of Realtors on May 11.

Visit birminghamrealtors.com.

5304 Woodford Drive

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June 2018 • C21

Calendar 280 Area Events June 1: Greater Shelby County Chamber Tourism & Recreation Group. 9 a.m.

Location varies. Contact 663-4542, Ext. 103 or visit business.shelbychamber.org.

June 1: First Friday Food Truck. 5-8:30 p.m. Cat-n-Bird Winery, 11661 Old Highway 280.

Featuring food trucks, music, games and more. Visit cat-n-bird.com.

June 5-6: Back to Work 50+ program.

Jefferson State Community College. Free job seeker workshops for ages 50 and older who are updating their skills and offers free job training through the AARP Foundation and Jefferson State. June 5 at Jefferson Campus from 10 a.m. to noon and June 6 at the Shelby-Hoover Campus from 10 a.m. to noon.

June 6: Greater Shelby Chamber Career Readiness Work Group. 8:30 a.m.

Location TBD. Contact 663-4542, Ext. 106 or visit

business.shelbychamber.org.

June 6: Greater Shelby Chamber Ambassador Work Group. 11:30 a.m. Greater Shelby Chamber of Commerce, 1301 County Services Drive, Pelham. Contact 663-4542, Ext. 105 or visit business.shelbychamber.org.

Clay Ward. Registration $20-$25. Visit theredbarn. org.

June 12: Wine’d Down Yoga. Cat-n-Bird Winery, 11661 Old Highway 280. Second Tuesday wine and yoga. 6:15-8 p.m. $20 for class and glass. Visit cat-n-bird.com.

June 6: Greater Shelby Chamber Small Business Work Group. 4 p.m. Location TBD. Contact 663-4542, Ext. 104 or visit business. shelbychamber.org.

June 13: Greater Shelby Chamber Existing Business & Industry Work Group. 8:30 a.m. Location varies. Contact 6634542, Ext. 105 or visit business.shelbychamber.org.

June 8: Greater Shelby Chamber Health Services Work Group. 8:30 a.m.

Location varies. Contact 663-4542, Ext. 106 or visit business.shelbychamber.org.

June 14: Greater Shelby Chamber Governmental Affairs Work Group.

8:30 a.m. Location varies. Call 663-4542 or visit business.shelbychamber.org.

June 9: Take the Reins 10K/5K and 1-mile Fun Run. 8 a.m. Veterans Park. Presented by the Red Barn in memory of Cpl. Anthony

June 15: Entrepreneur Roundtable 1.

7:30 a.m. Location varies. Contact 663-4542, Ext. 101 or visit business.shelbychamber.org.

June 15: Greater Shelby Chamber Small Business Mentorship Program.

8-11 a.m. Greater Shelby Chamber of Commerce, 1301 County Services Drive, Pelham. Contact 6634542, Ext. 105 or visit business.shelbychamber.org.

June 16: Learn How to Chainsaw a Feather/Chainsaw Carving Demo and Wine Tasting. 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Cat-n-Bird Winery, 11661 Old Highway 280. $100 per person.

Ages 18 and older. Visit cat-n-bird.com.

June 19: Greater Shelby Chamber Entrepreneur Roundtable 280. 11:30 a.m.

Location varies. Call 663-4542, Ext. 101 or visit business.shelbychamber.org.

June 26: Wine’d Down Yoga. Cat-n-Bird Winery, 11661 Old Highway 280. Second Tuesday wine and yoga. 6:15-8 p.m. $20 for class and glass. Visit cat-n-bird.com.

North Shelby Library Events New summer hours: The library will be closed on Sundays May 27 until Aug. 19.

CHILDREN June 2: Summer Reading Kickoff Party. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bouncy houses, library dollar money grabber machine, plus refreshments, games, face painting and more. All ages welcome.

June 4, 11 and 18: Toddler Tales. 10 a.m. Stories, songs, fingerplays and crafts make up a lively 30-minute program designed especially for short attention spans. Ages 19-36 months.

Registration required.

June 4: Miss Kit’s Bubble School. 2 and 6 p.m. Join us for this unique show filled with science, comedy and bubbles. All ages. No registration.

Tuesdays: Craft Days. Drop in anytime between 2-3:30 p.m. All ages welcome. Registration required.

Tuesdays and Wednesdays: Hedgie Hello. 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays and 11:30 a.m.

Wednesdays. Stop by to say hello to our pet hedgehog, Oliver.

Wednesdays: Family Storytime with Mr. Mac. 10:45 a.m. All ages. No registration.

Stories, puppets and lots of music for every member of the family.

June 7 and 21: Baby Tales. 10 a.m. A storytime designed especially for babies and their caregivers. Stories and music provide interaction for the babies and time for caregivers to talk and share with each other. Birth to 18 months. Registration required.

Thursdays: Family Movie Days. 4 p.m.

Watch a family friendly, new release movie. Call or visit the library for movie list. All ages are welcome.

Snacks served. Thursdays: PJ Storytime. 6:30 p.m.

Come in your PJs, have milk and cookies, and hear

bedtime tales. All ages.

June 11: Hoop for Fitness. 2 and 6 p.m.

Come learn about hula hooping. The 2 p.m. show is all ages and no registration. The 6 p.m. show will be a hula hooping session for kids ages 7-12 to get hands-on experience. Registration required.

June 12: Preschool Play Time. 10 a.m. to noon. Tents and tunnels and fun galore. Ages 5 and younger. Caretaker supervision required. No registration.

June 14: Garden Gates. 4 p.m. An hour of hands-on STEM fun with a nature focus, taught

C22 • June 2018

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North Shelby Library Events (Cont.) by a representative of the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Ages 5 and older. Registration is required.

June 18: Gene Cordova, Ventriloquist.

2 and 6 p.m. on t miss this show filled with hilarious puppets and comedy. All ages. No registration.

June 23: All Ages Lego Competition.

Use your own bricks to make an original (not from a kit) creation to be judged by our all-star judges.

Registration required.

June 25: Animal Tales. 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Features live, exotic wildlife from all over the world that possess very unique abilities. All ages.

June 28: Preschool Kitchen Science.

10:30 a.m. Learn about sound and all of the amazing ways it works. Preschool age. egistration required.

TEENS June 4: Teen Summer Reading Kickoff. 6-7:30 p.m. Teens (entering sixth- through 12th-grade) who are registered for Summer Reading can join us at Chuck E. Cheese on U.S. 280 for an evening of pizza and games. Registration required.

June 7: Oreo Tasting. 6 p.m. Can you tell the difference between different types of Oreos? Find out at this blind taste-test challenge. Registration required.

June 8, 15, 22 and 29: Open Gaming.

3-5:45 p.m. Come to the teen department each

Chelsea Library Events

Friday afternoon for open gaming. Board games, card games, Wii, Xbox ONE, Oculus and Minecraft.

will teach some of the mysteries of magic. Registration required.

p.m. Theme: Curse of the Mummy. All day Break Out. Sign up for a time. Registration required.

June 12: Tuesday Tech: What’s Inside?

2-3 p.m. or 3:30-4:30 p.m. Find out what’s inside the tech we use every day: computers, phones, toys and more. We’re destroying them all in the name of science. Registration required.

June 21: 11th annual Fear Factor Food Challenge. 6 p.m. Put yourself to the test with some new and unique food combinations. Scary food not your thing? Join us for a tasting of interesting sodas. Registration required to eat. All are welcome to watch.

June 12 and 26: Retirement Taxes Today, Tax Efficient Retirement Income Planning. 6:15-8:15 p.m. Educational program.

Registration required.

June 13 and 27: Chess Meetup. 2-3 p.m.

Come to the teen department to play with others and improve your game.

June 14: Ukulele Basics. 6 p.m. Learn the basics of how to play the ukulele. The library will have some instruments, but you can also bring your own. Registration required.

June 16: Life-size Pac-Man. 6 p.m. Race against the ghosts to gather all dots. Registration required.

June 18: Coding – Music & Sound eight-class program. 2-3 p.m. or 3:30-4:30 p.m. Use a computer to design your own music, create your own instruments and music videos, and learn how technology is used in the music industry. Grades 4-8. Class will meet Monday and Thursday for four weeks. There will be two make-up days. Attendance at each class is recommended.

Registration required.

June 19: Tuesday Tech: Coding without Computers. 2 or 3:30 p.m. Navigate mazes and build a cup tower using a written symbol code. Registration required.

June 23: Teen Writing Workshop. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Young Adult author Ash Parsons will help teens learn what working pieces go into crafting a novel. This workshop will cover plot, characterization and setting, as well as how universal archetypes connect them all. Registration required.

June 26: Tuesday Tech: 3D Printing.

2 or 3:30 p.m. Create a 3D project the library will print for you. Registration required.

June 29: Breakout! 5:30 or 7 p.m. Will the group e a le to figure out the clues to get out in time? Each session is limited to 10 people. Registration required.

ADULTS June 4: Getting to Know Your Library: Questions & Answers. 10:30-11:30 a.m. and 6:30-7:30 p.m. What does your library have to offer? Find out in this introduction to the North Shelby Library.

June 5: Paint & Pour. 6-8:30 p.m. Registration required. fee.

June 20: Learn Magic! 4:45 p.m. Skip Cain

June 8: Family Breakout. 10:30 a.m. to 5

Wednesdays: The Tot Spot. 10:30 a.m.

A 30-minute storytime for preschoolers. Reading, singing dancing and maybe a craft.

Fridays: Bring Your Own Craft. 10 a.m.

Any type crochet, knitting or smocking welcome.

Learn if you don’t know how.

June 15: Trivia Night! 7-9 p.m. Trivia, adult beverages, and snacks. Registration required.

June 21: Color Therapy. 6-8 p.m. Disconnect from your busy day and just color it out. We provide the pages, colored pencils, coffee, wine and rela ation. egistration required.

June 23: Writing Workshop with Ash Parsons. 2-5 p.m. Learn about writing Young Adult fiction. egistration required.

June 24: Music of the Mines, Mills and Railroads of the Birmingham District.

2-3 p.m. Registration required.

June 24: Cocktail Program. 4-6 p.m. Bartender John asterling will e guiding guests through summer cocktails. 21 and older. Registration required.

June 29: Poker Night. 6-8 p.m. Non-gambling, fun, competitive night of poker. Pizza and prizes, Registration required.

June 30: Introduction to Wine. 6-8 p.m.

Learn about wine with ‘Pleasures All Wine.’ Ages 21 and older. Registration required.

June 9: Lego Club. 9:30 a.m. Ages 5 and older make a creation to be displayed in the library.

Mt Laurel Library Events CHILDREN June 2: Summer Reading Kick-Off Party. 4-6 p.m. n ata les, refreshments, face painting and more. All ages. No registration required.

Tuesdays: Family Movie. 2 p.m. All ages.

Join us for a showing of a movie each Tuesday.

Snacks will be served! Movie list available at the library. No registration required.

Wednesdays: Craft. Noon to 2 p.m. Drop in to make a craft at the library. All ages with parent help. Registration is not required but supplies are limited.

June 7: Alabama 4H Center: Animals Rock! 2 p.m. Join Alabama 4H and its band of critters and learn about what makes them rock in the animal world. Registration required. Program will be at the Double Oak Community Church Café.

June 8, 15 and 22: Toddler Tales. 10 a.m. Stories, songs, fingerplays and more make up a lively 30-minute program designed especially for short attention spans and their caregiver. Registration required. Ages 3 and younger.

June 8, 15 and 22: All Ages Storytime.

11 a.m. Stories, music and more for every member of the family. All ages. No registration required.

June 14: Cookies & Cream Social.

2 p.m. Stop by for a cool treat on a hot day and yummy cookies.

June 21: Gene Cordova Ventriloquist. 2 p.m. Everyone will laugh and learn as Gene uses his unique talents that include ventriloquism, puppetry, comedy magic, storytelling, balloon antics and lots of audience participation. Registration required.

Program will be at the Double Oak Community Church Café.

June 25: Animal Tales: Born to be Wild.

2 p.m. Featuring animals with unique abilities to

build and construct for survival. All ages. Registration required. Program will be at the Double Oak Community Church Café.

June 30: Lego Club. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Families are welcome to drop in to build spectacular creations which will be displayed in the library.

TWEEN June 5: Tween Tech Fun! 4 p.m. Make your own music using Scratch, a visual programming language. Registration required.

June 14: Brushes and Slushes. 4 p.m.

Enjoy a slushy with Rorrie Scoggins as she helps you create a painting using acrylics. Registration required.

June 21: Carnivorous Plants. 4 p.m.

Myers Plants and Pottery will bring you your own carnivorous plant, explain all of its gross and unique qualities and teach you how to take care of it.

Registration required.

June 28: Card Embroidery. 4 p.m. Learn basic embroidery with Judi Morris and then make a card using your own design. Registration required.

ADULT June 11: Summer Cocktails. 6 p.m. Join John Easterling as he mixes up different summer cocktails for you to try. Must be 21 or older to attend. Registration required.

June 18: Carnivorous Plants. 6 p.m. Join Noah Yawn of Myers Plants as he discusses these unique plants and how to take care of them. Leave with your own plant. Additional plants available to purchase. Registration required.

June 28: Simply Infused. 6:30 p.m. Join us for some olive oil and balsamic pairings with Simply Infused. Olive oils and balsamics will be available to purchase. Registration required.

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June 2018 • C23

St. Vincent’s One Nineteen Events Wednesdays: Baby Café. 10 a.m. to 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.

The group is designed to give breastfeeding moms encouragement and support, as well as helpful information and tips from our expert. This event is free, but please call Rosie at 930-2807 to reserve your space.

CPR but do not need a course completion card. he cost is per person. all ial urse at 939-7878 to register.

June 12: 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. his is a free service.

June 29: BCBS Senior Products Enrollment meeting. 10 a.m. to noon. 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/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.

June 23: Brenda Ladun Conquer Cancer Run. Fun starts at 4 p.m.; race starts at 6 p.m. Take a trip back in time donning your favorite ‘50s-‘90s attire for the Brenda Ladun Decade Dash & Block Party. Break out your hipster threads, disco shoes and poodle skirts or summon your inner Material Girl to support the American Cancer Society.

June 25-26: Wellness Screenings.

3-4:30 p.m. on Monday and 7:30-10 a.m. on Tuesday. To stay abreast of your numbers, cholesterol, blood glucose, blood pressure, BMI and waist circumference screenings will be held by appointment. esults and interpretation in 15 minutes with a simple finger stick. for members and non-members. Please call 4086550 to register.

June 27: Summer Suppers Cooking Class. 11 a.m. to noon. Are you unsure of how to prepare fresh vegetables and fruits from your local farmers market, or are you looking to include more seasonal produce in your diet? This class will provide healthy dinner recipes highlighting summer’s bounty. Join registered dietitian and chef Jessica Ivey for this fresh, seasonally-inspired class. per person. Please call 408-6550 to register by noon June 25.

June 27: CPR for Family and Friends.

6-8:30 p.m. This course is a classroom based, practice-while-you-watch video and instructor-facilitated program on how to perform the basic skills of CPR for adults, children and infants. The course also teaches how to help an adult, child or infant who is choking. CPR for Family and Friends is perfect for parents, family members, friends and older si lings. he course is also eneficial for baby-sitters ages 12 and older who want to learn

June 28: Comprehensive Diabetes Education. 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. If you have diabetes or prediabetes, this seminar is a must. physician’s referral is required. Pre-assessments gi en preceding the class time. lease call 7248 to register.

THYME TO COOK FOR KIDS (Choice of 8 a.m. to noon session or 1-5 p.m. session) June 11-15 (ages *7-9): Savor the South. Take a tour around the South, exploring similarities and differences of the cuisine of Sweet Home Alabama and our neighboring states.

June 18-22 (ages 10-12): Savor the South.

Your child will prepare and enjoy four made from scratch recipes daily. Some past favorites include Alabama “fried” green tomatoes, shrimp and grits, homemade chips and salsa, grilled corn on the cob and Bananas Foster. Each child will learn where food comes from and how to prepare it in a healthy way. Cooking utilizes science and mathematical skills, sharpens reading comprehension, listening, and following direction skills. Social skills will also be strengthened in a fun, safe environment. Half day program with amp ne ineteen in the afternoon a aila le for day. he cost is per child per session. For more information call 408-6550. Come by the Wellness or Fitness desk for an application or download from the website, onenineteen.com. *6 year olds, first-grade completed or at discretion of camp director.

Area Events June 1-3: USGA U.S. Women’s Open.

Play begins at 8 a.m. daily. Shoal Creek. Visit usga. org.

June 9: Magic City Caribbean Food and Music Festival. 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Linn Park. Free.

Visit cacaoonline.org or shelbycountyartscouncil.com.

June 1-3: “The Importance of Being Earnest.” South City Theatre, Pelham. 7:30 p.m.

Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. Visit southcity theatre.com.

June 12: Mayor’s Breakfast - Freedom from Addiction Coalition Community Breakfast. 8 a.m. Canterbury United Methodist Church. Visit mtnbrookchamber.org.

June 3-4: Gem, Mineral, Fossil & Jewelry Show. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tannehill State Park.

Showcasing gems, minerals, fossils and jewelry. dmission - , children and younger are free.

Visit lapidaryclub.wordpress.com.

June 16: SliceFest. 1-11 p.m. Slice Pizza and rew. dmission - , children and younger are free. Visit slicefest.com.

June 4-11: Lights, Camera, Action! 4:30 and 7 p.m. The Kevin Wayne Acting Studio. Shelby County Arts Council Gallery, Columbiana.

June 8-July 1: “Beauty and the Beast.”

Presented by Red Mountain Theatre Company at orothy Jemison heater. ickets start at . isit redmountaintheatre.org.

June 8-10: Magic City Con. Hyatt Regency ynfrey otel. oon to p.m. riday, a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. ickets children, adults. isit magiccitycon. com.

June 9: Woodlawn Street Market. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit facebook.com/woodlawn streetmarket.

June 16-17: Tannehill Trade Days. 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park. eaturing o er endors. ickets adults, seniors, children and older.

June 19: Southern League All-Star Game. 7:05 p.m. Regions Field. Visit milb.com.

June 23-24: Family Camp Out Night.

Railroad Park. Visit railroadpark.org.

June 23: Fourth annual Birmingham Black Rodeo. 7:30 p.m. Legacy Arena, BJCC. ickets . - . . isit cc.org.

June 30-July 1: Great Southern Gun & Knife Show. BJCC Exhibition Hall. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. ickets ages and older, ages - . isit greatsoutherngunshow.com.