July 2020 | Volume 13 | Issue 11
280LIVING.COM
THE 280 CORRIDOR’S COMMUNITY NEWS SOURCE
COMMENCEMENT DURING COVID-19 Chelsea, Oak Mountain seniors mark graduations together after gathering restrictions lifted By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE
T
he class of 2020 could have never expected the way its senior year would end. The last nine weeks of school were done from home, with no prom, spring sports or other special events. Students were unable to even spend time with their classmates. All thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. One event that was able to be salvaged for their senior year was their graduation ceremony. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey lifted restrictions near the end of May to allow the events to take place. Oak Mountain had its graduation June 1, followed by Chelsea on June 2. Spain Park’s ceremony was May 20 (see page A24), and Briarwood Christian’s graduation is scheduled for July 19. The principals and staff had to work quickly to get everything ready, and measures were put in place to maintain proper social distancing. Tickets were limited to four per family, but both graduations were livestreamed so others could watch.
OAK MOUNTAIN HIGH SCHOOL
Oak Mountain High School held its graduation June 1 at Heardmont Park, where 324 seniors
See COMMENCEMENT | page A28 Oak Mountain and Chelsea high schools celebrated the members of the class of 2020 during commencement ceremonies June 1 and June 2, respectively. Photos by Erin Nelson.
INSIDE Sponsors........... A4 280 News.......... A6 Chamber..........A13 Business...........A14 Community.....A20
Quick Ascension
Schoolhouse...A22 Faith................. A27 Sports................ B4 Events................ B9 Calendar........... B15
Weldon Pavilion gets new life BY LEAH INGRAM EAGLE
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Three years ago, Hannah Josey had never coached a volleyball match in her life. Now, she’s the new Briarwood head coach.
See page B8
What’s old is new again. Parts of one of Chelsea’s most historic buildings have a new home at the Chelsea Sports Complex off Shelby County 11. For years, the Weldon General Store sat in the middle of town, yards away from the current City Hall location. From the 1940s until the 1980s, G.W. Weldon and other members of his family ran the store. Several years ago, a plan to reroute Shelby County 39 had the new road running right through the middle of the store. Mayor Tony Picklesimer said that, combined with the fact that the building was already in a horrible state of disrepair, led him to the decision to take it down. “It has a tremendous history in the city of Chelsea,
See WELDON | page A30
The Weldon Pavilion now has a new home at the Chelsea Sports Complex off Shelby County 11. Much of the old building was kept and implemented into the restoration of the new building. Photo by Leah Ingram Eagle.
A2 • July 2020
280 Living
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A4 • July 2020
280 Living
About Us Editor’s Note By Leah Ingram Eagle Here we are, halfway through the year that just won’t quit. From COVID-19, to unemployment and economic uncertainty, protests and riots throughout our country and all the other things 2020 has brought, I think we can agree this is going to be a year we won’t soon forget. I am one of those people who always tries to look for the positive when it can be found. One of the positives I wanted to highlight in this month’s edition of 280 Living is high school graduations. The seniors of the class of 2020 were in fact able to participate in graduation ceremonies. I know how much mine meant to me (however many years ago), so I know it meant so much to these students. You can read about Oak
Mountain and Chelsea’s graduation in the cover story and also enjoy some photos from Photo Editor Erin Nelson. A piece of Chelsea history has also found a new home. The Weldon Pavilion has been rebuilt at the Shelby County 11 Sports Complex and features the lumber and
many items original to the iconic building that sat just over the railroad tracks for so many years. For the first time in a while, we are sharing some events happening this month, including Chelsea’s annual Big Kaboom Independence Day celebration. Sports Editor Kyle Parmley brings you the allmetro baseball and softball teams, along with the all-metro and state soccer teams. Finally, be on the lookout for a special election edition of our August issue coming out next month. Until then, stay healthy, be kind and thanks for reading!
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Mitchell Nutter, 14, swings at a pitch during batting practice with his father, Brock, at the netted batting cage at the Spain Park Sports Complex on June 9. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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July 2020 • A5
A6 • July 2020
280 Living
280 News City Hall debuts new equipment at Chelsea council meeting By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE The June 2 Chelsea City Council meeting featured the debut of new camera equipment in the council chambers. Two new cameras were recently installed, giving an upgrade to the livestream viewing of meetings on Facebook. Mayor Tony Picklesimer said he promised transparency with the meetings — beginning with the first one as mayor — and he wanted meetings to be available to all of Chelsea’s citizens. During the mayor’s report, Picklesimer congratulated the Chelsea High School Class of 2020 and added that he would be heading to graduation after the meeting. Two annexation ordinances were approved by the council: ► Garrett & Brandy Carden, 351 Brasher Drive (5 acres). Because the property borders the cities of Chelsea and Pelham, half of the property had to be annexed at a time. ► Dennis & Barbara Key, 331 Shelby County 32, Columbiana (5 acres). Emily Sims gave an update from the Chelsea Public Library and said it is gearing up for the summer reading program, Imagine Your Story. There will be programs for all ages, and the first virtual program was June 3. Information can be found on the library’s website.
UPCOMING DATES
► July 11: Bulk trash day. Visit cityofchelsea.com for do’s and don’ts. ► July 17-19: Back-to-school sales tax holiday. See page B9 or visit the city’s website for an approved item list.
Members of the Chelsea City Council during its June 2 meeting. Photo by Leah Ingram Eagle.
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A8 • July 2020
280 Living
Mayor lauds return of youth club baseball By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE During the June 16 Chelsea City Council meeting, Mayor Tony Picklesimer said the previous evening was the opening night for Chelsea youth club baseball. “It went off very successfully,” he said. “I appreciate all the kind words about the facilities. We used time while things were on restriction to make some upgrades.” Picklesimer also mentioned the Chelsea Fest and the Big Kaboom celebrations were set for June 27. It will be a little bit different than ones in the past. While there won’t be bouncy houses, face painting or the bicycle parade, there will be food, fun, music and the fireworks show as usual. “I’d like to think we will fill up the grounds with people, maintain distancing of course,” Picklesimer said. In other business, the council: ► Approved a resolution to accept the lowest bid for grading and storm drainage for the Chelsea Business Park from Evergreen Erosion Control LLC. ► Approved the back-to-school sales tax weekend for July 17-19. For a list of items included in this event, visit cityofchelsea.com. ► Approved to advertise for bids for garbage and curbside recycling services because the contract with Repubic Services is set to expire at the end of August. ► Approved two annexation ordinances for 10107 Chelsea Road (1.01 acres) and 351 Brasher Drive (5 acres). City Attorney Mark Boardman read a proposed ordinance to establish parking restrictions that will be up for consideration at the next council meeting.
Above: The Chelsea mayor and City Council approved a proposal for the back-to-school sales tax holiday for July 17-19. Screenshot by Leah Ingram Eagle. Left: The 8U Astros team and coach Matt Sitton gather for their first Chelsea Youth Club game June 15. Photo courtesy of Staci Kang.
UPCOMING DATES
► Chelsea Fest and the Big Kaboom: June 27 ► Bulk trash day: July 11 ► Back-to-school sales tax holiday: July 17-19
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July 2020 • A9
Chelsea to add new traffic signal along US 280
Vehicles make left and right turns at the intersection of U.S. 280 and Shelby County 39 in Chelsea. Construction on a new traffic signal began the first week of June and was scheduled to be finished the first of July. Photo by Erin Nelson.
By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE The city of Chelsea is adding another traffic light on U.S. 280 in hopes of making the intersection of Shelby County 39 safer. “It statistically has been the number two spot in Chelsea for accidents,” Chelsea Mayor Tony Picklesimer said. “I have been petitioning for a light there since I’ve been in office.” After changes were made to the traffic signals at U.S. 280/Shelby County 47 two years ago, Picklesimer said the wrecks there immediately stopped once cars could no longer turn left onto Shelby County 47 without a traffic signal. “When we fixed that intersection, the Highway 39 intersection became number one for accidents,” he said. Another spot in Chelsea that recently got a traffic signal is on Old U.S. 280 at Shelby County 11. When Picklesimer closed the shortcut of Shelby County 333 across the railroad, it kept cars from turning left to take the shortcut. When another traffic study was done, the increase in traffic warranted a signal. For an intersection to be signalized, it has to meet a certain group of guidelines called a warrant. That warrant is based on best practices by national trafficking engineer guidelines and considers factors such as how many left turns and right turns are made, the number of cars that pass daily through the intersection and the maximum time of a backup. The reason it’s taken so long to get a traffic light at Shelby County 39 was because cars
turning out of the Publix shopping center can take the entrance and exit into Publix. “What I ended up doing was engaging with John Cooper, ALDOT Transportation Director, and told him that if we would make that median cut a left turn only and not an exit, it would force cars to come up to [the] 39-280 light to continue east, which would warrant a traffic light,” Picklesimer said. He spoke with business owners around that intersection and said they were all in favor of a traffic signal. As soon as it was announced a traffic signal was being installed, one of the corner spots was sold to a new business that will begin construction in November, so there are commercial development positives from getting a light as well, Picklesimer said. Doug Snider has owned Snider’s Pharmacy, one of the businesses closest to the intersection, for eight years. He said he has seen many serious wrecks, some that included fatalities,
and believes a traffic signal at the location will be well deserved. “It will slow traffic down coming into the city of Chelsea, which is rapidly growing,” Snider said. “The intersection with our building is a big intersection in the city, and I think that having a light there will help our business.” Snider said he, along with other business owners around the intersection, are excited about the signal and thinks they will see an increase in foot traffic. “It’s going to be really good,” Snider said. “It’s going to stop accidents and will also be great for the city.” City Council member Casey Morris worked at Snider’s Pharmacy from 2011-19 and said he strongly supports a traffic light there. “I can remember back seven or eight years ago one of the first car wrecks I witnessed personally, where a middle-aged woman was hit coming across the intersection, and her car
landed in our parking lot,” he said. Morris said he believes it will have an economic impact on the businesses near the area and with a lower speed limit, drivers will see them and visit them. “A lot of good things it will do over-andabove the safety side of it. It has been a long time coming,” Morris said. After the contracts were signed and the poles were ordered, construction began the first week of June and was scheduled to be finished the first of July. Once the signal is in place, traffic can only turn right from the lower Publix exit and will no longer be able to turn left. Coming from Chelsea Park, traffic can still turn right into the shopping center. “The problem with that intersection is that the speed limit has been 65 right there,” Picklesimer said. “When the light goes up, it will drop to 55.”
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280 Living
Commission joins partnership for EDA funding By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE The Shelby County Commission approved an application for Economic Development Administration (EDA) during its June 8 meeting. The resolution read: “To promote regional cooperation and to support the efforts of the Birmingham Business Alliance and 58 INC., the Commission finds the application for EDA funding under the Economic Adjustment Assistance program would serve to implement the issuance of a Healthcare Market Intelligence study, strategy and implementation plan investigating the current state and growth of potential of the bio-life science sector in the Greater Birmingham region.” “The grant will allow for the study of the current ability to meet pharmaceutical and biopharma type needs in the area,” Shelby County Manager Chad Scroggins said. “It will allow us to find weaknesses in the supply chain. This is a joint deal with all Shelby County, Jefferson County, surrounding counties and those associated with the Birmingham Business Alliance.” Also during the meeting, a resolution was passed allowing the county manager and the county attorney to procure eminent domain necessary for a water line and other facilities to run a water line under the railroad at the intersection of Shelby County 39 and 47 in Chelsea. Existing facilities for transmission and distribution of potable drinking water for citizens of Shelby County are insufficient to meet the growing water demands. “Part of the project is for that road realignment, and we need to run adjustments to the water line under that,” Scroggins said. “CSX has not granted the right of way, and by using eminent domain we can get the access to that right away.” In the county manager’s report, Scroggins announced Tyrus Kidd as the county’s new IT services manager; said construction of the County Services Building at U.S. 280 has started; and mentioned the improvements the
Members of the Shelby County Commission listen during the commission’s May 26 meeting. Screenshot by Leah Ingram Eagle.
county is assisting with to Joe Tucker Park in Helena and Abby Wooley Park in Alabaster. In her monthly financial review, CFO Cheryl Naugher gave an update on revenue from April taxes. Sales taxes running year-over-year were about the same; rental taxes were down significantly (25%) and lodging taxes were down 61%. Driver license testing from Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is now open in Pelham but experiencing long wait times. Scroggins suggested getting there early or making an appointment at the district ALEA offices. Testing in the Columbiana office has not started yet. Other bids approved during the meeting include: ► Annual paving contract to Wiregrass Construction Co. for $4,187,627.08. ► Pipe pickup and delivery to Foley Products. ► Envelopes and printed products for
letterhead printing and stationery items. ► FY 2019 property tax insolvents, errors and litigations for 2019 tax year report.
MAY 26 MEETING
During the commission’s May 26 meeting, Scroggins shared several updates on the county’s progress throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Scroggins said business in the county was picking up, and all license offices were open, including Inverness. “Not only open but doing all their functions, including license renewals,” he said. The Shelby County Courthouse was scheduled to reopen to the public beginning June 2 with limited access during Phase Two of the resumption of in-person hearings. Jury trials will not begin until September 1. Shelby EMA Supervisor Hub Harvey said
the Shelby County Health Department is still doing COVID-19 testing at no cost on Tuesdays and Thursdays by appointment. Shelby EMA has been working with many organizations, including the University of Montevallo, on how to help them reopen safely in the fall, working with all long-term care facilities to ensure they have enough personal protective equipment (PPE) and keeping up to date with administration at Shelby Baptist Medical Center. “If there is a second surge, we can look at the big picture and be prepared as best we can with what we’ve got,” Harvey said. Resolutions were approved for laundry services, supplies and uniforms for the juvenile detention center. At the end of the meeting, the commission went into executive session for land and contract negotiations.
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Jeremy Vice stands with his wife, Tara, and sons, from left, Graham, Mason and Wesley. Vice is a new member of the Hoover Parks and Recreation Board. Photo courtesy of Tara Vice.
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Hoover council picks Riverchase resident for park and rec board By JON ANDERSON The Hoover City Council has appointed Riverchase resident Jeremy Vice to the Hoover Parks and Recreation Board. Vice, 47, will replace Howard Peyton, who resigned to take care of some family matters. He will complete the final 16 months of Peyton’s term on the board. Vice is a regional vice president for the Minnesota-based Prime Therapeutics, responsible for the company’s relationships with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina and the Florida Blue and Capital Health Plan. His office is in a Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama building in Riverchase. Vice has been with Prime Therapeutics for 10 years, and prior to that he worked with CVS Caremark and Advance PCS for 11 years. He obtained a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1998. Vice moved to the Birmingham area from Gadsden in 1995 to finish his degree at UAB and has lived in Hoover most of the time since. He met his wife, Tara, in the singles ministry at Hunter Street Baptist Church in 1999, and they married in 2000. After two years in Pelham, they moved to Riverchase in 2002 and have been there since. He said he and his family have always enjoyed the first-class and world-class recreation and park amenities in Hoover, from Wildflower Park in Riverchase to the Moss Rock Preserve and Veterans Park. “We’ve got such a nice and diverse park system. It’s just great,” Vice said. “You can find anything you’re looking for, whether it’s walking or biking on a trail or taking advantage of the Finley Center or the Met.” Vice’s three sons — Wesley, Mason and Graham — have been active in Hoover’s youth
“
I look forward to jumping in and getting to know other folks on the board, getting the lay of the land and figuring out how I could contribute.
”
JEREMY VICE
sports programs, including soccer, flag football and baseball, and he has the chance to coach them some in soccer and baseball. For the past few years, he has been looking for a way to give back to the community in some way, he said. “Hoover’s been good to us. We love Hoover. I just felt like it was a good opportunity for me to plug in,” he said. “I certainly don’t intend to come in and rock the boat in a negative way … I look forward to jumping in and getting to know other folks on the board, getting the lay of the land and figuring out how I could contribute.” Vice and his wife both are active members at Hunter Street Baptist Church. He sings in the choir and works in the children, youth and men’s ministries. He previously served as a bivocational worship pastor at several small churches in Gadsden, Homewood and Helena. Hoover Councilman John Lyda, who works at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, said he has known Vice for 25 years. “Jeremy has got a genuine heart for service,” Lyda said. “He’s just looking for an opportunity in the community to give back. He understands business and budgets and will be a good asset for the park board.”
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A12 • July 2020
280 Living
Hoover reschedules Household Hazardous Waste Day By JON ANDERSON The city of Hoover has rescheduled the Household Hazardous Waste Day that originally was supposed to be May 2 for Aug. 1. The location also has changed from original plans and will be held in the parking lot at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium again. City officials had planned to move the waste collection to the parking lot at Hoover High School due to busy spring scheduling at the Hoover Metropolitan Complex, but that original collection date was postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. There was not as much of a scheduling conflict with the Aug. 1 date. City officials also had planned to hold two days to collect household hazardous waste this year, but the time delay and budget constraints now mean there will be only one, said Robin Mangino, the administrative services supervisor for the Hoover Public Works and Park Maintenance Department. The Household Hazardous Waste Day gives Hoover residents a chance to properly dispose of items that shouldn’t go in the garbage or landfill. Examples of items accepted include leftover wet paint, automotive fluids, household cleaners, pesticides, batteries, standard-size tires, electronics, medication, guns and ammunition. Hoover residents can bring their hazardous items to the Hoover High School parking lot between 8 a.m. and noon, but they must be prepared to show a valid driver’s license or photo ID with a Hoover address because the event is open only to Hoover residents. Items will not be accepted from businesses. City records show that in 2019,
Items Accepted
Brett Wallis, left, and Michael Bibb pour used cooking oil into a larger container at the 2018 Household Hazardous Waste Day in the parking lot at the Hoover Metropolitan Complex. Photo by Jon Anderson.
people in 1,550 vehicles brought items for disposal. That included enough paint and paint-related materials to fill 112 3-yard boxes and 25 pallets. Workers also collected 55 55-gallon drums of pesticides, seven 55-gallon drums of flammable liquids and solids, two 55-gallon drums of antifreeze, four 55-gallon drums and five 5-gallon containers of household batteries and 40 55-gallon drums of other hazardous materials. Residents also brought 757 gallons of used motor oil, 250 gallons of used cooking oil, 235 tires, 217 car batteries, seven boxes of aerosols, 41 fire extinguishers, 400 1-pound propane tanks, 32 20-pound propane tanks, 1,240 compact bulbs and 2,120 fluorescent bulbs, records show. Hoover police also took in 766 pounds of expired or unused
medication and some old ammunition at the event, Lt. Keith Czeskleba said. They’ll collect unwanted medication again this year, as well as firearms, ammunition, edged weapons and military ordnance and souvenirs. The Foundry Rescue and Recovery Center will be back again also, collecting equipment such as TV sets, computer hard drives, keyboards, monitors, computer mice, radios, stereos, telephones, power cables and wiring. City officials also encourage people to bring old, tattered or damaged U.S. flags for proper disposal. And for the first time, Shred-It will have a truck there to shred people’s paper documents. The city pays MXI Environmental Services to dispose of most of the items collected. Records indicate last year’s cost was about $63,000.
► Aerosol spray cans (with contents) ► Automotive fluids (motor oil, antifreeze, gas and/or mixed gas) ► Batteries (automotive and alkaline) ► Caulk/glue ► Chemical drain cleaners ► Fluorescent light bulbs ► Household cleaners (bleach, oven cleaners, metal cleaners, polishes and toilet cleaners) ► Oil and latex paint, aerosol paint, paint thinners/ strippers/removers (Please note that empty latex paint containers and hardened solid paint are safe to put in the regular garbage. People can bring the liquid to a solid by mixing the paint with cat litter, sand or sawdust. Please remove the paint can lid before putting in your trash bin.) ► Pesticides and herbicides
► Polish (auto and furniture) ► Preservatives ► Solvents ► Stains/varnish ► Standard vehicle tires (not commercial or heavy equipment tires) ► Used cooking oil ► Prescription and non-prescription medication ► Fireworks/pyrotechnics/flares ► Gunpowder ► Military ordnance/relics/ souvenirs ► Ammunition ► Explosives/explosive materials ► Reloading supplies ► Firearms ► Edged weapons ► Computer monitors, keyboards, mice, cables ► Power supplies ► TV sets ► Radios/stereos ► Telephones ► Sealed medical waste containers
Items Not Accepted ► Refrigerators/freezers ► Stoves/microwaves ► Toasters/toaster ovens ► Coffee makers ► Lawn equipment (weed trimmers, mowers) ► Radioactive material of
any kind ► Asbestos ► PCB ► Air conditioners ► Medical waste ► Unidentified materials/ containers
280Living.com
July 2020 • A13
Chamber Back Forty Beer founder: COVID-19 fosters business innovation By JON ANDERSON The COVID-19 outbreak wreaked havoc for a lot of businesses but also is fostering a new wave of entrepreneurship and innovation, the founder of Back Forty Beer Co. told the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce on June 18. Jason Wilson, who founded Back Forty Beer Co. in Gadsden 11 years ago, told Hoover chamber members in an online meeting that he doesn’t think the COVID19 outbreak is going to cause a depression. Rather, he sees it as a disruption that will cause a massive transition of wealth for a lot of people. “I think there are a lot of successful people who are going to lose everything if they’re not willing to pivot and keep up, and I think there are some really young entrepreneurs who are about to make a fortune in this because they’re willing to work around the clock and work hard when an opportunity presents itself,” Wilson said. Approximately 75 percent of S&P 500 businesses were founded during a time of depression or catastrophe, he said. “I do believe that what we’re going to see ahead of us is a massive resurgence in our economy of innovation and technology,” Wilson said. “I think you’re going to see a tremendous surge in innovation and creativity and new business ventures as a result of this, because I think you just woke up millions of sleepy entrepreneurs and business owners who for the first time in a long time maybe had to get after it a little bit.” He felt that way about his business, he said. Almost overnight, Back Forty Beer Co. lost about 60% of its customers when bars and restaurant dining rooms were shut down
July Chamber Luncheon Preview
Jason Wilson, the founder of Back Forty Beer Co., shares the story of his company during a Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon in 2019 at the Hoover Country Club. Wilson’s 2020 speech June 18 was done in an online meeting. Photo by Jon Anderson.
due to COVID-19, he said. The leaders of the company panicked and lost a lot of sleep for four to five days, but they had to pick themselves up, dust themselves off and figure out how to survive, Wilson said. They had to figure out what to do with all of their alcohol. They have a list of 50 things their company would do if it weren’t producing alcohol, and one of those was produce and sell hand sanitizer because alcohol is one of the ingredients, he said. It was a “eureka” moment. Within about a week, they converted some of their canning
and packaging lines for hand sanitizer and located supplies of hydrogen peroxide, glycerin, ethyl alcohol, containers, fine mist sprayers and pumps, he said. Over the past 12 weeks, Back Forty Beer Co. has sold more than $1 million worth of hand sanitizer, he said. And that line of business is here to stay, he said. “I don’t think it’ll always be this incredible shortage of hand sanitizer out there, but I do think the demand for hand sanitizer has increased exponentially for good. I don’t think that’s going away.”
The Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce is switching things up for its July luncheon and will hold it outdoors at Aldridge Gardens as the community continues to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak. The luncheon is set for July 16 at noon, with networking at 11:15 a.m. Chamber officials plan to announce the winner of the 2020 Freedom Award, given annually to someone who has shown outstanding long-term patriotism and service in the U.S. military or support of the military. The Hoover Veterans Committee is asking people to submit nominations for the award by 5 p.m. July 8. Nominees must be a Hoover resident, employee of the city of Hoover, a chamber member or an employee of a chamber member. They also must be a role model in the Hoover community and have good character and a good reputation. Nomination forms can be obtained from retired. Brig. Gen. Paul Pocopanni, chairman of the Hoover Veterans Committee, at paulpocopanni@bellsouth.net. The speaker at the July luncheon will be Jeremy Ward, the development director at American Village. The cost for the luncheon is $20, payable at the door, for members and $25 for non-members or people without reservations. Reservations are due by 10 a.m. July 14. For more information, call 205-9885672 or email the chamber office at lisa@ hooverchamber.org.
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OLLI is a member-led community of lifelong learners for adults age 50+. Since 2008, we have grown to more than 300 courses annually in Tuscaloosa, Birmingham and Gadsden. We love to learn new things, meet people with similar interests and travel locally and abroad. Many of us teach courses and lead field trips. Whatever your interests, there’s something for you in OLLI.
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A14 • July 2020
Liberty Pkwy
Something special for you! OLLI is waiving the membership fee for new members through July 31. You are invited to take any or all of these programs at zero cost to you! Free bonus classes open to the public: The Whig Party; A Relative Surprise: How 23andMe and Ancestry.com Can Surprise the Heck out of You; Bernardo de Galvez and the Spanish Conquest of British West Florida during the American Revolution; Come to Your Census: How We Make Alabama Count; Where Might We Be Headed with Our Efforts in Space Exploration?; Vehicle Maintenance; Alabama’s Confederate Soldiers’ Home; Safe Driving for Seniors; Smithsonian American Art Museum and many more.
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To become a member or to register for classes: Visit olli.ua.edu/bhm or call 1-885-424-0909.
6/8/20 11:27 AM
280Living.com
July 2020 • A15
Now Open
ership in May, rebranded and recently reopened. bayleafbham.com
4th & Inches Nutrition Studio, 48 Chesser Crane Road, is now open. The smoothie and juice bar also offers loaded teas and meal replacement shakes. 205-677-2060, 4thandinchesnutrition.com
Relocations and Renovations
1
Legacy Home Realty, 4000 Eagle Point Corporate Drive, recently held a ribbon cutting and celebrated its grand opening. 205-876-8004, legacyhomerealty.com
2
Coming Soon Cinnaholic, a gourmet cinnamon roll bakery, will open a new location at 270 Doug Baker Blvd., Suite 300, in the Village at Lee Branch shopping center. It is the first franchise location in Alabama and offers create-your-own cinnamon rolls and other sweet treats such as made-from-scratch brownies, cookies and edible cookie dough. 205-573-6166, cinnaholic.com
3
Studio 21 Salon & Boutique is relocating later this summer from 446 Cahaba Park Circle along U.S. 280 to 4557 Pine Tree Circle near the Colonnade and Lifetime Fitness in Vestavia Hills. 205-991-9613, studio21hairsalon.com
6
Sara Beth’s Gymnasts, 10699 Old Highway 280, Building 2, Suite 2, is moving to a new, much larger location in the same shopping center. The expansion will allow additional equipment, programs, classes and events. 205-910-3668, sarabethsgymnasts.com
7
Anniversaries 8
La Paz - Mt Laurel, 3 Mt Laurel Ave., is celebrating its third anniversary. 205-803-6262, eatatlapaz.com
Wingstop, an international chain of restaurants specializing in chicken wings, plans to open a new location at 830 Inverness Corners between On Tap Sports Cafe and H&R Block. wingstop.com
Station 31 Kitchen, 104 Chesser Drive, is celebrating its 1-year anniversary. 205-677-2158, Station 31 Kitchen on Facebook
New Ownership
Closings
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Bay Leaf Modern Indian Cuisine & Bar, 5426 U.S. 280, Suite 14, transitioned own-
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Johnny Ray’s BBQ, 10569 Old Highway 280, has permanently closed.
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A16 • July 2020
280 Living
Business
HITTING THE
A box of six Cinnaholic rolls with a variety of frostings and toppings. Cinnaholic, a gourmet cinnamon roll bakery, is heading to The Village at Lee Branch in the space formerly occupied by Southern Spoiled Boutique next to Moe’s Southwest Grill. Photo courtesy of Cinnaholic.
SWEET SPOT By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE A new restaurant to satisfy your sweet tooth is heading to The Village at Lee Branch. Cinnaholic, a gourmet cinnamon roll bakery, is moving in the former space held by Southern Spoiled Boutique next to Moe’s Southwest Grill. It will be the first franchise in the state. Owner John Rumore, a Bluff Park resident, said he chose the location because the restaurants in Lee Branch will complement the store’s product. “We wanted to set up where people are dining and looking for dessert when they come out,” he said. “There are a tremendous amount of great restaurants in that area, and the demographics of the area are also great.” The company’s co-founders, Shannon and Florian Radke, opened the first Cinnaholic bakery in Berkeley, California, in 2010. In 2014, they appeared on ABC’s “Shark Tank.” After the show, they adopted a franchise business model and began expanding Cinnaholic locations across the U.S. and Canada. The store was originally slated to open in early April, but the timeline was pushed back following the COVID-19 pandemic. Construction on the location required plumbing and electrical work to accommodate the restaurant, plus adding an additional heating and air conditioning unit and framing the walls. “The good Lord probably had it worked out for me before I knew it,” Rumore said. Rumore comes from a family of entrepreneurs and said he gets his drive from his father,
Duke. His dad, along with Rumore’s uncle Joe, were part of the Birmingham radio industry for four decades, and his family was in the exterior car wash business. He and his brother Paul took over that business after his father retired and had four locations at once. After selling the last location in 2018, Rumore said he was looking to go in a different direction and explore a different franchise. After doing his research, Cinnaholic caught his attention. The company broke into the top 500 in Entrepreneur Magazine as one of fastest growing bakery franchises. Rumore said coming from a large Italian family that loves to cook, he found everything about the company appealing. “It’s a really good product,” he said. “My wife and I went to the locations in Atlanta and Knoxville, and they are really catching on. There are a total of 40 locations in the U.S. and Canada, with about 100 more in development.” Cinnaholic’s menu will feature its award-winning, handcrafted cinnamon rolls, brownies, edible cookie dough and baked cookies. Everything is made in-house from scratch, and all of the products are egg, dairy, lactose and cholesterol free. “That's the uniqueness of the concept,” Rumore said. “You can customize it any way you want with 20 different frostings and 20 different toppings.” The most popular one is called “The Cookie Monster:” a cinnamon roll topped with cream cheese frosting, homemade cookie dough, chocolate chips and chocolate sauce. Rumore said his favorite combination is
“Mawmaw’s Pecan Pie,” which was developed by a store in Knoxville. It features maple frosting, house-made pie crumbs, fresh pecans and caramel sauce. His wife’s favorite is the “Toasted Coconut Pie Roll” with caramel frosting, toasted coconut, sliced almonds and chocolate sauce. Cinnaholic will be partnering with Hooverbased Baba Java Coffee to carry its products in the store. Rumore said it will be a great partnership using the store’s products and will feature coffee, iced coffee, espresso and more on the menu.
Premade options will be in a display case for customers to see, but once ordered, a warm roll will be taken out of the oven and topped with frosting and topping choices by a staff member. Rumore spent a week in Atlanta training and learning all recipes and said he will hire around 12 employees for the Lee Branch location. He has plans to open a second store in the Birmingham area, but the location is to be determined. To find out more about Cinnaholic, visit its website at cinnaholic.com or Facebook at facebook.com/CinnaholicHooverLeeBranch.
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280Living.com
July 2020 • A17
CPES teacher turns hobby into thriving business By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE Most early mornings and late evenings, you can find Erin Moody in her sewing room crafting creations and fulfilling orders. When the Chelsea Park Elementary School teacher was pregnant with her first child, she asked her mother to make the bedding for the crib. Moody wanted to be able to make clothes for her daughter, Emma, so she decided to get a lesson from her mom. Her mom first showed her how to make a dress, but not long after, Moody forgot. So, she asked her a few months later to go over it again, and she taught her to make pants. Another year went by and Moody had forgotten and needed a third sewing lesson, and it was then that it stuck. “I just wanted to make stuff for her [Emma],” Moody said. “The stuff I made when I started off, it was terrible, but people would say it was cute. It took me a lot of time to get to do what I do now.” She has now been making clothes for her daughter for the past three or four years, but business has increased the last couple of years. Now she makes clothes for many other children besides her own. Her business, E&L Clothing, is named after her children, Emma and Logan. Moody makes custom creations for both girls and boys from newborn to tween sizes. Her tagline is “custom clothing with memories that will last long after your child is grown.” “I pretty much sew anything,” Moody said. “I can buy patterns from websites that are easy to follow and have picture instructions. When my friends see something they want, they send me photos and ask me to make it.” Moody said she sews for her sanity. When friends ask how she does it, she tells them anyone can. Some of the outfits she makes for Emma she finishes in just one night. “If you can read directions and look at pictures and have a lot of patience, you can practice and get even better over time,” she said. She loves Hobby Lobby and gets much of her fabric from there. She also has her favorite
Erin Moody, owner and designer of E&L Clothing — named for her children, Emma and Logan — in her sewing room. Photo by Erin Nelson.
online fabric shops that she buys from. She said the online option has come in handy during the COVID-19 pandemic. “I get a lot of business from people I know — especially during any sort of holiday season, I get really busy,” she said. Back to school is her busiest time besides Christmas. After using the sewing machine she got from a Walmart black Friday sale for many years, her husband bought her a new one last year, and it is getting plenty of use. In addition to clothing, Moody has also been
making masks during the past few months. After she had a friend call and ask her to make some for her husband’s construction crew, she asked on her Facebook page if anyone else needed any. As of press time, she had already made over 200 masks for adults and children. Whether it’s after a busy day of teaching or juggling her business during the summer when her children are out of school, Moody said most of the time sewing doesn’t feel like work. She said it would be a dream to get to the point of having her own store where she could design
clothes and pick out fabrics and have other employees to help bring her ideas to life, but if her business doesn’t reach that point, that’s okay, too. “This may stay just like it is, and that is perfectly fine,” Moody said. “I stay busy and [am] still floored when people ask me to make them things. If strangers order things, it makes you feel pretty good.” For information on Moody’s products, visit eandlclothingco.com, or find the company on Facebook and Instagram.
A18 • July 2020
280 Living
Abundance Yoga studio stretches to new location
Nancy Rhodes and Sarah Dunn stand in front of their new space for Abundance Yoga in the Bazaar 280 Center. They plan to have the studio open the end of July. Photo by Leah Ingram Eagle.
By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE After spending the past three years at The Village at Lee Branch, Abundance Yoga will soon be moving into a new space in Bazaar 280. Nancy Rhodes took over the former space at Lee Branch from the previous owner in 2017 and went through the Create Birmingham co-starters program. “This is the first business I’ve ever owned,” Rhodes said. “They were amazingly helpful and wonderful people who help small business owners get started with everything from how to get a business license, finding out what the break even point is and offering resources to help your business grow. I graduated from that program about the same time I signed the lease.” Rhodes knew she was planning to move after the three-year lease was up. While the business was growing, there wasn’t much room for growth in that space, so she planned to finish up there when the lease was up in March. When she began looking for a new space in August, one of her students, Sarah Dunn, asked if she needed a business partner, to which Rhodes said yes. “Running a yoga studio is a labor of love,” she said. “Sarah actively jumped in, so we changed the business to be co-owned. She jumped in as a partner. We looked at spaces and settled on the space in Bazaar 280. During this time, Rhodes also finished massage therapy school and is excited to be able to offer that service at the new location. They had initially planned to open at the
beginning of April, but then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and their plans were pushed back several months. During that time, they offered classes on their Facebook page. They now hope to open the studio by the end of July Rhodes has been teaching yoga for eight years. While she may not fit the stereotypical yoga type, she wanted to provide an atmosphere for all body types. She even started teaching a class called Fat Girl Yoga to open a space up for women to their body in a way that feels good for them. “I was always the largest body in the room when I started practicing yoga,” she said. “You hear yoga and you see thin, flexible women. I kept finding women who said they would practice with me, but not go into the studio.” That class is where Dunn met Rhodes for the first time. She has been practicing more than nine years and used to weigh 400 points. She
said she knows about the loose skin problems post-weight loss and what it’s like to be overweight and learning yoga. “That class was exactly what I needed,” Dunn said. “It gave me my practice back, and I really appreciate that.” Rhodes said her mission is not one kind of yoga, but to help people find a practice that feels comfortable for them. Abundance Yoga classes will offer a little bit of everything. They will offer classes seven days a week. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, class sizes will be smaller, and the space will be thoroughly cleaned between classes. “In smaller classes, we can give more attention to people’s needs during the class,” Rhodes said. “We have a lot of people who are different in how they practice and what they need. We can tailor classes for them to get what they want out of it.”
Abundance Yoga • WHERE: 5361 U.S. 280, Suite 106A • CALL: 205-540-5842 • WEB: abundanceyoga.net
Dunn added: “My opinion is that yoga is for everyone: everybody and every size. We will do everything we can to help someone who is just starting out find their practice.” For a while, clients will pay per class and can schedule on Schedulicity. Both Rhodes and Dunn are excited to get into the new studio and interact with their clients again. Updates will be posted on their Facebook page at facebook. com/abundanceyogastudiobirmngham.
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280Living.com
July 2020 • A19
MOVEMENT
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A20 • July 2020
280 Living
Community Have a community announcement? Email Leah Ingram Eagle at leagle@starnespublishing.com to be considered for inclusion in an upcoming issue.
DOCC church plant coming to Chelsea Park The Double Oak Community Church at Chelsea Park is under construction and should be ready by late fall 2020. Photo by Leah Ingram Eagle.
By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE The Double Oak Community Church at Chelsea Park is just a few months away from having its new home. After meeting at Chelsea Park Elementary since August 2018, the congregation will have a permanent home on a new campus at the entrance of Chelsea Park, with a goal to open the new building this November. The congregation is a plant of Double Oak Community Church, which began in Mt Laurel in 2005. After starting the Chelsea campus almost two years ago, plans were already in place to stay in the area. The 14 acres of land just off U.S. 280 was purchased outright in December 2017. Adam Robinson is the senior pastor of both campuses. He said the church has enjoyed being in Mt Laurel but is landlocked on the half acre of property. As the congregation at the campus grew, additional services were added, with three on Sunday mornings for many years. With no option to grow beyond that, the church decided to add a second campus nearby in the community to be able to serve more people. “The big thing we wanted to tell the community is that we were investing here,” said Michael Abrams, connections pastor and interim pastor at DOCC Chelsea Park. “We really wanted to have a presence in Chelsea. We had the land purchased and started building very quickly after that. We were here to stay.” Abrams, a resident of Chelsea Park, said many people come to the elementary school thinking the church is just for Chelsea Park residents or just for young people, but it is in fact an intergenerational church open to all. “We offer a worship experience for each and
every age demographic,” Abrams said. “We value different expressions across age demographics, and our church is for all people, anyone in Chelsea who wants to come be a part.” About 1,300 people attend DOCC between both campuses, and Chelsea Park has between 275-310 attendees each week. While holding services at the elementary school, the worship service is in the cafeteria, children’s worship in the gym, and there are several classrooms and open spaces for classes, community groups and student ministry. The Chelsea Park building was designed by architect Michael O’Kelley, a member of the church who also designed the Mt Laurel location. The buildings will have similarities, but the new one will also have a unique design.
“Clearly the new building favors Chelsea Park more than Mt Laurel,” Abrams said. “The unique design for the campus is in many ways looks like an upside down ‘U’ or lowercase ‘n.’ There’s a courtyard in front and commons walks all the way around.” Although DOCC normally does not stream its services online, it began to implement that during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both pastors said they put an emphasis on live preaching and getting to know their congregation. “It’s the ability to have real relationships,” Robinson said. “It’s about really interacting and growing. That community feel is important to us as we minister and serve. We are thankful for technology and opportunities we’ve had, but our preference is to be there in person.”
Abrams added: “To have the opportunity to connect with people personally, I would be remiss if people couldn't approach us afterward and have deeper interaction or be able to pray with someone immediately.” Both campuses share a lot of the same resources both financially and personnel as well. Many members at Mt Laurel have given to Chelsea Park’s multiply campaign so that people in Chelsea have a place to worship. “Many of Mt Laurel people may not set foot in the Chelsea campus, or they may just come check it out, but they are giving each month so the campus can be a place people in Chelsea can worship,” Abrams said. “It’s exciting, and we hope the Chelsea campus will be able to do for others as well.”
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July 2020 • A21
Wriley and Maddie Herring were married March 28 at Pursell Farms in Sylacauga. The Oak Mountain graduates opted for only immediate family at their wedding in order to keep the original date. Photo courtesy of Wriley and Maddie Herring/Grant Williams.
Coping with change Couple scales down wedding due to COVID-19 By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE When Wriley Herring and Maddie Boggs got engaged in April 2019, they began planning their dream wedding. The date they chose was March 28, 2020. Maddie and her mom spent months planning and preparing. They had booked the Reserve at Bluebird Hill in Knoxville and planned an outdoor ceremony on the horse farm with 175 guests. Two weeks before their wedding, everything had to be canceled. “It was all done, then it was not there,” Maddie said. “I was a blob for like a week ... but you can’t really change anything during a global pandemic.” The couple, who began dating in high school and graduated from Oak Mountain in 2015, thought about postponing to a later date, but because they didn’t know how long the COVID-19 pandemic would last, they decided to keep their wedding date and change their plans. “Thinking we might have to postpone up to a whole year at that point, we decided we would rather go ahead and have it with just our families,” Wriley said. “We are definitely glad we made the decision we made. It was tough to deal with and a very stressful two weeks.” The couple did marry on their original date of March 28, with an outdoor ceremony at Pursell Farms. They were surrounded by their immediate family members: Wriley’s parents and two brothers and sister and Maddie’s parents and her two sisters.
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Maddie’s uncle was supposed to officiate the wedding, but he lives in South Carolina and his job wouldn’t allow him to travel across state lines due to COVID-19, so a Herring family friend performed the ceremony. Another friend of the family was there to capture photos. Maddie did her own hair and makeup. For music, they used a speaker and played some of the songs they had originally planned to via Spotify. After the ceremony, the couple spent several days at Pursell Farms for their honeymoon. The original honeymoon Wriley had planned was a surprise for Maddie. “We were going to go to Europe — fly into France, spend four days on a Greek island and a few days in France. She had no idea,” Wriley said. “That got canceled before the wedding.” Once the honeymoon was over, the couple was quarantined in their home in Hoover for their first two months as husband and wife. Maddie went back to her job as a rehab tech at Grandview Medical Center the beginning of May, and Wriley went back to his job at B.F. Goodrich in Tuscaloosa on May 18. They hope to have a belated reception with family and friends in the future — possibly even on their first anniversary. They also hope they get to take their honeymoon trip to Europe. “We wanted to have a celebration with family and friends, but it’s better to look down the road and think back and know you kept people safe and didn’t try to push the boundaries,” Wriley said. “You can have a small wedding and it still be fantastic. When things settle down, we can have a celebration with family and friends and be safe and not put anyone at risk.” Like many other couples who had to change their wedding plans during COVID-19, Wriley and Maddie will definitely have a story to tell.
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A22 • July 2020
280 Living
Schoolhouse Have a schoolhouse announcement? Email Leah Ingram Eagle at leagle@starnespublishing.com to be considered for inclusion in an upcoming issue.
System celebrates Student, Educator of the Year program By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE On June 10, the Shelby County Chamber held its seventh annual Student and Educator of the Year program at the Chamber’s Community Room in Pelham. They hosted the eight award recipients (three educators, five students) along with families, school administration and program sponsors in 15 minute slots. A week before, on June 3, all of the nominees were recognized at their homes and presented with yard signs presented by chamber representatives. “We believe that recognizing the excellence that is demonstrated by students and educators throughout Shelby County each and every day is a worthy pursuit.” Chamber President and CEO Kirk Mancer said. “Coupled with the challenges presented to all of our students and educators during the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s program is extra special.” Schools throughout Shelby County were invited to submit both an “Academic Leader Standout” and “Career Pathway Standout” Student of the Year to represent their school. All of the nominees were evaluated on the following criteria: GPA, extracurricular activities and awards, a written response (essay) on their proposed career track/course of study and letters of recommendation. Each student was asked to participate in a 20-minute Zoom interview with a panel of three judges. The Educator of the Year candidates were nominated in three categories — elementary, middle and high school — by their school principals. Three judges evaluated them on their
Matthew Bray of Oak Mountain High School, left, and Yesenia “Yesi” Villanueva of Chelsea High School, right, were presented the “Academic Pathway Standout” Student of the Year award by the Shelby County Chamber. Photos courtesy of Shelby County Chamber.
philosophy of teaching, community involvement and recommendations from colleagues and school administrators, including a brief video where many showcased their exceptional classrooms. The five student recipients each received a $1,000 cash award, and the three educator recipients received a $750 cash award. “The five student recipients will receive these funds to continue their education and career development, and the three teachers will receive their awards for use in their classrooms at their discretion,” said Pari Barzegari, director of Community and Career Development for the chamber. This year’s award recipients are: ► ‘Career Pathway Standout’ Student of the Year Recipients: Caleb Reed Horton
(Shelby County High School) and Kelsey Mooney (Helena High School). Also nominated were Zachary Adams (Chelsea High School); Heather Houston (Briarwood Christian School) and Lyle Jensen (Oak Mountain High School) ► ‘Academic Pathway Standout’ Student of the Year Recipients: Matthew Bray (Oak Mountain High School) and Yesenia “Yesi” Villanueva (Chelsea High School). Also nominated was Grace Owens (Briarwood Christian School) ► ‘Future Leader’ Student of the Year Recipient: Abby Grace Walker (Thompson High School). ► Elementary School Educator of the Year Recipient: Martha Bentley (Elvin Hill Elementary School).
Also nominated were Lauren Brady Akin (Forest Oaks Elementary School); John Kyle Henderson (Oak Mountain Intermediate School); Kristen Sanders (Inverness Elementary School); Austin Self (Chelsea Park Elementary); Jennifer Slovensky (Oak Mountain Elementary School) and Caroline Trewhella (Mt. Laurel Elementary School) ► Middle School Educator Recipient: Janet Griffith (Thompson Middle School). Also nominated were Heath Butler (Chelsea Middle School) and Gaye McKinnon (Oak Mountain Middle School). ► High School Educator Recipient: Geoffrey Wymer (New Direction). Also nominated were Shannon Acton (Chelsea High School) and Lauren Ingram (Oak Mountain High School).
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280Living.com
July 2020 • A23
Superintendent recognizes Journey Shapers during Shelby BOE meeting By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE During the June 9 Shelby County Board of Education virtual meeting, Dr. Lewis Brooks recognized several individuals in the school district as Journey Shapers. “We have been dealing with unprecedented times, and there are a lot of people to thank for all they’ve been able to do with our school system,” Brooks said. ► Beth Fuller, School Improvement/Federal Programs program specialist, and her husband Darryl have been continuing to work with Alabama Childhood Food Solutions (ACFS) in Sylacauga and have provided meals for kids and families all over the county. ► “Lindsey Brand works in the federal programs office as well, and I’m in awe of work they continue to do to help families during this difficult time,” Brooks said. ► Jay Peoples, high school coordinator for all the high school principals, was recognized for his efforts to make graduation ceremonies special for the class of 2020. Dr. Brooks said he had been dealing with pneumonia and wasn’t able to attend the ceremonies but watched them via livestream. “I appreciate Jay Peoples for the way he led this group of principals to make it all work,” he said. The board approved an amended financial policy for expenditures, which would allow the superintendent or his designee to spend funds budgeted for operations without prior board approval unless the expenditure involves an amount in excess of $50,000 for personal services contracts. Any capital project requires board approval, and also the chief school financial officer will review expenditures on a monthly basis and present systemwide expenditures to the board at regularly scheduled meetings. Two new board policies were approved. First, all bank accounts will be reconciled on a monthly basis by the chief school financial officer as well as school bookkeepers. School principals will review and approve all local school accounts. Secondly, the chief school financial
The Shelby County Board of Education building in Columbiana. Photo courtesy of Shelby County Schools.
officer will review revenue on a monthly basis and present local revenue analysis to the board at regularly scheduled meetings. The board also adopted a new policy for supervision of low risk juvenile sex offenders. Pursuant to Annalyn’s Law, all school systems are required to have new policy to allow for supervision and monitoring of any low-risk juvenile sex offenders who may be enrolled in the local schools. “Procedures have been developed, and what we plan to do at back-to-school meetings is train all administrators on the guidelines necessary for us to be able to do this,” said Melissa Youngblood, assistant superintendent of administration and student services. “It’s all about a safe school environment for the students and staff. We feel good with what we’ve developed ... and feel like we have a good plan in place.”
The 2020-21 Shelby County Schools Code of Conduct and Attendance Manual was approved. Revisions include: ► Sweatpants and athletic pants will be allowed. ► Redefining assault as an attack that is one-sided, causes bodily injury and requires a police report. ► Added taser to the list of possession of dangerous devices. ► Remove definition of sexual harassment. ► Revise wording of threat to an expression (verbal or written) of intent to do harm or act out violently against oneself or others. The principal or the school system may impose additional measures that are reasonably calculated to prevent a recurrence of the violation before returning to regular classes. ► Addition of information regarding field
trips to include they are considered a privilege, and students can be denied the opportunity to participate in a school-sponsored field trip if safety is a concern due to the student’s behavior in the school setting. The principal may request the parent/legal guardian attend the field trip and if they are unable, the principal may deny participation and school attendance will be expected. ► Add vaping to items not allowed on school buses. ► Revise the medication procedures summary. ► Omit the Alabama Department of Public Health Immunization Form inspection section. Onsite audits by the state are no longer conducted. Brooke Dunham was named as the new Assistant Principal at Helena Elementary School. She was previously the music teacher at Chelsea Park Elementary. She will join new principal Mary Anderson, who was also previously at Chelsea Park Elementary. David Calhoun, assistant superintendent of operations, discussed the change order for re-roofing at Chelsea Middle and Calera Intermediate School. With an extra $58,000 built into the contract, after replacements were made, the balance decreased by $28,705. The unused portion of the allowance will be returned to the board. The board also approved additions and alterations to Vincent Middle/High School gym lobby. The project was already built in the budget for this current fiscal year. “This is one of the older buildings, and when it was built it met the code, but as time has moved, on it does not,” Calhoun said. “The restrooms and gym lobby are not handicap accessible. The biggest portion of the project is to devote effort and energy to expanding space in restrooms to make them handicap accessible. Renovations will also include remodeling the concession areas. Of the four contractors that expressed interest, Wyatt Contractors came in as the lowest responsive bidder at $379,000.”
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280 Living
Spain Park celebrates graduation for Class of 2020 at Hoover Met By JON ANDERSON The Class of 2020 at Spain Park High School never expected to spend the last two months of their senior year out of school due to a global pandemic, but it turned out to be a blessing, according to a valedictorian who spoke at graduation May 20. On one hand, the seniors felt extremely hurt and frustrated that they didn’t get to celebrate at a senior luau, senior prom or other typical senior milestone event, senior Jessica Jacob said. “It didn’t feel completely real, and it still doesn’t feel real,” she said. But on the other hand, she thinks having their senior year cut short only makes their time and experiences at Spain Park more valuable, Jacob said in her speech. “We’ve shared some amazing experiences, and we’ve also faced incredible challenges, but through everything, we stayed together and handled the challenges as a team and as a family,” Jacob said. “It’s important that we stay together at this difficult time in history, too.” About 310 of the 392 graduates in the Spain Park Class of 2020 participated in the unusual ceremony at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium where everyone was required to wear masks to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Graduates sat in chairs spaced at least 6 feet apart on the baseball field, and the crowd also was spread out in the stands with space between households. People from different families were encouraged not to mingle or take part in group photos, hugs and high-fives that are so common at graduation ceremonies. And those students and family members who were unable to come due to health concerns or chose not to come out of concern for contributing to community spread of the disease had an opportunity to watch the ceremony on the school district’s YouTube channel. Hoover school officials took a lot of grief
Spain Park High School honored the 392 graduating seniors of the Class of 2020 during a May 20 commencement ceremony at the Hoover Met, spaced 6 feet apart. Graduates, faculty and guests were required to wear face masks upon entrance to the stadium. Photos by Erin Nelson.
over their decision to hold in-person graduation ceremonies as the COVID-19 outbreak continues, but many students and their families expressed gratefulness for the opportunity to mark the occasion as they did. “This ceremony is the closure that we deserve,” Jacob said. The senior, who was one of four graduates who gave a speech, said through these past couple of months of social distancing and staying at home, she realized the importance
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of cherishing every moment with friends and family and taking nothing for granted. Teenagers lead extremely busy lives, but this quarantine period gave them time to hit pause on their hectic lives and reflect more on the amazing experiences they had in their years at Spain Park, Jacob said. Spain Park college and career specialist Tracy Prater said 22 percent of the Spain Park Class of 2020 had a GPA of 4.0 or higher. The 392 graduates were offered admission into 141
colleges in 33 states, offered $19.2 million in scholarships and accepted nearly $10 million in scholarships. Sixty-seven percent of them were offered scholarships to the institution of their choice, he said. The Class of 2020 had three National Merit Scholars, three other National Merit Finalists, another National Merit semifinalist, three National Merit commended students, two National Hispanic Recognition Scholars and one U.S. Presidential Scholar candidate.
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July 2020 • A25
Chelsea Middle School students named Promising Young Writers Chelsea Middle School eighth-graders Caleb Chapman, Claire King, Kolbe Hess and Theresa Nguyen have been recognized as Promising Young Writers by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). The Promising Young Writers program represents NCTE’s commitment to early and continuing work in the development of writing. The school-based writing program was established in 1985 to stimulate and recognize writing talents and to emphasize the importance
of writing skills among eighth-grade students. Schools in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, American schools abroad and the Virgin Islands are eligible to nominate students. This year, schools nominated 131 students. Of that number, 52 received the highest award, Certificates of Recognition, and 79 received Certificates of Participation. Each student submitted two pieces of writing. Two independent judges evaluated each submission holistically on content, purpose, audience, tone, word
choice, organization, development and style. “They were in my English Language Arts class last school year,” teacher Charlsie Wigley said. “I reached out to them at the beginning of their eighth grade year, encouraging them to enter this program. Students wrote and revised entries about nature, including different pieces they had written in different classes over the course of their middle school years. I can’t wait to see where their writing takes them next.” – Submitted by Cindy Warner.
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Molly Kauper. Photo courtesy of Lee Kauper.
Kauper earns NU academic honors Birmingham resident Molly Kauper, a Northeastern University student majoring in linguistics/English was recently named to the university’s dean’s list for the spring semester, which ended in April. To achieve the dean’s list distinction, students must carry a full program of at least four courses, have a quality point average of 3.5 or greater out of a possible 4.0 and carry no single grade lower than a C- during the course of their college career. Each student receives a letter of commendation and congratulation from their college dean. – Submitted by Jessica Hare.
As news broke that schools would close for the remainder of the year, the Shelby County Schools Child Nutrition Program employees put on their masks and gloves and got to work feeding students who would be impacted by the loss of breakfast and lunch meals normally provided at school. From the first meals served March 16 to the final meals served May 21, CNP staff served a total of 181,152 grab-and-go breakfast and lunch From March 16 to May 21, Shelby County Schools CNP staff meals to students. Initially, the meals were only served a total of 181,152 grab-and-go breakfast and lunch meals to students. Photo courtesy of Cindy Warner. provided to students who previously had qualified for free or reduced lunch. However, a few days into the dis- drive-thru lines at each of the seven high schools. tribution service, the district was granted a USDA They were joined by bus drivers who signed up waiver that allowed the program to expand to the and filled more than 418 volunteer slots. Community organizations such as Vineyard entire community. The waiver created a spike in the number of meals served at every distribution Family Services and Alabama Childhood Food site in the district, jumping from just 415 meals Solutions partnered with the district to provide served the first day to more than 1,604 by the Backpack Buddy bags and shelf-stable groceries end of the first week. The peak week for the most for families. Local charity Hatching Hope helped meals served occurred the week of April 6-10 provide baby food, cereal and laundry detergent. LexAmi, a local education service, donated more with a total of 14,005. Once a plan was developed for the grab-and-go than 20 boxes of multilingual books to distribute meals, district leaders, school administrators and to students. – Submitted by Cindy Warner. teachers volunteered to help distribute the meals in
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280 Living
Local author, blogger Kari Kampakis pens 3rd book Author Kari Kampakis and her daughters pose with her latest book, “Love Her Well,” which will be released Aug. 18 but can be preordered on Amazon and other online retailers. Photo courtesy of Kari Kampakis.
By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE Kari Kampakis is a mom of four daughters from ages 10 to 17. The author, blogger and speaker has written two previous books for teenage girls and her third book, “Love Her Well,” which releases next month, is geared toward moms of teenage girls. Kampakis began writing articles for two community newspapers in 2010. In March 2013, she launched a blog. Four months later, a post titled “10 Truths Young Girls Should Know” went viral. That post caught the attention of Thomas Nelson, a Christian publishing company, who contacted Kampakis and said the company was interested in turning that post into a book, which was released in 2014. Two years later, her second book, “Liked: Whose Approval Are You Living For?” was published. While doing promotional book and speaking events, Kampakis began connecting with fellow mothers. Many of them asked when she was going to write a book for them. Although she had a heart for teenage girls, Kampakis said she didn’t feel equipped to write a parenting book. But as her own daughters grew up, Kampakis soon realized there weren’t many books available for parenting teenage girls. It was then she decided that she would write one. “When they’re babies, people tell you to just wait until they are teenagers,” she said. “It made me dread them growing up. But those stereotypes are not helpful and not true.” Kampakis said it made her think about the message to parents. Even with her share of bad days, she said she is enjoying this stage more than when they were little. “I want them to finish strong in their final years at home — setting the stage for long-term adult relationships,” she said. “If we fight all the time and don’t resolve conflict, that leads to dysfunction in mother-daughter relationships as adults.” Her latest book begins with a big “mom fail” that happened when her oldest daughter
was 13. Kampakis said her daughter had the typical teenage attitude, but she herself was dealing with pride. Over a few months, the gulf between them started to grow wider. “We had this fight, and she went to school and an hour later, I broke down crying in my closet,” Kampakis said. “That was my wake-up call. I knew that something had to change, and it had to be with me taking a deep, hard look at myself. That was a turning point for me.” She said that was a testimony that God meets us where we are, and He can redeem and restore anything. “This generation has it so hard,” she said. “There are so many more challenges than we faced at their age. They need strong adults in their corner to love them through
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their mistakes.” Kampakis said she reiterates in the book that while parents have to enforce rules, they also have to have a relationship with their children. Parents also need to apologize when they are wrong. That seventh-grader from her first book is now a senior in high school. Kampakis said she looks back and is thankful for the way their relationship has grown. “It’s in the way we approach it,” she said. “Not taking things personally. If we want a stronger relationship, we have to make the first move.” Kampakis says she loves her girls even more in this season of life as their personalities shine and their conversations deepen. “Being their mom brings me the ultimate
joy,” she said. “I feel completely undeserving … yet eternally grateful.” Her purpose in writing these books is to empower girls through faith and to empower moms to help their daughters. In building relationships with each of her daughters, knowing their individual personalities helps her both correct them and connect with them. “My hope is that people can read this book and pull ideas from it and that it helps moms come together in unity and find a starting point,” she said. “Love Her Well” will be released Aug. 18. It can be preordered on Amazon and other online retailers. For more information, including speaking engagements and book signings, visit karikampakis.com or follow her on social media.
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July 2020 • A27
Faith Life Actually By Kari Kampakis
Sanity savers for a new school year Most of us love the relaxing vibe of summer, but for a family, going from virtually no schedule to the chaos of a fall calendar can be overwhelming. In fact, one of the biggest challenges from September to May is taking time to catch our breath because as the school year kicks in, so do the demands, pressures and activities that parents must juggle. Especially this year, as we slowly return to normal life after the global pandemic of COVID-19, life may get extra-stressful as many events and activities postponed this past spring happen all at once. Experts say it takes 21 days to form a habit, and while discipline and commitment can make a habit stick, the real engine for success is God’s grace. Following are some habits your family can adopt to keep the school year crazy under control. 1. Make gratitude a morning habit. Embrace and accept your life. Gratitude does not come naturally. It’s a habit that must be practiced and learned. If anything can revamp your attitude toward parenthood, it’s learning to be grateful. Honestly, everything is a gift, and whether it’s a noisy home or spending every afternoon driving carpool, remembering how this season won’t last forever can give meaning to your chaos. Your life may look different than what you imagined, and you may have bad days and difficult seasons, but don’t let negative
thoughts cloud your thinking. In a world that tells us, “More is never enough,” you can choose gratitude instead, valuing ordinary moments and looking at life with a sense of wonder for what God has done and will do in the future. 2. Use the 3-minute intervention. A psychologist I know sets a timer each morning for 3 minutes. In this time, he plans his day and decides what must be done. He keeps his list manageable and treats the 3 minutes like mediation, stepping back to see the big picture through the part of the brain (the neocortex) associated with awareness, concentration and decision-making. This helps him discern what is important rather than what is simply urgent. 3. Make time for God. C.S. Lewis said, “We have to continually be reminded of what we believe. No belief will automatically remain alive in the mind. It must be fed.” When life gets busy, we all look for shortcuts, and it is often faith that gets cut out. However, we need daily reminders and spiritual disciplines, so incorporate God into your routine. Read devotionals, play worship music or listen to podcasts in the car. Let God be your escape, the one who fills you up so that you have something to pour out. 4. Save your yes and use your no. You may receive invitations that God is saving for someone else. Before you commit,
pray and discern what feels right. A friend once asked me to speak at her event, and though I believed in this event, my participation did not feel right. When she pressured me to reconsider, it was hard to stick to my no, but something held me back. A few weeks later, another friend of mine lost her husband. It was terrible, and two days before the funeral, as I dropped the kids off at school, I saw a yard sign for my other friend’s event. It was scheduled for the same time as the funeral, and I realized then why God nudged me to say no, because if I’d agreed to speak, I would have had to cancel at the last-minute. Only God can see the future, so consult Him as you decide what belongs on your calendar. 5. Do what’s best for your family. The popular thing to do may not be the right thing for you. Just like your children, you face peer pressure. And when the school year begins, you’ll feel pressured to parent like everyone else. You may be tempted to make choices that don’t sit well with you because you’re simply following the crowd. Trust your gut instincts, make your own choices and don’t be scared of standing alone. It’s okay to have your own rules and to let other families have their rules, too. If you want your children to be brave in resisting their peer pressure, set an example in being brave, too.
6. Spend time in that “happy place” where God restores your soul. We all have a happy place that feels like a deep exhale, a place that awakens us and feels like home. Your happy place may be the beach, nature or the mountains. It may entail a yoga mat, cooking or flying an airplane. Whatever your happy place is, make time for it. Feel the joy that comes from nurturing your soul and the peace of feeling close to God. We all receive the same 24 hours a day. The way we can spend our time becomes our lifestyle, and our lifestyle becomes our legacy. As you invest your time this school year, make sure it matters. Prioritize your people, your health and your passions, and let God inspire your choices and the roads you choose to take. Kari Kubiszyn Kampakis is a 280 area mom of four girls, author, speaker and blogger. Her new book for moms, “Love Her Well: 10 Ways to Find Joy and Connection With Your Teenage Daughter,” will release Aug. 18 and is currently available for pre-sale on Amazon. Kari’s two books for teen and tween girls — “Liked” and “10 Ultimate Truths Girls Should Know” — have been used widely across the country for small group studies. Join Kari on Facebook and Instagram, visit her blog at karikampakis.com, or contact her at kari@karikampakis.com.
A28 • July 2020
280 Living
Chelsea High School celebrated its class of 2020 during a commencement ceremony June 2 at the school. Approximately 300 students were awarded diplomas. Photos by Erin Nelson.
COMMENCEMENT
CONTINUED from page A1 received their diplomas. John Milton is a faculty member at OMHS who teaches TV production and AP macroeconomics and he’s also a senior class sponsor and works with the SGA. He said this group of seniors is extremely resilient — academically, athletically and in extracurricular activities. “I don’t think any of us were surprised as faculty members that the students handled things as well as they did,” Milton said. “They took everything in stride. I know they were disappointed about things not getting ► For more to do ... no prom, senior photos, view banquet, awards night, our online spring sports seasons. gallery at But they made the best 280living.com of it.” Milton said the senior class was very excited to be able to have graduation, and many people pulled together to make it happen. Many teachers even showed up to help with preparations. “Like every other senior class across the country, they had to go through this crazy unprecedented event that seems to never end,” Milton said. “They handled it with such poise and a lot of humility. There really was a tremendous amount of understanding on their part about the situation. Everybody so much felt for these seniors and wanted them to have one senior experience.” Principal Dr. Kristi Sayers welcomed everyone to the event, followed by valedictorian addresses from Matthew Bray and Elizabeth Camp, and a salutatorian address by Eugene Lee. Senior class President Hannah Kelly announced the presentation of the Eagles’ Class of 2020 before the diplomas were handed out. Dr. Sayers recognized the honor graduates, who were in the top 5% of the class and had a cumulative GPA of 4.0, saying it was an absolute joy being with this class for the last four years. “I have no doubt whatsoever that each of you will go on and do amazing things,” she said. “I thank you for the time I had with you. It was all my pleasure.” Some statistics for the OMHS Class of 2020: ► 2% of students in this class will join the military.
ONLINE
Above: Oak Mountain High School celebrated 323 members of its class of 2020 during a June 1 commencement ceremony at Eagles Stadium. Below: Family members celebrate during Chelsea High School’s graduation ceremony June 2.
were to “go and do great things.”
CHELSEA HIGH SCHOOL
► 5% will enter the workforce or take a gap year. ► 93% will be attending two- or four-year colleges or universities. ► 58 students scored 30 or above on the
ACT. Four had a perfect store of 36. ► As of the May 20 deadline, the Class of 2020 had been offered scholarships in the amount of $9,170,108. Dr. Sayers’ last words to the graduates
Chelsea High School held its graduation at the school’s football stadium June 2. Principal Brandon Turner said when Gov. Ivey lifted restrictions May 22, they were able to come to a collective agreement as principals in Shelby County and worked collaboratively as a group with district leadership to come up with a plan. While it would be a little different at every school, they could be consistent with what they were doing. “It’s been all along making tentative plans until we could land on something concrete,” Turner said. “We had about two weeks to get everything mobilized and to make sure we had the football field ready, setting up a stage and chairs, and figuring out how to keep the graduates socially distanced.” Due to social distancing restrictions, things were a bit different, but the seniors were able to have a mostly traditional ceremony nonetheless. Senior class President Elliot Gage said the class was happy to have the opportunity to celebrate this moment in their lives. “If I’ve learned anything, I’m incredibly
“
280Living.com
July 2020 • A29
With our perseverance and resilience, nothing can hold us back. I don’t know what the future holds, but know we will get through it together.
”
VALEDICTORIAN YESENIA VILLANUEVA-NAVARRO
blessed to have grown up with this remarkable group of people,” he said. “I will always remember our times here at Chelsea.” Chelsea Mayor Tony Picklesimer addressed the graduates and thanked Turner for working so diligently to make the event possible. He offered his congratulations to the graduates for a job well done, as they prepare themselves to step on to the next platform of their lives. “This is not a pinnacle,” he said. “You haven’t reached the top of the mountain, but rather you have now just earned the opportunity to begin to climb and have the opportunity to take yourself wherever you choose to go. I look forward to the successes you will experience and hope you will look back on this moment with pride, realizing what you’ve accomplished during the most difficult of times.” Turner thanked the unsung heroes for helping put this night together and making Chelsea High School a great place to be throughout the year. “From the faculty and staff, board of education members and the central office, from the top down, these people do a phenomenal job,” Turner said. Salutatorian Andrew Messier told his classmates that in this time of uncertainty,
their graduation day was one of celebration of their hard work and perseverance. Valedictorian Yesenia Villanueva-Navarro said that though things may not always go the way they want them to, be willing to adapt. “I hope COVID-19 has taught us all what is truly important,” she said. “I commend you for getting through this. With our perseverance and resilience, nothing can hold us back. I don’t know what the future holds, but know we will get through it together.” Assistant Principal LaTasha McMillian announced the graduates while Turner handed out the diplomas to approximately 300 seniors. “The graduation experience of walking is really important, and I’ve always viewed that as something very important to cherish and take seriously,” Turner said. “I’m very glad it worked out to provide a traditional ceremony with their classmates and for them to have that experience.”
A30 • July 2020
280 Living
WELDON
Left: Sarah Weldon, wife of G.W. Weldon Jr., visits the new Weldon Pavilion for the first time on Mother’s Day weekend. Photo courtesy of Denise Weldon Smith. Far left: The Weldon General Store before it was disassembled and moved to its new location at the Chelsea Athletic Complex. Below left: The original Weldon General Store. Photos courtesy of Chelsea Now and Then Facebook page.
CONTINUED from page A1 and I understand and appreciate that,” Picklesimer said. “I think I’ve demonstrated that through my actions. I then asked, ‘How do we take it down and still honor its history?’” It was decided that instead of knocking the building down, it would be disassembled, and the wood and other parts of it would be used in another way in the future. A citizen recommended to the mayor that the wood be used to build a pavilion, and Picklesimer said as soon as he heard the suggestion, he knew that’s what he wanted to do. “We engaged with an architect to draw it and put together a scheme for the pavilion,” he said. “We didn’t know at the time where it would go. When we got started working on phase two of the athletic complex on Highway 11 and I saw the hillside right above the lake, I knew that’s where it would go. It’s such a perfect place with a gorgeous view.” Although it’s at the ballpark, it’s not in the ballpark — events can take place there even when games are scheduled. There will be a
fishing lake in front of it and a walking track all the way around. The front of the pavilion is original to the old store, as well as the archway in the rear of the pavilion. Picklesimer said he had never been upstairs in the Weldon store until it was being prepared for disassembly. That’s when he went upstairs and saw the walls and ceiling were an arch. He then told the contractor to add the disassembling of the wood and archway to the contract to keep that part intact. Also original to the Weldon Pavilion are the front windows, front door, red screen doors and a large beam that goes across the ceiling. “It has got bits and pieces throughout, but
most of the front facia is from the old store,” Picklesimer said. “I tried to honor the history of the old building in the construction of the new building.” The Weldon Pavilion can be booked for events at no charge. Amenities include ceiling fans, restrooms, vending machines, inside tables, benches and charcoal grills. Two granddaughters of G.W. Weldon Jr., the 12th of 13 Weldon children, said they are thankful the city chose to put so much money and effort into the new project. Denise Weldon Smith drove her mother, Sarah Weldon (wife of G.W. Weldon Jr.), to see the pavilion in May and said her dad, who passed
away in March, would have been pleased with the finished project. She said their family is very grateful. “I got teary-eyed because it looked like the old store,” Smith said. “When the Weldons sold land to the city, we didn’t have any say in it, so I’m grateful the city took the time and money to do that.” Her sister, Dawn Weldon Arnold, said after her grandfather passed away, her aunt took over running the store. When they were growing up, that’s where they played each summer. “It was a great place,” Arnold said. “It meant a lot to us but meant a lot to Chelsea and people who grew up here and passed through. It’s a great memory for everybody.”
280Living.com
July 2020 • A31
A Content Series
FINANCIAL PLANNING DURING A PANDEMIC: THREE KEY ACTIONS TO CONSIDER RIGHT NOW by Joseph R. McNair, CFP®, JD, CPA The last couple of months have introduced us all to more change than most of us could have imagined. In the midst of all this change and turmoil, clients, friends and colleagues are asking—what should I be doing? As the world around us changes, our natural inclination is change too. We want to be responsive and take action against a force that is largely beyond our control. More often, the right response, and the best advice we can give, is simply to be still.
your allocation. Your investment horizon refers to the length of time and extent to which you anticipate making withdrawals from the portfolio. While volatility in the stock market may be putting your risk tolerance to the test, your investment horizon probably has not changed based on current market conditions. If your long-term goals haven’t changed, neither should your long-term planning, even during volatile times like we are experiencing right now.
While being still in a time like this can be unsettling and can perhaps seem impossible, consider the following three key actions today to set yourself up for success as the dust settles, as the pace of change slows and as we return to “normal.”
2
1
Don’t let short-term phenomena impact your long-term planning.
Most investors are investing and saving for future goals, most commonly funding retirement that may last 30-40 years. Decisions about how much to save and which investments to purchase are driven by your risk tolerance and investment horizon. Risk tolerance refers to your capacity to absorb financially (and stomach) fluctuations in the value of your portfolio without making changes to
Reset your personal balance sheet.
Now is a great time to take a look at what you own (assets) and what you owe (debts). In accountants’ terms, these two primary items make up your personal balance sheet. Today’s environment may provide a great opportunity to hit the reset button, putting you in a better position to accomplish your long-term goals. More specifically: • One of the strongest weapons to battle a volatile environment is an adequate cash reserve. A great target is to set aside three to six months’ worth of household expenses in a savings or money market account that is accessible and not invested. • Today’s historically-low interest rates may also provide the opportunity to reset your debt. For example, refinancing your home
mortgage could free up cash flow to help you accomplish other financial goals. • The final step in resetting your personal balance sheet is to rebalance your investment allocation. Now is likely a good time to realign your portfolio with your investment allocation target.
3
Take advantage of buying opportunities in the stock market.
If you have remained disciplined as it relates to your long-term goals, and you have taken steps to reset your balance sheet, great investors are then set up to heed Warren Buffet’s advice, “Be greedy when others are fearful.” Predicting the bottom of a market decline is unlikely at best, but the wisdom of adding to your portfolio when the market has declined significantly could set you up well as the market recovers. Being still when everything around you is changing so quickly and so drastically is not easy. Rather than making drastic moves to combat drastic change, be true to your longterm plan and consider these key actions that can set you up for longterm success.
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For a complimentary assessment, call us or visit our website. Past performance may not be indicative of future results. To the extent that a reader has any questions regarding the applicability of any specific content to his/her individual situation, he/she is encouraged to consult with the professional advisor of his/her choosing. A copy of Warren Averett’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request.
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AUTHORING ARKLIGHT Shelby County Lt. Jason Myrick pens book trilogy By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE It was in 2015 when the idea for a book series came to Jason Myrick, although the concept had always been in his head. “Being a former Marine, doing what we do in SWAT stuff, I would just have these random thoughts like what a modern day and modernly equipped group of soldiers would be able to do against the Nazis, and that’s where it started,” Myrick said. By day, Myrick is a lieutenant and dayshift patrol commander with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office and the Tactical Response Unit (TRU) commander. The law enforcement officer can now add author to his resume, having published three books in his Arklight series over a three-year period. When describing the category of his writings, Myrick said there’s no place it can exist. It’s a mix of thriller, suspense, military action, Christian, time travel and science fiction all packed into one book. He said his books created their own kind of genre and had reviews stating, “It’s a mashup unlike nothing else.” The concept was a story about a group of modern-day soldiers who were from a line of warriors seeking to do right, while also broken in their own ways. They had existed in secrecy for some time and went on a mission that took an unexpected turn when the omnipresence of God is revealed. Myrick discussed his plans with a co-worker who was also a published author. He told his
Jason Myrick works as SWAT commander for the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office’s Tactical Response Unit and also as dayshift patrol commander. He wrote his Arklight trilogy series in less than four years. Photo courtesy of Jason Myrick.
friend he wasn’t a writer, and his friend’s response was, “You need to become one.” Not one to start something and not finish it, Myrick said he knew it would be a major commitment to write a book. Putting the book together, researching, writing and editing and rewriting would be a monumental task, but once he got his head around the fact he was going to do it, he never looked back. “I sat down and lamented for a few weeks and said I’d give it a shot,” Myrick said. “Within 40 days, I had 80,000 words. The whole book was basically written in 45 days,
and I don’t know how or where it came from. I feel like there was a presence there driving me to get the story out.” Myrick, a self-proclaimed history buff, still had to do a great deal of research to make the story work to be as real as he could possibly make it. For the book’s main character, John, Myrick pulled from the things he would do, both physically and spiritually. “In law enforcement, I try to live to a higher standard and want to be better and do the right thing,” he said. “That’s the basis for him in the book.”
The Arklight series began with “Operation Nightfall” (2017), followed by “Forced Interdiction” and finally, “Task Force Crusader.” Myrick describes them as a “classic battle between good and evil for the soul and humanity of man.” Myrick, a resident of Brook Highland, has been a police officer his entire adult life. He began his career in the Marine Corps military police, then worked on the special reaction team for the Marine Corps for several years before he began working at the Birmingham and Pelham police departments. He has been with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department for 14 years. With the series complete, Myrick plans to take a break from writing and focus on his job. He is scheduled to attend the FBI National Academy for three months of training in September in Quantico, Virginia. “You have to be selected by our agency head, and it’s one of those things only a handful of people get to do,” he said. “That honor will be by far one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. As for what the future holds after that, we’ll see.” Writing has given Myrick the ability to be a better administrator and communicator. He said he has grown a lot personally, and his leadership has grown as well. By taking to heart the fundamental things he talks about in his book, he said it gave him another depth of leading he didn’t have before. “There’s no failure in what we do,” he said. “Writing these books has been a conduit to help me be a better leader to my folks.” Myrick’s books are available for purchase on Amazon.
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B2 • July 2020
280 Living
Your Health Today Written by Dr. Palmer
Random forgetfulness mid-sentence or occasionally forgetting your pin may be early signs that your brain tissue is under attack. However, new research has shown that the brain does in fact have the ability to regenerate which provides hope to many individuals already experiencing these signs IF early steps are taken. We all need to value and protect the health of our brain tissue because it operates interdependently with the body’s other systems and functions — and the health of those systems can affect the health of the brain (and vice versa). According to Dr. Rudolph Tanzi, PhD, a Harvard professor of neurology and a specialist in brain and aging, “If the brain is healthy at any age, then neuroplasticity (brain tissue restoration) is always possible, if not inevitable. The brain has a capacity for its own self-repair. The same processes that rewire the brain at every moment, by connecting old synapses with new ones, can also be used to repair the brain.” This is good news because what was once thought of as an inevitable decline such as memory lapses, poor concentration, dysregulated
moods, might actually be symptoms of a broader physiological condition. If one focuses on addressing the underlying causes, Dr Tanzi states “neural regeneration may occur”. The obvious factors that negatively impact brain tissue are head injuries, illnesses, and aging. Lesser factors that damage healthy brain tissue include sleep deprivation, gut health, traumatic experiences, and inflammation. Dr. Tanzi singles out “inflammation” as a common culprit of brain tissue deterioration. He points out, lack of good quality sleep, lack of physical movement and bad diets are key contributors to brain inflammation for the public. He further explains by targeting the underlying issues, we can actually attain neural regeneration. “So many people, and even some doctors, think that once the brain starts degenerating, there’s no coming back. However, if you can stop the attack of neuroinflammation, the brain will allow those neurons to regenerate”. This is great news. Neuroplasticity is the ability of the brain to form and reorganize synaptic connections, especially in response to learning or experience or following
Brain Tissue Rehab
injury. Additionally, what is not common knowledge is that a good deal of the brain is plastic and the ability of forming new synapses with every sensory signal. Also, the brain has the capacity for forming new connections between nerve cells. This is very important to the brain’s recovery. Additional action steps one can take beyond incorporating a non-inflammatory diet is to meditate. Numerous studies support the benefits of meditation. Research reveals its useful effects on short and long-term brain function. If interested in starting, start with an eightweek program in mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), a technique designed to reduce pain, anxiety, and depression. This was found to diminish activity in the amygdala part of the brain that reflects our stress response. In more experienced meditators, these changes in mental state become traits, showing a big improvement in handling stress and brain tissue health. Lastly, getting a good night sleep EVERY night will do volumes of good for you, your brain and your productivity. Sleep is essential for the brain’s recovery. Neurology
professor Michael Howell, MD states, “we are constantly making new synaptic connections as we go about our daily lives. While we’re asleep, is when the most vital new brain connections occur. During deep sleep, the brain prunes out useless synaptic connections - like a cleansing protocol, the size of our brain cells shrinks about 30% and with all of that space around our brain cells, harmful toxins and byproducts get cleared away by cerebrospinal fluid. Among all the byproducts and toxins, the fluid removes, is a big one called beta amyloid – a plaque associated with Alzheimer’s disease.” If you suffer from sleep disorders you may not be giving your brain enough time to clear out these toxins. This is important!! Many doctors think that lack of deep sleep is a hidden factor in relation to the cause of Alzheimer’s. Sticking to the same bedtime and wake up time is critical while maintaining a solid sleep schedule and making sure your electronic devise is out of the bedroom. I strongly suggest trying to make the bedroom pitch black for optimum sleep quality. In the long run, your brain tissue will be so thankful!
280Living.com
July 2020 • B3
Preserving Alabama’s natural resources starts in our backyard. Did you know longleaf pines are home to roughly 120 endangered or threatened plant and animal species? That’s why Alabama Power is working hard to help them grow. We’ve teamed up with partners across our state to preserve the natural resources that make Alabama a great place to put down roots – especially if you’re a longleaf pine.
AlabamaPower.com/Environment
© 2020 Alabama Power Company
ASK THE FINANCIAL PROFESSIONALS - SOCIAL SECURITY TIMING STRATEGIES WHEN SHOULD I CLAIM MY SOCIAL SECURITY? The short answer is…it depends. It depends on a myriad of factors including: your health and how long you think you will live, do you need the money now or can you wait a bit longer to claim, and a variety of other factors could influence that important decision. WHERE CAN I GO TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE RULES, CLAIMING STRATEGIES, ETC.? We teach classes that are complimentary to anyone who would like to attend in local libraries and community centers. It is part of our community outreach program. We believe that unbiased education is a key component of making good financial decisions. Currently, these classes have been suspended due to COVID-19. If you don’t want to attend a class, or need more information before classes are restarted, you can call our office to schedule a Social Security consultation, it too is complimentary and creates no obligation on your part.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I CLAIM PRIOR TO MY FULL RETIREMENT AGE? Several things will and could happen. Let us suppose you claim at 62, your benefit will be reduced by 25% of what your full retirement benefit would be if you waited. For example, the $2,800 would be reduced to $2,100 monthly. This reduction is permanent. Please be aware that if you are still working and haven’t reached your full retirement age, but go ahead and claim, your benefits could be severely reduced. WHAT HAPPENS IF I DON’T NEED THE MONEY NOW BECAUSE I’M STILL WORKING? Basically, for each year you wait and don’t claim you’ll receive a 5% increase until you reach your full retirement age. At full retirement age, you will receive an 8% increase annually in the payments going forward. If you have not claimed by age 70, benefits automatically begin.
SOMEONE SAID THAT SOCIAL SECURITY IS GOING TO RUN OUT OF MONEY SOON. IS THAT TRUE? No, it is not true. What is true is that without changes to Social Security, the system is projected to not be able to pay out 100% of expected benefits somewhere around 2035. Source: Social Security Administration. “A Summary of the 2020 Annual Reports.” https://www. ssa.gov/oact/trsum/ I’VE HEARD THAT MY SPOUSE CAN CLAIM ON MY SOCIAL SECURITY. HOW DOES THAT WORK? After one spouse claims their benefit, the other spouse may claim spousal benefit. He/She is entitled to one-half of the higher benefit. For example, if one spouse’s benefit at full retirement age is $2,800 per month and the other spouse’s benefit on their own earnings record is $1,000, the lower earning spouse can receive an additional $400 per month.
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Investment advisory services offered through AE Wealth Management, LLC (AEWM). AEWM and Alliance Wealth Management Group are not affiliated companies. Investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal. No investment strategy can protect against loss in a period of declining values. Our firm is not affiliated with the US government or any governmental agency. Neither the firm nor its agents or representatives may give tax or legal advice. Individuals should consult with a qualified professional for guidance before making any purchasing decisions. 645368 - 6/20
B4 • July 2020
280 Living
Sports Local schools combine for 8 1st team selections Briarwood Christian’s Wesley Helms (18) gets ready to make a throw to first base during a game against Spain Park on Feb. 29 at Jay D. Kynerd Field. Photo by Erin Nelson.
By KYLE PARMLEY With the decision by the Alabama Sports Writers Association to not publish an all-state baseball team from the truncated 2020 season, we at Starnes Media decided to put together an All-South Metro team from the high school baseball season for the first time. Between Briarwood, Chelsea, Oak Mountain and Spain Park, there were eight first-teamers.
1ST TEAM
► Pitcher: Edward Berry, Mountain Brook; went a perfect 3-0 with a 1.00 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 28 innings. ► Pitcher: Reid Gongwer, Chelsea; won all four decisions, struck out 30 in 24 innings and posted a 0.58 ERA. ► Pitcher: Will Heisler, Homewood; went 4-0 with a 0.94 ERA, striking out 30 in 22⅓ innings. ► Pitcher: Graham Duncan, Vestavia Hills; went 3-0 with a 1.31 ERA and 1.12 walks plus hits per inning pitched. ► Catcher: Harrison Ware, Mountain Brook; hit for a .347 average with 12 RBIs and 15 runs scored. ► First baseman: Jackson Webster, Chelsea; was a force in the Hornets’ lineup, hitting .436 with a .542 on-base percentage and drove in 10 runs. ► Second baseman: Mitchell Pierce, Oak Mountain; hit for a .389 average with nine RBIs and 12 runs. ► Third baseman: Wesley Helms,
Briarwood; led the Lions with a .450 batting average. ► Shortstop: Hudson Boren, Hewitt-Trussville; finished the year on an 11-game hitting streak and hit .414 with 16 runs scored and 11 RBIs. ► Infield: Carson McKinney, Briarwood; the infielder and pitcher went 3-1 with a 1.78 ERA on the mound for the Lions. ► Infield: Carter Sidor, Spain Park; hit for a .463 average with 15 RBIs, 13 runs scored and seven stolen bases. ► Outfield: Colton Ledbetter, Spain Park; led the Jags’ offense with
four home runs and 14 RBIs, adding 18 runs and 17 stolen bases while posting a .414 average. ► Outfield: Mason Maners, Vestavia Hills; hit for a .481 average with a .569 on-base percentage to go along with 12 stolen bases. ► Outfield: Jackson Smitherman, Homewood; had a great season for the Patriots, hitting .529 with 18 RBIs and six stolen bases. ► Outfield: Robby Ashford, Hoover; hit .353 with 18 RBIs and 15 runs scored to go along with six stolen bases. ► Utility: Colson Lawrence, Hoover; went 2-1 with 26 strikeouts
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on the mound and hit .333 with nine RBIs and 20 runs for the Bucs. ► Utility: Carter Frederick, Chelsea; was 2-1 with a 1.09 ERA and 37 strikeouts as a pitcher and hit for a .351 average and drove in 13 runs.
2ND TEAM
► Pitcher: Curt Gann, Mountain Brook; went 4-0 with a 1.93 ERA for the Spartans. ► Pitcher: Jake Rivers, Oak Mountain; posted a 2-0 mark with a 1.61 ERA and 15 strikeouts. ► Pitcher: Eli Mefford, Spain Park; went 4-1 with a 0.94 ERA and 20 strikeouts. ► Pitcher: Connor Ball, Chelsea; went 4-1 with a 2.20 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 28⅔ innings. ► Catcher: Davis Young, Hoover; hit .351 with two homers and 12 RBIs. ► First baseman: Cole Sester, Oak Mountain; hit .439 with 11 RBIs, while also going 2-1 on the mound. ► Second baseman: Tyler Mauldin, Hewitt-Trussville; scored nine runs along with posting a 4-0 pitching record and 0.75 ERA, including a no-hitter. ► Third baseman: Davis Gillespie, Oak Mountain; hit .372 with a home runs, three doubles and 11 RBIs. ► Shortstop: Alex Gauld, Mountain Brook; hit .309, driving in 16 runs and scoring 16 runs. ► Infield: JT Weisberg, John Carroll; hit for a .400 average, scoring 12 runs. ► Infield: Brock Payne, Mountain Brook; hit .357, knocking in nine runs
and scoring 12. ► Outfield: Will Yarbro, Mountain Brook; drove in 19 runs and scored 14 runs. ► Outfield: Davis White, Mountain Brook; hit .320 with 16 RBIs. ► Outfield: Evan Radford, Hoover; played first base and outfield and helped lead the Bucs to a 12-4 record. ► Outfield: Noah Lessley, ClayChalkville; pitched and played outfield, posting a 0.44 ERA in 16 innings. ► Utility: Tyler Waugh, Briarwood; hit .394 with a .522 on-base percentage, driving in 13 runs. ► Utility: Barry White, Pinson Valley; went 3-1 on the mound and drove in eight runs at the plate.
HONORABLE MENTION
► Pitcher: Mitchell Walker, John Carroll; Jaxson Lucas, Spain Park; Porter Phelan, Mountain Brook; Owen Knight, Vestavia Hills; Will Tarpley, Pinson Valley ► Catcher: Hagen Gingras, Pinson Valley; Gavin Ellison, Hewitt-Trussville ► Infield: Lucas Steele, Hoover; Josh Ervin, Clay-Chalkville ► Outfield: Ricky Zimmerman, John Carroll; Aden Malpass, John Carroll; Harrison Hodges, Mountain Brook; Parker Campbell, Oak Mountain ► Utility: Matt Miller, Hewitt-Trussville; Kobe Lewis, Clay-Chalkville; Kendall Garner, Clay-Chalkville
280Living.com
July 2020 • B5
Cortez Chaney and Sheddreia Johnson with their brand new 2020 GMC Sierra 2500 HD Denali
Summertime with Sierra If you’re going to take this summer by storm, it’s going to take a truck that’s up to the task. Already loyal members of the Royal Family, Cortez and Sheddreia knew exactly where to turn to get behind the wheel of an unparalleled pickup. Their 2020 Sierra 2500 HD Denali is loaded with trailering tech. 15 available exterior camera views keep your eyes on the road and then some. Dominant towing power opens just about any adventure up from the Smokies to the shore. Browse online or stop by Royal’s 11 acres of selection at the corner of I-65 and Highway 31 in Vestavia, and crank up a summer to remember.
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B6 • July 2020
280 Living
Local teams represented on All-South Metro team By KYLE PARMLEY The 2020 high school softball season was far from a normal one, with the season ending just a month after it began due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some teams played a bevy of games in that time, while others were not able to get as much playing time on the field. Teams like Spain Park got 21 games in, while Oak Mountain played just 11. Understanding that not all things would be equal, the Alabama Sports Writers Association decided against naming an all-state team this season. But we at Starnes Media felt it important to recognize the local players who had standout seasons, and thus put together an All-South Metro team for the first time.
1ST TEAM
► Pitcher: Annabelle Widra, Spain Park; the junior Michigan commit led the charge for an undefeated Jags team. As a pitcher, she posted a 9-0 record with a 0.53 ERA. At the plate, she hit for a .549 average and slugged eight home runs ► Pitcher: KK Hughes, Hewitt-Trussville; the South Alabama signee led the Huskies’ pitching staff, going 7-0 with a 1.00 ERA for the season. ► Pitcher: Brookelyn Cannon, Hoover; the junior Troy commit put together a strong start to the year, striking out 60 hitters in 50 innings. She posted a 2.30 ERA and hit for a .313 average and three homers. ► Catcher: Gwynnie Hornibrook, Vestavia Hills; the junior Samford commit hit .333 with three homers and 14 RBIs for the Rebels. ► First base: Crystal Maze, Hewitt-Trussville; the Troy commit
posting a 5-1 record. ► Utility: Anyce Harvey, Hewitt-Trussville; the Middle Tennessee commit hit .436 with 15 RBIs. ► Utility: Claire Boone, John Carroll; hit .452 with three homers and 14 RBIs while splitting time between catcher and second base.
2ND TEAM
Oak Mountain’s Abi Brown (20) hits the ball during a Jag Classic game March 6 at Spain Park High School. Photo by Kyle Parmley.
slugged five homers and drove in 11 runs while hitting .485. ► Second base: Charlotte Phillips, John Carroll; the sophomore hit for a .442 average with two homers and 11 RBIs while splitting time at catcher as well. ► Third base: Kenleigh Cahalan, Hewitt-Trussville; the freshman lefthander hit six home runs and drove in 20 runs while hitting for a .523 average. ► Shortstop: Jenna Lord, Hewitt-Trussville; the junior Alabama commit finished with a team-high eight homers and 21 RBIs. ► Infield: Alexis Anderson, Spain Park; the senior hit for a school-record .553 average for the unbeaten Jags. ► Infield: Hannah Dorsett, Hewitt-Trussville; the sure-handed freshman hit for a .421 average as the Huskies’ second baseman.
► Outfield: Riley Sullivan, Oak Mountain; the junior West Alabama commit hit for a .414 average with three homers and 13 RBIs for the Eagles. Outfield: Jakaria Byrd, Homewood; the Patriots’ spark plug hit for an impressive .633 average, stole seven bases and drove in nine runs. ► Outfield: Lydia Coleman, Spain Park; hit for a .455 average for the Jags. ► Outfield: Gracie Hillman, Hoover; hit for a .421 average and stole 11 bases for the Bucs. ► Utility: Abi Brown, Oak Mountain; the senior Florida International University signee finished her career by hitting for a .376 average. ► Utility: Macey Ogle, John Carroll; impressed at the plate and in the circle for the Cavs, hitting .429 with four homers and 18 RBIs, as well as
► Pitcher: Arden Plugge, Vestavia Hills; the UAB signee wrapped up her prep career with a 0.93 ERA, winning all three of her decisions. ► Pitcher: Tyler Erwin, Chelsea; the junior struck out 45 batters and posted a 2.40 ERA while driving in seven runs at the plate. ► Pitcher: Ella Reed, Spain Park; impressed in her first extended varsity action, going 11-0 with a 0.82 ERA. ► Catcher: Brooke Burback, Chelsea; the UAB signee hit three home runs and drove in 11 runs. ► First base: Chloe Brittain, Spain Park; the junior hit .375 with four homers for the Jags. ► Second base: Elizabeth Zaleski, Oak Mountain; hit .385 with two homers in a short season for the Eagles. ► Third base: Hunter Dunn, Homewood; impressed for the Patriots, slugging five homers, driving in 20 runs and hitting .524 overall. ► Shortstop: Mary Claire Wilson, Vestavia Hills; the Liberty signee hit .417 with three homers and 11 RBIs. ► Infield: Jordan Moore, Hoover; the Samford signee hit .333 with four homers. ► Infield: Lindsay Parker, Spain Park; hit .417 in her final year with the Jags. ► Outfielder: Jordan Walker, Pinson Valley; also played shortstop and pitched for the Indians, going 3-1 with 25 strikeouts in the circle.
► Outfielder: Abigail Dorsett, Hewitt-Trussville; the Samford signee hit for a strong .455 average in her senior season. ► Outfielder: Blakley Watts, Briarwood; hit for a .410 average and finished with a .625 on-base percentage. ► Outfielder: Kyndall Bailey, Ramsay; the Purdue commit hit a gaudy .857 with six homers and 29 stolen bases for the undefeated Rams. ► Utility: Katie Flannery, Spain Park; hit for a .500 average and three homers in limited action for the Jags. ► Utility: Charity Bibbs, Vestavia Hills; posted a 5-2 record and 1.85 ERA pitching in addition to slugging four home runs. ► Utility: Taylor Harrington, Spain Park; finished her final season with a .377 average. ► Utility: Maggie Daniel, Spain Park; hit .353 with two homers as an eighth-grader.
HONORABLE MENTION
► Pitcher: Abigail Bryars, Chelsea; Ka’Mya Hampton, Pinson Valley; McKenzie Cagle, Pinson Valley. ► Catcher: Hannah Presley, Hoover; Maggie Reaves, Mountain Brook. ► First base: Meredith Kellum, Briarwood; Kylie Hicks, Pinson Valley. ► Second base: Karson Rich, Chelsea; Abby Brown, Homewood. ► Shortstop: Sara Frances Berte, Mountain Brook; Caroline Campbell, Briarwood; Olivia Bergert, Chelsea. ► Outfielder: Katie Norris, Hoover; Mackenzie Thompson, Spain Park; Harper Niblett, Hoover; Catherine Grace Couch, Mountain Brook; Emma Bauer, John Carroll; Zoe Couch, Homewood; Mallory Ogle, John Carroll.
280Living.com
July 2020 • B7
Area players featured heavily in postseason soccer teams
Oak Mountain’s Kaitlin Maynard (21) passes the ball during a game against Vestavia Hills on March 12. Maynard was named first team super allstate, first team Class 7A allstate and Metro A-Division allunderclassmen. Photo by Erin Nelson.
By KYLE PARMLEY The 2020 high school soccer season was a short one, but players across the state were still able to make their marks. From the local programs including Briarwood, Chelsea, Oak Mountain, Spain Park and Westminster-Oak Mountain, several players were named to postseason teams. The all-metro and all-state teams were voted on by coaches across the area and state.
BRIARWOOD
► Braxton Tubbs: honorable mention allstate, second team all-metro. ► Grant Grissom: second team all-state, second team all-metro. ► Jakob Brower: honorable mention all-metro. ► Sam Jauregui: honorable mention allstate, honorable mention all-metro. ► Trent Malloy: honorable mention all-state, honorable mention all-metro. ► Daniel Windham: honorable mention all-state. ► Bailey Morman: first team all-state. ► Briggs Latta: honorable mention all-metro. ► Anna Martin: honorable mention super all-state, Metro A-Division all-underclassmen. ► Olivia Ricks: Metro A-Division honorable mention. ► Mary Evelyn Amster: Metro A-Division honorable mention. ► Emily Scott: honorable mention super allstate, second team Class 4-5A all-state.
► Berkley Barnett: honorable mention super all-state.
CHELSEA
► Andrew Messier: first team all-state, first team all-metro. ► Cooper Neal: second team all-state, second team all-metro. ► Joseph Gage: second team all-state, second team all-metro. ► Chris Nettuno: honorable mention allstate, honorable mention all-metro. ► Matt Reinsch: honorable mention all-state, honorable mention all-metro. ► Zane Manderson: honorable mention all-metro. ► Kailey Littleford: first team super all-state, first team Class 6A all-state, Metro A-Division all-senior first team. ► Morgan Bright: second team super allstate, first team Class 6A all-state, Metro A-Division all-senior first team. ► Haley Duca: first team super all-state, first team Class 6A all-state, Metro A-Division all-underclassmen. ► Mackenzie Titus: first team super all-state, first team Class 6A all-state, Metro A-Division all-underclassmen.
OAK MOUNTAIN
► Ryan Webb: first team all-state, first team all-metro. ► Zach Martin: honorable mention all-state, second team all-metro. ► Seth Acton: honorable mention all-state, second team all-metro. ► James Becker: honorable mention allstate, honorable mention all-metro. ► Wilson Rhodes: second team all-state, honorable mention all-metro. ► Danielle Retief: first team super all-state, first team Class 7A all-state, Metro A-Division all-senior first team. ► Emmi Long: Metro A-Division all-senior first team. ► Hayley Wells: honorable mention super all-state, second team Class 7A all-state, Metro A-Division all-underclassmen. ► Kaitlin Maynard: first team super allstate, first team Class 7A all-state, Metro A-Division all-underclassmen. ► Hallie Campbell: Metro A-Division honorable mention. ► Katie Murray: first team super all-state, first team Class 7A all-state. ► Kierson McDonald: honorable mention
super all-state.
WESTMINSTER-OAK MOUNTAIN
► Houston Likens: honorable mention all-state. ► Matt Wilson: honorable mention all-state. ► Jeremiah Sachs: honorable mention all-state. ► John Richardson: honorable mention all-state. ► Morgan White: second team super allstate, first team Class 1-3A all-state, Metro B-Division all-senior Player of the Year. ► Katie Hoaglund: first team super all-state, first team Class 1-3A all-state, Metro B-Division all-senior first team. ► Arden McCollough: Metro B-Division all-senior first team. ► MC Griffith: honorable mention super all-state, first team Class 1-3A all-state, Metro B-Division all-senior first team. ► LC Smith: honorable mention super allstate, Metro B-Division second team. ► Ella Davenport: honorable mention super all-state, second team Class 1-3A all-state, Metro B-Division second team. ► Eerlyn Godfrey: honorable mention super all-state.
ASK THE MILDUDE
“WHAT DOES CLEANING FOR HEALTH MEAN?” Hello again. It is your trusted advisor, the Mildude. I grew up in a “sick home” and saw firsthand the effect this had on my family. This was the biggest reason why I chose the career path of helping and educating people in Birmingham and the surrounding areas to have and keep a healthy home. Now, more than ever, I have been advising homeowners who have been staying indoors and focusing more on cleaning for health. You could say that a person has their own standards of what “clean” means. In other words, what results could they, themselves, live with, either by appearance or by feel factor? Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines “clean” as free from dirt, pollution, or contamination. It must be free from growth. This reference even mentioned being thorough and complete. This would mean even down to the molecular level - the microbes and the germs that you cannot physically see. In the 35 years of being in the specialty cleaning business; through the certification and education I obtained at the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC); and working in the indoor air quality industry; I have learned that there is just some nasty stuff in homes that we don’t
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physically see. These things include outside pollutants, allergens, human and pet dander, dust mites, and dust. These contaminants could possibly make you or your family members sick. Our homes should act as a filter to keep contaminants out of our breathing air. Where do these contaminants end up? They are absorbed by our textiles, meaning fabrics like carpets, rugs, upholstery, mattresses, curtains, etc. It is possible that they are circulating in our air space. In both of my businesses, To The Rescue and Mold & Mildew Solutions, we follow nationally recommended cleaning protocols for how to provide cleaning of fabric textiles, water removal, and mold remediation in a thorough and safe manner. These protocols not only remove contaminants but protect the health of the home and the family, while not creating more contamination in the air. That is what cleaning for health means. If you have any questions about the bigger cleaning projects in your home, feel free to call for advice or for service. Call 205-25-CLEAN (205-252-5326.) Look for my next article titled “How Do Pollutants Enter My Home?”
► WHO: Mold & Mildew Solutions, LLC ► WHERE: 908 13th St. N., Birmingham AL 35203 ► CALL: 205-252-9506 ► VISIT: alabamamold.com
B8 • July 2020
280 Living
New Lions volleyball coach witnesses rapid ascension By KYLE PARMLEY Three years ago, Hannah Josey had never coached a volleyball match in her life. Now, she’s the new head coach of the Briarwood Christian School program. Basketball was always her sport. Growing up in Prattville, she played basketball. After graduating from Troy University, she coached basketball at Trinity Presbyterian and East Memorial Christian Academy. But three years ago, Eastwood Christian School needed a volleyball coach. Josey took the challenge head on and learned all she could about the sport. “The first year was just kind of a trial by fire,” she said. By her second season at Eastwood, she was leading the program to a state championship at the Alabama Independent School Association (AISA) level. Josey said she was fortunate to have a talented team, but she started to figure out the ins and outs of the game along the way as well. After winning the title at Eastwood, Edgewood Academy called and offered her the job to lead a program with a long-standing tradition of success. Last fall, in her lone season there, Edgewood went undefeated and won the AISA-AA state title. “Those girls were phenomenal,” Josey said. As a result, Josey was named the Elmore County Coach of the Year and
a
was named the Montgomery Advertiser’s Coach of the Year as well. When Josey and her husband Michael decided to move to the Birmingham area, she threw her name in the hat for the Briarwood job. The opportunity to return to the Christian school environment appealed to her in a big way. “I’ve had really great experiences in all the schools I’ve been to with great Christian leadership,” she said. “When I was looking for a place to land, that was very high on my priority list. This job answered a prayer for sure.” From not knowing much in her first set of volleyball tryouts at Eastwood, Josey has continued to gain knowledge and experience over the last few years. She has evolved and developed a preferred style of play along the way. “I like a faster pace, I don’t like to slow it down,” she said. “I like to attack the whole time and speed it up as much as I can. That’s what we’re going to work on here.” Josey plans to make her volleyball program at Briarwood extend beyond the match results. “I treat volleyball or any sport that I’m coaching as a ministry,” she said. “I love setting an example and being able to talk to a player who may be struggling with something or wants to tell a funny joke. I love having those relationships with them.” There’s also the matter of an increased level of competition. Josey will no longer be coaching at the
Hannah Josey has been named the new head volleyball coach for Briarwood Christian School. Along with her volleyball duties, Josey will also have the opportunity to return to her roots and assist the school’s girls basketball program. Photo by Erin Nelson.
AISA level, but will be thrown into the fire of Class 6A in the AHSAA. This fall will feature a new area for Briarwood. The Lions, who were elevated from 5A to 6A, will be grouped with reigning 7A champ Mountain
Brook and 6A postseason teams from last year in Homewood and Chelsea. “I want that competition. My philosophy is if you play people who are better than you, it makes you better. I’m ready for it. I cannot wait until
the first time we play one of those higher-level teams,” Josey said. Along with her volleyball duties, Josey will also have the opportunity to return to her roots and assist the school’s girls basketball program.
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July 2020 • B9 Heritage Christian Academy alum and University of Tennessee at Martin player Wil LaFollette. Photo courtesy of UT Martin Athletics.
Chelsea native LaFollette named to freshman All-American team Chelsea native Wil LaFollette was named to the Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American team after a standout freshman season at the University of Tennessee at Martin. LaFollette, a graduate of Heritage Christian Academy, was one of 100 players across the country named to the squad. He
appeared in all 16 games during the abbreviated 2020 season, earning 13 starts. He was second on the UT Martin squad with 13 runs batted in, hitting for a .283 average with three home runs, two doubles, a triple, 10 runs scored and a .500 slugging percentage. – Submitted by UT Martin Baseball.
Events Back-to-school sales tax holiday set for July 17-19 By JON ANDERSON
This year’s back-to-school sales tax holiday is scheduled for July 17-19. Staff photo.
WE ARE OPEN!
This year’s back-to-school sales tax holiday is scheduled for July 17-19. Those who shop between 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 17, and midnight Sunday, July 19, will not have to pay state sales and use taxes and some local sales and use taxes on select items. The three-day sales and use tax holiday was first created by the Legislature in 2006 to give people a break from taxes as they shop for items needed for their children to return to school. The state gives counties and municipalities the option of whether to waive their own sales and use taxes for the same period. Items exempt include clothing with a sales price of $100 or less per item (excluding certain accessories and protective and sports equipment); computer equipment and supplies with a sales price of $750 or less per item or computer package; and noncommercial purchases of school supplies, school art supplies or school instructional materials
up to $50 per item. Clothing items eligible for the waiver include: belts, boots, caps, coats, diapers, dresses, gloves, gym suits, hats, hosiery, jackets, jeans, neckties, pajamas, pants, raincoats, robes, sandals, scarves, school uniforms, shirts, shoes, shorts, socks, sneakers and underwear. School supplies eligible for the waiver include binders, blackboard chalk, book bags, calculators, cellophane tape, compasses, composition books, crayons, erasers, folders, glue and paste, highlighters, index cards, index card boxes, legal pads, lunch boxes, markers, notebooks, paper, pencil boxes and other school supply boxes, pencil sharpeners, pencils, pens, protractors, rulers, scissors, writing tablets, clay and glazes, paints, art paint brushes, sketch and drawing pads, watercolors, reference maps and globes, required textbooks priced between $30 and $50 and books priced at $30 or less. For a complete list of tax-exempt and taxable items, go to revenue.alabama.gov/ sales-use/sales-tax-holidays.
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B10 • July 2020
280 Living
2020 Sci/Fi Fantasy Fest at Hoover library goes virtual Horror novelist Grady Hendrix, far left, comic artist Matthew Atchley, left, and an image for “The Dungeoncast.” Photos courtesy of Hoover Public Library.
By JON ANDERSON The sixth annual Sci/Fi Fantasy Fest will indeed be held at the Hoover Public Library this summer, but it will be a virtual festival instead of people coming in person. Organizers decided to press on with the event, which will be held on its original dates of July 24-25, said Krysten Griffin, the chairwoman — or overlord — of the festival. People will be able to attend a host of panel discussions and talks online through the Google Meet video-communication service, which is free and requires no account, login or username, Griffin said. “We’ll just post a link, and you can click on it and come hang out,” she said. The festival is “a celebration of all things science fiction, fantasy and geeky,” Griffin said. Special guests this year include: ► Horror novelist Grady Hendrix, whose recent New York Times bestseller “The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires” is slated for TV development by Amazon. The book is described by Penguin Random House as “Steel Magnolias meets Dracula” and tells the tale of a women’s true crime book club in Charleston in the 1990s that does battle with a mysterious and handsome newcomer. Griffin said Hendrix’s writing always has a humor element. Hendrix also is supposed to talk about what it was like working in the library for the American Society for Psychical Research. ► “The Dungeoncast” hosts Will and Brian, who have a Dungeons and Dragons podcast and YouTube vlog. They are scheduled to talk about all things Dungeons and Dragons, including the history of the game, how to run campaigns and running a podcast, Griffin said. ► John Anderson, an actor and comedian from Birmingham who played a ravager in “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” and has had appearances in “Black Panther,” “Sleepy Hollow” and “Spider-Man: Homecoming.” Anderson has been at Hoover’s Sci/Fi Fantasy
Sci/Fi Fantasy Fest Fest every year but the first year and will lead a talk about Star Trek, Griffin said. “He’s a huge Trekkie, and that’s a topic that is safe for him to discuss,” she said. He is involved in other projects he can’t talk about right now, she said. ► Comic artist Matthew Atchley, whose current claim to fame is that he is the artist for actor Sean Astin’s political cartoon series. In addition to talks by the special guests, there will be numerous other panel discussions, including talks about Star Trek, Star Wars and how to get science fiction and fantasy books published. One of the more popular parts of the Sci/ Fi Fantasy Fest, the costume contest, will be conducted differently this year as well. People are invited to submit photos of themselves in costumes to festival organizers through July 15. The photos will be shared on the festival website and on social media starting July 19, and the public will be allowed to vote for their favorite costume in the week leading up to the festival. The winner will be announced during the festival.
• WHERE: Virtual • WHEN: July 24-25 • DETAILS: Attend a host of panel discussions and talks online through the Google Meet video-communication service, which is free and requires no account, login or username • WEB: hplscifi.com
The event normally includes a gaming room, where people are invited to play board games and role playing games, so this year there will be online games through the Zoom and Board Game Arena platforms. There will be some type of online activity for kids on Saturday morning, and the festival’s website will include a vendor page where vendors that normally sell goods at the event will have links to their digital shops and websites. Items typically include everything from science fiction and fantasy books to pop culture art, T-shirts, decals and jewelry. A new feature this year will be a 1950s radio show contest, where people submit scripts for a 15-minute to 20-minute 1950s-style
radio show. Festival organizers will choose a winner, and library staff will give an audio performance. Griffin said they also hope to have an online Netflix viewing party for an anime movie on Friday night. Leading up to the festival, on July 19, the library will livestream a prop-building contest, where four staff members are given boxes of odds and ends and a few basic supplies to build fantasy and science fiction props. The public will vote to determine the best. Plans for this year’s festival are still in development, but more details will be released at hplscifi.com.
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July 2020 • B11
Left: Runners brave the Peavine Falls course at Oak Mountain State Park for the annual 2018 Rick Melanson Peavine Falls Run. Staff photo. Right: Participants in the annual Hotter ’N’ Hell Trail Race at Oak Mountain State Park climb up the trails. Photo courtesy of David Tosch.
Peavine Falls, Hotter ’N’ Hell races return to OMSP BY LEAH INGRAM EAGLE Two annual runs will take place at Oak Mountain State Park in July. The 39th annual Rick Melanson Peavine Falls Run will be July 4, hosted by the Birmingham Track Club. The race starts and ends in front of the Dogwood Picnic Pavilion on Terrace Drive in Oak Mountain State Park located in Pelham. Hunter Bridwell of Birmingham Track Club said the club has formed a safety committee to come up with protocols for putting on a safe race in the age of COVID-19. “We are looking forward to kicking off Independence Day once again with this Birmingham
race tradition,” Bridwell said. Registration and packet pickup opens at 6 a.m. on race day. Walkers begin at 6:30 a.m. and runners begin at 7 a.m. An awards ceremony will take place at 9 a.m. The course is 8.2 miles, consisting of 6.9 miles of asphalt road and 1.3 miles of single-track dirt trail. It climbs approximately 3.5 miles to the Peavine Falls parking lot and then back down the same road until turning onto the single-track trail. The course starts and finishes in front of the Dogwood Pavilion. Post-race activities will include light food and beverages at the Dogwood Pavilion. BTC members receive a discounted entry to this race. For those who are not already a
member of the BTC, there will be an option to join during registration. For more information and to register, visit birminghamtrackclub.com/peavine-falls-run. php. The Hotter ’N’ Hell Trail Race, hosted by Southeastern Trail Runs, is set for July 18. David Tosch submitted an extremely detailed plan for managing his race series during the pandemic, so the event was approved. The race will feature a 9-mile or 18-mile option and begin at 7 a.m. The run will start at the Lakeside Pavilion and follow a 9-mile loop to the top of Double Oak Mountain up the Red Trail. Runners will start on Mr. Toad, then head to Foreplay, BUMP (the Blood Rock Trail) and
Green Trail back to Peavine Pavilion. Runners will then run a section of the Blood Rock 50 and 100 course down to Peavine Falls Gorge and back over the ridge before returning to the start/finish line. Eighteen-mile runners do a second loop of the course. There will be two aid stations per lap. “We are using the guidelines established for run and bike races by Oak Mountain State Park and approved by the state of Alabama,” race Director David Tosch said. There will be beer and food waiting at the end of the race. Entry is limited to 300 runners, and the race sold out last year. For information and to register, visit southeasterntrailruns.com/ hotter-n-hell-trail-race.html.
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B12 • July 2020
280 Living
American Red Cross Mid-Alabama chapter makes hire for new role
“
By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE The Red Cross of Alabama named David Goodwin as community executive for the American Red Cross Mid-Alabama chapter April 29. This is a new role for the Red Cross of Alabama, and Goodwin’s focus will include board development, fundraising, community outreach and education. Living in Birmingham since the age of 10, Goodwin is a graduate of Ramsay High School and Samford University. He has worked in the nonprofit sector for 25 years, including serving with the Birmingham YMCA, Samford’s alumni programs and Habitat for Humanity. He describes it as fun, rewarding work. Goodwin is now in his third year working with the American Red Cross. He started in 2016 in a fundraising role working with donors. For the past 19 months, he served as chief operating officer before starting his new role. “I work with our local board of directors for the mid chapter, which includes Jefferson and Shelby counties and the other eight surrounding counties that make up that larger greater Birmingham area,” he said. “I’m involved with our volunteers every day, really, and have the exciting opportunity to tell the story of what the Red Cross is doing and engage people in ways they can participate.” Goodwin will be engaging with the volunteers who serve on the local board of directors, as well as continuing with fundraising opportunities supporting the work that the Red Cross does through generous small and large donations and from companies in the area. Stepping into his new role during the COVID-19 pandemic, things have been operating differently. Goodwin said he and his team have been working to find the right ways to respond and help members of the community as things come up. “A bunch of our regular day-to-day work continues but different than we would normally do it,” he said. “We can’t go into homes for
With the continued support of our community partners and volunteers, I have no doubt that we will continue to deepen the impact we have in our communities.
”
DAVID GOODWIN
David Goodwin was recently named the community executive for the American Red Cross Mid-Alabama chapter. Photo courtesy of David Goodwin.
smoke alarm installations. We were not able to follow up on those affected by storms during the first two weekends of April. We are not bringing victims of a tornado into a gymnasium for a shelter, but instead using local hotel rooms. We continue to work through our veterans’ homes over the phone.” However, this has been an opportunity for the Red Cross of Alabama to improve and reiterate the training volunteers have. The organization been offering online training classes as
people have had more time to go through them. While blood drives are an important part of what the Red Cross of Alabama does, supplying about 40% of the nation’s blood, it also teaches skills that save lives, partners with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to assist after plane crashes, responds to assist victims of disasters; provides mental health counseling and is involved in United States Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals and long-term health facilities.
Last year, the Mid-Alabama chapter helped Alabama’s Red Cross provide more than $1.4 million of disaster assistance for nearly 3,000 families; taught first aid/CPR/AED and preparedness classes to 37,000 people; provided emergency casework services for 10,700 members of the military; installed 7,500 free smoke alarms in homes that needed them; and collected 201,437 units of life-saving blood. Goodwin said he hopes to grow the board and add eight more members this year and have more face-to-face opportunities to talk about the organization with groups. He said he is proud of all the ways that the American Red Cross helps make a difference in lives. Goodwin works at the Caldwell Trace office of the American Red Cross. He and his family live in Pelham, and his wife works at Samford University. “There are many exciting things ahead for the organization, and I continue to be energized by my interactions with compassionate volunteers and the people we serve,” Goodwin said. “With the continued support of our community partners and volunteers, I have no doubt that we will continue to deepen the impact we have in our communities.”
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280Living.com
July 2020 • B13
Opinion My South By Rick Watson
Capturing the times I took my first picture at the age The first digital camera was a of 8 when my sister, Mary Lois, used Canon 10D, and I was hooked. The pictures were very good, and let me use her Brownie camera. Taking pictures with the Brownie the camera was fairly simple to use. was simple. You cranked an empty Last year I began saving my frame of film into place with a knob mad money — the money I make on top. You pointed the camera, writing this column — to upgrade my camera. I looked at catalogs, clicked the button and voila. But read specs and customer reviews. cameras and photography have changed since then. I decided on a Canon 80D. It cost One of the biggest improvements more than the Plymouth Valiant I Watson has been with the delivery of the bought when Jilda and I married. photograph. Unlike today’s instant digital gratiThe camera takes incredible images. The only fication, it took a while to get your hands on the drawback is the learning curve to use it is steep. pictures taken with the Brownie. It’s more complicated to operate than the InterFor one thing, we didn’t take as many pic- national Space Station. tures. I don’t remember seeing a lot of photos One morning this past week, I pulled a folding of the food we were eating. Come to think of it, chair down to the backyard fence. With me, I had I don’t remember anyone taking a selfie, so I’m a cup of coffee and my camera with a 250mm not sure how we updated Facebook back then. telephoto. On the other side of the fence is our And it often took upwards of a month to take all flower garden with sunflowers, zinnias and other 12 pictures on a roll of Kodak film. Then once flowers I couldn’t name if my life depended on it. the roll was full of memories, it took another We planted the flower garden for our bees, week or two to have them developed. but one benefit that we did not realize is that our My first picture was of Boss, the old dog garden is hummingbird heaven. that made every step with me. Waiting for that I’d barely set my coffee down before a female developed picture was like waiting for Santa hummingbird buzzed within inches of my face. Claus. Mary Lois picked them up a few weeks I sat as still as a statue. For a moment, it seemed later. Those pictures were 3x5 inch slices of life the tiny bird was going to stick her beak in one stuffed into a cardboard envelope. of my ears. Fortunately, she zipped back over to I must have shaken the camera when I pressed an orange sunflower. the shutter button because the image came out After snapping off a bunch of pictures, I fuzzy, but I loved that photograph. I thought headed inside. Viewing the images on the tiny cameras were magic. camera screen made me smile. I was pretty sure I When the first digital photos came on the could not have taken the pictures with a Brownie. scene, most of us old photographers were skeptical. We didn’t think that digital pictures would Rick Watson is a columnist and author. His ever be a match for a hand-printed photograph. latest book, “Life Goes On,” is available on Some people will argue that they still aren’t, but Amazon. Email him at rick@rickwatson-writer. com. I’ve since changed my mind.
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B14 • July 2020
280 Living Protesters lay facedown on the grass in front of Hoover City Hall on June 6 during a demonstration, organized by Alabama Rally Against Injustice, Faith in Action Alabama and Alabama Arise, to speak out against police brutality, racism and inequalities. Photos by Erin Nelson.
Protests in Hoover The scene in Hoover was like many others cities across the country as the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis sparked outrage among people who say there is a pattern of police officers abusing their authority and unfairly targeting — sometimes wrongly killing — people of color. A June 6 protest at Hoover City Hall drew an estimated 800 protesters. Most left after two hours of speeches, but about 100 stayed to protest more, with organizers telling them to be prepared to be arrested. Twenty-three people were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct in the aftermath of the rally.
About 200 people attended a prayer gathering regarding race relations June 4 in the parking lot at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. Photo by Jon Anderson.
280Living.com
July 2020 • B15
Calendar Editor’s Note
With the ongoing cancellation of events and activities due to COVID-19, we at 280 Living recommend people check with
event organizers and websites to verify if an event is still happening before making plans to go. We tried to remove any events
North Shelby Library CHILDREN July 2, 9 and 16: Virtual Storytimes. 10:30 a.m. Offering a variety of weekly storytime programs for different ages and interests. Check the Event Calendar for specific programs and how to access them. July 6: Virtual Cap’n Dave. 11 a.m. Dave will be sharing some of his favorite songs with us virtually! Follow the directions on the Event Calendar to access the video. July 7 and 14: Crafts-to-go at the library! Crafts will be available in the Cabinet of Requirement near the front door. All ages with adult assistance. While supplies last. New craft available each Tuesday. July 7 and 14: STEM Kits with Ms. Jan the Science Lady. STEM Kits will be available to take home in the Cabinet of Requirement near the front door. All ages with adult assistance. While supplies last. New kit available each Tuesday. July 13: Family Read Aloud Online
Chelsea Public Library
Trivia. 11 a.m. Compete as a family in Kahoot. You will have 24 hours to take the trivia. All ages. Registration required. TWEEN July 1: Tween Creativebug – Shrinky Dink Craft. 2 p.m. Follow along with a video through our new access to Creativebug or use the printed instructions to make a fun Shrinky Dink project! Participants will be entered into a prize drawing! Ages 8-12. Registration required. Register through our event calendar atnorthshelbylibrary.org and include an email address to get the game link. July 2, 9 and 16: Tween Minecrafternoons. 2 p.m. Join other tweens in the library’s Minecraft Realm. Registration required.
from our calendar that we knew had been canceled or postponed indefinitely as of press time.
tweens about puppetry. Registrants will pick up a puppetry kit in advance through curbside service to use while watching the video. Ages 8-12. Supplies limited. Registration required. TEEN July 1-17: Short Story Competition. Sixth- through 12th-graders are invited to submit their own original short story of 500 words or less to be judged by other teens. Any genre is welcome. July 1, 8 and 15: Minecrafternoons. 4 p.m. Join other sixth- through 12th-graders on the library’s Minecraft Realm. Registration required. July 2 & 16: Online Gaming. 6 p.m. Play games with other sixth- through 12th-graders online. See the game choices and register at northshelbylibrary.evanced.info/signup/calendar.
July 8: Tween Painting with Ms. Kristy. 2 p.m. Registrants will pick up take-home paint kits in advance through our curbside service. For ages 8-12. Supplies limited. Registration required.
July 6: Writing Workshop: All Senses GO! 4 p.m. Join author Emma Fox in this thinkoutside-the-box online workshop as we explore writing with all five senses and combining them in vivid, unexpected ways. Registration required.
July 15: Tween Puppet Workshop with Gene Cordova. 2 p.m. A virtual show to teach
July 9: Brushes & Slushes. 6 p.m. Create art under the guidance of Ms Kaitlyn. Sixth-
Tuesday movies. 1 p.m. at the Chelsea Community Center. July 7: “Onward;” July 21: “Spies in Disguise;” July 28: “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.” Wednesday programs. 2 p.m. at
the Chelsea Community Center. July 1: Patriotic Slime!; July 8: The Snake Lady; July 15: Hula Hoops; July 22: WonderKits; July 29: Harry Potter Birthday Party. July 8, 13 and 27: Middle Grade Book Club. 5 p.m. Dinner is provided.
WE’RE BACK OPEN! Curbside still available!
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through 12th-graders can register and pick up their supplies through July 9. The first 15 teens to register will receive all the supplies needed. Others may join in if they already have the supplies at home. July 10: Battle of the Books meeting. 2 p.m. Start reading the five books chosen by the librarians and attend this Zoom meeting to get more information about the books and the final competition. Complete details on the Teen page of northshelbylibrary.org. July 13: Dungeons and Dragons. 6 p.m. A local Dungeons and Dragons player is teaching a course that goes over the basics of beginning DnD. This meeting will include a short introductory campaign. Registration required. July 14: Battle of the Books – Final Battle. 4 p.m. How well do you know the books we read this summer? Participants will have until 7 p.m. to answer trivia about each book. Registration required. July 20-24: Computer Animation Workshop Film Festival. View the films created by teens during our Computer Animation Workshop on the library’s YouTube page.
July 6-10: Kid’s Coding Boot Camp. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Chelsea Community Center. Registration required. July 20-24: Teen Coding Boot Camp. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Chelsea Community Center. Registration required.
ONLINE ► For a list of July events at Mt Laurel Library, visit us online at 280living.com
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