Cahaba Sun April 2022

‘NO-MAINTENANCE KID’ HTHS senior racks up five military nominations. 14

Vol 7 | Issue 5 | April 2022 As Trussville As It Gets

SPLIT DECISION Trussville marks 30 years since its first attempt at a school system. 10 No-wait appointments?

That’s tight.

Call or visit BhamSmile.com to schedule a free consultation.

ON THE RISE Coach Lauren Wooten and Hewitt-Trussville girls establish soccer team as one to watch this season and for years to come. 12

Grand Opening!

We look forward to seeing all our neighbors there!

25

April 9-11

% off

Any purchase

When you sign up for the PSP Loyalty Card (card allows discounts on almost all purchases)

Valid 3/31/22 - 4/27/22 1 Hour Curbside Pickup

Full-Service Grooming

Self-Service Pet Wash

Price Match Guarantee

Must be a rewards member. Restrictions may apply. See store for details.

Pet Supplies Plus Trussville | 1672 Gadsden Hwy | 205.582.1488 | petsuppliesplus.com

Is your Family Fighting the Opioid Crisis?

YOU ARE NOT ALONE SHERIFF PETTWAY Sheriff of Jefferson County

WE WILL WORK TOGETHER TO END THIS CRISIS WITH PARTNERSHIPS FROM STATE & LOCAL OFFICIALS

COMING SOON

Jefferson County Diversion Center

A center designed to help families in this crisis fight. jeffcosheriffal.com/crisisdiversioncenter

Celebrate the Life and Victory of Jesus with us at First Baptist Trussville!

Visit fbctEaster.org for info and updates.

4

APRIL 2022

EDITOR’S NOTE | KYLE PARMLEY There are always excuses in life to take the easy way out.

From something as simple as saying you’re too tired to go to church, or as significant as not pursuing one of your life’s passions because it would be too inconvenient.

One thing that I have thought long and hard about lately is the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s decision to not accommodate the Oakwood Academy basketball team at the regional tournament in February.

Instead of making a simple switch that was acceptable to all parties, the AHSAA dug its heels in and forced Oakwood to forfeit for not being willing to play on Saturday afternoon, which is during the recognized Sabbath of the Seventh Day Adventist church.

The AHSAA gave its list of reasons for not accommodating a game time switch, which amounted to a bunch of excuses along the lines of “we are simply following our book.”

Instead of making excuses, it would be nice to see an organization of that magnitude take an extra step and do something.

I certainly want to be someone known for taking steps to do the right thing instead of making excuses in my life.

Please Support Our Community Partners Alabama Affordable Automotive (19) Ascension/St. Vincent’s Health Systems (9) Bedzzz Express (20) Birmingham Orthodontics (1) Bonnie Hicks, RE/MAX Marketplace (6) Bromberg’s & Company Inc. (8) Children’s of Alabama (7) Cremation Center of Birmingham (8) CrossPoint Baptist Church (5) Deerfoot Memorial Funeral Home (15) ENT Associates of Alabama (6)

Firefly Electrical (17) First Baptist Church Trussville (A3) Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department (2) Lee Marlow, RealtySouth (8) Magic City Art Connection (11) Main Street Chiropractic (11) Over the Mountain Glass (7) Pet Supplies Plus Trussville (2) TDI Turf Doctor of Birmingham - Hoover Inc. (16) Trussville Gas and Water (5) Virginia Samford Theatre (19) Window World of Central Alabama (9)

Find Us Pick up the latest issue of Cahaba Sun at the following locations: ► Edgar’s Bakery ► Golden Rule Bar-B-Q – Trussville ► Trussville Area Chamber of Commerce ► Trussville Civic Center ► Trussville Gas and Water ► Trussville Police Department ► Trussville Public Library Want to join this list or get Cahaba Sun mailed to your home?

Contact Anna Jackson at ajackson@starnesmedia.com.

CAHABA SUN

CAHABASUN.COM

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

Clay-Chalkville’s Kaidyn Williams (3) catches a throw at home plate as Mountain Brook’s Emma Stearns (23) slides safely to score for the Spartans at Mountain Brook High School on March 2. Photo by Erin Nelson.

Publisher: Dan Starnes Managing Editor: Nick Patterson Community Editors: Kyle Parmley Jon Anderson Jesse Chambers Leah Ingram Eagle Neal Embry Sports Editor: Kyle Parmley Community Reporter: Eric Taunton Contributing Writers: Gary Lloyd Sean Dietrich Design Editor: Melanie Viering Photo Editor: Erin Nelson Page Designers: Kristin Williams Ted Perry Client Success Specialists: Anna Bain Warren Caldwell Graphic Designer: Emily VanderMey Advertising: Michelle Salem Haynes Don Harris Jarrett Tyus Bob Willard Administrator: Anna Jackson

For advertising contact: dan@starnesmedia.com Contact Information: Cahaba Sun P.O. Box 530341 Birmingham, AL 35253 (205) 313-1780 dan@starnesmedia.com

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

Published by: Cahaba Sun LLC

Legals: Cahaba Sun is published monthly. Reproduction or use of editorial or

graphic content without prior permission is prohibited. Cahaba Sun is designed to inform the Trussville community of area school, family and community events.

Information in Cahaba Sun is gathered from sources considered reliable but the accuracy cannot be guaranteed. All articles/photos submitted become the property of Cahaba Sun. We reserve the right to edit articles/photos as deemed necessary and are under no obligation to publish or return photos submitted. Inaccuracies or errors should be brought to the attention of the publisher at (205) 313-1780 or by email.

Please recycle this paper.

ON THE COVER: Hal Riddle, a retired drivers education teacher with Trussville City Schools, and Matt Wiram, a 1998 graduate of Clay-Chalkville High School and former student at Hewitt-Trussville High School, at the new Trussville Board of Education building. Photo by Erin Nelson.

Jesus

WE WISH TO SEE

MAUNDY THURSDAY

ON THE THIRD DAY

WORSHIP SERVICE APRIL 14 @ 7PM

RESURRECTION SERVICE APRIL 17 8AM, 9:15 AM, and 10:45AM

8000 Liles Lane, Trussville, Alabama | crosspointchurch.info | 205.655.0364

6

APRIL 2022

CAHABA SUN

CAHABASUN.COM

BUSINESS COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS ANNIVERSARIES Trussville tax renewal set for April 12 Have a community announcement? Email Kyle Parmley at kparmley@starnesmedia.com to be considered.

Planet Nutrition Trussville, 7274 Gadsden Highway, Suite 108, is celebrating four years in business this month.

205-508-3470, planetnutrition. com/stores/trussville-al

Cahaba Design Co., 111 N. Chalkville Road, is celebrating 10 years in business this month.

205-508-3333, cahabadesigns.com 6th Day Creatures is celebrating 10 years in business this month.

6th Day Creatures is an educational business where Jamie Hacker entertains audiences while educating them about the various exotic animals of our world.

205-585-3535, 6thdaycreatures.com

By GARY LLOYD A 30-year-old ad valorem tax is expiring, and Trussville residents will soon decide if it will be renewed.

Trussville residents will vote Tuesday, April 12, whether or not to renew the property tax that has existed since 1992. The tax generates approximately $4 million for Trussville City Schools’ programs that receive no state funding, including band, athletics, clubs, all other extracurricular activities and 25 locally funded teachers above the state minimum program.

According to a Trussville City Schools messaging sheet about the potential tax renewal, key messages from the school system include: ► Maintain educational excellence: Preserve funding levels to maintain our educational excellence — locally funded teachers/smaller classes sizes, state-of-the-art

Hewitt-Trussville High School students change classes. Photo by Erin Nelson.

technology, enhancements to athletics, band, extracurricular programs and revenue for future capital projects as Trussville continues to grow. ► Uphold Trussville’s quality of life: An excellent school system is the foundation for a thriving community and benefits everyone.

Preserving funding for our schools upholds the quality of our community, supports the

city’s growth and greatly enhances home property values. ► Prepare for growth: As of the latest census data, Trussville is one of Alabama’s fastest-growing cities. New homes mean more students. We ask that our citizens vote “for” the tax renewal so that we may continue to provide safe facilities, state-of-theart technology and educational excellence for our students.

Homeowners’ tax rates will not increase.

Currently, homeowners are paying 8.8 mills because of Amendment 82, which is the expiring amendment, and 5.1 mills because of Amendment 3, for a total of 13.9 mills.

Combining these amendments, which is the purpose of the tax renewal vote, will not increase homeowners’ tax rates.

Trussville residents who live in the Jefferson County portion of the city will have the opportunity to vote at their designated voting precinct.

When It Comes To Your Health

Experience Matters bonniehicks.com

Experience Matters.

Call Bonnie Hicks.

What will the real estate market look like in 2022? Many predictions are being made, but does anyone really know?

Bonnie Hicks Southern Homes

Facebook.com/ BonnieHicks.Realtor 205-915-7653

One thing is certain, people will need homes and I am here to help! The wild housing market of 2021 confirmed the importance of working with an experienced realtor.

If you would like a face to face appointment to discuss 2022 predictions, give me a call!

ENT Associates of Alabama, P.C. is the largest Otolaryngology practice in Alabama with 10 locations,15 physicians, and over 600 years of combined staff and physician experience.

Our practice includes general ear, nose, and throat, head and neck diseases and surgeries, cosmetic surgery, robotic procedures, in-office balloon sinuplasty, allergy treatment, and hearing solutions. We concentrate our training and experience in these areas to provide the best possible medical care for our patients.

At ENT Associates of Alabama, P.C. the patient’s experience matters. We treat each patient as a person, not just another case. We pride ourselves in delivering a positive personal experience along with a positive outcome.

Birmingham - Princeton - Hoover - Cullman - Gardendale Alabaster - Jasper - Pell City - Trussville - Valleydale Rd.

www.entalabama.com or call toll free 888-368-5020

APRIL 2022

CAHABA SUN

7

CAHABASUN.COM

Mayor’s Minute

By Buddy Choat Spring is in the air, and that brings changes. We all look forward to warmer weather, beautiful blooming plants and flowers, as well as a time to break out the shorts and maybe even a swimsuit.

It’s also a great time for the city as we move out of winter and into spring with new programs, exciting leagues, new businesses opening and much more.

I hope you will take the time to ride around our city and see how blessed we are to have the many amenities that we enjoy.

I personally enjoy the rides through our sports complex and see all of the fields full of kids playing their favorite sports, seeing the hikers and bikers enjoying our trails through the park, our tennis center full of avid tennis players both young and old, and I’m amazed at the disc golf players that use our two courses.

Every day our greenways, which are beautiful and peaceful, are full of walkers and joggers. Our dog parks are enjoyed by both owners and their pets and continue to be popular. The pickleball courts on the mall are full of players both day and night, and we’re

looking to expand the number of courts we have.

Infrastructure improvements continue to be made as we try to help traffic move more easily in and around Trussville.

The widening of U.S. 11 with a dedicated turn lane will help traffic keep moving instead of stopping whenever a vehicle is making a turn.

Cedar Street, beside Regions Bank, will be drastically improved as we move to a new design and paving.

Our Loop Roads project, connecting motorists to North Chalkville Road and U.S. 11, will begin soon. Last but not least, ALDOT will be adding north and southbound lanes to Interstate 59 from Interstate 459 to Exit 141, Chalkville Mountain Road. This is a

much-needed addition to our interstate congestion in that area.

I’m excited about our new Leadership Trussville program.

This should provide us an opportunity to find those in our community who want to make a difference and help us with new ideas and initiatives that will continue to enhance the quality of life in Trussville.

Our first class will begin in September with one day each month dedicated to educating, training and preparing citizens for leadership in the community. Each Leadership Trussville class works throughout the year on projects they believe will make a positive impact on our community.

Plans continue to be made for our new

fire station, gymnastics center and City Hall administration building. Music and entertainment are back at the TED (Trussville Entertainment District), as well as new restaurants and retail spaces are under contract.

Thank you to all of our first responders for keeping us safe and protected. Thank you to all city employees for taking pride in our city and continuing to do their jobs to maintain and enhance our quality of life.

Thank you to all who serve voluntarily on the many boards and committees within the city that truly make a difference and a special thanks to our Trussville City Schools for their outstanding work with our children.

Their dedication and determination, especially over the past two years, is a reminder of why Trussville is a special place to live.

On behalf of myself and your Trussville City Council, we thank you for supporting us.

Nothing spruces up a bathroom like

a beautiful shower.

• Mirrors • Mirrored Walls • Beveled Glass & Mirrors • Beveled Tabletops • Diamond Fusion Coating • Shower Door 9190 Helena Road 3 miles south of the Galleria 205-238-5850 redmountainglass.com

AFFORDABLE

Cremation SERVICES

8

APRIL 2022

CAHABA SUN

CAHABASUN.COM

SCHOOLHOUSE Have a schoolhouse announcement? Email Kyle Parmley at kparmley@starnesmedia.com.

School foundation’s fundraiser breaks record LOWEST TOTAL COST GUARANTEED No Hidden Costs A+ BBB Rating Full Line of Urns, Cremation Jewelry, and Life prints

CREMATION CENTER OF BIRMINGHAM

205.970.6886

cremationcenterofbirmingham.net

More than $20,000 was raised at the Trussville City Schools Foundation’s third annual Casino Night, breaking all previous fundraising records.

The event-packed evening, hosted at Ferus Artisan Ales in the Trussville Entertainment District, included games, a live auction, student-crafted culinary creations and more. More than 150 supporters showed up for the cause, which raises money that is directly invested into Trussville City Schools classrooms.

In its first year, 2020, Casino Night garnered $7,000. In 2021, the event raised $12,000.

“We are thrilled to announce that a record amount was raised for Trussville City Schools Foundation at this exciting and fun event,” TCSF Executive Director Leslie Armstrong said. “We love that the community of Trussville believes that partnering with us will make a difference $ in our schools and together we can invest in our future.”

– Submitted by Trussville City Schools Foundation.

950

Make the most of this

SELLERS MARKET

Will Pharis, from left, Jasen White, Brad Price and Evan Gordon. Photo courtesy of Trussville City Schools Foundation.

BROMBERG'S INVITES YOU TO MEET WITH AN EXPERT BUYER AT AN EXCLUSIVE TWO-DAY BUYING EVENT

Call Lee & list your home this spring.

Sell your jewelry, diamonds, watches, and collectibles for immediate payment or receive 120% of your offer in store credit.

The Summit Thursday, April 21st, 10:00-5:30 205.969.1776

Lee Marlow REALTOR®

Mountain Brook Friday, April 22st, 9:30-5:00 205.871.3276

Call to schedule an appointment

205.913.9559 leemarlowhomes.com

www.brombergs.com

WINDOWS • DOORS • SIDING Locally Owned. Locally Loved.

Wave Goodbye to High Energy Bills

Contact Us For Free Estimate

1-800 GET WINDOWS WindowWorldAlabama.com

135 W Valley Ave, Birmingham, AL 35209

Thinking about knee replacement?

Advanced surgery options close to home If simple tasks are difficult because of joint pain in your knees, talk with an orthopedic specialist. By listening to understand you, orthopedic specialists at Ascension St. Vincent’s East take a personalized approach to orthopedic care. And surgery options using enhanced technology may mean faster recovery, reduced scarring and less pain. Know that we’re maintaining strict precautions to keep you safe while in our care.

Ascension St. Vincent’s East 50 Medical Park Drive East Birmingham, AL 35235

Get the orthopedic care that’s right for you at ascension.org © Ascension 2022. All rights reserved.

10

APRIL 2022

CAHABA SUN

CAHABASUN.COM

COVER STORY: Trussville marks 30 years since its first attempt at a school system.

SPLIT DECISION

By GARY LLOYD

T

hree decades ago, more words were printed in newspapers about overcrowding in Trussville schools than are written today on Facebook about trains blocking Trussville crossings.

Clearly, it was big news. This is what happened.

The Alabama Department of Education in late 1991 conducted a feasibility study to find if the city of Trussville could financially support a school system independent of Jefferson County tax money. At the time, there were 4,800 total students enrolled at Hewitt Elementary, Hewitt-Trussville Middle, Hewitt-Trussville Junior High and Hewitt-Trussville High schools. A move toward its own school system at the time would force nearly half the enrollment — 835 students at Clay Elementary School and 1,247 at Chalkville Elementary School — to find an alternative to Hewitt-Trussville Middle School when reaching the seventh grade.

In early 1992, a group of parents from the Clay and Chalkville areas formed Save Our Schools, a group in opposition of the city of Trussville forming its own school system. According to Jefferson County Board of Education figures, 62 percent of the students attending the four Trussville schools lived outside the city. A report from the Alabama State Department of Education in March 1992 said Trussville could financially support its own school system, with an annual operating budget of about $13 million if appropriate taxes were raised. That budget amount assumed Trussville residents approving a 15-millage property tax increase that was projected to generate $450,000 annually. Under that plan, non-resident students could stay in Trussville schools.

Hal Riddle, who later coached football at both Clay-Chalkville and Hewitt-Trussville, lived in Chalkville at the time.

“Clay and Chalkville were small little towns that had been there for a long time,” Riddle said. “They were neighbors and cared about each other and wanted to help each other out.”

On April 28, 1992, the Trussville City Council tapped a five-member school panel to serve as the city’s first school board, its first task negotiating with the Jefferson

Matt Wiram, a 1998 graduate of Clay-Chalkville High School and former student at Hewitt-Trussville High, and Hal Riddle, who coached football at Clay-Chalkville and Hewitt-Trussville, at the new Trussville Board of Education building. Photo by Erin Nelson.

County school system for a solution to overcrowding. The five appointed to the school board were former Trussville City Councilman Dennis Hill, Donna Cornelius, Terry Fleck, Don Haisten and Cecil Medders.

On Sept. 29, 1992, an eight-millage property tax hike was approved countywide, a measure that was projected to generate $9.6 million each year. Hill recommended to the Trussville City Council that it abolish the newly formed school board, but Mayor Charles Grover and Councilman Gerald Glenn said they did not support abolishing the board immediately.

Grover said that he would recommend that the board be inactive while a lawsuit over the eight-millage property tax increase was resolved. After about a year of planning and discussion, Trussville did not form its own school system and remained as part of the Jefferson County school system.

The millage increase that had been approved, however, remained and helped ease the overcrowding of Trussville schools. Jefferson County Schools Superintendent Bruce Wright announced in April 1993 that the county would build a high school instead of an elementary school in the Hewitt-Clay-Chalkville zone. Wright’s plan included building the high school and a middle school in the Clay-Chalkville area to serve students who would have otherwise been routed to schools in Trussville.

The plan called for reducing enrollment at Hewitt-Trussville High School from 1,234 students to about 1,029 students. The new middle school in Clay would be fed from Chalkville Elementary School and Clay Elementary School. The new middle school would reduce the number of students attending Hewitt-Trussville Middle School from 1,107 students to 834 students.

Jack Wood, the Hewitt-Trussville

football coach at the time, was against the plan. After all, the more kids available at one school, the better the team.

“It would have been hard for me to mess that up,” Wood said, laughing. “Part of any program is numbers. That’s definitely a key. It would be by far the largest school in the state. I was a heck of a lot better football coach before we split in half.”

The possibility of that today, while not practical, is intriguing. According to Alabama Department of Education average daily enrollment statistics released in December, Auburn High School is the largest in the state with an average daily enrollment of 2,131.70 students. If the split had never happened and Hewitt-Trussville High School continued to grow, the current average daily enrollment of Hewitt-Trussville High (1,209.10) and Clay-Chalkville High (1,061.95) would exceed Auburn’s average daily enrollment by 139.35 students.

APRIL 2022

CAHABA SUN

A photocopy of a 1991 article in The Birmingham News that reported on the debate about forming a school system in Trussville.

Photo courtesy of Gary Lloyd

“If CCHS had never been created, the folks over there would be missing out on their own local high school and middle school,” Riddle said. “The folks from Clay and Chalkville now have a high school in their neighborhood, and they have a lot of pride in their school.”

Wood understands it was the right decision.

“I think the success Trussville has had and Clay as well in athletics has given more kids more opportunities to play, and that’s a good thing,” he said.

In 1995, the Jefferson County Board of Education gave the community a $750,000 line of credit toward developing athletic fields. The unincorporated Clay-Chalkville community had no official city to look to

for money. The old Shades Valley High School steel-frame football stadium was transplanted and re-erected behind ClayChalkville High School, now known as Cougar Stadium. It cost between $225,000 and $250,000 to move the stadium, roughly $200,000 less than building new concrete bleachers. Some of the $750,000 line of credit went toward other fields, such as baseball. Clay-Chalkville High School and Clay-Chalkville Middle School opened for the 1996-97 school year.

Matt Wiram attended Trussville schools through 1996 and chose to transfer to ClayChalkville for his final two years of high school. He was excited for the split.

“It was a tough decision, but I thought

FIND ART

11

CAHABASUN.COM

it would be neat to be part of something brand new,” Wiram said. “It was hard to leave friends that I had grown up with to go to the new school. However, many of my best friends had all agreed to go. I was excited to get to suggest names for the new school and vote for mascots. Everything we did was the first time for it at the school.”

In early 1996, it was predicted that Hewitt-Trussville High School would lose about 200 of its 1,480 students to ClayChalkville High School. It was projected that over the next few years, a total of about 400 students would move from Hewitt-Trussville to Clay-Chalkville.

That breathing room, it was predicted, would allow HTHS to again accommodate ninth-grade students. Despite the breathing room, Trussville maintained its elementary, middle, junior high and high schools.

Sarah O’Kelley attended Chalkville Elementary School and graduated in 1996 from HTHS. She knew younger classmates who chose, when offered the choice, to attend the new high school in Clay.

“I remember being impressed with the bravery of the ones who were choosing to go to CCHS,” O’Kelley said. “At the time CCHS was built it was very impressive and I’m sure very attractive as a new school. I was a color guard in 10th grade and then a high-stepper in 11th and 12th and was asked, along with a friend, to help train the new CCHS color guard over the summer

after graduation. I think I did this two years. It was a nice way to be connected to the excitement of the new school.”

Wiram has a Hewitt-Trussville letterman jacket and a Clay-Chalkville class ring, a duality that most living in these communities today can’t imagine.

“Sometimes it’s hard to remember that I graduated as a Cougar,” he said. “I was a Husky for a long time and have lots of memorabilia from both schools.”

Riddle may have one of the best perspectives on the split, considering he graduated from HTHS, lived in Chalkville when Trussville tapped its original school board, coached at Clay-Chalkville from 19992001, and coached at HTHS from 2002-13.

“I don’t know or remember all the details about the [property tax] increase, but here’s what I do know,” Riddle said.

“CCHS and HTHS are two prominent high schools in the state of Alabama. They have both had a lot of athletic and academic success, and because of the split, there are now two sets of teams getting to compete. Both schools have a full complement of athletic teams, they have academic squads, they have bands, they have choir and theater programs, [and more]. This gives twice the number of youngsters an opportunity to be involved and be a part of a team where they learn and experience life that will hopefully help them be successful as adults. I think the split was a good thing.”

Try a Natural Approach to Pain Management

Dr. John F. Dyar Jr. Chiropractic Physician

(205) 661-0074 413 Main Street Trussville, AL 3 1 3

Image: Chloe York, “Washy Decorator 2” (Detail)

April 22-24, 2022

Sloss Furnaces

150 Artists • Corks & Chefs • Live Performances • Imagination Festival for Kids Cafe & Lounges • Special Exhibitions www.magiccityart.com 2022 SPONSORS: Alabama Power • Alabama State Council on the Arts & the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency • Avadian Credit Union • Bancography • BlueCross and BlueShield of Alabama • Coca Cola United • Dermal Brands • EventWorks Rentals • Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau • Jemison Investment Company, Inc. Joe Piper, Inc. • Kinetic Communications • Sloss Furnaces Foundation, Inc. MEDIA SPONSORS: AL.com • Babypalooza • Bham Now • Birmingham Mountain Radio 107.3fm • B-Metro • EXCURSIONSgo.com • High Level Marketing • Over the Mountain Journal • Starnes Media • The Birmingham Times •This is Alabama • Homewood Life • WBHM Public Radio 90.3fm

Dr. John Dyar

12

APRIL 2022

CAHABA SUN

CAHABASUN.COM

SPORTS

Basketball teams make playoff runs

By KYLE PARMLEY Several of the local high school basketball teams posted strong seasons, with the Hewitt-Trussville and Clay-Chalkville girls and Pinson Valley and Clay-Chalkville boys making playoff runs to conclude the 2021-22 season.

Hewitt-Trussville’s girls put together 25-7 record overall and made it to the Class 7A Northeast Regional final. In that game, the Lady Huskies fell to eventual state runner-up Vestavia Hills 59-43.

Hewitt and Vestavia were in the same area this season, with the Lady Rebels giving Hewitt three of its seven losses all year. On the same token, Hewitt knocked off Vestavia on the road in early January, one of just three defeats Vestavia suffered all season.

Hewitt-Trussville lost to six in-state teams and Lovejoy out of Georgia. All seven of those teams made it to at least the state semifinals in their respective divisions.

Hewitt has been in two of the last three state championship games and

knocked off Vestavia in the same round a year ago.

“We’ve been blessed to be in the winning locker room, and this year we’re not in there,” Hewitt-Trussville head coach Tonya Hunter said following the regional final loss.

Audre Benson and Jordan Hunter gave Lady Huskies seniors D’Yona Jones and Chrischandria James high praise for their leadership, and Jordan Hunter said her team would be back next year with a chip on its shoulder.

Pinson Valley’s boys also had a 25-7 record on the year, finishing the regular season as the No. 2 team in 6A by the Alabama Sports Writers Association. The Indians ran through Area 12 with an 8-0 mark and rolled into the playoffs.

In the sub-regional round of the playoffs, Pinson Valley opened things with a 66-57 home win over a good Hartselle team.

Caleb White led the Indians with 25 points on the night and did much of his damage from beyond the 3-point arc.

Hartselle worked its way back into the game in the third quarter, making

the most of the physical nature of the game. The Tigers got the deficit down to 30-28 midway through the period before another trifecta of White threes pushed the Indians’ lead back to double digits. Pinson Valley hit its free throws down the stretch and preserved the victory.

But the Indians fell short in the regional semifinal round, falling to Scottsboro 79-60 in the 6A Northwest Regional semifinal. Scottsboro jumped out ahead early, and Pinson was never able to fully recover.

White finished with 24 points to lead the Indians, as he also picked up five steals. Terry Coner went for 20 points and four steals as well.

The Clay-Chalkville boys and girls teams advanced to the playoffs as well. The Lady Cougars won Area 12 but faced a tough matchup in the sub-regional round. They fought No. 3 Hartselle tooth and nail before falling 52-41.

The boys also advanced to the playoffs in Chris Richardson’s first year as head coach but fell to eventual state champion Cullman in the sub-regional round.

Hewitt-Trussville’s Audre Benson (1) shoots a 3-pointer while guarded by Sparkman’s Jamaya Griffin (10) during the first half of the AHSAA Class 7A girls Northeast Regional semifinal Feb. 16 at Pete Matthews Coliseum. Photo by Erin Nelson.

Wooten, players see soccer program on the rise

By KYLE PARMLEY The Hewitt-Trussville High School girls soccer team has established itself as a team to watch over the next few weeks and potentially for the next several years.

Since taking over the program, head coach Lauren Wooten had the Lady Huskies on the precipice of a playoff run in 2020, and the team fell just short of the postseason last spring.

Things could be different this time around though, based on early-season results.

Through mid-March, Hewitt-Trussville was off to an 12-3 start, notching wins over the likes of Bob Jones, Hoover, Mountain Brook and Thompson.

“It’s been a lot of fun watching the girls grow,” Wooten said. “I’ve seen us develop our chemistry.”

Wooten said Hewitt spent the early portions of the season figuring out what tactics and personnel combinations worked best for the team. Now that the Huskies have gotten comfortable with knowing what to do, where to go and how to do it, the focus has shifted toward execution.

HewittTrussville’s Avery Huffstutler (15) takes a shot at the goal during a match against Clay-Chalkville on Feb. 24 at HewittTrussville Soccer Stadium. Photo

by Erin Nelson.

“In the last three to four games, we’ve started really finishing, which is great to see everything come together. Now, we just keep that going and keep that intensity and the chemistry going and hopefully get some area wins.” she said.

One of the wins that sticks out is the 2-0 win over a resurgent Mountain Brook, in which the Huskies went into the game with a plan of minimizing the Spartans’ opportunities. Hewitt held its foe to just three shots and

made the most of its chances to take the win.

Hewitt-Trussville has a healthy mix of upperclassmen and underclassmen on this year’s team. There are seven seniors, seven juniors and six underclassmen. Wooten gave plenty of credit to this team’s seniors.

In addition to leading the way on the field, Mary Alston, Taylor Doss, Julia Farris, Avery Huffstutler, Baylee McGuirt, Caitlyn Moseley and Hannah O’Kelley have stepped up in a big way in the overall culture of the team.

“Our seniors have done an incredible job leading,” Wooten said. “They step up and communicate a lot, so I can focus on coaching.”

The overall health of the program is due in large part to the strong efforts of people in the Trussville area and surrounding communities, through the various youth and club programs, as well as the efforts of people involved in the high school program in years past. That allows talented players to flow into the program each year. This year’s mix of players has been able to take its talent and continue to improve throughout this season.

“We haven’t peaked yet,” Wooten said of this year’s team and the program in general.

“There’s still a lot left from the Hewitt girls.

I want us to keep developing as players and people.”

What the Huskies have been saying all spring is “it’s time.”

“It’s time for us to win area, to get past the first round of state playoffs, to get to the finals in Huntsville,” Wooten said. “It’s time to win and be the first girls soccer team in school history to bring home a state championship.”

APRIL 2022

CAHABA SUN

13

CAHABASUN.COM

All-South Metro Basketball 3 Lady Huskies — D’yona Jones, Jordan Hunter, Audre Benson — named to team

By KYLE PARMLEY The 2021-22 high school basketball season is in the books, with the Hoover High School girls managing to repeat as Class 7A state champions after a hard-fought victory over Vestavia Hills. Spain Park’s boys made a return trip to the final four, and several other teams from the Starnes Media coverage area made strong pushes at the regional tournaments.

The dynamic duo of Reniya Kelly and Aniya Hubbard have played their final game together in Hoover uniforms. It is nearly impossible to separate the two in terms of impact, both in statistics and leadership, and both share girls Player of the Year honors.

John David Smelser is the girls Coach of the Year after leading Vestavia Hills to its first final four since 2006.

On the boys side, Spain Park was not expected to replicate its postseason success after losing eight seniors, but forward Colin Turner was an unstoppable force all season long and is the Player of the Year. Chris Laatsch deserves plenty of credit for getting the Jaguars to that point as well and is the Coach of the Year.

BOYS AWARDS

► Player of the Year: Colin Turner, Spain Park ► Coach of the Year: Chris Laatsch, Spain Park

GIRLS AWARDS

► Co-Players of the Year: Reniya Kelly and Aniya Hubbard, Hoover ► Coach of the Year: John David Smelser

BOYS 1ST TEAM

► Guard: Win Miller, Vestavia Hills; the junior guard has continued his stellar career, flying past 1,000 career points and averaging 16.8 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists for the year. ► Guard: Caleb White, Pinson Valley; the sophomore shot 45% from 3-point range and averaged 17 points a game for the Indians. ► Guard: Paul Lanzi, Chelsea; the junior guard is already the sixth-leading scorer in school history and gave the Hornets a chance every night by going for 17.3 points per game. ► Forward: Colin Turner, Spain Park; the senior capped off his career with a monster season, going for 16.6 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. ► Forward: Christian Thompson, Homewood; was part of a forceful duo in the paint for the Patriots, going for 12.5 points and 8.4 rebounds per game.

HewittTrussville’s D’Yona Jones (24) takes a shot while being guarded by the Sparkman defense during the first half of the AHSAA Class 7A girls Northeast Regional semifinal Feb. 16 at Pete Matthews Coliseum.

Photo by Erin Nelson.

BOYS 2ND TEAM

► Guard: Reese Gurner, Vestavia Hills; averaged 15 points and nearly 5 rebounds per game after emerging as a reliable star player for the Rebels. ► Guard: Ty Davis, Mountain Brook; commanded the Spartans offense and notched 14.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game for a 29-5 team. ► Guard: Brady Dunn, Oak Mountain; saved one of his best games for last, dropping 25 points in the regional final and averaged 14 points per game for the season. ► Forward: Donte’ Bacchus, Homewood; went for 14 points and 6.4 rebounds per game for a strong Patriots team. ► Forward: Avery Futch, Chelsea; finished the season with 11.7 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.

BOYS 3RD TEAM

► Guard: Terry Coner Jr., Pinson Valley; notched 15.9 points per game. ► Guard: Kalib Thomas, John Carroll; scored 18 points per game. ► Guard: Kyle Layton, Mountain Brook; averaged 14.9 points and knocked down 105 3-pointers for the season. ► Forward: Brodin Grady, Hoover; the senior team captain posted 8.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. ► Forward: Ryan Giegel, Oak Mountain; a steady presence for the Eagles, going for 8 points and 5 rebounds a game.

HONORABLE MENTION

► Guard: Cole Turner, Vestavia Hills; Salim London, Hoover; Josh Harrington,

Spain Park; Zach Gray, Spain Park; Chase James, Spain Park; Miles Gilbert, Briarwood; William Lloyd, Briarwood; Ray Rolley, Hewitt-Trussville; KJ Beck, John Carroll; Wilder Evers, Oak Mountain; Matthew Heiberger, Oak Mountain ► Forward: DeWayne Brown, Hoover; Sam Wright, Spain Park

GIRLS 1ST TEAM

► Guard: Emma Smith, Vestavia Hills; became the first player in program history to finish with more than 2,000 career points and 1,000 rebounds. ► Guard: Reniya Kelly, Hoover; averaged 14 points per game, with 4 rebounds and nearly 5 assists to go along with it for the state champs. ► Guard: Aniya Hubbard, Hoover; finished her career by averaging 14 points and 6 rebounds in a standout season. ► Forward: D’yona Jones, Hewitt-Trussville; averaged 11.4 points and 7 rebounds as she was able to put together a healthy season. ► Forward: Sarah Gordon, Vestavia Hills; went for 11 points per game as a freshman for the state runner-up.

GIRLS 2ND TEAM

► Guard: Jordan Hunter, Hewitt-Trussville; nearing 1,000 points for her career following her sophomore season. ► Guard: Emma Stearns, Mountain Brook; averaged 12.8 points per game, including a season-high 30 against Homewood. ► Guard: Raegan Whitaker, Oak Mountain; went for 11 points and 6.6 rebounds per game for the Lady Eagles.

► Forward: Emma Kerley, Briarwood; averaged 10.2 points and 5.7 rebounds per game as an eighth grader. ► Forward: Kristen McMillan, Hoover; a steadying force in the middle for the Lady Bucs, averaging 7.7 points per game.

GIRLS 3RD TEAM

► Guard: Audre Benson, Hewitt-Trussville; averaged 11.7 points per game in a breakout season. ► Guard: Camille Chase, Spain Park; capped off a stellar high school career with 10.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. ► Guard: Anna Towry, Vestavia Hills; notched 10 points per game. ► Forward: Mary Cartee, Chelsea; a do-it-all player for the Lady Hornets, finishing her career with the most charges taken in program history. ► Forward: Mary Jane Lassiter, Mountain Brook; turned into a key role player for the Lady Spartans, averaging 7 points and nearly 5 rebounds per game.

HONORABLE MENTION

► Guard: Lexi Redd, Chelsea; April Hooks, Hewitt-Trussville; Paxton Gillispie, Spain Park; Ally Smith, Vestavia Hills; Sydney Schwallie, Chelsea; Layla Etchison, Hoover; Mary Beth Dicen, Briarwood; Sarah Passink, Mountain Brook; Abby Gordon, Oak Mountain; Kayla Warren, Homewood; Jill Gaylard, Vestavia Hills; Francie Morris, Mountain Brook ► Forward: Ashley Washington, Chelsea; Lauren Schuessler, Oak Mountain; Kate Saunders, Briarwood

14

APRIL 2022

CAHABA SUN

CAHABASUN.COM

Tim Brisco, a senior at HewittTrussville High School and member of the Huskies basketball team, sits on the edge of the fountain outside of First Baptist Church in Trussville.

Photo by Erin Nelson.

‘No-maintenance kid’ Hewitt-Trussville senior Tim Brisco racks up 5 military nominations

By GARY LLOYD Jeff Baker walked into the Hewitt-Trussville basketball locker room one day and heard a lecture.

The topic was not about hustling back on defense or setting a pick-and-roll at the top of the key. No, it was a history lesson about the progressive tax, a tax in which the tax rate increases as the taxable amount increases.

“Not a normal conversation you hear in a basketball locker room,” Baker said.

The lecturer? Tim Brisco, a Hewitt-Trussville High School senior with five military nominations. Brisco holds three from United States Rep. Gary Palmer to the United States Military Academy, Naval Academy and Merchant Marine Academy; one from U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville to the Naval Academy; and one from U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby to the Merchant Marine Academy. Brisco interviewed in front of a board for the Palmer nominations and earned the others through applications.

“I want to attend a military academy, if

at all possible, but if not then I will attend Alabama,” Brisco said. “I wanted to go the service academy route because they offer a world-class education that would set me apart, and my family has a history of military service. My granddad served 20 years in the Navy, my uncle served in the Marines, and another uncle served in the Army.”

April 15 was the deadline for Brisco to learn if he’d gain admission to one of the service academies. That status was unknown at press time.

“Getting into one the academies would give me a sense of accomplishment and purpose,” Brisco said. “I feel it would it would also make my family proud. If I don’t get in, I will attend my original dream school, Alabama. I am not the type to live in self-pity. My life goals won’t be altered if I don’t get in because I know that everything happens for a reason.

It’s hard to be disappointed and deterred when you see everything as a positive.”

Wise words. Baker, who coached Brisco on the basketball court, learned to be unsurprised to Brisco’s maturity.

“Tim is as mature and selfless as any young man I have ever coached in 14 years,” Baker said. “He has a maturity and work ethic beyond his years. We were on our team retreat this past fall, and I asked the players, ‘If you could do one thing with your time and money wasn't an issue, what would it be?’ I got a lot of play basketball, travel, etc. Tim's answer was, ‘Run for public office.’”

Brisco hopes to study business management in college because, as that progressive tax lecture comes to mind, he enjoys economics and leadership.

“My parents instilled discipline in me from a young age by holding me accountable for my actions,” he said. “An example of my discipline is something that I’m somewhat proud of is having a perfect transcript through my years at public school and never receiving anything less than an A on a final report card. My life’s dream is to be able to provide for my family in the same way my dad has for me.”

Brisco said that Baker and former Hewitt-Trussville High School history

teacher Timothy Stull have been key influences during his high school career. Stull taught him about patience and maturity.

Baker taught him to stay the course in everything he does, even if the desired outcome doesn’t come to fruition.

Baker said that Brisco worked at a downtown Trussville restaurant the last few years, saving money for a goal the senior has aspired to reach by the end of high school.

He worked during basketball seasons, and Baker remembered an afternoon road game, a day Brisco worried about stopping on the drive back to Trussville, fearing he might miss his work shift.

“He is just that type of kid. He is committed to what he is a part of,” Baker said. “In four years, Tim missed one practice due to injury or sickness. I never heard him complain in four years. I call him a ‘no-maintenance kid.’ He shows up ready to work very hard, and he requires no motivation or inspiration. He finds a way to get himself ready to work hard every day. He has a strong set of values he sticks to.”

APRIL 2022

CAHABA SUN

15

CAHABASUN.COM

Varsity Sports Calendar April 7-9: Boys at Jets Invitational.

Huntsville.

BASEBALL April 1: vs. Gordan Lee (Tennessee).

Hixson, Tennessee. 7:30 p.m.

April 12: vs. Gadsden City. Girls at 5 p.m., boys at 7 p.m.

April 2: vs. Silverdale (Tennessee).

Hixson, Tennessee. 1:30 p.m.

April 13: Boys vs. Thompson. 7 p.m.

April 5: @ Gadsden City. 6 p.m.

April 16: Boys vs. Huntsville. 11 a.m.

April 7: vs. Gadsden City. 6 p.m.

April 19: @ Spain Park. Girls at 5:30 p.m., boys at 7:30 p.m.

April 12: vs. Vestavia Hills. 6 p.m.

April 14: @ Vestavia Hills. 6 p.m.

April 19: vs. Spain Park. 6 p.m.

April 21: @ Spain Park. 6 p.m.

SOFTBALL April 1-2: Oxford Spring Sting.

Choccolocco Park.

April 5: vs. Spain Park. 6 p.m.

Metropolitan Complex.

April 7: vs. Tuscaloosa County. 6 p.m.

April 26: vs. Wetumpka. 6 p.m.

April 12: vs. Vestavia Hills. 6 p.m.

April 28: vs. Thompson. 6 p.m.

April 15-16: Berry Strong Invitational.

Daphne.

April 19: @ Helena. 5 p.m.

April 21: Girls @ Homewood. 7 p.m.

April 22: Boys @ Oak Mountain. 6 p.m.

April 26: Girls vs. Oak Mountain. 5 p.m.

SOCCER

April 21: vs. Chelsea. 6 p.m.

April 5: @ Pinson Valley. Girls at 4:30 p.m., boys at 6:30 p.m.

April 22-23: Hoover Classic. Hoover

April 7: Girls @ Vestavia Hills. 4:30 p.m.

TENNIS April 4: @ Tuscaloosa County. 4 p.m.

April 7: vs. Pell City. 4 p.m.

Huskies finish 3rd in state wrestling The Hewitt-Trussville wrestling team finished third in the Class 7A division of the state wrestling tournament in February, accumulating 106.5 points.

It was the second consecutive top-three finish at state for the Huskies.

Lucas Reaves won the state title at 152 pounds.

Reaves opened the event with over Gabriel Emery of Grissom. In the semifinals, Reaves defeated Paxton Miller of Thompson. In the championship match, Reaves pinned Manny Merrero of Bob Jones.

Reaves scored 22.5 team points over the weekend.

Hunter Jones took home the state title at 195 pounds. Jones opened with a win over Tank Mays of Bob Jones. In the semifinals, Jones pinned Trace Gallman of Central-Phenix City. Jones wrapped up

the title with a win over Todd Whitmire of Huntsville. Jones scored 23 team points over the weekend.

Logan Reaves closed out his high school career with a second-place finish at 145 pounds. He opened the event by pinning Ian Addison of Hoover. In the semifinal round, Reaves pinned Kyle Fontenot of Smiths Station. Reaves dropped the championship match to James Latona of Thompson.

Dalton Zimmerman won his consolation finals match on Saturday to finish in third place at 126 pounds. Clark Box earned eight team points and placed fourth at 106. Andrew Shelton scored eight team points and placed 4th at 160. Chris Hawkins scored nine team points and placed fourth at 220.

– Submitted by Hewitt-Trussville High School.

Business news to share?

If you have news to share with the community about your brick-and-mortar business in Trussville, let us know!

Share your news with us at cahabasun.com/about-us/connect-with-us

Hewitt-Trussville’s Hunter Jones celebrates a win at the state tournament.

Photo courtesy of Dawn Harrison.

16

APRIL 2022

CAHABA SUN

CAHABASUN.COM

2022 Spring

Home & Garden Guide Special Advertising Section

Spring is in bloom, and it’s the perfect time to plant a garden, do some cleaning or start a home renovation. Find tips and tricks from area businesses to jump-start any project in our guide.

Get your lawn in top shape 205-426-6909 • tdiservicesbham.com TDI Services, formerly known as Turf Doctor, is the perfect company to help get your lawn in top shape for the spring.

TDI specializes in fertilization and weed reduction for lawns, ornamental trees and shrubs, nocontact exterior pest management, mosquito reduction, core aerations and fire ant control.

The company started out in an old gas station with one truck. Through hard work and treating customers well, it has grown to a company with eight service vehicles and 16 employees.

“Our company puts an emphasis on customer service,” branch manager Brian Flynn said. “We encourage them to go the extra mile for all of our customers.”

Flynn said the company enjoys taking a lawn that has been neglected for years and turning it into a beautiful one to be proud of, and that gives the employees a sense of accomplishment.

A typical lawn program from TDI runs year round because in Alabama, weeds are always an issue.

“Our technicians are trained to

From lawn care to pest control and more! identify weeds, and they have the products to treat both broadleaf and grassy weeds,” Flynn said. “They are also equipped to treat any diseases in the turf, as well as any insects that feed on the turf, including army worms.”

Any homeowner who doesn’t have the time or knowledge to treat their own lawn adequately can greatly benefit from TDI Service’s help.

“We can be your one-stop shop to save you time and money on your lawn and pest control by knowing what to put out and when,” Flynn said.

To get started, give the office a call or visit their website to get a free estimate and more information.

The Only Biological Solution.

Biological Lawn Care is a holistic approach combining the best of chemistry, physics, biology and microbiology with sound soil management practices.

205-426-6909 | tdiservicesbham.com

Spring Home & Garden • Special Advertising Section

17

Time to light up your home 205-984-8860 • service@fireflyelectricalllc.com Together, husband and wife team Alex and Allie Aldrich started their familyowned business, Firefly Electrical, LLC. With years of experience under Alex's belt, the two created an electrical contracting company specializing in high-end custom home remodeling, new construction, and service work.

Their main goal is to help both general contractors and homeowners in the greater Birmingham area blend beauty with functionality in their electrical designs. They bring to life even the most complicated lighting plans.

Firefly Electrical takes pride in keeping all their customers’ projects worry-free from start to finish. Throughout the process, their employees maintain a high level of workmanship, timeliness and a great line of communication with homeowners, contractors, and inspectors.

“We are not your typical service company,” said Alex Aldrich. "Whether your project is large or small, our team

quality work, clear communication

will provide prompt and polite service and a quality final product. That is the kind of experience you can expect when you choose Firefly Electrical."

Firefly Electrical serves most of the Birmingham area, but you can find quite a few of their projects completed in Homewood, Mountain Brook, and Vestavia.

Call or text Firefly Electrical today to get started on your home electrical project at 205-984-8860 or service@ fireflyelectricalllc.com.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Women in Business July 2022

Cahaba Sun’s spotlight on Women in Business in Trussville Women in Business is a special advertising section that highlights women from local businesses who are making a difference.

Take this opportunity to highlight the woman (or women) who plays a key role in your business.

Contact Anna Bain at (205) 313-1780 or abain@starnesmedia.com for more information.

Publishes in July 2022

Starnes.Media

SERVICE DIVISION

CahabaSun.com

CALL TO SCHEDULE 205.984.8860 fireflyelectricalllc.com

18

APRIL 2022

CAHABA SUN

CAHABASUN.COM

OPINION Southern Musings By Gary Lloyd

Reading long books: What a dream I’ve got a heap of long, unread books that, if I stacked them up and stood on the top one, I could clean the leaves from my gutters.

“Don’t you need a ladder, Gary?”

“Who needs a ladder when you have Tolstoy and Thoreau?”

In college, I was sternly instructed that “To be a good writer, you need to be a great reader.” I heard this statement made — let me count really quick — 782 times.

Don’t mistake my sarcasm for negligence or youthful rebelliousness. I agree with the statement, to a point. Prior to the publication going mad, I read Sports Illustrated issues cover to cover before their heat from a day inside the mailbox went cool. One college instructor joked about me sitting in the hallway outside a locked room one afternoon, reading Rick Bragg’s “All Over but the Shoutin” for the second time that year.

I like to read. I do. But I’ve struggled

with long books, and I need Tiger Woods that I haven’t to improve that part of my finished, and I find the secreading life. ond-greatest golfer of allLike anything else, if time fascinating.

Speaking of fascinating it’s important to you, you sports figures, I had a biogramust make it a priority. phy of legendary UCLA basI was thumbing through “My Reading Life” by Pat ketball coach John Wooden, Conroy recently — surely and I must have donated it to 2nd and Charles because because it’s close to 350 how do you misplace a 608pages — and in the latter stages of the book Conroy page hardcover book? writes about Leo Tolstoy, Bragg is and always be my Lloyd the author of “War and favorite writer, but approxiPeace,” a book so long that mately 452 of the 476 pages if you read one page per day, you’d finish of his 2014 biography of Jerry Lee Lewis it sometime in 2025. I’ve written six books remain unread on my office bookshelf, and I at an average of 182 pages each, and all six suppose that’s because I’m generally not that combined fall short of the page count of interested in Jerry Lee, but I need to read it “War and Peace.” to improve my own craft.

A deep thinker, that Tolstoy.

Finally, I have a 530-page paperback I have a 400-plus-page biography of about President Franklin D. Roosevelt and

the Works Progress Administration that I need to get around to. That book’s index, bibliography, notes and acknowledgments alone are almost as long as my first book, “Trussville, Alabama: A Brief History.”

I have the topic for my next book selected, and I’ve been collecting information and outlining it in recent months. I’ve interviewed many folks. It’s clear that this book will surpass 300, maybe even 400 pages.

If you know me well, you already know the subject. This brings me back to Conroy’s chapter on Tolstoy. In it, he writes that “he possesses the tireless generosity to give back to the world that made him vertiginous with a passion for life and nature — the gift that took the form of this miraculous, life-altering novel.”

What a dream that is.

Gary Lloyd is the author of six books and is a contributing writer to the Cahaba Sun.

Sean of the South By Sean Dietrich

One morning in Birmingham BIRMINGHAM — There is an American flag flapping outside my hotel. A slight breeze lifts the banner while the sun rises over the Magic City.

A hotel janitor with dreadlocks is standing beside me. We’re watching the flag flap while I drink my morning cup.

Two hundred and forty-four years. That’s how long the colonists’ colors have been flying from flagpoles like this. I bet the early colonists’ worst critics never saw that coming.

They are brilliant colors. To watch the 13 battered stripes flutter in open Alabamian daylight, putting on their morning matinee, never fails to move me.

“Pretty ain’t it?” says Jefferson County’s leading custodian. I nod.

He cracks the tab on an energy drink.

“My daughter’s in Girl Scouts. She folds’em sometimes. Flags, I mean.”

I’m not sure why he’s telling me this, but I grin anyway.

“How old is she?”

“Leaven. And sassy.”

“Does she get that trait from Mom or Dad?” “Shoot.”

We’re quiet for several minutes.

Then: “Yeah. She practices folding flags with my mom sometimes, for Scouts. They

use a big ole bed sheet her cookies this year. Broke so they don’t drop it. My her little heart. And mine.” daughter always be shooing “I hate to hear that.” me away, saying, ‘Daddy, get “Not more than me.” out the room!’”

Approximately one year “Really.” He sips. “Sassy.” ago I was in this same hotel, And I’m thinking about staying for work. That was how our flag was designed when I first heard “COVIDby New Jersey congressman 19” used in a complete Francis Hopkinson in 1777, sentence. first stitched by Philadelphia I remember turning on the seamstress Betsy Ross. And television to see a panicky 244 years later, Girl Scouts young newswoman saying Dietrich are still folding them into something to the tune of: tight triangles.

“Good morning, America.

He makes a professional inquiry. “So You’re all going to die.” how’s your stay with us, sir?”

And in a moment of mild anxiety, I had “Great.” this gut feeling that societal life was about “Good, good.” to change forever.

My hotel is nothing fancy. It’s your basic When the pandemic hysteria hit Birminghighway-side deal. But it’s clean. There’s ham, it was as though a switch had been even a continental breakfast featuring the flipped. In a matter of weeks the city took American traveling-man’s greatest hits. on a B zombie-movie atmosphere.

“She sells cookies,” he says.

Suddenly the world closed. And just when “Come again?” it couldn’t get any worse, Piggly Wiggly ran “Scout cookies. My daughter sells ’em.” out of my beer.

“Ah.” Sometimes I wonder whether it really He takes a sip. “Been a hard year for her. happened. Did we really live through a panAll the COVID stuff. Nobody bought any of demic? Have we really made it this far?

The answer is yes. We made it here. And if you ask me, I choose to believe that “here” is a good place to be. Wherever “here” actually is.

Because, dang it, at least we’re here together.

And I hope we always will be — together.

Sort of like this janitor and me, standing beneath the three prettiest colors in Jefferson County, and history’s most remarkable idea.

He tosses his can into the garbage and is about to return to professional hospitality.

He adjusts his mask. “So where you from?”

I nod to the flag. “Same place you are.”

He smiles at the insufferable smart aleck beside him, then turns to go.

Before he leaves, I ask him to wait because I have a request. Something important. I call out, “Will you thank your little girl for me?”

He stops walking and laughs. “Thank her?

Why?” “Because sometimes I wish I were more like her.”

He laughs and walks away laughing. “Well, good luck with that, cause that child is sassy.”

Well. The great ones always are.

Sean Dietrich is a columnist and novelist known for his commentary on life in the American South. He has authored nine books and is the creator of the “Sean of the South” blog and podcast.

APRIL 2022

CAHABA SUN

CAHABASUN.COM

19

CALENDAR TRUSSVILLE LIBRARY EVENTS Mondays and Thursdays: Yarn manglers. Knitters and crocheters, join for fellowship and creativity. Ages 18 and older. Mondays 5:307:30 p.m.; Thursdays 2-4 p.m.

April 6 and 20: Dungeons & Dragons.

4-5:30 p.m. Classic roleplaying game that encourages teamwork and creativity. Sixth through 12th grade. Register online.

Every Tuesday: Crazy 8s Math Club.

4-5 p.m. or 5:30-6:30 p.m. Where you'll build stuff, run and jump, make music and make a mess. It's a totally new kind of math club. A new eight-week session began March 8. Kindergarten through second grade. Register online.

April 7: Tween games night. 5:306:30 p.m. Join us for a featured table-top game each month. Third through sixth grades.

Every Thursday: Children’s storytime.

10:30-11:30 a.m. Join Ms. Alicia for stories, songs, bubble time, and lots of fun. Birth through pre-K. April 2: Coding & Robotics Club. 11 a.m. to noon. This club will teach you the basics of coding and allow you to use those skills to program robots.

Sixth through 12th grade. Registration required.

April 5: S.T.E.A.M. Club. 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math Club. Sixth through 12th grades. Registration required.

April 10: FARM Table with Jennifer Conn. 1:30-2:30 p.m. Managing and preventing obesity and diabetes. Ages 18 and older.

April 11: STEAM for Kids. 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Join Ms. Jan, the science lady, for a hands-on application of STEAM. Kindergarten through sixth grade.

April 12: T.A.B. 4-5 p.m. The Teen Advisory Board is a way for local teens to get active in their library. Sixth through 12th grades.

April 13: Video games. 4-5:30 p.m. Join together to play a variety of video games. Sixth through 12th grades.

Automotive Sales & Service

START YOUR NEXT

ADVENTURE

Start your search at AlabamaAffordable.com -Locally Owned6991 Gadsden Hwy, Trussville Call 205-508-3526 alabamaaffordable.com

April 18: Pizza & Poetry. 4-5 p.m. Come have some pizza and make your own blackout poetry. Sixth through 12th grades.

2 p.m. Educational seminar about Medicare options.

Your questions will be addressed by health benefits specialist Linda Reynolds. Ages 18 and older.

April 18: Chess Club. 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Learn the basics, cool tricks, strategy, opening and tactics in chess from a professional chess teacher. Kindergarten through 12th grades.

April 21: I Survived at the Library.

5:30-6:30 p.m. A book club event highlighting “I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912,” by Lauren Tarshis. Kindergarten through sixth grade.

April 19: Manga Club. 4-5 p.m. This club is the perfect place for manga and anime fans, but also comic book fans in general. Sixth through 12th grades.

April 21: Ukulele Club. 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Interested in learning the ukulele or looking for somewhere to play? We have a professional ukulele player here to help you learn and perfect your skills. All ages.

April 20: Preschoolers at play. 10:3011:30 a.m. Join us for a guided sensory time with Ms. Alicia, followed by free play at several stations set up around the large auditorium with various toys. Birth through pre-K. April 20: Adult Book Club 2022. 23 p.m. This month’s title is “The Reading List” by Sara Nisha Adams. Ages 18 and older.

April 21: Understanding Medicare. 1-

April 25: American Girl. 6-7 p.m. Enjoy discussing this month’s featured American Girl, Samantha. Participants will also play a themed game and make a craft together. Kindergarten through sixth grade.

April 27: Video game tournament.

4-5:30 p.m. Video game tournament featuring various games and prizes. Sixth through 12th grades.

TEMPUR-PEDIC • BEAUTYREST • SEALY • NECTAR • STEARNS & FOSTER WE NOW CARRY PURPLE.

Easyas 1-2-3 1 YEAR

1 YEAR LOWEST PRICE LOWEST PRICE GUARANTEE GUARANTEE

2 YEAR 2 YEAR EXTENDED

EXTENDED WARRANTY WARRANTY

3 YEAR 3COMFORT YEAR

COMFORT GUARANTEE GUARANTEE

Serving the Birmingham & Surrounding Area Since 1994 bedzzzexpress.com