Cahaba Sun February 2023

When standard treatment of weekly counseling, and proper use of medications is not sufficient and effective, intensive counseling is available for support, rescue, and strengthening hope.

IOP Services provides 9 hours per week of therapy in a group setting. It is a powerful supplement to standard treatment. Many types of emotional pain ebb and flow. The most difficult times can seem unbearable. Covered by most insurance plans.*

Evaluation is Available!

Physician-driven, patient-centered kidney care

Nephrology Associates, P.C. 205.226.5900 | NephrologyPC.com

Offices in: Alabaster • Anniston • Bessemer • Birmingham

Clanton • Gadsden • Gardendale • Greystone • Homewood

Jasper • Oneonta • Pell City • Trussville • Winfield

There have been amazing scientific medical advances in medicine in recent years – a non-smoking acquaintance in his 40’s was diagnosed with metastatic lung cancer several years ago, and instead of a life expectancy of 6 months or so, he is living very comfortably taking a pill specifically designed for his cancer, for which he had a genetic predisposition. These incredible and transformative breakthroughs have been seen in many fields of medicine, but unfortunately, advancements in treatment for patients with kidney disease have lagged behind.

Due to the cost and complexity of care of patients with kidney disease, however, one area of innovation for which kidney disease care is becoming a proving ground is care delivery. Patients with chronic kidney disease are generally very medically complex, with higher rates of heart disease, cancer, and even gastrointestinal bleeding than the general population. They have significant care coordination needs focused on preventing worsening of kidney disease, preparation for kidney transplant, and unfortunately preparation for dialysis when appropriate. All of these facets of care require extensive and iterative education; there are many appointments required with various specialists at many different facilities (for which patients require something as simple as transportation); patients with kidney disease often require very extensive and complex medication regimens. Well-intentioned and hard-working nephrologists cannot provide all of this support alone, and deficiencies in support and care lead to worse outcomes for patients, increased hospitalizations, and significantly greater cost to the healthcare system as a whole.

CMS and private insurance companies are acutely aware of these problems. As a result of a combination of the Affordable Care Act of 2010 and the Executive Order Advancing American Kidney Health of 2019, in addition to a change in eligibility for Medicare Advantage plans for patients with End-Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD), we now have an opportunity to partner with both CMS and private insurers to make radical changes to our care delivery models in an effort to increase support, education, and care for patients with kidney disease – and doing so will almost assuredly lower costs.

The phrase being used for these changes in care delivery is “Value-Based Care.” There are a number of healthcare companies attempting to provide some of these services via care management systems run primarily by nurses and other support staff, often remotely, and rarely in partnership with a patient’s physician. In our case, I prefer a phrase that is less catchy but more accurate: “Physician-driven, patient-centered care.” It is physician driven because nephrologists will be taking responsibility and financial risk for every facet of their patients’ care. It is patient-centered because every medical decision we make in partnership with our patients will be guided only by what is best for those individual patients. Now, I would like to think that all of us as physicians have always made decisions for patients based only

on what is best for them – but in a fee-for-service system, we must all recognize that distorted incentives exist that affect how patients are cared for.

Along with 16 other practices nationwide, our practice has partnered with Evergreen Nephrology to provide physician-driven patient-centered care to our patients in need. Over the next several years, we expect to provide these expanded services to a majority of our ESKD and advanced CKD patients. We will be doing home visits, providing mental health support services where needed, addressing transportation limitations, education and patient engagement, food insecurity, early support and education for transplant services, medication review and education, just to name a few facets of care we will provide. Using data analytics and other advancements in information technology, we will be accessing all of a patient’s available electronic health information and leveraging that access and predictive modeling to identify and intervene on the highest-risk patients to make their lives better. We will be heavily focused on disease prevention and stabilization to reduce the number of patients who are forced to start dialysis or undergo transplantation; for those who worsen despite our best efforts, we will be helping to coordinate kidney transplantation when possible – hopefully before a patient ever needs dialysis if possible. For those who are forced to start dialysis, we will be highly focused on Home Dialysis modalities which have equivalent outcomes to standard in-center dialysis, but much better quality of life scores at a lower overall cost.

It is a very exciting time in nephrology as a result of these care delivery innovations. Our programs begin for a relatively small number of patients on 1/1/23, and we hope to increase those numbers dramatically over the next several years. I feel certain that our efforts will yield better, happier, and healthier lives for our patients, and I can’t wait to see to see the results.

Thomas Watson, M.D. is Board-Certified in Nephrology and Internal Medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine. Born in Lexington, KY, he graduated magna cum laude with a degree in Chemistry from Vanderbilt University. Dr. Watson received his medical education in Atlanta at Emory University where he was president of his graduating class. He continued his training in Internal Medicine and Nephrology at New York-Presbyterian Hospital of Cornell University in New York, NY, where he was also honored to serve as assistant chief medical resident.

His interests include chronic kidney disease treatment and prevention, hypertension, electrolyte abnormalities, acute renal failure, and interventional nephrology—for which he is certified by the American Society of Diagnostic and Interventional Nephrology. He performs procedures at the Nephrology Vascular Lab. He is a member of the American Society of Nephrology, the Renal Physicians Association, and the American Society of Diagnostic and Interventional Nephrology.

Thomas H. Watson, M.D.

EDITOR’S NOTE | KYLE PARMLEY PHOTO OF THE MONTH

And just like that, we’re back into the swing of things in a new year.

January is always a strange month. There is the excitement and optimism of what a new year could bring, but so often a few weeks in, we’re back to old habits and feeling disappointed that we already lost out on our New Year’s resolutions.

But February always brings hope, at least in my eyes. Spring is on the horizon, the season in which nature roars back to life and the weather warms up once again. In sports, basketball season reaches its apex and spring athletics begin to get rolling.

This is one of my favorite months each year. There are so many good basketball teams in the area, and it’s almost time to get back on my beloved softball field.

Thank you for always reading and supporting this paper. I look forward to hearing from you if you have any great ideas for next month’s issue!

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ClayChalkville’s Tiawan Hardy Jr. (23) dunks the ball in a game against Hueytown at ClayChalkville High School on Jan. 11.

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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.

Photo by Erin Nelson.

Cindi Patsios completed a 500-mile trip across Camino de Santiago last year

Photo by Erin Nelson.

ANNIVERSARIES

HOTWORX, 106 S. Chalkville Road, is celebrating its second anniversary in Trussville this month. It’s open 24 hours a day and specializes in infrared sauna workouts.

205-767-6767, hotworx.net

Wiggins Insurance, 5971 Chalkville Mountain Lane, Suite A, is celebrating its 11th anniversary this month.

205-853-6429

The Three Earred Rabbit, 209 Main St. Suite 101, will celebrate its 14th anniversary this month.

205-655-2000, threeearredrabbit. com

If you have

Hall’s Motorsports Trussville, 6351 S. Chalkville Road, will celebrate its sixth anniversary this month. Hall’s offers a wide selection of vehicles and a service department.

205-655-0705, hallstrussville.com

Armstrong Services, a GEICO insurance agent at 1423 Gadsden Highway, is celebrating its fifth anniversary this month.

205-580-6077

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‘Bring it back as Velma’s’

By GARY LLOYD

Tammy and Royce Butler had long wanted to open a business in Trussville. They explored locations.

When nothing was working out, the couple, married since 2011, tabled the idea. Then, one day not long ago, the couple was driving along U.S. 11 and spotted a small, handwritten “For Rent” sign. It was in front of the former Velma’s bar.

“Most people probably just drove right by it and didn’t even see it,” Royce said. “It was just right place, right time, that scenario.”

The couple’s vision was clear: They would bring Velma’s back. It took off from there.

The Butlers have spent the last few months meeting with construction companies and Trussville officials and working through everything else that bringing back a Trussville staple requires.

“I think we both love our community, and the history of it,” Tammy said. “To think about bringing back something that had historical value and the value that all these people placed on it, that was just very appealing.”

Velma’s, before it closed in August 2012, operated for 74 years. It was opened in 1938 by Horace and Velma Willis, who owned the property and business until 1970. For the next few years, Sam and Annie Mae LaSalle owned the property and business. The LaSalles were the owners of the Silver

Slipper, a nightspot they opened in 1936. It was located near the present-day Interstate 59/Interstate 459 junction near U.S. Highway 11 and boasted the largest dance floor in Birmingham for many years.

Horace and Dot Simmons bought the Velma’s property and business from the LaSalles in 1974 and ran the business until the early 1980s, at which point Quinton Woodley leased the property and operated it until 1995. In 1995, Terry Simmons and Teresa Stryker took over the business. Simmons had built an oil-change business next door seven years prior. The couple ran Velma’s for 18 months and lived in the downstairs Velma’s apartment.

Stryker said the best part of running the business was “meeting new friends and making lifelong friends.”

Stryker lives in Missouri now but remains good friends with folks she met at Velma’s, which she said was the oldest bar in Alabama when she ran it. On her first day in business, she made $25 or $30. By the end of the week, she was bringing in $500 per day. Delicious secrets are hard to keep.

“That business meant a lot to me,” Stryker said. “That was one of the things Terry and I were very proud of. I’m just glad to see it coming back and that it’s going to be named Velma’s.”

Stryker sold Velma’s in 1997 to Fran Salumn, who ran it until it closed in 2012. Salumn was a New York native who moved to Alabama by herself around 1989 or 1990.

Iconic Trussville karaoke bar prepping for comeback

She loved country music and country living.

“She was tired of city life, I guess,” said her daughter, Jeanine Lattarulo.

Lattarulo, speaking from downtown Manhattan, said Salumn owned a tavern, Tollgate, in New York and ran it with her grandfather for years. When they sold it, she moved to Alabama. Lattarulo helped paint Velma’s when her mother bought it.

“It was all about the people,” Lattarulo said. “It really was. She loved it.”

Lattarulo said her mother took her riding through neighborhoods and to landmarks in Alabama. If someone had horses, she’d visit. She’d drive through the mountains after closing the bar at 2 a.m. Dangerous, perhaps?

“She’d say, ‘It’s Alabama. It’s fine,’” Lattarulo said. “She really loved Alabama. A city girl became a country girl.”

Donnie Payne, a 2004 Hewitt-Trussville High School graduate, was visiting home from Auburn in 2010 when friends suggested a trip to Velma’s. His vote had been for bowling. While at Velma’s, a former classmate, Mallory, walked in. The two hadn’t seen each other in years. Now, they’ve been married almost 12 years and have three kids.

“I owe my family to Velma’s, I guess,” he said, laughing. “It was just kind of happenstance. I’m not going to lie, I was kind of on the bowling side of the argument before we went. I’m glad I was outvoted.”

Those stories aren’t rare. Amber Clark met her husband, Chris, there in 2009 while

singing karaoke.

“I guess I’d have never met him had I never been to Velma’s,” said Clark, who worked shifts here and there for Salumn from 2009 to 2012. “It was just a great place. I met my husband there and I have a lot of good friends from there. We fought there, we cried there, we’ve been happy there. Most people experienced a lot of that walking through those doors.”

Clark remembered droves of folks coming to Velma’s to sing karaoke. The singers were good. The audience was quiet, respectful. One man, who used a wheelchair, was lifted by “loyal customers” into the building when it was not handicap accessible, so that he could sing karaoke from his table.

“You could always go in there by yourself and there’d be somebody you knew, so you would never be alone,” Clark said. “I guess that’s why everyone loved it so much.”

When Velma’s closed in August 2012, it became Parish Seafood & Oyster House and later SkyBear Confections. In 2022, the Butlers leased the property from Huynh Properties, LLC to re-open it as Velma’s. The tentative plan is to re-open Velma’s in February or March.

“It truly is about all of these people that make up Velma’s or made up what Velma’s was,” Royce said. “The iconic name that it carries in the town. It’s for all of those people. It’s not about us. We just happen to be the ones lucky enough to get in and sign a lease on the building.”

Above: A photograph of the original Velma’s Place in Trussville.

Photo courtesy of Tammy Butler.

Left: Royce and Tammy Butler, the new owners of Velma’s in Trussville, stand outside the business Jan. 3.

Photo by Erin Nelson.

Red Barn Real Estate founder celebrates 2 years in business with ‘gratitude’

DONNA O’BARR ROBINSON, RED BARN REAL ESTATE

Red Barn Real Estate is celebrating its second anniversary in 2023, and owner and founder Donna O’Barr Robinson says that she is very “happy and pleased” to see her business reach this milestone.

After all, Robinson — a real estate veteran — took a big leap of faith when she started her own agency in a unique venue: the red and white barn located at her residence in Pinson, her hometown.

The leap of faith has paid off.

Located at 5366 Clay-Palmerdale Road, Red Barn is a full-service agency, including staging services, that has grown to three agents since opening in March of 2021.

Robinson is also taking the anniversary as an opportunity to take a step back and reflect on her unique experience and the life lessons she’s learned.

“As I look back over the last two years, so many thoughts flood my mind,” Robinson says.

Her first thoughts are of her customers — the people who have made the anniversary possible.

“I want to express my gratitude to so many people who have given Red Barn the opportunity to serve their real estate needs,” Robinson says.

She also acknowledges her team of agents, who helped grow the business to where it is today.

“I am happy to lead a worksite with a talented team of real estate professionals,” she said.

Robinson and her team are definitely not new to the real estate industry, she said.

“We have over 10 years experience in buyer and seller needs,” she said.

Robinson also obtained her real estate broker license when she opened Red Barn. Her goal in becoming a broker was to offer more services to her clients and to offer greater assistance to the other agents on her team.

Robinson offers some tips to other people who might be considering starting their own small enterprises.

“Surround yourself with people — in my case, agents — who put others first because that is what it takes to have a successful business and a productive life,” she says.

Faith is also very important to Robinson. It is something she relies on despite the inevitable trials or challenges that come with starting a new business.

“Give God your life, which includes your business, and he will provide your needs,” Robinson says.

Robinson hopes that other prospective business owners will remain open to new knowledge and experience.

“No matter your age, don’t be afraid to learn something new every day,” she says.

The anniversary is also a time for Robinson to see her time with Red Barn in the context of her life and her journey as an entrepreneur.

“Being that I am a woman who opened a business ‘late in life,’ I’ve not only learned a lot but have been amazed at how receptive people are to thinking out of the box and not just going with a cookie-cutter agency.”

In addition, Robinson has a very positive, expansive philosophy about Red Barn. The agency “desires to be a real estate brokerage that doesn’t just see a client, but a person who has dreams and a vision not only for their life but their family’s life also,” she says.

Her clients appreciate the personal approach Robinson takes.

“Donna is one of the most thoughtful, caring real estate professionals with whom I’ve ever worked,” one client says. “She truly cares about her clients as people first and as customers second, and she works hard to put people in the best situation for them today and in the future. You

► CALL: 205-305-6998

► EMAIL: donna@redbarnala.com

► WEBSITE: redbarnala.com

won’t find a more generous, kind spirit in the industry.”

While Robinson is proud of what she has accomplished so far, she is still looking forward to what lies ahead.

“I am excited for the future, whatever God provides, and want to continue to impact the community,” Robinson says. “Thank you to all the people who believed in me during this journey.”

For more information about Red Barn Real Estate and its services, visit redbarnala.com, call 205-305-6998 or email donna@redbarnala.com.

COVER STORY: Trussville woman finishes 500-mile Camino de Santiago

‘I’M GOING TO DO THIS’

By GARY LLOYD

Six years ago, Cindi Patsios watched a movie.

“I’ll Push You” documented a lifelong friendship of pals Justin and Patrick traveling across Camino de Santiago in Spain for 34 days, totaling 500 miles through mountains, deserts, hills and valleys.

Oh, and Justin was in a wheelchair. Patrick pushed him. It inspired Patsios so much that she looked up everything she could about the journey.

Six months after watching that movie, a pastor friend of hers went on the journey himself, and he posted daily updates on Facebook. She was again so mesmerized by it all that she woke up each morning and immediately visited his Facebook page.

In 2022, four years after that pastor hiked the Camino de Santiago, his Memories popped up on Facebook. Patsios told her husband, Rich, “I’m going to do this.”

Those five words are simple, straightforward. They held much deeper meaning for Patsios, who is quick to say that she plays things safe, that she doesn’t take chances.

“I need to conquer my fears,” she said.

Patsios had been walking three miles per day in her Trussville neighborhood before her declaration. After she decided to conquer her fears, she doubled that output. Then she tripled it. Then she quadrupled it.

She left Trussville on Sept. 1, 2022, bound for Spain. She would be gone 51 days, until a return flight back to Alabama on Oct. 21. Her first walking day was Sept. 4, a journey that included hiking across the Pyrenees Mountains. She made it six miles that day.

It was the “emotional high of this trip and this journey,” Patsios said.

The ending point of Camino de Santiago is the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, the shrine of the apostle Saint James the Great — one of the apostles of Jesus Christ — where tradition holds that the remains of the apostle are buried.

“On this trip, you hope that maybe it’s a transformational journey and that some significant changes could take place in your life and you have deeper understanding of things,” Patsios said. “I feel like I

accomplished a lot of what I wanted to do.”

Patsios found independence on her trip. She planned everything herself. When she ran into a bump in the proverbial road, she figured it out. Like her pastor friend, she posted daily updates of her journey on Facebook for those back home, seven hours behind her. On her second day of walking, Patsios logged 33,602 steps, good for 13.02 miles.

“My body is definitely feeling the pain,” Patsios posted on Facebook. “It was another beautiful day with amazing views. The wind was blowing violently for a good bit of the walk, almost knocking me down a few times.”

On Patsios’s 10th day, she walked 15.78 miles, bringing her to 122 miles in her 10 days. She left in the dark to try to arrive to her day’s destination before it got hot.

“There has almost always been someone within my view both ahead and behind me,” Patsios posted on Facebook. “Today that was not the case, I realized that I depended on the other pilgrims for assurance that I am going the right way. If I didn’t see a marker for a while I would be concerned. One of the things I’m working on is believing in myself and being

confident in my own abilities.”

The longer the journey wore on, the stronger Patsios got. She totaled 18.03 miles on day 18. The next day, she forged ahead 16.19 more miles. More than halfway through the hike, on day 25, Patsios was feeling energized, ready.

“For the last several days I was having doubts in my mind about my ability,” Patsios published in her daily Facebook update. “I think the flat Meseta had me thinking I couldn’t handle the hills that were in my future. I had to turn up the volume in my head that said, ‘Yes, you can! You made it through the Pyrenees and through Zubiri and over lots of hills and rocks. I CAN make it and I WILL!’”

She tallied nearly 41,000 steps — 17.23 miles — on day 36, less than a week before reaching the end of her journey. The day was “a little challenging for me,” Patsios posted, but was “getting excited to reach my goal” in four days. Three days later, a cloudy day with the threat of rain, Patsios posted on Facebook about not being able to wash her clothes daily, an “obsession” that “has not always been possible.”

“I’ve learned to trust myself and my decisions more,” she posted. “Sometimes

I wonder how I have walked across Spain with only a couple of times getting misdirected but couldn’t seem to navigate the trails at Oak Mountain Park.”

On her final walking day, Patsios and Susan, her bunkmate several times over the previous week, stopped for breakfast before reaching the golden square of Santiago.

“I can’t even describe the excitement that we felt today as we began our walk and how it built as we got closer to the cathedral,” Patsios posted.

She attended the noon pilgrim’s mass at the cathedral and lit two candles, one for thanksgiving for her protection and safety during her journey, the other for everyone who prayed for her daily.

The day before she flew back home, Patsios reflected on her journey. The Camino was an analogy for life. There were sometimes flat and easy paths. Other times, the roads were rough and winding.

“I learned that I can do most anything I want to do, and I can figure things out on my own and make it work,” she said. “This is life. Things are going to go good one day, sometimes even in the same day they’ll be good, and then bad and worse and then great. That’s just how life is. Whatever happens, you’re going to get through it. Just keep taking the next step, and things generally will work out.”

When Patsios returned to Trussville, her church held a welcome home party for her. Many came, from those who wave to her from neighborhood mailboxes to friends as far away as Hoover and Holly Pond. The interest level in her experience has been high. Some, perhaps, may feel as inspired as Patsios was to fly to Spain and hike the 500 miles, too.

“I would just be blown away and happy to know that somebody else was inspired from my journey to want to do that,” she said. “I would feel just honored and just feel awesome that I had an influence to make somebody want to do something like this, because it can be something that can kind of change your life a little bit, I think. I feel like it has mine, and I can’t even totally put my finger on it all. I feel like I still have a lot more to process.”

Left: Cindi Patsios stands at the Alto del Perdón in the city of Pamplona in Spain during her 500-mile journey across the Camino de Santiago last year. Right: Cindi Patsios stands at the Cruz de Ferro, a famous spot along the Camino, where people leave rocks behind as a representation of their burdens. Photos courtesy of Cindi Patsios. Top: Stamps from the various checkpoints on Cindi Patsios’s 500-mile trip across Camino de Santiago last year. Photo by Erin Nelson.

Have a community announcement? Email Kyle Parmley at kparmley@starnesmedia.com to be considered for inclusion in an upcoming issue.

By GARY LLOYD

Arbor Week in Trussville is planned for Feb. 19-25.

The Trussville Tree Commission and the Trussville Public Library are sponsoring a Tree Talk on Thursday, Feb. 23, at 6:30 p.m. at the library. Henry Hughes, the retired vice president of education at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, will be the guest speaker.

Under the direction of Hewitt-Trussville Middle School art teacher Kristin Meriam, students are working on an art show to be displayed at the Trussville Public Library throughout Arbor Week.

The Tree Commission is planning to distribute seedlings to the community on Saturday, Feb. 25. The location was still being determined at press time. A ceremonial tree planting will also be scheduled.

To earn the Tree City USA designation from the Arbor Day Foundation, five things must happen.

First, the city must form a tree board or committee, which happened in 2021. Second, a tree ordinance must be in place, which the city approved in 2022. Third, the city is required to have a budget of $2 per capita for tree planting, pruning, maintenance, trimming and removal. Fourth, an Arbor Day or Arbor Week proclamation must be approved by the Trussville City Council. Finally, an online application for designation as a “Tree City” must be completed.

As a designated Tree City, the city would receive two road signs, a 4-foot-by-6-foot Tree City USA flag and a wall plaque from the Arbor Day Foundation. With approval, Trussville would gain access to expertise and information about grants and other programs that can help the city advance the level of its tree care.

The Trussville Tree Commission has been busy since its reorganization. Its first planting of replacement trees took place in April 2022 and included 11 total trees. The second planting of another six replacement trees occurred

in November 2022.

Trussville residents who want a replacement tree planted in front of their homes should let the Tree Commission know by submitting a request through www.trussville.org. Select these steps: “How do I,” click the “Action Center” under “Report an Issue,” select Other from the dropdown menu and complete the form. Be sure to write in the narrative section that you are requesting the planting of a replacement tree by the Trussville Tree Commission.

Members of the Tree Commission are Ralph

Mitchell, Eric Frederick, Josh Smalley and Jenna Jones. The group hopes to inventory every city tree, identify and map them and then develop a master plan for maintenance and replanting. This way, in 50 years or even a century from now, Trussville will still have an equivalent or improved tree canopy.

“So many cities and municipalities nowadays are losing their tree canopies to development and to growth and to just lack of maintenance,” Smalley said last year. “They’re not putting the investment and value on it that it needs to have. We don’t want to lose that.”

‘Who wouldn’t want to travel on a train?’

Author presents history of Birmingham Terminal Station in Trussville

By GARY LLOYD

Half an hour before a presentation at the Trussville Public Library about the history of trains in Birmingham, a train passing north through Trussville, out of Birmingham, snarled traffic.

It would be more ironic if it weren’t so predictable. That predictability, however, can represent more than the caboose of jokes about train problems in Trussville. It proves they are still running, even if they no longer carry passengers.

Marvin Clemons, the author of “Great Temple of Travel: A Pictorial History of Birmingham Terminal Station,” delivered his presentation, “Journey to the Great Temple of Travel,” in front of dozens of train-interested locals on Nov. 13. The event was co-hosted by the Trussville Historical Society.

Clemons, before he was a Banks High School graduate, started hanging around Birmingham Terminal Station when he was 14. He rode the bus from Huffman to 26th Street and First Avenue North and took photos of the railroad tracks.

“I was like a kid in a candy store,” Clemons said.

By the time he was 17, he was hired as a weekend tower operator, controlling train movements through the station. He would have stayed in that control tower forever had he not been drafted into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He left to serve his country, and when he returned to Birmingham, the Birmingham Terminal Station was gone.

In 1905, at the peak of railroad expansion into Birmingham, five railroads collaborated on the construction of a new passenger station for the fast-growing “Magic City.” Stretching three city blocks and encompassing 10 acres, the new Birmingham Terminal Station, with its 100-foot dome and twin towers, was hailed at its opening as “the great temple of travel” and the finest railway station in the New South. It opened officially April 6, 1909. At its peak during World War II, the station handled 52 scheduled passenger trains.

“Things began to get crowded,” Clemons said.

The trains included dining areas and buffets, lounge areas and sleeping cars. There were white tablecloths, heavy silver, fine china.

“Who wouldn’t want to travel on a train?” Clemons said.

The architecture of the station made it a destination not just to pass through, but to come to. The formal dining room was a

spectacle.

“It was a destination,” Clemons said. “It’s kind of like Highlands Bar and Grill is today.”

But following the war, as travelers abandoned trains for planes and automobiles, the once-majestic station began to decline. The soda fountain closed. You could no longer purchase a newspaper there. The formerly popular restaurant became a four-seat diner spot for snacks. Plaster peeled from the walls. Broken windows weren’t repaired. The dome leaked.

“The station was just literally falling apart,” Clemons said, noting that in 1967 first-class mail was moved off trains and to trucks. “That was the beginning of the end.”

The final run of the Seminole, a passenger train operated by the Illinois Central Railroad, Central of Georgia Railway and Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, was in 1968. The Silver Comet, of the Seaboard Coast Line, made its final run through Birmingham Terminal Station in January 1969. The final train passed through the station in November 1969.

“And then the wrecking ball went to work,” Clemons said.

When the large dome came down, it was heavier than officials thought, and it smashed through the floor and into the Fifth Avenue North tunnel. No one was injured.

“But the old gal had the last word,”

Clemons said. “I kind of like that. That’s poetic justice.”

Ironically, following the station’s removal, the proposed project of building

a consolidated service center for the U.S. Social Security Administration fell through, leaving nothing but a vacant lot. More than a half century later, the station’s destruction is still lamented as the greatest single loss to Birmingham’s architectural heritage.

Clemons, as his life went on, continued to explore his interest in railroads as a writer, photographer and historian. In 2007 he co-authored and self-published “Birmingham Rails — The Last Golden Era” with Lyle Key, a fellow rail fan and railroad executive. The limited edition book was awarded the George Hilton Book Award by the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society. As part of his research, Clemons collected hundreds of photographs and historical documents for the chapter on Birmingham Terminal Station, documenting the station’s 60-year history and its demolition in 1969.

Some artifacts, as well as the station’s history, were salvaged. A window and chandelier went to the Carraway-Davie House. Cast-iron lion heads attached to the station’s marquee first went to the demolition company’s yard entrance, then were auctioned to Barber Motorsports Park and Museum. When the futures of the Alabama and Lyric theaters in Birmingham were uncertain, even when the Vulcan statue was falling apart, three words became common, a rallying point to save them:

“Remember Terminal Station.”

Marvin Clemons, author of “Great Temple of Travel: A Pictorial History of Birmingham Terminal Station,” speaks during a presentation at the Trussville Public Library about the history of trains in Birmingham. Photo by Gary Lloyd.

Marvin Clemons, author of “Great Temple of Travel: A Pictorial History of Birmingham Terminal Station,” during a book signing. Photo courtesy of Marvin Clemons.

Have a schoolhouse announcement? Email Kyle Parmley at kparmley@starnesmedia.com to be considered for inclusion in an upcoming issue.

‘They’re a friend’

By GARY LLOYD

Trussville City Schools Interim Superintendent Frank Costanzo’s first visitor at a November 2022 work session had four legs.

“When I got here this morning, the first thing was there was a dog in my office,” Costanzo said. “I felt right at home.”

Costanzo called himself a “dog lover,” the owner of a chocolate Labrador. The fourlegged work session attendee was Blanche, the newest Trussville City Schools facility dog assigned to Paine Elementary School. Blanche, whose first day at Paine was Nov. 7, will turn three years old on May 5. Paine Elementary School had been on a waiting list for three years with Service Dogs of Alabama before Assistant Principal Maggie Jensen and speech teacher Amanda Hatcher attended a five-day training to meet Blanche.

“The best parts are seeing Blanche interact with the children,” Jensen said. “I have seen firsthand how she really is there for our students. Blanche has already been comforting some of our students that struggle with anxiety, a loss of a grandparent and those just having a rough day. She has helped the teachers and [administrators] when we are stressed. When Blanche is working, she is calm and supportive of the students, but when she is not working, she is all puppy just wanting to have a good time.”

The school system’s other two facility dogs are Skye at Hewitt-Trussville High School and Bullet at Hewitt-Trussville Middle School. Both came to Trussville City Schools in May 2021. Skye lives with freshman guidance counselor Laura Stalls, and Bullet makes his home with counselor Krista DeMent.

“She has fit right into the school and my family,” Stalls said. “She loves all of the students and faculty and likes hanging out in the counseling suite and sometimes in different classrooms. She has a way of finding students who need extra attention even when they haven’t given any outward signs of stress or emotion. It’s been great having a faculty dog in the counseling suite for a lot of reasons, but one of the best is that students are more comfortable talking and opening up when she is in the room. She also gives students another reason to come visit the counselors, and we love that.”

Bullet’s birthday is Feb. 18, when he will turn 6. There will be a celebration at Hewitt-Trussville Middle School.

“We are planning to do a photo booth during lunch periods for students to get their

3 facility dogs now part of Trussville City Schools

pictures made with Bullet,” DeMent said. “We did this last year and the kids absolutely loved it. Since we are such a large school, we will do a few smaller celebrations so that kids can participate. His ‘official’ birthday party will be with several of our leadership groups, where we will sing ‘Happy Birthday’ and have cupcakes. And, of course, he'll have a celebration with his fur friends at home. We love to party with the pups.”

DeMent has two other dogs at home, Shortstop and Annie. Bullet fits in well.

“We honestly cannot imagine our home without Bullet in it,” DeMent said. “He is different at home. While he is still the most well behaved of the three, he is off duty and gets to just be a normal dog. He is a great cuddler and loves to chase balls and chew on bones.”

Bullet was originally being trained as a service dog for veterans with PTSD, but

when a socializer took him to a school, how well he did with children was obvious. He comforts students who have lost loved ones by putting his head in their laps. He follows special-needs students as they blow bubbles and watches them at the Special Olympics. He was “obsessed” with a parent in his National Guard uniform, eventually lying across his boots.

“Later, we received a message from the man's wife, which stated that he has recently returned from deployment and was under a tremendous amount of stress,” DeMent said. “She was amazed that Bullet recognized this and provided such a comfort to him while at the school.”

Cahaba Elementary and Magnolia Elementary schools are now the only schools in the system without facility dogs. It seems likely that will change at some point in the future.

“I think any school that has the opportunity to have a facility dog should seize the opportunity,” Jensen said. “Watching Blanche interact with our students and seeing her interact with those that are truly having a hard time is so rewarding. Each day it reminds me why we have her. Students do not always want to talk to the adults when something is bothering them, but they enjoy opening up to Blanche knowing that the adult is still listening. Students like reading to Blanche, and Blanche loves to listen. She is there to comfort and love.”

Costanzo praised the connection between dog and human.

“What a great opportunity and addition,” he said. “You really don’t know. You see it when a dog touches someone’s life. They’re a friend. They’re there with you through thick and thin. What a great relationship.”

Bullet, a 4-year-old yellow labrador and facility dog at Hewitt-Trussville Middle School, sits beside Krista Dement, left, the school counselor at HTMS. Maggie Jensen, center, the assistant principal at Payne Elementary School, sits beside Blanche, a 2-year-old black labrador and facility dog at the elementary school. Laura Stalls, right, one of the school counselors at Hewitt-Trussville High School, sits beside Skye, a 5-year-old chocolate labrador and facility dog at HTHS, in the courtyard at Hewitt-Trussville Middle School on Dec. 8. Photo by Erin Nelson.

The new outdoor classroom at HewittTrussville High School was dedicated Oct. 31.

Photo courtesy of Trussville City Schools.

Rotary announces student of month

The Trussville Rotary Daybreak Club recently announced its Don Haisten Student of the Month for November.

Devin Kennedy is a senior at ClayChalkville High School. Devin is a former member of the Math Team and is active in his church. He is also a member of the National Honor Society. In his spare time, he enjoys anything related to technology, hardware, and software.

Devin's selection for Teacher of the

HTHS outdoor classroom ribbon cutting

Month is Mrs. Shanna Hays, his computer science teacher.

"Mrs. Hays' class allowed me to understand program code further, which will help me in my planned career,” Kennedy said.

The SOM and TOM programs are sponsored by Full Moon Bar-B-Q. Each recipient was presented a certificate and a Full Moon gift card.

– Submitted by Diane Poole.

Hewitt-Trussville High School cut the ribbon on the new outdoor classroom at Hewitt-Trussville High School on Oct. 31.

Students, teachers, Mayor Buddy Choat, Interim School Superintendent Frank Costanzo, dignitaries from the City of Trussville, Board Member and administrators from Trussville City Schools, Harrison Bishop and team from Amerex Corporation, Pastor Steve McCarty from Faith Community Church and Jay Pigford from Architecture

Works were on hand to cut the ribbon and dedicate the outdoor classroom.

The outdoor classroom sits on the beautiful banks of the Cahaba River. Trussville City Schools is very thankful to Amerex Corporation, Faith Community Fellowship Church and Architecture Works for their generous donations of time and money to complete this project for the students of Trussville.

– Submitted by Trussville City Schools.

From left: Rotary Student Services Chair Fran Aldridge, SOM Devin Kennedy and Club President Jamie Townes.

Photo courtesy of Diane Poole.

Lady Huskies looking to peak at end of season

By KYLE PARMLEY

A season never goes as smoothly as a coach hopes.

Basketball coaches plan for constant and steady progress from start to finish, but it rarely happens that way. Injuries, inconsistent play and many other factors make the road more bumpy than smooth, oftentimes.

That’s been no different for the Hewitt-Trussville High School girls basketball team this season.

The Lady Huskies dropped three games in the season’s first month, one of those to five-time defending Class 6A state champion Hazel Green and the other two the week of Thanksgiving.

Hewitt-Trussville then rattled off a few wins before dropping three straight in the middle of December, one of them to two-time defending 7A champion Hoover.

“We were hoping to play better early, but we had so many injuries that it didn’t work out the way we intended,” Hewitt-Trussville head coach Tonya Hunter said.

The AHSAA state softball tournament will be held in Oxford through 2027.

Photo by Kyle Parmley.

DeAndrea Powell had a concussion at the beginning of the season, and Mia Ada suffered a knee injury in that mid-December stretch.

What has been consistent is the production of the Lady Huskies’ top three guards: seniors Audre Benson and April Hooks and junior Jordan Hunter. They are the team’s leading scorers and are gaining chemistry by the day.

“It’s kind of funny, they’ve been young for so long and now they’re the older kids,” Tonya Hunter said. “They’re just playing with experience. Hopefully, they can keep getting better with the flow that they have.”

Hooks was recently named Birmingham Tip-Off Club’s Player of the Week, while she and Jordan Hunter have each eclipsed 1,000 career points during the season.

All three are also committed to play college basketball, with Hunter set to play at Auburn University, Hooks heading to Alabama State and Benson going to the University of Central Arkansas.

“We’ve been using the word ‘coexisting,’” Tonya Hunter said of her three talented guards. “We’re working toward all them playing their

State baseball, softball finals to remain in Oxford, Jacksonville

By KYLE PARMLEY

The Alabama High School Athletic Association will keep the state baseball and softball championships in the city of Oxford and Jacksonville State University through 2027.

Oxford’s Choccolocco Park hosted the state softball tournament for the first time in 2021 and returned in 2022. Moving the softball tournament to Oxford from Montgomery’s Lagoon Park has allowed the finals in all seven AHSAA classifications to be held at the Signature Field, a stadium designed specifically for softball.

Baseball’s state final series was forced to

move from Montgomery last spring due to a scheduling conflict. Instead, the first game of each classification’s final series was held at Choccolocco Park, with the second and third games at Jacksonville State University’s Rudy Abbott Field.

“Our experience with softball at Choccolocco Park and baseball last spring at Choccolocco Park and JSU was incredible. We had packed crowds for most of our games. Both sites provided real championship experiences and lifelong memories for our teams, schools and communities that traveled to attend,” said Alvin Briggs, AHSAA executive director.

game at the same [time].”

All three of them have done a great job of understanding there is more to the game than just scoring the basketball. They regularly fill up the stat sheet with numerous rebounds, assists and steals each game.

Huskies well represented on all-state team

By KYLE PARMLEY

Five Hewitt-Trussville High School football players were recognized as part of the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s allstate team.

Peyton Floyd, Hunter Osborne and Rickey Gibson were named to the Class 7A first team. Donovan Price and Riley Rigg were included on the second team. Tyrell Averhart was also named honorable mention.

Floyd, the junior quarterback, earned the distinction of first-team quarterback in 7A due to an outstanding season commanding the Huskies’ offense. He led 7A with 2,413 passing yards, averaging over 200 yards per game and throwing 25 touchdowns. He also rushed for 726 yards and 16 touchdowns, giving him a total of 41 scores on the year.

Osborne made the all-state team for the second straight year and recently signed with the University of Alabama after wrapping up a stellar high school career. He notched 52 tackles and seven tackles for loss.

Gibson signed with Tennessee after a strong year as well. He led the Huskies with four interceptions and broke up 13 passes. He also added 47 tackles, in addition to scoring a receiving touchdown.

“They’ve been doing a great job filling other columns on the stat line,” Hunter said.

Hunter also lauded some of the team’s unsung heroes. Lilly Gray has been a consistent defender and rebounder for the Lady Huskies, while Sara Phillips is playing well and grabbing several rebounds each game. Powell, a senior, is consistently knocking down open 3-pointers. Ashlyn Howard has given the team great minutes in the post as well.

In late December, Hewitt rolled off three straight victories in Florida to win the Hilton Sandestin Beach Blowout. If the Lady Huskies can find that level consistently, they have the potential to make a run this postseason.

“It’s very encouraging to know that they haven’t played their best basketball,” Hunter said. “We’re excited to see when that comes to existence.”

Should the Lady Huskies advance past the Class 7A, Area 6 tournament, the Northeast Regional tournament is set for mid-February. They will look to get back to the final four after being eliminated in the regional final last winter.

Price was named to the second team in one of the offensive lineman slots, since tight ends are grouped in with them. In addition to Price’s blocking prowess, he was a key part of the Hewitt passing attack. The junior has garnered some Division I offers and finished with 338 receiving yards and three touchdowns this year.

Rigg was a standout punter and kicker for Hewitt-Trussville. He punted 31 times for an average of 34.4 yards. He nailed 50-of-52 extra points and 7-of-8 field goals.

Averhart had a breakout year for the Huskies on the defensive line. He led the team with 21 TFLs and six sacks, and totaled 80 tackles.

Hewitt-Trussville’s Peyton Floyd (7) passes in the first half of the HewittTrussville at Thompson High School football matchup Sept. 30 in Alabaster.

Photo by Frank Couch.

Hewitt-Trussville’s Jordan Hunter (2) shoots a layup in a game against Spain Park on Jan. 13. Photo by Erin Nelson.

Metro South middle school football players of year named

By KYLE PARMLEY

The 2022 Metro South Players of the Year were recently announced, recognizing players across the area for standout seasons. In seventh grade, Hewitt-Trussville Middle School and coach Terry Gillespie defeated Berry in the championship game. In eighth grade, Berry Middle and coach Matt Bowden knocked off Pizitz to win the title.

Here are the players named among the best in the Metro South.

► From Berry: Seventh graders Nicolas McKissic, Wyatt Baty, J.D. Thompson and Anderson Walker; eighth graders CJ Cowley, Evan Taylor, Houston Holmes and Connor Greb.

► From Bragg: Seventh graders Urijah Casey, Mark Moody, Chauncey Goodwin and Cohen Corbell; eighth graders Jude Wright, Michael Shelly, Josh Bailey and Reece Kelly.

► From Bumpus: Seventh graders Aiden Callins, Kamryn Foster, Mario Gibbs and Paxton Weatherly; eighth graders Judson Harris, Darion Moseley, Anquan Allen and Andrew Renfroe.

► From Chelsea: Seventh graders Noah Lee, Travion Spell, Hudson Picklesimer and Riaden Sanchez; eighth graders Briston Hardy, Israel Rodriguez, Jaiden Balint and

Christian Madrid.

► From Clay-Chalkville: Seventh graders Christian Bennett Richardson, Markell Stephens, Trey Kennedy and Elijah Menyweather; eighth graders Carson Kimbrough, Josh Ivy, Tavaris Powell and Riley Cornutt.

► From Helena: Seventh graders Maddox Johnson, Brayden Jackson, Judorien Sanders and Barack Djalo; eighth graders Jacoby Studmire, Johnathan Roberto, Cole Davis and

Reid Lucas.

► From Hewitt-Trussville: Seventh graders Chris Davis, Tyler Wilson, Antonio Wynn and Braxton Wallace; eighth graders Harrison Malone, Riley O’Neill, Jayden Berry and Cason Cornwell.

► From Homewood: Seventh graders Timothy Roshell, Quincy McGhee, Reid Goldstein and Marcus McGee; eighth graders Jack Myers, Davis Lee, Bryon Long and

Landon Pettus.

► From Liberty Park: Seventh graders Braxton Hunt, Powell Curry, Clayton Cox and Nick Smith; eighth graders Zachary Laws, Charles Taaffe, Luke Stubbs and Jackson Deal.

► From Mountain Brook: Seventh graders Jack DeMedicis, Ryder McMakin, Gray Anderson and Joshua Holloway; eighth graders Luke Waldrop, Miller Crumpton, Graham Smith and Oliver Browning.

► From Oak Mountain: Seventh graders Cooper Campbell, Clayton Cherry, Eli Ervin and Keenan Wolf; eighth graders Luke Kelly, James McCallister, Baroc Willis and William Yoder.

► From Pizitz: Seventh graders Hudson Mote, Ethan Taylor, Daniel Holmes and Cooper Cherry; eighth graders Noah Boylan, Jackson Martin, Price LaMaster and Nic Williams.

► From Simmons: Seventh graders Jamal Jones, Jordon Ward, Knox Tyson and Jack Thomason; eighth graders Jovon Pulliam, Joe Johnson, Ashtyn King and Matthew Threatt.

► From Thompson: Seventh graders Boomer Larson, Maleek Billingsley, Dominic Pitts and Mehkii Billingsley; eighth graders Trent McCorvey, Kevin Davis, Cam Pritchett and Ashton Smith.

The seventh grade Metro South players of the year. Photo courtesy of Barry Stephenson.

The powerful force of nostalgia Southern Musings By Gary Lloyd

I never knew that an elderly woman frantically filling a notebook with stories and tips in black ink could take me back in time.

She knew an iconic author when she heard one speak, and the cramping in her fingers was worth it. After all, it was Rick Bragg up on that stage at the Trussville Public Library.

I hadn’t seen Bragg in person since my last year of college, but we had stayed in touch via email and an occasional phone call. He taught a sportswriting class when I was at the University of Alabama, and I learned more in that short class than any other in my life. I still have my purple JN-491 notebook, which contains graded papers, tips and printed Sports Illustrated articles.

It was in college that I learned of Bragg and his first book, “All Over but the Shoutin’.” I bought it at a Books-A-Million in Tuscaloosa and read it twice in a matter of weeks. Another professor teased me about reading it so much. It’s the greatest storytelling I’ve ever read. When I finished the epilogue, I felt as if I had lived Bragg’s story.

The elderly woman sitting on the second row in the library’s auditorium must have felt the same. Bragg spoke for an hour about his mom, older brother, dog, books he had written and, famously, a story he wrote about a chicken named Mopsy that narrowly escaped the jaws of a bobcat.

He talked about biographies he wished he could have written (Hank Williams, Nick Saban) and about a modern-day fictional book he may write.

He fielded a half dozen questions about all sorts of topics, one of which came from a former full-time journalist who now writes a monthly column. One man told Bragg that he subscribes to Southern Living magazine, and when it arrives at his home, he tears out Bragg’s column to read and keep, and tosses the rest of the publication in the trash.

“Nostalgia is the single-most powerful force in the publishing world,” Bragg said to that man, and I don’t remember how a profound response like that came after such a bizarre story. “Nostalgia is powerful. People like to remember. And even if they think they don’t like to remember, they do.”

Bragg stayed after to sign books. I waited in a line that stretched out the library’s back doors to the Cahaba River. I was anxious. Would Bragg remember me? Would I have a chance to talk for any substantial amount of time?

When it was my turn at his table, I heard, “I thought that was you.” He remembered me. He signed two books, and we talked about writing and book projects. He asked me how my current project is going, and I told him that it was overwhelming, that there’s so much material to research, so many people to interview.

Bragg told me that when a project is kicking me or throwing me off, I must react like a frog in a well. Huh?

“You have two directions to go,” he said. “Up or sideways.”

As a reader of all his words, it’s admittedly not Bragg’s best metaphor, but it made sense. Essentially, he was telling me to keep moving in any way I can, to work as hard as I can to make this book the best one I can.

“Keep dancin’,” he said.

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

Sean of the South

By Sean Dietrich

For my Valentine

We were newlyweds, living in a grungy apartment.

Each morning, I would wake before her. I would pass my morning hours writing poetry on a yellow legal pad, sipping coffee.

Mostly, I’d write the kinds of god-awful things you’d expect newlyweds to write. I’m talking painfully corny stuff. I’d leave these poems on slips of paper scattered throughout our apartment for her to find.

One such poem read:

Together, the two of us, In thought, and deed, and breath, and heart, Shall never be lacerated apart.

Gag me with number-two pencil. “Lacerated?” What kind of a dork uses that word? In fact, I’m not certain this verb works in this particular case.

LACERATE [verb: las-uh-reyt] lac·er·at·ed, lac·er·at·ing

1. to tear; mangle; rip. Example: Hey dude, that poem you wrote really freakin’ lacerated.

My wife saved all my crummy poems in a shoebox, and today they reside in a storage closet.

Anyway, when we first married, we lived in an apartment that smelled like dead squirrels. I am not being figurative. I mean our apartment actually had a nest of decomposing squirrels in the attic above our master bedroom.

The place was tiny, and about as ugly as homemade soap. The tenant before us had painted the walls black and greenish-gray. Sherwin Williams officially titled this color “Seasick Granite.”

When we moved in, we made the place our own. We painted the walls brown and khaki. We bought a used coffee table and some scented candles.

My friend, Chubbs, found an old console television on the side of the road. I was lucky enough to claim the TV before the garbage man came.

The thing was heavier than a dead preacher, but we got it up the stairs. Chubbs, however, would suffer from severe disc degenerative problems for the rest of his life.

Our building sat across the street from a Waffle House, a Chick-fil-A and an ice cream shop. And this is why we gained nearly fifty pounds within our first year of marriage.

We never went to the movies because we didn’t have the money. We ate Hamburger Helper without hamburger sometimes.

We saved our cash for a new window unit AC — our air conditioner was on the fritz. The thing would only work on days of the week beginning with “R.”

On weekends, every weekend, we ate donuts. It was our simple ritual, and I loved it. Krispy Kreme was only a stone’s throw from us, and when the hot-and-ready light would glow, by God, we were there.

Over donuts, we would talk for hours about nothing. Heavy doses of sugar can do things to the human mind. It can make a person honest.

She told me all her stories. I told her mine. You can do a lot of soul-searching over crullers.

My professional life was non-existent, I took whatever jobs I could get. I spent days crawling rooflines, swinging a hammer, or operating a commercial lawn mower. She worked as a preschool teacher at church, or in a kitchen.

For extra income, I played piano at a Baptist church on Sunday mornings, Sunday nights, Wednesday nights, Thursday night choir practices and Saturday night prayer meetings.

We learned things about each other. We learned important things.

We learned how to argue in the middle of a Winn-Dixie, and how to attend two Thanksgivings in one day. How to share a sunset, seated on the hood of a truck. How to read in bed with a flimsy battery-powered book light.

We learned how to travel together with paper maps. And after years of practice, we finally learned how to make a bed together without me getting murdered.

We learned how to hold each other when loved ones die. We learned how to sit together — me reading a magazine, her playing a crossword puzzle.

We learned how to wring our hands in hospital waiting rooms. We learned how bury dogs with a shovel and a burial sheet.

We learned how to make a life together.

A lot has changed since those days, but I still wake early in the mornings to write. I don’t use a legal pad anymore, I use a laptop.

This morning, however, I did not write. Instead, I sifted through our storage closet. I found things. An old coffee-tin sewing kit, some scented candles, love poems and the picture of a young man and his new wife in their first apartment.

In the picture, the place had ugly gray walls, but that’s the only ugly thing about this photo.

He’s holding her. She’s holding him. They are young. Their skin is smooth. I wish I could tell you how much I love these two people in the picture.

I wish you could see their faces, and their punch-drunk smiles. You can tell they belong together by looking at them. You simply know that their names should never be said apart.

It’s as though nothing bad in this life can ever touch them. As though the two of them, in thought, and deed, and breath, and heart, shall never be lacerated apart.

I suppose that word is growing on me.

Happy Valentine’s Day, Jamie.

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.

Dietrich

TRUSSVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY

Mondays and Thursdays: Yarn Manglers. Mondays 5:30-7:30 p.m., Thursdays 2-4 p.m. Knitters and crocheters, join for fellowship and creativity. Ages 18 and older.

Thursdays: 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.

Feb 1: Video Game – Free Play. 4-5:30 p.m. The first Wednesday of each month, the library will be hosting a free-play video game program. The library will provide several gaming systems and games as well as a large projector for use. Snacks and refreshments will be provided. 6th-12th grade.

Feb 6: Teen Valentine’s Cookie Decorating. 4:305:30 p.m. Join us to decorate Valentine’s cookies. All supplies will be provided. Registration required. 6th-12th grade.

Feb 7: 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. This event is open to all ages.

Feb 9: Pokémon Club. 4-5 p.m. Spend time playing

Pokémon or enjoy watching a classic Pokémon show and creating a craft. Kids are welcome to bring their own cards, but staff cannot supervise trading. Parents are welcome to join us at the end of the program to monitor their child's trading. Extra playing decks will be available for use during the program. 1st-5th grade.

Feb 13: STEAM for Kids. 5-6 p.m. Join Ms. Jan, the science lady, of Dynamic Education Adventures in the library auditorium for a hands-on application of STEAM. 1st-6th grade. Registration encouraged.

Feb 13: Books & Brews. 7:15-8:15 p.m. An evening Adult Book Club meeting in the event room at Ferus Artisan Ales. Connect with your community and share your thoughts about this month's book while enjoying delicious food and drinks. February’s title is “My Heart is a Chainsaw” by Stephen Graham Jones. Ages 18 and older.

Feb 14: T.A.B. 4-5 p.m. Teen Advisory Board is a place for local teens to get involved with their library. 8th-12th grade.

Feb 15: Preschoolers at Play. 10:30-11:30 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. Ages 2-5.

Feb 15: Adult Book Club 2023. 2-3 p.m. Book Club meets on the third Wednesday of each month. We will read a variety of selections, both fiction and nonfiction. This month’s title

is “River of the Gods: Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile” by Candice Millard. Ages 18 and older.

Feb 15: Video Game Tournament. 4-5:30 p.m. Each month we will play a different competitive game. Prizes for the victors, and refreshments for all. Registration required. 6th-12th grade.

Feb 16: Understanding Medicare. 1-2 p.m. Educational seminar about Medicare options. Your questions will be addressed by Health Benefits specialist Linda Reynolds. Ages 18 and older.

Feb 20: Chess Club. 5-6 p.m. Learn the basics, cool tricks, strategy, openings and tactics in chess from a professional chess teacher. Registration encouraged. Parents are welcome to participate with their children. K-8th grade.

Feb 21: Manga Club. 4-5 p.m. Teen Book Club for manga and anime fans. The book will change every month. 6th-12th grade.

Feb 23: Middle Grade Book Club. 5-6 p.m. Read or listen to the selected chapter of “Mr. Popper's Penguins” before the club meeting. Then join us for a special event as we discuss the book, learn some basic sign language and make a themed craft. 3rd-6th grade.

Feb 27: American Girl Club. 4-5 p.m. This month we’ll talk about Kit! Registration required. K-5th grade

| 5360 Deerfoot Parkway - Trussville, AL | DeerfootMemorialFuneralHome.com

Wisdom teeth removal? Dental implants?

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The dedicated professionals at Clark Holmes Smith Oral Facial Surgery are ready to help. Dr. Mark Clark, Dr. Jon Holmes and Dr. Blake Smith offer a wide variety of services such as dental implants, tooth extractions (including wisdom teeth), facial cosmetic surgery, corrective jaw surgery, facial injury and trauma surgery as well as cleft lip/ palate and craniofacial surgery.

They also perform frenectomies and bone grafting procedures, treat TMJ and facial pain and obstructive sleep apnea, and offer oral, head and neck pathology.

The staff is highly skilled in anesthesia and are CPR-certified to provide

► WHERE: 151 N. Chalkville Road

► CALL: 205-655-9002

► WEB: clarkholmessmith.com

patients with the best possible care in a safe and friendly setting.

With five convenient locations including a location on Chalkville Road, Clark Holmes Smith Oral Facial Surgery can serve and help patients all over the Birmingham metropolitan area.

Fentanyl Overdoses in Jefferson County

As a public health professional working in overdose prevention tasked with writing an article about fentanyl overdose, I would like to ask you to walk through a visualization exercise. I would like you to close your eyes and imagine someone you think would be at risk of an overdose. What do they look like? How old are they? How are they dressed? Where are they? What environment are they in? What type of people or things are around them? Where are you in relation to them, close by or far away?

phine. An amount as small as a few grains of table salt can cause a fatal overdose. The risk of overdose from illicitly manufactured fentanyl is growing in our community. Jefferson County fentanyl overdose deaths were up 233% between 2019 and 2021, rising from 95 to 316. In 2022, through September, we have already lost 230 individuals in Jefferson County to a fentanyl overdose. Overdose is killing our friends, family members, and neighbors full of promise and ability to make a lifetime of positive contributions to our world.

The Jefferson County Department of Health staff cares about you and your family. Our mission is for everyone in Jefferson County to live a long and healthy life. We are available to spread awareness by speaking to community groups, being present at community events, and working alongside you to reduce overdoses in your community. Our overdose prevention and response team can be reached at 205-930-1065 or naloxonetraining@jcdh.org. Let’s all work together to END OVERDOSE!

Now, I want you to wipe that image clean completely. In place of that image, I want you to imagine your grandmother suffering chronic back pain from years of hard work. She has prescribed pain medication but does not have enough to get her through an entire month and borrows pain medications from others. Imagine your teenager who is very active on a popular social media app and is approached through that app with an offer to purchase an anxiety medication. It will be conveniently delivered to their home as you order a pizza or takeout. Imagine your college student in the campus library studying for finals with friends, and someone offers them medication for attention deficit disorder to help them stay awake to study. Imagine your 25-year-old sibling, a young professional, attending a party where cocaine is available. Imagine your long-time neighbor, your favorite high school teacher, yourself, or anyone else you admire or care about instead. An accidental fentanyl overdose can happen to anyone from any community, socioeconomic status, age, race, ethnicity, religion, or gender who ingests a drug obtained outside of a pharmacy or healthcare provider’s office.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid available in prescription and illicitly manufactured forms. It is highly potent at tiny doses – fifty times more powerful than heroin and one hundred times more potent than mor-

Illicitly manufactured fentanyl is in the heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine supply in Jefferson County, and users of those substances are at high risk of a fentanyl overdose. There are even reports of fentanyl contamination of the marijuana supply. Most people do not realize that illicitly manufactured fentanyl is also in counterfeit pills that are indistinguishable from legitimate prescription medications. Today’s overdose crisis is not the overdose crisis of five years ago when overdoses mainly occurred in injection drug users. Fentanyl overdoses are now happening in unsuspecting individuals who believe they are purchasing or borrowing legitimate prescription medications. Instead, they receive counterfeit medicines contaminated with fatal doses of illicitly manufactured fentanyl.

We must raise awareness about this public health crisis. Parents should discuss overdose risks with their middle-school, high school, and college students. Every household must be familiar with naloxone (an opioid overdose reversal drug) and have it available in their home.

There is hope for those using substances and resources available to guide these conversations. Parents may find resources on the Addiction Prevention Coalition website at apcbham.org, or the DEA One Pill Can Kill website at www.dea.gov/onepill. Free naloxone and fentanyl test strips are available to anyone in the State of Alabama and may be obtained through the Jefferson County Department of Health website at www.jcdh.org/naloxone. Alabama’s 24/7 substance use helpline, answered by individuals in recovery from substance use disorder, can be reached at 1-844-3071760. Those in Birmingham and the surrounding areas can contact the Recovery Resource Center at 205-458-3377. A treatment locator can be found on the Connect Alabama app at https://mh.alabama.gov/ connect-alabama-app/ or on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website at www.findtreatment.gov.

Sexual Health Clinic Services Have Expanded

The Jefferson County Department of Health (JCDH) Specialty Clinic is excited to announce multiple expansions to our existing services. The JCDH Sexual Health Clinic now offers services at our Central Health Center (1400 6th Ave South, Birmingham AL, 35202), our Eastern Health Center (601 West Blvd Roebuck, Birmingham, AL 35233), and our Western Health Center (631 Bessemer Super Hwy., Midfield, AL 35228).

The JCDH Sexual Health Clinic has also launched self-scheduling options for our Fast Track Visits. Fast Track Visits are intended for persons who wish to have comprehensive sexual health testing if they do not currently have any symptoms of a sexually transmitted infection. The self-scheduling portal can be found at www.jcdh.org under the “Self-Scheduling” tab.

The JCDH Specialty Clinic also offers the following services: Adult Vaccinations Clinic, Hepatitis C Treatment Clinic, PrEP and PEP Clinics (for HIV prevention), and Travel Clinic.

Appointments for any of these clinics can be made by calling 205-588-5234.

The journey to mend his heart led

Qua was born with tricuspid atresia that required a series of open heart surgeries as an infant. But as a teen, his health took a dramatic turn. Qua’s pediatrician and cardiologist recognized something wasn’t right with his heart and sent him to Children’s of Alabama. Our team was standing by when he arrived by helicopter, and within two weeks he received a new heart. He rebounded quickly and was back at home a few weeks later, thanks to the expert heart team here at Children’s of Alabama.

Meet Jaquavion ‘Qua’ Johnson

CHILDREN’S OF ALABAMA

Jaquavion “Qua” Johnson was born in September 2006. As a doctor was checking on the infants in the local hospital nursery, his attention quickly turned to Qua as he was turning blue. He was stabilized then airlifted to Children’s of Alabama. Doctors there determined he had a congenital heart defect called tricuspid atresia, a surprise to mom Marquitta Rivers.

At five days old, Qua had the first of a series of openheart surgeries that are customary for this diagnosis. Tricuspid atresia happens when the heart’s tricuspid valve does not develop, therefore blood can’t flow from the heart’s right atrium (upper receiving chamber) to the right ventricle (lower pumping chamber) as it should.

He played a variety of sports throughout childhood, but when Qua reached middle school, mom Marquitta noticed her son just wasn’t himself. “He is my child, and I knew something was wrong.”

In early March 2021, a series of visits to his hometown pediatrician, emergency departments and cardiologists provided some clues. Marquitta came home one afternoon to find him crying. “Mom, I can hardly breathe,” he said. She booked an appointment with his pediatrician for the following day, but by that evening, Qua’s symptoms worsened, and Marquitta took him to an emergency department in Columbus, Georgia, a 45-minute ride from home. Qua’s bloodwork and tests indicated that he needed more than just tests. “The doctors said they didn’t understand how Qua was up and walking around. Something wasn’t right with his heart,” Marquitta said. The doctors requested that Qua be transported to Children’s of Alabama for evaluation and treatment. She went back home long enough to gather up essentials for what she thought would be a few

► WHERE: 1600 7th Ave. S., Birmingham, AL 35233

► CALL: 205-638-9100

► WEB: childrensal.org

days in Birmingham and began the three-hour drive as Qua was flown to Children’s.

His heart wasn’t pumping well. The medications weren’t helping. All that was left was a heart transplant.

Qua joined the transplant list in April 2021. While many patients wait months or even years for a new heart, Qua’s critical condition helped the team at Children’s of Alabama find a heart for him less than two weeks later.

Marquitta got updates from the transplant team over the next eight hours. By the time she saw him in recovery, he was connected to multiple IVs and machines. “He looked at me as if to ask if all was OK. He grabbed my hand and nodded his head to tell me he was OK. Then he did the same with his dad. And then he went back to sleep,” Marquitta recalled. And just one month later, Qua was discharged ready to take on life with his new, healthy heart.

“I don’t know what the good Lord has in store for him, but I know it’s something,” Marquitta said.

Qua Heart Transplant Survivor

World-class eye care for everyone

UAB CALLAHAN EYE

When you look ahead to the future, you try to prepare for the moments you don’t see coming. But how can you do that without the best possible eye care? Whether you need a routine eye exam, glaucoma screening, ongoing care for a serious eye condition or even surgery, you can access premium care, knowledge and skill to help repair and restore your vision at UAB Callahan Eye in the blink of an eye.

UAB Callahan Eye is committed to delivering eye care everyone can access. With 20 locations across central Alabama and counting — including new locations in Tuscaloosa and Homewood — getting first-rate treatment is easier than ever. UAB Callahan Eye takes pride in caring for people of all ages, with all locations specializing in diagnosing and treating our youngest family members, starting at birth.

Whatever your needs are, you’ll find the care you need at one of UAB Callahan Eye’s locations, including the only 24/7 eye emergency department of its kind in the country. What does that mean for you? Personalized care, excellent eye care professionals, shorter wait times and clearer vision.

Making an appointment is easy, just call or text 844-UABEYES to request an appointment today. Same-day appointments and walk-ins are also welcome.

Patients never have to leave UAB Callahan Eye’s care — or Alabama — for the treatment they need to see the future more clearly.

► WHERE: 1720 University Blvd.

► CALL: 844-UAB-EYES

► WEB: uabcallahaneye.org