Hoover sun september 2014 by Starnes Media

Sun Neighborly news & entertainment for Hoover

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Volume 2 | Issue 12 | September 2014

Referred for a reason.

Drawing the line

Spain Park Wins

The Jaguars kicked off their season with a hard-fought battle against Austin. Find game details inside this issue.

See page B1

Run for a cause

Hoover City Schools considers realigning elementary zones for 2015 By JESSA PEASE

This fall, there are plenty of opportunities to get outdoors for a cause. Check out our list of races and walks happening in Hoover this month.

See page A16

INSIDE City .....................A3 Business ............A6 Food ...................A8 Community .......A12

School House ....B2 Sports .................B7 Calendar .............B13

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Elementary student populations are shifting, and lines could be redrawn for Hoover City Schools next year to accommodate the changes.

Some Bluff Park Elementary students could be rezoned to a neighboring school to help redistribute student population growth in the area. Photo by Karim Shamsi-Basha.

“I know for some folks it feels like we shouldn’t have to rezone, but in our community we are in this continuous growth,” Hoover City Schools Superintendent Andy Craig said. “There are going to be times along the way where we

Unforgettable

are going to have to realign ourselves, re-balance things, and hopefully we do that in such a way that it looks forward as well, so we won’t have

See SCHOOLS | page A20

Medical director remembers aftermath of twin towers attacks

By SYDNEY CROMWELL It was 8:46 a.m. On one side of the Brooklyn Bridge, Dr. Sarah Nafziger sat in a hotel conference room researching emergency medicine. On the other side, a plane had just slammed into the north tower of the World Trade Center. The date was September 11, 2001. By the end of the day, Nafziger would see the smoking remains of ground zero from the back of a New York City ambulance. She has seen plenty of disaster areas as the Hoover Fire Department’s medical director, but none of them can compare to that terrifying day. Crumbling down Inside the hotel room, Nafziger had no idea at first that anything was amiss. A fellow researcher received a frantic pager alert, but no one thought it was serious until the hotel was evacuated. Nafziger found herself “shoulder to shoulder” with a sea of strangers, staring across the river at the burning towers and the fighter jets speeding over the city.

See 9/11 | page A21

Taste of Hoover Thursday, October 16, 5-8pm Aldridge Gardens 3530 Lorna Road $20 for members of Aldridge Gardens $30 for non-members Tickets: online at www.aldridgegardens.com or by phone - 682.8019

A month after September 11, Sarah Nafziger returned to New York City to provide medical services at ground zero. Photo by Karim Shamsi-Basha.

Restaurants and chefs from around Hoover will have samples of their food available at the event; live music on the grounds. facebook.com/tasteofhoover More info: email Matthew Allen at matthew@starnespublishing.com

Sun

A2 • September 2014

Hoover Sun

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Photo of the Month

Willie Robertson from the television show Duck Dynasty poses with Hoover residents Avery and Anderson Thrower. Photo courtesy of Ashley Berkery.

Send your submissions for Photo of the Month to

katie@starnespublishing.com

Editor’s Note By Rebecca Walden This month marks the for good reason.) In sixth start of one of the most these moments, I love to culturally relevant seasons in watch her, all wide-eyed my daughter’s life – college and insatiably curious, football, in an SEC houseexploring campus, hold, where parental alma taking in the traditions maters are about as agreeable of my collegiate home. as Corso and Herbstreit on I’d claim my son’s any given autumn Saturday. pigskin loyalties as So far, my Ella’s with the well, albeit a bit more Tide – an allegiance I hope complicated given how to reinforce this month with the folks who regularly Walden a “mommy and me” trip to watch games at our Bryant-Denny on Sept. 13 for Alabama house have already laid claim to him. vs. Southern Miss. And I must give They even dubbed Connor the “Golden credit where it is due. Sister can hang Ticket” because they are convinced that for a solid two quarters of live football Auburn plays better whenever he is in action, without whining or requiring the room. Not that I’m giving up, but constant trips to the concession stand. admittedly, it’ll be tough going. She’s come a long way on her shaker The other day, I felt a little piece of etiquette, too (for this, my cheekbones me die inside when I gave Connor the and my patience are especially grateful). choice of two outfits to wear, only to Making a visit to my sorority house have him promptly reject both options is a must on any trip to T-town. As are and instead fish out the navy blue a walk along the Quad, a visit to Denny Auburn shirt I had hoped would become Chimes and a tour of the Walk of Cham- a forgotten birthday present, banished pions, to say nothing of the choice to the bottom of the dresser drawer. people watching these locales afford. Well played, Golden Ticket. Perhaps I (Auburn fans need not snicker here – underestimated your ability to succumb the terms “Bammer” and “Barner” exist to collegiate sports persuasion, even if

you are only three years old. Living in a house divided is not my ideal, but that’s partly what makes football season so awesome, isn’t it? We’re part of a state that is for the most part healthily divided between two teams with such meaningful legacies that it makes the next four months, plus the sweetness of January’s bowl games so darn – entertaining. The bizarre actions of outlier fanatics notwithstanding, I love this rivalry. Our passion to watch our teams bring out their collective best every time they play is what makes each college football Saturday such fun. And the cute game day clothes. And the endless grazing on who-cares-how-many-calories-are-inthese-because-they-taste-so-good appetizers. And the refreshing tailgate drinks. Roll Eagle. War Tide. Raise your glass for SEC Pride! May my team give yours hell (and vice versa),

Publisher : Creative Director : Graphic Designer: Editor: Managing Editor: Sports Editor: Staff Writers: Editorial Assistant: Advertising Manager : Sales and Distribution : Contact Information: Hoover Sun #3 Office Park Circle, Suite 316 Birmingham, AL 35223 313-1780 dan@hooversun.com

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

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Dan Starnes Keith McCoy Emily VanderMey Rebecca Walden Madoline Markham David Knox Katie Turpen Jessa Pease Sydney Cromwell Madison Miller Matthew Allen Rhonda Smith Warren Caldwell Michelle Salem Haynes Nathan Pearman Morgan Robinson Louisa Jeffries William C. Singleton III Olivia Burton Hoover Sun LLC

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September 2014 • A3

City Mayor’s Minute By Gary Ivey

The Hoover Beautification or you can call City Hall at Board recently held a luncheon 444-7500. to commend businesses and Be sure to remember non-residential properties for Aldridge Gardens or the the most beautiful landscaping. Hoover Met if you need a This program is held every two place to host a holiday party, years. The properties are judged wedding reception, reunion on first impressions, creative or an anniversary party. Both design, plant selection, plant facilities are reasonably maintenance and maintenance priced and catering is availof retaining walls, walkways able. For more information and pavement. Bonus points are about rentals at Aldridge Gargiven for properties that have dens call 682-8019 or visit Gary Ivey the “wow factor.” their website, aldridgegardens. Fall is a very busy time of com, or for the Hoover Met year in the city of Hoover. We have many excit- call 739-6400. ing events planned for this fall and they are We want to exceed your expectations in all very family friendly. WOOFstock is being every way with all we do. Please contact our held on Sept. 6 at Veterans Park on Valleydale office if we can be of assistance to you. and is the perfect place for all animal lovers to bring out their four-legged friends for some Sincerely, fun. Another annual event in Hoover is the Pig Iron Barbeque and it’s held at the Hoover Met on Oct. 10, followed up by the Hoover Hayride and Family Night held on Oct. 24 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Veterans Park. All details about these Gary Ivey events and a detailed listing of other events are Mayor located on our website, hooveralabama.gov,

Commercial Beautification Award winners honored at luncheon

Danberry at Inverness received the Mayor’s Award at the 2014 Commercial Awards Luncheon. Photo by Lance Shores.

By KATIE TURPEN The Hoover Beautification Board honored the winners of the 2014 Commercial Beautification Awards at an August luncheon at Riverchase Country Club. Any commercial property within the city of Hoover, including schools and colleges, could participate in this event and properties were judged in categories. Criteria included basic overall appearance, creativity, and design and color coordination. Winners will receive a black wrought iron sign to place near the entrance of their property. The 2014 Winners are listed below: êê Mayor’s Award: Danberry at Inverness êê Tree Conservation Award – Aldridge Gardens êê Financial Institutions – Aliant Bank in Meadow Brook êê Professional Offices – Alabama Family Eye Care/South Trace Pediatrics êê Professional Offices – Hunter Trace êê Churches – Bluff Park United Methodist Church êê Hotels and motels – Courtyard by Marriott-Hoover êê Restaurants – Fish Market Restaurant &

Oyster Bar on U.S. 280 êê Shopping Mall, Shopping Strip, Mixed Use Centers – Hoover Commons êê Large Office Complexes – Inverness Center Park êê Fire Stations – Thomas E. Bradley Fire Station No. 4 on Municipal Drive êê Other – Galleria Woods senior living community êê Honor Roll Winners – Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa , Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama The Hoover Beautification Board is a volunteer organization dedicated to improving the quality of life in Hoover. Programs involve citizens, schools, business community, civic leaders and local government in actions that prevent litter and beautify the community. The board’s mission is to empower citizens to take a greater responsibility for their environment. Hoover Beautification Board Members are Mary Ross Searcy, Jennifer Gregory, Roberta Atkinson, Ann McAdams, Matthew Allen, Lynne Cooper, Andrew Fort, Linda Joseph, Pat Lawley, LaVerne Martin, Rita Newell, Lea Pennington, Sara Perry, JoAnn Powell, Mable Prescott, Diane Ray, Chris Sheedy, Donna Spencer and Judy Thompson.

A4 • September 2014

Hoover Sun

Road and development projects move forward

Celebrations Scalisi-Sullentrup

For the realignment of Highway 150 at Galleria Boulevard, the council approved a resolution to install and maintain traffic control signals. Photo by Jessa Pease.

By JESSA PEASE and KATIE TURPEN Steps for roadwork on the Galleria Boulevard, Hugh Daniel Drive, South Shades Crest Road and Eden Ridge Drive/Shades Run Circle moved forward during a July City Council meeting. While these will move forward, the council voted to reject the Southland Drive widening project at the meeting. The voting for this project had been postponed at the last meeting when the mayor had concerns about the budget. The project was originally budgeted for $415,000 but in actuality was about $590,000. For the realignment of Highway 150 at Galleria Boulevard, the council approved a resolution to install and maintain traffic control signals per Alabama Department of Transportation’s recommendation. Also last month, the council adopted an action plan to carry out a wide range of community development activities. Through a federally funded program, the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) provides grants directed toward neighborhood revitalization, economic development, and improved community

facilities and services. Beginning in 1974, the CDBG program is one of the longest continuously run programs at the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development. Projects in Hoover under the program include Project Homeless Connect, various after-school programs and the Patton Chapel Road project. Also during July and August meetings, the council: }} authorized Birmingham Water Works to install fire hydrants at four locations within the Shoppes of Hoover development. }} approved Jeff Pepe of Hoover Investment Partners, LLC’s proposal for a shopping center in The Shoppes of Hoover at 5190 Medford Drive. }} authorized the mayor to execute a court referral officer contract with the state of Alabama Administrative Director of Courts Judicial Branch. }} authorized the mayor to execute a utility relocation agreement with Alabama Gas Corporation for Highway 150 and Galleria Boulevard lane improvements.

Laura Katherine Scalisi and Michael Anthony Sullentrup were married at The Birmingham Botanical Gardens on May 3. The ceremony was officiated by the Rev. Dianne Stevens. The bride is the daughter of Bernard and Kathy Scalisi of Hoover. She is the granddaughter of the late Mrs. Edna Pinkerton and Mrs. Pauline Scalisi of Hoover. The groom is the son of Doug and Kelly Kerr of Chicago and Robert Sullentrup of Washington, Miss. He is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Bushue, Mrs. Ruth Bushue and Mrs. Marlene Sullentrup of Washington, Miss.

Given in marriage by her father the bride wore a Mary’s original gown. The strapless satin and organza mermaid gown featured an embellished bust with crystal rhinestones. Soft rouching encircled the waistline accented by a sequined appliqué. The ruffled tiered mermaid skirt swept to a chapel train. The bride wore her mother’s cathedral veil. Elizabeth Scalisi-Danforah, sister of the bride, was Matron of Honor. Alyssa Danforah, niece of the bride, was the flower girl. Patrick Trujillo of Dallas was the groom’s best man. A reception followed at the Hoover Country Club.

Have an engagement, wedding or anniversary announcement? Email rebecca@hooversun.com to have it included in an upcoming issue!

HooverSun.com

September 2014 • A5

Digging up digital dirt By SYDNEY CROMWELL It’s not all black suits and sunglasses for the U.S. Secret Service. These federal agents are also some of the best computer forensic examiners in the nation. At its training institute in the Hoover Public Safety Center, the Secret Service shares its forensic knowledge with state and local law enforcement from across the nation. The National Computer Forensic Institute (NCFI) was conceived as a joint effort of the Secret Service, the Department of Homeland Security and the Alabama District Attorneys Association. They recognized that digital evidence was a growing field, and the state and federal computer examiners were overwhelmed with a backlog of cases. “It was not unusual at all to take somebody a hard drive and be told that it might be two years before they might have the chance to look at it,” said NCFI Deputy Director Barry Page. With the help of U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus, the NCFI found a home in 32,000 square feet of unused space in the Hoover Public Safety Center. After renovations to include five classrooms, a moot courtroom and offices, the NCFI held its first classes in 2008. The goal of the NCFI is to train police, prosecutors and judges in understanding, collecting and using digital evidence. Since its inception, the NCFI has given free courses to more than 3,000 people from all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. That number includes 28 Hoover Police Department employees and 29 people from

NCFI Deputy Director Barry Page stands in one of the ﬁve classrooms at the National Computer Forensics Institute. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, District Attorney’s Office and Circuit Court. “The idea was, ‘Let’s make the same thing that federal agents are getting trained for available for state and local law enforcement,’” Page said. There are currently 13 classes for beginner, intermediate and advanced students. The topics for law enforcement include extracting information from hard drives and mobile devices, combating network intrusions, finding evidence on social networks and credit card information theft. Prosecutors are taught to question computer forensics experts, present digital evidence to a jury and argue for admission or exclusion of evidence. Judges learn about warrants for digital evidence and

understanding this evidence in court. At the end of the courses, students get to take home the equipment they used. NCFI students learn not only technical skills but also how to focus their investigations to save time and resources. With limited computer forensic manpower, most local police forces and district attorneys cannot spend days combing through massive hard drives. Page said it’s all about working “smarter, not harder.” “The technology is there, the capability is there, the training is there to go in and look at those things, but can you dedicate a week’s worth of an examiner’s time on every case?” Page said. “It’s just not possible.” Classes are constantly changing or being added to keep pace with

technology. Since 2008, mobile devices and social media have grown in popularity and become more important sources of evidence for criminal cases. “If somebody’s going to commit a crime, it’s not unreasonable to think that there’s going to be GPS information, cell tower information, some type of email or text communication, something on social media,” Page said. The instructors also have to keep up with new trends. Page remembers that in early classes, social networks were a one-hour discussion as part of a broader class, but now there is a three-day course devoted solely to the subject. In a prosecutors’ class in June, the participants talked about Bitcoin

for the first time. The introduction of cloud storage is a new problem that the NCFI will have to address. “Just about every class, there’s something new to talk about,” Page said. Students also benefit from connecting to the NCFI network of computer forensic examiners scattered across the country. When they need advice or outside help, former students can draw on the expertise of classmates, teachers and an NCFI database. Page said he often hears from students whose NCFI training has helped them solve cases. He has also noted decreases in computer forensics backlogs across the country, but there is a long way to go. “Certainly the amount of cases are going up, the amount of people who are being trained are going up. There are still significant backlogs, but things are getting better,” Page said. “I don’t know what it would look like to have enough computer forensic examiners trained. I don’t know how many is enough, because we’re nowhere near that point.” On June 2, the Hoover City Council approved the NCFI’s use of its current space until 2024. In that time, Page hopes to increase the institute’s budget, currently set at $7.5 million, and continue improving its courses. For Page, the most satisfying part of his job is seeing the NCFI wall map and its 3,000 pins placed on each student’s home city. “I enjoy being able to see the impact of what you’re doing,” Page said. “We do hear back on a pretty regular basis about the impact it’s made. It’s pretty significant.”

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Now Open Birmingham Gastroenterology Associates, based in Homewood, has opened a new satellite ofﬁce at Baptist Health Center Hoover, 5295 Preserve Parkway. Dr. Charles Dasher will see patients at this location. 271-8000. bgapc.com.

Kasey Davis Dentistry, 589-A Shades Crest Road, is now open. The ofﬁce is located in the same shopping center as Bluff Park Diner, Bluff Park Hardware and Moonlight on the Mountain. 822-7277. kaseydavisdentistry.com.

Morningside of Riverchase, an assisted living facility at 2184 Parkway Lake Drive, is now open. It is located in the facility formerly occupied by Ashton Gables. 403-7400. morningsideofriverchase.com.

Hoover Title Mart, 1631 Montgomery Highway, is now open. 490-6860. hoovertitlemart.com.

InShapeMD Wellness Center, a weight loss and anti-aging clinic, is now open at 650 Inverness Corners. The location is owned by Dr. Brian Campbell. 582-9216. inshapemd.com.

Coming Soon Sprint will open a new retail store at 1707 Montgomery Highway, in the Riverchase Promenade shopping center. sprint.com.

Royal Furniture is opening at 1615 Montgomery Highway, in the former Books-a-Million at Hoover Commons shopping center. royalfurniture.com.

Fried Green Tomato’s, 1615 Montgomery Highway, Suite 132, is opening soon.

Orangetheory Fitness will open a location at 4441 Creekside Ave., Suite 141. 823-2662. orangetheoryﬁtness.com/ hoover.

Relocations and Renovations Atherotech Diagnostics Lab, a company specializing in cardiodiagnostic tests, will move its corporate headquarters to 1853 Data Drive. 1-800-719-9807. atherotech.com.

Innovative Surfaces, LLC has relocated from Pelham to its new location in Riverchase, 118 Little Valley Court. 621-5455. innovative-surfacesllc.com.

Painted By U, 1713 Montgomery Highway S., Suite 139, is closing its retail store but will continue to operate as an online business. 988-8933. paintedbyu.com.

September 2014 • A7 Fashions, 2341 John Hawkins Parkway, Suite 129, will be closing its storefront as of Sept. 30. Starting in late August, the business will be a vendor at Oak Mountain Emporium, located at 2401 State Park Road in Pelham. 987-4403. mysilverliningboutique.com. MiBella Wellness Center has moved to 3000 Meadow Lake Drive, Suite 101. The practice was previously located at 1 Inverness Place. 995-1009. mibellawellness.com.

News and Accomplishments Cedar’s Grille, 1870 Chace Drive, is now serving brunch every Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. 988-5993. cedarschaselake.com.

Pure Dermatology and Aesthetics, 5346 Stadium Trace Parkway, Suite 100, has opened a second ofﬁce in Tuscaloosa. 682-8022. puredermalabama.com.

Matthew Gettys, general manager of Hendrick Chevrolet of Hoover, 1620 Montgomery Highway, has been named one of Automotive News’ “40 Under 40” for 2014. The magazine recognizes 40 of the top automotive sales professionals under the age of 40 every year. Gettys was named GM of Hendrick Chevrolet in April. 823-5220. hendrickchevrolethoover.com.

Cajun Steamer Bar & Grill, 180 Main St., Suite 200, is expanding by franchising. Their ﬁrst franchised location opened in Longview, Texas, in June. 985-7785. cajunsteamer.com.

Hirings and Promotions Pure Dermatology and Aesthetics, 5346 Stadium Trace Parkway, Suite 100, has hired Shelly Springer PA-C to join their practice. She started accepting appointments in July. 682-8022. puredermalabama.com.

IN HONOR OF OUR VETERANS

Shades Crest Baptist Church, 452 Park Avenue, has hired Laura Tadlock as its new weekday director. 822-1360. shadescrest.org.

RealtySouth’s Over the Mountain Alford ofﬁce, 1220 Alford Ave., has hired Blake Lee as a new Realtor. 822-2364. realtysouth.com.

Alabama Family Eye Care, 5356 Stadium Trace Parkway, has hired a new optometrist, Dr. Stacy Heller. She joins the practice from an ophthalmology referral clinic in Gadsden and will be working alongside the practice owner, Dr. Melissa Curl. Dr. Heller is currently accepting new patients of all ages. 733-0507. alfamilyeyes.com.

Because we treasure our freedom and owe a debt of gratitude to those who have secured our liberties, RealtySouth is extending FREE Pre-License classes to all Veterans interested in becoming a Real Estate Agent.

Closings Gymboree, 4741 Chace Circle, has 23 closed. gymboreeclasses.com.

Silver Lining Consignment Boutique and DeVon Designer

Business news

to share? Sun

If you are in a brick and mortar business in Hoover and want to share your event with the community, let us know. Email dan@hooversun.com

If you know of a Veteran who would be interested, please share this opportunity.

Call 205.325.1397 for more information.

A8 • September 2014

Hoover Sun

Restaurant Showcase

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444-1220 180 West Main Street Monday-Saturday, 6:30 a.m.-6 p.m. edgarsbakery.com

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Edgar’s Bakery

Read past Restaurant Showcases at HooverSun.com

By KATIE TURPEN Walk into Edgar’s Bakery in the Patton Creek shopping center, and you’ll find that the word “bakery” is a limited description. The restaurant offers breakfast entrees in addition to sandwiches, soups and salads, all with unique twists. Bottled jams, aprons, books, mugs and even scarves draw customers’ eyes to the perimeter of the store. Terry and Dottie Smith founded Edgar’s Bakery in 1998 in Birmingham. Previously, Terry had gained 27 years of experience in the food industry working at Bruno’s Supermarkets. It was his wife who gave him the idea of opening a business of his own. “Dottie told me I needed to open up my own bakery,” Terry said. “Our focus is on items made from scratch.” The name for the bakery was chosen with care. Edgar is Terry’s father’s middle name. Both of Terry’s parents are legally deaf, and Terry said his father did no know his own name until he was 6 years old. “I really wanted to honor him by naming this business after him,” Terry said. Since its inception, the business has grown significantly. The first Edgar’s Bakery opened in the Colonnade, and

Edgar’s Bakery Director of Operations Frank Mazzara, coowner Terry Smith and Brand Manager Lindsey Owens stand in front of their Patton Creek location. Photo by Katie Turpen.

there are now five locations — four in the Birmingham area and one in Tuscaloosa. The couple plans to expand the bakery to downtown Birmingham and in various locations across the Southeast. “It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly 17 years since we started this journey,” Terry said. The Patton Creek location, which

opened in 2004, will soon undergo a kitchen remodeling. Terry hopes this transformation will allow the restaurant to better serve gourmet breakfast items such as the Challah French Toast, made with toasted sweet challah slices, cinnamon, Vermont maple syrup and vanilla cream, and the Edgar’s Quiche with the featured flavor of the day.

“We will have a re-grand opening sometime this fall,” Terry said. “This is a great shopping center to be in.” Terry said that while his bakery does offer a variety of sugary delights, he has also made sure his restaurant offers plenty of healthy options. “Most people think that a bakery is all about sweets,” Terry said. “We try to offer a lot of healthy options and

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items made with whole grain.” Edgar’s Bakery has become a popular choice for office parties in the Birmingham area. The bakery has also gained fame for its strawberry cake and offers a variety of themed cakes for weddings, parties, holidays and more. One popular lunch entree is the Marilyn Monroe, a sandwich made with turkey breast, pepperoni and melted mozzarella on toasted sourdough bread and served with marinara dipping sauce. Another sandwich, the Way Down South (one of Terry’s favorites), is made with smoked ham, Swiss cheese, Applewood-smoked bacon, mayo, lettuce and tomato on challah. “We like to travel and we like to eat,” Terry said of himself and his wife. “We find inspiration in a lot of interesting places.” This fall, college football fans can expect to find Alabama- and Auburnthemed treats at the bakery to take with them on their tailgating adventures. Terry loves being a part of the restaurant business, where a dull moment is rare. “My favorite part is that it is always energetic,” Terry said. “It’s been great seeing the growth in employees.”

HooverSun.com

September 2014 • A9

Business Spotlight d Va lle yR Ca ha ba

Expedia CruiseShipCenters

Read past Business Spotlights at HooverSun.com

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270 Doug Baker Blvd., Suite 500 437-3354 cruiseshipcenters.com Monday- Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

By JESSA PEASE Jon Harvill was in Vancouver, British Columbia, looking for a reason to walk away and say, “No, this isn’t for me.” He had pursued owning a franchise of Expedia CruiseShipCenters through webinars and conference calls, and up until then, he hadn’t been able to find a reason to stop. “I couldn’t find it,” Harvill said. “I fell in love with the concept. I fell in love with the opportunity because [of] the Expedia name, the technology and the storefront, which has always been a dream of mine.” His first job out of college was with a travel agency in Mobile, but times were changing. Airlines were deregulating, and the Internet was coming in, which made travel agencies look like a thing of the past. His next 15 years were spent in the pharmaceutical industry, but every time he and his wife traveled, he was reminded of his love for the travel industry. “I would tell my wife on any trip we were on, ‘I have to find a way to get back into this somehow,’” he said. In January, he signed for his franchise and knew exactly where he wanted to put it. Harvill said he had always had his eye on his current location at the Village at Lee Branch

Jon Harvill’s favorite vacations Cruises: An Alaskan cruise where you can take excursions such as a salmon bake, a sea plane ride to a glacier lake, and a whale-watching tour where you can actually feel the mist from the whales. Countries: Turkey and Austria

Expedia CruiseShipCenters can handle every aspect of any vacation, even trips such as the Grand Canyon where Jon Harvill traveled with his family. Photo courtesy of Jon Harvill.

even when it was a jewelry store. He said people will see it when they walk into Publix, Moe’s, Five Guys and the UPS Store, making it a prime location. Now, owning his own business and traveling have created the perfect job for him. Travel agent versus computer Expedia CruiseShipCenters offers a variety of services that includes anything related to travel. It not only plans cruises but also creates itineraries for land travel, tours, all-inclusive reservations, air, hotel and car rentals for

groups or individuals. Harvill said they can basically book anything related to travel, and it costs nothing to have them handle it for you. The cruise centers, hotels and other booking agencies pay the agents individually on commission. “I hear time and time again of people who are just overwhelmed at all the possibilities and all the things they have to consider,” Harvill said. “They really don’t want to do, certainly, complicated itineraries themselves.” When you book with Expedia, you also get its top 2,000 list, which gets

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you the best prices or deals that are pre-negotiated by Expedia’s department in Vancouver. This provides deeper discounts for customers. Those services also come with Expedia security. If you book online and you have a problem, you can’t turn to anyone, but Expedia is there to resolve problems. Harvill said he booked a hotel room in Paris for a client, but when they got there the room wasn’t what it should have been. Harvill called the hotel in Paris and got his client a free upgrade and breakfast every morning.

Seasons: Europe in the winter is beautiful, snow isn’t an issue, and everything is cheaper. Trip tips Harvill suggests taking the time to create the vacation you want. He said you have to balance being value-minded and getting the trip you envision. Pick your location and the non-negotiable things you have to see, where you have to stay, and how you have to travel. Then actually take the time to have that trip. Even if it takes longer to afford the trip, make it as memorable as possible. “The fun is in the planning and leading up to it, so give yourself enough time to create the trip that is according to your dream,” Harvill said.

A10 • September 2014

Hoover Sun

Momentarily down, but never out Riverchase couple keeps cancer in its place By REBECCA WALDEN They may be in their seventies, but don’t call Riverchase-area residents Rhea and Judy Converse an old married couple. “We are still newlyweds!” said 76-year-old Rhea, his voice full of enthusiasm despite the aggressive cancer that has invaded both he and his wife’s lives in recent years. Judy, five years his junior and his bride of 15 years, echoes this sentiment. “We just choose to look at this with a sense of humor,” she said. “You can’t look at this as the worst thing that has ever happened to you — lighten up about it.” This statement comes from the a woman whose initial treatment for late stage non-Hodgkins lymphoma sent her into a five-day blood poisoning related coma. Following her scare, Judy said she became a fierce advocate for her future health, refusing to stick with the typical course of treatment she’d been prescribed. Instead, she sought out care at Southeastern Regional Medical Center, which is part of the Cancer Treatment Centers of America. She nicknamed the facility “Disneyland for sick people” and credits its quality of care with her remarkable recovery.

Though they’ve both faced serious cancer diagnoses in recent years, Rhea and Judy Converse of Riverchase stay very active in the community. Photo courtesy of the Converse family.

Now, Judy is celebrating a year and a half in remission, a milestone she said she credits largely to trusting her own instincts and being her own

healthcare advocate. “I learned a long time ago that you cannot let matters of health slide,” she said, adding that the early loss of both

her parents and other relatives — all to cancer — helped her remain extra vigilant to signs of change in her body. “As a result, I spent the majority

of my life having no expectation of living past 60,” she said. When the diagnosis arrived, Judy said she was ready. “Having spent most of my life this way, I didn’t really take the time to cry or get angry about the fact that I had developed cancer,” Judy said. “There was just no point. I just said, ‘Where do we go from here?’ and I was ready to do whatever it took.” It was when Rhea was seeing his wife regain some of her strength when he was diagnosed with an intermediate stage of prostate cancer — the same disease that took his father. Relying on a makeshift office out of his hospital room, Rhea joined Judy at Southeastern Regional Medical Center and maintained his workload as a construction quality control engineer for TRC Companies while receiving his treatments. In time, both were well enough to take a 23-day tour through France and Italy courtesy of Judy’s brother. “He kept saying to me ‘If you get through this, I am going to send you guys on this trip,’ and I kept correcting him, saying ‘When I get through this,’” said Judy. “That’s just how we are. When life steps up and smacks you in the head, [you need to] have the attitude that you are going to get through it. For us, it was never an option to sit around feeling sorry for ourselves.”

HooverSun.com

September 2014 • A11

Locals band together to give last chance to dogs By REBECCA WALDEN Rebecca Harshman might have majored in elementary education, but she’s built quite the career in “animal rescue midwoofery.” The retired Montevallo Elementary schoolteacher has loved dogs as long as she can remember, picking up strays on the side of the road as often as she came across them. During one such pickup, Harshman found an abandoned and pregnant cocker spaniel-Great Pyrenees mix. Understanding the capacity-filled, low-budget realities of many shelters in rural Alabama, she knew that sending the puppies there was not an option. Seven puppies and one PetFinder post later, Harshman and the entire litter were on a Delta flight making their way to a shelter in Conway, New Hampshire. “Particularly in the Northeast, states have strict spay-neuter laws, and they are just so unaccustomed to seeing puppies,” said Harshman. “And if they hear that puppies are coming to a shelter in their area, my goodness, they camp out for it like they are waiting for tickets to a Beatles concert!” Still, at that time and expense, Harshman knew she couldn’t pull off such elaborate rescues on a regular basis. But the chronic need staring her in the face on nearly every commute home just wouldn’t leave her conscience. Tapping into her personal savings, Harshman began Alabama

(above) These three puppies were transported in mid-July by members of the Alabama Rescue Relay team. (left) Alabama Rescue Relay Secretary and Hoover resident Eric Taylor with a Basset Hound he recently helped transport to a shelter. Photos courtesy of Gale Sittig.

Rescue Relay. The nonprofit organization serves all Alabama counties and focuses on safely transporting unwanted dogs to areas of the country where pet adoption demand exists. Despite a lean volunteer staff of less than 10 and a fleet that consists solely of personal vehicles, Alabama

Rescue Relay has transported more than 2,000 dogs from rural Alabama this year alone. Since January 1, Chace Lake residents and Alabama Rescue Relay volunteers Eric Taylor and Gale Sittig have logged more than 20,000 miles in dog transportation travel on their Dodge Mini Caravan.

“We just got the bug to get involved with this, and once we started, that was it,” said Taylor, a retired attorney from Florida who learned about the rescue network from another area shelter. Once dogs are identified (often via drop-offs at shelters or veterinary clinics), volunteers with the rural

shelters and Alabama Rescue Relay identify a shelter or rescue group willing to accept it, and then maps out the pickup and drop-off points into 60-mile routes. Local routes are handled during weekdays, and longer routes run on the weekends. For longer, more complex routes, Alabama Rescue Relay often engages with fellow nonprofit organization Pilots N Paws, which allows them to tap into a network of volunteer pilots and plane owners willing to assist with animal transport and rescue. The existing group includes volunteers from Hoover, Homewood, Cahaba Heights and Trussville, though they are always seeking to expand the network. Over the Mountain residents who are interested in volunteering with Alabama Rescue Relay are encouraged to visit alabamarescuerelay.org. Those interested in driving rescue/ delivery runs must fill out paperwork and provide a reference. Drivers must be accompanied by an experienced volunteer before they are permitted to handle the trip alone. “We’re fortunate to have built a good reputation with rescue groups and shelters from South Florida to MN,” said Harshman, adding that many breed-specific rescues will ask her to add a particular dog to one of ARR’s transports. “I’m thankful that we’ve found a way to help the animals who might otherwise be forgotten.”

A12 • September 2014

Hoover Sun

Community Debutantes host Little Black Dress and Pearls Party

Local Daughters attend congress in D.C.

Lily of the Cahaba Chapter members Shelby Bailey, Kaye Sutley and Tricia Farris visited Arlington National Cemetery during Continental Congress. Photo courtesy of Susan Moore.

Hostesses Margaret Sharbel, Francie Harris, Callie Garrison and Maggie Seeley stand in the garden at the Birmingham Musuem of Art. Photo courtesy of Maria Cecil.

Francie Harris and Maggie Seeley of Hoover and Callie Garrison and Margaret Sharbel of Vestavia Hills hosted a Little Black Dress and Pearls party at the Birmingham Museum of Art in July. Ellen Marsh of Hoover and Catherine Angelo, Gina Maiola and Francesca Malensek of Vestavia Hills attended the event. The hostesses and guests dressed in their favorite little black dresses and pearls and participated in a scavenger hunt organized by the museum staff. After the scavenger hunt, everyone enjoyed a lunch of chicken

salad and fruit served in the Members Room. The tables were decorated with pink roses and green hydrangeas arranged by Mary Noel Sellers, godmother of Maggie Seeley. An assortment of cake bites was served for dessert. Each guest received a set of party cups embossed with a little black dress and the date and location of the event. The young women and their guests will be presented at the 2014 Poinsettia Debutante Ball on Dec. 27. -Submitted by Maria Cecil

Several members of the Lily of the Cahaba Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) in the nation’s capital recently. Those attending were Alabama State Regent Connie Grund, Chapter Regent Susan Moore, Second Vice Regent Lisa Bucklin, Recording Secretary Kaye Sutley, Corresponding Secretary Linda Lopez, Registrar Shelby Bailey and Committee Chair Tricia Farris. In her role as state regent, Grund represented Alabama at the National Board meetings and reported on Alabama State activities for 2013, including participation in Wreaths Across America at the Alabama National Veterans Cemetery and a donation of a copy of a famous portrait of Martha Washington to American Village in Montevallo. While at Congress, the women attended the Opening Night Ceremony with keynote speaker

Alexander Rose, who discussed his book, Washington’s Spies: The Story of America’s First Spy Ring. The ceremony also welcomed executives from AMC’s television show, TURN, who were presented with the DAR Media and Entertainment Award. The Lily of the Cahaba Chapter, based in Hoover, contributed more than 4,000 of those volunteer service hours to the 4.7 million hours reported nationally. The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution was founded in 1890 to promote historic preservation, education and patriotism. Its members are descended from the patriots who won American independence during the Revolutionary War. It has more than 177,000 members in approximately 3,000 chapters worldwide. To learn more about the work of today’s DAR, visit dar.org.

HooverSun.com

September 2014 • A13

Monte D’Oro celebrates 50 years

New Officers of Monte D’Oro: Chris Wood (president), Barbra Straker (secretary), Anna Lu Hemphill (vice president for membership), Susanne Wright (vice president for programs), Frances Thompson (treasurer). Photo courtesy of Alice Hope.

The historic Monte D’Oro neighborhood held a 50th anniversary celebration at Aldridge Gardens on July 27. Councilman Gene Smith and Jabo Waggoner were guests along with new and old residents. Smith presented a declaration from Mayor Gary

Ivey to the neighborhood. Cake & ice cream were served and the Kool Kats played 50s and 60s music. There were several door prizes donated by local businesses and everyone had an enjoyable time. -Submitted by Alice Hope

Mallie Lang earns Gold Award Hoover resident Mallie Lang, an eleventh-grader at John Carroll Catholic High School, recently earned the Girl Scout Gold Award. Lang earned her Gold Award with her project “Assisting Superhero Siblings.” Her project focused on bringing support and awareness to the siblings of children with chronic arthritis. Lang says that siblings can often feel overlooked or feel confused while their family members are dealing with the course of the disease. She implemented the “rice bag project,” which included a rice bag with instructions on how to heat or cool it for the sick child. Lang says this provides an opportunity for siblings of children with chronic arthritis to feel helpful and heard. “The results of my surveys show that siblings want to help their brother or sister with arthritis,” Lang said. “This project may mean nothing to people who have not gone through the struggles or heartbreak of a disease such as arthritis, but if even one family becomes closer, or one child understands that he or she is not alone, I will consider the project to be a roaring success.” The Gold Award represents the highest achievement in Girl Scouting; it recognizes girls in grades 9-12who demonstrate extraordinary leadership through sustainable and measurable projects. For more information about the Gold Award, visit girlscoutsnca.org/gogold. “By earning the Girl Scout Gold Award, Mallie has become a community leader,” said

Hoover resident Mallie Lang, an eleventhgrader at John Carroll Catholic High School, recently earned the Girl Scout Gold Award. Photo courtesy of Hannah Wallace.

Melva Tate, interim chief executive officer of the Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama. “Her accomplishments reflect leadership and citizenship skills that set her apart.” -Submitted by Hannah Wallace

Ride for Gabe cyclists stop in Hoover

On June 28, cyclists began a 3,300-mile ride across America for Gabe Griffin, a nine-yearold boy with a rare form of muscular dystrophy called Duchenne. Ride4Gabe stopped in Hoover Aug. 8 to meet with city officials before continuing to Mobile. Photo by Jessa Pease.

A14 • September 2014

Hoover Sun

Fall consignment sale roundup By REBECCA WALDEN Looking for stylish clothes, popular toys, high quality books, baby gear and kids’ room décor, all at deeply discounted prices? Welcome to September – basically the Super Bowl for bargain savvy shoppers in the market for gently used clothing, accessories and gear tailored for the tween and under set. This year, consignment sale season in Hoover kicks off with Bargains on the Bluff, benefiting Little Imaginations Preschool. “Bargains on the Bluff is great,” said area resident Heather Skaggs, who also works part time maintaining the Bluff Park community website. “I’ve shopped it several times, and I love that this great event takes place in this historic church. The event shows how the residents of Bluff Park are woven together, and how well we support our community.” To help you map out your fall consignment sale shopping, we’ve made a reference guide for the sales taking place in our city.

Tips for consignment shopping Use the early part of the month to make your “wish list.” What items do you need the most? By the second week of the month, you should be ready to grab your shopping bags, your wish list and your checkbook.

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Plan to invest extra time in studying your items before you approach the register. “Gently used” is a subjective term. While it is a matter of practice for most consignment sale organizers to carefully screen and reject any items that are out of style, stained or in otherwise poor quality, some items inevitably slip through.

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Do your research on each sale’s shopping rules. For example, some allow shoppers to use strollers and laundry baskets, whereas others do not. Payment policies also vary. Know in advance which sales accept credit cards and which ones are cash or check only.

The Bargains on the Bluff Consignment Sale Committee is spending much of early September organizing accepted sale inventory in preparation for the church’s biannual sale. This year’s fall sale kicks off Friday, Sept. 12. Photo courtesy of Bluff Park United Methodist Church.

Bargains on the Bluff Where: Bluff Park United Methodist Church 733 Valley Street When: Sept. 12, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Sept. 13, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. (select items 50% off) bluffparkumc.org/children/ bargainsonthebluff/

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Kids Wear Plus Where: Hoover Gallery Shopping Center 1581 Montgomery Highway* When: Sept. 15, 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Sept. 16, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sept. 17, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sept. 18, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. (select items 25 percent off) Sept. 19, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. (select items 50

percent off) Sept. 20, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. (select items 50 percent off) kidswearplus.com *Located between Highway 31 and Lorna Road behind Golden Rule BBQ and near Shipley’s Doughnuts. Look for the large blue awning.

Tried-N-True (TNT) Consignment Sale Riverchase United Methodist Church Sept. 19, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Sept. 20, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. (select items 30 percent off) riverchase-tnt.com

HooverSun.com

September 2014 • A15

Through the eyes of a 7-year-old girl Hoover resident shares story of living in Germany during World War II By KATIE TURPEN Hoover residents Toni and Jim Shaw sit on their living room couch with large books strewn across their coffee table. The pictorials of Germany are much more than items for guests to casually flip through. These images remind Toni of her hometown and a frightening time growing up in Germany when “flames covered the city.” Toni was born in June 1937 in Dresden, Germany, just two years before the start of World War II. She had three brothers and two sisters. Much of her extended family also lived in Dresden. “Times weren’t too bad at first,” Toni said. “Our fathers had to go to war. Many mothers had to go to work.” As World War II progressed, she remembers the air raids increased, occurring at different times of day. As a young girl, she became more and more upset from news on the radio. “Day or night, we had to rush to the shelters in the basement,” Toni said. “We listened on the radio to stations that were forbidden, and these stations gave warnings.” Toni remembers first seeing soldiers come to town. “I was in the second grade when we got many injured soldiers into our towns,” Toni said. “Schools were used for hospitals, and it changed many times.” Toni remembers the worst

Hoover resident Toni Shaw holds a sign with the phrase “World War II” written in German. Shaw was born in 1937 in Dresden, Germany. Photo by Karim Shamsi-Basha.

happening to her family on Feb. 13, 1945. Their home was hit by explosive bombs, and Toni, her mother and her five siblings fled for their lives to the basement. “First, we all thought we’d die right there in the basement — the way out was gone, the staircase was gone,” she

said. “Finally, when most of the dust settled, we finally could light a candle and found some water to wet bandages for our eyes. We had to climb over the rubble out of the back.” Toni said it was those bedsheets soaked in water that saved her. She and her family continued to try to

escape the city, the air streaked with fire. “We had to flee through all the backyards to get to the other side of the block, in hopes for shelter,” she said. “Looking back, the chimney came down and other pieces crumbled; we couldn’t get out of the way fast

enough. Fires burning, sky explosions everywhere, climbing through craters, we finally made it. Wardens ushered us to a park where we had to stay on a 4-by-4-foot square because there were bombs that had not exploded.” They stayed at her uncle’s house near Pirna, Germany. Toni and her family’s survival was a true miracle. “The relatives were in awe that we had made it alive,” she said. They eventually made it back to Dresden and lived with several other families because there were not enough homes left. After the war officially ended, Germany was split into four sectors: Americans, English, French and Russians each occupied a part. Toni continued to live in Germany as she grew up and met her husband, Jim, in a pub he calls the German version of Cheers. Jim was in the military and was stationed in Germany for many years. Since marrying, the couple has lived all over world in places like Texas, Hawaii and England. Married for 53 years, they reflect on a happy life together. They now enjoy living in Hoover and spending time with their children and grandchildren. They have returned to Germany, a much different place now, and plan to visit again soon. When Jim is asked his favorite place they lived, his answer is a testament to the couple’s current outlook on life. “Every place has been our favorite. You can enjoy anywhere if you want,” he said.

A16 • September 2014

Hoover Sun

Walks and runs

At the Ross Bridge Health Expo, attendees can take advantage of a variety of health services. Photo courtesy of Suzanne Smith.

A race experience like no other, the Ross Bridge 8K begins at the Ross Bridge Village Center and runs through the Ross Bridge neighborhoods. Photo courtesy of Suzanne Smith.

Ross Bridge 8K and Health Expo Saturday, Sept. 6 8-10 a.m., 2101 Grand Avenue alabamateenchallenge.org A race experience like no other, the Ross Bridge 8K begins at the Ross Bridge Village Center and runs through the Ross Bridge neighborhoods. The route takes advantage of the area’s five miles of activity trails with a grand finish at the vintage train station and welcome center. Medals will be given to the top three finishers in each age category, and grand prizes will be awarded to the top male and female. The event includes a health expo. Attendees

Friends of the Poor Walk/Run Saturday, Sept. 27 8:30 a.m., Veterans Park svdpusa.net/walk/1052

can take advantage of health services including blood pressure checks, blood sugar checks, cholesterol screening, counseling of results with licensed RNs, cancer center, physical therapy, heart and vascular center, women’s medical center, general health information table and primary care professionals. All proceeds benefit Alabama Teen Challenge, which provides residential, low-cost drug and alcohol recovery programs for individuals of all ages.

The Friends of the Poor Walk/Run began as a national program with the purpose of providing local Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) Conferences and Councils additional funds to help support their special works projects. That philosophy continues today, with event funds being used to help local people living in poverty. SVdP helped almost 15 million people last year. The 2013 walks were held at more than 230 locations around the country, attracted more than

21,000 participants, and raised more than $2.1 million.. The 5K run and 1-mile fun walk is hosted by St. Patrick’s-Adamsville, St. Mark the Evangelist-Birmingham, Holy Infant of Prague-Trussville, and Holy Spirit-Tuscaloosa. The event includes awards, door prizes and refreshments. T-shirts will be given, while supplies last, to those donating $20 or more. Registration is from 7 to 8 a.m. on race day.

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September 2014 • A17

around town

The Head Over Teal 5K at the Preserve is hosted by the Laura Crandall Brown Ovarian Cancer Foundation. Photo Courtesy of Mary Anne King.

5th Annual Head Over Teal Saturday, Sept. 27 8 a.m.-12 p.m., 601 Preserve Way thinkoflaura.org Last year more than 15,000 women died from ovarian cancer. Laura Crandall Brown, born on May 2, 1984 and passed away on December 14, 2009, is one such young woman whose life was ended much too soon as a result of the disease. The mission of the Laura Crandall Brown Ovarian Cancer Foundation is to raise funds to support research institutions that are working to develop a diagnostic test for early detection and to educate women about the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer. In recognition of September as Ovarian

By KATIE TURPEN Whether it’s finding a cure for diabetes, funding cancer research or fighting poverty, there is a local outdoor event this fall for everyone. Check out our list of walks and runs happening in Hoover this month.

The JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes at Veterans Park raises funds for the millions of people living with and affected by type 1 diabetes. Photo courtesy of Aubrey Miller.

JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes Sunday, Sept. 28 1-5 p.m., Veterans Park walk.jdrf.org

Cancer Awareness Month the foundation will hold its fifth annual Head Over Teal 5K and Family Fun Day. The 5K race will begin at 8 a.m. and be immediately followed by fun activities for the whole family, including face painting, an inflatable, a photo booth, and more. A blood mobile will be on site accepting blood donations for those who wish to give. The air will be filled with live music from Chuck King and his trio “The Old Fashion Rhythm Method.” The emcee of the day will be Beth Shelburne from Fox 6 News.

The JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes is a charity walk held in locations all around the world. The walk raises funds for the millions of people living with and affected by type 1 diabetes (T1D). Participants, walking alone or in teams, raise money for JDRF — the largest nongovernmental funder of T1D research. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which a person’s pancreas loses the ability to produce insulin — a hormone essential to turning food

into energy. It strikes both children and adults suddenly and is unrelated to diet and lifestyle. It requires constant carbohydrate counting, blood-glucose testing and lifelong dependence on injected insulin. JDRF holds more than 200 walks across the country every year to raise money for JDRF. Locally, the Birmingham Walk to Cure Diabetes has raised $500,000 for diabetes research with more than 1,300 participants.

A18 • September 2014

Hoover Sun

One-woman show

By JESSA PEASE

Along with her stage work, Anthony is also the voice of Alabama Public Television, and you can also hear her on McDonald’s, Milo’s, Moe’s, Walmart and Piggly Wiggly commercials.

To say Caprenia Anthony wears many hats is an understatement. She judges pageants, hosts events, emcees events, sings jingles, acts in commercials, performs on stage, books talent and trains children in pageantry, dance and musical theater — she does it all. “I try to mesh it with what’s going on in my life, so sometimes I have to decline on stuff that I really want to do,” Anthony said. “But because I do all this other world, it’s kind of hard meshing that together.” The creative side of Anthony wanted to major in musical theatre at Tennessee State University, but her parents made her encouraged to do something little more financially stable. She graduated with a major in management marketing, which she believes influences the success of her chosen passions. “It’s so fulfilling on so many different levels because it pulls me in different directions,” Anthony said. “Everyday I am just so grateful.” Performance resume Anthony and one of her girlfriends Ebony Steele from the Rickey Smiley Morning Show decided to audition for the musical Chicago shortly after Anthony had moved to Birmingham from Nashville 17 years ago. It was her first audition in the area. The nerves must not have shown because she was cast as Roxie Hart, the lead role of the show. Soon she was performing in shows all over the Birmingham area. She was in the cast of Smokey Joe’s Café, Beehive, Chicago again as the second leading lady, Dream Girls and The Color Purple. Now at 42 years old, Anthony lives in Hoover with her husband of 12 years and her 4-yearold son, and she said it’s harder to perform in shows because she has to balance the time with her family. She is, however, finding the time to

Caprenia Anthony judges pageants, hosts events, emcees events, sings jingles, acts in commercials, performs on stage, books talent and trains children in pageantry, dance and musical theater — she does it all. Photo courtesy of Caprenia Anthony.

perform in the Virginia Samford Theatre’s presentation of Beehive, which will open Sept. 11. “When Beehive came, I was like ‘[My son is] four now. I can kind of manage my schedule. I can get back on stage again’ because I really do like that aspect of my life,” Anthony said. “But all the other stuff is just as exciting.” Anthony said the one thing she enjoys about stage work is that it allows her to embrace humility. To her it feels like having a fancier and freer

life because it means you are not constantly scared to do something, or concerned about what anybody else is going to think. “You really kind of get out of that — you are selfless,” Anthony said. “You get on stage and it is all about what the audience wants to see of you, and it’s giving them whatever you can give to make them feel loved. All of those feelings that you’re having to portray on stage is so they can feel that same way.”

Pageant past Anthony’s stage life all started in high school. She was born and raised in Mobile, Ala., where she was named queen of her high school in 1990. The pageant title followed her to Tennessee State University in Nashville where she was also crowned the college queen. She continued on to the Miss USA pageant in Tennessee, but said she never made it higher than the top five because of her five foot height. “Presence-wise, you normally don’t see a lot of short girls when it comes to pageants,” Anthony said. “They totally want you shaped a certain way, [and] absolutely there is nothing wrong with that.” Following her run in pageants, she saw a need to create more opportunity for the African American women in pageants. She said as a whole, the college queens from historically black colleges come from all walks of life and are all shapes and sizes — they don’t fit the Miss USA and Miss America pageant systems. Anthony founded a non-profit organization call WAVE Inc., or Women Achieving Victory Through Excellence, and worked alongside the Southwest Athletic Conference to host a weeklong pageant for the ten college queens in the area. She hopes to host a larger pageant in the future that would take the college queens from the historically black colleges in the Southeast. “It’s like, ‘Wow, I get to fulfill a lot of desire, even stuff that I didn’t even know I wanted to do,’” Anthony said. “I get to feel all of that from what can happen on any given day.” Beehive runs Sept. 11-28 at the Virginia Samford Theatre. For tickets and more information, visit virginiasamfordtheatre.org.

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September 2014 • A19

Living the ruff life Woofstock Saturday, Sept. 6 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Veterans Park Inflatables, food and dog-themed fun make Woofstock an event for the whole family.

Hoover’s Woofstock event features various dog-themed activities for the everyone to enjoy. Photos courtesy of Erin Colbaugh.

Hoover presents Woofstock By JESSA PEASE They say every dog has its day, but the City of Hoover is giving dogs a party. On Sept. 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the annual event Woofstock is returning to Veterans Park of Valleydale Road, and this year it’s free. Erin Colbaugh, events coordinator for the city, said Woof-stock will have many vendors and

activities for the whole family to enjoy. Vendors present will include dog rescues, groomers, vets and dog boutiques. One booth, Paws with Paint created by the Hand in Paw organization, will be creating artwork for owners and their dogs to take home. Kids can also enjoy an area with face painting, balloons and inflatables as well as a clinic

sponsored by Lowe’s where the they can build something to take home. To witness some air-defying dog stunts, Colbaugh said The Air Dogs will be doing Frisbee demos at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. “Basically we are going to have an area fenced off for this group that throws Frisbees, and dogs fly through the air and catch them,” Colbaugh said.

If you think your dog is fast, sign him or her up for the Dachshund Dash. If your pup wins the heat, he or she will get to compete against the other winners in the championship round. Other contests such as the Cutest Dog Contest, Best Costume Contest and Best Dog Trick Contest will also have signup sheets during the event. For more information, visit hooveral.org.

Fire up the fun this fall! inc.  Patios & Walls  Outdoor Kitchens  Outdoor Fireplaces & Fire pits  Arbors and Pergolas

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A20 • September 2014

Hoover Sun

SCHOOLS

CONTINUED from page A1

280 280

Chapel Rd

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from.” Parents of current Bluff Park Elementary students met with Craig in a closed meeting Aug. 11. During the community meeting, Craig provided some realignment maps for each of the nine areas that could possibly be affected. “The proposed rezoning plan takes one of the oldest communities, in one

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Initial draft of rezoning lines After this map was released, Superintendent Andy Craig said the rezoning draft would likely be amended to affect fewer students.

1. Lake Cyrus rezoned from Deer Valley Elementary School to South Shades Crest Elementary School.

3. Woodlands and Grand Oaks areas rezoned from South Shades Crest to Trace Crossings.

2. Along South Shades Crest Road rezoned from South Shades Crest to Trace Crossings.

4. Ridge Crossings multi-dwelling units rezoned from Deer Valley to Trace Crossings.

of the oldest parts of the city, and cuts it in half,” Hertz said. “It goes against all the reasons people move to Bluff Park.” After meeting with several community groups such as Bluff Park and Ross Bridge, Craig released a statement rescinding the maps released by Hoover City Schools on Aug. 18.

280 280 38

Map by Emily VanderMey.

Patton Chapel Rd

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to do this more often than we would otherwise.” Craig said he hopes to have a ﬁnal draft of the rezoning proposal ready by the Sept. 8 Hoover Board of Education meeting, so that residents can provide additional feedback before any proposal is given a vote. He said he is working collaboratively to put the district in a position to provide quality education for a long period of time for all students. “You want to be able to run the programs effectively,” Craig said. “In elementary schools, for example, you have that core classroom, and you want those people/teacher ratios to be reasonable.” Craig believes that stressed schools can negatively affect a student’s education and programs such as the arts, computer and science labs, enrichment programs and special education services. When a school reaches capacity, regular classrooms can take over space previously used for these programs. As word of possible rezoning within the school system spread, Bluff Park parents and residents responded by forming Bluff Park United, a Facebook group that now has around 540 members. Stephen Hertz, head of Bluff Park United, said the original purpose of the group was to spread information to get the community involved with the rezoning issue. One of the group’s biggest concerns is the disproportion of resources being divided among the schools. “Every other school is gaining something in resources or any number of things,” Hertz said. “Bluff Park is kind of at the end of the line of dominos, and we are being taken

“We have and will continue to listen to our community and stakeholders in the development of our student assignment proposal,” Craig said. “We are currently in the iteration phase of plan design. The forthcoming revision will likely be narrower in scope and result in change for fewer students, families and schools while remaining focused on community values such

5. Riverchase Landing multi-dwelling units rezoned from Trace Crossings to Deer Valley, and Wood Gardens and Wildwood multi-dwelling units rezoned from Rocky Ridge Elementary to Riverchase. 6. Lake Crest area rezoned from Gwin Elementary to Trace Crossings. 7. Carisbrooke area rezoned from Bluff Park Elementary School to Gwin. 8. Riverchase Parkway area multi-dwelling units between Highway 31 and Interstate 65 rezoned from Riverchase to Greystone Elementary School. as capacity utilization, economic and ethnic diversity, ﬁscal responsibility and positioning Hoover City Schools to best serve all students into the future.” The new plan has not yet been released but will likely follow the initial focus on allowing for

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

HooverSun.com anticipated growth and in the most cost-efficient manner. Utilizing the city’s existing space would defer costs that would come from opening a new building. Because the rezoning would affect the 2015-2016 school year, Craig said he wants enough lead time for the potential change to help students and parents with the transition. “If we are on course to have that proposal ready by the September [meeting], it would not be submitted for a vote at that time,” Craig said. “There would be a time frame for feedback and

September 2014 • A21 consideration of that feedback.” Overall, in realigning Hoover City Schools, Craig hopes to anticipate where future growth will be in order to make realignments like this less frequent. “It really would be disappointing if folks wanted to leave their school, so I think it’s one of the best attributes of this community,” Craig said. “They care very deeply about education. They place a very high premium on it, and expect it. All those are good, healthy things for a community to have.”

Letter to the editor In response to the Hoover rezoning issue Dear Rebecca, I saw the article in the Hoover Sun [on rezoning]. I can’t believe we are fighting that battle again. When the federal government wanted to send our children down the hill to Wenonah in the 70s, it was decided that it was too dangerous a drive. The same can be said for taking the children across Shades Crest Road in fog and other bad weather. It’s so much more reasonable to take the Deer Valley kids as it is a straight shot on Highway 150 with no steep grades and weather issues you have on the Crest. Is the problem that the reputation of Trace Crossings is off-putting to the Ross Bridge parents? Recently, when

visiting Deer Valley Elementary, which serves Ross Bridge, it looked really crowded. Why is it that the solution to every problem in the system is to bus Bluff Park students somewhere? This is an observation more than a comment. I was involved in the 1970s episode at Bluff Park School and remember how upset the community was then when it was thought our children would be taken from their community. Bluff Park is a tight-knit community, which governmental agencies tend to forget. I appreciate you making us aware of this. Linda Chastain Bluff Park resident 48 years

9/11

CONTINUED from page A1 “That’s when everything changed,” Nafziger said. Solemn and stunned, the crowd watched as the twin towers collapsed to the ground. Nafziger couldn’t help but think of the people who were still trapped inside. Without smartphones or access to a TV, no one knew yet why this had happened. Cell phone lines were overloaded, and Nafziger remembered seeing a pay phone with a line of 20 people waiting to use it. “I still, to this day, think about it and have a hard time grasping the enormity of it,” Nafziger said. “It’s the most surreal thing I’ve ever been involved in.” Her most vivid memory from that day was standing outside the hotel and wondering if she was going to die. Nafziger thought of her family and friends, hoping she had done enough to show that she loved them, and decided she was ready to face death if it came. She was going to do whatever needed to be done. ‘An outpouring of neighborly love’ After they finally saw a TV news report, Nafziger and the other researchers decided to head to Manhattan and put their emergency medical training to work. Nafziger remembers people everywhere in the streets, but the mood was surprisingly subdued. “You would think that people would be panicking and crying and screaming, and really nobody was,” Nafziger said. “Everybody was really somber.” At ground zero, Nafziger worked from an ambulance to treat the crowds of people streaming away from the rubble. She recalled that the victims

September 11 memorial events }} Each Hoover Fire Department station will host a short observance around its flagpole at 8:46 a.m. and 9:03 a.m., the times the north and south towers of the World Trade Center fell. Fire Station 2, located at 1591 Patton Chapel Road, will host its annual memorial ceremony beginning at 8:30 a.m. The ceremony will include tolling of the station’s bells and feature retired Navy Rear Admiral and Hoover City Council Member Jack Natter as the speaker. }} Cahaba Valley Fire & Emergency Medical Rescue will hoist a 20-by-35-foot flag at Station 181, located at 5487 U.S. 280. Uniformed first responders will gather around the flagpole, and the station’s air horns and sirens will be sounded at 8:46 a.m. and 9:03 a.m. either walked away with very minor injuries or had been instantly killed. There was little they could do, but Nafziger and her companions handed out bandages and bottles of water and lent their cell phones to anyone in need. A few even offered to share their hotel rooms with total strangers. There was a complete lack of selfishness in the streets that day. Nafziger watched people share their clothes and wash the soot out of each other’s eyes. People eagerly volunteered to donate blood or be a part of dangerous rescue missions. It was “an outpouring of neighborly love between complete strangers in this massive city.” After the first day, Nafziger said there was a lot of “sitting and waiting” until she was able to return home. Eventually she was able to take a train to Washington, D.C., and drive a rental car back to Alabama, passing the smoldering Pentagon along the way. Nafziger said she will always remember looking back at New York City as her train left Penn Station. She caught a glimpse

of the Statue of Liberty with a heavy plume of smoke hanging behind it and nothing but empty sky where the towers used to be. Never forgetting Nafziger returned home with a new appreciation for her family and the national defense. She joined the military and served for eight years, including a two-week deployment at ground zero in October 2001, providing medical services for the emergency teams that continued to work. New York City was still grieving, and she remembers seeing “We Shall Overcome” painted on a piece of the rubble. As the fire department medical director, Nafziger now oversees emergency medical services on a much smaller scale, but the image of the falling twin towers is still seared in her mind. She hopes the impact of that tragic day is never lost. “It’s important that we don’t forget,” Nafziger said. “We have a pretty short memory for things like that.”

A22 â&#x20AC;˘ September 2014

Hoover Sun

Summer Fun Photo Contest WINNERS

Hudson gets ready to swim at the pool with a new head of hair. Photo by Valerie Vining.

Kyle and Xander Kubas at the Flavian Amphitheatre (a.k.a. the Coliseum) in Rome during a family vacation to Italy in June. Photo by Brian Kubas

A23 â&#x20AC;˘ September 2014

Hoover Sun

Contest Runners Up

Katie Simmons geocaches at Moss Rock Preserve. Photo by Sarah Simmons.

Look out below! Photo by Chad Ballinger.

Cindy Davenport and her four-legged family member, Olivia, hang out at Piedmont Dog Park in Atlanta.

David Bratcher reads the newspaper while relaxing at Hearst Castle in San Simeon, California. Photo by Anamarie Bratcher.

Beck Unnoppet enjoys a summer snack while relaxing at the lake. Photo by Sonya Unnoppet.

Kelli Brimer kayak fishing at Clear Creek at Logan Martin. Photo by Sharon Brimer.

Stand Up Fun. Photo by Emily Grace McCall.

Sun

School House B4 Sports B6 Calendar B13

No. 4 Spain Park wins opener on Gray’s field goal

SECTION

Hoover upset by Miami Central

By DAVID KNOX Crosby Gray’s 27-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter was the difference as Class 7A No. 4 Spain Park beat visiting Austin of Decatur 5-3 in its season-opening game at Jaguar Stadium. Gray’s kick was set up when Leon Strong recovered a fumbled punt at the Austin 18. Three plays later, Gray booted it through to give the Jaguars the 5-3 lead with 11:54 left in the game. Fumbles, bad and bobbled snaps, and penalties were the order of the evening. “I knew it was going to be ugly,” said Spain Park coach Shawn Raney. “Three weeks of practice, no jamboree ... Every error you can make, we made it. But we’re 1-0 and that’s where we’re supposed to be.” The Jaguars scored first at 7:31 of the opening quarter when an Austin snap sent quarterback Brandon Schreiber scurrying into his own end zone to recover the ball for a safety. That capped a particularly vexing opening of the game when Luke Silver recovered a Black Bears fumble at the Austin 9 only to have Mason Duke toss an interception on the next play. But two plays later the Jags broke the ice with the safety. After Wade Streeter returned the

Hoover’s Marcus Webb (10) runs for yards against Miami Central. Photo by Karim Shamsi-Basha.

By DAVID KNOX

Spain Park’s Luke Silver (46) celebrates his recovered fumble. Photo by Ted Melton.

free kick to the Austin 45, Duke threw another interception to halt the momentum. Midway in the third quarter, another bad snap, this time by the Jags, set up Austin’s only scoring “drive,” which was all of four plays. Irving Vera knocked home a 31-yard kick to give the Black Bears the 3-2 edge with 9:20 left in the half. Early in the fourth quarter, Spain

Park’s running game began to assert itself as Streeter and Larry Wooden managed to move the chains a few times and Tyler Sumpter’s punting kept the Bears on their own end of the field to hold Austin off. Gray said he wasn’t nervous about the field goal. “Same kick as in practice,” the junior kicker said. “Just follow through.”

The winning streak is over, but the Hoover Buccaneers still have plenty to play for – such as a Class 7A championship. The Bucs, rated as high as No. 2 in the country by some preseason magazines, were upset by nationally ranked Miami Central of Florida 24-21 at Buccaneer Stadium on Saturday before the cameras of ESPN. Bucs were looking for their 31st straight win, but it was a 31-yard field goal by Central’s Beymar Piraquive with 45 seconds left in the game that broke the streak and the hearts of Bucs fans. Special teams had put the Bucs up early 7-0 when Jaysen Cook-Calhoun

blocked a punt and set Hoover up at the Central 45. Four plays later, Bucs quarterback Jack Hutcheson hit Kris Parker for a 38-yard touchdown pass and a 7-0 lead. Central, behind the wildcat running of Anthony Jones, took a 21-7 lead with 10:02 left. But Hutcheson rallied the Bucs to two quick scores – a 46-yard TD pass to Trey Brackett and 12-yard run by Bradrick Shaw to tie the game with 3:15 to play. But Jones rushed for 53 yards on four carries after the ensuing kickoff to set up Piraquive’s kick. Hoover travels to Colquitt County before returning home to face Mountain Brook in the first region game of the year.

B2 • September 2014

Hoover Sun

School House

Students participate in Alabama Governor’s School

Back-to-School Health Fair held at Prince of Peace

Students form Spain Park, Oak Mountain and Briarwood. Front row: Kyra Perkins, Kristen Gunderson, Nikki Sullivan and David Sides. Back row: Elizabeth Sturgeon, Morgan Whetstone, David Salchert and Matthew Handley. Photo courtesy of Mary Wimberley.

Hundreds of area students and their parents arrived for a Prince of Peace’s annual back-to-school health fair. This is the third year that Prince of Peace has put together the program for Birmingham-area immigrants.

Hundreds of area students and their parents waited patiently for the Prince of Peace church doors to open recently for an annual back-to-school health fair. The children were hoping to be one of the first 500 through the doors to score a new backpack full of school supplies. Parents visited the more than25 plus vendors offering free health screenings, community organization information, and banking and insurance services. This is the third year that Prince of Peace parishioner Lee Moradi has teamed up with MaryLu Munoz, outreach coordinator at Birmingham Health Care, to put together this year’s program for Birmingham-area immigrants and their families. The goal is to provide these families with access to the health care and school supplies that they need to start a

successful academic year. Moradi, a professor at UAB, is Prince of Peace’s Hispanic social services volunteer ministry leader. Organizations participating this year included Birmingham Health Care, UAB Alabama Vaccine, AIDS Alabama, St. Vincent Hospital, Pelham Dental, Hoover Library, Cahaba Valley Dental, McDonalds Corp., Jaffra Cosmetics, Regions Bank, YMCA, Literacy Council, Girl Scouts, Jefferson County Health Department, Hispanic Catholic Social Services, State Farm, AL Department of Public Health, Brookwood Opthomology, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Komen for the Cure, Girls Inc., Sarrrell Dental Kids, radio station LaJefa, The Exchange Club and Plaza Legal Immigration.

Students from Spain Park High School were chosen to attend Alabama Governor’s School at Samford University June 15-27. They were among 91 outstanding rising high school seniors from 24 counties who participated in the two-week honors program. Spain Park students participating

were Kristin Gunderson, Kyra Perkins, Elizabeth Sturgeon and Morgan Whetstone. AGS participants are nominated by their schools on the basis of academic ability, leadership qualities, creativity, community service and a written essay. -Submitted by Mary Wimberley

Students earn Grocers Foundation scholarships Six Hoover area students received scholarships from the Alabama Grocers Education Foundation (AGEF) recently. They were Michael Carton, Sean Taylor, Rachel Garner, Hannah Coblentz, David Culotta, and Connor Fox. The foundation awarded $59,250 in scholarships to employees or children

of employees from Alabama Grocers Association (AGA) member companies for the 2014-2015 academic year. The Alabama Grocers Education Foundation recognizes and aids students whose parents’ places of employment or their own part-time employers are members of the Alabama Grocers Association.

HooverSun.com

September 2014 • B3

BPES receives EcoSchool Green Flag

Back row: April Waltz, Melody Greene, Colin Conner. Middle row: Crystal Littlejohn, Helena Uber-Wamble, Michele Colabrese. Front row: Nancy McGowan, Krista Surtees, Dr. David Fancher, Jennafer Collins.

Bluff Park Elementary School has been named an “EcoSchool” and received the coveted “Green Flag” in conjunction with the Alabama Wildlife Federation and the National Wildlife Federation. Eco-Schools USA is a holistic, green school program that greens the school building, school grounds, curriculum and student experience. BPES is the second elementary school in

the state and 30th school nationwide to receive this honor. Both of the Alabama schools are in Hoover City Schools. BPES teacher Mrs. Nancy McGowan helped spearhead this project. “My current fifth grade students took this project on last year and we have completed four pathways over the past two years: energy audit, habitat biodiversity, healthy school and school grounds,” McGowan said.

Hoover graduate wins Most Valuable Student scholarship When Eric Kim first submitted his scholarship application to the local Bessemer Elks Lodge last October, he never imagined that he would go on to become the top male finalist of the 2014 Elks Most Valuable Student scholarship. Eric was chosen as one of three state winners, and his application was then sent to compete for the top 20 national finalists among 500 state winners. He was selected as one of the top 20 finalists to attend a leadership weekend in Chicago and emerged as the grand winner of the 2014 ENF MVS scholarship, the first ever in the state of Alabama. At the Elks National Convention in July, Eric delivered his acceptance speech to more than 7,000 people in New Orleans. Eric is the youngest son of Mr. Hyunggyoon Kim and Mrs. Myunghee Kim and graduated last May from Hoover High School with an International Baccalaureate diploma. With a GPA of 4.7, Eric graduated as Hoover’s class valedictorian and scored a 35 on the ACT. In addition to academic excellence, Eric has been involved in a variety of school and local activities. Eric was the president of the Hoover High School’s Spanish club, a member of the National Honor Society and debate and math team. He also showed a strong commitment to the community by volunteering with programs such as the Crisis Center of Birmingham and Special Equestrians as well as tutoring younger students in ACT prep

Eric Kim

and math. Eric has been accepted into the Early Medical School Acceptance Program (EMSAP) at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and will continue to pursue a career in medicine. --Submitted by Hyunggyoon Kim

B4 • September 2014

Hoover Sun

Fan-o-Meter Quiz

Alabama

2. How many years have you owned season tickets? A. None B. 1-5 C. 6 or more 3. How many rooms in your house feature UAthemed décor? A. None B. 1-2 C. 3 or more 4. Do you have a pet or child named after a coach, player or other team icon?

7. How many games did you watch last season? A. 0-5 B. 6-11 C. 12 or more 8. Where were you when Auburn returned the missed field goal for a 100yard touchdown to win the 78th Iron Bowl? A. In hiding B. Watching on TV C. At the game

Part II: Trivia

2. How many years have you owned season tickets?

5. How many Auburnthemed shirts are in your wardrobe?

A. 1943 B. 1971 C. 1957

A. None B. 1-5 C. 6 or more

4. How many SEC conference championships did coach Bear Bryant lead his team to win?

A. 0-2 B. 3-7 C. 8 or more

3. How many rooms in your house feature Auburnthemed décor?

6. How many games do you plan to attend this season?

2. Which running back broke Tommy Lorino’s 1956 record for average yards per rush in a single season?

A. 6 B. 16 C. 13

A. None B. 1-2 C. 3 or more

5. How many UA-themed shirts are in your wardrobe?

2. Who was the first person to describe the Alabama football team as elephants coming? A. Head coach Wallace Wade B. Everett Strupper of

A. None B. 1-2 C. 3 or more

3. What nickname was Alabama football originally given by newspapers? A. “The Thin Red Line” B. “The Varsity” C. “The Crimson White”

Score Your Results

0-15 points

24-32 points

3. The most popular legend surrounding “War Eagle” occurred at what game?

A. 0-5 B. 6-11 C. 12 or more

MeFdanium 16-23 points

A. Onterio McCalebb B. Ryan Pugh C. Michael Dyer

A. 0-2 B. 3-11 C. 12 or more 7. How many games did you watch last season?

A. Auburn vs. Carlisle Indian team in 1914 B. Auburn vs. Georgia in 1892 C. Auburn vs. Alabama in 1913

8. Where were you when Auburn returned the missed field goal for a 100yard touchdown to win the 78th Iron Bowl?

t Ho Fan

A. Shaun Alexander B. Ryan Pflugner C. Sherman Williams

1-A

A. 0-2 B. 3-7 C. 8 or more

A. No B. No, but I plan to C. Yes

1. Who set the record for most yards rushing in 1996?

A. No B. No, but I plan to C. Yes

1. How many years did you attend Auburn University?

Part II: Trivia

4. Do you have a pet or child named after a coach, player or other team icon?

1. Previous to Auburn’s National Championship in 2010, what is the only other year the team earned that title?

Mild Fan

A. None B. 1-2 C. 3 or more

A. 0-2 B. 3-11 C. 12 or more

Part I: Lifestyle

the Atlanta JournalConstitution C. Zipp Newman from the Birmingham News

In Part I, give yourself 1 point for every A, 2 points for every B, and 3 points for every C. In Part II, add 2 points for every question you answer correctly. Trivia answers are printed upside down at the bottom of the quiz.

4. How many times has Auburn ended its football season with a perfect record?

A. In hiding B. Watching on TV C. At the game

A. Seven B. Ten C. Six

Are you a mild, medium or hot fan? Email your quiz score and a photo of yourself in game day gear to katie@starnespublishing.com and we will consider running it in an upcoming issue.

Expires 9/30/14

Auburn Trivia Answers 2-A 3-B 4-A

1. How many years did you attend the University of Alabama?

6. How many games do you plan to attend this season?

Trampolines

Expires 9/30/14

7023 Meadowlark Dr • 408-4FUN (4386) •

backyardalabama.com

(Turn between Lloyd's and Dairy Queen on Hwy 280 near Greystone)

1-C

Part I: Lifestyle

Auburn

Alabama Trivia Answers 2-B 3-A 4-C

HooverSun.com

Are you a football fanatic? Residents took our quiz to find out

September 2014 • B5 Hot Auburn Fan

Hot Alabama Fan

Lifelong Auburn fan

Lifelong Alabama fan

Jeff Otwell

Edward Pegues

Joe Garrett

Susannah Stuckey

Quiz score:

Being featured as the newest “War Eagle” born in 1972 at Lee County Hospital.

Since early childhood

At birth

Birth

Game day ritual

Waking up and putting on all of our Auburn hats and clothes and listening to the pre-game show.

Tailgating with good friends

I swap my lucky hat backwards or forwards depending on how Auburn is doing

Sitting around the television with my family with beer and lots of snacks!

Favorite tradition

Joining family and neighbors to roll the “Toomers Corner” Oak Tree in our front yard

Winning

The flight of the eagles

The kickoff toast! Everyone toasts whatever they’re drinking to the Tide.

Favorite restaurant Best tailgating spot

Cheeburger- Cheeburger

The Bright Star

El Dorados

Buffalo Wild Wings

South Donahue at the beginning of Tiger Walk under the shade of the big oaks!

Anywhere with food, beverages, friends and a TV

Mr. Duran’s tailgate off of South Donahue: all-you-can-eat barbecue and big screen TVs.

My father-in-law’s lake house.

Most anticipated game of this season

Auburn vs. Alabama of course! Auburn vs. Georgia is definitely second.

The first game of the season

The new playoffs- beating Bama twice in one season.

Arkansas. For no good reason, it’s always my favorite game.

Setting up my sound system outside and playing “War Eagle” over and over while we roll the tree.

The lull when there’s no football between Bowl season, Spring games and SEC Media Days.

I get nauseated when I hear the blasphemous words “Roll Tide” uttered.

Throwing things at the other teams’ fans. My grandmother was a victim of a rabid LSU fan.

Winning the national title against Oregon in 2011.

Going on a cruise in 2005 with Alabama coaches and staff and former football legends .

Rushing the field right after the last Iron Bowl, even though I jumped into a sticker bush.

When the Tide won the National Championship in 2012.

Moment I became a fan

Strongest sign of being a rabid fan Favorite football moment of all time

B6 • September 2014

Hoover Sun

Mystery at the marina Hoover author’s latest novel set on Lake Martin By KATIE TURPEN An NYU surgeon is blinded in a horrific automobile accident and descends into depression. He then receives a call saying his grandmother has been found dead at a marina on Lake Martin, and he, along with his wife, travel to the lake where mystery unfolds. Enter the plot of Hoover resident and suspense writer Robert Brown’s latest novel, Blind Luck, which was released on Aug. 1 for Kindle. He is also the author of The Neighborhood and Sonnets, which won an Honorable Mention at the 2008 London Book Festival. Brown is a Mobile native, where he graduated from the University of South Alabama prior to earning a Masters of Science degree at UAB. He and his wife, Mary Lynn, divide their time between Hoover and Lake Martin, where he writes his novels. His connection to the lake dates back more than 20 years ago when he was living in New Jersey. “My wife’s brother had a place on Lake Martin, and we always made a point to come and visit,” he said. “We actually bought a place right beside his.” He describes his transition into writing books as something he was always doing as a hobby on the side. “I don’t know a musical instrument, so I thought it would be fun and challenging to do,” Brown said

Hoover author Robert Brown spends a lot of time on Lake Martin, which is the setting of his latest novel, Blind Luck. Photo courtesy of Robert Brown.

with a smile. “It’s just something I’ve always dabbled in.” His mystery novels center around a character overcoming odds. He uses familiar places but sometimes changes the name to give himself more freedom. “My novels tell the journey of the human spirit against a backdrop of

suspense,” he said. “They always have a moral theme.” Brown uses his medical knowledge and background in cancer research to fuel his plot but has also done extensive exploration on serial killers and other elements found in his novels. “I always know how it’s going to start and how it’s going to end,”

Brown said. “I don’t usually have a concept for what’s in between. I just let the characters take me where they want to go.” Letting the characters guide him means waking up every day and thinking about what they are doing. He carried the last sentence of Blind Luck around with him inside his head

for three years before finally witnessing the satisfaction of placing it on the page. The grueling editing and publishing process that comes with being a successful writer is something Brown knows well. “My advice for writers consists of two things,” he said. “If you don’t get a publisher at first, don’t give up. Also, if you don’t have the ability to get a professional editor, get as many friends as you can to read and give you feedback.” Brown found living inspiration in his 96-year-old mother-in-law, who recently underwent her last round of chemotherapy and has lost nearly all her sight, and his 16-year-old great nephew, who is blind and recently earned Eagle Scout rank by designing a boat dock. “I dedicated Blind Luck to both of them because they taught me the difference between sight and vision,” he said. Blind Luck is narrated entirely in the first person by a blind surgeon named Jonathan Worthy. Brown said it was a welcome challenge to describe what his character was experiencing without using the sense of sight. “I could see what was happening, but he couldn’t,” he said. “I had to rely on what he was feeling and hearing.” For more, visit rkbbooks.com or email Brown at rkbrown51@att.net.

HooverSun.com

September 2014 • B7

Sports Hoover Heat named central area champions

Shades Mountain All-Stars win baseball tournament

The Hoover Heat and the Hoover Shockers placed first and second in the area softball championships. Photo courtesy of Amanda Christian.

Hoover Softball Association recently announced the Hoover Heat 8U All-Stars as the central area champions. The team has a winning record of 20-1. During the central area tournament, the girls made a clean sweep for the win, playing in three games, winning over the Hoover Shockers for the championship 10-5. This was the first time that two HSA teams played for the area championship title.

“We are very proud of the Hoover Heat and the Hoover Shockers; the girls have worked hard this summer, and it was great to see two teams represent Hoover at this level,” said head coach Chad Christian. The Hoover Softball Organization is open to girls ages 4-18. Registration for the Fall Season opens Aug. 1. For more information, visit hooversoftball.com. -Submitted by Amanda Christian

The Shades Mountain seven-year-old American All-Stars won the Metro Baseball Tournament in June. The boys topped off an undefeated all-star season with a 14-13 victory over host team Mountain Brook to bring home the championship. Pictured are coaches Paul Harbor, Tommy Cannon, Lee Seewald, Brian Hardy, David Lawley and Jason Barton. Top row: Alec Guice, RJ Bagherinia, John Paul Harbor, Salim London, Gavin Seewald and Jordan Jeter. Bottom row: Harrison Morgan, Grayden Robinson, Atticus Barton, Baylor Hardy, Brett Cannon and Chase Lawley. Photo courtesy of Kelly Seewald.

Hoover Met could be Bama’s baseball home in 2015 By DAVID KNOX The city of Hoover and The University of Alabama are in negotiations to bring Crimson Tide baseball games to the Hoover Metropolitan Stadium for the 2015 college baseball season. Hoover Mayor Gary Ivey said nothing has been finalized and negotiations are ongoing. Officials at Alabama did not return calls seeking

comment on the progress of discussions, but Alabama Athletic Director Bill Battle confirmed in May that games at the Met were a possibility. Alabama’s baseball stadium, SewellThomas Stadium, is undergoing a $35 million renovation that is expected to be completed in 2016. The construction work means the Crimson Tide needs a place to play its home games for the 2015 season. Although the Hoover Met has hosted the

SEC Baseball Tournament for 17 consecutive years, the stadium has not had a permanent tenant since the Birmingham Barons moved to Regions Field downtown in 2013. Originally, Alabama had hoped to simply play around the construction, scheduling long stretches of home and away games. That plan ultimately was deemed unfeasible. Alabama posted a 37-24 record in 2014 and made the NCAA regionals. The Tide played

32 home games last season. Alabama ranked 14th in NCAA Division I attendance, drawing an average of 3,370 fans per game. One of the biggest concerns will be finding a way to get students from Tuscaloosa and continuing to draw the loyal Tuscaloosa-based fans to Hoover on a regular basis. Hopes are that more Birmingham-area Bama fans who don’t often make the trek to Tuscaloosa will help bolster attendance.

B8 • September 2014

Hoover Sun

Hoover’s Hind named state girls track coach of year

In the past 11 seasons, Hind has led Hoover’s track teams to 19 state championships.

By DAVID KNOX Hoover High’s Devon Hind has been named the state’s girls track and field coach of the year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. Hind’s girls team captured the state Class 6A indoor and outdoor titles last season. One boys coach and one girls coach from each of the 50 states were honored for their successes during the 2014 track & field season, as selected by a committee of experts from around the nation.

Homewood’s Tom Essinger was named the state’s boys coach of the year. The winners from each state are in consideration for the association’s first-ever National High School Coach of the Year award. Selected by a panel of track & field experts, one boys coach and one girls coach from among all the states will be announced later this month as the national winners. Hind first started coaching in 1978 at Berry High. In 1981, he left coaching to start a business, but he returned to coaching in 1993 as a part-time head coach for

Simmons Middle School where his teams won multiple league championships. Ten years later, he became head cross country and track & field coach at Hoover High. In the past 11 seasons, Hind has led Hoover’s teams to 19 state championships, in addition to his one championship while coaching at Berry. Hind received the prestigious Finley Character Award in 2007 for Hoover City Schools, which is awarded to one employee for the system per year. In 2013, The National Scholastic Sports Foundation honored him as the Mike Byrnes Indoor National Track Coach of the Year. State-by-state winners were selected based on their teams’ performances throughout the 2014 track & field season. Among the factors taken into consideration were team score and placement at the state championships, the number of different events in which student-athletes were qualified, individual championships, and how their teams’ performances stacked up to previous years. “This is the most prestigious award that a high school coach could ever attain,” National Senate of High School Track Coaches Association Executive Chairman Don Helberg said. “I am so happy and proud that USTFCCCA has added this award to the collegiate awards they already present.” An inaugural High School Coach of the Year award for cross country will be given during the upcoming 2014 season.

Jaguars hire defensive coordinator By DAVID KNOX Spain Park High has hired former McGill-Toolen of Mobile football coach Bart Sessions to be the Jaguars’ defensive coordinator.The Hoover school board approved Sessions’ hiring during personnel actions Aug. 4., the Monday night of the first fall practice. Head coach Shawn Raney also wore the defensive coordinator’s hat in his first season at Spain Park. He will now turn those duties over to Sessions, who been a DC at Daphne and Prattville among other stops before an outstanding three-year run as head coach of Mobile’s Catholic school. The Yellow Jackets were 34-5 in his three seasons. Last year, McGill-Toolen went 12-2, its season ending in a 24-21 loss to Auburn in the Class 6A semifinals.

Ex-Jag shortstop on Cape Cod All-Stars By DAVID KNOX Spain Park graduate and current University of Alabama shortstop Mikey White was named to the All-Star team in the Cape Cod Baseball League. White went 1-for-3 in the game, which was won by White’s West All-Stars. The Cape Cod Baseball League is an amateur summer league based in Massachusetts celebrating its 130th season. The league returned to wooden bats in the 1980s, which made it a viable testing ground for pro prospects since colleges and high schools use aluminum bats. In the June 2013 First-Year Player Draft, 208 CCBL alumni were drafted, with 15 CCBL alumni players chosen in the first and supplementary rounds. For the season, White batted .310 in 25 games, hitting three home runs with 11 RBIs and scoring 14 runs for the Brewster Whitecaps.

B9 • September 2014

Hoover Sun

Great expectations don’t faze Bucs

By DAVID KNOX There are expectations, and then there are expectations. The ones the Hoover High Buccaneers face in the 2014 season would daunt most high school football teams, but not the Bucs. They relish the challenge. Coming off back-to-back state championships in Class 6A and on a 30-game winning streak, the Bucs now move into the newly minted Class 7A as favorites to capture the first title in the “super class” of the 32 largest schools in the state. Some prep experts believe the Bucs will win another high school national championship to go along with the one they claimed from USA Football Network after last season. Heady stuff, but coach Josh Niblett doesn’t let it go to their heads. “What’s neat for this group is the two groups that came before them have really set the stage to do something very special,” Niblett said. “Any time [you] go into a season and you’re 30-0, back-to-back state champions and USA media national champions … you come back and you’re expected to take us to 14-0, you’re expected to three-peat … with all this talent, all these guys that are going to sign and go SEC, you’re expected to go out and dominate everybody. “It says in the Bible, to whom much is given, much is required. So that’s our attitude, that’s what we’ve taken on, with our abilities and talents, we’ve been given a lot, but much is required.” At least half a dozen players have committed to a college or hold scholarship offers. The Bucs are riding that 30-game win streak and trailed just three minutes all of last season. Niblett is 84-6 in

Hoover’s Bradrick Shaw (27) is hoisted by teammates after scoring a touchdown in the Class 6A state semifinals against Vestavia Hills last season. Photo by Kevin Brooks.

six seasons at Hoover, making six straight Super 6 finals and winning three state championships. How do they avoid getting complacent? “We’ve got to come out every day and not lose our focus,” Niblett said. “That’s what I was telling them in the weight room today: ‘Look, don’t

ever lose your focus. Don’t ever lose what you’re fighting for. If you ever forget about it, just stop and see the light at the end of the tunnel and keep that tunnel vision. Don’t let the distractions get in your head, don’t read all the newspaper articles, or listen to the radio or get on the Internet. Don’t

listen about all the stars you’ve got beside your name.’ You’ve got to be careful about that. “But what we’ve got here is we have a culture, we have core values that have nothing to do with football we go by every day, so all that other stuff kind of controls itself.”

B10 • September 2014

The

Hoover Sun

head

and the

heart

Marino brings intelligence and intangibles to Jaguars defense By DAVID KNOX Spain Park linebacker E.J. Marino isn’t the biggest or the fastest kid on coach Shawn Raney’s talent-laden squad. But Raney said he’s definitely one of the most valuable. “Guys like E.J. and (wide receiver) Derek Williams are there every day and just do whatever we ask them to do,” said Raney, who is heading into his second year as the Jaguars’ head coach. “They are great students. They’re the kind of guys I think our program should be built around. Not only football-wise, but the type of students and kids that they are, also.” Moving back into the company of schools that were a large part of the dreaded Class 6A, Region 5, almost every coach is both anxious and eager for the challenges of 7A, Region 3. Raney is no different and calls it likely the toughest region ever assembled in Alabama, with outstanding players and a who’s who list of top coaches to scheme against. Archrival Hoover comes back on the schedule as a region foe, visiting Jaguar Stadium for a Thursday night TV contest on Oct. 2. The Buccaneers are the presumed region — and Class 7A — champs already, but Spain Park is a Top 10-caliber team. And, oh yeah, don’t forget Vestavia Hills, Mountain Brook, et al. “It’s a good, good region, a tough year in that

it’s going to be every week,” Raney said. “And I think our kids have realized that, worked for that from Day One, and had a great spring and a great summer. The coaches are excited and the kids are excited also.” Marino, who is set to start for the third straight season at a third different linebacker slot, was voted team captain as a junior. He brings all the intangibles and plenty of smarts. He just returned from the Princeton University prospect camp. “It was awesome,” said Marino, who has scored a 30 on the ACT. “It was pretty cool to go up there and go someplace I’d never been. They had players from all over the country. I knew there were going to be some pretty good football players, and I was impressed with their beautiful practice facilities and the way Princeton managed their football program. It was a great experience.” Those smarts are one reason Raney has no qualms about moving Marino to a new LB spot. “He was our Mike linebacker last year, and we put in a new defense and he picked it right up. He’s the kind of guy you can count on knowing exactly what’s going on. “We have a couple of younger guys we think can only play Mike right now, and so we’ve asked him to move. He’s the type of kid, he’s going to play just as hard as he can play every play and be where he’s supposed to be.”

Spain Park’s E.J. Marino is beginning his third season as a starter at linebacker for the Jaguars. Photo by Nathan Pearman.

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September 2014 • B11

Shades Mountain Christian

aiming high

By DAVID KNOX Dickey Wright enters his second season as Shades Mountain Christian’s head coach, and that’s a big story in itself for the Eagles. As running back/linebacker Austin Patterson noted at high school media days in July, his senior class will be the ﬁrst in several years to play for the same coach in consecutive seasons. Wright is the sixth head coach since the program started in 2006, and only two other coaches have stayed more than a season. That kind of inconsistency has held the program back. New philosophies, new systems, new terminology, new coaches and coaching styles sometimes play as big of a factor as talent in any given season. From season to season, with different head and assistant coaches, the bonding and trusting process starts all over again for the players. Sometimes it means no offseason training with the new coach. The ﬁrst season at Class 1A Shades Mountain was one of adjustment for the veteran Wright, who last coached at Class 6A Homewood. It was different for the head coach, who had to learn new ways to structure practice time with many athletes playing on both offense and defense, and for the players, who had to learn new schemes and coaches. “Last year everything was so new and they had to get used to me, what we wanted to do on offense and defense,” Wright said. “It was more of a get-to-know-you session. Unfortunately, we had to play contests during those times.” Fullback/linebacker Billy Parker is one of the team leaders. He said Wright has brought stability, and that has meant greater expectations for the Eagles this season. “I’m expecting a lot more,” Parker said. “We were just getting used to the coaches and didn’t know what they expected from us. It took a season to get used to the way

he does things, so now we can just play. “Plus the offseason program was way better than it’s ever been in the past because we’ve been switching coaches and haven’t had an offseason program during the school year. The average number of players showing up to work out in the summer went way up, too.” Six are back on offense and six on defense on the 31-man squad, and in the world of 1A football, you might expect they’re the same six. They are. One new starter is a player with a size at his position many 7A schools would crave. At 6 feet 4 inches tall and 242 pounds, Harrison Boozer played tight end a year ago and was the emergency backup at quarterback. Now he steps behind the center full time. He shouldn’t be just a big body at QB, bringing with him outstanding baseball pitcher skills and intelligence. “We moved him to quarterback in the spring,” Wright said. “You know, I’m not sure whether he’s completely excited about it or not, but he’s going to get his chance at it. He is a very large young man to play that position. He’s just a junior, going to have to be learning the position. He’s very smart so he’s picked up a lot of that already, but he’s kind of had to split his time this summer between baseball and football but I’m excited to work with him. He’s one of the biggest quarterbacks I’ve ever had, by far. “Obviously, you need your quarterback to have a good year, but I’m going to be a little lenient on him because he’s a ﬁrst-year starter.” Consistent play on the ﬁeld is the key to improving on the Eagles’ 2-7 record last season. Especially on defense, where a couple of good plays would be offset by bad ones as a new scheme was being taught. Wright said he’s always hung his hat on strong defense, and the Eagles will be better there after a season in the system.

Harrison Boozer throws a pass during fall practice. Boozer, a 6-4, 245-pounder, is moving from tight end to take over the quarterbacking duties for Shades Mountain Christian. Photo by Keith McCoy.

B12 â&#x20AC;˘ September 2014

Hoover Sun

Hoover

Real Estate Listings MLS #

Zip

Address

Status

Price

606839

35244

1320 Moss Rose Lane

New

$202,900

605742

35226

1901 Paulette Drive

Contingent

$219,900

602608

35226

3442 Birchtree Drive

Contingent

$164,900

600667

35226

2118 Woodledge Drive

Contingent

$293,900

599991

35244

5500 Park Side Circle

Contingent

$218,500

603809

35226

1564 James Hill Cove

Contingent

$399,900

605554

35226

2300 Farley Road

Contingent

$209,900

605854

35226

1134 Mountain Oaks Drive

Contingent

$157,000

599931

35226

748 Valley St.

Contingent

$184,900

606596

35226

1501 James Hill Way

Contingent

$469,780

606854

35226

1304 Patton Creek Drive, Unit 1304

New

$87,500

605970

35226

2566 Dunmore Place

Contingent

$244,500

606974

35226

2304 Chalybe Trail

New

$335,900

606332

35244

5471 Villa Trace

New

$312,000

606892

35226

2121 Pioneer Lane

New

$159,900

606221

35226

2529 Dunmore Drive

Contingent

$228,900

603389

35226

720 Preserve Way

Contingent

$327,900

606482

35226

861 Shades Crest Road

New

$349,900

606464

35216

2141 Roslyn Drive

New

$124,500

606767

35216

2815 Georgetown Drive, Unit A New

$89,900

598882

35226

3981 Haddon Lane

Contingent

$475,000

601103

35244

345 Oak Leaf Circle

Contingent

$229,900

600434

35226

1833 Charlotte Drive

Contingent

$234,900

601801

35226

2117 Chapel Road

Contingent

$189,899

603755

35226

348 S Burbank Drive

Contingent

$259,900

606716

35244

1415 Scout Ridge Drive

New

$499,900

607001

35216

2172 Chapel Hill Road

New

$126,500

Real estate listings submitted to Hoover Sun by Vinnie Alonzo of RE/MAX Advantage South from July 29 through Aug. 19. Agents and agency vary by property

1320 Moss Rose Lane

5471 Villa Trace

HooverSun.com

September 2014 • B13

Community Calendar Hoover Events

Artists on the Bluff Visit artistsonthebluff.com for class details and times.

Sept. 5: Hoover Varsity Football vs. Mountain Brook. 7 p.m. The Hoover Met.

Varsity Football vs. Hewitt-Trussville. 7 p.m. Spain Park High School.

Sept. 5: Spain Park Varsity Football vs. Thompson. 7 p.m. Spain Park High School.

Sept. 20: Members Only Guided Bird Walk. 8-10 a.m. Aldridge Gardens. Free and for members only. Limit 15 people. Pre-registration required. Visit aldridgegardens.com.

Sept. 6: WOOFstock. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Veterans Park. Families and pets of all shapes and sizes welcome. Free. Visit hooveral.org. Sept. 6: Ross Bridge 8K and Health Expo. 8-10 a.m. 2101 Grand Avenue. Race begins at Ross Bridge Village Center and runs through the Ross Bridge neighborhoods. Visit alabamateenchallenge.org. Sept. 9: New Member Social. 1 p.m. Hoover Senior Center. Call 739-6700. Sept. 11: Shoe Party. Belk at Riverchase Galleria. Event in celebration of Belk renovation grand opening. Call 987-4200. Sept. 12: Hoover Varsity Football vs. Oak Mountain. 7 p.m. The Hoover Met. Sept. 18: Fashion Show. Time TBA. Riverchase Women’s Club. Call Pat Imms at 305-2527. Sept. 19: Spain Park

Sept. 20: Paws for the Cause 5K and One-Mile Run. 11 a.m. Veterans Park. Visit theanimalleagueofbirmingham.com. Sept. 23: Horizons Luncheon. 11 a.m. Hoover Senior Center. 739-6700. Sept. 27: Friends of the Poor Walk/Run. 8:30 a.m. Veterans Park. 5K and one-mile fun walk will benefit local Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Sept. 27: Fifth Annual Head Over Teal 5K. 8 a.m.noon. 601 Preserve Way. Proceeds benefit Laura Crandall Brown Ovarian Cancer Foundation. Visit thinkoflaura.org. Sept. 28: JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes. 1-5 p.m. Veterans Park. Walk raises funds for millions of people living with and affected by Type 1 diabetes. Visit walk.jdrf.org.

Drawing and Painting– Rollina Oglesbay. Small class size and all skill levels welcome. Classes Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays. Contact Rollina at rollinaoglesbay@gmail.com or 7338939 for registration and supply list. $120 (4 sessions)+ supplies. Painting and Mixed Media Classes – Rik Lazenby. Classes limited in size, All skill levels welcome. Classes on Tuesdays. $120 for 4 session + student provides supplies and canvas. Contact Rik at riklazenby@ charter.net or 281-5273 to register. Visit lazenbydecorativeart.com

Kiln Formed Glass– Deborah Ballog. Classes Wednesdays and Saturdays. $50 to $75. All glass, kiln ﬁrings and instruction are included in class fees. Contact Deborah at deborah@studio-three.net or 999-3194. Calligraphy –Deb Warnat. Visit debwarnat.com or call 243-0576 for class schedule. Acrylic Painting – Jayne Morgan. Classes Tuesdays and Thursdays $30 - $40. Visit JayneMorgan.com or call 902-5226 Photography – Blue Moon

Studios. Classes on Thursdays $49.95. Contact Butch Oglesby at 9953791 or butch@bluemoonstudios.net to register. Woodworking – David Traylor. Adult classes are on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday nights and build various pieces of furniture depending on skill levels. All skill levels welcome. Visit woodshopstudio.com for more info or call 531-4751. Zentangle – Darla Williamson. Check website for class times and to register. Visit TangledStones.com or 305-2082.

Hoover Chamber of Commerce Sept. 1: Closed for Labor Day.

nationalbankofcommerce.com.

hooverchamber.org.

Sept. 4: Economic Development Committee at Chamber Ofﬁce. 8:30 a.m.

Sept. 17: Ambassador Meeting at Chamber Ofﬁce. 4:30 p.m.

Sept. 11: Coffee & Contacts at National Bank of Commerce. 7:30-9 a.m. 5 Inverness Center Parkway. Contact Lauren Dobson at 313-2100 or ldobson@ nationabankofcommerce.com, or visit

Sept. 18: Hoover Chamber Luncheon. 11:15 a.m. Hoover Country Club. Make reservations by Sept. 15. $20 with reservations and $22 without reservations. Contact Lisa Dunbar at 988-5672 or lisa@

Sept. 23. Minority Business Council Meeting. Noon. Chamber ofﬁce. Brown bag lunch. Email jeter3@ nationwide.com. Sept. 25: Business AfterHours at Homewood Suites Riverchase. 5:30-7 p.m. 121 Riverchase Parkway. Call 637-2900 or visit homewoodsuites.com.

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B14 • September 2014

Hoover Sun

Community Calendar Hoover City Council Sept. 1: City Council Meeting. 6 p.m. Council Chambers, Hoover City Hall.

Sept. 4: Board of Zoning Adjustments. 7:30 p.m. Council Chambers, Hoover City Hall.

Sept. 11: City Council Work Session. 5 p.m. City Council Chambers, Hoover City Hall.

Sept. 4: Planning and Zoning Commission Work Session. 5 p.m. City Council Conference Room, Hoover City Hall.

Sept. 8: Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting. 5:30 p.m. Council Chambers, Hoover City Hall.

Sept. 15: City Council Meeting. 6 p.m. City Council Chambers, Hoover City Hall.

Sept. 22: Board of Zoning Adjustments Work Session. 5:30 p.m. City Council Conference Room, Hoover City Hall.

Hoover Public Library 200 Municipal Drive, 444-7800

Kids

Teens

Sept. 6: Woody’s Roundup. 10:30 a.m. Join Woody and Jessie on an old-fashioned western adventure. Free. Children of all ages welcome.

Sept. 23: Teen Library Board. 6:30 p.m. Want to get volunteer credit for helping plan library programs? Join us for the TLB’s ﬁrst meeting. Snacks served. For Hoover students grades 7-12.

Sept. 15: This Just In! 6:30 p.m. A newbooks book club for grades 4-6. Meet and make a commercial to spread the word. Sept. 16: Mr. P’s Just Art. 6:30 p.m. Create your own one-of-a-kind masterpiece with Mr. P. All ages. Sept. 26: Caffeine and Canvas. 4 p.m. Mr. P leads students in creating their own masterpiece. Registration beings Sept. 5. Grades 4-6. Sept. 30: Wonka World. 4:30 p.m. Join Charlie and Umpa Lumpas for fun and games in Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. Registration begins Sept. 9. Grades 1-3.

Adults Tuesdays: Adult English Classes. 6:308 p.m. Theatre Level Meeting Rooms. Basic or Intermediate English classes beginning Sept. 2. Free. No registration required. Call 444-7820. Sept. 4: First Thursday Fiction Book Group. 10 a.m. Theatre Level Meeting Rooms. The Cutting Season by Attica Locke. Call 444-7820. Sept. 4: Are You Ready For Some “College” Football at the Hoover Library? 7 p.m. Theatre Level Meeting Rooms.

Mark Meadows, executive director of the Birmingham Bowl, will be on hand to talk all things college football, including the new changes in the bowl system. Call 444-7840. Sept. 7: Global Cuisine @ the Plaza: Greece. 2:30 p.m. Library Plaza. Coffee-ol-ogy Café presents free programs on food and coffee from around the world. Complimentary samples. Call 444-7821. Sept. 8: Friends of the Hoover Library. 10 a.m. Theatre Level Meeting Rooms. Hoover Library’s Amanda Borden will discuss the upcoming programs for children, teens and adults. Refreshments at 9:45 a.m. Free and open to the public. Call 444-7840. Sept. 8: Read Your Own Adventure Book Group. 7-8 p.m. Plaza Reading Room. Share your favorite Southern fiction and find other great reads. Call 444-7820. Sept. 9: Daytime Nonfiction Book Group. 10:30 a.m. Adult Programming Room.

The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann. Call 444-7816. Sept. 9: Spanish Conversation Club. 7-8 p.m. Library Plaza. All Spanish ﬂuency levels welcome to practice and learn. Call 444-7820. Sept. 11: Second Thursday Fiction Book Group. 10 a.m. Theatre Level Meeting Rooms. The House Girl by Tara Conklin. Call 444-7820. Sept. 13: Purl @ the Plaza. 3-5 p.m. Library Plaza. Bring out the colors of fall by crafting with your fellow hobbyists. Call 444-7821. Sept. 14: Chambless & Muse. 2:30 p.m. Library Plaza. Guitar and ﬂute duo perform the music of Scotland and Ireland. Call 444-7821. Sept. 15: Neuroscience Café: Multiple Sclerosis – How Does Your Immune System Talk to Your Brain? 6:30 p.m. Theatre Level Meeting Rooms. Presented by the UAB Comprehensive Neuroscience Center. Call 444-7840.

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HooverSun.com

September 2014 • B15

Community Calendar Hoover Public Library (continued)

Sept. 16: Glue Gun Gang: Craft Supplies Swap. 6:30 p.m. Adult Programming Room. Bring your extra arts and crafts supplies for a casual swap. Call 444-7840. Sept. 17: No Jacket Required Nonfiction Book Group. 10:30 a.m. Adult Programming Room. This month’s genre: Pop Culture. Call 444-7840. Sept. 18: Author Time @ Hoover Library: David Gillham. 10 a.m. Theatre Level Meeting Rooms. Skype with the author of City of Women. Call 4447820. Sept. 18: Glue Gun Gang: Craft Supplies Swap. 10:30 a.m. Adult Programming Room. Bring your extra arts and crafts supplies for a casual swap. Call 444-7840. Sept. 20: Frugalistics Monthly Coupon Swap. 11 a.m. Adult Programming Room. Bring coupons you don’t need and swap for ones you do. Call 4447840. Sept. 22: Monday at the Movies 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The Library Theatre. A widow with eight children marries a man who is the father of ten. Stars Lucille

Ball and Henry Fonda (NR, 111 minutes, 1968). Free admission and refreshments! Call 444-7820. Sept. 22: The Ukrainian Revolution. 7 p.m. Adult Programming Room. UAB’s Dr. George Liber will discuss the events in Ukraine from November 2013 to the present that triggered increased tensions between Russia, the United States and the European Union. Call 444-7840. Sept. 25: Allen Tolbert Unit. 6:30 p.m. Library Plaza. This acoustic trio featuring guitar, mandolin and bass is predominantly bluegrass but also has jazz elements. Call 444-7821. Sept. 25: Nighttime Nonfiction Book Group. 7:00 p.m. Allen Board Room. Brave Companions: Portraits in History by David McCullough. Call 444-7816. Sept. 26: After Hours @ the Plaza: Game Nite. 7-10 p.m. Library Plaza. Put your game face on and team up with your fellow gamers. Call 444-7821. Sept. 27: Write Club. 10:30 a.m. Library Plaza. Tony Crunk, nationally recognized poet and children’s book author, will speak about the influence of poetry on the creation of art. Call 444-7820.

Area Events Sept. 4: Birmingham Art Crawl. 5-9 p.m. Historic Loft District, 2300 1st Ave. N. A monthly event showcasing Birmingham’s deep and energetic pool of creative talent. Free. Visit birminghamartcrawl.com.

Sept. 19-21: Alabama Orchid Society’s 30th Annual Show and Sale. Friday and Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Free. Visit bbgardens.org.

Sept. 5-6. Miss Vulcan 1939. 7:30 p.m. Vulcan Park and Museum. A spoof on the iconic statue’s one and only beauty pageant. $30 for adults, $10 for children, $75 VIP tickets. Visit redmountaintheatre.org.

Sept. 25: Fish On! Reeling in Support for Kids. 6-10 p.m. B&A Warehouse. Cocktail dinner, silent and live auction to benefit On River Time, an organization to help children who have been victims of abuse and neglect. $75 for individual tickets, $2,000 for a table of 10. Visit onrivertime.org.

Sept. 7: Birmingham Boys Choir Collaborative Concert. 4 p.m. Brock Recital Hall, Samford University. The 70 Concert Choristers will welcome the Mexican dance troupe Ballet Folklorico Corazon Azteca. $10. Buy tickets at the door or call 7679219. Sept. 13: Monkey C Monkey Run 5K and 1-Mile Fun Run. 8 a.m. Homewood Central Park. Visit campsam.org. Sept. 13: ZooGala. 7-11 p.m. The Birmingham Zoo. Cocktails, dinner and dancing in support of the Birmingham Zoo. Visit birminghamzoo.com. Sept. 18-20: Saint George’s 33rd Annual Middle Eastern Food Festival. Dine-in/takeout hours: 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Drive-through hours: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. 425 16th Ave. S. Free admission, live entertainment and drive-through. Visit saintgeorgeonline.org.

Sept. 25-27: Greek Festival. 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Holy Trinity-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral. Visit bhamgreekfestival.com. Sept. 27: Whistle Stop Festival. 9 a.m.-10 p.m. 1912 1st Ave. S., Irondale. Food, crafts, music and other activities. Free. Visit irondalewhistlestopfestival.com or call 297-9897. Sept. 27: Crestline Rocks. Noon-10 p.m. Crestline Village. All-day village-wide event includes live music from local bands in the field across from the Emmet O’Neal Library. Kids can play on fire trucks and other city vehicles in the parking lot from 3-5 p.m. Funds will benefit PreSchool Partners. $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Visit crestlinerocks.com.

Moonlight on the Mountain moonlightonthemtn.com Sept. 5: The Jason Bailey Band. Sept. 8: Open Mic Night. $5 Sept. 11: Jimmy Robinson and Liz Brasher. Sept. 19: Matthew Perryman Jones and Andrew Combs, Jillian Edwards opens. Sept. 22: Open Mic Night. $5. Sept. 25: An Evening of Australiana: The Weeping Willows and Daniel Champagne. Sept. 26: Rebecca Loebe with Special Guest Wilder Adkins. Sept. 28: Rachael Sage and Adam Burrows. All shows start at 7:30 p.m. and are $12 unless otherwise specified.