In this month’s issue, we have lots of fun stories, starting with two stories about Dog Daze, the annual festival that has grown to be something special for the community. Blair Moore takes a look at what to expect at this year’s Dog Daze, and Gary Lloyd has an interview with Trussville’s own Ethan Womack, who went from playing at First Baptist Church to playing Dog Daze this year.
Gary also has a fascinating story about Andy Coleman, a Trussville native who has become an expert in alligator snapping turtles and has been studying the surprising number of them in the metro Birmingham area.
If you read my note last month, you know that I’m new to the position of editor of the Cahaba Sun. Because I’m new, I would love to hear more directly from our readers about what’s going on in Trussville. Do you know someone who should be featured in the Cahaba Sun? Do you know of an interesting
business or organization that you would like to see featured? Or do you know of a story that you think should be covered that maybe isn’t right now?
If you do, please contact me directly at tbright@ starnesmedia.com, and I would be happy to include your ideas in the Cahaba Sun.
To build on that, for our October issue, we would love to feature people who go all out for their Halloween decorations. If you know of someone who does, please reach out to me.
I look forward to hearing from you all and, again, I’m excited to serve the Trussville community.
ON THE COVER: Shots from the 2023 Trussville Dog Daze event. Photos courtesy of Trussville Chamber of Commerce.
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Business Happenings
Main Street Flats has recently opened at 235 Main St. in Trussville’s Entertainment District. The building includes seven units that have been completely renovated and stocked with all the extra needed supplies for guests during their stay.
205-965-3148, mainstreetflatstrussville.com
Hattie’s Toyland opened recently at 165 Morrow Ave. in Trussville’s Entertainment District. Hattie’s Toyland offers traditional toys, STEM and other educational toys, sensory toys, books, children’s devotionals and more. The store is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 205-603-0856, Hattie's Toyland on Facebook
RELOCATIONS AND RENOVATIONS
Pump It Up recently celebrated their grand reopening after a full remodel of the 10,500-square-feet facility at 4623 Camp Coleman Road #101. Customers can book the facility for a private event, group event or private birthday parties. Open jump times for kids are also available, but customers need to check the event schedule online for more information. 205-661-5557, pumpitupparty.com
NEWS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Forbes recently named Avadian Credit Union, which has a branch in Trussville at 2150 Gadsden Highway, as one of the top three credit unions in Alabama.
205-661-9712, avadiancu.com
Jeremy Tuggle, a Trussville resident and former president of the Bryant Bank at 137 Main St. in Trussville, has been named Bryant Bank’s Birmingham city president. He will now oversee seven Bryant Bank locations in the Birmingham metro area. Additionally, Tuggle currently serves on the Trussville Utilities Board, is active in the Trussville Area Chamber of Commerce and the Trussville Education Foundation and is the current treasurer of the local Rotary club. 205-661-5900, bryantbank.com
Corbeau Wine Bar recently won the Best Business Overall award from the Trussville Beautification Board. The wine bar offers an extensive collection of wines that are self-serve and on tap. The menu also features charcuterie and butter board options, flatbreads and salads chosen to complement the wines. 205-508-3750, corbeaubar.com
PERSONNEL MOVES
Estacie Lopez has joined the RealtySouth office at
183 Main St., Suite B, in Trussville as a Realtor. 205-738-1448, realtysouth.com
ANNIVERSARIES
Rodney Scott’s Whole Hog BBQ recently celebrated two years at its third Alabama location, at 312 Main St. in Trussville. Customers can choose from fried catfish, pit-cooked chicken, smoked turkey and the famous whole hog barbecue, along with Southern sides and much more. The restaurant is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
205-825-8925, rodneyscottsbbq.com
Anderson Ave Boutique recently celebrated one year since the business launched as an online-only store. The store now boasts a new brick-and-mortar location at 152 Main St., Suite B, in Trussville. The boutique carries clothing, shoes, accessories and gifts for the “classic Southern girl.” Shoppers can stop by from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. 205-537-1122, andersonaveboutique.com
BUSINESS NEWS TO SHARE?
If you have news to share with the community about a brick-and-mortar business in Trussville or the greater Birmingham area, let us know at starnesmedia.com/business-happenings
GET TO KNOW
Anderson Ave Boutique owner Emily Onofry
Emily Onofry, owner of Anderson Ave Boutique in Trussville, spoke to the Cahaba Sun about her boutique women’s clothing business, located at 152 Main St., Suite B.
Q: Tell us about your business.
A: Anderson Ave offers women's clothing that fits the Southern classic style. We opened a year ago — Aug. 9, actually. And we opened our online store, and our online was doing so good that we decided to open up a brick-and-mortar here in Trussville.
Q: How did you get involved with the business?
A: So, it's always been a dream of mine to own my own boutique, and, instead of waiting, I decided to go ahead and open it while I was still young.
Q: What would your customers say they like about you?
A: I hope my customers say that I'm very welcoming and very helpful. I always love helping people pair outfits together and helping them feel comfortable in their outfits. I hope that they feel like my store is a warm place that they can come in and shop.
Q: Give us your elevator pitch.
A: At Anderson Ave, we have a unique selection of fashion-forward, high-quality pieces that celebrate the grace and spirit of the Southern woman, whether you're searching for a stylish dress for a special occasion or for everyday essentials. We offer personalized service and timeless styles in every piece.
From dusty to digital.
Let Image Hive convert and restore your old media (pictures, slides, film, video and audio cassettes) into digital files, preserving and protecting your memories for generations to come.
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END OF LIFE CARE FOR YOUR PETS
Your pet’s care is just as important in the end as the beginning.
Lindsay Floyd, D.V.M. Ross Scruggs, Ph.D.
Locally owned and operated, we make the hardest time in a pet owners’ life a little easier by offering end-of-life services to allow you and your pet to remain in the comfort of your home.
Compassionate Crossings offers peaceful in-home pet euthanasia for the Birmingham area. We handle all cremation services with all of your selected memorial items hand-delivered to your doorstep. Evening and weekend appointments are available.
We’re here for you. You can learn everything by visiting our website or giving us a call. We’ll do the rest.
Emily Onofry, owner of Anderson Ave Boutique in Trussville. Photo courtesy of Emily Onofry.
By the numbers: 2023 vs. 2024
Recently sold homes in Trussville
► ADDRESS: 4637 Brexton St.
► BED/BATH: 5/5.5
► SQUARE FOOTAGE: 4,792 sq. ft.
► NEIGHBORHOOD: Stockton Crest
► LIST PRICE: $789,900
► SALE PRICE: $782,500
► ADDRESS: 5255 Drew Run
► BED/BATH 5/3
► SQUARE FOOTAGE: 3,188 sq. ft.
► NEIGHBORHOOD: The Preserve at Stockton
► LIST PRICE: $499,900
► SALE PRICE: $500,000
► ADDRESS: 4268 Cahaba Bend
► BED/BATH 4/2.5
► SQUARE FOOTAGE: 2,864 sq. ft.
► NEIGHBORHOOD: Trussville Springs
► LIST PRICE: $449,900
► SALE PRICE: $435,000
► ADDRESS: 5975 Longmeadow Drive
► BED/BATH: 4/3.5
► SQUARE FOOTAGE: 3,093 sq. ft.
► NEIGHBORHOOD: Longmeadow
► LIST PRICE: $532,050
► SALE PRICE: $559,190
► ADDRESS: 7613 Paine Drive
► BED/BATH: 4/2.5
► SQUARE FOOTAGE: 2,726 sq. ft.
► NEIGHBORHOOD: Stockton
► LIST PRICE: $459,900
► SALE PRICE: $465,000
► ADDRESS: 3209 Trace Circle
► BED/BATH: 3/2
► SQUARE FOOTAGE: 2,211 sq. ft.
► NEIGHBORHOOD: Hidden Trace
► LIST PRICE: $379,500
► SALE PRICE: $382,000
SCHOOLHOUSE
Hewitt-Trussville High indoor percussion team drums up awards
By BLAIR MOORE
Hewitt-Trussville High School’s indoor percussion team has started with a bang.
Formed in 2021, the group has already made a name for itself in the music community and earned a gold medal in the Southern Color Guard Circuit (SCGC) earlier this year.
Their success is a testament to the group's talent and dedication, according to Assistant Band Director A.J. Adair.
“They put in a lot of work, that’s for sure,” said Adair, who also serves as director of percussion for all of Trussville City Schools. He directs the indoor percussion team, which he helped to start during his first year at HTHS with assistance from Shannon Moore (director of bands) and instructors Fleck Sherman, Jennie Tanner and Eddie Capps.
Adair envisioned the group as a way to let band students hone their skills year round. The group of 30 musicians is a combination of traditional marching band drumline instruments — snare drums, tenor drums and bass drums — and a front ensemble that plays mallet instruments including xylophones, marimbas and vibraphones. A drum set player and synthesizer players make up their rhythm section.
Olivia Evans, who plays the snare drum, still remembers her first competition as a freshman. “We got first place,” she said. “That moment felt so amazing, and I feel like it has pushed a lot of us to continue doing indoor.”
Hewitt-Trussville indoor percussion team performs a ghost-themed routine. Photo courtesy of Katie Evans.
Evans said she appreciates the ways the group has helped her to grow and develop valuable teamwork skills. “It has made me not only a better player, but a better person.”
In the 2024 competitive season, the Hewitt-Trussville team was the gold medalist for the Class A division of the Southern Color Guard Circuit Championships, an organization that provides competitive opportunities for color guard, percussion
and wind groups.
At competitions, indoor percussion teams perform shows that connect to a specific theme, concept or story, performing in costume and in character.
Last year, Hewitt-Trussville’s show was called “Unchained” and explored the concept of breaking free from the things that bind you.
“It was definitely fun, and the students liked it a lot,” Adair said. “We like to come up with show concepts that the kids themselves can relate to. As teens, they’re a little bit of an angsty bunch, so they enjoy playing that heavy, aggressive type of music. It’s a healthy release of all that built-up angst.”
Adair is proud of the group’s success and awards, but he is even prouder of the people his students are becoming.
“The thing I’m probably the proudest of is how independent they have become,” Adair said. “Picture a big group of high school students running a rehearsal themselves, where everyone is silent and listening to the person giving instructions. Those are the kind of skills, to me, that transcend band. We are teaching them to be good leaders, good followers and problem solvers, and I see them getting better at those things every single day.”
For many students, like Aliza Scott of the front ensemble, the benefits of being in this group reach far beyond the classroom. “It allows me to be a part of something bigger than myself,” she said.
SPORTS
Huskies start year 1 under Freedman
By KYLE PARMLEY
It remains to be seen what the Hewitt-Trussville High School volleyball team will look like this fall with Andie Freedman taking over as head coach.
But she certainly has big plans for her new program. Freedman has hit the ground running at Hewitt since taking over, after spending the last four years as the head coach at Homewood.
The energy she brings to the table has been contagious, and she has taken note of immense growth in her program over the spring and summer months. In the summer, particularly, the Huskies were challenged with matches at a few play dates and in the Over the Mountain Power League.
“What I saw in this team was they’re going to work hard,” Freedman said. “We competed every time we stepped on the court and competed well.”
That’s the main goal for Hewitt-Trussville this season: compete and work hard. Freedman believes with that mindset, a foundation will be laid that can be built upon.
When it comes to play on the court, Freedman’s focus is on first contact as the initial building block. Teams that can control the first contact and pass well can win any match, she said. Beyond that, progressing with the pace and connection of the offense and being a sound defensive team are keys as well.
On the outside, senior Madelyn Bromley enters her third year on the varsity team. Junior Reese Wolfe will contribute as
an outside hitter, and versatile freshman Johnna Cox can play some in that position as well.
In the middle, senior Kennedy Vincent has the potential to be one of the team’s top players. Freedman said she has been a force at the net this summer as a blocker, and the Huskies
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are looking for her to be a more powerful offensive threat as well. She is joined in the middle by returning senior Jillian Schrecongost.
On the right side, Cox and juniors Emma Wright and Julia Stalls have garnered much of the playing time over the summer.
At setter, junior Anna Green has been on the team since her middle school days. Sophomore Kayleigh Nguyen and senior Layne Rutledge can set in addition to playing other positions.
Defensively, the battle to be the primary libero is ongoing, but multiple players have made their case to be in the mix.
Senior Allie Claire Monski, freshman Christiana Callens and sophomore Presley Hull have made a strong impression on their coach. Reese Jackson is a back row player as well.
“It’s been a great competition over the summer, and all three have played really well,” Freedman said.
With the AHSAA’s most recent round of reclassification, Hewitt’s volleyball team will be in a five-team area the next two years, competing with Vestavia Hills, Huntsville, Grissom and Albertville.
Hewitt-Trussville will play each of its area foes once in the regular season, with the top two teams advancing out of the area tournament into the North Super Regional.
In September, the Huskies will host the Husky Challenge on Sept. 14, then play in Spain Park’s HeffStrong Tournament the following weekend. They also play in Homewood’s Margaret Blalock Tournament over Oct. 4-5.
Lakeshore Foundation opens new cutting-edge, data-driven Sports Science and Performance Center
The Lakeshore Foundation in Birmingham has emerged over the last four decades as a world leader in fitness, recreation, research and health promotion for people with disabilities, including veterans and seniors.
A nonprofit founded in 1984, the foundation serves about 4,000 people annually and is a leader in paralympic sports training and advocacy.
Last year, the foundation reached an even higher level in serving athletes in adaptive sports when it opened its new, cutting-edge, data-driven Lakeshore Sports Science and Performance Center (SSPC).
By combining the foundation’s decades of experience in adaptive sports with the help of experts, Lakeshore SSPC aims to greatly expand the opportunity for all athletes to take advantage of advanced sports science research and to achieve peak performance.
The Lakeshore SSPC provides disabled athletes an unrivaled training experience,
combining science-driven sports performance services with great facilities, expert knowledge and extensive online resources.
To maximize their potential, athletes must know where to start, so Lakeshore SSPC uses performance testing and data analysis to provide a clear picture of a competitor’s current fitness. Using such data, the experts at Lakeshore SSPC create personalized training programs for athletes.
Food is the fuel that drives performance, and the nutritionists at Lakeshore SSPC teach athletes how to improve their daily
Lakeshore Foundation
• Where: 4000 Ridgeway Drive
• Call: 205-313-7400
• Web: lakeshore.org
eating habits. They also create personalized meal plans for athletes that are tailored to their individual needs and help boost their strength, speed, skills and mental health.
In the facility’s strength and conditioning program, athletes work one-on-one with certified specialists to achieve their potential.
In order to compete at peak performance, athletes need to be fit mentally as well as physically, so the mental performance experts at Lakeshore SSPC help athletes develop customized training plans that enhance their focus, confidence, resilience and stress management.
Lakeshore SSPC has partnered with
technology companies to bring mental wellness into the training routine. For example, the facility recently added software that does brainwave measurements for concussions and other aspects of mental wellness.
The Lakeshore SSPC Learning Lab is an online library of resources designed for coaches, sports professionals and athletes, with a self-guided curriculum that addresses key performance areas.
It’s important to put athletes in adapted sports in the front end of technology, and that is what makes Lakeshore Foundation so special. The nonprofit serves a lot of communities and audiences, but it shines brighter than anyone in America when it comes to adapted sports and training.
In 2023, the facility served hundreds of athletes in adapted sports including teams and Paralympians.
The foundation is a U.S. Olympic and Paralympic training site and serves as the National Governing Body for USA Wheelchair Rugby and Boccia United States.
Andie Freedman is entering her first year as the HewittTrussville High School volleyball coach. She spent the last four years at Homewood. Photo by Kyle Parmley.
COMMUNITY
Trussville man studying alligator snapper turtles in Cahaba River
‘No better place in the world’
By GARY LLOYD
These turtles are not fighting inner-city evil at the tutelage of a rat sensei named Splinter, but they are living in city landscapes - making that two things they have in common with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Now, a Trussville man who teaches biology at Talladega College is seeking to learn more about the alligator snapping turtles that have been discovered in recent years to call the Cahaba River home.
Andy Coleman, who also leads the Urban Turtle Project, studies turtle populations in the urban footprint of Birmingham.
Andy Coleman with an alligator snapping turtle in June 2020.
Photo courtesy of Andy Coleman.
“They’re known as ambush predators,” he said. “They can lie at the bottom of the riverbed, creek bed, still, with their mouths wide open. At the tip of their tongue they have a lure, a fleshy extension of their tongue that they can wiggle. They’ll do that to lure in a fish or some unsuspecting animal, and then the gate is shut closed. Goodnight for that animal. They can be ferocious when they need to. But they are not 100% carnivorous. They are omnivorous. They’ll eat plant material.”
Alligator snapping turtles can disperse vegetation on the river banks, which benefits their local habitat and waterways. They also control the population of weakened species.
“Even though we’re in a very urbanized landscape, we have a fair number of turtles living beside us, which is a really cool thing,” Coleman said. “I wanted to see what I could do to document it and start a long-term study to see how they do the coolest thing. You’ve just got to watch your hands, watch your fingers around them, and you’ll feel fine.”
Since discovering the surprising number of alligator snappers, Coleman has collaborated with the Cahaba River Society and The Birmingham Zoo to sample areas of the Cahaba River that are hard for him to wade into. For the most part, he said, alligator snappers are the top of the food chain as adults. They can eat whatever they can fit in their mouth.
Coleman is marking each alligator snapper with a unique tag. He is aiming to catch them each year, note their growth patterns and collect blood samples to collaborate with a Mississippi State University colleague to study heavy metal toxicity levels in their blood. Are they thriving in urban environments? Are they growing more or less than other alligator snappers? Are they living shorter or longer? Should the species be considered threatened?
“The number of questions can be numerous, but you’ve got to have turtles, got to have data, in order to see what questions may be worth asking,” Coleman said. “There’s no better place in the world to be a turtle biologist [than] Alabama. We are No. 1 in turtle diversity. It’s really cool to be able to do this work in my home state and contribute to the conservation of these various species.”
COVER STORY: A thriving community tradition decades in the making
Trussville DOG DAZE
By BLAIR MOORE
Every year, Trussville Dog Daze draws the community together for a day of celebration that blends closely held traditions with exciting new experiences. This year’s event will take place on Sept. 14 on the Mall, with fun-filled opportunities for the whole family.
Dog Daze was started in the 1980s as an opportunity for Trussville residents to get to know each other and learn more about their community. Over the years, it has been through changes — even temporarily being renamed Trussville City Fest and moved to Main Street — but the spirit of the event remains the same.
“Dog Daze has always been more than just a festival. It’s a celebration of the Trussville community,” said Melissa Walker, interim event director of the Trussville Area Chamber of Commerce. “Each year, we strive to create an event that honors our traditions while embracing new ideas. This year, we’re thrilled to bring everyone together again for what we believe will be the most memorable Dog Daze yet.”
This year’s festival will include live entertainment, food and activities for attendees of all ages. Throughout the day, Dog Daze will feature a stage with live performers, including Highway 11 Band and students from Trussville dance and vocal studios. Music will be provided by Puttin’ on the Ritz DJ Service.
The name Dog Daze refers to the dog days of summer, not pets, but ever since the event started, people have brought dogs along — and the community has embraced it. Furry friends are not only welcome, they have their own special event. In the afternoon, pets will parade across the stage before a panel of judges in the Pup Strut. Dogs can be registered to participate anytime that day for a $5 fee, and all proceeds will go directly to Cahaba Dog Park.
There will truly be something for everyone at Dog Daze. Shoppers can enjoy over 100 local vendors on the mall selling from trucks, tents and tables. There will also be food and dessert options, including Chick-fil-A.
Kids activities will stretch throughout the mall area, including the Touch a Truck area, where kids will get to take an up-close look at large vehicles like dump trucks
and tractors. Free activities also include a foam dance party, arts and crafts stations, balloon art, face painting and a photo booth. Wristbands to enter the Kid Zone for unlimited rides on inflatable slides will be available for purchase for $25 (cash only) and all proceeds will go to the Trussville Area Chamber of Commerce Scholarship Fund. Official Dog Daze T-shirts will be available for $15.
Artistic Trussville residents can head to the flagpole area to show off their skills in the sidewalk art competition presented by Trussville Parks and Recreation. At nearby Heritage Hall, history lovers can stop by to see items from the Trussville Historical Society's collections.
“We have loads of items, such as furniture that was sewn for the project houses when they were first occupied in 1938,” said treasurer Jane Alexander. The historical society also plans to offer rock painting for kids.
And sports fans need not worry that they’ll miss Saturday’s football games. The new Game Day Experience
will feature live game broadcasting, interactive challenges, interviews and sports trivia.
Brown Automotive is the title sponsor of Dog Daze for a second year.
“After experiencing the support and the love the community has for this event, we knew we had to be involved again and again,” said Brown’s Director of Client Relations, Alex Speakman, who grew up in Trussville and remembers attending Dog Daze as a child. “Trussville is such a tight-knit community. Dog Daze is a great way to meet the whole family, including the lovable pooches!”
After a day on the Mall, the festivities will continue with the Dog Daze ending celebration at the Entertainment District. At 7 p.m., local singer Ethan Womack will open for one of Trussville’s favorite hometown bands, sideCar, who will be playing from 8 to 10 p.m.
Learn more at trussvillechamber.com/event/ trussville-dog-daze.
Families and their pets enjoy the many festivities at the 2023 Trussville Dog Daze. Photos courtesy of Trussville Chamber of Commerce.
Hewitt grad preps for Dog Daze return
By GARY LLOYD
When he was a kid, Ethan Womack often drummed and tapped on things.
By middle school, he tried out for the band and earned a percussion spot. He got a drum set. Then his parents bought him a guitar. In eighth grade, he really began to learn by searching for YouTube videos.
“I started putting together songs and then just kind of fell in love with the process,” Womack said.
Next up for Womack was the electric guitar. Then he learned to play the piano during his senior year of high school.
“And really all for the Lord’s purposes, however He wants to use me,” said Womack, a 2022 Hewitt-Trussville High School graduate. “He gave me a gift and a talent of music, and I want to be a good steward of that. So, I wanted to make myself as usable as possible and learn as many instruments as I could, so I can be used in whatever worship settings He’d like me to be used in.”
Womack has played worship music at First Baptist Church Trussville, first the drums and later leading acoustically and vocally. It worked out, so much so that Womack has played gigs across central Alabama, from Trussville to Boaz, from Gadsden to Homewood. He plays a lot of country music — Hank Williams Jr., Chris Stapleton, Riley Green, Willie Nelson and Alan Jackson are his favorites to perform — and
mixes in as many Christian songs as he can.
Ethan Womack performs at Dog Daze in Trussville in 2023. Photo courtesy of Ethan Womack.
“Sometimes people notice it and sometimes they don’t,” he said. “Sometimes I get a thumbs up, sometimes I get a scowl. It just depends on the people there, but I love to use that as my ministry field to minister to people. I’m on a platform and I love to always give back to the Lord. So, that’s a huge thing for me.”
His go-to Christian songs are “Gratitude,” “Champion” and “Behold Him.” Because of Womack’s musical success, for the second year in a row he will open the Trussville Dog Daze Music Celebration on Saturday, Sept. 14. He will take the
stage at The Gateway — Trussville Entertainment District at 7 p.m., opening for Sidecar.
Womack, a student-athlete at Samford University, spent much of the summer interning at a church in Florida. He is studying education to potentially teach one of the sciences and coach track and field — like a former Hewitt-Trussville High School coach before him, David Dobbs — unless he feels called to the worship ministry.
He has time, with two more years at Samford before graduate school. But Womack is aware of how torn he feels.
“Because after I finish my track career, I’d love to go and coach track somewhere, but it also might be the Lord’s call to worship ministry,” he said. “I don’t know. That’s kind of what I’m doing [in Florida]. I want to see if the Lord’s call is to education or the worship field. Just praying that He would swing doors wide open, and close them if He doesn’t want me to go through.”
While he sorts out that future, the music helps. It is how he uses a spiritual gift and ministers to people. Womack is looking forward to doing that from the largest stage in his hometown.
“It's an honor,” he said. “I'm just super, super grateful that Mrs. Melissa reached out to me to do it. I love Trussville. Trussville is awesome. I love the people there. … I'm super grateful for the opportunity, ready to get out there, just put on a good show for the people, and hope they enjoy it and just have a good night.”
EVENTS
Trussville events guide
Saturdays: Trussville Fresh Farmers Market. 8 a.m. to noon. Trussville Entertainment District, 119 Beech St. For more information, visit “Trussville Fresh Farmers market” on Facebook.
Sept. 2: Trivia Night at Ferus Artisan Ales. 7-8 p.m. 101 Beech St., Suite 111. Come out with your friends for trivia night every month. For more information, visit ferusales.com/events.
Sept. 6: The Kings of Queen — A Tribute to Queen. 7-9 p.m. 101 Beech St., Suite 111. For more information, visit ferusales.com/events-1/thekings-of-queen-a-tribute-to-queen.
Sept. 9: Books and Brews with Trussville Public Library — “Ghost Station” by S. A. Barnes. 7:15-8:15 p.m. 101 Beech St., Suite 111. Call 205-655-2022 or visit tr.adult@jclc.org for more information.
Sept. 14: 7th Annual God is Bigger Bass Fishing Tournament. 4 a.m. Lakeside Park and Sports Complex, Pell City. Anglers can pre register online at gibmovement. com/24-fishing-tourney, or by phone to Stacey at 205-966-7272. For more information, visit gib movement.com.
Sept. 14: Trussville Dog Daze. 10 a.m. Historic Mall, 225 Parkway Drive. See our coverage on page 10. Ending celebration. 7-10 p.m. Trussville Entertainment District Stage. Local singer, Ethan Womack, will open up for sideCar, beginning at 8 p.m. For more information, visit trussvillechamber.com/event/trussville-dog-daze.
Sept. 19: Trussville Chamber Luncheon. 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Trussville Civic Center, 5381 Trussville-Clay Road. Registration is required by Sept. 17 by phone, email to heather.weems@trussvillechamber.com or online at trussvillechamber.com. Admission is $23 per person. Visit the website for more information.
Trussville
Public Library
CHILDREN
Tuesdays: Crazy 8’s Math Club. 4-4:45 p.m. for new participants, 5-5:45 p.m. for returning guests. LBK Auditorium. For grades K-2.
Sept. 5: Pokemon Club. 4-5 p.m. LBK Auditorium. For grades K-5. Come play the Pokemon card game, make a craft and watch a classic episode.
Sept. 6: Homeschool Hang Out. 1-2 p.m. LBK Auditorium. For grades K-5.
Sept. 11 and 25: Preschoolers at Play. 10:3011:30 a.m. LBK Auditorium. For ages birth through pre-K. Join us for a short movement and story, followed by free play at several stations with toys.
Sept. 14: Parachute Play. 11-11:30 a.m. LBK Auditorium. For ages birth to pre-K. Come enjoy parachute play and fun with rhymes, songs and movement.
Sept. 19: Pages & Panels — Kid's Graphic Novel Book Club. 4-5 p.m. LBK Auditorium. For grades K-5. Come discuss "Mr. Wolf's Class" by Aron Nels Steinke. Light snacks are provided.
TEENS
Sept. 14: Archery Basics. 1-2 p.m. Beginner archery class for teens.
Sept. 17: Teen Advisory Board. 4-5 p.m. The Cahaba Room. For grades 6-12.
Sept. 21: Magic: The Gathering for Teens. 1-3 p.m. The Cahaba Room. Join in a beginner class for Magic: The Gathering.
Sept. 30: Miniature Monday. 4-5:30 p.m. The Cahaba Room. For grades 6-12. Join the Trussville Public Library as we explore the world of miniatures.
ADULTS
Sept. 9: Garden Work Day. 9-10:30 a.m. For adults 18 and up. Help keep our butterfly garden healthy and happy!
Sept. 9: Crafty Collective — Felting with Mollie McFarland. 5:30-7:30 p.m. LBK Auditorium. Supplies will be provided by the library, but registration is required.
Sept. 20: Classic Cinema. 2-4 p.m. LBK Auditorium. Adults 18 and up. Come and watch classic movies released before 1970. Popcorn and snacks will be provided.
Each mailbox, some 20 feet apart, others 35, is a can’t-miss historic landmark around here. I suppose the yellow fire hydrants are, too.
Southern Musings By Gary Lloyd The Sonny, the moon and the stars Lloyd OPINION
Every sewer top is a mountain to leap from, only to turn back to their deep openings in the ground to take in whiffs of bags of wet grass, rainwater and the occasional Chick-fil-A bag. Every left-outside basketball should roll, every bicycle pedaled. Two small yard signs adorned with fluttering balloons for some special occasion — graduation, maybe, or birthdays — are like miniature scarecrows in one yard, so Sonny tugs his red leash a bit harder and growls.
Sonny is older now, pushing 10 years old, so that pull on the leash isn’t what it once was, but his need to let all of Trussville know his daytime whereabouts confines us to the dark. We have been walking laps around sections of our neighborhood most every night for a few months, me to break up lengthy writing and video assignments that keep me stuck at a laptop, and Sonny to stretch brown legs that have pounded, pranced and propelled around Trussville pavement for almost a decade.
I notice that we look down a lot, Sonny and me, at pee-stained mailboxes and fire hydrants, at forgotten basketballs, at bicycles that will be covered in morning dew. We see other dogs’ excrement that lazy people left piled in others’ yards. We look down necessarily, to some degree, because folks in the neighborhood Facebook group have seen snakes recently, and mild nights feel likely to encounter Mr. No Shoulders. We stare — not Sonny, but you and me — into the blinding glow of iPhones while we walk mere feet from speeding motorists who, most likely, are staring into those same dangerous glows.
Each night, we make a specific right curve in our neighborhood that opens to an expansive horizon view of the moon, stars and Southwest 737s on their final descent to nearby Birmingham. It’s as if a curtain of brick homes is peeled away, revealing our galaxy.
“Many men walk by day; few walk by night,” Henry David Thoreau wrote in his “Journal” on July 16, 1850. “It is a very different season. Instead of the sun, there are the moon and stars…” Thoreau goes on and on to describe the croaking of frogs, potatoes standing up straight, conspicuous shadows of objects and much more.
Thoreau, of course, wrote more about the night, specifically in the appropriately titled “Night and Moonlight.”
“Of what significance the light of day, if it is not the reflection of an inward dawn? — to what purpose is the veil of night withdrawn, if the morning reveals nothing to the soul? It is merely garish and glaring.”
I look forward to that dark curve on each walk with Sonny because it’s a daily reminder, even if it is 15 hours into my day at 9 p.m., to stop looking down and start looking up. My hope, my goal, is that each subsequent morning reveals something to my soul.
Gary Lloyd is the author of six books and a contributing writer to the Cahaba Sun.
MEDICAL GUIDE
Keep young eyes healthy this school year
UAB CALLAHAN EYE
The back-to-school season is upon us, meaning it’s time to prioritize your children’s eye health. From fall sports to time spent in the classroom, UAB Callahan Eye is committed to ensuring young eyes are ready for the school year ahead.
Children participating in outdoor activities should protect their eyes by wearing polarized sunglasses or wide-brimmed hats. When looking at digital screens at home or during learning hours, children should take frequent breaks to rest and prevent dry or tired eyes. There’s also no better time to schedule an eye checkup than at the beginning of the school year. UAB Callahan Eye’s six pediatric-focused clinicians are committed to providing the best care for your children’s eyes. With multiple locations across central Alabama, it’s easy to get a check-up and then get back to life.
At UAB Callahan Eye, world-class optometrists and ophthalmologists are ready to treat your entire family.
► WHERE: 1720 University Blvd.
► CALL: 844-UAB-EYES
► WEB: uabcallahaneye.org
And if emergencies arise, there’s 24/7 care at the nation’s only Level I Ocular Trauma Center. It’s no wonder Alabama parents have trusted their families with Callahan for 60 years. Making an appointment today is so simple. Find a location near you and start protecting your child’s vision today at uabcallahaneye.org.
A national leader in sight.
With multiple locations in Central Alabama, UAB Callahan Eye makes nationally recognized, vision-saving care even more accessible. Our state-of-the-art eye exams go well beyond checking prescriptions to include eye health evaluations, eye pressure measurements, and analysis for other serious medical conditions. As trusted vision experts, there’s nothing in our way of improving people's sight.
See the di erence at uabcallahaneye.org.
Women’s Health Specialists of Birmingham offers women much-needed preventive care
Women’s Health Specialists of Birmingham provides the highest quality prenatal to postpartum care for expectant mothers and newborns in a caring, comfortable environment.
Women’s Health Specialists of Birmingham offers high-risk pregnancy care, advanced labor and delivery services and educational resources for new parents.
However, one of the most important services Women’s Health Specialists of Birmingham offers — and one that more women should take advantage of — is preventive care.
“The well-woman visit, or annual exam, gives providers an opportunity to counsel patients about healthy lifestyle habits and health risks,” said Dr. Alexia Novara.
WOMEN’S HEALTH SPECIALISTS OF BIRMINGHAM
Well-woman exams are critically important because the physician can determine if the patient may have a potentially life-threatening condition.
Routine screening can find cervical and breast cancer in “earlier stage disease that typically makes treatment options less invasive and more likely to be successful,” Dr. Novara said. “It’s so important for women to have both a primary care physician and an OB/GYN in order to get well-rounded care.”
Dr. Novara grew up in Vestavia Hills, has an undergraduate degree from Auburn University, completed medical school at UAB School of Medicine and finished her OB/GYN residency at Ochsner Clinic Foundation in New Orleans. She believes strongly that patients
► CALL: 205-971-3627
► WEB: womenshealth grandview.com
should choose Grandview for their OB/GYN care.
“We pride ourselves in giving excellent care to our patients, and our clinical team and staff work day in and day out to care for our patients in a way that is unlike any that I have seen before,” she said.
For more information about OB/GYN care at Grandview Medical Group, call 205-971-3627 or go to womenshealthgrandview.com
If you’re pregnant or trying to become pregnant, we know you have questions. The physicians at Women’s Health Specialists of Birmingham are here to help answer them – and with new providers, including Alexia Novara, M.D., it’s easier than ever to make an appointment. From nutrition and exercise to birth plans and post-delivery support, we are trained and focused on giving you personalized maternity care. And, we’re proud to deliver at The Birthing Center at Grandview Medical Center.
To schedule an appointment, call 205-623-5944 or visit WomensHealthGrandview.com.
Alexia Novara, M.D. OB/GYN
For kids like Gwen •
Because Gwen came to Children’s for the diagnosis and treatment of her blood disorder, she received the best care available thanks to groundbreaking research made possible by clinical trials for cancers and blood disorders. The research happening today will lead to future cures, and it is happening here at Children’s of Alabama.
Learn more at ChildrensAL.org/cancer
Alabama School of Fine Arts
The Alabama School of Fine Arts is an ideal place for teenagers in grades 7-12 who wish to follow their passions in the arts, or math or science.
A tuition-free, state-funded public school, ASFA — at 1800 Rev. Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd. — inspires students to develop their creative abilities.
Students choose from one of six specialties: creative writing, dance, music, theater arts and visual arts, as well as math-science.
ASFA students get a well-rounded education from a nationally acclaimed faculty. The school offers AP and honors classes, a college counselor and a dormitory for students living beyond commuting distance. A rigorous curriculum equips graduates with the skills to become experts in their fields.
ASFA is “a next-level school,” and more than 90% of its graduates receive merit scholarships annually, said Tim Mitchell, school president.
The 60 students of the ASFA Class of 2024 “set a new standard for excellence” at the school, he said.
The class as a whole received an astounding $17.3 million in merit scholarship offers.
Nine students were named
○ Grades: 7-12
○ Where: 1800 Rev. Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd.
○ Call: 205-252-9241
○ Web: asfaschool.org
National Merit Finalists, one was named a Presidential Scholar in the Arts, three students will attend the University of Pennsylvania and three students earned early admission to UAB Medical School. Students were accepted into and will attend some of the top university programs in the nation.
For information, attend ASFA’s prospective student Open House Saturday, Oct. 19 at 10 a.m., 11 a.m. or noon or go to asfaschool.org.
Come take a tour, meet our award-winning faculty, and learn how you can apply! ASFA is a 7-12th grade public, tuition-free school for talented and passionate students. *No reservations or sign up necessary.
Virginia Samford Theatre
The Virginia Samford Theatre in Birmingham — through its STARS (Students Take A Role at the Samford) program — provides budding young actors, dancers and singers the chance to learn stage performance in a safe, supportive environment.
The participants learn everything from breath control and singing as a group to choreography and character development.
Their classes are taught by professional teaching artists and educators with a passion to cater to the specific needs of each child.
By offering classes in conjunction with productions, VST Stars gives children the chance to apply what they have learned in a hands-on, collaborative environment.
According to the American Alliance for Theatre and Education, drama activities improve reading comprehension and both verbal and non-verbal communication skills. Drama has even been shown to help improve school attendance and boost standardized test scores.
Interested students can submit a virtual audition on the Virginia Samford Theatre website. Auditions should include a video with a 30-60
○ Grades: Ages 7-18
○ Where: 1116 26th St. S.
○ Call: 205-251-1228
○ Email: STARS@virginia samfordtheatre.org
○ Web: virginiasamford theatre.org
second monologue and a 30-60 second song with a backing track.
Contact Virginia Samford Theatre at STARS@virginiasamfordtheatre. org or call 205-251-1228.
Virginia Samford Theatre is located at 1116 26th St. S.
