Hoover Sun vol 2 iss 04 January 2014 by Starnes Media

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Volume 2 | Issue 4 | January 2014

Beloved literary festival returns

Hoover City Schools has decided not to cancel bus service next year. Read the details inside.

School House page 23

Back-to-back

Lisa See, author of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, autographs copies of her book at the 2013 Southern Voices Festival. Photo courtesy of the Hoover Public Library.

A look at Southern Voices 2014 The Hoover Buccaneers secured their second consecutive 6A AHSAA title with a win over Auburn High in December. The championship trophy will be presented Jan. 30 at 10 a.m. at Hoover High School. Photo courtesy of Ted Melton/ actionsportspix.smugmug.com.

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INSIDE City ..................... 3 Business ............ 6 Food ................... 9 Community ....... 11

School House .. 21 Sports ............... 24 Calendar ........... 26

By REBECCA WALDEN Book-loving aficionados can hardly wait for February. Why? Next month will mark the 22nd annual Southern Voices Festival, a winter highlight for many that takes place at Hoover Public Library. With more than two decades of wowing sellout crowds with their slate of A-list authors and the culture of camaraderie between guests and literary superstars, event planners face an

ambitious task of planning a program each year guaranteed to outdo the one before. “We do set a very high standard for our authors, and it’s a challenge to select the best each year,” said Amanda Bonner Borden, assistant director of Hoover Public Library. “However, each year we discover new voices, new ideas and new styles of writing.” In some cases, talent makes a second appearance, often after they’ve hit their literary stride. “I’m especially excited this year to have Ann

Patchett as our keynote speaker,” Borden said. “For one thing, Ann was a guest at our very first conference when she was relatively still unknown, as was our conference. Twenty-one years later, she’s a literary icon and our festival has established a pretty good reputation, too. It seems like we’ve come full circle.” Patchett fans will have ample time to rub elbows with the author during the opening

See VOICES | page 18

2014 Year in preview Things to watch for in Hoover this year See Entrance page to4 The Grove

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Pre-Sort Standard U.S. Postage PAID Birmingham, AL Permit #656

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Alacare Sprouts Farmers Market (tentative)

Proposed ER site

Sprouts Farmers Market plans to open in Hoover this year.

Plans are in the works for a new ER facility to open on Highway 150.

The Hoover Met will host the 2014 USA Football Bowl Festival.

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Hoover Sun

About Us Photo of the Month

Support our Community Partners 20/20 Visionworks [Walmart Vision Center] (16) Alabama Allergy & Asthma Center (13, 18) Alabama Shakespeare Festival (17) Aldridge Gardens (14) Alfa Insurance (23)

Students in the fifth-grade class of Riverchase Elementary recently moved their classroom outside to the Environmental Learning Center at Camp McDowell. Students explored life in the ponds and streams while learning about animal adaptions, food chains and ecosystems. Photo courtesy of Lisa Saia.

Bedzzz Express (28) Birmingham Duplicate Bridge Club (22) Black Pearl Asian Cuisine (26)

Editor’s Note By Rebecca Walden In surveying residents about the best New Year’s Resolution they ever made (and actually kept), the most popular answer is the one you’ve likely guessed — never to make a New Year’s Resolution again. Who can argue with the success ratio of that particular promise? I’ve been a little cynical about the whole tradition myself, specifically pining for the month of February, when the resolve of the fitness resolutionists wears off, and there is once again decent parking at my gym. I think Amanda Burg of Bluff Park Baptist said it best when she told me that every day is a new beginning, full of opportunities to make a lasting impact. For Amanda, it’s irrelevant how near or far those opportunities may be from Jan. 1. I love that. Why should self-reflection and improvement be contained to specific pockets of time, namely the New Year and Lent? Isn’t every morning that we open our eyes in fact a chance to do something better than we did it the day before?

because I am exchanging a day of my life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever, leaving in its place something I have traded for it. I want it to be gain, not loss; good, not evil; success, not failure; in order that I shall not regret the price I paid for today.”

Walden Auburn fans will have to indulge me this reference, but it is indeed fitting. On the morning of the 2013 Iron Bowl, my Dad sent me an email with a copy of a prayer that Coach Bear Bryant was said to have kept in his wallet. Regardless of your pigskin allegiance, ponder these words and what this message can mean in your own life: New Day “Thank You, God, for today. This is the beginning of a new day. I can waste it or use it for good. What I do today is important

For me, the New Year does represent a fresh start, but I’ve learned to take Jan. 1 off its ivory tower. It’s just the beginning of 365 fresh starts. I’ve come to understand that wishes for health, wealth and happiness need not be restricted to New Year’s greetings. I am the architect of my own success in these pursuits, and it matters not if my New Year’s Day supper plate includes black-eyed peas and collard greens. Wishing you the wide open promise of New Year’s Day, every day. Rebecca

Cadence Bank (14) Cahaba Dermatology and Skin Care Center (11) Children’s of Alabama (7) Decorating Dens Interiors (24) EyeCare Associates of Hoover (14) Fi-Plan Partners (12) Geico Insurance (21) Hearlab (20) Hendrick Hoover Auto Mall (5, 27) Hoover Public Library (27) Hoover Soccer Club (9) Hoover Tactical Firearms (8) Hyatt Regency Birmingham - The Wynfrey Hotel (14, 23) La Fiesta Mexican Restaurant (19) More Than a Maid, LLC (15) Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce (22) RealtySouth - James Harwell (6) RealtySouth Marketing (3)

Publisher : Executive Editor : Creative Director : Editor : Managing Editor : Staff Writer: 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

Dan Starnes Jeff Thompson Keith McCoy Rebecca Walden Madoline Markham Katie Turpen Matthew Allen Rhonda Smith Warren Caldwell Michelle Salem Haynes Copy Editor: Louisa Jeffries Interns: Sydney Cromwell Lauren Moriarty Published by : Hoover Sun LLC

For advertising contact: dan@hooversun.com Legals: The Hoover Sun is published monthly. Reproduction or use of editorial or graphic content without prior

permission is prohibited. The Hoover Sun is designed to inform the Hoover community of area school, family and community events. Information in the Hoover Sun is gathered from sources considered reliable but the accuracy cannot be guaranteed. All articles/photos submitted become the property of the Hoover Sun. We reserve the right to edit articles/ photos as deemed necessary and are under no obligation to publish or return photos submitted. Inaccuracies or errors should be brought to the attention of the publisher at (205) 313-1780 or by email.

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Red Mountain Theatre Company (17) Remax Southern Homes - Becky Hicks (8) Salon 150 (6) Sarver Orthodontics (18) Silver Lining Consignment Boutique (4) Stellar Massage (5) Susette Clark-Walker / RealtySouth (10, 15) The Altamont School (23) The Cuckoo’s Nest (9) The Maids (1) Trustway (16) Vestavia Hills Soccer club (10) Vision Gymnastics (4) Vulcan Termite & Pest Control (26) YMCA of Greater Birmingham (25)

January 2014 • 3

HooverSun.com

City Mayor’s Minute By Gary Ivey

We hope you had a wonjust that, check out the Hoover derful holiday season and a Recreation Center with its happy New Year. Thanks to state-of-the-art equipment and the Hoover Police Departfacilities. The Hoover Senior ment, holiday shopping and Center also offers a variety of maneuvering our busy roadexercise programs designed to meet your needs. Our staff will ways during the holidays strive to find a way to work ran smoothly. We were very excited that the Chapel Lane with you no matter what your fitness level. extension opened just in time for holiday shoppers to have Let’s all be mindful of how another route during this busfortunate we are to live in a tling time of year. This longcity with so many opportuniGary Ivey awaited roadway is a welcome ties for our residents. We will addition to our city. work hard to continue to try and Congratulations to our Hoover Bucs on exceed your expectations. winning the 6A High School Football State Please don’t hesitate to contact our office if Championship. We are very proud of them for we can assist you in any way. You can also visit bringing this honor home again! our website at hooveral.gov. or call 444-7500. Once again, Happy New Year! From all early reports, it appears that we have had a very successful holiday shopping season once again. We will work hard to keep Sincerely, the City of Hoover financially sound while continuing to provide the best police, fire and city services possible to our residents. It’s the time of year when many people make New Year’s resolutions to exercise and get in Gary Ivey better shape. If you are looking for a place to do Mayor

HCS names Crowder Employee of the Year

Charles Crowder of Crossroads School was named the 2013 Hoover City Schools Employee of the Year at the November Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon. Crowder, an instructional support aide, has served the system since 2000. Photo courtesy of Hoover City Schools.

Public hearing for new residential development this month Hoover City Council will hold a public hearing this month regarding a proposed new subdivision at the intersection of Sulphur Springs Road and Al Seier Road. The hearing is set for Tuesday, January 21 at 6 p.m. during the Council’s regular meeting. Venture Developers, LLC is proposing to convert the wooded area along Al Seier Road on both sides of the intersection into a 20-lot residential subdivision. The area is currently zoned as a neighborhood shopping district and is surrounded by residential property. According to the Hoover Planning and Zoning Commission’s minutes from its December meeting, residents of a nearby subdivision are not opposed to new homes being added at the site. Tony Jones, president of the Highland Crest Garden Home subdivision located across the street, told the Commission he

felt residential development was the best use of the site. However, Jones voiced concerns about proposed square footage, building materials, possible inclusion of carports and maintenance of a proposed detention pond, the minutes read. Venture Developers will tentatively be represented by Michael Wood and Bob Hastings of Wood & Hastings Construction and Roy Martin. In other business, the Council: • Authorized Mayor Gary Ivey to execute a Standard Project Resolution with ALDOT regarding maintenance for additional lanes on Valleydale Road from U.S. 31 to Riverchase Parkway East. • Rezoned 2866 Wisteria Drive, 3237 Oriole Drive and 3204 Chapel Hill Court, which were recently annexed into the City of Hoover, as Hoover residential properties.

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2014 Year in preview U.S. 31 road-widening project

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Construction projects that will add a full lane traveling in each direction between the I-459 overpass and Data Drive south of Chace Lake, a distance of approximately a mile and a half, are on track to begin this spring. The project is designed to make travel easier through the intersection of U.S. 31 and Alabama 150, which Hoover Mayor Gary Ivey said is one of the busiest in the city. ALDOT informed the City last summer that it wouldn’t be able to complete construction before the holiday shopping season, so the Council agreed to postpone the work. “We had made it very clear we didn’t want construction going on during Christmas,” Ivey said. “ALDOT sent the letter after meeting with our staff to confirm that if it wasn’t going to be complete by the holiday shopping season, we needed to move it.” To assist drivers traveling north, a full turn lane will be constructed at the I-459 interchange for drivers intending to go west on the interstate toward Tuscaloosa. This is intended to reduce the bottleneck that sometimes spills onto the highway and impedes traffic flow. Hoover’s financial contribution to the widening project will be capped at $500,000 — reflecting a 50 percent match with the State of Alabama up to $1 million. Any excess will be covered by the State. The area is already seeing traffic improvement with the opening of the Chapel Lane extension in late November, just in time for the holiday shopping

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season. As part of a plan to ease congestion around the Riverchase Galleria and Patton Creek shopping center, the extension was designed to give residents of Bluff Park and Patton Chapel neighborhoods access to these areas without using U.S. 31. It connects Al Sier Road and Galleria Boulevard.

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The Hoover Metropolitan Stadium will host the 2014 USA Football Bowl Festival, one of three primary college football all-star events recognized by national media.

This month, the USA Football Bowl Festival will take place at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. In November, Dennis Wilson, president of USA Football Network, Inc. and Metropolitan New York Football Writers Association, announced that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the bowl, and he hopes to make Hoover the festival’s permanent home. The event begins on Sunday, Jan. 19 with a traditional USA College Football Awards Banquet where college division national awards are presented. On Monday, Jan. 20, the senior all-star game will kickoff at

1 p.m. at the Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. On Tuesday, Jan. 21, NFL, CFL and AFL coaches and scouts will conduct a USA Professional Football Leagues Testing Combine. Each team has a roster of 66 players, and Wilson said the SEC will be well represented with students selected from schools such as Mississippi State, Auburn and Arkansas. The five-day event will make Alabama the home of two of the three primary college football all-star events that are recognized by national media. For more information on the festival, visit usafootballbowl.com.

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HooverSun.com

New shopping center and organic grocery store

Sprouts Farmers Market is coming to Hoover this year. The store offers a wide selection of natural and organic foods alongside traditional supermarket fare. Photo courtesy of Sprouts Farmers Market.

Sprouts Farmers Market, a grocery store chain based in the Southwest, could open its first Alabama store in Hoover this year. During a public hearing in November, the Hoover City Council passed a motion to rezone a lot across John Hawkins Parkway from The Grove shopping center for a new development called The Crossings of Hoover. The proposed site is directly across John Hawkins Parkway from the entrance to The Grove shopping center.

According to Hoover Executive Director Allen Pate, when complete the development would include both the medical center and a 25,000-squarefoot space for a large retailer, identified tentatively as Sprouts. Sprouts Farmers Market, according to the store’s website, offers a wide selection of natural and organic foods alongside traditional supermarket fare. The chain has more than 150 stores in eight states in the Southwest — the closest in Texas — and employs more than 11,000.

Entrance to The Grove

Construction of free-standing ER For many residents of South Shades Crest Road and the surrounding areas, the closest emergency room is about 10 miles away. However, during the State of the City Address in December, Mayor Gary Ivey announced that a construction project this year will lead to changing that. In October, the Hoover City Council approved an agreement to help bring a freestanding emergency medical facility to the City across John Hawkins Parkway from the entrance to The Grove shopping center. Pate said UAB Medical West is planning an 18,000-square-foot facility at the back of the property, further south toward I-459. As a level-3 center, it would have resources for emergency resuscitation and surgery but would be supported by a transfer agreement with a level 1 trauma center. The facility

would also have the means to receive and send patients by helicopter. Council Member John Lyda said the center is proposed to have 10 emergency treatment rooms and two trauma rooms and could see 12,000 to 15,000 patients each year. UAB Medical West filed for a Certificate of Need (CON) with the state in December 2011 and was approved in September 2012. A CON for Princeton Baptist Medical Center to build a free-standing ER in the same area was approved by the review board at the same time. Development of the site includes planning by the City of Hoover. Pate said that with new developments, the City can be responsible for providing infrastructure. However, Hoover elected for the developer to build both a new road into the site and turn lane from John Hawkins Boulevard.

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Alacare Sprouts Farmers Market (tentative)

Proposed ER site

In October, Hoover City Council approved the purchase of the area of the map marked in orange, pending the developer’s completion of a new road in the space and turn lane from State Highway 150. At the back of the development, UAB Medical West plans to construct an emergency facility with an estimated completion date of June 2015.

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Now Open Izzy’s New York Delicatessen has opened at 2100 Riverchase Center, Suite 226. The restaurant serves a variety of sandwiches and salads. 988-8360.

Haute Couture Boutique, 4524 Southlake Parkway, Suite 5, is now open. It carries a variety of unique clothing and shoes for women. The store is locally owned by Stephanie Perry-Young. 403-4005. hautecoutureboutiquehoover.com.

Michael Kors, 2000 Riverchase Galleria, is now open. The store carries men’s and women’s clothing, shoes, watches, handbags, accessories and other fashion items. michaelkors.com.

iCovers.me, a kiosk located within the Riverchase Galleria, is now open. The business offers custom-made decals for iPhones, iPads, Samsung Galaxy phones and more. 586-1141. iphoneipadcovers.com.

Coming Soon Steak ‘n Shake, 1817 Montgomery Highway South, is opening this month. A ribbon cutting is scheduled for Jan. 9 at 10 a.m. steaknshake.com.

Schaeffer Eye Center, 1686 Montgomery Highway, is renovating the building once occupied by RoomStore and will be moving its corporate headquarters there. The new location is scheduled to be open by mid-January. 661-2080. schaeffereyecenter.com.

Relocations and Renovations The Time Machine / Monogram Shop, 2010 Old Montgomery Highway, has relocated from Colonial Brookwood Village. The store offers monogramming, custom decals, minor watch repair, SEC memorabilia and more. 987-9422.

D.R. Horton, 2188 Parkway Lake Drive, has relocated from its office on Grandview Parkway along the 280 corridor. The residential building company builds homes in more than 20 neighborhoods in Birmingham and Tuscaloosa. 822-1611. drhorton.co.

Taco Bell, 1821 Montgomery Highway, has reopened following a total renovation of the store. 733-2015. tacobell.com.

Foxy Nails & Spa, 270 Doug Baker Boulevard, Suite 900, has relocated to a new space in the same shopping center, the Village at Lee Branch. The larger storefront features new amenities throughout the salon. 437-0808.

Anniversaries Chiropractic Today, 420 Inverness Corners, celebrated Dr. Irma Palmer’s 20th year in business in November. 991-3511. chiropractictoday.com.

Business news

News and Accomplishments

to share?

Hoover-based Asher Riley belt company is now selling needlepoint dog collars at Hollywood Feed, 230 Doug Baker Blvd. off of U.S. 280. Asher Riley also makes needlepoint belts and other products. 356-5578. asherriley.com.

Hirings and Promotions

Sain Engineering Associates, 100 Corporate Parkway, Suite 100, has hired Patrick Spencer as an energy engineer. He will focus on energy conservation projects. 979-9966. saineng.com.

Closings Hoover Chevron Food Mart, 1628 Montgomery Highway, has closed. The property was purchased by Hendrick Auto Mall as part of its renovation and expansion plans.

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Coming Soon

Sweet Spot Confections, 2545 Valleydale Road, has closed after more than two years in business.

Edwin Watts Golf, 1694 Montgomery Highway South, is closing as part of the company’s bankruptcy dealings. The store is projected to be open for six to nine weeks as inventory is sold.

Expansion

Premier Mega Tan, 230 Doug Baker Boulevard, Suite 100, has closed.

Business news If you are in a brick and mortar business in Hoover and want to share your event with the community, let us know.

to share? Sun

Email dan@hooversun.com

Coming Soon

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Business Spotlight s kin

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When the great names in stand-up comedy come to Birmingham, there’s one place they all go. The Comedy Club Stardome is one of the bestknown comedy clubs in the Southeast, hosting names such as Craig Ferguson, Chris Rock, Jeff Foxworthy and Louis Black. Bruce Ayers started the Comedy Club in 1983 in a rented hotel banquet room that only fit about 200 people. Ayers had nearly a decade of experience in the nightclub business, but comedy clubs were a brand-new concept. He soon found that his Birmingham audience couldn’t identify with many comedians’ experiences. “In the beginning, most of the comedians came from New York or they came from L.A., and they were talking about things people couldn’t really relate to,” Ayers said. His breakthrough came by chance. Before a show in November 1983, Ayers asked one of the comedians to recognize the birthday of a friend, who owned a Piggly Wiggly, while onstage. The comedian, then-unknown Sinbad, created an impromptu routine around Piggly Wiggly that was a hit with the audience. “The people went nuts because he

was clean and he would talk about things local people could relate to,” Ayers said. “Sinbad became my first star.” Over its 30-year history, the Comedy Club has been the birthplace of many comedians’ careers. Carrot Top and Steve Harvey performed there before they were famous, and Ayers’ connection to Sinbad gave Harvey his first big break. Jeff Foxworthy had his first paid show in the club in 1985, and Larry the Cable Guy was a regular for 10 years before he joined Blue Collar Comedy. “We get to see them when they’re a nobody, and all of a sudden, 10 or 15 years later, they’re a big star,” Ayers said. “It’s really, really cool for us to see that.” The Comedy Club was located on Green Springs Avenue from 1985 until 1993, when a fire completely destroyed the building. Ayers reopened the club, renamed the Comedy Club Stardome, in its current location with the help of his wife, Che Che, and his daughters, Gena Zimmerman and Dena Dow. “My favorite part is that I work with my family,” Ayers said. “We have a business that we’ve kept going for 30 years, and I get to spend time with them every day.” The Comedy Club Stardome is one

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By SYDNEY CROMWELL

Comedy Club Stardome

Read past Business Spotlights at HooverSun.com

1818 Data Drive 444-0008 stardome.com Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.- 8 p.m. Saturday, 1-9 p.m. Sunday, 3-7 p.m.

Bruce Ayers owns and runs the Comedy Club Stardome with his wife and two daughters. The Stardome has been in its current location in Hoover for 20 years. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

of the most popular places for comedy, and audiences come six nights a week to have dinner and drinks while they enjoy both famous and amateur

performers. “People come up to me and go, ‘You know, I should have been coming sooner. I had so much fun,’”

Ayers said. “All of the best comedians in the country have been here, and we just love what we do.”

January 2014 • 9

HooverSun.com

atton Chapel Rd Restaurant PShowcase

Read past Restaurant Showcases at HooverSun.com

Coffee-ol-ogy

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200 Municipal Dr./Inside Hoover Library 987-0176 coffeeology.net Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. d R Saturday, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. na r Sunday, 2 p.m.-5:30 p.m. Lo

By SYDNEY CROMWELL For those who want to experience foods from around the world without buying a plane ticket, a trip to Coffee-ol-ogy is in order. The little cafe inside the Hoover Library offers much more than coffee and sandwiches; its Global Cuisine menu gives customers the chance to try meals from a different country every month. Co-owners Teresa White and Craig Casiday developed the Global Cuisine idea about three years ago with the help of chef Virginia Walker, who grew up in Europe. Their original idea was to feature a different country every week, but this proved to be too hectic and they eventually settled into the current monthly schedule. The monthly choices range from traditional French and Italian food to more exotic meals from Morocco and Poland. “We want people to experience the world’s favorite foods one country at a time, and in doing that, we want them to experience part of the culture of that country,” White said. In January for example, customers can get a taste of Cuban cuisine with the Cuban Sandwich, Black Bean Soup or Pork Chop con Pina, a panseared pork chop with pineapple, lime, plantains and garlic. Each month also

The German Turkey Reuben layers deli turkey with Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Strasburg sauce. Photo courtesy of Craig Casiday and Teresa White.

features a dessert from the country of choice. January’s dessert is Pineapple Cake with Dulce de Leche Salsa. White said that Coffee-ol-ogy tries to make its global food as authentic as possible. Each meal is made based on recipes they learned from international travel or the help of friends around the

Coffee-ol-ogy owners Teresa White and Craig Casiday developed the Global Cuisine idea three years ago with the help of a chef who grew up in Europe. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

globe. The resulting menu items are meals that could be found on an average dinner table in each country. “This isn’t a four-star experience, this is home food,” White said. “We chose the foods that people cook at home, so that is a very strong emotional connection that people have.”

The cafe has its own passports that customers can get stamped each month, and White said she knows of diners who have filled up four or five already. With each stamp comes a five percent discount on the next purchase, as well as a cultural education for the customer. Casiday and White put flags

on their tables from each month’s featured country, and an electronic board behind the counter highlights interesting facts about that country. They also explain the history of each dish and the importance of certain spices and ingredients. This educational focus blends well with their library location. The cafe is a favorite for many homeschool parents to teach their children about other cultures, and White participates in monthly cultural presentations on the library plaza. Coffee-ol-ogy’s Facebook and Twitter pages are also devoted to sharing information about library events with their fans. “It allows us to present things that you wouldn’t typically get from a cafe, and the library also gets to benefit from having a cafe that goes so well with what they’re doing,” Casiday said. Casiday and White plan to further diversify their Global Cuisine menu and possibly expand to a second location. White said their business model is “constantly evolving” and they enjoy the challenge of trying new things. “My favorite part is the sheer creativity of it,” White said. “We have very exciting, lively food and it’s changing. We’re adding features to it. We’re still having a lot of fun with it.”

10 • January 2014

Hoover Sun

Nominate your favorites for

BEST OF HOOVER 2014

Visit hooversun.com/nominate-best-of by Jan. 10. Food and Drink

Community

Most Friendly Service Most Kid Friendly Restaurant Best Breakfast/Brunch Best Date Night Best Ladies’ Lunch Spot Best Casual Dining Best Asian Food Best Italian Food Best Mediterranean Food Best Mexican Food Best New Restaurant Best Burger Best Pizza Best Coffee Best Place for a Sweet Treat

Best Outdoor Space Best Community Event Best Neighborhood Best Church Choir Best Teacher Best Charity Event Best Local Band/Musician Best Place for Family Outing

Health and Wellness Best Work Out Facility Best Dentist Best Orthodontist Best Pediatrician Best Family Practitioner

Best Pharmacy Best Spa

Businesses and Services Best New Business Best Place to Buy a Gift Best Children’s Store Best Women’s Clothing Store Best Store for Men Best Place to Buy Home Décor Best Customer Service Best Veterinarian Best Mechanic Shop Best Salon Best Store for Your Hobby Best Golf Course

Watch for the Best of Hoover ballot in the February print issue and online from Jan. 24 to Feb. 14. Results will run in the April issue.

January 2014 • 11

HooverSun.com

Community Hoover girl gets dream bedroom makeover Zoe Foreman is like most other Hoover eight year olds, passionate about school, soccer and playing with her friends. However, after recent unexplained weight loss and numerous headaches, Foreman was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. It is a chronic disease that she will most likely have to manage with medication and injections for the rest of her life. It was after this recent diagnosis that her family contacted the Kid’s Wish Network, a nonprofit that grants wishes to children with debilitating illnesses. Foreman’s wish was for a bedroom makeover. In her request she said, “My wish is to be surrounded by butterflies, peace symbols ,and the colors pink and purple.”

Local DAR chapter receives proclamation

Zenobia Forman, back, with Zoe Foreman and her younger sister Zaria. Photo courtesy of Helen Todd.

The Kid’s Wish Network contacted local interior designer Lacey Carroll of Lacey Carroll Interiors. Carroll then reached out to other business partners to make the bedroom dream a reality.

Helping make the wish come true were the following local businesses: Jones-Warren Construction (painting and flooring), Uppercase Living (lettering on wall), Bedzzz Express and Royal Bedding, Ideal Furniture, Superior Furnishings, Standard Furniture, Bellacor, Country Curtains, Janify (cleaning), Panoramic Business Solutions, Life Style Organizing Services, Preserve Face & Body, Fusion One Marketing, Two Men And a Truck, ADM Construction and Harry Gulledge. -Submitted by Helen Todd

Heatherwood Garden Club tours Charlie Thigpen Garden Gallery Heatherwood Garden Club recently took a field trip to Charlie Thigpen Garden Gallery in Pepper Place. They toured the facility and admired flowers and plants, décor and arrangements. Thigpen gave a presentation on floral arranging. Lunch was delivered to his shop on the patio.The ladies left planning to go home home and practice arranging for Christmas. Members of the Heatherwood Garden Club during their recent tour of Charlie Thigpen’s Garden Gallery at Pepper Place. Photo courtesy of Ann Davis.

Mayor Gary Ivey presents a proclamation to members of the Lily of the Cahaba Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Photo courtesy of Susan Moore.

November was Native American Indian Heritage Month and the Lily of the Cahaba Chapter, NSDAR, was recently presented a proclamation by the City of Hoover recognizing this designation. Hoover Mayor Gary Ivey presented the proclamation to members of the Hoover-based chapter during a City Council meeting. DAR members present were Chapter Regent Susan Moore, First Vice Regent Bunny Rittenour Smith and Native American Committee Chair Joan Lewellyn. The proclamation acknowledged that the history and culture of the United States have been significantly influenced by American Indians. Further, it stated that their contributions have enhanced the freedom, prosperity and greatness of America. In recognition of

these contributions, Daughters of the American Revolution help by giving back through support of Bacone College, Chemawa Indian School, the American Indian Youth Summer Camp program and scholarships. To encourage awareness of American Indian heritage, the Hoover-based DAR chapter provided information about tribes in Alabama at native-languages.org/ alabama.htm The NSDAR Lily of the Cahaba Chapter with more than 100 members meets in Hoover. Any woman is eligible for membership who is 18 years of age and can prove lineal, blood descent from an ancestor who aided in achieving American independence. For more information, email lilyofthecahaba@gmail.com.

12 • January 2014

Hoover Sun

Prince of Peace Catholic School fifth graders continue Camp Cosby trip tradition Fifth-graders from Prince of Peace Catholic School in Hoover recently spent three days and two nights at YMCA’s Camp Cosby’s “outdoor classroom.” Students experienced what they have been learning in the classroom and took advantage of many other opportunities on this 12th annual field trip that has become a much anticipated rite of fifth grade at Prince of Peace School. They learned safe and proper canoe techniques on Lake Logan Martin and survival skills on land, including building a fire and shelter and rescue signals. In the Life Learning Lab, fifth graders touched a 6-foot long ball python and discovered how animals adapt to survive in their environments. Another fun

part of the trip was the “Ways of Old Days” simulation that took the students back in time to the pioneer days by writing with a quill and ink and making their own toys. Plant physiology, geology, water cycles were also part of the curriculum. The students were accompanied by their teachers Donna Hecklinski and Laurie Jones, Principal Connie Angstadt, Father Tom Ackerman and Guidance Counselor Debbie Calvert as well as parent chaperones. “I always treasure this learning opportunity with our fifth grade students,” Angstadt said,. “Every student is blessed with special gifts and so many of these gifts rise to the surface at camp. We create lifetime memories.”

Prince of Peace Catholic School’s fifth grade went to Camp Cosby’s Outdoor Classroom Program where they spent three days and two nights in a fun-filled, educational atmosphere. The annual field trip is a much-anticipated event in the fifth grade year at the school. Photo courtesy of Jill Taylor Spero.

Hoover Service Club members make plans for the second annual Hearts and Harmony Gala

Hoover Service Club Members make plans for the second annual Hearts and Harmony Gala. Pictured are gala committee members: Judy Thompson, auction; Lynda Wasden, tickets; Martha Veasy and Carla Kanafani, event chairmen; Elaine Thompson, Patrons. Photo courtesy of Lynda Wasden.

The Hoover Service Club is planning the second annual Hearts and Harmony Gala planned for 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 14 at the Embassy Suites Hotel on John Hawkins Parkway. The night will include a steak dinner, live and silent auction, with such items as a shrimp boil for 50 provided by Shane Hill, author of the Tailgate Cookbook, a trip to Hawaii from AAA Alabama, and a special piece of jewelry from Steeds Jewelers. The band Ain’t Misbehavin will provide music for the evening. Tickets for the Hearts and Harmony Gala are $100 per person, $50 of which is tax-deductible.

SPECIAL PROMOTION

Last year’s event raised almost $40,000 that will be used for college scholarships for high school students in Hoover and various charities that support the Hoover community. Charities recently receiving donations include Oak Mountain Missions, United Way Food Bank at Green Valley Baptist, Focus on Recovery, Jefferson County Foster Children’s Fund for School Supplies and Aldridge Gardens. For tickets or additional information, call Lynda Wasden at 981-1242 or email hscinformation-HSC@yahoo.com.

January 2014 • 13

HooverSun.com

Women

2014

HOOVER Savvy • Energetic • Creative • Smart • Strong • Brave

Each January, the Hoover Sun recognizes businesswomen dedicated to our community. We applaud them for their creative, enthusiastic and entrepreneurial spirit and appreciate their efforts to make the place we call home the best it can be. Through their businesses, these women represent our area to all who stop through, and for that we are grateful.

Young professional paves the way for others Local non-profit educates young women on value of service By REBECCA WALDEN Realistic ideas can spawn from creative, young minds. Hardly out of her tween years, Ashley Cherry, founder of local nonprofit Little Ladies, Inc., needed little more than an encouraging hour watching Oprah to let her idea take flight. “Her show featured young people who were making a difference within their communities,” Cherry said. “I vividly remember this young girl who was 16. She created her own magazine called Black Girls because she felt popular teen magazines such as Seventeen and Cosmo Girl didn’t depict the essence and beauty of African American girls. She wanted to have a magazine where young girls of color could embrace their dark-skinned beauty.” Cherry said that after watching the show, she reflected on her own peer group and the issues they faced at that time, including peer pressure, insecurities, sexual promiscuity, pregnancy, drugs and bullying. “I felt an urgency to start an organization where young ladies could come together to talk and be able to express themselves,” Cherry said. “Along with parents, I wanted this organization to help shape and mold not only myself but also my peers into powerful women.” Taking the idea to her mother, Pandora Cherry,

Little Ladies, Inc. members and mentor pals work together on a recent service project. Photo courtesy of Pandora Cherry.

Ashley received encouragement, along with instruction. “I told her to come back to me with a plan,” Pandora said. “And she did.” That plan, made official under the name Little Ladies, Inc., will celebrate its 10th anniversary this year. Since 2004, the group has evolved well beyond its original scope.

“Originally, this was supposed to be a small group for me and my friends,” Cherry said. “But after we incorporated and people became aware of the things we were doing within the community such as community service and having monthly workshops featuring prominent women from around Birmingham, word begin to spread.” In Cherry’s view, one attribute that has helped

bolster her group is its focus on each member’s personal development. “There are so many wonderful organizations that help empower our youth to make a difference,” she said. “I believe Little Ladies distinguishes itself by establishing a great foundation for these young ladies to build upon. Each member has one-on-one sessions with her assigned mentor pal. We focus heavily on developing personal a relationship with each and every member.” The mentor pals include a powerful network of professional women, including physicians, attorneys, engineers and teachers, several of whom are alumnae of Little Ladies, Inc. The group’s reputation helped earn the group a Resolution from the Jefferson County Commission, which acknowledged the organization’s service and community impact. This recognition speaks to the heart of the group’s mission, a commitment Cherry is dedicated to preserving. “Along with inspiring these young ladies to become powerful women, we are also focusing on what it means to serve and give back to the community,” she said. “It is very important to learn the meaning of giving at a very early age.”

Dr. Maxcie Sikora Dr. Meghan Lemke Dr. Sunena Argo D

rs. Maxcie Sikora, Meghan Lemke, and Sunena Argo joined Alabama Allergy & Asthma Center to be part of one of the most respected and innovative allergy practices in the Southeast. Boardcertified in both allergy/asthma and pediatrics, they are able to provide the highest quality of care to pediatric and adult patients alike, treating allergies, asthma, sinus and skin conditions, and a wide range of associated immunological disorders. Drs. Sikora, Lemke, and Argo also specialize in treating patients with food and drug allergies. Their goal is to provide the very best medical care in a patient-friendly, dignified manner. Alabama Allergy & Asthma’s state-of-the-art facilities and highly trained staff enable them to give patients comprehensive care that is unmatched.

205-871-9661 www.alabamaallergy.com 2010 Patton Chapel Road, Suite 200 Locations in Cullman, Alabaster, Homewood, and on Highway 280

14 • January 2014

Hoover Sun

Wanda

Gaddis

Wanda Gaddis moved to Hoover in 2011 to take the position of Director of Sales and Marketing at Hyatt Regency BirminghamThe Wynfrey Hotel. She has over 25 years in the hospitality industry and enjoys meeting new people. She says her favorite part is how exciting and different each day is in the hospitality world. In February of 1986, Jim Wilson and Associates opened The Wynfrey Hotel. In June of 2013, the Hotel was branded Hyatt Regency following a $20 million dollar renovation. Today, the hotel is managed by Davidson Hotels and Resorts and offers 329 newly renovated guest rooms and four king suites. The hotel has over 32,000 square feet of flexible meeting space accommodating groups from 10 to 1,000 people as well as a 9,728 square-foot ballroom. The hotel is known in the area for hosting conventions, corporate events, family gatherings and weddings.

205-705-1234 wynfrey.regency.hyatt.com 1000 Riverchase Galleria BIRMINGHAM THE WYNFREY HOTEL

Kim Hendon

Williams

More Than A Maid is passionate about providing quality solutions that will help its clients focus on life — both theirs and their family’s. The business provides one-time, weekly, biweekly or monthly cleaning service schedules. Clients are not limited to receiving service one way; they can customize cleaning preferences based on their needs and lifestyles. Kim Hendon Williams launched the business in the fall of 2012. “After experiencing an unexpected resource action in the spring of 2012, I put my faith in the Lord trusting that He will help me achieve financial independence,” she said. “Becoming a business owner also allows me to fulfill my desire to touch lives in a positive way — by delivering excellent service, providing jobs and assisting those who are unable to clean for themselves.” Previously Williams worked for more than 20 years in the information technology industry for Fortune 500 companies, including IBM Corporation and CA Technologies. Today she is very involved in the community. She serves as administrator for her church and as a Hoover Chamber of Commerce Ambassador.

205-426-5987 morethanamaidllc.com P.O. Box 360394 • Hoover

Susette Clark-Walker Susette Clark-Walker believes strongly in working closely with those around her and building strong connections along the way. It’s the reason Susette has been successful throughout her life and is now thriving in her Real Estate career. Today as a Realtor with RealtySouth, Susette helps Buyers and Sellers maneuver their way through the real estate process. A real estate purchase or sale is one of the largest financial transactions a person will make in their lifetime and Susette wants to be there to help make the process as stress-free as possible for her clients. Her attention to detail has made her successful in her Real Estate career and has helped to make her a member of the RealtySouth Top Producers Club. Susette, a Hoover resident, is also Actively Connected to her community. She is a member of the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce and the Hoover Rotary Club, where she serves as membership chair. She is also active in the real estate community and serves on the Public Relations committee for the Birmingham Association of Realtors.

205-370-0316 www.SusetteClarkWalker.com

Tynnette

Lynch

For more than 26 years, Tynette Lynch has made her career in the tourism industry. She started in hotel sales and advanced to hotel management quickly. After several hotel management positions, she started a consulting business that allowed her to travel and open hotels and train people on Southern hospitality. On her latest venture, she took the opportunity to work with Aldridge Gardens as its new CEO. She still owns Hospitality Business Solutions, Inc., but now her day-to-day focus is on spreading the word about beautiful Aldridge Gardens and the city of Hoover. Aldridge Gardens features two event venues that are perfect for small corporate meetings or a beautiful garden wedding. Located in the gardens are great walking trails that surround the lake with lots of nature to take in. Tynette is married to Pat Lynch and has two grown sons, two stepdaughters and 12 grandchildren. Their children were raised in Hoover and all remain nearby.

205-682-8019 aldridgegardens.com 3530 Lorna Road • Hoover

January 2014 • 15

HooverSun.com

Edwina Taylor

Dr. Latisha

Marbuary

Founder, Executive Director Cahaba Valley Health Care 991-8771 4515 Southlake Parkway, Suite 150 cahabavalleyhealthcare.org

By JEFF THOMPSON For the uninsured in America, getting medical care can prove to be a significant hurdle. Through her years in the profession, Edwina Taylor said she saw it first hand. Since her career as a nurse and nurse practitioner ended, Taylor has gone out of her way to get even closer. Taylor founded Cahaba Valley Health Care (CVHC), a service organization that assists Shelby and Jefferson County residents with medical needs. The nonprofit provides basic vision, dental and nutrition care to underserved populations, simply because Taylor — and the many volunteers who have adopted the cause — want to care for those who can’t find help anywhere else. “I come from a family that always helped people,” said Taylor, CVHC executive director. “We had people between jobs living with us when I was growing up. That’s just how I was raised. So I’ve always had a heart for helping people any way I could.” Taylor, 65, is bright and enthusiastic when talking about her work, and shows constant compassion for the people she serves. She founded the organization in 2000, but the story behind CVHC goes back to the 1970s. After earning her nursing degree, Taylor worked at UAB Medical Center and later Cooper Green Mercy Hospital. At both these facilities, she said seeing the need for more access to medical care was unavoidable. Around the same time, she and her husband helped found Cahaba Valley Church on Caldwell Mill. Taylor said the church was built on a mission of helping others, and it attracted many professionals from service fields including social work and health care. That was more than two decades before she founded CVHC, but it was an important step in the process. Though the church no longer exists, some of its members served on CVHC’s founding Board of Directors. Later that decade, something else changed in Taylor’s life that would steer her toward the creation of Cahaba Valley Health Care — a daughter. Taylor adopted her first child, Chris, from Children’s Aid in Birmingham. But when she

wanted to adopt a second child from the organization, she was turned away. In 1979, Taylor adopted her daughter, Emilie, from an agency in Guatemala. After Emilie came home to Birmingham, Taylor found herself looking more closely at the area’s Hispanic population. She did so for years, until population increases pushed her to action in 1999. “I started asking around where people were getting their care, and I found out they were getting it from the Jefferson County Health Department and the emergency room,” Taylor said. Taylor began building a network to reach out to the Hispanic community, starting with Catholic churches in the area. In 2000, she launched CVHC and the organization held its first vision screenings. As word of her efforts spread, numbers increased at the screenings. Thankfully, so did those willing to help, enough that the organization was able to expand its services. “People are desperate for dental care,” Taylor said. “Most people don’t have dental insurance, and so many people have lost their jobs.” CVHC now operates a clinic every Sunday that doesn’t fall on a holiday weekend. These include 18 vision clinics and 34 dental clinics. Churches that open their doors to the organization include St. Peter’s Catholic, Prince of Peace and Riverchase United Methodist. More than 40 volunteers assist at each clinic, including local dentists, optometrists and ophthalmologists. “We want people involved who want to be involved,” Taylor said. “I tell my students, ‘You’re never going to work with a grumpy person because no one’s getting paid to be here. They’re here because they want to be.’” CVHC also provides pediatric dental services at its office off Valleydale Road. Taylor said while Jefferson County Children have the Health Department to turn to, Shelby County residents have no one. CVHC’s pediatric clinic gives free care on the first visit to all children, with or without insurance. The organization is also holding an Open House this month to invite those interested in to see the operation and discuss the coming year.

It has been Dr. Latisha Marbuary’s lifelong aspiration to be an optometrist. She has been at 20/20 Visionworks inside Walmart Vision Center on Highway 150 since September 2012. Dr. Marbuary provides comprehensive eye exams for glasses in addition to the latest advances in contacts such as daily disposable and multifocal contact lenses. She treats acute eye emergencies, dry eye and other ocular diseases and prides herself and her business on providing compassionate, patient-centered care. Marbuary is a graduate of the University of Montevallo and the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry. She lives in Hoover with her husband of seven years, Bryan, and their two sons, Adam and Bryan II. Marbuary is a member of the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated and a mentor for the Greater Birmingham Big Brothers/ Big Sisters program.

20/20 Visionworks 205-733-9311 20/20 Visionworks LLC Walmart Vision Center 2780 John Hawkins Parkway walmart.com

Gina

Roberson Gina Roberson loves helping people. As a branch manager for Cadence Bank, she has the opportunity to do so on a daily basis. “At Cadence, our company initiatives and core values revolve around teamwork and the importance of how we treat our clients and each other,” she said. “This makes Cadence a great fit for me because strong values are important to me in my everyday life.” Cadence Bank is a top-rated 5-star bank based on financial strength and stability, with a full range of services for consumers and businesses. The Hoover branch was the most recent recipient of the Most Valuable Player award for the South/Central Alabama market of the bank. A resident of Hoover for more than 25 years, Roberson and her husband, Josh, appreciate having the opportunity to raise their daughter, Kinsey, in such a great community nearby to their large extended family.

Cahaba Valley Health Care Executive Director Edwina Taylor demonstrates proper brushing techniques at the organization’s office on Valleydale Road. Photo by Jeff Thompson.

205-444-3800 cadencebank.com 2755 John Hawkins Parkway

16 • January 2014

Hoover Sun

Catherine Amos Lynn Hammonds

Take us with you.

Dr. Catherine Amos and Dr. Lynn Hammonds practice primary care optometry, which includes eye exams, contact lenses, glasses and treatment of eye diseases. Their goal is to offer the absolute best quality eye health and vision care for you and your family utilizing the latest technology. They provide eye care for all ages from infants to seniors and welcome new patients to their practice. Providing eye care in Hoover for over 35 years, Dr. Amos received her doctorate from the UAB School of Optometry and has a special interest in pediatric eye care. After graduating from UAB and completing a residency in geriatrics and low vision, Dr Hammonds joined her practice in 1992. Both doctors specialize in caring for patients with glaucoma, dry eye syndrome, diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration.

205-982-5000 webeca.com 1809 Data Drive

Samantha S

amantha Hall and her husband, David, started Trustway in August 2010 to help people use Biblical principles to approach their finances. Since their marriage in 2000, the couple has been in the consulting and financial world together. “Our business model is unlike any that we have seen,” Hall said. “We believe that God has a divine appointment for everyone and unfortunately in this world, money is what makes things happen. The problem is, that no one truly teaches us how to handle money properly. That is where we come in.” Their purpose is not to sell stocks or mutual funds — they only teach and guide in all financial areas. The company teaches clients how to budget, to save, to spend wisely, how to be a better steward, and to look for ways to do things better when it comes to their money. “We believe that our divine appointment is to help people become what they have always dreamed financially,” Hall said.

Award-winning community journalism on your mobile phone. HooverSun.com

Hall

“We love people and understand the stress of the times, and we are here to be the light at the end of the tunnel for some who may have lost their hope.” Trustway is made up of three divisions. The Money Coaching and Financial Education division counsels on anything financial from saving money to getting out of debt to starting and/or growing a business. The Money Coaching division is all about how to use your money to grow financially God’s way. Trustway Insurance, the Insurance Brokerage, helps clients obtain and maintain the cheapest insurance rates possible with the best value to aid in saving money on the coaching side. Trustway Tax Services, the Tax and Accounting Firm, helps clients get the most out of their money. The Insurance Brokerage and Tax and Accounting Firm help support the Money Coaching clients.

205-451-1945 adefiniteplan.com 1837 Montgomery Highway S., Suite 105 Hoover, AL 35244

January 2014 • 17

HooverSun.com

Broken to beautiful Hoover artist welds unique crosses to reflect personal journey By KATIE TURPEN Several years ago, artist Catherine Partain was at the lowest point in her life. Her marriage was falling apart, and she found herself involved in an emotional affair. Following her divorce, she desperately searched for an identity to make her feel whole again. “I felt thrown away in every sense of the word,” Partain said. “I had completely given up on myself.” In the fall of 2008, Partain said God prompted her to make a cross out of pieces of broken furniture. Soon after that, while on a walk, she and a friend came across the husk of a burned-down house. Immediately, Partain felt a surge of emotions. She took several of the burned timbers home with her, determined to make something beautiful and redeeming out of the wreckage. Crosses welded from discarded scraps are now a powerful metaphor for Partain’s newfound hope in herself and her life. “God has shown me that these scraps, no matter how ugly, bent, rusted or scarred, can be redeemed,” Partain said. “And so can we.” Today, she works out of her classroom-turnedart studio at Artists on the Bluff in Hoover. She came to this unique community of artists after realizing they did not have a metal worker and discovered her gift could be an asset to the Hoover art scene. Long windows form an entire wall of Partain’s studio, allowing sunlight to filter in over the dusty crosses that hang delicately in designated spots around the room. Metal scraps of all sizes

(above) Artist Catherine Partain holds a piece of an airplane wing she salvaged and brought back to her Artists on the Bluff studio. (right) Artist Catherine Partain uses scrap metal to weld unique crosses, each with a personal story. Photos by Katie Turpen.

and shapes carefully plucked from junkyards cover the floor. And the art doesn’t stop at crosses. After Partain finishes welding, she gathers up the dust

from the scrap metal and lets it rust onto wet paper to form intriguing, intricate designs. “The scrap informs me,” Partain said. “If just one person is affected, that makes a difference.”

Thank you notes from recipients of Partain’s crosses cover nearly an entire wall, serving as testament to the number of lives her work has touched. Partain said those are just a few out of the hundreds she has received. She has made crosses for Manuel Cuevas, designer for stars Johnny Cash, Michael Jackson and Elvis and for the Hutton Hotel in Nashville. Partain reflected on her willingness to share the personal journey that inspired her crosses on her website. It was far from an easy decision. “We can’t empathize unless we’ve been through that experience. So I just decided to be transparent about my story,” Partain said. “When I finally pushed that publish button on mine, it felt like setting off an atomic bomb.” Her decision turned out to be a crucial one, as now people who receive her crosses see her as more than just an artist but a close friend and confidant who understands whatever troubles they are going through in their lives. “People keep bringing me their stories,” Partain said. “I’ve made over 1,000 crosses and it keeps on going. It’s been very liberating.” Partain explained that welding a cross for someone is an intimate experience. When people request crosses, she often invites them to her studio to sit on the floor with her and sort through scraps, allowing them to select the broken pieces that best reflect their personal identities. “No two crosses are the same.” Partain said. Today, Partain is thriving in a community of creative artists at Artists on the Bluff and feels that she has been blessed with a gift to help people realize that what is broken can always be healed. “A lot of us are silent about our stories. But people are yearning to make that connection, to develop relationships,” Partain said. “We need to learn to love people right where they are.” For more about Partain and her art, visit crossesbycatherine.com.

18 • January 2014

Hoover Sun

Wendy Wax, author of Christmas at the Beach, speaks to an audience at the 2013 Southern Voices Festival.

VOICES from page 1

evening of this year’s Southern Voices Festival. On Friday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m., guests will participate in An Evening with Ann Patchett. The intimate setting, which takes place in the Library Theatre, will feature candid insights from the keynote speaker, along with a brief question-and-answer period, followed by a more relaxed portion, which includes a book signing

Ron Rash, author of Nothing Gold Can Stay, speaks to a crowd at the 2013 Southern Voices Festival. Photos courtesy of the Hoover Public Library.

and reception. The next day, guests can enjoy an all-day conference, which will take place in the Library Theatre and also throughout the Library Plaza. The conference, which lasts from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., will conclude with book sales and signings that afternoon. The expansion of the event into the Library Plaza allows for more ticket sales and attendees.

“I think we all thought the theater would be the preferred venue for the conference in 2013, but we discovered that many people preferred the intimacy of the plaza venue,” Borden said. Due to the success of that formula, the library has renewed the format, though all other aspects of the program format remain the same. While Borden said it’s impossible to declare one year better than another, given the subjective

Hoover Public Library Director Linda Andrews speaks during the 2013 Southern Voices Festival.

tastes of all readers, she did express confidence that this year’s lineup will offer something for everyone. “There is a perfect blend for readers: literary, horror, humor, typical southern, international intrigue, reinvention,” Borden said. “There’s no way each attendee won’t find at least one author to deeply connect with.”

January 2014 • 19

HooverSun.com

Featured Authors 2

Ann Patchett

Ann Patchett is a celebrated author, devoted reader and champion of literary culture. She has written nine books including The Patron Saint of Liars, State of Wonder and the Orange Prize and PEN/Faulkner Award winner Bel Canto. In 2011, when the last of her hometown of Nashville’s bookstores closed, Patchett declared, “I have no interest in living in a city without a bookstore.” In November of that year, she opened Parnassus Books, a new refuge for the written word in the old “Athens of the South.” Time magazine named Patchett one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2012 for her efforts on behalf of the literary community.

Bill Roorbach

Bill Roorbach is the author of eight books of fiction and nonfiction, including Into Woods, Temple Stream and Big Bend, which won the Flannery O’Connor Prize and O. Henry Prize. His newest novel, Life Among Giants, begins in 1970 when a high school football star’s parents are murdered. What ensues is a plot-twisting narrative mixed with rich characterization. Roorbach’s short fiction has appeared in Harper’s, The Atlantic and Playboy. A former cake judge on The Food Network and a former professor at Columbia University, Ohio State, Holy Cross and Colby College, he now writes full time from his home in Maine.

John Searles

John Searles is an editor-at-large for Cosmopolitan, a literary commentator for the Today Show and a novelist. His most recent novel, Help for the Haunted, is the tale of an unusual family, an unspeakable tragedy and a daughter’s discovery of a dark and unexpected mystery. Born and raised in Monroe, Conn., this son of a truck driver and stay-at-home mom is known for his early championing of books such as The Help, Water for Elephants and The Lovely Bones. His essays have appeared in the New York Times and the Washington Post. Time magazine has named Searles, who now lives in New York, as a “Person to Watch.”

Jeffrey Small

Jeffrey Small is the author of two novels. His debut, the bestselling thriller The Breath of God, was hailed as “visionary fiction” by Library Journal and won the 2012 Nautilus Book Award Gold Medal for fiction. His second novel, The Jericho Deception, received similar acclaim and won the Gold Medal for Best Thriller/Suspense by the IPPY Book Awards. In addition to his work as a novelist, Small is a popular blogger on the Hufﬁngton Post, an acclaimed speaker on religion and spirituality and holds degrees from Yale, Harvard and Oxford Universities.

Steve Yarbrough

Claire Cook

Therese Anne Fowler

Steve Yarbrough has been called “wickedly observant, funny, cynical and evocative” by John Grisham. He is the author of nine books including Safe From the Neighbors, The End of California and Prisoners of War, which was a finalist for the 2005 PEN/Faulkner Award. His latest novel, The Realm of Last Chances, makes a departure from his usual Deep South setting, creating a story of a reinvented marriage in a small Northeastern town. Claire Cook penned her first novel in her minivan at age 45. At 50, she walked the red carpet at the Hollywood premiere of the film adaptation of her second novel, Must Love Dogs, starring Diane Lane and John Cusack. She is now the bestselling and critically acclaimed author of 10 novels, including Wallﬂower in Bloom and Time Flies. She is a frequent speaker at literary festivals and her books have been translated into 14 languages. Cook has been heralded as one of the “sassiest and funniest creators of women’s fiction.” She currently divides her time between Atlanta and Boston and is hard at work turning Must Love Dogs into a fivebook series.

Therese Anne Fowler grew up in the Midwest, but migrated to North Carolina in 1995 to pursue a B.A. in sociology and cultural anthropology from North Carolina State University. She followed that with an MFA in creative writing, a position teaching creative writing to undergraduates, and the publication of four novels. Her most recent book, Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald, is a poignant tale of one of Alabama’s most famous women. Named to the New York Times bestsellers list and recommended by O Magazine, Publisher’s Weekly and People, Z captures both the animated and insecure side of Zelda Fitzgerald, as well as the grandeur and franticness of the Jazz Age.

Susan Gregg Gilmore

Susan Gregg Gilmore’s 2008 debut novel, Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen, was called a “stand-out coming of age novel” by NPR’s Alan Cheuse and was a Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA) 2009 Book Award Nominee. Born in Nashville, Gilmore is a long time lover of the written word. She began her writing career as a reporter for her college paper at the University of Virginia and has worked for several newspapers including the Los Angeles Times and The Christian Science Monitor. Since the success of her first novel, she has penned two additional books including The Improper Life of Bezellia Grove and The Funeral Dress.

20 • January 2014

Hoover Sun

Your best-ever New Year’s resolution

“My best New Year’s resolution was one I made two years ago and it’s probably the only one I’ve ever kept. I resolved to read the Bible in a year. I have a Bible app on my phone and chose a one-year chronological plan.”

-Michelle Grant

“My best New Year’s resolution was to purchase a family membership to the Hoover Recreation Center. As a result, I feel rejuvenated and believe that exercise contributes to a longer, healthier lifestyle.”

“My best New Year’s resolution was the year I decided to get rid of 10 percent of my personal possessions. By giving them away to family, friends and charities, it was possible to reduce the hold of material possessions on my life.”

-Sharon Perry

-Rod Scott

“The best New Year’s resolution I ever made was to stop making New Year’s resolutions. I decided to surrender my desires and goals, entrusting them instead to the one who designed me. Every day is a new beginning, full of opportunities to make a lasting impact.”

-Amanda Burg

“My best New Year’s resolution was to eat fish twice a week. It was not the most creative resolution but it was effective because each week I had a fresh start, a new chance to get it right. It was my most successful resolution to date — even my kids got involved.”

-Kelly Kidd

January 2014 • 21

HooverSun.com

School House Time to have some PhUn

Simmons Middle School represented in All-State Orchestra Three Simmons Middle School students recently auditioned with hundreds of other musicians and were selected as members of the All-State Orchestra. They will perform at The University of Alabama in February. These students are Joseph Phillips, eighth-grader (cello), Jamie Gregg, eighth-grader (violin) and Anna Ayers, seventh-grader (violin).

Anna Ayers, Joseph Phillips and Jamie Gregg will perform next month at The University of Alabama in the All-State Orchestra. Photo courtesy of Rebecca Bueche.

Spain Park youth cheerleaders take home first place Front row (left to right):Tatum Englett, Anna Jordan, Kate Connell, Ava Clair Smith, Chrissy Robinson, Malia Belyeu. Back row (left to right):Avery Shaw, Harper Poirier, Savannah Drake, Katie Pate, Hadley Carter, Olivia Landess. Photo courtesy of Kelly Landess.

Lauren Pate and Elle Jenkins examine a pig’s heart. Photo courtesy of Betty Wilson.

Deer Valley students participated in hands-on activities as part of the Physiology Understanding (PhUn) program presented by the students and faculty of the University of Alabama Birmingham’s Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology Department. Dr. Carmel Bevensee and her staff worked with all of Deer Valley’s kindergarten and first-grade students to promote healthy living and to get the students excited about science. Sponsored in part by a grant from UAB’s Pulmonary Injury and Repair Center and the American Physiological Society, students participated in lung function experiments, used medical equipment and examined actual tissue from a pig’s heart and sheep’s lung. After watching a video of how the heart

and lungs function, students were able to listen to their own hearts using a stethoscope. They checked their lung function by displacing water or levitating a ping pong ball with a straw. Students were excited about the opportunity to use real scientific tools and to think like a scientist. Some students even dressed as scientists by putting on goggles, gloves, lab coats and masks. They learned about making healthy choices like eating five fruits and vegetables a day and getting at least one hour of exercise. When asked about what they learned, students in Patti Sisk’s class said, “We learned we have two lungs, and we got to touch a real heart.” -Submitted by Betty Wilson

The second-grade squad representing HAA Spain Park Youth Cheerleading Association competed in November in the Junior Division II UCA Alabama State Youth Cheer Championships and took home first place. Participating squads were judged on tech-

nical strength in jumps, motions, technique, voice projection, choreography, originality, showmanship and dance. The squad was made up of girls from Riverchase and Rocky Ridge Elementary Schools.

22 • January 2014

Hoover Sun

Brock’s Gap participates in food drive

January

sales Find great deals at these retailers

20% Off Products Lady Fingers Salon

3439 Colonnade Pkwy, Suite 400 977-9306

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Front row, left to right: Tyler Stephens, Emma Patrick, Victoria Batiny, D’rique Lawson, Anna Claire Hankins. Back row, left to right: Rahul Boddupalli, Reid Markland, Trent Phifer, Jasmine Allen, Ladarius McCammon, Bradley Murai. Photo courtesy of Jeff Nobles.

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January 2014 • 23

HooverSun.com

Buses return, but budget cuts still necessary By JEFF THOMPSON Hoover school buses are scheduled to run during the 2014-2015 school year, but much work remains before the details of how it could function will be released to the public. During its regular December meeting, the Hoover City Schools Board of Education voted unanimously to rescind its July 15, 2013, decision to terminate bus service in 2014. HCS Media Relations representative Jason Gaston said the Board will retain its buses and drivers and is working through a process to determine its options. A release sent following the Board’s decision stated that the board is currently in discussions with the United States Department of Justice and other organizations to develop a new system that charges a fee to students who ride the bus. “These discussions have focused primarily on potential service delivery models that would utilize district-owned buses and district employed drivers while incorporating mechanisms to reduce the negative financial effects of the underfunded nature of transportation program operations,” the statement reads. Basically, that means the Board will attempt to offset the difference between what the State of Alabama allots the Board for transportation and what the service actually costs by charging riders a fee. Transportation is a complex expense within the Hoover City Schools’ budget. The Alabama State Department of Education makes an annual allocation to the Board based on what the system spent on transportation the previous year. Next year, it’s scheduled to be an 80 percent reimbursement, meaning the State will pay 80 percent of what the service actually cost the school, not 80 percent of what was projected. Gaston said that difference is projected to be approximately $1.8 million at the close of the 2013-2014 school year, with a projected increase of $2.5 million in district transportation costs by the end of the 2014-2015 school year and reach $3.2 million the year after. The annual difference is expected to continue this trend.

What residents can expect in the coming months, Gaston said, is for HCS Superintendent Andy Craig to continue these discussions in order to determine how to incorporate mechanisms, such as ridership fees. Gaston said if a fee plan were approved, the Board would then begin its exploration of what rates would be for riders. He added that detailed projections of these expenses were not expected before 2014. Potential fee structure Nationwide, the idea of charging bus riders is not a new concept. Some school districts have been extracting a fee for decades. Others began recently as aging bus fleets couldn’t be repaired as readily when state and federal funding declined. Assuming Hoover’s fee were to go into effect today, the board would attempt to make up the projected difference of $1.8 million deficit by charging a fee to 6,585 riders, the daily average for the 2013-2014 school year according to Gaston. This year’s expense borne by parents in that cut-and-dry case would be approximately $273 per student. However, things aren’t that easy. Some riders would not be charged due to income restrictions, and other factors must be considered. In its reimbursement, the State excludes the cost of providing aides on special needs buses and required nurses on others. There is no way to accurately project the potential cost at this time. Nationally, annual fees can be charged to riders who live beyond a specified distance from their schools, and bus service is terminated for those who live the closest. HCS might consider a similar policy. Rider rates across the nation also vary drastically. Jeffco Public schools in Golden, Colo., and Keller Independent Schools in Tarrant, Texas, charge $150 annually to riders — less than $1 per day. However, the urban Illinois District 225 outside Chicago charges $800 per child per year. In Hawaii, it can be even higher. A private company called Roberts Hawaii charges students in the Nanakuli and Wahiawa areas $880 a year

to ride, a daily cost of nearly $5. More cuts coming Trisha Crain, a Hoover resident who founded the informational website alabamaschoolconnection. org, said Board members calmed residents’ nerves during the December meeting by assuring them that fees would be set at a manageable level. Charging a fee would allow the board to continue providing the service presumably without going further into debt, which is another primary concern for both Hoover parents and HCS. However, the victory for residents of bringing buses back does little to correct the Board’s larger financial woes. A $12 million operating deficit for the coming fiscal year that includes a state-mandated 2 percent pay raise for teachers is looming, and cuts to expenditures would be necessary to prevent any State involvement in the local process. Ridership fees may help offset some of costs associated with the district’s transportation department, but the district will still take a multi-faceted approach to deficit reduction, Gaston said. HCS has been making attempts to manage expenditures since the recession hit in 2008 in anticipation of property value declines in the community and prorated state funding. In 2009, the Board eliminated 80 positions, doubled some bus routes and re-worked campus climate systems to reduce overall utility costs. This year, HCS outsourced some of its custodial staff, Gaston said. “During that time when revenue streams slowed to trickle, the system was still getting an increase in student enrollment,” Gaston said. This trend of rising enrollment is expected to continue, meaning with buses back on the table, the next step for both the Board and community would be to explore amicable solutions. “I’m going to be more comfortable when I see a real plan to reduce the deficit because that’s really what we have to do,” Crain said. “This was an outcropping of not living within our means.”

24 â&#x20AC;˘ January 2014

Sports

Hoover Sun

Championship trophy to be presented Jan. 30 at 10 a.m. at Hoover High School

Back-to-back

Bucs achieve 30-0, second consecutive 6A state title with win over Auburn High

The 2013 Hoover Buccaneers secured their second consecutive 6A AHSAA title with a win over Auburn High in December. The championship trophy will be presented Jan. 30 at 10 a.m. at Hoover High School. Photos courtesy of Ted Melton/actionsportspix.smugmug.com.

January 2014 • 25

HooverSun.com

Hoover’s record-breaking 2013 season by the numbers

30 1

School record for consecutive victories by the Hoover Bucs. The championship win over Auburn marked the first time in the illustrious history of Hoover football that the Bucs have achieved back-to-back, undefeated state championship seasons.

Hoover Coach Josh Niblett has advanced his Bucs to the state championship game in all six of his years at Hoover. Niblett has carried home three state championship trophies from those games.

60 15 2 8 2 1

The number of points given up by Hoover during its undefeated regular season. For the entire season and playoffs, the Bucs outscored their opponents 529 to 133.

4 1

The number of defensive touchdowns scored against Bessemer City in a 48-7 win

The number of offensive players who scored touchdowns for Hoover this season The wins over archrival Vestavia Hills this season The number of ranked teams defeated by Hoover this year The number of Bucs regular season games televised nationally by ESPN networks When Vestavia blocked a punt in the first quarter of the state semifinal game, that play became the one and only blocked Hoover punt during the six-year coaching tenure of Josh Niblett. The night Bucs defense gave up less than one yard per carry in the first win over Vestavia.

Bucs kicker Hunter Schmith nailed no less than nine extra points in one game — against Jackson Olin.

The Bucs, led by their third-string quarterback, defeated Hillcrest of Tuscaloosa 28-6.

15 12,000 2 18 5 1

The number of seconds it took for Hoover to quiet the Bessemer City team. That’s how long it took the opening kickoff to sail into the October night air, land in the hands of Bucs All-American Marlon Humphrey and be returned 87 yards for a touchdown. The estimated attendance at the season opener, as Hoover faced off against Colquitt County (Georgia) The suspenseful fourth-down conversions on the game-winning drive gave the Bucs a 22-21 epic win over Florence High School in the quarterfinal round of the Class 6A playoffs. The Bucs faced an 18-point deficit in the second half of the semifinals against Vestavia Hills. The offense, led by quarterback Jake Hutcheson, scored three second-half touchdowns to seize the victory. The number of juniors on the team who already have SEC scholarship offers in football. Once again, the future looks bright. Guess which team is expected to begin the 2014 season as the state’s number-one ranked team? At Hoover, the excellence continues.

Spain Park High School student Tyler Wise has been named to the 2014 Power Showcase All-World & All-American Baseball Team and has chosen eight-year old Gabe Griffin of Shelby County as his partner.

Spain Park athlete named to all-American team Spain Park High School student Tyler Wise has been named to the 2014 Power Showcase All-World & All-American Baseball Team. Wise will represent Alabama in both the Home Run Derby and the Babe Ruth Classic featuring 2014 graduates and underclassmen. Players were selected based on their high level of character, physical skill-set, academic status, work ethic and desire to overachieve both on the field and in the classroom. Wise is a member of Coach Will Smith’s Spain Park Jaguars team and a junior at Spain Park High School, where he maintains a 4.06 GPA. He also played with Coach Josh Beshears’ Excel Blue Sox showcase team in 2013.

As part of the Home Run Derby event, the players partner with a child from their area who has a life-threatening condition. Tyler has chosen as his partner eight-year old Gabe Griffin, who lives in Shelby County. When Gabe was three, he was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a progressive muscle disease that is terminal. For every home run that Tyler hits during the event, sponsors have pledged to make a donation to the Hope for Gabe non-profit foundation, which raises funds to support research to find a cure for Duchenne. To learn more about Duchenne muscular dystrophy go to hopeforgabe.org. -Submitted by Martha Wise

26 • January 2014

Live Entertainment

Moonlight on the Mountain moonlightonthemtn.com Jan. 3: Stacey Earle and Mark Stuart Jan. 4: The Hollows Jan. 6: Open Mic Grand Playoff Jan 10: Michael On Fire, Elise Davis

Community Calendar Hoover Events Jan. 21: Hoover Historical Society Monthly Meeting. 2:30 p.m. Artists on the Bluff. Speaker, Dr. Julie Williams, Samford University professor and author of A Rare Titanic Family. Jan. 25: Aldridge Gardens class, “Do You Choose Your Plants, or Do They Just Jump Into Your Buggy?” 9:30-11:30 a.m. Garden enthusiast and blogger Deborah Elliott leads this fun class to help Alabama home gardeners learn to choose plants they’ll love that are also well-suited based on climate, soil, seasonal appeal, maintenance schedules and personal preferences. $12 members/$15 non-members. For more, call 682-8019 or visit aldridgegardens.com. Jan. 26: Food Pantry. 3-4:30 p.m. Hoover Church of Christ. For more, call 822-5610 or visit hooverchurchofchrist.org.

Jan. 18: Beaucoup Blue

Hoover Sun

Chamber Events Jan. 9: Coffee & Contacts. 7:309 a.m. Medical Weight Loss, 2804 John Hawkins Parkway, Suite 104 (Near Academy Sports), Hoover 35244. Contact Bridget Chambers at alcorp21@yahoo.com or 9919370, mdwls.com. Jan. 10: Chamber Board Planning Session. 8:30 a.m. Chamber Office. Jan. 15: Ambassador Meeting. 4:30 p.m. Visitors welcome. Chamber Office. Jan. 16: Hoover Chamber Luncheon. 11:15 a.m., networking. 12 p.m., luncheon. Hoover Country Club. Please make reservations by Jan. 13. Those who make reservations requesting a meal be prepared for them and do not come will be invoiced, unless canceled prior to the event.

$20.00 or $22.00 without reservations. Jan. 23: Business After Hours at Joe’s Crab Shack. 5:30-7 p.m. 20 Meadow View Drive. Contact Samantha Rosada at cshv@joescs.com or 981-2999 or joescrabshack.com. Jan 28: Minority Business Committee Meeting. 12 p.m. Chamber Office. Bring your own lunch. Visitors welcome. Jan 30: Open House & Ribbon Cutting at new Schaeffer Eye Center. 5:30-7 p.m. Montgomery Highway across from King Acura. Contact Joy Myers at joym@schaeffereyecenter.com or the Chamber Office at 988-5672.

Jan. 20: Open Mic Night Jan 23: Kevin Gordon Jan. 24: Tosha Hill, and Bad Brad & The Sipsey Slims Jan. 25: Kendra Sutton And Friends Jan. 26: Chad Elliott Jan. 30: Danny Schmidt and Carrie Elkin All shows are at 7:30 p.m. and cost $12 unless otherwise noted. Open Mic Night is $5.

Artists on the Bluff | Drawing and Painting. taught by Rollina Oglesby. Drawing Tuesdays, 9 a.m.-noon or 5:30-8:30 p.m. Charcoal, Pastel, Oil and Acrylic with Model or Photo Wednesdays, 9 a.m.-noon or Thursdays, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Plein Aire Painting Thursdays, 9 a.m.-noon. $120 + supplies (former students $95). Email donrollina@ bellsouth.net or call 733-8939 to register. Painting and Mixed Media. taught by Rik Lazenby. $120 per month. Adult classes Tuesdays 9 a.m.-noon or 5:30-8:30 p.m. or Thursdays, 9 a.m.noon. Young adult classes (ages 13-high school) Wednesdays, 3:30-6:30 p.m. Call 281-5273 to register or visit lazenbystudio.com. Trumeau Mirror Workshop. taught by David Traylor and Rik Lazenby. Jan. 27-31, cost is $895 with all supplies furnished. will offer a five-day workshop

571 Park Avenue

where students will build and finish a Trumeau Mirror with distressing. Beginner through advanced and each student will leave with a finished replica of an 18th century French Trumeau Mirror measuring 63”x48.” You will learn construction and applique from David and decorative techniques and mirror distressing from Rik. Contact Rik Lazenby at 281-5273 or riklazenby@ charter.net to register. Acrylic Painting. taught by Jayne Morgan. $40 per class including supplies. Mondays, 5:30-7:30 p.m. for high school; Tuesdays, 5:30-7:30 p.m. for high school; or Thursdays 6:30-8:30 p.m. for adults. Visit jaynemorgan.com or call 902-5226. Photography/ Blue Moon Studios. Visit BlueMoonStudios.net, call 995-3791 or check Facebook for class schedule.

Woodworking. taught by David Traylor. Offering workshops in furniture making. All skill levels welcome. Also teaching Summer Woodworking Camps for children. Visit woodshopstudio.com or call 531-4751. Jewelry/Mixed Metal Bracelet Class. taught by Cecily Chaney. Dec. 22, 1-4 p.m. $75. All material and supplies included. Call 223-4514. Sunday, Dec. 22, 1-4 p.m. – Learn to do simple enameling and put your link bracelet together. All materials and tools supplied $75. Contact Cecily Chaney for more info at 223-4514. Beginning Zentangle. taught by Darla Williamson. Dec. 13. Tipsy Tangles, 6 p.m. $35 per class includes supplies. Visit tangledstones.com or call 305-2082.

January 2014 • 27

HooverSun.com

Library Events | For more, visit hooverlibrary.org or call 444-7800. Children’s Programs Mondays: Together with Twos. 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays: Mother Goose Storytime. 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. For 1-year-olds and their caregiver. Tuesdays: Early Birds. 10 a.m. Storytime for babies and their caregiver. Wednesdays: Tiny Tot Tales. 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays: After Lunch Bunch. 1:30 p.m. Thursdays: Storytime Live. 10:30 a.m. Thursdays: PJ Storytime. 6:30 p.m. Jan. 11: Kidz Kitchen with Amelia Bedelia. 10:30 a.m. Join Amelia Bedelia in the kitchen as she attempts to “dress the chicken,” make “baby food” and whip up one of her world-famous pies. Jan. 14: Best Books of 2013. 4 p.m. Calling all parents and educators! Let us introduce you to the best new juvenile and teen fiction. Featuring our famous speed book talks and refreshments. Jan. 14: Sanspointe Dance Company @ the Library Plaza. 6:30 p.m. A ballet centered around the world of books. Jan. 20: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Library closed. Jan. 21: Manga Club: Smash Book. 6:30 p.m. Come and decorate your own Manga Smash Book for keeping all your sketches and ideas. Grades 7-12. Registration starts Jan 6. Jan. 24: Just Dance Party. 4 p.m. Move and groove with your friends as we play the newest Wii version of Just Dance. Grades 4-6. Registration starts Jan 13.

Jan. 27: This Just In! 6:30 p.m. Book Club for students in grades 4-6. Jan. 31: Lego Adventures. 4 p.m. Bring your imagination and we will provide the fun! Grades 1-3.

Adult Programs Jan. 2: First Thursday Fiction Book Group. 10 a.m. Theatre Level Meeting Rooms. Help for the Haunted by John Searles. Call 444-7820. Jan. 5: Global Cuisine @ the Plaza. 2:30 p.m. Cuban food and culture presented by Coffee-ol-ogy Café. Library Plaza. Free samples. Call 4447821. Jan. 6: Friends of the Hoover Public Library. Refreshments at 9:45 a.m. The program will begin at 10 a.m. Theatre Level Meeting Rooms. Free and open to the public. State of the City Address with Mayor Gary Ivey of Hoover. Jan 9: Second Thursday Fiction Book Group. 10 a.m. Theatre Level Meeting Rooms. Help for the Haunted by John Searles Call 4447820. Jan. 9: Clay Swafford Group. 6:30 p.m. Library Plaza. Blues pianist Clay Swafford has received rave reviews from USA Today, Downbeat, Living Blues and Keyboard Magazine. His boogiewoogie blues piano will have you dancing like it is Saturday night in a Mississippi juke joint. Free. Call 444-7821. Jan. 11: Purl @ the Plaza. 3-5 p.m. Library Plaza. Join old friends and make new ones at this crafty meeting of all fiber enthusiasts! Bring your yarn to knit, crochet or embroider. Call 4447821. Jan. 11: Downton Abbey Season 3 Viewing Party. 2:30 p.m. The Library Theatre. Join us as we watch Season 3 of the critically

acclaimed British series. Viewing will take place over two days. Episodes 1-7. Call 444-7820. Jan. 12: Downton Abbey Season 3 Viewing Party. 2:30 p.m. The Library Theatre. Watch the conclusion of Season 3 of BBC’s hit show Downton Abbey. Episodes 8-9. Call 444-7820. Jan. 12: Ray Reach. 2:30 p.m. Library Plaza. Pianist and vocalist Ray Reach performs jazz standards, as well as music from the Great American Songbook. Jan. 13: Meet the Grantmaker. 10:30 a.m. Adult Programming Room. James McCrary, the vice president of Grants & Evaluation at the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, will discuss the grant process and what foundations look for before awarding grants. For reservations, please call 444-7816. Jan. 14: Daytime Nonfiction Book Group. 10:30 a.m. Adult Programming Room. Under the Black Flag: The Romance and the Reality of Life Among the Pirates by David Cordingly. Call 444-7816. Jan. 15: No Jacket Required Nonfiction Book Group. 10:30 a.m. Adult Programming Room. Join us to share a recently read nonfiction title in this month’s genre: “National Book Awards, Pulitzers, and PENs: AwardWinning Nonfiction.” Call 444-7840. Jan. 16: Glue Gun Gang. 10:30 a.m. or 2:30 p.m. Adult Programming Room. Upcycled Mittens! Learn to make mittens from old wool sweaters. Adults only. Reservations required. Call 4447840. Jan. 16: Author Time @ Hoover Library: Pam Jenoff. 10 a.m. Theatre Level Meeting Rooms. Pam Jenoff, author of The Ambassador’s

Daughter, joins us for a chat via Skype. Call 444-7820. Jan. 19: Learn How to Find Grants. 2:30 p.m. or 4 p.m. Library Training Center. Learn how to find grants using the Hoover Public Library’s Foundation Center Cooperative Collection. For reservations, please call 444-7816. Jan 21: Helping Hands. 2:30 p.m. Adult Programming Room. Help make newspaper rolls that will be donated to a local humane society. Teens and adults welcome. Call 4447840. Jan. 23: Nonfiction Book Group. 7 p.m. Allen Board Room. The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris, 1830-1900 by David McCullough. Call 444-7816. Jan. 24: After Hours @ the Plaza: Game Nite. 7 p.m.-10 p.m. Library Plaza. Enjoy video games, Apples to Apples, Scrabble, Munchkin, Fluxx and more. Have a game you’d like to share? Bring it with you! Call 444-7821. Jan. 25: Write Club. 10:30 a.m. Theatre Level Meeting Rooms. Join us for the library’s monthly amateur writers’ forum where you can share your literary works and network with other writers. Call 444-7820 Jan. 27: Monday @ the Movies. 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The Library Theatre. A trio of crooks pursues a young American through Paris for the fortune her dead husband stole from them. Stars Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant. Free admission and refreshments (NR, 1963, 113 minutes) Call 444-7820. Jan. 28: Frugalistics. Coupon Swap. 10:30 p.m. Adult Programming Room. Bring coupons you don’t need and swap for ones you do. Call 444-7840.

Area Events Jan. 11: Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Walk. 10 a.m. registration, noon walk. Railroad Park. Visit birminghammetrodiversitycoalition.org. Jan. 11: Red Shoe Run. SoHo Square. 10-Mile, 5K and 1-Mile Fun Run. Benefits Ronald McDonald House Charities of Alabama. Visit redshoerunbham.com. Jan. 11: C.S. Lewis’ The Great Divorce. 4 p.m., 8 p.m. Alabama Theatre. In this Dantesque celestial journey from Hell to Paradise, Lewis draws some of the most fiercely funny characters he ever created. Visit alabamatheatre.com or ticketmaster.com. Jan. 12: Southern Bridal Show. Noon-5 p.m. BJCC. $10 in advance, $15 at the door. Call 1-800-523-8917 or visit eliteevents.com. Jan. 16-19: Birmingham Boat Show. BJCC. $10 adults, free for children. Visit birminghamboatshow.com. Jan. 18: An Evening with Bill Cosby. 8 p.m. BJCC. $33-65. Visit bjcc.org. Jan. 19: Reflect & Rejoice: A Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 3 p.m. UAB’s Alys Stephens Center. ASO Assistant Conductor Roderick Cox leads the orchestra and The Aeolians in this annual tribute to the work and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Visit alabamasymphony.org. Jan. 22-23: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Various times. BJCC. $16-76. Visit bjcc.org. Jan. 24, 26: Rigoletto presented by Opera Birmingham. Friday 7:30 p.m., Sunday 2:30 p.m. Samford University Wright Center. Visit samford.edu/ wrightcenter.

28 • January 2014

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