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VOLUME 10 | ISSUE 7 | APRIL 2022
HOOVER’S COMMUNITY NEWS SOURCE
Best of the Best
Hoover City Schools teachers, students bestowed Finley Awards and Milken Awards for exceptional character and performance.
JUMPING RIGHT IN
See page A8
Hoover Happenings
Erin Colbaugh, the new director of the Hoover Parks and Recreation Department, sways on the jungle gym at Hoover Central Park. Photo by Erin Nelson.
New parks director Erin Colbaugh brings familiarity to job By JON ANDERSON
Events are ramping up this month, including Household Hazardous Waste Day and Celebrate Hoover Day.
See page B4
INSIDE Sponsors........... A4 News....................A6 Schoolhouse..... A8 Business........... A12 Community...... A17
Sports.............. A20 Events.................B4 Spring Home & Garden...........B8
E
rin Colbaugh has been managing events for the city of Hoover for 16 years, and now she’s tackling a new challenge. In February, she became the new director of the Hoover Parks and Recreation Department, replacing Craig Moss upon his retirement. Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato said Moss did a great job in his 16-plus years as parks and recreation director, and he feels Colbaugh will
Now she will oversee a department with about 75 people in it, including part-time employees. Brocato said Colbaugh’s work experience prior to joining the city of Hoover fits very well with the parks and recreation job. Colbaugh said she knew early in her life she wanted to pursue a career that involved athletics, even when she was at Danville High School in Danville, Kentucky. She served as a football, baseball and
See COLBAUGH | page A27
Wayne Richardson, Hoover’s longest serving principal, retires By JON ANDERSON
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slide easily into her new role. “She’s familiar with everything going on in parks and recreation, so she’ll be able to jump in it without too high of a learning curve,” Brocato said. Colbaugh has an incredible work ethic and a great ability to work with everyone, Brocato said, noting that she has already worked with the employees she now will manage. As events manager, Colbaugh had one assistant working with her, but her job involved a lot of coordination with most city departments.
The Hoover school system is saying goodbye to its longest-serving principal as Deer Valley Elementary Principal Wayne Richardson steps into retirement. Richardson’s last day was scheduled for March 31, capping off a 34-year career in education, all in Hoover City Schools.
He is the only principal Deer Valley Elementary School has had since it opened in 2001, and faculty members said they are going to miss him greatly. “He is the most awesome principal,” said Anna Gray Koch, who has taught fifth grade at Deer Valley for five years. Koch was in the first grade at Deer Valley when the school
See PRINCIPAL | page A26
Wayne Richardson describes a photo of himself to Anna Gray Koch and Olivia Hoffman, fifth grade teachers at Deer Valley Elementary, during his retirement party March 8 at the school. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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A2 • April 2022
Hoover Sun
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April 2022 • A3
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A4 • April 2022
Hoover Sun
About Us Editor’s Note By Jon Anderson Spring has finally arrived, and I couldn’t be happier about it. Sure, we may still have another late cold spell, but the average date of the last spring freeze in Birmingham is March 25, according to the National Weather Service. And I am so ready for the warmer weather to arrive. In this issue of the Hoover Sun, we share details of several spring events that will give you a chance to get outdoors and enjoy the warmer temperatures. Aldridge Gardens is having its annual spring plant sale April 28-30, featuring close to 1,000 plants. While you’re there, take a stroll around the trails in the beautiful gardens. If you’re a runner or walker, you have a chance April 9 to enjoy a spring trek at Veterans Park to raise money to help send kids with diabetes to a summer camp designed especially for them. It’s the Diabetes Walk for
Camp Seale-Harris put on by Southeastern Diabetes Education Services. There’s another run the same day in Bluff Park: the High Country 5K put on by Shades Crest Baptist Church. A week later is the Judy Merritt Memorial 5K and Eggstravaganza put on by Jefferson State Community College at Veterans Park. All proceeds
from the run go toward scholarships for Jeff State students, and after the race there will be numerous activities, including an Easter egg hunt with more than 10,000 eggs. The Hoover City Schools Foundation is holding its annual Denim & Dining fundraiser outside at Aldridge Gardens on April 29, and the city of Hoover’s annual Celebrate Hoover Day is the next day at Veterans Park. And if you’re ready to do some spring cleaning, the city’s Household Hazardous Waste Day is April 16 at the Hoover Public Safety Center. Details about all of these can be found in the events section that starts on page B4. Hope you have a great spring season!
PHOTO OF THE MONTH
Hoover’s Allie Sanderson (8) moves to keep the ball away from Oak Mountain’s Kierson McDonald (17) during an area game March 4 at Hoover High School. Photo by Erin Nelson.
Sun Publisher: Dan Starnes Managing Editor: Nick Patterson Community Editors: Jon Anderson Jesse Chambers Leah Ingram Eagle Neal Embry Sports Editor: Kyle Parmley Community Reporter: Eric Taunton Design Editor: Melanie Viering Photo Editor: Erin Nelson Designers: Kristin Williams Ted Perry
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Sun is designed to inform the Hoover community of area school, family and community events. Information in Hoover Sun is gathered from sources considered reliable but the accuracy cannot be guaranteed. All articles/photos submitted become the property of Hoover 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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April 2022 • A5
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A6 • April 2022
Hoover Sun
City
Council annexes 15 acres off US 280 By JON ANDERSON The Hoover City Council on March 7 voted to annex about 15 acres along U.S. 280 across from the Walmart Supercenter near Alabama 119. The council already on Feb. 22 agreed to prezone the land to make way for 120 townhomes and three commercial buildings totaling about 25,000 square feet. The property in the past has been zoned as a general business district in unincorporated Shelby County. It includes a pawn shop, which is slated to be torn down to make way for two restaurants and a 12,600-square-foot commercial building, said Signature Homes President Jonathan Belcher, who is working with Terra Equities on the project. Just south of the 4.5 acres of commercial space to be developed by Terra Equities, a little further away from U.S. 280, would be the 11 acres for the 120 townhomes, according to plans submitted to the city of Hoover. To the west is an AT&T building and self-storage facility, and to the east are several homes, including mobile homes, along Lyndon Drive. Belcher said the residential portion of the development is expected to be a $40 million project. He is proposing two-bedroom or three-bedroom townhomes with roughly 1,600 square feet of space each and likely priced in the high $200,000s. He plans to pattern the development after the Edenton Lofts that Signature Homes developed in 2010 off Cahaba Beach Road. None of the townhomes would have garages, but there would be 225 parking spaces for residents, Belcher said. That is a higher ratio of parking spaces per townhome than Signature Homes has in Edenton Lofts, and there have been no issues with inadequate parking there. Based on past experience, Belcher said he
The Hoover City Council on March 7 annexed 15 acres already pre-zoned for three commercial buildings and 120 townhomes (in white in the middle on the south side of U.S. 280, directly across from the Walmart Supercenter). Map courtesy of Signature Homes.
would expect one out of every 10 townhomes to include a child for the Hoover school system. The Hoover school system has greater capacity for handling more children on the east side of the city. The commercial portion of the development, to be handled by Terra Equities, is expected to be a $10.3 million project and include 190 parking spaces for the two restaurants and third commercial building, Belcher said. In other business March 7, the Hoover City Council: ► Approved an agreement with Jefferson County whereby the county will pay $90,000 to the city of Hoover to help fund relocating sewer lines along Alabama 150 to allow for the construction of a right-turn lane onto Whisperwood Drive, between Shades Crest Road and
Ross Bridge Parkway. ► Agreed to pay Riders Harley-Davidson $98,201 for four 2022 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide police motorcycles. ► Gave Shell Hwy 280 at 5408 U.S. 280 permission to sell beer and table wine for consumption off the premises. ► Reappointed John Baird to the Hoover Personnel Review Board for a term that will last until Feb. 28, 2025. ► Agreed to hire Municipal and Commercial Uniforms to provide apparel and accessories for the Hoover Police Department. ► Appointed seven people Damian Gilbert, Regis Ramos, Robin Gregory, Bryan Pate, James Robinson, Kristi Driver and Ken Cox Jr. — to the newly created Hoover Downtown
Redevelopment Authority and five people — Robert Holman, Heather Harvill, Jeff Pomeroy, Scott Underwood and Beth Kornegay — to the newly created Hoover Commercial Development Authority. ► Congratulated Hoover fire Division Chief Duane Prater for graduating from the U.S. Fire Administration National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program, a four-year training program. ► Congratulated Hoover CFO/Treasurer Tina Bolt for recently being appointed as vice president of the Alabama Women Leading Government Conference. ► Heard a proclamation from Mayor Frank Brocato declaring March 6-12 as Women in Construction Week.
Diana S. Knight, CPA, CVA Jeff W. Maze, CPA, MA Jason Lybrand, CPA, MBA
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April 2022 • A7
Mayor’s Minute
Alabama’s #1 Source for Gold and Silver
By Frank V. Brocato One of the things I love strong, they are always seekmost about our city is the willing new members. I’d love you ingness of our citizens to help to consider being a part of the one another — to give of their Hoover Service Club and contime, talent and treasure when tinuing the legacy of making a difference in the Hoover a need arises. I believe we truly show community. On April 14, the Hoover what it means to be a good Service Club will have its neighbor. But not only is that the spirit of our residents, it’s annual membership coffee event. You can find more also the mission of a wonderful organization in our city: the information about the organiHoover Service Club. zation by going to its website, In 1975, Hoover resident hooverserviceclub.com. You Flora Mae Pike joined with can also find them on FaceFrank V. Brocato book, Instagram and LinkedIn. 10 other women to form the Hoover Service Club with one sole purpose in Also this month, the city will host two of its mind: to help others. biggest events of the year. On April 2, we will Today, the organization does that in hold Household Hazardous Waste Day. Just a many ways, including donating to dozens of reminder: this event is now at the Public Safety churches and nonprofits such as the Autism Center on Valleydale Road. On April 30, I hope Society of Alabama, Three Hots and a Cot, and to see you at Celebrate Hoover Day, which is at the Bluff Park Food Pantry. They also raise Veterans Park. This is always a fun-filled event thousands of dollars every year in scholarships for young and old alike and a way to highlight for Hoover City Schools high school students, all that makes us a great city. and the Hearts and Harmony fundraiser is their signature event — one I look forward to every year. Even though the organization is 130 women
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National Computer Forensics Institute expands in Hoover By JON ANDERSON The National Computer Forensics Institute is expanding its space at the Hoover Public Safety Center in order to train more law enforcement officers from across the country. The facility will also provide training for prosecutors and judges on cyber crime trends and investigative methods. For many years, it has operated with five classrooms but recently added a sixth one and now is in the process of adding a seventh classroom, said Beau Brown, deputy director of the institute. The facility opened in 2008 and for many years operated on a budget of about $4 million, which enabled it to train about 100 people a year, said Ben Bass, the U.S. Secret Service special agent in charge who leads the institute. Due to the program’s success, Congress has boosted the budget significantly, raising it to $34.3 million last year and $42.9 million this year, Bass told the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce on March 17. With the increased budget, the institute was able to train 3,718 state and local officials last year, plus another 410 federal agents and members of the National Guard, Bass said. The new classroom and office space currently being added will enable the facility to train about 5,500 people a year, Brown said. Before this institute was created, local and state officers usually had to send cyber crime
evidence to the Secret Service for examination, which created long delays, Bass said. This institute, a partnership between the Secret Service, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Alabama Office of Prosecution Services, Alabama District Attorneys Association and city of Hoover, provides training and equipment for officers across the country so they can examine the evidence themselves, he said. Since 2008, more than 18,000 people have been trained, 68% of them within the past five years, Bass said. The number of digital evidence exams conducted by officers trained at the facility has risen from 40,000 in 2017 to 121,000 last year, he said. About 24% of last year’s exams involved crimes against children, while 21% were for violent crimes, 16% were related to deaths and 14% were for drug investigations, Bass said. His goal is to keep growing the budget so more people can be trained on how to use digital technology to solve crimes, he said. “It needs to be $420 million at least,” he said, but his shorter-term goal is to get a $100 million budget. Hoover and Shelby County have been great partners in making this expansion possible, Bass and Brown said. The city and county also benefit from the millions of dollars being poured into hotel stays, restaurants and other spending while people are in town. The classes range from five days to five weeks, Bass said.
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The National Computer Forensics Institute is at the Hoover Public Safety Center and in 2021 trained 3,718 law enforcement officers, prosecutors and judges about cyber crimes, as well as 410 federal agents and members of the National Guard. Photo by Jon Anderson.
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A8 • April 2022
Hoover Sun
Schoolhouse Have a schoolhouse announcement? Email Jon Anderson at janderson@starnesmedia.com to be considered for inclusion in an upcoming issue.
Turney, Rothman, Kukoyi given 2022 Finley Awards By JON ANDERSON Two years ago, Riverchase Elementary School Principal Alice Turney arrived at school to learn that a student in her school and the student’s family were found sleeping in their car during a night when temperatures dropped below freezing. Turney spent the morning reaching out to her contacts in the school system and community and by lunchtime had gotten the family a guaranteed place to stay for a month while they got back on their feet, said Lucas Dorion, a former PTO president at the school. She also found churches that would provide food and businesses to provide services the family needed, Dorion said. “Alice Turney is the perfect model for what it means to stand in the gap for those who are in need,” Dorion wrote in a letter nominating her for the Finley Award for outstanding character. Turney was this year’s recipient of the Finley Award, among all the employees in Hoover City Schools. She and two seniors from Hoover and Spain Park high schools were to be honored at a banquet at the Finley Center on March 24, along with grade level winners from each Hoover school. Mark Edwards, chairman of the Finley Committee, said Turney is a fantastic example of the type of outstanding character displayed by former Berry High School coach Bob Finley, who died in 1994 and was greatly loved in the community. Each year, the Finley Committee gives out its top character awards to one faculty member in the school system and one senior at each high school. The Finley Award is given to people who set high standards for themselves, assume responsibility where appropriate, exhibit quiet leadership, encourage others, demonstrate an outstanding work ethic, have genuine concern for others, show respect for others, have a humble manner, are honest and set a positive example for their peers. This year’s overall winner from Spain Park High is Audrey Rothman, while the winner from Hoover High is Rotimi Kukoyi.
Finley Committee Chairman Mark Edwards speaks about Riverchase Elementary School Principal Alice Turney as she is recognized as the Hoover City Schools faculty winner of the 2022 Finley Award for outstanding character. Photo by Erin Nelson.
ALICE TURNEY
Turney’s effort to help the family that lost their home is just one of many examples people cited that demonstrate her genuine care for other people. Judy Gordon, a secretary at Riverchase, said in a nomination letter that Turney works with local organizations to provide financial assistance for students who can’t afford to pay for field trips and doesn’t think twice to take food to families who have lost their homes to a fire or go with faculty members to the hospital during emergencies until a family member can join them. Third grade teacher Stephanie Brown wrote in a letter that she has watched Turney quietly raise money to make sure children don’t go without gifts at Christmas, and she always has extra snacks, pillows and blankets in her office in case children need them. Turney never expects anything in return for her generosity, Brown wrote. “She did it all because she loves our students. They are her family.” Gordon wrote that “if there is a family in need, she does not hesitate to do whatever is within her power to help right their ship again.” Turney also always makes time for students or parents when they need to talk or vent, Gordon said. “Alice treats everyone with calm assuredness that is sometimes frightening,” Gordon wrote. “The world could be collapsing with everyone in hysterics, and she would be just as calm as a cucumber giving directions and guidance while consoling the frantic ones. The woman is amazing!” It’s not uncommon to see Turney in the lunchroom helping a student open a food wrapper or clean up a spill, in the hall calling kids by name and giving them compliments and
Spain Park High School senior Audrey Rothman receives congratulations from classmates after being named winner of the school’s Finley Award for outstanding character. Photo by Jon Anderson.
encouragement, Brown wrote. “Walk by her office, and you are likely to see her sitting at her desk working while holding a child in her lap because they didn’t get enough sleep the night before or they are just having a bad day,” Brown wrote. “Dr. Turney is quick to find the bright spot in a student and finds ways to encourage and support them, especially on the bad days. She gets the best from them because they know that they are loved.” Turney makes Riverchase Elementary more like a family than a school, and her servant approach to leadership, natural giftedness and drive for excellence have helped make it one of Hoover’s top performing schools, Dorion said. “The reason people love our school, think of it as home and work tirelessly for the school’s success is because of the compassion and kindness that is woven into the DNA of our school culture,” he wrote. “These qualities begin with Alice Turney, and they are evident in every layer of leadership.” Turney said she was overwhelmed by
receiving the Finley Award because she knows there are so many deserving people in the Hoover school system. “ I just want to thank you for inspiring me to be better every day,” she told her students and faculty when the award was announced. “Y’all mean so much to me.”
AUDREY ROTHMAN
Moments after the Spain Park volleyball team lost the state title game in 2020, star player Audrey Rothman went to her coach Kellye Bowen and declared, “I am going to win this for you next year,” Bowen said. Rothman kept her promise and helped lead the Jags to their first state title in 2021. It’s that kind of determination and ability to bounce back from setbacks that helped Rothman be chosen as Spain Park’s winner of the 2022 Finley Award for outstanding character. She was chosen from among 22 students nominated from the 374 seniors in the Class of 2022.
Bowen said in a recommendation letter for Rothman that her determination and perseverance weren’t the only reasons Rothman was worthy of the Finley Award. Rothman holds every attribute a coach could want in an athlete, Bowen said. “She is an outstanding young lady who possesses a strong moral character and a desire to succeed not only academically but in her career,” Bowen wrote. “She is loyal, loving, hard-working, determined, disciplined, fair, honest and above all else a great role model to her peers.” No one is perfect, but Rothman strives for perfection, and while she knows mistakes will happen, she makes a conscious effort to correct those mistakes, Bowen said. Though Rothman is a two-time All-American and was the 2021 Gatorade Player of the Year for Alabama and has a 4.28 GPA, she remains a humble person who constantly gives recognition to others instead of taking the credit herself, Spain Park social studies teacher Jill Wallace said in a nomination letter. Joe Carter, another social studies teacher, said that, while Rothman has earned the respect of her teammates and classmates, she has never demonstrated the need to “fit in.” “She has been raised by her parents with the understanding there is right, there is wrong and there are definite gray areas,” Carter wrote. “The most unique thing about Audrey is that stays out of the gray. She knows that, given her status in school, there will always been people out there looking for the chink in her armor. I’m very glad to tell you, there are no chinks!” English teacher Angela Petix said Rothman’s sweet spirit, kindness and integrity make her a fitting candidate for the Finley Award. “I am so proud of all that she has accomplished, and I know that she will continue to be a bright light, making the world a better place, no matter where life takes her after Spain Park,” Petix wrote. Rothman serves as a Spain Park ambassador and peer helper. She coaches a fifth grade girls volleyball team at the YMCA, works on the Serve Team at Church of the Highlands and has volunteered at King’s Home and with Habitat for Humanity.
HooverSun.com
April 2022 • A9
Rotimi Kukoyi shakes hands with his uncle, Bolaji Kukoyi, after being recognized as the Hoover High student winner of the 2022 Finley Award for outstanding character. Photo by Erin Nelson.
Rothman said the idea that other people see her as a kind person is the biggest compliment in the world to her. “I work on that every single day, and I pray that I can be a help to other people and bring a smile to their faces,” she said. “Every person nominated deserves this award just as much if not more than myself. I’m thankful to be compared to such an amazing person.” Rothman said that her Christian faith is a big part of her life and she feels blessed to just have another breath and hopes to use that breath to speak life into others.
ROTIMI KUKOYI
Kukoyi was one of 36 seniors at Hoover High nominated for the Finley Award this year out of nearly 700 seniors in the Class of 2022. Kukoyi was recognized in particular for
having not only superior academic excellence, but also humility, empathy, impeccable leadership, resilience and integrity. Though he scored a 36 on the ACT college entrance exam — the highest possible score — and regularly makes grades of 100 or above, Kukoyi remains humble and works to assist other students in achieving success, nominators wrote. While the Finley Award is not a popularity contest, Kukoyi is well liked and respected by both faculty and his peers, nominators said. “He is an intellectual marvel with a willingness to step aside in order to let others shine, qualities that are a testament to his ability, optimism and selflessness,” college and career specialist Cindy Bond wrote in a nomination letter. “He has a seriousness of purpose that is quickly evident upon knowing him. He is an
exceptional student and person; he is driven and has the courage to explore new ideas that are rarely seen in a young adult.” During his freshman year in high school, Kukoyi appeared as a contestant in the Jeopardy! Teen Tournament and had the opportunity to meet host Alex Trebek. When Trebek died of pancreatic cancer in November 2020, Rotimi grieved Trebek’s loss but turned his grief into action. Kathryn Evans, a former staff partner with the Alabama affiliate of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, said Kukoyi reached out to her and asked how he could get involved in the fight against pancreatic cancer. “It is not common to have youth wanting to take on such roles and be so closely involved in our work,” Evans wrote in a nomination letter. Her organization created a new position of
youth ambassador for Kukoyi, and he went to work. He started a pancreatic cancer support club at Hoover High and reached out to other schools in the area to invite other youth to get involved as well. The club at Hoover High held two spirit nights at restaurants and raised $1,600 and planned an outreach program to bring joy to patients facing pancreatic cancer during the holiday season, Evans said. “Working with Rotimi was a wonderful experience,” Evans wrote. “He is a great communicator, prompt, respectful and always looking to collaborate. … His leadership and dedicated maturity will be an asset to his future endeavors.” Parker Wade, an English teacher at Hoover High, said it’s not uncommon for seniors to lose the eagerness or motivation they once had at school, but that is not the case for Kukoyi. “If I ever ask for assistance, he is the first one to volunteer,” Wade wrote. “He leads by example and models the type of behavior and involvement that we expect of all our students. … He has absolutely blown me away with his character, integrity, maturity and commitment.” After scoring the 36 on the ACT, Kukoyi organized a schoolwide effort for older students who did well on the ACT to help younger students prepare for standardized tests, Bond said. “The impact of this initiative has already been seen in the scores returned for our current juniors’ PSAT results this year,” Bond said. Kukoyi is a captain on the varsity soccer team, serves on the executive council of the Hoover Ambassadors, is a senior representative in the Student Government Association and has volunteered with the Church of the Highlands’ summer program for kids. He is still weighing his college options but wants to become a doctor and address equity in the healthcare field, he said. Kukoyi said he was very excited to receive the Finley Award. He moved to Hoover from South Carolina in the eighth grade, and when he was touring Bumpus Middle School, one of the first things he noticed was the list of Finley Award winners on the wall, he said. “It’s a very big honor, and I’m grateful the community has chosen me to represent Coach Finley’s legacy.”
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Hoover Sun
Rocky Ridge teacher wins $25,000 Milken Award By JON ANDERSON Rocky Ridge Elementary School fourth grade teacher Kaitlin McPeake was named a recipient of the Milken Educator Award last month, a national award recognizing excellence in teaching that often is considered the equivalent of an Oscar award for movies. A representative from the Milken Family Foundation joined state education Superintendent Eric Mackey and a host of Hoover officials and past Milken Award winners from Alabama to honor McPeake in an assembly with her entire school. “I’m just overwhelmed and floored by this. It kind of took my breath away,” McPeake said after receiving the award, which comes with a $25,000 prize. “I work with so many amazing educators, and I know there are amazing educators in this state and in this city.” All the teachers work so hard and often don’t get a lot of recognition for it, so “to be able to be the face of education for our school and for our district — to have that honor and recognition, that just means the world,” McPeake said. McPeake, who was the Hoover school system’s Elementary Teacher of the Year for the 2019-20 school year, has been teaching for nine years, and is currently in her fifth year at Rocky Ridge. Rocky Ridge Principal Dil Uswatte, a Milken Educator Award recipient in 2009 when she was a teacher at Berry Middle School, said McPeake is an incredible teacher who is inspiring to so many people, including her students, fellow teachers and other staff. “She just brings that positive energy that makes you want to be a better teacher and a better person, quite frankly,” Uswatte said. McPeake is known for using a hands-on approach to teaching that brings education to life for her students. She started an Electrical Engineering Academy that includes multiple stations where students tackle real-life electrical problems with guidance from parents and other community members with engineering and STEM backgrounds.
Rocky Ridge Elementary School fourth grade teacher Kaitlin McPeake with her homeroom students after receiving the Milken Educator Award during an assembly at her school March 4. Photo by Jon Anderson.
Her students participate in a “Shark Tank” project, where they research, design and present products that are judged by people in the community, and she has a “Glow-ometry Day'' in which black lights and glow sticks bring an added dimension to geometry problems. McPeake uses costumes, creative props and other tools to engage her students and immerse them in high-energy environments so they can learn better, and her students are required to collaborate, critique their own work and redesign solutions to problems. She created a morning math club for grades 3-5, leading almost 100 students through math challenges before school, and has been instrumental in setting up Girls Engaged in Math and Science teams at each grade level in her school. She meets with students to set learning goals, provides multiple pathways to meet their targets and works hard to connect and build meaningful
relationships with each child, Uswatte said. She facilitates professional development for teachers at her school and other schools and every Monday sends an inspirational message to the entire Rocky Ridge staff to motivate them for the week. McPeake, who struggled when she was a young student, said she uses the negative classroom experiences she had as a child to motivate her to reach every single student. “Every day a student comes into my room, I take every moment with them to make a difference in their life and hopefully instill things so they can make a difference in others’ lives,” she said. Since 1987, The Milken Family Foundation has given out $70 million in cash awards to individuals and a total of more than $140 million in funding to the awards initiative, which includes professional development
opportunities throughout award recipients’ careers. This year, the Milken Foundation is giving out more than 60 Milken Educator Awards nationally, which is double the normal amount because the COVID-19 pandemic put a hold on the effort last year, said Jane Foley, a senior vice president with the foundation. McPeake is the fifth educator associated with Hoover City Schools who has received the Milken Educator Award. Others who received it while working in Hoover schools include Assistant Superintendent Ron Dodson (who received it while at Hoover High School in 1998), Uswatte (in 2009) and Vinnie Chiaramonte (who received it while working at Bumpus Middle School in 2017). Suzanne Culbreth, a former Hoover teacher who has retired, won the Milken in 1999 while at Opelika High School.
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Hoover Sun
Business Hoover Fitness refocuses with renovation project By JON ANDERSON When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Jason Cerniglia’s Hoover Fitness business in Bluff Park lost 60% of its clientele. “It was a major hit to me and our business,” Cerniglia said. “COVID was pretty brutal on us the whole time. People didn’t feel comfortable going to the gym.” But now, Cerniglia thinks the worst is behind him, and he’s rebuilding, refocusing and rebranding. Cerniglia sold his 9,000-square-foot building between Shades Mountain Plaza and Bluff Park Village to an investment group and now will be leasing about one-third of it. He determined he didn’t need all the space and equipment he had and is downsizing and refocusing to his strengths. Cerniglia has been in fitness and training for 27 years. In the early 2000s, he started a personal training business and in 2007 opened his facility on Clearbook Road. In 2011, he started group training programs and now is taking the business more in the direction of personal and group training, versus relying on having a membership-based gym, he said. He’ll still offer memberships, and members will have access to his gym 24 hours a day, but he is focusing more on the personalized training programs, he said. Cerniglia temporarily moved out of the old building while the new owners renovate the space and is currently operating out of the former Dale Serrano dance studio across the street in Shades Mountain Plaza. He originally hoped to be back in his former building by April or May but said it may be summer before the new space is ready. When he reopens in the newly renovated space, he’ll have almost all new equipment, which includes weight machines, free weights,
Jason Cerniglia, left, leads a group training class at HF Elite Fitness & Training in Bluff Park. Participants shown in the class include, from left, Ginger Owen, Kaleb Jowers and Jason Jowers. Photo by Jon Anderson.
combo machines, squat racks and benches. About half of the space will be an open area for training. Cerniglia is also changing the name of the business from Hoover Fitness to HF Elite Fitness & Training. His signature training program is called Elite Burn and includes a personalized workout plan designed to burn fat and strengthen muscle, a personalized cardio plan, one-on-one nutrition guidance and a 30-day accountability tracker. Cerniglia said what makes his business stand out is how he tailors the workout programs specific to individuals and their goals. People also can take part in group programs with a trainer, one-on-one instruction with a trainer, or a do-it-yourself program that can be done with
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a virtual trainer on the client’s phone either at his facility or at the client’s home. Prices range from $33 per month for the do-it-yourself program to $200 per month, he said. Cerniglia, who was born and raised in Bluff Park, in 2012 was recognized as a “Top 10 Personal Trainer in America” by Personal Fitness Professional Magazine and in 2008 as the “Most Fit Health Club Professional in America” by Club Solutions Magazine. He now lives in Riverchase and has four children attending Hoover schools. Ginger Owen has been working out at Hoover Fitness since 2011 and usually comes four days a week for group training. She does it just to stay active and feel good, she said.
Cerniglia offers classes four times a day, and she may not always come at the same time, depending on her schedule, she said. “It works. It doesn’t matter how fit you are, from beginners to athletes,” Owen said. “He makes it work for wherever you are.” Leisa Pitts, a client from Riverchase who is in her 60s, said she has bad knees and has gone to Hoover Fitness the past two years to help improve strength and to be able to move faster. “I’ve enjoyed doing it,” Pitts said. “I highly recommend it to everybody.” Cerniglia said he’s keeping things going in the temporary location but is eager to open in the new facility as soon as it’s ready. “That’s the million-dollar question — timing,” he said.
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April 2022 • A13
Culver’s opens 2nd metro location at Tattersall Park By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE The second Culver’s location in central Alabama recently opened in Tattersall Park off Alabama 119. This is the sixth location in the state. Joseph McCarty, an Indian Springs resident who owns the location at Stadium Trace Village next to Trace Crossings, wanted to bring another location to the U.S. 280 side of Hoover. “Hoover opened in June 2019; then we applied to expand,” McCarty said. “In February 2020, we applied to open another location. Then COVID happened. That put expansions on hold for six months. Then we reapplied and started the process again.” News of the Tattersall Park location was announced in early 2021, and construction began in August. The restaurant opened in mid-March and will be called Culver’s of Birmingham to avoid confusion with the location at Stadium Trace Village. McCarty and his wife both attended Vestavia High School. While working in the restaurant industry in his early 20s, he enjoyed it and knew someday he might want to open his own. He chose Culver’s after discovering the restaurant chain through Twitter and visiting a location in Georgia. As part of his training, McCarty had to spend a week in Wisconsin working at a Culver’s location and interviewing with the senior leadership team. That was followed by a 16-week training course in Wisconsin. The Tattersall location will have about 50 employees, plus a 10-person management team. It takes about 15 people to run a shift. “It's a people-oriented business that wants to make sure you have good service,” McCarty said. “We are a cook-to-order concept. Nothing is prepared for you until after you order.” He describes the inside of the restaurant as warm and welcoming, with shades of blue and gray. Most of the artwork is Culver’s includes dairy cows and farm photos. Culver’s began in 1984 in Sauk City, Wisconsin, and has grown to more than 750
The new Culver’s of Birmingham restaurant is located in Tattersall Park off Alabama 119. Culver’s is known for its butter burgers, cheese curds and custard. Photo by Leah Ingram Eagle.
family-owned/operated franchises across 25 states. The restaurant is best known for its butter burgers, cheese curds and custard, and all of its dairy products come from Wisconsin. “The butter burger is a buttered, toasted bun with our fresh, never frozen, ground beef and cheese, and since we cook to order, you build your own burger,” McCarty said. “Standard toppings for the deluxe include mayonnaise, lettuce, pickles, tomato and onion. You get to pick your own cheese and toppings.” The cheese curds, which are a staple in the Midwest, are a different and popular side. The curds are the infancy of the cheese-making process and are breaded and fried and dipped in ranch, honey mustard or barbecue sauce. The extensive menu also includes chicken fingers and tenders, fish and shrimp, soups and salads, pork loin, pot roast and a variety of sandwiches. Side options are fries, coleslaw,
mashed potatoes and gravy, broccoli, onion rings, soups, chili and pretzel bites. The dessert menu features shakes, malts, floats, sundaes, concrete mixers and ice cream cones. McCarty said custard is one of the most popular menu items. He said the difference between custard and ice cream is that custard has more egg yolk and more heavy whipping cream, making it richer, thicker and creamier. There are three flavors available every day: vanilla, chocolate and a flavor of the day that includes about 30 flavors that rotate. Handpacked pints are also available for purchase in the lobby’s retail freezer. Customers can build their own mixers by choosing a base flavor and adding toppings. McCarty said some of the most popular options include “turtle” and “crazy for cookie dough.” Kids meals come with a free scoop of custard and a scoopie token. Once 10 tokens are
Culver’s of Birmingham • WHERE: 6222 Tattersall Blvd. • WHEN: Standard restaurant hours are 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., but hours may vary by location and season • WEB: culvers.com
collected, they can be redeemed for a toy. McCarty said one of the best things about the Culver’s menu is that there is something for everyone in the family. He has yet to determine if there will be more locations, he said. “I'm going to get this one open, then go from there,” he said. “We are happy to be in the community.”
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A14 • April 2022
Hoover Sun
Business Happenings NOW OPEN Goldfish Swim School Hoover opened March 15 at 5549 Grove Blvd. in The Grove shopping center, next to the SuperTarget. The school teaches children ages 4 months to 12 years old how to swim in an indoor pool heated to 90 degrees. In addition to swim lessons, Goldfish Swim School offers frequent family swims (for both members and non-members) and party packages. Facility highlights include an air-conditioned viewing gallery for parents to watch lessons, individual/private changing rooms, blow dry station, snack bar and retail shop. There are 146 other locations of the Goldfish Swim School in 35 other states and Washington, D.C., according to the company’s website. This is the first location in Alabama. 205-512-9941, goldfishswimschool.com E.W. Motion Therapy has opened a new location at 10 Meadowview Drive, Suite 201, just off U.S. 280 near the entrance to the Meadow View subdivision. The 2,358-square-foot clinic is open 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. 205-332-3000, ewmotiontherapy.com/meadowbrook-280 Hoover resident Raven Holloway opened a new wellness studio called Wellness WorX, 3055 Lorna Road, on March 12. The studio offers yoga, mindfulness and meditation sessions, wellness and mindfulness corporate seminars, wellness interventions, wellness private parties and wellness motivational talks. 205-721-3635, thiswellnessworx.com Brock’s Gap Brewing Co. opened its doors at 500 Mineral Trace, Suite 100, next to Hoover Metropolitan Stadium., on March 3 The brewery is open 11 am. to 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon-10 p.m. on Sundays. 205-848-7837, brocksgapbrewing.com Flipsies Furniture has opened at 4431 Creekside Ave., Suite 109, in the Patton Creek shopping center. The store is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week. 205-957-4001, flipsiesfurniture.com Benchmark Physical Therapy has opened its third outpatient clinic in Hoover and 10th in the Birmingham area at 4289 South Shades Crest Road, Suite 109, in a small strip center next to Publix. The clinic is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday; 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday; and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday. Benchmark offers in-clinic and telehealth options for outpatient orthopedic physical therapy, including manual therapy, injury prevention, return to performance, total joint replacement, concussion management and vestibular rehabilitation programs. Clinic Director Lauren Langley earned a doctor of physical therapy degree from Bellarmine University in Louisville. Certified as a lymphedema therapist, Langley has particular areas of interest that include geriatrics, balance, fall prevention, post-operative care, oncological care and wound care. 205-621-8822, benchmarkpt.com
of satisfaction: resident activities, community staff, price paid for services received, resident apartment/ living unit, community building and grounds, and dining. Galleria Woods serves more than 175 residents and has 150 team members. 205-277-6915, galleriawoodsseniorliving.com American Pet Resorts is seeking permission from the city of Hoover to put a Pet Paradise pet grooming and boarding facility with outdoor runs in the second phase of The Village at Brock’s Gap shopping center on the southwest corner of Stadium Trace Parkway and Brock’s Gap Parkway, next to Discovery United Methodist Church. The proposed 15,000-square-foot facility would include on-site veterinary care and a 24-hour caretaker quarters. This would be the second Pet Paradise in Hoover. The first has been approved for the Tattersall Park development next to Greystone. The request is scheduled to be heard by the Hoover zoning board on April 11. petparadise.com The Hoover Planning and Zoning Commission in February gave development company Broad Metro approval to combine two lots on Emery Drive West in the Stadium Trace Village development into one lot to make way for two hotels on one site next to Big Whiskey’s American Restaurant & Bar. The two hotels are slated to be a Hilton Homewood Suites 10.0 and Hilton Garden Inn, with a shared lobby, developer Will Kadish said. The Homewood Suites will be an extended-stay hotel offering a kitchenette in each of the 99 rooms that will be at this location, and the Hilton Garden Inn will offer 100 rooms, catering more to guests staying one to two nights, the developer said. The technology group at accounting firm Warren Averett, 2500 Acton Road, Suite 200, has been named to ChannelE2E’s Top 250 Public Cloud MSPs List for 2021. This is the second year the Warren Averett technology group has received this recognition. The list honors the top-managed IT service providers that support customers through Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform. Warren Averett’s Birmingham office was also recognized by the Birmingham Business Journal as Birmingham’s largest accounting firm in 2022. This is the 12th consecutive year that Warren Averett has been recognized as the largest CPA firm in the city. 205-715-8329, warrenaverett.com Alabama Power Co. Employees Credit Union ranked 14th in the nation in The Business Journals’ first List of America’s Most Efficient Credit Unions. APCO Credit Union’s operating expense ratio to average assets was 0.6304% for December 2021. Founded in 1953, APCO Employees Credit Union has grown to become the second largest credit union in Alabama with more than 72,000 members and $3.6 billion in assets and with 135 employees at 20 locations, including 4725 Chace Circle and 6400 Tattersall Park. apcocu.org
RELOCATIONS AND RENOVATIONS
attended undergraduate school at Auburn University and received his doctorate of veterinary medicine at Louisiana State University’s School of Veterinary Medicine in 2018. His favorite parts of veterinary medicine are interpreting X-rays and ultrasound, but he also loves using his veterinary knowledge on international mission trips. Dr. Sotrop and his wife, Sarah, live in Helena. They are frequently found volunteering at the Alabama Wildlife Hospital in their spare time. Their family includes a black labrador retriever named Piper. 205-822-4779, pattonchapelac.com Southern Company Gas, 3535 Colonnade Parkway, has named Amoi Geter as director of communication strategy and public relations. In this role, Amoi is responsible for developing and implementing strategic communications plans that align the efforts of natural gas providers in Georgia, Tennessee, Illinois and Virginia with Southern Company Gas. Additionally, Amoi provides oversight on all media and public relations efforts and leads the company’s corporate sustainability communications strategy. Amoi has more than 20 years of experience in the Southern Company system, including various roles in corporate communications, nuclear development, public affairs and governmental relations at Alabama Power, Georgia Power, Mississippi Power, Nicor Gas (Illinois), Southern Nuclear (Alabama) and Southern Company Services (Georgia). 205-992-6011, southerncompany.com Brookwood Baptist Health recently named Charles Tyson as its new group chief financial officer for the five-hospital health care system. Tyson comes to Brookwood Baptist Health from the Steward Health Care System in the Miami-Dade Market, where he served as chief financial officer of a five-hospital system with a combined 1,775 licensed beds. Before being acquired by Steward Health Care, Tyson was CFO when the hospitals were under the ownership of Tenet Healthcare. Brookwood Baptist Health operates Brookwood Baptist Medical Center in Homewood, a freestanding emergency department at 7131 Cahaba Valley Road in the Tattersall Park development off U.S. 280 and a primary care clinic at 5295 Preserve Parkway, Suite 210, in Hoover. brookwoodbaptisthealth.com
NEW OWNERSHIP
COMING SOON Jim Safron plans to open his third location of Burn Boot Camp in the Birmingham area in a new shopping center being the Meadow Brook community at the corner of Alabama 119 and Doug Baker Boulevard. The goal is to have Burn Meadow Brook open this summer, systems and support manager Tiffany Harbert said. The first location Safron opened was in The Village at Brock’s Gap three years ago, and the second was in Homewood about a year ago. burnbootcamp.com
NEWS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS Galleria Woods Senior Living, 3850 Galleria Woods Drive, managed by Life Care Services, recently announced that its management company ranked highest in customer satisfaction with independent senior living communities for the third consecutive year in the J.D. Power 2021 Senior Living Satisfaction Study. Life Care Services achieved the highest score in all six factors
Beauty and Beyond opened its new location at 1642 Montgomery Highway in the Hoover Square shopping center, next to Benton Nissan, in early March. The store formerly was at 1615 Montgomery Highway in the Hoover Commons shopping center. 205-834-8503, Beauty&Beyond Hoover, AL on Facebook
PERSONNEL MOVES Patton Chapel Animal Clinic, 1665 Montgomery Highway, has added Dr. Sam Sotrop to its veterinarian team. Dr. Sotrop is from Maplewood, New Jersey. He
The Galleria Mobil gasoline station at 1767 Montgomery Highway, across U.S. 31 from the Riverchase Galleria, is under new ownership.
ANNIVERSARIES The Front Porch, 2301 Grand Ave., Suite 109, in Ross Bridge, celebrated its sixth anniversary March 8. 205-436-2072, frontporchrossbridge.com
CLOSINGS Hoover Seafood Market, 2341 John Hawkins Parkway, Suite 129, has closed.
HooverSun.com
April 2022 • A15
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A16 • April 2022
Hoover Sun
Zoning board pushes pause on proposed Pet Paradise
American Pet Resorts wants to build a 15,000-squarefoot Pet Paradise facility that offers boarding, grooming, day camps and veterinary care in Trace Crossings. The facility, as originally presented, would look similar to this one in Peachtree City, Georgia, but the Hoover zoning board has concerns. Photo courtesy of city of Hoover.
By JON ANDERSON The Hoover Planning and Zoning Commission on April 11 plans to reconsider a proposal to build a Pet Paradise pet grooming and boarding facility in Trace Crossings after calling the proposal “problematic” in March. American Pet Resorts wants to build a 15,000-square-foot Pet Paradise facility that can board up to 175 dogs on a 2-acre parcel at the southwest corner of Stadium Trace Parkway and Brock’s Gap Parkway. But when the request came to the city’s zoning board March 14, several zoning commissioners said they have a problem with a facility that wants to allow up to 75 dogs outside at a time that is near residents. Numerous residents of the Chestnut Ridge community spoke against putting the boarding facility at that location. The facility also is near the Park Trace community, and a new residential community under construction called Knox Square will have a homesite roughly 400 feet away from the proposed boarding facility, City Planner Mac Martin said. Chestnut Ridge resident Bill McCanna said the dog barking also would be a nuisance to people who walk in the community and to people in outdoor dining areas across the street at The Village at Brock’s Gap. Councilman Mike Shaw, who also sits on the zoning board, noted the city already has approved two pet boarding facilities in the past
several years but under different circumstances. When the City Council approved a PetSuites Resort off John Hawkins Parkway near Lake Crest in February 2019, no dogs were allowed to be outside at all. And when the council approved a Pet Paradise facility in Tattersall Park off U.S. 280 near Greystone in June of last year, the nearest home was more than 800 feet away with a 102-foot elevation change and wooded area in between. In this case, “this is right in the middle of houses,” Shaw said. American Pet Resorts is a great company with a great reputation, but “it always comes down to noise,” Shaw said. “I just don’t think this design makes sense without a lot of modifications to reflect the concerns about sound.” Zoning board member Becky Walker had similar concerns.
“Ultimately, it comes down to the question of how many dogs are too many and how far is far enough from a residence,” Walker said. “I think it’s a marvelous facility, but is this the right location? … It’s problematic for me.” City Administrator Allan Rice, another member of the zoning board, asked a representative for American Pet Resorts whether his company has any design concepts for completely indoor facilities or whether his company would be willing to consider something like that, just as PetSuites Resort did. James Inman, the real estate acquisition manager for American Pet Resorts, said the indoor/ outdoor concept is what his company is building all across the Southeast and Southwest. “This is what our customers want for their pets,” Inman said. “They want their dogs to be able to engage with others and play out in
the sun.” The company can limit the number of dogs outside at one time to 75 and limit the hours that dogs are allowed outside, Inman said. “But in terms of putting a big shell over the top, that’s not something that we’re going to do here,” he said. “It’s not what our customers want. It’s not what makes Pet Paradise Pet Paradise.” However, Charlie Waldrep, a Birmingham area attorney representing American Pet Resorts, after seeing the opposition from zoning board members and consulting further with Inman, said the company would be willing to go back to the drawing board and consider modifications to the proposal that might make it more acceptable. That’s what prompted the zoning board to continue the case until April 11.
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HooverSun.com
April 2022 • A17
Community Have a community announcement? Email Jon Anderson at janderson@starnesmedia.com to be considered for inclusion in an upcoming issue.
Shades Mountain Woman’s Club celebrates 50 years By JON ANDERSON The Shades Mountain Woman’s Club recently celebrated its 50th anniversary at Prince of Peace Catholic Church with a combination of current and former members. The club, which has many members from Hoover, was instrumental in the formation of the Hoover Beautification Board, for years lobbied for the city of Hoover to start a hazardous waste collection day (which happened in 2000), and in 1978 worked to establish a home for victims of child abuse in Jefferson County, according to information provided by member Pam Thompson. The Shades Mountain Woman’s Club started the Miss Alabama Booster Club in 1980, to help provide scholarship money and food for the competition and to assist participants in their dressing rooms. That booster club has disbanded, but some of its members still assist at the competition, Thompson said. The primary fundraiser for the Shades Mountain Woman’s Club for many years was a hands-on art station for children at the Bluff Park Art Show. For $5 (and later $10), parents could let their children take part in supervised art activities while the parents perused the art show. That fundraiser was turned over to a Girl Scout troop in 2021. The woman’s club also sponsors three Juniorette clubs for high school girls in Hoover, Helena and Pelham, planning meetings with speakers and community service projects. The club, which is a chapter of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, welcomed GFWC Alabama President Randy Matthews and Suellen Brazil, first vice president of the international organization, to its Feb. 5 celebration.
The Shades Mountain Woman’s Club had its 50th anniversary celebration at Prince of Peace Catholic Church on Feb. 5. Among attendees were, from left, current members Cathy Barker, Roberta Atkinson, Sharon Chapman, Pam Thompson, Patsy Martens and Jean Ingram, all of Hoover. Photo courtesy of The Shades Mountain Woman’s Club.
Jan Greer, a member of the Shades Mountain Woman’s Club, is scheduled to be the new state president, starting in April. Other club members currently serving at the state level include Roberta Atkinson as parliamentary advisor and finance chairwoman, Jean Ingram as headquarters chairwoman and Miss Alabama chairwoman and Cathy Barker
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as bylaws chairwoman. Barker also serves on the elections committee for the national GFWC. Club members serving in leadership roles at the central Alabama district level include Thompson as district treasurer, Atkinson as district parliamentary advisor and bylaws chairwoman, Barker as Junior Advocates chairwoman and Shannon Burns as Juniorette chairwoman.
The Shades Mountain Woman’s Club currently has 16 members and welcomes women of any age who are interested in volunteer work. The club meets the second Thursday of every month from September through May at 6:30 p.m. at Prince of Peace Catholic Church. For more information, contact Thompson at pamrayt@gmail.com.
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A18 • April 2022
Hoover Sun
Connie Collum, a Hoover artist and photographer, works with Susanna Waftel and her dog Keely during a portrait session. Photos by Erin Nelson.
Doing what she loves Hoover retiree finds joy in full-time pet photography business By ERIC TAUNTON Connie Collum said she’s been in love with photography since she was 16 years old and has always loved animals. “I started photographing my own pets, and then I started volunteering for a lot of different rescue groups and shelters to photograph their cats and dogs to get them adopted a little easier,” Collum said. “Sometimes they have a little trouble with their photos.” The Hoover resident started to get noticed by people in the community for her photos and was asked if she could take pictures of other people’s pets, she said. After four years of success, she decided to pursue her lifelong dream of owning her own photography business and incorporated in 2009, she said. “I loved meeting every different pet and every different dog,” Collum said. “Seeing the interactions between the owners and their Above: Collum shoots portraits of Waftel and her dog. Right: Collum works on an acrylic painting on a wood panel in her home studio. Far right: Watercolor paintings by Collum hang on the wall in her home studio.
dogs and how much they mean to them and how much they enrich their lives, I just love it.” Collum went to Auburn University and originally planned to be in veterinary school but decided to take a different route, she said. “It was kind of a different world in the vet community back then,” Collum said. “It was more of a man’s world, and they didn’t even admit that many women.” After going through the entire pre-med program, she began to feel it might not be the career for her, she said. The main reason she changed her major was because she didn’t like how people were treating their animals when she was working for a clinic as a part of the university’s pre-med program, she said. “They just didn’t care that much and wouldn’t follow directions,” Collum said. “I thought that that would be a little frustrating.” Collum graduated with a major in medical technology and later worked in UAB’s Division of Infectious Diseases for 20 years while still taking pictures of pets for her business. After retiring in 2018, she was finally able to run the photography business full time, she said. Collum said she photographs all kinds of animals, including cats, bunnies and dogs. For more information, visit conniecollum photography.com or call 205-215-9060.
HooverSun.com
April 2022 • A19
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A20 • April 2022
Hoover Sun
Sports
RUN IT BACK
Lady Bucs repeat as Class 7A state champs By KYLE PARMLEY They ran it back, just like they planned. From the moment the euphoria of last year’s state title dispersed, the Hoover High School girls basketball team set out on a mission to repeat as Class 7A state champions for the 2021-22 season. Hoover had won three of the last five, but each of them was separated by a year of heartache for the Lady Bucs, as they watched crosstown foe Spain Park lift the trophy. But they successfully defended their title this time, as the Lady Bucs finished off a magical season with a 73-64 win over Vestavia Hills in the 7A final on March 5 at the BJCC’s Legacy Arena. Hoover (32-3) led much of the game, but Vestavia Hills (33-3) never let the Lady Bucs breathe easy. Both teams started strong, with Vestavia taking a 10-9 early, before a Hoover 8-0 run allowed the Lady Bucs to take a 17-16 lead after a quarter of play. Hoover went on another mini-run, this one a 9-0 burst, to take control midway through the second quarter. The Lady Bucs increased that lead to 33-27 at the halftime break. Each time Hoover attempted to pull away in the second half, Vestavia Hills had a counter, as the Lady Rebels scored five straight points late in the third quarter to make it a 55-49 game heading to the final quarter. Hoover made few mistakes down the stretch to finish off its championship. The Lady Bucs shot 8-of-13 from 3-point range and made 19-of-24 free throws in the game. Hoover head coach Krystle Johnson listed
The Lady Bucs celebrate with the Class 7A state championship trophy after topping Vestavia Hills 73-64 at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Center’s Legacy Arena on March 5. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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HooverSun.com
April 2022 • A21
Use the summer to explore! SUMMERATSPRINGS.ORG The Lady Bucs run up to claim the Class 7A state championship trophy after topping Vestavia Hills 73-64 at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Center’s Legacy Arena on March. Photo by Erin Nelson.
all the things her team had to overcome this season, a list with nearly as many items as the Lady Bucs had victories this year. She exuded immense pride at her squad being able to get past all of it to win a second straight title. “God is good,” she said. “Not everybody knows what this team has been through, and to be here in this moment made it all worth it. I cry every time we win, but this one is different.” The game marks the final time the talented duo of Reniya Kelly and Aniya Hubbard will take the floor together as high school teammates. Hubbard is a senior and headed to Florida Atlantic, while Kelly has one more season in the orange and black. They played like stars in the final, with Kelly posting 26 points and nine rebounds and Hubbard going for 25 points. “I wanted to go out on top,” Hubbard said. “I can’t even express how good I feel right now. It’s an amazing feeling. It gets better every time.” Hoover’s other senior, Devon Davidson, made life tough on Vestavia’s top scorer, Emma Smith, much of the game. Smith was forced to work for everything but still managed 19 points and seven rebounds to cap off a brilliant high school career. Smith and twin sister, Ally, along with Carley Smith, played their final games for a Vestavia program that has risen back to prominence thanks in large part to their contributions. “It hurts me for the senior class,” Vestavia coach John David Smelser said. “We’re here because of them. The last three years, we have continued to build and build, and we just played for a state championship.” Ally Smith scored 11 points and grabbed four rebounds for Vestavia in the game. She and her twin sister have played on the varsity team since they were in eighth grade. “It’s really been a blessing especially for me and Emma the last five years,” Ally Smith said. “They’re going to be back. It gives me a lot of pride knowing that we worked so hard to get where we are. Even though we came up short, I wouldn’t trade it for anything.” Sarah Gordon, a freshman who scored 11 points for Vestavia in the state final, lauded those three seniors for their contributions to the team and overall program. Fellow freshman Jill Gaylard added 9 points, while Jill Gaylard and Anna Towry each scored 7 points. “Being a part of this team has been an amazing experience,” Gordon said. “I’m sad it had to end this way, and I can’t wait for the future.
We’ll be back here.” The state title is the eighth in Hoover history. Although the Lady Bucs repeated as state champions in 2012 and 2013, this was the first time the entire coaching staff remained intact from the previous years. “Everybody was like, ‘It’s going to be different this time. We’ve got to do what we’ve got to do,’” Johnson said, giving credit to assistant coaches Nehemiah Cowan, Donnie Quinn and Sidney Gunn for their preparation and determination all season. Hoover’s only losses this season were to a pair of out-of-state teams and Hazel Green, which finished off an undefeated season with its fifth straight 6A title. Vestavia Hills fell to Hoover twice and to area foe Hewitt-Trussville. Both teams took care of business all the way to the final throughout the regional tournament and in the state semifinals. “That was the two best teams in 7A going toe to toe,” Smelser said. “Our girls fought. We were down six at half and played it even through the third quarter… I’m really proud of these girls. They played as hard as they could and made plays.” Vestavia Hills put together one of its best seasons in school history, coming up just shy of winning the second title in school history (the first was in 1987). The last time the Lady Rebels were in the state final four was in 2006, but this year they played like a team comfortable on the big stage. The two teams met in the regular season this school year. In that matchup, which Hoover also won by nine, the Lady Bucs jumped out to a big lead early, Vestavia cut it to one point in the third quarter and Hoover made plays down the stretch to win. Much like the regular season meeting at Vestavia Hills, the Vestavia community showed up in droves and with zeal to support the Lady Rebels. “That’s a Vestavia thing,” Smelser said. “It’s a very close-knit community that supports athletics and supports the school. I’ve never seen anything like it, to be honest with you.” Kelly was named the state tournament MVP, while Hubbard, Ally Smith, Emma Smith and Alanah Pooler were named to the all-tournament team. Pooler transferred to Hoover from Spain Park before the season and scored 9 points in the final. “We worked our behinds off every day to get to this point,” Kelly said. “We got here for a reason.”
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Hoover’s Reniya Kelly (10) shoots for 3 points, guarded by Davidson’s Morgan Barnett (12) during the Class 7A girls state semifinal game March 3 at Legacy Arena.
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A22 • April 2022
Hoover Sun
All-South Metro Basketball Bucs, Jags garner postseason honors
Spain Park’s Colin Turner (25) takes a shot in the second half of the Class 7A boys Northeast Regional final Feb. 21 at Jacksonville State University’s Pete Matthews Coliseum. The Jags defeated Huntsville 6051 to advance to the state semifinal at Legacy Arena. Photos by Erin Nelson.
By KYLE PARMLEY The 2021-22 high school basketball season is in the books, with the Hoover High School girls managing to repeat as Class 7A state champions after a hard-fought victory over Vestavia Hills. Spain Park’s boys made a return trip to the final four, and several other teams from the Starnes Media coverage area made strong pushes at the regional tournaments. The dynamic duo of Reniya Kelly and Aniya Hubbard have played their final game together in Hoover uniforms. It is nearly impossible to separate the two in terms of impact, both in statistics and leadership, and both share girls Player of the Year honors. John David Smelser is the girls Coach of the Year after leading Vestavia Hills to its first final four since 2006. On the boys side, Spain Park was not expected to replicate its postseason success after losing eight seniors, but forward Colin Turner was an unstoppable force all season long and is the Player of the Year. Chris Laatsch deserves plenty of credit for getting the Jaguars to that point as well and is the Coach of the Year.
BOYS AWARDS
► Player of the Year: Colin Turner, Spain Park ► Coach of the Year: Chris Laatsch, Spain Park
GIRLS AWARDS
► Co-Players of the Year: Reniya Kelly and Aniya Hubbard, Hoover ► Coach of the Year: John David Smelser
BOYS 1ST TEAM
► Guard: Win Miller, Vestavia Hills; the
junior guard has continued his stellar career, flying past 1,000 career points and averaging 16.8 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists for the year. ► Guard: Caleb White, Pinson Valley; the sophomore shot 45% from 3-point range and averaged 17 points a game for the Indians. ► Guard: Paul Lanzi, Chelsea; the junior guard is already the sixth-leading scorer in
school history and gave the Hornets a chance every night by going for 17.3 points per game. ► Forward: Colin Turner, Spain Park; the senior capped off his career with a monster season, going for 16.6 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. ► Forward: Christian Thompson, Homewood; was part of a forceful duo in the paint
for the Patriots, going for 12.5 points and 8.4 rebounds per game.
BOYS 2ND TEAM
► Guard: Reese Gurner, Vestavia Hills; averaged 15 points and nearly 5 rebounds per game after emerging as a reliable star player for the Rebels. ► Guard: Ty Davis, Mountain Brook;
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April 2022 • A23
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Hoover’s Kristen McMillan (23) shoots a layup while being guarded by Davidson’s Morgan Barnett (12) during the Class 7A girls state semifinal game March 3 at Legacy Arena.
commanded the Spartans offense and notched 14.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game for a 29-5 team. ► Guard: Brady Dunn, Oak Mountain; saved one of his best games for last, dropping 25 points in the regional final and averaged 14 points per game for the season. ► Forward: Donte’ Bacchus, Homewood; went for 14 points and 6.4 rebounds per game for a strong Patriots team. ► Forward: Avery Futch, Chelsea; finished the season with 11.7 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.
BOYS 3RD TEAM
► Guard: Terry Coner Jr., Pinson Valley; notched 15.9 points per game. ► Guard: Kalib Thomas, John Carroll; scored 18 points per game. ► Guard: Kyle Layton, Mountain Brook; averaged 14.9 points and knocked down 105 3-pointers for the season. ► Forward: Brodin Grady, Hoover; the senior team captain posted 8.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. ► Forward: Ryan Giegel, Oak Mountain; a steady presence for the Eagles, going for 8 points and 5 rebounds a game.
BOYS HONORABLE MENTION
► Guard: Cole Turner, Vestavia Hills; Salim London, Hoover; Josh Harrington, Spain Park; Zach Gray, Spain Park; Chase James, Spain Park; Miles Gilbert, Briarwood; William Lloyd, Briarwood; Ray Rolley, Hewitt-Trussville; KJ Beck, John Carroll; Wilder Evers, Oak Mountain; Matthew Heiberger, Oak Mountain ► Forward: DeWayne Brown, Hoover; Sam Wright, Spain Park
GIRLS 1ST TEAM
► Guard: Emma Smith, Vestavia Hills; became the first player in program history to finish with more than 2,000 career points and 1,000 rebounds. ► Guard: Reniya Kelly, Hoover; averaged 14 points per game, with 4 rebounds and nearly 5 assists to go along with it for the state champs. ► Guard: Aniya Hubbard, Hoover; finished her career by averaging 14 points and 6 rebounds in a standout season. ► Forward: D’yona Jones, Hewitt-Trussville;
averaged 11.4 points and 7 rebounds as she was able to put together a healthy season. ► Forward: Sarah Gordon, Vestavia Hills; went for 11 points per game as a freshman for the state runner-up.
GIRLS 2ND TEAM
► Guard: Jordan Hunter, Hewitt-Trussville; nearing 1,000 points for her career following her sophomore season. ► Guard: Emma Stearns, Mountain Brook; averaged 12.8 points per game, including a season-high 30 against Homewood. ► Guard: Raegan Whitaker, Oak Mountain; went for 11 points and 6.6 rebounds per game for the Lady Eagles. ► Forward: Emma Kerley, Briarwood; averaged 10.2 points and 5.7 rebounds per game as an eighth grader. ► Forward: Kristen McMillan, Hoover; a steadying force in the middle for the Lady Bucs, averaging 7.7 points per game.
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GIRLS 3RD TEAM
► Guard: Audre Benson, Hewitt-Trussville; averaged 11.7 points per game in a breakout season. ► Guard: Camille Chase, Spain Park; capped off a stellar high school career with 10.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. ► Guard: Anna Towry, Vestavia Hills; notched 10 points per game. ► Forward: Mary Cartee, Chelsea; a do-it-all player for the Lady Hornets, finishing her career with the most charges taken in program history. ► Forward: Mary Jane Lassiter, Mountain Brook; turned into a key role player for the Lady Spartans, averaging 7 points and nearly 5 rebounds per game.
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GIRLS HONORABLE MENTION
► Guard: Lexi Redd, Chelsea; April Hooks, Hewitt-Trussville; Paxton Gillispie, Spain Park; Ally Smith, Vestavia Hills; Sydney Schwallie, Chelsea; Layla Etchison, Hoover; Mary Beth Dicen, Briarwood; Sarah Passink, Mountain Brook; Abby Gordon, Oak Mountain; Kayla Warren, Homewood; Jill Gaylard, Vestavia Hills; Francie Morris, Mountain Brook ► Forward: Ashley Washington, Chelsea; Lauren Schuessler, Oak Mountain; Kate Saunders, Briarwood
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Hoover’s Reniya Kelly (10) moves toward the goal while guarded by the Davidson defense.
A24 • April 2022
Hoover Sun
Jags make 2nd straight final four run By KYLE PARMLEY The Spain Park High School boys basketball team’s postseason run came to an end in the same round for the second straight year. On March 3 at the BJCC’s Legacy Arena, Spain Park suffered a 73-58 loss to Enterprise in the Class 7A state semifinals. The Wildcats have now knocked out the Jaguars in the semis in back-to-back years. Enterprise jumped out to a big lead early, opening the game on a 16-3 run, only broken up by a Chase James 3-pointer in the game’s first four minutes. Spain Park settled in, though, closing the opening frame on a 9-2 spurt to close the gap to 18-12. “Since December, we’ve had really good starts to games, and today we didn’t,” Spain Park head coach Chris Laatsch said. “To their credit, they came out and got after us. Our kids withstood it, but they came back, and we just couldn’t quite get over the hump.” Neither team did much offensively in the second quarter, and Enterprise took a 26-21 lead into halftime. Consecutive buckets from Colin Turner in the third quarter cut the Jags deficit to 32-27, but Enterprise closed the period with 11 straight points to take a commanding 43-27 lead heading into the fourth. As Spain Park attempted to speed up the game in the fourth, Enterprise broke the full court press several times and got easy buckets to finish off the game. Spain Park turned the ball over 20 times in the contest. “Their physicality and aggressiveness made it really hard for us to run things,” Laatsch said. “We’ve been playing in front most of the year, and we were behind today.” Josh Harrington led the Jaguars with 18 points and eight rebounds. Turner went for 17 points on 8-of-12 shooting with a team-high nine rebounds. James joined both of those guys in double figures with 10 points. Sam Wright had 8 points and six boards as well.
Spain Park’s Josh Harrington (1) drives the ball toward the goal in the second half of the Jags’ AHSAA Class 7A boys state semifinal against Enterprise on March 3 at Legacy Arena at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Center. Photo by Erin Nelson.
Spain Park had six seniors on this year’s team, with Harrington, Ben Corley, Chantz Pickett, Solomon Robinson, Pierson Cole and Turner finishing their careers with consecutive final four appearances. Harrington recalled a conversation with a younger teammate over the summer about the possibility of Spain Park making a repeat run to the state tournament this year, despite
losing eight seniors from last year’s squad. He assured the teammate that the talent was there, as long as the collective buy-in and development followed. It did, and the Jags played as one of the better teams in the state from mid-December on. “I don’t know if many people thought this group could get there, but they did,” Laatsch said. “A lot of it goes to these guys [Harrington
and Turner]. These two guys mean so much to me. … They’ve surpassed a lot of people’s expectations.” Spain Park won the Class 7A, Area 6 tournament this year by beating Vestavia Hills in the championship game. The Jags then won two games at the Northeast Regional, notching victories over Sparkman and Huntsville to reach the state semifinals.
Right: Hoover’s Jack Lamey Jr. celebrates his title in the 182-pound weight class, winning Most Outstanding Wrestler as well. Below right: Spain Park’s Bradley Williams wrestles at the state tournament in February. Photos courtesy of Dawn Harrison.
Lamey wins wrestling state championship By KYLE PARMLEY Hoover’s Jack Lamey Jr. came away from the state wrestling tournament with a state championship, winning the 182-pound class. Lamey, who also was named the 7A Most Outstanding Wrestler, defeated Dothan’s Garrett Holland, Smiths Station’s Lance Peterson and Bob Jones’ Evan Pippin to secure the crown. As a team, Hoover finished eighth in Class 7A, accumulating 43 points, while Spain Park finished in a tie for ninth with 35 points. Thompson ran away with the 7A title, scoring 194.5 points. Vestavia Hills was second with 118.5, and Hewitt-Trussville scored 106.5
for third. Huntsville and Smiths Station finished ahead of Oak Mountain and Bob Jones, which tied for sixth. Hoover’s Broc Metcalf finished third at 138 pounds, beating Vestavia Hills’ Andrew Sullivan in the third-place match. To get there, Metcalf defeated Spain Park’s Brad Cummings but fell to Enterprise’s Cody Kirk. Metcalf rebounded to beat Smiths Station’s D’sean Lee in the consolation semifinals. Jake Thompson (106), Landon Sanders (113), Ty Sisson (120), Baylor Hardy (126), Vincent Aspito (132), Ian Addison (145), Liam Harrell (152), Keith Christein (160) and Chaleb Powell (285) also competed at state for Hoover.
Bradley Williams led Spain Park with a second-place finish in the 126-pound division. He knocked off Huntsville’s Joseph Sowell and Hoover’s Baylor Hardy to reach the final, where he fell to Thompson’s Yanni Vines. William Conlon finished third in the 182 bracket, beating Thompson’s Nathan Black in the third-place match. Conlon defeated Hewitt-Trussville’s Cameron Cantwell in the quarterfinals but fell to Bob Jones’ Evan Pippin in the semifinals. He beat Vestavia’s Trey Saunders to reach the third-place match. Brad Cummings (138), Jackson Mitchell (170) and Rayshod Burts (285) also wrestled for the Jags.
HooverSun.com
April 2022 • A25
Varsity Sports Calendar BASEBALL
April 19: @ Hewitt-Trussville. 6 p.m.
April 12: vs. Oak Mountain. 5 p.m.
April 12: Boys @ Thompson. 7 p.m.
HOOVER
SOFTBALL
April 18: vs. Glencoe. 5 p.m.
April 14: vs. Tuscaloosa County. Girls at 5 p.m., boys at 7 p.m.
April 5: @ Tuscaloosa County. 6 p.m.
HOOVER
April 19: @ Vestavia Hills. 5 p.m.
April 5: vs. Curry. 4:30 p.m.
April 20: vs. Gardendale. 6 p.m.
April 7: @ Thompson. 4:30 p.m.
April 22-23: Hoover Classic. Hoover Metropolitan Complex.
April 7: Doubleheader vs. Tuscaloosa County. 4:30 p.m. April 9: vs. Chiles (Florida). 1 p.m. April 12: @ Oak Mountain. 6 p.m. April 14: Doubleheader vs. Oak Mountain. 4:30 p.m. April 19: vs. Thompson. 6 p.m.
April 12: @ Prattville. 4:30 p.m.
April 19: Girls @ Oak Mountain. 7 p.m. April 23: Boys vs. Christian Brothers (Tennessee). 11 a.m.
April 13: vs. Oak Mountain. 4:30 p.m.
April 25: vs. Austin. Wallace State Community College. 5 p.m.
SPAIN PARK
April 19: @ Tuscaloosa County. 4:30 p.m.
April 26: vs. Thompson. 5 p.m.
April 5: Girls @ Hoover. 5:30 p.m.
April 22-23: Hoover Classic. Hoover Metropolitan Complex.
SOCCER
April 5: Boys vs. Pelham. 7 p.m.
April 21: Doubleheader @ Thompson. 4:30 p.m.
April 28: @ Athens. 4:30 p.m.
SPAIN PARK
SPAIN PARK
April 7: @ Vestavia Hills. 6 p.m.
April 1-2: Oxford Spring Sting. Choccolocco Park.
HOOVER April 4: Boys @ Northridge. 6 p.m. April 5: Girls vs. Spain Park. 5:30 p.m. April 7: Girls @ Chelsea. 6 p.m.
April 9: @ Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa. 3:30 p.m. April 4: vs. Sumiton Christian. 5 p.m.
April 7: Boys @ Oak Mountain. 7 p.m.
April 5: @ Hewitt-Trussville. 6 p.m.
April 9: Girls @ Huntsville. 10 a.m.
April 8: vs. Leeds. 5 p.m.
April 12: Girls vs. Thompson. 7 p.m.
April 11: @ Gadsden City. 6 p.m. April 15: Doubleheader @ Homewood. 4 p.m.
April 15: Boys vs. Enterprise. 5 p.m.
April 8: @ Gadsden City. Girls at 5 p.m., boys at 7 p.m. April 12: @ Vestavia Hills. Girls at 5 p.m., boys at 7 p.m. April 19: vs. Hewitt-Trussville. Girls at 5:30 p.m., boys at 7:30 p.m. April 21: @ Cullman. Boys at 5 p.m., girls at 7 p.m. April 26: vs. Auburn. Girls at 4 p.m., boys at 6 p.m.
A26 • April 2022
Hoover Sun
PRINCIPAL
CONTINUED from page A1 opened and came back to teach there after she graduated from Auburn University. She said Richardson and former Deer Valley Assistant Principal Ami Weems are the reasons she wanted to come to Deer Valley. Plus, her mom is an aide there. “I knew I wanted to work somewhere like the community I grew up in,” Koch said. “Richardson just has a way with people,” she said. “You know when you’re talking to him that he loves you, even when he doesn’t agree with you, he listens to you and your viewpoint.” Richardson is known for writing notes of encouragement on yellow paper to his teachers after reviewing them. “Even if it was the worst lesson that you’ve ever taught, he’ll find something good about it,” Koch said. “He is just the best person ever. He cares about you as a person and you as a teacher. He genuinely wants to know what’s happening in your life.”
THE PERSONAL TOUCH
He is also passionate about knowing the students, teachers said. The first year Deer Valley Elementary opened, Richardson got the yearbook from South Shades Crest Elementary School and memorized the names of all the students who would be transferring to Deer Valley, said Penni Koch, Anna Gray Koch’s mother, who was in the Parent Teacher Organization at the time and has spent at least a decade as an aide at the school. And Richardson has continued that effort to know the students. “Wayne makes a point every year to make sure he knows every kid’s name in the whole school,” said Samantha Seymour, a former Deer Valley teacher who now is the math coach at Greystone Elementary. “There is something special about Wayne. Sometimes it’s hard to put your finger on it.” People ask her all the time what makes Deer Valley so special, and “it definitely is the leader,” she said. “It’s Wayne. He makes each person feel special. He might have so many teachers here, but it’s like you’re the most important person at that time — whoever he’s talking to. Wayne always takes time to talk, even through personal things.” Seymour said Richardson always makes time for the students. “When he goes into a classroom, he sits down at a desk just like he’s another student in the class, and he takes time to play games with the kids. He can be a great disciplinarian, but he can also be a great friend. He’s so amazing.” He also has earned the respect of the teachers because of who he is as a person — his kindness and generosity, Seymour said. “I respect Wayne, and I wanted to do well for him. I didn’t want to let him down,” she said. “He would go out of his way to make you feel special, but he would also take the time if he needed to correct something as well. He doesn’t avoid confrontation. He wants the school to be the best it can be. He wants the teachers to be the best they can be and for students to be the best they can be. He pushes them to be their best. Sometimes that can be difficult.”
LEAVING A LEGACY
Weems, who worked 10 years as a physical education teacher at Deer Valley and seven years as an assistant principal there before being named principal at Bluff Park, said Richardson definitely is leaving a legacy in Hoover City Schools. There are many people in leadership positions throughout the district who have served under Richardson at some point in time. Those include Weems, Brock’s Gap Intermediate Principal Scott Mitchell, Green Valley Elementary Principal Amy Gregory, Bumpus Middle School Principal Donna Burke, Green Valley Assistant Principal Shonteria Culpepper, Trace Crossings Elementary Assistant Principal Becky Edwards, Green Valley reading coach Alisha Chiaramonte, Trace Crossings reading coach Susan Ottinger, Greystone math coach Samantha Seymour and Shades Mountain Elementary reading coach Portia Key. Deer Valley’s most recent assistant principal, Nicole Stokes, recently was selected to replace Richardson there. Assistant Superintendent Ron Dodson even served as an administrative intern under Richardson when Richardson was an assistant principal at Berry Middle School, and Chief Learning Officer Chris Robbins was a young teacher at
Above: Wayne Richardson speaks with his wife, Lisa, left, and Ami Weems, a former assistant principal with Richardson who now is principal at Bluff Park Elementary, during his retirement party March 8 at Deer Valley Elementary School. Below: Bluff Park Assistant Principal Chelsea Bayko leaves her congratulations for Richardson on a poster. Photos by Erin Nelson.
Berry when Richardson was there. Jan Curtis, another former Deer Valley teacher, is now principal at Oak Mountain Elementary School in the Shelby County system. Superintendent Dee Fowler praised Richardson for being an outstanding mentor to so many educators over the years. Weems said it all comes back to Richardson’s leadership style, which is a shared leadership style. ‘He consistently feeds into his teachers and provides them an opportunity to step up if that’s something they’re wanting to do,” she said. Richardson said he gets a lot of credit for hiring well, and he does believe he has hired well, but he also has made mistakes and had to learn from those mistakes. “I think the key is basically finding people who are passionate, who want to take the lead,” Richardson said. “We want people that are really focused on making a difference.” When he interviews people for jobs, he often will ask them to identify a student they know they have impacted and asks what they hope that student will say about them in 20 years. “It doesn’t eliminate them if they don’t cry, but it helps them a lot if they do,” he said. “You can feel the passion in the room. That to me is the secret sauce.” Richardson said he also tries to give teachers and others the breadth to be leaders in their
own areas. The librarian at Deer Valley, Raquel Lieber, does an amazing job and takes a lot of initiative, he said. He recalls walking by the library one day and noticing all the carpet had been pulled up and was being replaced, much to his surprise. He wished she had told him about it in advance, but “having the authority to do that creates people that are taking leadership,” he said. “They own their little areas.” The faculty and staff at Deer Valley hold each other accountable, not by looking over each others’ shoulders, but by inspiring one another to be better, Richardson said. Richardson said he hasn’t focused a lot on social media to promote the good things happening at the school. “Your best PR is word of mouth, and it’s earned one child at a time, one parent at a time,” he said. There is nothing that can replace that. When you care about people and you show them, it’s just very authentic, and it’s very from the heart. I think we all see that our purpose here is to serve people.”
CHARACTER EDUCATION
Richardson got his start as a fifth and sixth grade teacher at Green Valley Elementary and was chosen as the district’s Elementary Teacher of the Year in 1992. He spent a year as an enrichment teacher and administrative assistant
at Gwin Elementary and was named assistant principal at Rocky Ridge for four years. The district then eliminated assistant principals at the elementary level, and Richardson spent two years as an assistant principal at Berry Middle School before being selected as the first principal at Deer Valley. There aren’t a lot of men in elementary education, but Richardson said he felt called to work with young students. He himself was a victim of bullying and harassment in middle school, and he witnessed a lot of that when he worked in middle schools, he said. His goal has been to better teach children when they are young how to be kind and supportive of one another, and hopefully that will stick with them as they get older, he said. He also wants to improve the way students look at themselves and help them see they can do more than they think they can, he said. “When you find yourself and what gives you the ultimate joy, you’ve got to just embrace that,” he said. Richardson said he has loved his time at Deer Valley, and it has played a huge role in his life. He got engaged in the school courtyard, got married in the gym, and his kids went to Deer Valley. Leaving the school is “kind of like an amputation,” but he’s been in education so long that there comes a point where it makes more financial sense to leave, he said. He almost left three years ago, but when Weems left to go to Bluff Park, he decided to stick around three more years to give Stokes a chance to be eligible for the Deer Valley principal job, he said. He believes she and the staff will take the school to the next level, he said. Richardson said the best memories for him at Deer Valley have been the relationships he has built and having the opportunity to be a blessing and to be blessed by others. One of his favorite things has been seeing students and teachers do benevolent acts, such as when a young student named Lauren Boyd organized a beauty pageant featuring the teachers to raise money for cancer research after her teacher got cancer, or when students show great empathy and patience with a fellow student who struggles with severe behavior issues. Character education is extremely important to Richardson, and Deer Valley in 2018 was recognized as a “National School of Character.” This year, Richardson began a part-time role with the Hope Institute at Samford University, which helps schools learn how to incorporate character education into their curriculum. Once he retires, he will get more involved with that, he said. “I want kids to learn to take care of each other,” he said. “At the end of the day, it’s important that you learn math and reading, but it’s more important honestly how you look at your work, your commitment to work. It’s more important how you treat people, how you treat relationships, how you nurture others because that’s the only thing at the end of your life that matters.”
HooverSun.com
April 2022 • A27
COLBAUGH
CONTINUED from page A1 wrestling manager in high school and also helped with basketball game management. While attending Murray State University, she became the university’s first female football manager where she assisted with game management and sports information for other sports after the football season was over. After earning a bachelor’s degree with a public relations major and physical education minor in 1993, she went to the University of Kentucky to earn her master’s degree in sports management. While there, she served as a graduate assistant under Athletic Director C.M. Newton, working with the special assistant for game management. Colbaugh also had the opportunity to work several national events for the U.S. Olympic Committee in Colorado Springs. She came back to the University of Kentucky as a full-time assistant in the basketball office, working with legendary coach Rick Pitino. Colbaugh even got a national championship ring for being part of the staff when Kentucky won the NCAA tournament in 1996. As Pitino was preparing for his move to the Boston Celtics, he played in the Bruno’s Memorial Classic golf tournament at Greystone Golf and Country Club in 1997. While there, he helped line up a job for Colbaugh with the Bruno Event Team. From 1997 to 2006, Colbaugh helped organize events such as the Bruno’s Memorial Classic (now the Regions Tradition), SEC Baseball Tournament and events put on by a breast cancer foundation created by NFL great Brett Favre and his wife, Deanna. Colbaugh then was hired by the city of Hoover as an events coordinator in 2006. The job later became events manager, and more recently, Colbaugh became the assistant director for hospitality, tourism and events for the city. Colbaugh said it has been a privilege to be involved with a lot of unique events over the years, and she has a lot of cool memories from all of them. One that stands out is former American Idol winner Taylor Hicks’ “home visit” to the Riverchase Galleria while he was in the competition
Erin Colbaugh, the new director of the Hoover Parks and Recreation Department, stands outside a baseball field at Shades Mountain Park. Colbaugh said one department goal is to look for more ways to expand services outside the walls of the Hoover Recreation Center and Hoover Senior Center. Photo by Erin Nelson.
in 2006, when thousands of people gathered inside the mall for the celebration. Another was former President George W. Bush’s visit to Hoover in September 2006. Brocato said events coordinator Brittany Callaway, who has worked with Colbaugh, is moving with Colbaugh to the Parks and Recreation Department because so many of the city’s events fall in that realm. Colbaugh said it has been great working with the parks and recreation staff to put on so many events over the years. They are a wonderful team that has done a great job, and she looks forward to enhancing and expanding the excellent services and programs they already have
and continuing to look for ways to serve the public with excellence and increase the quality of life for Hoover residents, she said. She also hopes to increase collaboration between the Parks and Recreation Department and other city departments, as well as with the school system and business community, she said. Another goal is to look for more ways to expand services outside the walls of the Hoover Recreation Center and Hoover Senior Center, Colbaugh said. For example, maybe the city can hold some activities for senior citizens at the Finley Center because there are many senior citizens involved in pickleball there.
There also may be opportunities to get more people involved with organized activities at the new mountain bike park and trails in Trace Crossings. While COVID-19 didn’t curtail youth sports too much, some people have been reluctant to return to indoor activities at the Rec Center, so maybe the city can offer more outdoor activities for all age groups, Colbaugh said. The mayor said that another reason Colbaugh was chosen for the parks and recreation job, perhaps more important than her experience, is that she is a person of high standards and phenomenal integrity. “I think she’s going to be a tremendous asset.”
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Cross Creek Church buys building from Lake Crest Presbyterian
By JON ANDERSON Cross Creek Church took another step in its evolution recently by purchasing the building where it has been meeting for more than four years. The church has been renting from and sharing space with Lake Crest Presbyterian Church since December 2017 after being forced out of Deer Valley Elementary School by the Hoover school board. But Lake Crest Presbyterian, which is a smaller congregation, decided to move to another location and offered to sell its building to Cross Creek, said Chris Peters, the pastor at Cross Creek. The sale closed in December 2021, and now Cross Creek has launched a fundraising campaign to raise at least $800,000 to help pay for the purchase and recent renovations, Peters said. After some minor flooding occurred in October, Cross Creek had all the flooring replaced. That included changing the surface in the worship area from a gymnasium-type floor to carpet, and putting new carpet in eight to 10 classroom areas. The interior of the building, which is about 12,000 to 13,000 square feet, was also repainted, Peters said. Cross Creek was able to put down $250,000 as a down payment on the purchase of the property, which covers five acres at 560 Lake Crest Drive, just off John Hawkins Parkway at the entrance to the Lake Crest community. The rest will come through fundraising and other church reserves. Cross Creek also has a vision for more improvements to the facility, including an extensive exterior facelift, new playground, new pavilion, a renovation of the kitchen and
Cross Creek Church Pastor Chris Peters, left, leads in a baptismal service for a baby March 6. Cross Creek Church took another step in its evolution recently by purchasing the building where it has been meeting for more than four years. Photo by Jon Anderson.
bathrooms, and an expansion of the existing foyer, Peters said. Those projects will be pursued if enough money is raised from church members. It probably will take at least $2 million to pay off the purchase, cover renovations already made and do the other potential improvements. Cross Creek owns 11.5 acres off Ross Bridge Parkway and in 2017 completely paid off the debt from purchasing that property, Peters said. The church still envisions a long-term use for that property, but building costs have soared, and church leaders felt they would be better stewards by buying and
renovating Lake Crest Presbyterian’s building for the time being. Peters said that Lake Crest Presbyterian is moving to Suite 320 in the Chase Commerce Park office complex off lower Lorna Road and next to Sam’s Club, Efforts to reach the pastor of Lake Crest Presbyterian for comment were unsuccessful. Peters said he thinks Cross Creek and Lake Crest have had a “beautiful partnership” these past four years. “We’re excited for what the Lord has been doing in their church and will be doing in the future, and I think they feel the same about us,”
Peters said. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought challenges for churches the past two years. Cross Creek, currently with 60 households, 225 members and an average attendance of about 125, is about the same size it was four years ago. Peters said the congregation is excited about this next step in its journey. “We give praise to the Lord for His provision, which we trust will help us further fulfill our vision, ‘Glorifying God by inviting all into God’s grace,’” he said. Find out more about the church at crosscreekchurch.net.
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Hoover Sun
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HooverSun.com
April 2022 • B3
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B4 • April 2022
Hoover Sun
Events Household Hazardous Waste Day set for April 2 By JON ANDERSON It’s spring cleaning time again in Hoover, and for the second year, the city is planning its Household Hazardous Waste Day at the Hoover Public Safety Center. The event is scheduled for Saturday, April 2, from 8 a.m. to noon. The day is designed to give Hoover residents a chance to properly dispose of items that shouldn’t go in a landfill. Residents should be prepared to show a valid driver’s license or photo ID with a Hoover address. Items will not be accepted from businesses, city officials said. Examples of items accepted include leftover wet paint, automotive fluids, household cleaners, pesticides, batteries, standard-size tires, electronics, medication, guns and ammunition. For many years, Hoover’s Household Hazardous Waste Day was in the parking lot at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium, but last year, city officials moved the event to the Hoover Public Safety Center off Valleydale Road so as not to conflict with other events at the Hoover Metropolitan Complex. Due to long lines in previous years, some of the city staff initially were concerned about traffic backing up onto Valleydale Road and planned to stack cars waiting in line in the front parking lot at the Public Safety Center. However, things went more smoothly than expected, and that was not necessary, said Robin Mangino, the administrative manager for the Public Works Department, who coordinates the day. Still, people are advised to enter the Public Safety Center off Valleydale Road, drive to the back of the building via the road on the east side of the building to drop off their items and exit out the back entrance to U.S. 31 near Christian Brothers Automotive.
Household Hazardous Waste Day • WHERE: Hoover Public Safety Center, 2020 Valleydale Road • WHEN: Saturday, April 2, 8 a.m. to noon • COST: Free to Hoover residents with ID showing their Hoover home address • WEB: hooveral.org/309/Household -Hazardous-Waste-Day
City employees and MXI Transportation and Environmental Services employees sort and dispose items such as paint, vehicle fluids and electronics during Hoover’s Household Hazardous Waste Day at the Hoover Public Safety Center in April 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
Last year, for the first time, the city had two Household Hazardous Waste Days: one on April 17 that drew 1,292 vehicles and a second on Sept. 18 that drew an estimated 550 vehicles, Mangino said. The city had received numerous requests from residents who didn’t want to have to wait a whole year to get rid of their hazardous waste. The city again this year plans to hold two drop-off days, with the second likely coming in October, Mangino said. Between the two days last year, Hoover residents brought enough paint and paint-related materials to fill 84 pallet-sized boxes and 30
pallets, city records show. Workers also collected 37 55-gallon drums of pesticides, eight 55-gallon drums of flammable liquids, 42 55-gallon drums of corrosive liquids and solids, eight 55-gallon drums of antifreeze, 188 propane tanks, nine 55-gallon drums and eight 5-gallon containers of household batteries, eight 55-gallon drums of oxidizers, 1,180 gallons of motor oil, six pallet-size boxes of aerosols, 187 fire extinguishers, 2,106 fluorescent light bulbs, 1,478 compact fluorescent lamps, 150 gallons of used cooking oil, 489 tires and 205 car batteries, according to Mangino and city records. The Hoover Police Department collected 43
boxes of prescription drugs and other medication totaling 775 pounds, as well as 25 firearms, four boxes of ammunition, some fireworks and an airbag, Officer Brian Hale said. They’ll collect unwanted medication again this year, as well as firearms, ammunition, edged weapons and military ordnance and souvenirs. Also, The Foundry Rescue and Recovery Center will be back again to collect equipment such as TV sets, computer hard drives, keyboards, monitors, computer mice, radios, stereos, telephones, power cables and wiring. City officials also encourage people to bring old, tattered or damaged U.S. flags for proper disposal. Eighty-one flags were collected last year, Mangino said. The city will not have a company there to shred and dispose of documents for people because that service will be offered instead at Celebrate Hoover Day on April 30 in the parking lot of Spain Park High School. To see a complete list of items accepted and not accepted, go to links at hooveral.org/309/ Household-Hazardous-Waste-Day.
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HooverSun.com
City gears up for 2022 Celebrate Hoover Day
April 2022 • B5
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By JON ANDERSON The city of Hoover’s 2022 Celebrate Hoover Day is slated for Saturday, April 30, at Veterans Park. The entire city and general public are invited to participate in a four-hour event that includes a variety of activities from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The day begins with a ceremony to acknowledge veterans whose family Kids ride a carnival ride at the 2021 Celebrate members or friends have purchased brick pavers in their honor. The pavers Hoover Day at Veterans Park last April. Photo by are to be put in the Veterans Plaza at Jon Anderson. Veterans Park to commemorate their service. The dedication ceremony will be at the main stage in the grassy area of the park along Valleydale Road to allow people to spread out, 2022 Celebrate said Brittany Callaway, the events coordinator Hoover Day for the city. The Dixie Vintage Antique Automobile Club • WHERE: Veterans Park, 4800 will put on a car show that starts at 10:30 a.m. Valleydale Road — a little earlier than the rest of the celebration • WHEN: Saturday, April 30, 11 a.m. — and lasts until 2:30 p.m. Last year’s car show to 3 p.m. attracted 278 vehicles. The club plans to have • COST: Free admission its awards ceremony at 2 p.m. The city will once again have live entertainment on the main stage provided by select individuals and groups in the community. The list said. The giant pie was not served last year due of performers still was being developed at press to the COVID-19 pandemic, but volunteers did time, but the entertainment typically includes hand out free individually wrapped ice pops. The Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce is singers, other musicians, dancers and other set to have its usual business exhibition tent, types of demonstrations, such as martial arts. There also will be a kids zone with carnival and the Hoover police and fire departments plan rides, inflatables, games and other activities, to display their specialty equipment and teams. Shred-It will provide free document shredand the event frequently includes pony rides ding in the parking lot at Spain Park High and a small petting zoo. Food trucks are scheduled to be present, School, and the city will provide free shuttles and the city plans to bring back its popular to and from the park. In the event of inclement weather, the event will 10-foot-wide apple pie if the Shelby County Health Department gives approval, Callaway take place Sunday, May 1, from 1:30-5:30 p.m.
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2022 Denim & Dining to mark 30 years of schools foundation By JON ANDERSON The Hoover City Schools Foundation will be kicking off its 30th anniversary celebration at the 2022 Denim & Dining fundraiser in April. The event is returning to Aldridge Gardens for the second time on Friday, April 29, from 6-10 p.m. “To be able to be in the gardens, we’re thrilled,” foundation Executive Director Shelley Shaw said. “It’s such a popular spot. Am employee of Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q stirs baked It’s a great setting for that time beans in preparation for serving food at the Hoover City of year, after proms, after Easter Schools Foundation’s 2021 Denim and Dining fundraiser at Aldridge Gardens in April 2021. Photo by Jon Anderson. and a way to start our celebration of our 30 years.” The night will start with a social and cocktail hour from 6-7 p.m., during which people will have an opportunity 2022 Denim & Dining to browse auction items. There will be both a silent auction and live auction, foundation • WHERE: Aldridge Gardens Executive Director Shelley Shaw said. • WHEN: Friday, April 29, 6-10 p.m. Auction items are expected to include a • COST: $75/person (increases to football signed by Alabama coach Nick Saban $85 April 25) and some Alabama players, golf outings, • DETAILS: A fundraiser for Hoover beach trips, jewelry, sporting event tickets, City Schools Foundation hotel packages and restaurant gift certificates, • WEB: hoovercsf.org Shaw said. Bidding will be done with cellphones, and people will receive alerts whenever a bid is placed on an item that interests them, she for teachers for innovative classroom projects. said. Also, silent auction items will be featured Attendees likely will get to hear from some past online prior to the event, and bidding for those grant recipients at the event, Shaw said. There also will be live entertainment. items will begin earlier in the week, she said. Early bird tickets cost $75 through April 24, At 7 p.m., guests will have a barbecue dinner from Jim ‘Nick’s Bar-B-Q and a dessert and and prices go up to $85 on April 25. Tickets can coffee bar set up by the Riverchase Career be bought at hoovercsf.org. The foundation also is looking for sponsorConnection Center’s Culinary and Hospitality ships, starting at $500 and going up to $2,500. Academy. Attire is casual; denim is encouraged. This is the main fundraiser for the founda- A $2,500 sponsorship includes a table for eight tion, with proceeds going to help fund grants guests at the event.
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Hoover Sun
Hoover run, walk options for April By JON ANDERSON Runners and walkers have several opportunities to take part in 5K events in Hoover in April. Shades Crest Baptist Church is putting on its annual High Country 5K and Mile Fun Run in Bluff Park on April 9, and Southeastern Diabetes Education Services is holding its Diabetes Walk for Camp Seale-Harris at Veterans Park the same day. Then on April 16, Jefferson State Community College is bringing its annual Judy M. Merritt Memorial 5K and Community EGGstravaganza back as an in-person event at Veterans Park on April 16. Here’s more information about each event:
HIGH COUNTRY 5K & MILE FUN RUN
The 5K run/walk will begin at 8 a.m. at Shades Crest Baptist Church at 452 Park Ave., wind through the streets of Bluff Park and end at the church. The 1-mile fun run is scheduled for 9 a.m. and will be followed by a pancake breakfast for all participants, their families and supporters in the church about 9:15 a.m., said Mark Johnson, an associate pastor who is organizing the run. There also will be a free pasta dinner for all registered runners and their families the night before from 6 to 8 p.m. on April 8. Runners can pick up their packets from 4 to 8 p.m. that night in the front of the church’s fellowship hall. If there is inclement weather, packet pickup will be in the building next to fellowship hall. The cost to participate is $30 through March 27, $35 March 28-April 8 and $40 the day of the race. Students ages 1-17 can register for $10. The race will take place rain or shine with no refunds, organizers said. The first 300 runners to register for the 5K will receive a T-shirt. Refreshments will be offered at the start and finish of the race. The Trak Shak is managing the race. The High Country 5K was called off in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic but returned
Left: Runners take off at the start of the 2019 High Country 5K at Shades Crest Baptist Church in April 2019. Photo by Jon Anderson. Right: Members of “Team Courtlynn” pose for a photo at the 2021 Birmingham Diabetes Walk for Camp Seale Harris at Veterans Park. Photo courtesy of John Latimer.
last year without the indoor portions of the event. About 125 people participated last year, which is about half as many as in 2019, Johnson said. The race is not a fundraiser. The entry fee is used to cover costs, Johnson said. “We’re just trying to break even,” he said. “It’s a community event to encourage people to participate in exercise and get together as a community around a short, little 3-mile run and to get to know and enjoy each other.” At this year’s race, organizers also plan to honor the course record-holder, Jeremy Moujoodi, a longtime Hoover resident and Hoover High graduate who died in July at age 33. His record time for the course is 15 minutes, 43.8 seconds. His wife is supposed to be present at the race, Johnson said. To register for the High Country 5K or for more information, go to shadescrest.org or call 205-822-1750.
BIRMINGHAM-HOOVER DIABETES WALK
Southeastern Diabetes Education Services plans to hold its annual Diabetes Walk for
Camp-Seale Harris on Saturday, April 9, at Veterans Park. The walk, which includes a 1-mile option and 3.1-mile option, raises money to help send children with diabetes to day camps and summer camps that are designed specifically for them. This year’s race is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m., but other activities will continue through noon, including music with a disc jockey, balloon art, a bounce house/slide and various vendors, said Shelby Harrison, the community and events manager for the nonprofit. The walk typically draws 150 to 200 people and last year attracted 200 to 250 participants, including about 30 teams that had registered to raise money in conjunction with the walk. Most teams typically are designed to raise money to supplement a particular child’s camp fees, but some businesses and civic groups form teams to raise money for the overall effort, which includes a general scholarship fund. “No child is turned away from Camp Seale-Harris regardless of financial status,” Harrison said. Last year’s Birmingham-Hoover event raised more than $25,000, and walks statewide
raised $97,000, she said. The nonprofit organizes six walks throughout Alabama and northwest Florida. Walks this year were scheduled for March 12 in Pensacola, March 13 in Mobile, April 2 in Dothan, April 3 in Montgomery, April 9 in Hoover and April 10 in Huntsville. As of late February, 31 teams had registered for the Birmingham-Hoover walk, but more were expected, Harrison said. “We have teams register all the way up to the day of the event,” she said. The nonprofit hopes to raise more than $30,000 with the Birmingham-Hoover walk this year and $125,000 statewide, Harrison said. To register or for more information, go to campsealeharris.org/diabeteswalk.
JUDY M. MERRITT MEMORIAL 5K
Jefferson State Community College is holding its Judy M. Merritt Memorial 5K and Community EGGstravaganza in its traditional format this year after making the run virtual last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 5K is conducted in memory of Merritt, who served as Jeff State’s president for 35 years and was the first woman appointed as a college president in Alabama. She died in October 2014
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April 2022 • B7 Carey Cauthen shops for plants during the spring plant sale at Aldridge Gardens on April 30, 2021. Staff photo.
High Country 5K
Runners participate in the 2019 Judy M. Merritt Memorial 5K at Veterans Park. Photo courtesy of Jefferson State Community College.
at her home in Chelsea less than four months after leaving her job at Jeff State. All proceeds from the 5K go to provide scholarships for needy Jeff State students. The race is set to begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 16. After the race at 10:30 a.m., medals will be given to the top three male and top three female finishers overall as well as the top male and female runners in various age groups. All participants will receive swag bags and T-shirts. After the race, the EGGstravaganza will include an Easter egg hunt for all ages with more than 10,000 Easter eggs that contain cash and tickets for free treats from Chick-fil-A, Steel City Pops and City Bowls, organizers said. There also will be free popcorn, cotton candy and Pepsi products available. The cost to participate in the 5K is $20 ($15 for college students and children ages 18 and younger who use the STUDENT code at checkout). For people who would rather sleep in but want to donate, a $15 option is available that includes the swag bag and T-shirt. Participants can pick up packets on Friday, April 15, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the lobby of the Judy M. Merritt Building on Jeff State’s Shelby-Hoover campus next door to Veterans Park. Packets also can be picked up on race day from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. To register for the race, go to jeffersonstate. edu/5K. For more information, contact Libby Holmes at lholmes@jeffersonstate.edu or at 205-983-5230.
• WHAT: 3.1-mile run • WHERE: Starts and ends at Shades Crest Baptist Church, 452 Park Ave. • WHEN: Saturday, April 9, 5K at 8 a.m.; 1-mile fun run at 9 a.m. • COST: $30 through March 27, $35 March 28-April 8 and $40 day of race; $10 for students ages 1-17 • REGISTER: shadescrest.org
Birmingham-Hoover Diabetes Walk • WHAT: 3.1-mile walk or 1-mile walk for Camp Seale-Harris • WHERE: Veterans Park, 4800 Valleydale Road • WHEN: Saturday, April 9, 9 a.m. • COST: No cost but donations accepted • REGISTER: campsealeharris.org/ diabeteswalk
Judy M. Merritt Memorial 5K • WHAT: 3.1-mile run and walk in memory of former Jefferson State Community College President Judy Merritt, benefiting scholarships • WHERE: Veterans Park, 4800 Valleydale Road • WHEN: Saturday, April 16, 9 a.m. • COST: $20 ($15 for college students and children ages 18 and younger — Use STUDENT at checkout); $15 sleep-in price for those who just want swag bag and T-shirt • WEB: jeffersonstate.edu/5K
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Aldridge Gardens spring plant sale set for April 28-30 By JON ANDERSON Aldridge Gardens will host its annual spring plant sale April 28-30. The event, which should include close to 1,000 plants, will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, April 28-29, and 8:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 30. As usual, there will be a large number of hydrangeas, plus azaleas and a variety of pollinated plants, landscape architect Rip Weaver said. The inventory mostly will be shrubs, but there should be a few trees as well, he said. Sizes will vary from a pint to 5 gallons, he said. “It looks like we’ve got a great selection of stuff coming in,” Weaver said. Some of the plants will be priced at less than $10, but prices likely will go up to $75 or more for items such as a few of the larger snowflake hydrangeas. The Walking Tree Bonsai Nursery off Old Rocky Ridge Road will be part of the sale, along with several craft vendors selling items including labels and birdhouses, he said. Other parts of this year’s event should also include food trucks, along with volunteers and master gardeners to help shoppers select the right plants for their homes and give advice
Aldridge Gardens spring plant sale • WHERE: Aldridge Gardens, 3530 Lorna Road • WHEN: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday, April 28-29; 8:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 30 • WEB: aldridgegardens.com
about placement, care and maintenance. Some years, the spring sale has raised around $10,000 for Aldridge Gardens, but the average probably is closer to $5,000 to $7,000, Weaver said. The money from the sale is used to pay for improvement projects, such as expansion of the irrigation system, replacing dead or diseased plant materials or making more trails in the gardens accessible for handicapped people. Aldridge Gardens members will receive 10% off all purchases with their membership card. For more about the gardens and the sale, visit aldridgegardens.com.
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B8 • April 2022
Spring Home & Garden • Special Advertising Section
Hoover Sun
2022 Spring
Home & Garden Guide
Special Advertising Section
Spring is in bloom, and it’s the perfect time to plant a garden, do some cleaning or start a home renovation. Find tips and tricks from area businesses to jumpstart any project in our guide.
Liven up your outdoor space with Gardner Landscaping 205-401-3347 • gardnerlandscapingllc.com Refreshing your yard for the spring can seem like a daunting task, but the experts at Gardner Landscaping have perfected creating beautiful outdoor spaces in a timely manner. Since 2006, Grant Gardner and his team have been partnering with residential and commercial customers whose properties come alive with manicured landscaping. The team leans on the knowledge and experience they’ve gained over the years as the large tree, shrub and drainage experts, and they never shy away from the newest outdoor design trends. Creating the perfect outdoor environment comes from a combination of cultivated greenery and pops of vivid color. “Our specialty is making a beautiful landscape with trees, shrubs and flowers. However, we are also very good at developing outdoor play and entertainment
areas for our customers,” Gardner said. No matter the client’s taste, Gardner and his team are ready to provide, from traditional plant materials to the unusual. “We strive to satisfy individual preferences, while advising our customers based upon several factors such as the intended purpose of the space,” Gardner said. One of the things that sets Gardner Landscaping apart from similar businesses is its full staff of licensed, insured and talented personnel. “We have the personnel and resources to get to your project in a timely manner,” Gardner said, adding that they strive to provide each client with a quote on their project within 24 hours. To find out how the team at Gardner Landscaping can liven up your outdoor space this spring, just give them a call or reach them online.
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Spring Home & Garden • Special Advertising Section
April 2022 • B9
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205-377-8400 • cardinalroof.com According to CEO Adam Winger, if you stacked up all the shingles Cardinal Roofing installed last year, they would be 12 times taller than the Eiffel Tower. Despite that, if you ask Winger what the company does, he won’t say they build, maintain and repair roofing — he’ll tell you that Cardinal Roofing does things differently. “Our processes are different, our products are different, and our people are different. We care about our roofs, but we care about the people under them more,” he said. Each year they help around 1,500 homeowners through direct services, but they also help by educating people about the health of their roof and how to spot potential problems before they become severe issues. “Your roof will tell you a story about its health if you pay attention,” Winger said. “Are you finding more and more sand granules in your gutter downspouts? Do you see curled, creased, missing or lifted shingles? Are there dark streaks running down your roof? All of these signs could indicate your roof is either aging or damaged.” Ignoring these problems because you are unaware of them or simply don’t have the time or resources to mend them can create a disastrous situation. But Cardinal Roofing does its best to alleviate those problems when they arise. “We helped replace the roof of a Birmingham family for free this past Christmas. Water was pouring into several rooms in the family’s house including the bedroom of their two young sons. It was heart wrenching. We changed the family’s life that day, and I couldn’t be prouder of the way our team came together.” Just like with an automobile, performing routine maintenance can greatly extend the life of your roof. “It needs consistent maintenance to extend its useful life,” Winger said. “For example, pipe covers may need to be replaced, flashing may need to be re-sealed and turbines may need to be replaced. There is no better time than spring to perform annual roof maintenance. “The force of strong winds and the impact of spring and summer hail can create hairline fractures (or worse) in
The force of strong winds and the impact of spring and summer hail can create hairline fractures (or worse) in shingles. Eventually, rainwater will find these cracks and create leaks. This type of damage can rarely be seen from the ground. Therefore, after violent storms this season, have a licensed professional inspect your roof for damage.
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shingles,” Winger continued. “Eventually, rainwater will find these cracks and create leaks. This type of damage can rarely be seen from the ground. Therefore, after violent storms this season, have a licensed professional inspect your roof for damage.” Proper roof maintenance can save you money from larger repairs in the future, and it can also help you cut back on your energy bill. “More time at home means we spend more money to heat and cool our air throughout the day,” Winger said. Making sure your roof is ventilated correctly can help reduce that cost. “Not only will a properly ventilated roof reduce the cost of heating and cooling, but it will also increase the life of your roof. Consider adding vents to the ridges of your roof or having your turbines inspected to ensure proper air circulation throughout your home.” If you need maintenance, repairs or a new roof, you can call Cardinal Roofing or request a free inspection on its website.
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B10 • April 2022
Spring Home & Garden • Special Advertising Section
Hoover Sun
Budget Blinds has your new spring window coverings 205-824-3300 • budgetblinds.com/birmingham Need some new window coverings this spring? Steve Thackerson is ready to help you have beautiful window blinds, shutters and solar shades that you can control from anywhere. They’re easy to use and easy to afford, he said. “Motorization is a big thing now. There are ways you can tie motorized window coverings into your home’s automation system,” said Thackerson, owner of Budget Blinds of Birmingham. With a touch of your phone — even when you’re not home — you can raise or lower your window coverings, or you can tell Alexa to do it for you. Your Budget Blinds can also open or close at a pre- selected time of day or night. “We can usually tie our product into any system you might have,” Thackerson said. “We take pride in providing style and service for every budget.” At Budget Blinds — your local window covering expert — they take the time to understand you and your unique needs to deliver the best custom window covering solution designed for the way you live. They do any kind of custom window covering. As far as blinds go, they offer wood and faux wood, aluminum, vinyl, composite and vertical blinds or vertical blind alternatives. They also offer shades of all kinds: roller, Roman, cellular, bamboo, woven wood, pleated, sheer,
graphic and solar. And they can get your interior and exterior plantation shutter needs taken care of with wood, café or composite.
You can see a gallery of recent projects on their website to get a feel for what they can do for your home or office. “We install them, so anything
that’s purchased from us, we’ll custom install them and professionally install them,” Thackerson said. “We don’t subcontract that out. We control
everything from setting up the appointment to the final installation.” They also have better warranties than their competitors, he said. “Our manufacturers may also sell to our competitors, but they don’t give them the same warranties they give us. That sets us apart. We get the same products but better pricing and better warranties.” That comes with their national presence and the long relationships he and his wife have built in their more than 30 years in the business. He also has two salesmen with decades of experience. “They are veteran employees who have been with me a long time,” Thackerson said. The highly trained design consultants at Budget Blinds put their heart and soul into creating the perfect answer to your window fashion needs. They even bring their entire showroom to you with their free in-home design consultation. They also really enjoy serving their many wonderful customers in the 280 corridor. In addition, Thackerson and his staff say that the well-being and safety of their customers is their top priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to in-home consultations, Budget Blinds offers free virtual consultations. To learn more, call them or go to their website today.
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Spring Home & Garden • Special Advertising Section
April 2022 • B11
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B12 • April 2022
Spring Home & Garden • Special Advertising Section
Hoover Sun
Real estate legend Patti Schreiner's legacy lives on 205-222-5651 • Team@PattiSold.com
Get the job done right with Mr. Handyman 205-649-3642 • mrhandyman.com/birmingham During your spring cleaning routine, you may notice a few things around your home that need maintenance or repair. Whether it's gutters that need to be cleaned, a fresh coat of paint or new handrails around your deck Mr. Handyman of Birmingham is your one-stop-shop for all home/business improvement and repairs. “As the weather begins to warm up and you start to venture outdoors, it’s a good idea to walk around your home and look around,” owner Andrew Howard said. “Examine your siding to look for damaged areas especially under eaves and near your gutter downspouts. Ensure gutters are intact and not pulling away from the home, which could indicate wood rot issues.” Once you’ve identified any issues in
or around your home that you need assistance with, you can count on the skilled and professional team at Mr. Handyman of Birmingham to get the job done right the first time. “The staff of Mr. Handyman are experienced and highly skilled craftsmen with at least 15 years’ experience,” Howard said. “They undergo extensive background checks, plus drug and alcohol screens, so you can rest easy.” Going above and beyond for every customer is the standard at Mr. Handyman of Birmingham. “We will answer the phone with a live voice 24/7 and guarantee our work for a year. We strive to provide an exceptional experience while we maintain and improve your most valuable asset: your home.”
Surrounded by her loved ones, well-known resident and realtor, Patti Schreiner, passed away in February. She left behind a legacy admired in the Birmingham area and real estate community. Patti’s life was one filled with compassion and dedication to serving others. Her accomplishments and accolades were countless, but most importantly her friendships were dearly cherished by so many. Although Patti is no longer with us, her ARC Realty colleagues — husband Dave Taylor and friend Carrie Richardson — as well as her grandson, Carter Ross, will continue to carry on her real estate services to the city. The three have formed The Patti Schreiner Team in her honor. They will continue to provide the same level of resources and communication to both sellers and buyers. To Patti’s friends and clients: “They can trust us. Her legacy is going to continue,” Richardson said.
The qualified team has over thirty years of combined experience, and wants to help families achieve their housing goals. Just as her slogan said, “Call Patti, and start packing,” and The Patti Schreiner Team will continue to accomplish this in her memory. If you are in need of a real estate team, reach out to The Patti Schreiner Team today at Team@PattiSold.com or 205-222-5651.
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Spring Home & Garden • Special Advertising Section
HooverSun.com
April 2022 • B13
Breanna Sexton can help you find your diamond in the rough 205-234-6549 • soldbysexton.com
Family-owned Allsteel Fence provides security, curb appeal 205-942-8249 • allsteelfence.com While multigenerational family businesses are rare these days, Allsteel Fence is the exception as a third generation family business. It prides itself on its deeply-rooted values of customer service and high-quality products. Founded by Bob Jones in 1964, the company has grown from a one-room office with one installation crew and salesman to now over 40 employees and two locations, one in Birmingham and one in Tuscaloosa. Allsteel fabricates their own chain-link wire, provides security gate operator systems, builds custom gates in house, and has the largest inventory of fence materials in central Alabama. They have the capability to serve all clients’ residential, commercial, and industrial fencing needs. Allsteel Fence offers chain-link, ornamental, wood, PVC, custom gates, and gate operator systems, and sells all of these products directly to the public. And if you’re looking to do-ityourself, Allsteel offers a better variety, a
more knowledgeable sales staff, and prices that always beat the big box stores. For the past 57 years, Allsteel Fence has remained in the Jones family and is currently owned by Bob’s son, Jeff, and managed by his two sons, Jonathan and Alex. Company Vice President Jonathan Jones said Allsteel Fence is able to offer a high level of quality because it manufactures and fabricates so many of its own products. Allsteel Fence’s products provide security and curb appeal to all residential and commercial customers, Jones said. “Our residential fences are often used to provide containment or privacy for pets and children,” he said. “Our commercial fences are typically used to provide security to one’s property.” And, as the business looks to its next 57 years, it will continue to offer high-quality products and unmatched customer service that have become a family tradition.
“Quality Built Fences Since 1964”
When it comes to buying a home, Remax Southern Homes’ Breanna Sexton loves helping her clients find a diamond in the rough and fix it up. “People buy a home and are always so worried about the details,” she said. “They see the perfect homes on HGTV and Instagram, but these aren’t always a solid financial buy. I want my clients to know that you can add your own personal touches to your home through the years.” This approach takes a lot of external pressure off homebuyers too. And it’s a smart financial move. “You can watch seminars and do your own research and discover how these home flippers make so much money,” she said. “Instead of paying someone else to do that, let me help you find a home that’s move-in ready and has room for you to add your personal details. “You’ll put the hard work and sweat into building your equity, and you’ll make so much more of an investment into yourself. You’ll feel proud of yourself for putting in the time and effort into your home.” Breanna has lived in Birmingham for over 16 years and has extensive knowledge
of its many different neighborhoods. “I know from experience that listening and understanding my clients is the most important trait an agent can have,” she said. “I also care about my clients and want to teach them during their real estate decisions. This is your money, and I want you to make a well-informed decision, no matter how long it takes.”
OUR HOME MUST HAVE
RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL WE INSTALL OR YOU INSTALL Chain Link Wood Gates & Operators
Ornamental Vinyl PVC Repairs
Calm outdoor space
Free Estimates • Licensed Insured DO-IT-YOURSELF HEADQUARTERS
205.651.6084 www.AllsteelFence.com
START YOUR SEARCH WITH
Breanna Sexton 205.234.6549
bsexton521@gmail.com | SoldBySexton.com
B14 • April 2022
Spring Home & Garden • Special Advertising Section
See what Brewer Cabinets has to offer at its new showroom 205-942-4000 • brewercabinets.com Jason Brewer has been in the cabinet business for more than 30 years and has an experienced group of designers and installers. Last year, Brewer Cabinets opened a new showroom to display their products. The cabinetry company moved from U.S. 31 in Hoover to a convenient spot on Alabama 119 about a half mile off Interstate 65. The 2,500-square-foot showroom — at 236 Cahaba Valley Parkway — is about double the size of the previous showroom and allows Brewer and his team to display more of what they have to offer. It’s open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The showroom is conveniently attached to Brewer’s warehouse, which allows customers to look at additional products from time to time. Brewer Cabinets installs both traditional cabinets as well as the more contemporary European frameless styles. They specialize
in kitchens and bathroom cabinets but also do commercial work for businesses such as doctor and dentist offices, optometrists and hair salons. In addition to cabinets, the company installs countertops, offering options that include laminate, granite and quartz. Brewer Cabinets was started by Brewer’s parents. “I literally grew up in the cabinet shop,” he said. He started working there when he was 12 and has been doing it since. He’s one of four people who designs the cabinets, and three of them have more than 20 years experience each. He’s especially proud of his two installers. “They’ve been with the business for our family over 30 years, and they’re both really, really good,” he said. Brewer says that if you’re planning to have cabinets added to your home soon, it’s best to submit an order several months in advance of your desired installation date.
Hoover Sun
LAH Real Estate is thrilled to be celebrating its 30th anniversary 205-440-4740 • lahrealestate.com Founded in 1992 by Maurice Humphries, Jim Lawrence and Keith Arendall, LAH set out to promote an exceptional client-first environment that stood apart because of its quality service and attention to detail. “For me LAH is a gift. It is such an honor to work with the best people in the best industry in the world,” Humphries said. 30 years later, their original philosophies are still the center of our focus. Our vision is to create a community of expert Realtors who work together with integrity to provide standout real estate services. Our clients have and always will be our driving force. Now LAH is the proud home to
over 160 agents across six offices throughout Central Alabama and Florida. LAH specializes in residential and commercial real estate, and we cater to homebuyers of all types, with consideration of all budgets. We want to take the time to ensure that you find the perfect home that’s right for you! LAH is also proud to support dozens of local and national charities. Since 2013, we have asked our agents and staff to recommend charitable causes for us to consider supporting in the upcoming year. In 2021, LAH contributed to over 50 organizations. We are thankful to all who have played even a small part in making LAH who we are today. We hope the next 30 years are just as transformative as the first 30!
Spring ahead to your new home
Come see our showroom located at 236 Cahaba Valley Parkway - 35124
Since it’s founding in 1982, Brewer Cabinets’ goal has been to provide a quality product at a fair price. Give us a call at 205-942-4000 with any questions or to schedule an appointment with one of our design team.
lahrealestate.com
HooverSun.com
Spring Home & Garden • Special Advertising Section
April 2022 • B15
Kete Quick Cannon's referral rate speaks for itself 205-601-4148 • ketecannon.com Kete Quick Cannon closed her first transaction in 1993. In 1995 she earned her spot as a top producer within her company — a title she continues today. As a second generation realtor that grew up in the business, it is clear that real estate was no simple coincidence. Cannon has set herself up as a leader in Birmingham's residential market. With a degree in interior design, a keen eye for detail, uncompromising standard of quality, and negotiation savvy make her the perfect partner for her clients to help them navigate the buying and selling process. However, it is her relentless pursuit of market knowledge that truly sets Kete apart. “I don't just look at current home values, I study the neighborhoods, their history, and their potential, and use this to provide my clients with a home and an investment for their family.” As a lifelong Birmingham resident, she knows just how special the city is and its people are. With almost three decades of networking, she has her ear to the ground on what’s happening in the area’s real estate market. “My services encompass everything from consultation, interior design,
DIY vs. Hiring a Handyman 205-823-2111 • onemanandatoolbox.com
staging, investment properties, vacation homes … whatever my clients need,” she said. Kete’s business is based on more than 85 percent referrals from satisfied clients. “Most important to me is providing the most excellent service to buyers and sellers in order to earn their trust, referrals and repeat business,” Kete said.
Your neighbor, your REALTOR
If you're looking to renovate your home, you might be thinking you should save money and do it yourself. However, some projects in your home are better left to the professionals, such as One Man & a Toolbox in Birmingham. First, you should assess your skill set and expertise. Are you going to have to do a lot of research for your project? This could take a lot of time, and it would be much faster to hire experienced professionals. You should also consider the scope of the project. Do you need complicated repairs? You should never try to do large electrical repairs yourself if you don’t have the proper background, for example. You could risk electrocuting yourself or starting a fire. “One Man & a Toolbox can tackle just about any residential project short of rebuilding your home from the ground up,” said Jay Moss. “While we can take
care of all your smaller projects like gutter cleaning and general maintenance and repairs, we also specialize in providing quick, professional service for more cosmetic jobs like painting, pressure washing, tile and grout, vinyl flooring, deck repair, and much more. “Any odd jobs around your home that you need handled, we’ll get them done right the first time.” When it comes to putting up holiday decorations or assembling a new swingset in the backyard, many people choose to take the DIY route. But if you need an extra set of hands, One Man & a Toolbox is there for you. “No matter how unusual the task, One Man & a Toolbox is up for the challenge,” Moss said. If you’re interested in learning more about how One Man & a Toolbox can tackle all of your home projects, call 205-823-2111.
One Man & a Toolbox Handyman Services
Because
Doing it Yourself isn’t for everyone. Providing personal service, savvy market insights, and a designer’s eye, Kete has been a consistent top producer throughout her career. Call today to help get your home listed and sold!
Residential Commercial Special Projects
Kete Cannon | 205.601.4148 | kete@ketecannon.com KC - starnes quarter page ad.indd 2
2/8/22 2:18 PM
205-823-2111 • OneMan-Toolbox.com
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