ON TO THE NEXT LEVEL Cougars send 3 more to play college basketball. 26
Vol 3 | Issue 8 | June 2018 As Trussville As It Gets
TROUBLE MAKERS Tragic City’s junior roller derby team hits the rink. 20 GETTING BACK TO WORK Jefferson State’s Back to Work 50+ program guides career changes after 50. 16
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EDITOR’S NOTE | SYDNEY CROMWELL In my head, my dad and motorcycles have always been two sides of the same coin. He raced dirt bikes when he was young and is known to make a second loop around the parking lot to get another look at a nice motorcycle anywhere he goes. So, as a young child, of course I had a motorcycle too. You could find me on my little pink Yamaha dirt bike, head bobbling in a slightly oversized helmet as I cruised through our backyard or nearby fields. My favorite was going over “whoop-dedoos” — in reality, they were probably just little dirt mounds, but Dad always treated them like jumps on my own personal track. Usually when I would ride, Dad kept training wheels on my bike and a long rope attached to the tail so he could prevent anything catastrophic from happening. When I was roughly 6 or 7, he stopped me in the backyard to “look at something” on the back end of my bike. I wasn’t paying attention to what he was doing, focused impatiently on returning to zipping around in a circle. When he stepped away, I carried on riding like normal, not even noticing until later that he had taken off both the training wheels and the rope. Without realizing it, I was riding all on my own. Had he told me the training wheels were gone, I probably would have gotten nervous and crashed almost immediately. Instead, he knew I was ready and quietly took away the supports so that when I realized they were gone, I was already succeeding on my own. Not all of the things Dad taught me have stuck over the years — sorry Dad, I still can’t change my own oil — but that’s one of the memories I remember fondly, of my father guiding me, but letting me teach myself to be strong and brave. Happy Father’s Day.
Please Support Our Community Partners A+ Tire & Auto Repair (28) AABCO Rents (15) Alabama Allergy & Asthma Center (5) Alabama Power (31) Andrews Sports Medicine (2) Anthony McPherson, Keller Williams (5, 19) Batts’ Chimney Services (8) Bedzzz Express (3) Bonnie Hicks, RE/MAX Marketplace (7) Campaign To Elect Bill Veitch (10) Case Remodeling (14) Closets by Design (25) Enroll Alabama (26) Gaynell Hendricks – Tax Assessor (24) Groome Transportation (13) Larry Read, RealtySouth Trussville/East Office (15)
Lee Marlow, RealtySouth (10) Marco’s Pizza Trussville (1) Nothing Bundt Cakes – Summit (9) Peachtree Assisted Living [Trussville] (8) Pies and Pints (21) Planet Nutrition of Trussville (6) RealtySouth (32) Riders Harley Davidson (26) Serendipity Boutique Trussville (24) SouthPoint Bank (11) Southtown Mortgage (7) Spotless LLC (14) Sunrise Ridge Assisted Living (24) The Maids (9) Total Skin and Beauty Dermatology (16) Trussville Gas and Water (19) UAB Lung Health Center (28)
Hewitt-Trussville’s Crystal Maze (55) catches a pop up during a Class 7A, Area 7 tournament game between Gadsden City and Hewitt-Trussville on May 1 at Goldie Paine Field in Trussville. The Huskies won the game, 16-0, to advance to the area tournament championship game. Photo by Kyle Parmley.
Publishers: Dan Starnes Scott Buttram General Manager: Matthew Allen Managing Editor: Sydney Cromwell Design Editor: Kristin Williams Director of Photography: Sarah Finnegan Sports Editor: Kyle Parmley Digital Editor: Alyx Chandler Page Designer: Melanie Viering Contributing Writers: Chris Megginson Tanna Friday Leah Ingram Eagle Rick Watson Marienne Thomas Ogle Sales and Distribution: Warren Caldwell Don Harris Michelle Salem Haynes Rhonda Smith James Plunkett Eric Clements Layton Dudley Vicky Hager Heather Anthony Ethan Currier Contributing Photographer: Ron Burkett
For advertising contact: dan@starnespublishing.com Contact Information: The Cahaba Sun PO Box 530341 Birmingham, AL 35253 (205) 313-1780 dan@ starnespublishing.com
Please submit all articles, information and photos to: sydney@ starnespublishing.com P.O. Box 530341 Birmingham, AL 35253
Published by: Cahaba Sun LLC
Legals: The Cahaba Sun is published monthly. Reproduction or
use of editorial or graphic content without prior permission is prohibited. The Cahaba Sun is designed to inform the Trussville community of area school, family and community events. Information in The Cahaba Sun is gathered from sources considered reliable but the accuracy cannot be guaranteed. All articles/photos submitted become the property of The 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.
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Ferus Artisan Ales set to open in downtown district this summer By CHRIS MEGGINSON R esidents and visitors awaiting the completion of the new downtown T russville entertainment district may get a taste of one of its unique offerings as early as J uly. Ferus A rtisan A les, a craft brewery, plans to begin its operation at Morrow ve. in uly with a five-barrel -gallon brew house and add a -barrel operation by the fall. he brewery which will be inside a -s uarefoot warehouse to the left of the P inchgut P avilion, will produce clean beers pilsners I s and stouts as well as saisons and sours. P lans for Ferus also include opening a distillery for vodka gin and whiskey. here will be a -s uare-foot taproom, which will open up into a restaurant serving shareable meals such as pi as and atbreads and other casual options such as salads, sandwiches and wings. It is one of the first of many downtown businesses being developed by oby ake co-founder and former co-owner of A vondale B rewing C ompany. L ake is bringing in his former head brewer, Nate Darnell, and sales manager G aines T urpin from A vondale to serve as co-operators of erus rtisan les. he two have spent the last year and a half researching equipment and planning the new space. “ P eople in T russville have been very friendly.” Darnell said, “ I like going out and talking to people about what we’re doing. It’s been very receptive. I’m really ex cited
Ferus Artisan Ales is planning to open in uly as one o the rst parts o the downtown Trussville entertainment district. Renderings courtesy of Turner Batson.
and happy to get to know everybody out there. It’s ex citing to be able to start something from the ground up and build and design it the way I’d like. T he beer game is an ever-changing market so we re getting things done the right way from the get go.”
A t A vondale, Darnell also helped developed T he Sour R oom and created beers such as T rain Hopper P ale A le, Warning Shot Double IP A , R ainer T art Saison and many more, including a wild yeast brew called Ferus Will, part of the inspiration for the new location’s name.
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“ We let the yeast do its thing and what came out, came out,” Darnell said of the wild beer process. “ We really liked that beer, and when I started thinking about the name for the new place and wanting to do sour stuff, Ferus just stuck with us.”
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T he new brewery will incorporate the meaning of its name from the logo to new wild and sour beer creations to creating a “ naturistic feel” through the use of wild animals in its design and a living wall to decorate the facility. “ We’re trying to bring the outdoor feel indoors,”
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Darnell said. While Ferus plans to make a wild or sour beer as one of its four core brews by the end of the year, T urpin said they will likely begin with a hoppy pilsner as its agship something “ easily drinkable for the masses.” T hey will also start out with an I and stout among their first three brews this summer. “ T he people I’ve talked to, everybody is pretty ex cited about it,” T urpin said. “ B ringing the brewery and the restaurants that will come with it, I feel like it will be big for T russville. I’ve talked to a few retailers who have said, ‘ A s soon as you get product, bring it to me. We’re going to start selling from day one.’ I think everybody has been pretty happy about it.” T urpin said Ferus will be producing product immediately and ex pects to produce 1 ,5 0 0 barrels ( more than 4 5 ,0 0 0 gallons of beer in the first year and work its way up to 2 ,5 0 0 to 3 ,0 0 0 barrels in year two or three. “ With the craft brew industry and where it is going, I feel there’s a lot of upside to it. T here’s a lot of buzz about it, and I wanted to be a part of it,” said T urpin, who spent 1 2 years as a distributer before becoming a craft beer supplier. “ Not many people get to start something fresh, and it’s been a great opportunity working alongside Nate.” Darnell and T urpin hope the brewery can help start a trend of seeing others from the downtown B irmingham area open new operations outside the city. “ I hope we start to see more suburban areas start to put breweries in. It’s always nice when you can have a place right down the street,” Darnell said. For updates on development of the brewery and distillery, follow Ferus A rtisan A les at facebook.com/ ferus artisanales.
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T - Mo b i l e is now open at 5 9 2 5 T russville C rossings P arkway, Suite 1 0 9 . T he store held a ribbon cutting on A pril 1 0 with the T russville A rea C hamber of C ommerce. 6 5 5 - 2 8 5 4 , t - m o b ile .c o m
P a n d a Ex p r e s s will be building a new restaurant at 1 4 65 G adsden Highway, on the former site of Don’s C arpet O ne. p a n d a e x p r e s s .c o m
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T h e Si g n a t u r e Sa l o n , 4 1 8 M ain St., Suite 1 0 0 , opened A pril 1 7.
Me a l s By Mi s t y, 1 0 8 Watterson P arkway, opened M ay 1 . M eals B y M isty specializes in casseroles, grilled meats, soups, salads and baked goods. 5 0 8 - 5 9 9 3 , m e a l s b ym i s t y. c o m
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V i t a l i t y Ma s s a g e + He a l t h , 63 2 1 T russville C lay R oad, opened in late M arch. 5 7 7 - 0 4 3 5 , v i t a l i t ym a s s a g e a n d h e a l t h . c o m
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M ex ican restaurant L a Ca l l e , 5 9 1 5 T russville C rossing P arkway, opened A pril 2 3 . 3 8 2 -1 0 3 7
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new brewery and distillery, F e r u s A r tis a n D is tille r y a n d A le s , 2 0 1 M orrow A ve., will be opening in the Q uad O ne development in T russville this year. T he owners are Nate Darnell and G aines T urpin.
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P l a n e t Nu t r i t i o n , 72 74 G adsden Highway, Suite 1 0 8 , will have its grand opening J une 2 . T he store offers a variety of nutritional supplements and made- to- order smoothies. 5 0 8 - 3 4 7 0 , p la n e t n u t r it io n .c o m
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T h a i Ba s i l Su s h i is coming soon to 4 4 5 M ain St.
Sl a g He a p Br e w i n g Co m p a n y, 2 2 7 M ain St., will open in J une. s la g h e a p b r e w in g .c o m
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Relocations and Renovations B irmingham- based P o w e r Gr i d En g i n e e r i n g is relocating to 8 2 0 Watterson urve. T he move from its previous location on ann R oad will nearly double its space, from ,1 0 0 square feet to 6,0 0 0 square feet. 2 3 - 3 5 3 0 , p o w e r g r id e n g in e e r in g .c o m 6
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F i r s t Co m m e r c i a l Ba n k , 1 0 9 S. halkville oad has rebranded to ynovus ank. he bank has long been in the ynovus family and all ynovus banks nationwide are now under the ynovus ank name. 8 6 8 - 9 1 1 1 , s yn o v u s . c o m / l o c a l / b i r m i n g h a m - a l
Hirings and Promotions Re a l t ySo u t h T r u s s v i l l e / Ea s t , 4 2 8 M ain St., hired Ha yl e y Br i t t Ha r p e r as a new ssociate roker. 6 5 5 - 8 8 7 7 , r e a l t ys o u t h . c o m
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T r u s s v i l l e Ci g a r Co m p a n y, 1 1 2 G lenn A ve., is under new ownership and has undergone renovations. 5 0 8 - 5 2 7 7 , t r u s s v ille c ig a r .c o m
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SCA P e r f o r m a n c e , 7769 G adsden Highway, has been sold to private equity firm inderhook Industries . he company which up-fits light duty trucks will e pand with the purchase of the former C arroll T ire facility adjacent to its current location. 6 5 5 - 1 0 5 3 , s c a p e r f o r m a n c e .c o m
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T r u s s v i l l e T o - Go , a company that delivers for T russville restaurants to T russville homes and businesses, is now owned by B en and manda hort. It will reopen soon. t r u s s v ille t o g o .c o m
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News and Accomplishments R obyn Whaley — a dental assistant with T r u s s v i l l e P e d i a t r i c D e n t i s t r y, 1 2 3 N. halkville oad recently completed dental hygiene school and is now accredited by the A labama Dental Hygiene P rogram. 6 5 5 - 1 0 0 0 , t r u s s v i l l e p e d i a t r i c d e n t i s t r y. c o m
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he ritical Intensive are nit I staff of St . V i n c e n t ’ s Ea s t , 5 0 M edical ark rive . was recogni ed with the russville A rea C hamber of C ommerce’s monthly C ustomer Service A ward at its A pril luncheon. 8 3 8 - 3 0 0 0 , s t v h s .c o m /e a s t
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onna owery of F i r s t Co m m u n i t y Mo r t g a g e , 1 9 4 M ain St., was named the T russville A rea C hamber of C ommerce’s mbassador of the uarter for her first uarter of volunteer service to the chamber at its A pril luncheon. 508-5590, firstcommunitymortgage.com
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Ca h a b a Sp r i n g s P r e s b yt e r i a n Ch u r c h , eerfoot arkway welcomes the Re v . D r . J a m e s D . “ J a m i e ” Mc L e o d as its new pastor. ev. Mc eod oins ahaba prings after previously serving as pastor of First P resbyterian C hurch in A nniston. 6 5 5 - 0 4 6 0 , c a h a b a s p r in g s c h u r c h .o r g
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Sa l o n Sw a g , 1 8 3 M ain St., Suite C , is celebrating its 1 0 - year anniversary.
W e s t A v e n u e Bo u t i q u e , 4 1 0 M ain St., will be having a party on J une 3 0 to celebrate its two year anniversary. 6 5 5 - 0 5 8 7 , f a c e b o o k .c o m /w e s t a v e b o u t iq u e
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Bi r m i n g h a m In t e g r a t i v e He a l t h , 1 5 9 M ain St., is celebrating its seventh anniversary. 6 5 5 - 2 1 1 0 , b ir m in g h a m in t e g r a t iv e h e a lt h .c o m
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Elite Roofing, 71 2 9 G adsden Highway, Suite 2 0 7, is celebrating its 2 1 st anniversary. 687-7663, 236-1340, eliteroofingllc.net
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F i r s t Co m m u n i t y Mo r t g a g e , 1 9 4 M ain St., is celebrating its third anniversary. 508-5590, firstcommunitymortgage.com
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Closings Mi c e l i ’ s It a l i a n F o o d , 4 4 5 M ain St., has closed its restaurant and will now only offer catering and delivery from 5 - 7 p.m. T hursday through Sunday. f a c e b o o k . c o m / Mi c e l i s It a l i a n F o o d
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Avondale Common House owners branch out into Trussville By CHRIS MEGGINSON T russville C ommon House, an anchor restaurant for Q uad O ne in Downtown T russville on M orrow A ve., is now slated to open in A ugust 2 0 1 9 , after original plans hoped for a spring opening. T he restaurant, which prides itself on fresh, seasonal food, will be the second location for husband and wife owners William and E llen R ogers, who opened A vondale C ommon House last M ay. T he couple said they jumped at the opportunity to open in T russville when approached by project developers, as opposed to opening a second location in B irmingham. “ I think the culinary bubble and restaurant bubble in B irmingham is so saturated. If we opened another restaurant down the street, we’d pull from ourselves,” said E llen R ogers, who is the general manager. “ T russville is such a family neighborhood. We want it to be a home base for everyone in the neighborhood where you can hang out and come meet.” R ogers says they welcome people to set up their laptops to work out of the restaurant during the afternoons or to be the location for a girls’ outing. T he two- story restaurant, designed with outdoor seating on both levels, will sit closest to the new entertainment district’s lawn and stage. T he upstairs will be
Trussville Common House is planned for the Downtown Trussville Entertainment District. Rendering courtesy of Turner Batson.
available as an event space. “ We want it super casual and super family friendly,” R ogers said. “ O n a beautiful night to have a concert, you’ll be able to eat dinner and listen, it’s going to be really neat.” R ogers ex pects the menu options to be similar to vondale when the restaurant first opens, which may include favorites such as the rispy ung ao auli ower fried wings appetizers or the C ommon B urger on the regular menu and Sunday brunch favorites like
E ggs B enedict. R ogers said the menu, which in A vondale is vegan, vegetarian and glutenfree- friendly, includes fresh vegetables and fruits from local farms and markets, and all of the seafood served comes from the G ulf. While there may be some similar options in the beginning, she said, William R ogers, who is ex ecutive chef, eventually will create two separate menus for the two locations to “ stand on their own two feet.” llen ogers said they will begin staffing
the restaurant in early 2 0 1 9 to train in A vondale and move to T russville. While A vondale C ommon House has only been open a year, the R ogers are not new to the culinary scene in B irmingham. E llen R ogers bartended her way through school at O utback Steakhouse in A uburn and Fleming’s Steakhouse at the Summit. A fter earning her culinary degree, she was hired as a server at O cean R estaurant in Southside in 2 0 0 4 , where she met William R ogers, who was a line cook. B oth worked their way up at O cean — E llen R ogers to general manager and William R ogers to sous chef. A fter getting married in 2 0 1 3 , William R ogers became general manager and ex ecutive chef at Iron C ity and E llen R ogers was hired to run Sky C aste in the L akeview District before opening C ommon House together in 2 0 1 7. “ We have a level of ex pectation that’s going to be the same of the fine dining restaurants as far as service, the quality of the food and the presentation on the plate but we want it to be obviously not at that price point,” R ogers said. T o learn more about A vondale C ommon House and for updates on the T russville location, visit avondalecommonhouse.com or follow the restaurant at facebook.com/ avondalecommonhouse.
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EVENTS 2nd Saturday celebration continues June 9 By MA RIENNE T HOMA S OGL E M ake sure to mark your calendars for T russville’s Second Saturday Downtown summer events series. Sponsored by the T russville Downtown M erchants A ssociation, the series features a different theme each month through September, event coordinator M aegan R eynolds said. M ay’s event was a street fair with carnival and fair activities, she said. E ach Second Saturday begins at 1 0 a.m. and offers children’s activities and food trucks while more than 2 0 downtown merchants host different activities at their stores, she said. “ T he goal of the project is to get people out having fun while supporting local businesses,” R eynolds said. “ We have people returning month after month and ex pect around 2 ,0 0 0 to take part each Saturday.” T he T russville Second Saturday Downtown summer events series schedule is: J u n e 9 : C elebrating the A rts — spotlighting local artists including their music, theater and a variety of artwork.
11th annual Chamber golf tournament returns June 26 By MA RIENNE T HOMA S OGL E
Second Saturday Downtown will take place in downtown Trussville. Photo courtesy of Trussville Downtown Merchants Association.
J u l y 1 4 : T russville G ives B ack — different fundraising and community service projects. A u g . 1 1 : G et Down in Downtown — a block party with stage area for a variety of entertainment. Se p t . 8 : Downtown T ailgate — celebrating the start of football season. For more information, visit facebook.com/ T russvilleDowntown.
T he T russville A rea C hamber of C ommerce will continue its fundraising efforts for scholarships benefiting community students with its 1 1 th annual golf tournament J une 2 6 at P ine T ree C ountry C lub. Sponsored by R idout’s Funeral Home of T russville, the event will have an 8 a.m. shotgun start, chamber E x ecutive Director Diane P oole said. T he entry fee is $ 1 75 per person or $ 60 0 for a foursome and includes green fees, range balls, cart, lunch from M oe’s B B Q and $ 70 in pro shop credit to be spent at the participant’s discretion. T here will also be a chance to win $ 1 0 ,0 0 0 with a hole- in- one sponsored by C ourtesy B uick G M C . A ccording to P oole, proceeds from the tournament will go to the chamber’s scholarship fund as well as other chamber programs. “ O ur scholarships are for high school and home school students and are $ 1 ,0 0 0 each,” P oole said. “ In recent years, the scholarships have been renewable for up to four years
More than 100 participants are expected to take to the links June 26 for the Trussville Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual golf tournament. Photo courtesy of Trussville Area Chamber of Commerce.
with a B average or better.” Since 2 0 0 9 , the chamber has given more than $ 4 0 ,0 0 0 in scholarships and renewals with both academic achievement and community service as factors considered when the funds are awarded. A ccording to P oole, more than 1 0 0 participants are ex pected for the J une 2 6 event. “ O ur golfers return for our tournament year after year, and they just love receiving the pro shop credit, which makes our event unique,” she said. “ P lus, we just have so much fun.” T ournament entry form can be found at trussvillechamber.com.
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Trussville City Fest By J ESSE CHA MBERS In a sure sign of summer, the 3 8 th annual T russville C ity Fest was held on T he M all in historic downtown T russville on Saturday, M ay 5 . T he one- day festival, with numerous food vendors, live entertainment and other activities for kids and adults, was produced by the T russville A rea C hamber of C ommerce and sponsored by T rinity C ontractors. C ity Fest is the city’s largest annual event, according to Diane P oole, ex ecutive director of the C hamber of C ommerce. “ O ur average attendance is between 4 ,5 0 0 and 5 ,0 0 0 people, probably primarily T russville residents,” she said.
T here were about 1 0 0 tents at the event, many set up by local businesses and nonprofits some by artists and crafters. K ids could enjoy a balloon artist, a magician and face painting, as well as lots of games and rides in a large children’s area that created a carnival atmosphere. E ntertainment at the C enturyL ink Stage included a local talent show, as well as young gymnasts from A C E of T russville and the youth demonstration team from the B irmingham A cademy of M artial A rts. Nashville- based Sweet T ea T rio, a female vocal group made up of A labama natives, performed that night as the festival headliners and the event ended with a fireworks show.
Clockwise from top: Attendees near the main stage at Trussville City Fest look on as students from ACE of Trussville cheeerleading and gymnastics studio prepare to perform in downtown Trussville on May 5. The vocal group Steel City Sound entertains on the main stage at Trussville City Fest. This child seems pleased when she sees the handiwork of face-painter endy eisskop . A young attendee at Trussville City Fest takes a swing at the baseball game in the estival’s kids zone. oung attendees at Trussville City Fest get a ride on the Frog Hopper in the children’s area. Photos by Jesse Chambers.
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COMMUNITY
Participants in the 2018 Trussville YMCA Tennis Tournament. Photo courtesy of Trussville YMCA.
Rotary members at the tree planting. Photo courtesy of Trussville Rotary Daybreak Club.
Rotarians plant trees at Civitan Park When R otary International P resident Ian iseley of ustralia took office last summer he challenged otarians around the world to plant one tree for each member in their clubs. he - presidential theme is “ otary Making a ifference ” and on pril the russville otary aybreak lub did ust that. he lub planted about trees in ivitan ark in downtown russville. he trees were planted throughout the recently renovated
greenway area. he club meets at pare ime ntertainment located at oosevelt lvd. in russville at a.m. on ednesday mornings. or more information on the russville otary lub aybreak or to help with a pro ect find it on acebook russville otary aybreak lub or email iane oole at diane.poole trussvillechamber.com. – Submitted by Trussville Rotary Daybreak Club.
YMCA hosts tennis fundraiser he russville YM hosted its third annual adies ennis ournament fundraiser pril . hree levels were utili ed in pairing the teams. orty-eight area ladies participated in the event which raised more than . silent auction was held in con unction with the tennis event as well as a raf e on a large cooler of meat donated by Mariah Meats. here were items available for bidding from local business. unch was provided for players by anera read ompany. he funds raised from the tournament will benefit scholarships for local youth
who re uire financial support in order to utili e Y programs which enrich their lives. hese programs include the fterchool cademy youth summer camps youth sports swim lessons and more. he YM also offers programs that focus on healthy living for families such as cancer support groups and diabetes prevention. inners in the . division were ictoria erry and uanita aylor. inners for the . bracket were aurie itts and arbara nider. he . brackets winners were oni arris and usan randt. – Submitted by Trussville YMCA.
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C ahaba Springs C hurch welcomes new pastor By L EA H INGRA M EA GL E
Jamie and Lesley McLeod with their sons, Jameson, 11, and Seamus, 5. The family will welcome a third child in September. Photos courtesy of Jamie McLeod.
When J amie M cL eod was just 1 0 years old, his grandmother gave him some career advice. “ O ne Sunday in church, she got serious look on her face and said, ‘ I want you to do something important with your life. B e a doctor or a pastor,’” M cL eod said. M cL eod said he was a bad science student, so he took the latter path. T hat path that started all those years ago has led him to C ahaba Springs P resbyterian C hurch in T russville. he ev. r. ames Mc eod had his first unday in the pulpit on M ay 2 0 . B orn and raised in L umberton, North C arolina, M cL eod has found himself all over the map and is looking forward to settling his family in T russville. He majored in political science at C lemson University and had plans to go to law school, but during spring break of his junior year, he went on a mission trip that ultimately led him to the decision to go into ministry. “ While on a trip to R eynosa, M ex ico, I met a guy who had been living a comfortable middle- class lifestyle and had a call to leave everything behind and build houses along the U.S.- M ex ico border,” he said. “ I was so moved by that, I changed my career path.” T wo years after graduating from C lemson, M cL eod enrolled in L ouisville P resbyterian T heological
JUNE 2018 Seminary, where he would obtain two graduate degrees one in theology and one in divinity. While there, M cL eod met his wife, L esley. T he couple lived nex t door to each other for three and a half years but didn’t start dating until they both graduated. Nex t up for M cL eod was the pursuit of his doctoral degree in theology. He attended school in R ichmond for three years, but when that program ended, his thesis adviser convinced him to finish up his studies at orthwestern niversity. e was able to finish the program online and graduated with his P h.D. in theological, historical and ethical systems at G arrett- E vangelical T heology Seminary. est lains Missouri was the first stop on Mc eod s pastoring journey. While there, L esley, a therapist, had the opportunity to work for the C ayman government. T he M cL eods enjoyed the island life for more than three years before coming back to the U.S. “ It was outstanding, going from M issouri to this C aribbean island,” M cL eod said. “ It was like living in a J immy B uffett song. I was a stay- at- home dad with our first son ameson and spent most of my days on the beach while working on my doctoral degree on the side.” O nce back in the states, M cL eod worked in a temporary position at his home church in L umberton until accepting a job to pastor a church in A msterdam, New York. While there, the couple welcomed their second son, Seamus. L iving in the North wasn’t a good fit for the family. M cL eod said he could never get used to the Yankee culture, and it was a challenge the whole time
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they were there. A fter four years, they made the move back down South to A labama, where he began serving as pastor for First P resbyterian C hurch in A nniston. “ I’m much more comfortable below the M asonDix on line,” he said. While working on a committee that oversees and works with other P resbyterian churches, M cL eod offered to help C ahaba Springs look for a new pastor. A fter working with them for six months, one of the candidates backed out and that’s when his name came into the mix . “My first thought was it was going to look like I selected myself, and I didn’t want that to be the appearance, so for several days I didn’t entertain the thought,” he said. “ I was enjoying working with them, but I hadn’t imagined pastoring there.” It was on his wife’s advice that M cL eod said he decided to ex plore the possibility. He immediately resigned his committee position and became a candidate. A fter three months, he was offered the C ahaba Springs job. “ It’s been a bit of a whirlwind, but I’m really ex cited for the opportunity,” he said. “ T russville is a great town, and I am looking forward to getting to know the people in the town and church and seeing what we can do to help both.” T he M cL eods have been married 1 2 years and will welcome their third child in September. T heir sons now and will finish out the school year in A nniston before the family moves to their new home in T russville.
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McLeod graduated from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary and earned his Ph.D. rom orthwestern’s GarrettEvangelical Theology Seminary.
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Jeff State program guides career changes after 50 By SY D NEY CROMW
Tamara Payne is the director of career and job resources at Jefferson State Community College and leads the Back to Work 50+ program. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.
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For those who haven’t applied for a new job in decades, re- entering the hiring market can be a daunting ex perience. Handing out resumes at businesses door- todoor has been replaced by online application forms, among other changes, and some workers have outdated skills or aren’t sure where their e periences can land them in a new field. A t J efferson State C ommunity C ollege, the B ack to Work 5 0 + program offers not only training in job hunting and new skills, but also the reassurance that others have faced the same challenge. “ O nce you’re 5 0 and older and you think, ‘ I want to get back in the workforce or I’m trying to get another job,’ you think you’re the only one out there in this boat. A nd it’s nice to be around other people who are doing the ex act same thing,” said J efferson State success coach L ynn C hambers. B ack to Work 5 0 + is a 4 - year- old program at J efferson State funded by a grant from the A A R P Foundation. Director of C areer and J ob R esources T amara P ayne said more than 3 0 0 people have participated at the J efferson C ounty campus, in the P inson area, and at the Shelby C ounty campus, near Spain P ark
High School. T hose participants come into the program for a variety of reasons, C hambers said, including being laid off, looking for a pay raise or entering the workforce after a long absence. Some have a high school diploma or G E D, and C hambers said at least one participant had a P h.D. but wanted a career change. T here are special challenges that come with being an older job- seeker, C hambers said, including a lack of familiarity with more recent hiring practices. “ lot of times we find people that have been at a job for 2 5 years and all of a sudden
they find themselves laid off and they haven t applied for a job,” C hambers said, adding that online application forms and interviews via phone or video chat can be “ rather daunting.” T he B ack to Work 5 0 + program incorporates group and individual coaching sessions, resume and cover letter writing sessions, mock interviews with local employers, assistance in finding and prepping for ob opportunities and access to training classes. C hambers said these classes run the gamut from basic and advanced computer skills to J efferson State’s workforce training programs. hese programs include certifications and
training in everything from Microsoft ffice and welding to some assistant- and technician- level medical careers. P ayne said B ack to Work 5 0 + participants are eligible for scholarships for some of these programs. here are also benefits to the program C hambers said, that don’t come in the form of a new resume or new skill. “ lot of it is building confidence ” she said. “ You think, ‘ What can I do now? ’ It’s nice to know there’s other people in the same boat, that you can do this.” B ack to Work 5 0 + is free to participants through the A A R P Foundation grant. P ayne said J efferson State holds two introductory sessions for those interested at its J efferson and Shelby campuses each month. T hey will continue until late September or early O ctober, when the grant ex pires, P ayne said. “ When you reinvent yourself, you can do it after . It s scary but it s definitely something that can be done,” P ayne said. J efferson State C ommunity C ollege’s campuses are located at 2 60 1 C arson R oad, near P inson and C enter P oint, and 4 60 0 V alleydale R oad in Hoover. C all 8 5 5 - 8 5 0 - 2 5 2 5 or visit jeffersonstate.edu for more information about B ack to Work 5 0 + and upcoming session dates.
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College Prep U takes the stress out of college planning By T A NNA F RID A Y Former recruiter and college ministry leader J ay J ohnson has discovered a niche in the T russville community and is taking the stress out of college planning. J ohnson discovered a passion in higher education at M iles C ollege while watching students succeed. “ I fell in love with being able to recruit kids to a school,” J ohnson said. “ For me, it wasn’t about students coming to a school, but that they would be in an environment that will take care of them.” J ohnson ex plained that his conversations with students developed into personal relationships. A fter a couple of years at M iles C ollege, J ohnson realized that success in higher education required a path that was not his track. “ or financial reasons I knew it was time to go back to working in corporate A merica,” said J ohnson, adding that the demands of traveling led J ohnson to pray for another career direction. A parent told him parents would pay
the work he did with college- bound students, he said, but he wondered if parents could just make time for college planning. “ Someone gave me a different perspective. A parent told me that it wasn’t just that we had limited time to help, but we didn’t know how to help,” J ohnson said J ohnson started writing a business plan and opened C ollege P rep U in O ctober. His mission would be “ to help parents and students ease the stresses of college planning.” In situations when high school students and their parents are uncertain or anx ious about the college admission process, J ohnson and C ollege P rep U can help. J ohnson said that school counselors may oversee 3 0 0 or more students. “ It is tough to map out college plans for 3 0 0 students along with other administrative duties,” he said. “ [ It is] resulting in students fending for themselves.” C ollege P rep U helps students and their parents strategically prepare for college and learn what it takes to get accepted in the right school.
17 Jay Johnson offers college preparation and planning services through College Prep U. Photo by Tanna Friday.
“ M ost students’ decisions about going to college are emotional,” he said, but there should be much more to these decisions that involves strategic planning. C ollege visits, sitting in classrooms, talking to professors are some of those listed. “ T his provides students with view beyond a college fair,” he said. “ T here are many questions to ask when looking for a school,” he said. “ O nce we can break down these questions, students can start seeing the big picture. I want to show students
many different aspects of colleges in many different si es to find the best fit for them.” J ohnson tailors plans based on the needs of students by helping them focus on what they want to do for the ne t four or five years of their lives. T his is what college represents: the transition from teenage years to adulthood. “ We have to make sure this is the right decisions when selecting a college,” J ohnson said. C ollege P rep U is located on 4 64 3 C amp C oleman R oad in T russville.
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St. Vincent’s East to provide health care job training Above: Program Coordinator Allyson Sanders teaches a class at t. incent’s eremiah’s Hope Academy in Birmingham on May 7. Left: A student prepares to draw blood from a volunteer during lab training at Jeremiah's Hope Academy. Photos by Ron Burkett.
By CHRIS MEGGINSON certificate program to train health care workers is coming to the russville area this uly. eremiah s ope cademy an outreach ministry of t. incent s ealth ystem will e pand from its t. incent s irmingham campus to train in three areas of study at t. incent s ast medical office assistant patient care assistant and mental health technician. “ ne of the guiding principles of t. incent s is to e pand the role of the laity and to reach out into the community and to promote health care and wellness on every level. hat the hospital saw was a deficit and a need for health care workers and there s a lack of health care workers ” said ames ollis program coordinator for eremiah s ope cademy ast. he program includes weeks of full-time classes from a.m. to p.m. Monday through riday followed by two weeks of clinical work. It is designed to provide a cheaper route to national certified health care positions than the traditional community college path. t the ast campus each program is capped at eight students per term. ver the last years that the program has been offered in irmingham participants have ranged from age to from fresh out of high school to those seeking a career change. ost for the programs offered at t. incent s ast location range from to depending on the program and includes tuition books supplies and fees for the program s national certification e ams. s part of the application process which includes a non-refundable fee interested students will be interviewed to help determine which program is best for them serving in patient care as part of the nursing support staff speciali e in working with those with mental disorders or working in billing medical coding and other office roles. ollis who has taught at for two years after working as a medical assistant in t. incent s ambulatory health care network said he wishes the program had been an option for him when he was working his way through community college for the same certification. “ verything we put our students through is ust as rigorous and demanding as what I went through at a two-year
college ” ollis said. “In terms of cost in terms of education and opportunities that are available our program stands head and shoulders out there. If I d known this program e isted I wouldn t be paying off student debt right now. I would have gone through this program and gotten right into the work force. It s ama ing to me that this is an option.” ollis said the program is “geared toward finding individuals who need an e tra help. hey don t really know that this is an option because it s one of a kind.” pplicants are encouraged to apply for a scholarship to reduce their total fee. ederal funding from the orkforce Innovation and pportunity ct I ork lace evelopment ct and I ill are accepted. llyson anders program coordinator at t. incent s irmingham said the program has proven successful seeing to percent of the program s graduates pass their national certification. graduates also have the opportunity to work with an employment resource specialist to prepare resumes cover letters and send out referrals for ob placement. “ e work really hard to get our graduates placed in permanent full-time positions and we ve had some really great
things happen ” anders said. ome find work within t. incent s ealth ystems which ollis said pays a starting rate of hour for these entry-level positions without e perience. articipants in the patient care assistant program will sit for the ational ealthcareer ssociation certification e ams for certified patient care technicians assistants certified phlebotomy technician and certified technician . hose completing a mental health technician track will complete all three certifications for the patient care program and a national certified psychiatric technician by the merican ssociation of sychiatric echnicians . Medial office assistant program graduates will sit for certifications for electronic health records specialists and medical administrative assistants M . he deadline for the summer term has passed but applications will be accepted until uly for the fall term which will begin ct. . dditional courses are offered at t. incent s irmingham. or more information about eremiah s ope cademy or to apply hacademy.org or call .
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COVER STORY: Tragic City’s junior roller derby team hits the rink.
TROUBLE
MAKERS
By A L Y X CHA ND L ER
F
or T ragic C ity T rouble M aker G racie B arnhill, known in the rink as T itan, competing on a roller derby team has been four and a half years in the making. “ When I heard there was an opportunity to do a roller derby league in B irmingham that wasn’t three hours away, I was so ex cited,” said B arnhill, a ninth grader at Hewitt- T russville High chool. “It s definitely something to ust fall in love with — I already skate three to six times a week.” T ragic C ity T rouble M akers Head C oach R achel Fallin, who also goes by R oad R ach, said that unlike some of other girls who have oined irmingham s only unior roller derby team, T itan is a bit ahead of the game. M any girls are still in the process of learning to skate. “ It sounds crazy, but it’s fun to watch them fall the right way,” said Fallin, who is also a Hayden High School P E teacher. “ T hey’re little sponges, really taking it all in. I tell them they come in and train ust like adults do.” o far the unior league is made up of around 4 5 girls between 7 and 1 8 years old from the J efferson C ounty area. With the creation of the T ragic C ity T rouble M akers, irmingham oined other outheastern cities such as A tlanta, Huntsville, C hattanooga, Nashville and A thens, G eorgia, in having a unior roller derby league. Since February, the T ragic C ity T rouble M akers have practiced at 2 8 0 Skates for an hour every Wednesday night, with players learning how to start and stop, and then advancing at different paces. M any are mastering the ability to land on their knee pads and “ fall small,” Fallin said, so they don’t trip each other up. B irmingham’s adult roller derby league, T ragic C ity R ollers, started in 2 0 0 5 . Fallin said parents and girls have been asking for a unior league for years and she’s thrilled to be chosen to coach it. T ragic
C ity L eague P resident Heather M eadows, also known as C law and O rder, was the one who got the unior league going. A s of A pril, Fallin said the league has been a hit in B irmingham, and community members have been showing support by reaching out to offer the girls sponsorships. “ R oller derby is really a great sport for kids because anyone can do it. We take them even if they don’t know how to skate, [ if] they’ve never been an athlete,” Fallin said. R oller derby is not like most sports, Fallin said, where everyone grew up knowing the basics. M ost people can run and kick and know the general rules of “ traditional sports,” but in roller derby, it takes time to get the hang of the game and pick out a derby name, she said. R oller derby is a contact sport where two teams of five face each other in the rink. E ach team has four blockers, who try to keep the opposing team from scoring, and one ammer who aims to score a point by making it around the rink. P layers can use their hips and shoulders to block people from scoring but it is against official rules to be rougher than that. “ R oller derby requires a lot of passion. You can t ust kind of be there because then you’re going to get hit,” B arnhill said. “ It doesn’t come naturally for a lot of people — it doesn’t come naturally for me.” B arnhill said it has taken her a long time to get to the point where she’s comfortable on her skates, and it’s a lot of trial and error. In roller derby, it’s also important that players learn how to skate right nex t to each other without tripping before they graduate onto “ bumping each other around a little bit,” Fallin said. E ven though the T ragic C ity T rouble Makers are hoping to have their first bout with another unior league in ugust allin said they’re going to wait and see how much the girls have progressed. “It s ust one of those sports where you really, really want to be ready before you get out there and play a game because you
Maddison Danielson, 16, left, works with Gracie Barnhill, 14, right, on a roller derby technique during practice April 4 at Skates 280. Photo by Sarah Finnegan.
don t want in uries ” allin said. ne of the first things allin and assistant head coach B ethany Snow ex plained was that although roller derby is an aggressive sport, Fallin said, “ it’s not a sport where you bring your aggression to the tracks.” R ather, it s a full contact sport with rules ust like in any sport with physical contact, she said. “ P eople think that roller derby is the place where when you’re in a bad mood, you can come out and hit some girls,” Fallin said. “ T hat is not what this is. You lift each other up, and it’s very much a team sport.” O ver time, Fallin said the girls will develop trust and learn to depend on their teammates in order to be successful and win games. “ It’s a sport where we are playing offense and defense all at the same time, so we are constantly having to communicate with each other,” Fallin said. “ It’s not a sport where you can get out there and be the best all by yourself.” T eammates learn to take pride in each other, Fallin said, as well as the fact that roller derby is specifically known as being a women’s — or in this case, girl’s — sport. “ You have soccer, and then you have women’s soccer, and you have basketball and women’s basketball. Well, in roller
derby, you have roller derby and then you have men’s roller derby,” Fallin said. “ It’s one of the few sports where it’s actually like that.” B arnhill said it’s awesome to be able to play with all girls cause “ you’re showing people how rough and tough you can be while also being graceful and elegant.” ractices for the unior leagues are run the same way as they are for the adult league, Fallin said, with the team eventually scrimmaging each other. “It s ama ing and I m not ust saying this, how much they have progressed already ” allin said. “ ike the very first practice they couldn’t even stay up, they were like a baby giraffe on ice and needing to clench onto someone’s hand or a wall, and now these girls are already ust figuring it out.” C urrently, Fallin said they don’t have the specifics on how they re going to split the girls up into teams, but they will be playing girls closer to their own age, she said. In the near future, they will also be involved in the community through several charity events and with this year’s T ragic C ity C harity P artner, the M agic C ity A cceptance C enter. mail uniors tragiccityrollers.com to get involved or go to tragiccityrollers.com.
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SCHOOL HOUSE
THROWING
ACES Disc golf attracting all ages, abilities at Cahaba Elementary
By T A NNA F RID A Y C ahaba E lementary students are learning the game of disc golf during their physical education classes, with the help of an energetic teacher and a $ 1 ,0 0 0 grant program. T he P rofessional Disc G olf A ssociation ( P DG A ) awarded C ahaba E lementary School a P DG A Innovative G rant in J anuary. C ahaba coach J aime G iangrosso said the grant was used to purchase portable disc golf equipment. Disc golf is a physical education activity that can be enjoyed by students at every skill level, including special- needs students requiring adaptive physical education. L ike golf, the object of the game is to complete each hole with the fewest throws. Instead of golf clubs, players use a disc to navigate the hole. “ I was looking for new equipment to use in my classes,” G iangrosso said. “ With our school being so close to a disc golf course, I thought that this would be a new and ex citing activity for our students to learn.” G iangrosso applied for the P DG A grant after a friend shared information about it. She also discovered the E ducation Disc G olf E x perience ( E DG E ) , a school- based curriculum that reinforces classroom skills through disc golf activities. “ Disc golf equipment is very ex pensive,” said G iangrosso. “ I told them that I was applying for a grant with limited funds of $ 1 ,0 0 0 . T hey told me that they had a starter pack and could provide our school with everything we needed to start out with the budget I had.” couple months later iangrosso was notified that C ahaba E lementary won the Innovative G rant. She purchased six portable disc golf targets, 5 0 discs, curriculum and an educational DV D for students to watch during class. “ We received the equipment within a week,” she said. “ T he kids were so ex cited receive the equipment.” T hanks to the spring weather, students can now use the equipment. “ I wanted to wait to teach the new unit during warmer months, so students could immediately go outside and connect with the game,” G iangrosso said.
Cahaba Elementary students practice disc golf in the gym with their new, portable disc golf targets. Photos courtesy of Jaime Giangrosso.
G iangrosso introduced the disc golf unit mid- A pril, setting up portable targets in the gym. “ T he kids were so ex cited to use the targets and learn the game,” she said. “ T hey were able to move around the gym and throw at each target using a variety of weighted discs.” T he school is within a mile of the city of T russville disc golf course, and G iangrosso hopes that ex posing students to this game will encourage them to play on the local course. “ Some students have told me that they have already had a chance to play on the real course,” she said. “ It is a great activity for families to go out and play in our community. T he kids love it! ” During the grant application process, G iangrosso said she was asked how C ahaba E lementary School would utilize
the P DG A Innovative G rant in the community. “ In addition to the disc golf unit, we are planning an annual family fun day,” G iangrosso said. “ We’re going to invite the parents and their kids to come play with some of the equipment that we purchased.” G iangrosso hopes that students who take up the sport will invite their family and friends to ex perience the health benefits and overall fitness as a result of playing disc golf. “ I wanted to introduce and encourage students to enjoy family friendly activities that don’t require much equipment and also enjoy what’s available to our community,” G iangrosso said. For additional information on the sport of disc golf, visit pdga.com.
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Hewitt-Trussville Middle School students selected for Alabama All-State Choir
HTHS Debate Team members. Photo courtesy of Trussville City Schools.
HTHS Debate Team members rank in top 10 in Birmingham
Twelve Hewitt-Trussville Middle School choral students were recently selected to participate in the Alabama All-State Choir at Samford University. Students selected are: Ella Cobb, Bailey Dodson, Katherine Glass, Kaitlyn Hardy, Madison Hutchens, Sierra Jackson, Breanna Johnson, Abby Jordan, Hannah Oliver, Katie Thach, Ginny Waid and Jessica Walters. The All-State Choir is a fabulous experience for middle school students. Photo courtesy of Trussville City Schools.
C ongratulations to the following HT HS Debaters, who ranked as T op 10 Speakers in the overall B irmingham A rea Debate L eague: avyn arico first imberly horter fifth eagan mith seventh niyah rown eighth C ongratulations to the 2 0 1 7- 1 8 HT HS ebate eam for finishing out the year as
second place ebate eam in the overall B A DL : irby rnold andice elcher ai everly niyah rown avyn arico etti ornelius ristian rskine Ian riffin en amin arvey alen Mc lpin achel iley shley hepherd imberly horter eagan mith mma hunell and irsten alls. – Submitted by Trussville City Sc hool s.
DEADLINE IS AUGUST 4 Winners will be announced in our September issue. Category 1: Any summer fun photo Category 2: A summer fun photo displaying a copy of Cahaba Sun wherever you are To enter: Email high resolution photos in .JPG format* and captions including location, names of anyone pictured and photo credit to kwilliams@starnespublishing.com. *Four photos allowed per person.
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Student wins district art award
HTH student Mya Alston’s artwork Hope was selected out of 250 entries as a local winner for District 4A, juried by the Birmingham Museum of Art. Mya is headed to the state BOE for judging on the state level. Photo courtesy of Trussville City Schools.
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HTHS students participate in State Superintendent Art Show
Hewitt-Trussville High School students Sara Callahan and Hunter Rausch were awarded a recognition for their recent participation in the State Superintendent Art Show. Photo courtesy of Trussville City Schools.
Hewitt-Trussville Chick-fil-A Leader Academy students finish impact project
The HTH students’ Chick- l-A eader Academy Impact Project was a success. TC thanks Chick- l-A Trussville or sponsoring this program and to Chick- l-A eader Academy or awarding a 1,000 grant to fund it. Chick- l-A promotes service leadership in young people and HTHS students lead the way. Photo courtesy of Trussville City Schools.
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HTHS 2018-19 Highsteppers selected
The following Hewitt-Trussville High School students were selected to be part of the Highsteppers next school year: Elyse Box, Amelia Brewster, Libby Christopher, Sara Tandy Christopher, Emily Crawford, Sara Crawford, Hayley Eads, Lizzy Ezell, Ava Graffo, Phoebe Greene, Mahari Pearson, Danielle Reese, Kylan Robertson, Brookelyn Rush, Bella Sahagun, Morgan Sellers, Claire Stack, Emma Toves, Nicole Vaughn, MaKenzie Ward and Meagan Zielke. Photo courtesy of Trussville City Schools. The HewittTrussville Huskies placed second overall in Division 1 at the Crank Down in Tiger Town mountain bike race in Auburn in March. Photo courtesy of Trussville City Schools.
Huskies place 2nd in Auburn mountain bike race T he Hewitt- T russville Huskies placed second overall in Division 1 at the C rank Down in T iger T own mountain bike race in uburn in March behind first by a slim margin of only points. he tight technical course was challenging, but several of riders placed in the top out of nearly high school riders. V ar s i t y Boys – r ac i n g 15.3 m ile s : randon eir took first and won by more than minute and seconds. e continues to hold the eader s ersey. JV Boys – r ac i n g 1 1.5 m ile s : ustin icks placed third. e currently holds the eader s ersey. oah igg placed fourth
yan ayant placed eighth h mo or e Boys – r ac i n g 7. m ile s : ndrew Mason placed seventh on Mc nnally placed eighth rylan omers placed ninth F r e s h m an Boys – r ac i n g 7. m ile s : uke urtis placed second am ovin placed third rayson avis placed ninth ominic nderson placed th JV gi r l s – r ac i n g 7. m ile s : Ma inley aynes placed seventh Sop h om or e Gi r l s – r ac i n g 7. m ile s : acie rittain placed third I y aley placed eighth – Submitted by Trussville City Sc hool s. Sop
3 Trussville USC teams were finalists in the Vestavia Invitational
The Blaze 06/07 team is shown after reaching the nals o the estavia Invitational Tournament. Photo courtesy of Trussville United Soccer Club.
hree russville nited occer lub teams were finalists in the estavia Invitational on eb. . “I want to thank estavia ills occer C lub for putting on a great tournament,” said ay ammond director of coaching. “ o our ire ed la e and la e teams ob well done. russville nited is e tremely e cited of your hard and uality play.” he la e la e and ire ed teams advanced to the finals of the tournament. – Submitted by Trussville U n ited Soc c er Club.
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SPORTS Cougars send 3 more to play college basketball By K Y L E P A RML EY Nick Howard, C aleb T oney and B randon Harper each graduated from C lay- C halkville High School this spring, ready to take on the nex t chapter of their academic and athletic careers. T he trio was afforded the opportunity to play college basketball, something that only four players in the previous two decades of school history had been able to achieve. Howard is heading to Wallace State C ommunity C ollege in Hanceville, T oney is going to play at Huntingdon C ollege in M ontgomery and Harper will travel down to L urleen B . Wallace C ommunity C ollege in A ndalusia. pecifically oward and oney were honored at a signing ceremony A pril 20 in the C lay- C halkville gym, with ext ended family, coaches and friends looking on. T oney’s story is one of hard work and
determination to catch the eye of college coaches. “ C aleb is one of those kids that if you would’ve told me four years ago was going to play college ball, I would probably have not believed you,” C lay- C halkville head coach J eremy M onceaux said. “ B ut because of his commitment to doing things the right way, working hard and buying in, he was approached with a few opportunities and handled them the right way.” oney does not possess a ashy skillset or elite measurables, but the passion he plays with and the ability to do a variety of things on the court make him an attractive prospect. Howard played just one season at C layC halkville. A s a homeschool student living in the school’s zone, Howard decided to play with the C ougars for his senior campaign. “ e could ve chosen to finish up his senior year and do the homeschool thing, but he thought enough of us to finish his career with
ClayChalkville's Caleb Toney in a game against Grissom on Nov. 7. Toney signed with Huntingdon College in Montgomery. Photo by Kyle Parmley.
us, which says a lot about him and a lot about what we’re doing here,” M onceaux s aid. Howard possesses an elite 3- point stroke and has shown signs of being able to make plays off the dribble as well. M onceaux added, “ For him to be able to reach that goal is amazing for him and his family, but it’s also just another ex ample of when you have the right attitude, you’re a character person and you work hard and do things the right way, you can reach your potential and you can reach the goals you put in place.”
With the three players signing this spring, M onceaux’ s program has now sent six players to play college basketball in his four years as head coach. Hasan A bdullah ( Navy) , E dward L eggett ( Wallace State) and J alen J ordan ( Snead State) have also moved on to the next level in recent years. “ In an environment of high school sports where creating opportunities for young men is as important as winning games, for us to be able to have six guys in four years, it’s ex citing for us and hopefully we can continue that,” M onceaux s aid.
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CAHABA SUN
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Huskies drive home successful season By K Y L E P A RML EY T he Hewitt- T russville High School boys golf team recently completed a successful season, as the Huskies advanced to the C lass 7A North Sub- State ournament and finished third May at imberline G olf C lub. than acker ualified for the state tournament by shooting a 72 at sub- state. T he week before, the Huskies won the 7A , Section 4 tournament, edging Huntsville by four strokes. rom the girls team atelyn McIntyre advanced to the sub-state tournament by firing an at the section tournament. he also shot at sub-state.
Clockwise rom above Hewitt-Trussville’s awson Atkinson tees o during the Class 7A orth ub- tate Tournament on May 7 at Timberline Gol Club in Calera. ogan McCracken hits a shot rom the sand bunker. Christopher dwards tees o . than Hacker chips onto the green. Photos by Sarah Finnegan.
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OPINION My South By Rick Watson
The importance of friendships M y wife J ilda and I have pictures on our fridge. T he photos are of three friends we’ve lost in the past year. T hey each held a special place in our hearts. I noticed the pictures recently as I filled a glass of ice from the icemaker. e put the pictures there to remind us the importance of friends in our lives. It’s hard to understand the importance of true friends when we are younger. L ife is just beginning, and we invest our time and energy finding our way. e have friends but often don t have the wisdom to appreciate them. I focused much of my youth on making money building a home and buying things. ometimes I took my friends for granted. hile material things are important they are just that: things. M any friends appear when you least e pect them and before long you can t imagine life without them. It s the e perience of navigating life with people you can count on that forms the rich relationships that are hard to describe with words. ur friend ouis illiams is one friend who appeared at low tide in our lives. J ilda was undergoing monthly treatments at an
infusion center. hanging on his wall T he big green and listening to faux leather reclintheir stories. ers looked sad in I wrote about the fluorescent L ouis a while glow of the treatback when his ment room. I went health began to with her to each fail him. hen appointment. or in the summer of hours, I sat beside last year, he went her while medicine into hospice. E ach as thick as syrup week ilda and I dripped through drove to town to Watson tubes at a snail’s visit with him. t pace. T he chairs first he seemed fine around the room were filled with and talked about going home in the others receiving treatments. It was days ahead. not a happy place — until L ouis ut his caregiver nephew walked clicked in on his cane. us out one day after a visit and told e d been coming to the treatus that L ouis would not be going ment room for years and he never back home. e did not have to tell met a stranger. e brought a little us. he ne t few times we visited non-artificial light into the space he was unresponsive. and into the lives of those gathered hen we visited ouis last May there. he was sitting up in bed sipping tea ilda ouis and I became instant and crunching the ice between his friends. he is uick to say that teeth. He had half a dozen friends the best part of those three years around him and he was holding was befriending L ouis. He’s spent court. It wasn’t until later that we hanksgiving with us a few times. realized that was L ouis’ way of e also became the star of our saying goodbye. annual fish fry at our house. e he last time ilda and I drove to invited us into his home for lunch. irmingham for a visit we sat for a e spent most of the time walking while and held a one- sided converaround and looking at the pictures sation. T hen we said our goodbyes.
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I remember the following day like it was yesterday a routine unday for us. e read two papers as we sipped coffee and listened to cello music on the stereo. fter our morning walk ilda decided to cut a watermelon we d bought the day before. e called our great- nephew J ordan, who loves watermelon. s ilda cut the melon I sat at the table and observed. I felt the phone bu in my pocket. ulling it out I saw that I had a new email. T ouching the screen, there was message from ouis friend ames. T he note said that L ouis had died. I waited until the kids had watermelon and went back home before telling ilda the news. ears filled her eyes and she said “I knew it would be today. I m not sure how I knew but I did.” while back when ouis was stronger ilda talked to him every day. B efore hanging up, she always said “I love you ouis.” e responded “I love you more.” e still miss our friend. Ric k W atson is a c olumn ist an d auth or. H is latest book, “ L if e G oes O n , ” is available on amaz on . c om. E mail h im at ric k@ ric k w atson -w riter.c om.
JUNE 2018
CAHABA SUN
CAHABASUN.COM
Trussville
Real Estate Listings
7835 Windsong Drive
MLS #
Zip
Address
Status
Price
816265
35173
7835 Windsong Drive
New
$379,900
816404
35173
7513 Breane Drive
New
$195,000
816367
35173
5036 Kelley Drive
New
$249,900
816355
35173
3640 Cedar Creek Circle
New
$206,000
816032
35173
121 Pamela Drive
New
$210,000
815963
35173
7593 Paine Drive
New
$327,500
815835
35173
6474 Winslow Drive
New
$319,400
815812
35173
7630 Cottonridge Road
New
$795,000
815789
35173
2800 Ridge Parkway
New
$239,900
815770
35173
3732 Lookout Drive
New
$254,900
816026
35173
5702 Cooper Road
New
$210,900
815676
35173
6268 Kestral View Road
New
$255,000
815665
35173
7608 Azalea Circle
New
$219,000
815644
35173
4312 Cahaba Bend
New
$337,000
815593
35173
6200 Wynwood Landing
New
$1,090,000
815832
35173
6471 Winslow Drive
New
$319,400
815504
35173
6536 Deerfoot Crossing Road
New
$530,000
815470
35173
274 Dawns Way
New
$299,900
815368
35173
80 Shadow Cove Lane
New
$219,900
815316
35173
1330 Annie Lee Road
New
$147,500
815137
35173
401 Roper Drive
New
$235,000
813925
35173
26 Waterford Place
New
$299,900
815131
35173
5848 Carrington Lane
New
$299,900
815764
35173
1200 Hickory Valley Road
New
$249,900
815570
35173
7005 Shady Oaks Lane
New
$359,900
815116
35173
3541 Still Oaks Drive
New
$253,000
815068
35173
7610 Taylor Shop Road
New
$449,900
815830
35173
6482 Winslow Drive
New
$306,440
814920
35173
6768 Rivercrest Drive
New
$489,900
814865
35173
631 Mermont Drive
New
$269,900
814811
35173
6434 Trussville Clay Road
New
$269,900
814893
35173
7130 Roundstone Drive
New
$257,500
814944
35173
112 Pamela Drive
New
$200,000
814708
35173
2727 Grand Oak Trail
New
$415,000
814704
35173
6201 Mountain Court
New
$225,000
Real estate listings provided by the Birmingham Association of Realtors on May 11. Visit birminghamrealtors.com.
5702 Cooper Road
26 Waterford Place
112 Pamela Drive
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JUNE 2018
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CAHABASUN.COM
CALENDAR TRUSSVILLE EVENTS Wednesdays: Group Total Conditioning. 9:30-10 a.m. St. Vincent’s Trussville. Participants can get an amazing intense workout in a small group setting (maximum is 8-10 people) to help encourage each other to work as hard as you can. This is a great way to help tone your body as well as getting direction and instruction for what workouts are best for you. No registration necessary. The cost is $25 a month or a $7 drop-in fee. May 30-June 2: CrossKids Kids Camp. Crosspoint Church. June 2: Gigantic Community Yard Sale. 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Holy Infant of Prague Catholic Church. The St. Vincent De Paul Society will be sponsoring a Gigantic Community Yard Sale. We will organize and advertise a huge yard sale. Cost to participate is $20. Email holyinfantyardsale@gmail.com for more information or to reserve a spot. June 4: Youth Basketball Summer League games begin. Trussville Athletic Center. June 4-8: Culinary Boot Camp: A Cooking Academy for Teens. 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Come learn basic knife skills and cooking techniques, including sautéing, roasting, grilling and braising. You’ll have the opportunity to train under an experienced chef — all while making new friends and enjoying delicious foods. The cost is $225 per teen, includes an apron. For more information, call 408-6550 or download the informational flyer and application from onenineteen.com. June 4-7 and 18-21: Rocket Tennis Camp. 9-10 a.m. Trussville Racquet Club, 4601 Riverbend Road. Open to ages 7-12 to learn about forehands, backhands, keeping score and tennis etiquette. $29 per player. There are 12 spots per clinic. Contact Donna Fox at dfox@trussville.org or 508-5666. June 4: Be at Your Best. 10 a.m. Trussville Public Library Auditorium. Registration will immediately follow in the Children’s Department. June 5: Tweens and Teens – ASO. 6 p.m. Trussville Public Library Auditorium. June 7: Children’s Tomfoolery. 10-11 a.m. Trussville Public Library Auditorium. June 7: Quite a Catch Tween Workshop. 2-3 p.m. Trussville Public Library Auditorium. Open to rising grades 4-6. June 8 and 22: Musical Friday. 3 p.m. Trussville Public Library. Teens can bring their instruments and play together with Stan Sheridan. June 9: Downtown Trussville Celebrates the Arts. 10 a.m. Organized by the Trussville Downtown Merchants Association, this event includes a classic car show and food trucks. Presenting sponsors are Brik Realty and Trussville Gas & Water. June 9: Iron Giant Orchestra. 2 p.m. Trussville Public Library Auditorium.
June 10: Argo Food Bank Collection. Cahaba Springs Church. June 10: Hewitt-Trussville Student Athlete Foundation meeting. 3 p.m. Husky Room at the Stadium. June 11-15: Thyme to Cook for Kids. 8 a.m. to noon or 1-5 p.m. St. Vincent’s Trussville. Savor the South – take a tour around Southern USA, exploring similarities and differences of the cuisine of Sweet Home Alabama and our neighboring states. Ages 7-9 (6-year-olds, first grade completed, or at discretion of camp director). For more information, call 408-6550 or visit onenineteen. com. June 11-14: Fine Arts Camp. 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. First Baptist Church of Trussville Conservatory. Open to students who have completed grades 1-5. Classes include art, drums, guitar, violin, singing and movement and piano, as well as recreation, lunch and chapel time. The camp ends with an evening program for students to show off what they learned. $140 per student. fbctconservatory.org. June 11-15: FUGE Camp. Crosspoint Church student ministry will attend FUGE Camp at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee. $320 per person. For more information, visit fugecamps.com. June 11-15: Amped VBS. 9 a.m. to noon. Clearbranch United Methodist Church. Open to children grades 3K-5. For more information, visit clearbranch.org. June 11: Miss Kit’s Bubble School. 10-11 a.m. Trussville Public Library Auditorium. June 11: Miss Kit’s Bubble Workshop for Teens. 2-3 p.m. Trussville Public Library Auditorium. June 11: Board of Education meeting. 4:30 p.m. work session; 6 p.m. meeting. Trussville City Schools offices. June 11: Planning and Zoning meeting. 6 p.m. City Hall. June 12: City Council. 6 p.m. City Hall. June 12: Ukulele Club. 6 p.m. Trussville Public Library. June 12-July 26: Pre-Team Swim Team. 6:30-7:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday. Trussville City Pool. Participants will learn more about the different strokes, starts and turns. Participant must be able to swim a lap of the pool on their own. Register by June 20 at the Trussville Civic Center or trussvilleparks.org. June 14: Hula Hoop Fitness. 10-11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Trussville Public Library Auditorium. Open to ages 6-10, registration required. June 14: Teen Poi Workshop and Exercise Program. 2 p.m. Trussville Public Library Auditorium. June 15: Ukulele Intro. 3 p.m. Trussville Public Library. Bring your instrument and play with Stan Sheridan. June 18-22: Thyme to Cook for Kids. 8 a.m. to noon or 1-5 p.m. Savor the South – take a tour around Southern USA, exploring similarities and differences of the cuisine of Sweet Home Alabama and our neighboring states. Ages 10-12. For more infor-
mation, call 408-6550 or visit onenineteen.com. June 18-21: Princess Dance Camp. 9 a.m. to noon daily. First Baptist Church of Trussville Conservatory. Come dressed in comfortable clothing or as your favorite princess to learn more about dance in a Christian environment (No formal dance attire is required). $70 per child. fbctconservatory.org. June 19: Comprehensive Diabetes Education. 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. St. Vincent’s Trussville. If you have diabetes or prediabetes, this seminar is a must. A physician’s referral is required. Pre-assessments are given preceding the class time. Call 939-7248 to register. June 19: Mr. Bond’s Science Guys. Noon to 1 p.m. Trussville Public Library Auditorium. “Making Waves: The Sounds of Science.” Grades 4-6. June 19: HTHS PTO meeting. 12:30 p.m. June 19: Lipsey Switch. 6:30-8 p.m. Trussville Public Library Auditorium. June 21: Animal Adventures. 10-11 a.m. Trussville Public Library Auditorium. June 21: 6th Day Creatures. 2 p.m. Trussville Public Library Auditorium. June 22-23: Student Leadership Team meeting. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. HTHS band rooms and lecture hall. June 23: Teen Writing Workshop. 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Trussville Public Library. Author Verna Gates will work with writers in grades 6-8 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and grades 9-12 from noon to 3:30 p.m. June 24: Trussville Ecumenical Assistive Ministry (TEAM) Food Drive. Cahaba Springs Church. June 25: Dr. Magical Balloons. 10-11 a.m. Trussville Public Library Auditorium. June 26: Chamber of Commerce Annual Golf Tournament. 8 a.m. shotgun scramble start. Pine Tree Country Club. The tournament is hosted by Trussville Area Chamber of Commerce. $175 per player or $600 per foursome. Entry fee includes green fee, cart, range balls, lunch by Moe’s Original Bar-B-Que and giveaways. Every golfer will receive $70 to spend in the pro shop. Chance to win $10,000 for a hole-in-one sponsored by Courtesy Buick GMC. trussvillechamber.com/chamber-events/golf-tournament. June 26: Gutsy the Flying Fox. 10-11 a.m. Trussville Public Library Auditorium. June 26: Crazy Like a Fox Stunt Show. 2 p.m. Trussville Public Library Auditorium. June 26: City Council. 6 p.m. City Hall. June 27: Wellness Screenings. 8-9:30 a.m. and 3:304:30 p.m. St. Vincent’s Trussville. To stay abreast of your numbers, cholesterol, blood glucose, blood pressure, BMI and waist circumference screenings will be held by appointment. Results and interpretation in 15 minutes with a simple finger stick. The cost is $20. Call 408-6550 to register.
JUNE 2018 June 27: Thyme to Cook for Kids! 10 a.m. to noon. St. Vincent’s Trussville. Learn skills and make friends as we cook up a fun and delicious Mexican Fiesta themed meal. The cost is $15 per child. Parents and siblings can enjoy lunch at noon with advanced registration for $5 each. To register, call 408-6550 by noon on June 25. Ages 6-12. June 29: Musical Friday. 3 p.m. Trussville Public Library. Teens can bring their instruments and play together with Stan Sheridan. June 30-July 7: Peru mission trip. Clearbranch United Methodist Church. Visit the church’s Missions Corner for more information.
AREA EVENTS June 1-3: USGA U.S. Women’s Open. Play begins at 8 a.m. daily. Shoal Creek. Visit usga.org. June 1-3: “The Importance of Being Earnest.” South City Theatre, Pelham. 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. Visit southcitytheatre.com. June 1-30: The Birmingham Ghost Walk Spring Tours. 7:30 p.m. nightly. Tickets $20 adults, $10 children. Visit bhamhistory.com. June 3: Southeastern Outings Wildflower Walks.
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The Hillside Glade or the Bibb County Glades. Depart at noon from McDonald’s Galleria. For information, contact Joe Myers at 9880741 for the Hillside Glade walk or David Shepherd 240-4681 for the Bibb County Glades walk. June 3-4: Gem, Mineral, Fossil & Jewelry Show. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tannehill State Park. Showcasing gems, minerals, fossils and jewelry. Admission $3-$5, children 5 and younger are free. Visit lapidaryclub.wordpress.com.
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alabamatheatre.com. June 14-16: 39th annual National Sacred Harp Singing Convention. Fultondale Friendship Hall. Starts at 9:30 a.m. daily. Visit home.olemiss.edu/~mudws/pix/Sacred Harp2018Small.jpg. June 16: SliceFest. Slice Pizza and Brew. 1-11 p.m. Admission $25-$35, children 12 and younger are free. Visit slicefest.com.
June 4-11: Lights, Camera, Action! 4:30 and 7 p.m. The Kevin Wayne Acting Studio. Shelby County Arts Council Gallery, Columbiana.
June 16-17: Tannehill Trade Days. 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park. Featuring over 350 vendors. Tickets $5 adults, $4 seniors, $3 children 6 and older.
June 8-10: Magic City Con. Hyatt Regency – The Wynfrey Hotel. Noon to 8 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Tickets $15 children, $35 adults. Visit magiccitycon.com.
June 22: Summer Film Series: “The Wiz.” 7 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Tickets $9, children 2 and younger are free. Visit alabamatheatre.com.
June 8: Summer Film Series: “Superman.” 7 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Tickets $9, ages 2 and younger are free. Visit alabamatheatre.com. June 8-July 1: “Beauty and the Beast.” Presented by Red Mountain Theatre Company at Dorothy Jemison Theater. Tickets start at $25. Visit redmountaintheatre.org. June 9: GMOs in Grandmother’s Garden. 10:30 a.m. Sloss Furnaces. Talk with horticulturalist Sallie Lee. Visit bhistorical.org. June 10: Summer Film Series: “Funny Girl.” 7 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Tickets $9, children 2 and younger are free. Visit
June 23-24: Family Camp Out Night. Railroad Park. Visit railroadpark.org. June 24: Summer Film Series: “The Wizard of Oz.” 2 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Tickets $9, children 2 and younger are free. Visit alabamatheatre.com. June 29: Summer Film Series: “The Sandlot.” 7 p.m. Alabama Theatre. Tickets $9, children 2 and younger are free. Visit alabamatheatre.com. June 30-July 1: Great Southern Gun & Knife Show. BJCC Exhibition Hall. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Tickets $12 ages 12 and older, $2 ages 6-11. Visit greatsoutherngunshow.com.
P re- Sort Standard U.S. P ostage P A ID T upelo, M S P ermit #54