Hoover Sun April 2016 by Starnes Media

Sun Neighborly news & entertainment for Hoover

Volume 4 | Issue 7 | April 2016

Awaiting a new lease on life Kidney transplant the only thing holding back Stephen Dabney By SYDNEY CROMWELL

or Stephen Dabney, life has a distinct dividing point — there’s life before dialysis, and there’s life after dialysis. Before dialysis, Stephen was a regular at the Exceptional Foundation in Homewood, and he competed in Special Olympics and traveling teams across the country in basketball, volleyball, golf, power lifting, softball and tennis. He has boxes of medals and trophies from his years of competition, and he was able to travel independently to visit family or friends. “My daddy used to say, ‘Stephen’s life is one big vacation,’ because he was always going or doing,” his mother, Lorraine Dabney, said. Now that Stephen has dialysis three days a week, he can no longer participate in travel teams and is often too tired to play sports or hang out with his friends. “With Stephen, social is everything. Interacting with people is his game, and it’s curtailed that,” said his father, Al Dabney. “It’s limited his life.” “This is just really tying him down,” Lorraine agreed. The Dabneys are from Birmingham originally and returned to Hoover in 1998 after living in Houston,

See DABNEY | page A23

INSIDE

Lorraine, Stephen and Al Dabney sit inside their Hoover home. Stephen, who has dialysis three days a week, has been on the kidney transplant list at three regional hospitals for four years. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

Sponsors.....................A4 City...............................A6 Chamber......................A9 Business.....................A10

Hoover school officials ask federal judge to approve rezoning plan

School House............A13 Community................. B2 Sports.......................... C2 Calendar.....................C18

Pre-Sort Standard U.S. Postage PAID Memphis, TN Permit #830

facebook.com/thehooversun

Spring Home Guide

Spring is in bloom, and it’s the perfect time to plant a garden, do some cleaning or start a home renovation. Find tips and tricks from area businesses in our Spring Home Guide to jump-start any project.

See page B1

By JON ANDERSON After two years of planning and community debate, the Hoover school board is partnering with the U.S. Department of Justice and NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund to ask a federal judge to approve new school attendance zones. The parties have reached an agreement on the rezoning plan OK’d by the Hoover school board on March 7 and now are asking U.S. District Judge Madeline Haikala to approve it. Haikala has scheduled a hearing on the rezoning plan for April 7-8. Hoover school officials hope she’ll approve the plan quickly so it can go into effect for the 2016-17 school year. Hoover schools Superintendent Kathy

Murphy said she realizes not everyone is happy with the rezoning plan, but school officials negotiated the best deal they could, considering the concerns of parents, the community and parties to the decades-old federal desegregation lawsuit. “The advantage we have in Hoover City Schools is everyone loves their school, and they’re excited about their school and want to stay in their school, but rezoning is rezoning, and it dictates moves, and as a result of that, we’ve left some people very unhappy,” Murphy said. “Nevertheless, we had a charge and a task, and we’ve completed that.” The rezoning plan, if approved by the federal court, could put nearly 2,500 children in a new

See REZONING | page A22

A2 • April 2016

Hoover Sun

5.00Off Any Wash

$20 PRE SOAK • TIRE SHINE • TURBO RINSE SPOT FREE RINSE • HIGH VELOCITY DRY WHEEL & TIRE CLEANER CLEAR COAT CONDITIONER AO’S CLEAN WAVE • AO’S CARNAUBA WAX A0’S RAIN SHIELD TRIPLE FOAM CONDITIONER

EXPRESS PASS

95 $29 per month

Scan QR code at pay kiosk to receive

$15

$5 Off!

Expires 5/1/2016.

PRE SOAK • TIRE SHINE • FOAM BATH TURBO RINSE • SPOT FREE RINSE HIGH VELOCITY DRY WHEEL & TIRE CLEANER CLEAR COAT CONDITIONER A0’S RAIN SHIELD TRIPLE FOAM CONDITIONER

$10 PRE SOAK • FOAM BATH • TURBO RINSE SPOT FREE RINSE • HIGH VELOCITY DRY EXPRESS WHEEL & TIRE CLEANER PASS CLEAR COAT CONDITIONER 95 TRIPLE FOAM CONDITIONER

$19 per

month

KATHY & TRUITT LUCKIE

Wash your car everyday for one low price with THE EXPRESS PASS!

3631 Lorna Road • Hoover, AL 35216 (next to Iguana Grill) • aoexpresswash.com • 205-637-0508

HooverSun.com

FINANCING AVAILABLE

with approved credit see store for details

April 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ A3

A4 • April 2016

Hoover Sun

About Us Editor’s Note By Sydney Cromwell How much do you think about being environmentally friendly? I’ll admit that while I do attempt to reduce, reuse and recycle products in my life, I’m not making as much of an effort as I should. And it’s an important cause, not only on a global scale but also just to make my local park or walking path a little bit nicer. That’s why I was impressed by Preserve resident Andrew Fort, who spends his Saturday mornings cleaning up trash around our city. I’m sure there are more “fun” ways to spend a Saturday, but he can see the real benefits it’s creating for his

Earth Day is April 22, so don’t stand aside and let your community get “dirty.” Pick up roadside trash, plant a tree, teach your family about recycling or find another way to make the world a little greener. I would love to see Fort’s efforts multiplied by hundreds of his neighbors and friends, all working together to protect the naturally beautiful places in Hoover.

community and the environment. As Fort said, he “can’t stand to see [his] community dirty.”

BEHIND THE LENS By Frank Couch The Alabama High School Athletic Association has created an exciting championship environment with end-of-the-season tournaments like this year’s finals at the BJCC’s Legacy Arena. High school sports are as much about the life lessons the athletes learn in pressure, adversity, success and disappointment as the game’s outcome itself. The Hoover boys basketball team had a great run at the end of the season to make it to the finals, and it played an exciting triple overtime game against McGill-Toolen. An emotionally-drained Johnathan Postell takes a moment to reflect as his teammate, Jamari Blackmon, reaches down to help him up off the court. Technical Data: Nikon D810, Lens (mm) 200, ISO: 3200, Shutter: 1/800. Got a question or have an idea for another Behind the Lens? Email me at fcouch@starnespublishing.com.

Sun Publisher: Managing Editor: Design Editor: Director of Photography: Video Editor: Page Designers: Community Reporters: Staff Writers: Sports Reporter: Associate Editor: Copy Editor:

Dan Starnes Sydney Cromwell Kristin Williams Frank Couch Cherie Olivier Cameron Tipton Emily VanderMey Ana Good Erica Techo Jon Anderson Emily Featherston Sam Chandler Kyle Parmley Lucy Ridolphi Louisa Jeffries

Advertising Manager: Matthew Allen Sales and Distribution: Warren Caldwell Don Harris Michelle Salem Haynes Brittany Joffrion Rhonda Smith James Plunkett

Contributing Writers: Kari Kampakis Rick Watson Leah Ingram Eagle Marienne Thomas Ogle Steve Irvine Rachel Burchfield Chris Megginson Jesse Chambers Grace Thornton

For advertising contact: dan@starnespublishing.com Contact Information: Hoover Sun PO Box 530341 Birmingham, AL 35253 (205) 313-1780 dan@starnespublishing.com

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

Published by: Hoover Sun LLC 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.

Please recycle this paper.

Please Support Our Community Partners 30 A Realty (C19) 5 star roofing (B19) Advanced Mower (A24) Advanced Turf Care (B8) Alabama Allergy & Asthma Center (B4) Alabama Outdoors (A23) Alabama Power (C14) Alabama Vein Center (A17) Aldridge Gardens (A23) Alys Stephens Center, Art Play (B2) Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center (A7) Anna Lu Hemphill, Realty South (B9) ARC Realty (C1) Archadeck (A13) Auto Oasis Express Wash (A2) Backus Orthodontics (A20) Backyard Creations (B21) Batts’ Chimney Services (B2) Becky Hicks, Remax Southern Homes (C7) Birmingham Botanical Gardens (B3) Brixx Wood Fired Pizza (A19) Cabinet Cures of Birmingham (B21) California Closets (C18) Carpet Warehouse Galleria (B5) Central Alabama Cadillac Dealers (A2) Chick-fil-A (A21) Children’s of Alabama (A21) City of Hoover (A15) Clark Holmes (C10) Classic Gardens (B22) Commute Smart (C7) Construx (B19) Cottage Supply Company (B16) Decorating Dens Interiors (B16) Drew Taylor, Re/MAX Southern Homes (A6) DSLD Land Management (B12) Encore Rehabilitation (A12) ERA King Real Estate Homewood (C8) EZ Roof & EZ Restoration (B15) Gardner Landscaping (B8) Geico Insurance (C3) Griffith Art Gallery (B22) Hanna’s Garden Shop (B18) Harris Doyle Homes (A1) Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama (A5) Hoover Family Dentistry (A19) Hoover Florist (A18) Hoover Public Library (A22) Hutchinson Automotive (A18) Issis & Sons (B1)

Iz Cafe (A13) JamJev Gymnastics (C18) Junior League of Birmingham (C10) Kasey Davis Dentistry (C12) Kate Giffin-Remax Realtor (A20) Kelli Gunnells Realtor (A17) LAH Real Estate - Hoover Office (C17) Liberty Park (A9) Michelson Laser Vision (A11) Mountain Brook Art Association (C15) Mr. Chen’s Authentic Chinese (C18) Neurogenx (A5) Nix Design Build (B15) North Shelby Library (C5) One Man and a Toolbox (B20) Over the Mountain Glass (C16) Oxmoor Valley Orthodontics (C4) Patti Schreiner, Re/MAX Southern Homes (C4) Planet Fitness (C5) Plumb One (B17) PlumCore (B20) Pure Dermatology & Aesthetics (C6) RealtySouth Marketing (B14) Red Mountain Theatre Company (A1) Sentry Heating & Air (B19) Skelton’s Air (B17) South Trace Pediatrics (C17) Southlake Orthopaedics (A16) Southlake Orthopaedics (A19) Specialized Renovations (B10) Starling Concrete Resurfacing (Garage Experts) (B23) Sunrise Lawn Service LLC (B17) Sweetspire Gardens (A16) The Maids (A22) Therapy South Hoover (C9) Tom Williams BMW (C13) Tracey Mercer, Optometrist (C8) UAB Honors College (A8) UAB Medical West (C20) Urban Home Market (B11) Vulcan Termite & Pest Control (C15) Water Drainage Solutions (A11) Weigh To Wellness (A10) Window Decor HomeStore (B23) Wrapsody (A21, C16) Zig Zag (A3)

HooverSun.com

April 2016 • A5

PAID ADVERTISING

Breakthrough medical neuropathy treatment

FAST FACTS Peripheral neuropathy and chronic nerve conditions Monday through Thursday 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Friday 8 a.m.-noon 1849 Data Drive, Suite 1 205-483-3888 NeurogenxNerveCenterAlabama.com

The Neurogenx NerveCenter of Hoover specializes in restorative treatment for peripheral neuropathy and chronic nerve conditions. They are accredited specialists in the cutting-edge Neurogenx Electronic Signal Treatment (EST) Technology. Until now, nerve conditions have been very difficult to treat effectively. Neurogenx is not pain management, but rather a breakthrough treatment that is effective in more than four out of five patients. Neurogenx EST technology is FDA-cleared and provides a clinically-proven, non-invasive, non-surgical treatment for neuropathy and chronic nerve conditions that affect both the upper and lower extremities. Dr. Jeremy Allen, medical director at Neurogenx in Hoover, is a pain management specialist who is passionate about helping people overcome pain issues so that they can live their lives to the fullest. The NerveCenter’s friendly and compassionate staff and accessible Hoover office make it easy for patients to find the supportive care and treatment they need. The Neurogenx Treatment safely uses cutting-edge, patented, high frequency electronic waves to gently reach deep down through muscle and tissue to relieve neuropathy symptoms and severe neuromuscular pain. Neuropathy most often causes tingling, pain, burning and numbness in the hands and feet. The symptoms are a result of nerve damage due to diabetes, chronic nerve issues such as carpal tunnel syndrome and fibromyalgia. “The Neurogenx Electronic Signal Technology treatment changes all that,” said Paul Todd, executive director for the Neurogenx Center in Hoover. The non-invasive treatments create change on the cellular level, creating an environment that helps regenerate and restore nerve endings. As a result, patients find relief from pain and

numbness and are able to regain the balance they may have lost, so they can have a better quality of life. “Anyone suffering from issues of nerve pain and numbness can come in for a free evaluation to determine if they are a good candidate for the treatment,” said Julie Barks, patient advocate at Neurogenx NerveCenter. The Neurogenx treatment can provide a successful solution for patients with complex neuropathic issues that aren’t responding to traditional protocols or for patients who no longer wish to rely on pain medications. Trained Neurogenx specialists begin with a medical history and comprehensive physical exam to fully understand the details of the patient’s condition. From this evaluation, a treatment plan is established for the patient. The initial evaluation takes less than an hour. Treatment sessions normally take 45 minutes to an hour. Opened in July of 2015, the Hoover NerveCenter was the country’s first stand-alone Neurogenx facility. Due to growing awareness of the treatment’s success, there are now six Neurogenx NerveCenters nationwide: including locations in Ohio, Tennessee and Florida. Ten more NerveCenters are expected to open in the next six months. Neurogenx is unlike any other treatment currently available. “This exclusive medical device uses a very broad range of electrical frequencies with sophisticated waveforms that are similar to the ones generated by the human body,” said James Martellini, Neurogenx program director. “This compatibility is what creates the overwhelmingly positive medical results. Retesting with nerve conduction studies and nerve fiber density testing, usually starting six months post-discharge, objectively validates these results.”

A6 • April 2016

Hoover Sun

City Shelby County voters say yes to Sunday alcohol sales By JON ANDERSON Shelby County voters said yes to the idea of letting people buy alcoholic beverages in the county on Sunday afternoons. About 70 percent of voters who took part in the March 1 election, or 43,067 people, voted in favor of the amendment, while 30 percent, or 18,585 people, voted against it, according to unofficial results from the Shelby County probate judge’s office. Collin Holt of Riverchase was among those who voted in favor of the change. “I definitely think that alcohol sales should be allowed on Sunday afternoons,” Holt said. “I don’t think that law prevents anyone from drinking alcohol on Sunday. Regardless, people just stock up ahead of time. I think it’s mostly just an inconvenience and an issue for restaurants that work that can’t make money on that day because they can’t sell alcohol if they don’t have a certain kind of permit.” Janice Thompson of the Greystone community said people just drive into Jefferson County to get their alcohol on Sundays. “Keep that money and that income right here in Shelby County,” she said. Linda Systrom of Riverchase said she’s not a big drinker, but she thinks the ability to sell alcohol on Sundays could help Shelby County’s businesses a little bit. Karen Langevin, also of Riverchase, said when she goes out to a Mexican restaurant on a Sunday, she wants to have a margarita. “I’m not from here. I’m not a Bible Belter,” Langevin said. “Once you reach the age of 21, I think you ought to be able to make your own decisions. I don’t think you need government to tell us what to do. I deeply resent that.” Janie Dollar of the Greystone community in Hoover, though in the minority at the polls, feels differently.

A bumper sticker encouraged people to vote in favor of Sunday alcohol sales in Shelby County. Photo by Frank Couch.

She said if more alcohol is sold on Sundays, there will be more drunk drivers. “Also, that’s the Lord’s day,” she said. Don Brewer, another Greystone resident, said he personally thinks it would be nice to be able to buy a drink on Sunday, but he voted against the idea because he thinks it’s better for society overall to prohibit it. “Sunday needs to be a special day. That’s one of the few things you can’t do on a Sunday,” he said. “My dad was an alcoholic, and that was the only day he couldn’t get any liquor. It was a welcome relief for him to sort of dry out one day.” “Sunday is meant for that day of rest,” said Sherita Wilson, a resident of Eagle Ridge Apartments in north Shelby County. “I’m a Christian, and I just believe that they should just keep that where it is — no alcohol sales on Sunday.” Chris Clark, a Brook Highland resident, said she knows some businesses may be hurt by the current ban on Sunday alcohol sales, but she believes there are enough opportunities for alcohol sales on other days.

Mayor’s Minute By Gary Ivey

Springtime is here, and we know you are enjoying it, especially after the extremely cold and rainy winter we had! Everywhere you look, trees and flowers are blooming. We have many family fun events on the horizon in Hoover in April and May. Please be sure and save the following dates. ► Household Hazardous Waste Day: April 23 from 8 a.m.-noon held at the Hoover Met. Please be prepared to show your driver’s license to confirm you are a Hoover resident prior to dropping off items. This is a great time to do some spring cleaning and get rid of items you have been storing in your basement and cabinets. A complete list of items we Gary Ivey will be collecting that day is listed on our website at hooveralabama.gov. ► Celebrate Hoover Day: April 30 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. This is one of our premier events of the year. Our staff works hard to bring you this spectacular day in our community for your entire family to enjoy and it’s free! This event will be held at Veterans Park on Valleydale Road. For more details be sure and visit the Hoover website or call 444-7500. ► The 34th annual Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast: May 3 at 7:30 a.m. at the Hyatt Hotel (former Wynfrey Hotel). Tickets go on sale April 4, so please visit our website for details and tickets information. We are here to serve you, so please don’t hesitate to contact our office. We are so fortunate to live in such a great city with many, many amenities. Please take some time to enjoy them and remember, we want to exceed your expectations in every way! Sincerely,

HooverSun.com

April 2016 • A7

EPHENS PERFORM S A LY S S T UAB’ ARTS CENTER PRESENTS ING

UAB’S ALYS STEPHENS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER INVITES YOU TO JOIN US AND OTHER BIRMINGHAM ARTS ORGANIZATIONS FOR A MONTH-LONG CELEBRATION OF INDIAN CULTURE.

U.S. Steel has offered to sell the 136 acres outlined in black to the Hoover school system for use as a school site. The land is along Interstate 459 between Preserve Parkway and Chapel Lane and is the subject of a zoning dispute between the city of Hoover and U.S. Steel. Map provided by city of Hoover.

U.S. Steel offers to sell 136 acres to schools By JON ANDERSON Hoover school officials are evaluating an offer from U.S. Steel to sell the school system about 136 acres along Interstate 459 that currently are zoned for apartments. The land is between Preserve Parkway and Chapel Lane and has been the subject of a rezoning battle between the city of Hoover, U.S. Steel and several others who own land along I-459 that is zoned for apartments. The city, against the wishes of U.S. Steel and the other property owners, is trying to rezone 273 acres from apartment use to mostly commercial use. The City Council on March 7 postponed a vote on the rezoning until April 4. Now U.S. Steel wants to know if the school board could use the property as a school site.

Superintendent Kathy Murphy said the topography of the land has a number of challenges, noting the grade of the land, streams, wetlands and old coal mines that are there. “There’s a lot of due diligence that’s going to need to be done in terms of looking at that property,” she said. “Obviously, a great deal of study needs to continue as we look at our schools and potential for growth.” Former Hoover Councilman Jody Patterson asked Murphy during the March 14 school board meeting whether any dollar amount had been mentioned. Murphy said an amount of money has been “bantered around,” but “I would say that’s not definitive at this point, and I’d rather not discuss it since it’s not a definite amount at this time.”

Hoover area voters favored now-exited Rubio over Trump By JON ANDERSON Voters in the Hoover area favored Marco Rubio over Donald Trump in the March 1 Republican presidential primary but only by a narrow margin, election results show. Rubio captured 30 percent of the votes in polling places that drew Hoover voters, compared to 29 percent for Trump and 24 percent for Ted Cruz. Ben Carson and John Kasich followed with 8 percent and 7 percent, respectively. On the Democrat side, Hillary Clinton was the clear choice, receiving 63 percent of votes cast by Hoover area voters, over Bernie Sanders’ 36 percent. These results include some people who live outside of Hoover but vote in the same place as Hoover residents. Rubio won nine of the 12 Jefferson County polling places that drew Hoover voters. Trump picked up two (Oakmont Presbyterian Church and St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church), while Ted Cruz won among voters at the Hoover Public Library. Trump was more popular in the Shelby County part of Hoover, winning six of the 10 Shelby County polling sites that draw Hoover voters. Rubio won only four of those (Asbury United Methodist Church, Christ Church United Methodist, The Church at Brook Hills and Valleydale Church). Rubio was strongest at Metropolitan Church of God, where he grabbed 39 percent of the vote. He also did well at the Ross Bridge Welcome Center and Town Hall (37 percent) and Fullness Christian Fellowship (36 percent). Karen Langevin of Riverchase said she

wanted someone other than Trump because she thinks he’s rude and crude. She believes Rubio is someone who will listen to other people and consider all the options before making decisions. “We don’t need someone who’s rigid and dogmatic,” she said. Kelly Bannister of the Pinewood community said she voted for Rubio because he’s knowledgeable and has strong conservative values, such as being against abortion. “He’s young and energetic, and he doesn’t back down,” Bannister said. Plus, “I think he’s got a better shot of beating Hillary.” Trump was strongest at Riverchase Baptist Church, where he received 38 percent of the vote. Bill Perrell was one of Trump’s supporters there, saying he’s sick of the gridlock in Washington and believes Trump could handle the job better. “They [Republicans] have had the House and Senate, and they haven’t done a thing,” Perrell said. Among Democrats, Clinton swept every polling place that drew Hoover voters and was strongest at the Ross Bridge Welcome Center and Town Hall, where she drew 77 percent of the vote. Leann Williams of Russet Woods said she voted for Clinton because she likes her record and she stands up for underdogs. “I just think she’s a bright lady and would be able to take care of business,” Williams said. But Democrats appear to be in the minority in Hoover. At the 22 polling places that draw Hoover voters, 80 percent of the people who voted chose to vote in the Republican primary on March 1.

HOLI~A FESTIVAL OF COLORS

Performing Creativity Every Day:

3-4

Thurs » 6pm » FREE UAB’s AEIVA

Sat » FREE

CREATIVITY, INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP LECTURE

SPECIAL HOLI DINNER

Sun & Mon » Taj India

CLASSIC BOLLYWOOD FILM Mughal-e-Azam Tues » 6pm » FREE UAB’s AEIVA

14-17

THE SECRET GARDEN featuring NOTINEE INDIAN DANCE

Thurs-Sat 7:30pm, Sat-Sun 2pm Red Mountain Theatre Company

BLAZER BOLLYWOOD BASH

Bollywood-style entertainment, food trucks and dancing Thurs » 6pm » FREE UAB Campus Green Presented by UAB’s Alys Stephens Center

ALABAMA ASIAN CULTURES AND FOOD FESTIVAL Sat » 9am-3pm Zamora Temple

DIRECTORS AND DOCUMENTARIES NIGHT

with filmmakers Harjant Gill and Shantanu Suman Fri » 6pm » FREE UAB’s AEIVA

THE EPHEMERAL VISUAL ARTS OF INDIA

with Dr. Cathleen Cummings Tues » 6pm » FREE UAB’s AEIVA

TASTE OF ASIA

Sat » 6pm UAB’s Alys Stephens Center

RED BARAAT PERFORMANCE Thurs » 7pm » FREE UAB’s Alys Stephens Center Presented by UAB’s Alys Stephens Center

21-24

WELCOME SHIVA NATARAJA TO BMA

Tues-Sat10am-5pm, Sun 12-5pm FREE » Birmingham Museum of Art

CLASSIC BOLLYWOOD FILM Deewaar Tues » 6pm » FREE UAB’s AEIVA

THE SECRET GARDEN featuring NOTINEE INDIAN DANCE

Thurs-Sat 7:30pm, Sat-Sun 2pm Red Mountain Theatre Company

INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC

Fri » 7-10pm » FREE Birmingham Museum of Art

YOGA LECTURE

Thurs » Noon » FREE

YOGA COMMUNITY CLASS Thurs » 5:30pm » FREE UAB’s Alys Stephens Center Presented by UAB’s Alys Stephens Center

NOTINEE DANCE

Thurs » Noon -1pm UAB Hospital North Pavilion Presented by UAB’s Institute for Arts In Medicine

For more information about IndiaFest visit

AlysStephens.org #ASCIndiaFest

A8 • April 2016

Hoover Sun

Vestavia Hills expresses interest in buying former Berry High School

The sign along Columbiana Road at the former Berry High School campus gives no indication of the school’s current use as the Crossroads alternative school and office space for central office personnel, but other signs on the school buildings themselves do. Photo by Jon Anderson.

By JON ANDERSON The Vestavia Hills school system has expressed interest once again in buying the former Berry High School property from Hoover City Schools, Hoover Superintendent Kathy Murphy said. Vestavia Hills Superintendent Sheila Phillips walked with Murphy through the old Berry High School property on Columbiana Road recently and has expressed an interest in continuing conversations regarding buying the property, Murphy said. Vestavia Hills had not made an offer as of press time, “but I would anticipate that Vestavia may be coming forth fairly immediately with an offer in hand,” Murphy told the Hoover school board on March 14. “At that time, we’ll continue our conversations.” The former Berry High School property was converted into a middle school after Hoover High School was built, but Berry Middle School relocated next to Spain Park High School, and the 35-acre campus on Columbiana Road has been used for a variety of purposes since that time. It briefly was home to Shades Mountain Elementary School during a renovation at Shades Mountain and currently is home to the Crossroads alternative school. The facility also is used as office space for some central office personnel and for teacher training. The University of Alabama at Birmingham also has used it for some classes. Shades Mountain Christian School made an offer to buy the former Berry High property for $13.8 million in 2006, but the deal fell through when Shades Mountain Christian couldn't come

up with enough money to make it happen. In 2007, the city of Vestavia Hills made a joint offer with Shades Mountain Christian School for $10 million, but by that time, Hoover school officials were not sure they wanted to sell the property or hold onto it for use by either the school system or city of Hoover. The joint offer expired without action by the Hoover school board. Then in April of last year, the Hoover City Council voted to extend an offer to pay $9

million to the school board for the property with the idea of turning it into an athletic complex. However, school officials never acted on that offer, instead choosing to evaluate other potential uses for the site. The City Council rescinded its offer in November. Murphy said her understanding is that the Vestavia Hills Board of Education has interest in using the property as a school site. Whatever the Hoover school board decides, the U.S. Department of Justice has a vested interest in

what happens with students who attend the Crossroads alternative school, Murphy said. Murphy said the Department of Justice has been made aware that preliminary conversations are under way, and “there was no pushback or resistance” to that idea. One option being considered for alternative school students is using the Hoover and Spain Park high school campuses at night for alternative school. Virtual, or online, learning is another option, she said.

THERE’S A FIRE

BURNING IN THE

HEART OF BIRMINGHAM. UAB Honors College provides opportunities and fresh ways of thinking to enrich the minds, hearts, and potential of promising young people. Supporting the UAB Honors College — through donations or through your own student’s unique spark — provides experiences, scholarships, and limitless possibilities, so students can set their world on re. Learn how your contribution can fan the ame at uab.edu/honorscollege.

HooverSun.com

April 2016 • A9

Chamber Searcy on economic growth: Hoover ideal for logistics Economic Development Association of Alabama Executive Director Jim Searcy speaks at the March chamber luncheon. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

By SYDNEY CROMWELL Economic development hardly sounds like an exciting topic, but Jim Searcy kept the crowd laughing at the March 17 Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon. The executive director of the Economic Development Association of Alabama (EDAA), Searcy mixed his insights about economic growth with jokes at his own expense, including his Auburn education and more memorable economic development clients. Searcy related to the luncheon audience that in applying for his first job in Alabama, he falsely said that he spoke Korean, believing it would impress the company but he would never need to prove it. It backfired less than a month into the job, when Searcy’s boss assigned him to work with a wood chipping company that wanted to build a plant in Alabama, and its owners were from Korea. What followed was an adventure in cultural differences and language barriers, including being chased by a dog and trying to find good Japanese food in a tiny town. On a more serious note, Searcy said he has seen economic development efforts expand in Alabama over his career, including by attracting companies from all sectors of development, not just industrial. He noted that a key moment for the state was when the Mercedes factory began producing vehicles in Tuscaloosa County in 1997. After that point, more companies began seeking out Alabama opportunities, rather than the EDAA chasing them. More recently, the EDAA has developed

a strategic plan to focus on certain types of commercial interest, including manufacturing, vehicles and aerospace, logistics, research and development, large offices and corporate headquarters. “The central Alabama area, including Hoover, is ideally located for logistics,” Searcy said. Hoover in particular, he said, was “really well-positioned to recruit payrolls,” meaning that it can attract shoppers to spend money there even if they live outside Hoover. For the state overall, Searcy said that maintaining good infrastructure is critical to attracting development. He related a story about taking a potential new company to sites around Alabama, including one where the owners had put unattached fire hydrants on the property because it did not have a water pipeline. Workforce development, he said, including

The Best Thing to Happen to Up Grades Since Our New Homes.

encouraging students to see technical and career training as an alternative to four-year degrees, will also bring more economic opportunities. Searcy said that given the state’s current budget issues, Alabama must either try to stretch its dollars further, raise taxes or focus on economic development to bring in new revenue. “The pie is only so big,” Searcy said. “You can either take more and more slices, or you can enlarge the pie.” At the luncheon, the chamber also recognized its executive assistant, Verona Petite, who is leaving after seven years at the chamber. Petite has helped bring hundreds of new members into the chamber. “The membership is what makes this chamber, and this chamber is the strongest in the state,” Petite said.

Acclaimed Vestavia H ills Schoo

Liberty Pa

Elementa

Liberty Pa

Middle

Preview of

April

Luncheon Jefferson County Commission President Jimmie Stephens is scheduled to give a State of the County speech at the April 21 luncheon for the Hoover Area Stephens Chamber of Commerce. Stephens represents Jefferson County Commission District 3, which covers the western part of the county, including western Hoover. He is in his second term on the commission and was elected president in November 2014. Stephens also serves on the boards of directors for the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex, Jefferson County Department of Health and Birmingham Business Alliance and previously served on the board of the Legacy YMCA. The April 21 chamber luncheon will be at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham — The Wynfrey Hotel. Networking is scheduled to start at 11:15 a.m., and the luncheon should start at noon. Reservations are due by Monday, April 18, and can be made by calling 988-5672 or emailing the chamber office at lisa@hooverchamber.org. The cost is $20, payable at the door, or $25 for non-members or people without reservations. Cancellations are accepted until the morning of the luncheon. Attendees can pay by cash, check or major credit cards.

At last, here is a place where children can walk or ride their bikes to our highly rated Vestavia Hills schools, tucked right in the heart of Liberty Park. And when the weekend comes, the whole family can enjoy a friendly community with parks, lakes, playgrounds, walking trails, swimming, tennis and a next-door sports complex. Come visit Liberty Park today and discover a hometown the way hometowns were meant to be.

Hurry! New Homes Now Ready for Immediate Move-In. Plus, more new homes coming for May Move-Ins.

High $300s to high $600s DECORATED MODELS NOW OPEN (205) 945-6401 | libertypark.com

THE ESSEX

Decorated Model Premiere April 22nd, 23rd & 24th April 29th, 30th & May 1st

At Liberty Park

All information contained herein deemed accurate but not warranted. Liberty Park Joint Venture, LLP, Liberty Park Properties, and their respective builders and agents, are not responsible for errors or omissions. Plan information subject to change without notice.

A10 â&#x20AC;˘ April 2016

Hoover Sun

Hoover rest es C

Happenings

La ke R

d Val ley R

280 Colonade Pkwy

kw sP

oo Br

119

d ey R ab aV all

kR Br oo

R ky

do w

13 d

Va ll

ky R Roc

n hla

11 Rd

idg eR

Ca h

1 280 38

Patton Chapel Rd

d Ol

av an tV all ey R

Chapel Rd

er R Riv

r ve In

31 d

Sh an no n

Ox m oo

a bian

aba Cah

m Colu

459

kw dP

e Av rd fl o A

ey da

Cah a

s ke

kw eP or

d Sha

Bl ue

W Oxmoor Rd

2 Rd na

Ros s Br idge es C Pkw rest y Rd

Du le

a yd lle

k aw

H hn

y 150

ry H

14 kw sP

Sha d

o ntg

150

r Lo

459 12

R ey

all aV

h Ca

a en

d Hw

119

. . . g n i m o c s i r e m m u S y d a e r e b u o will y

CALL FOR YOUR FREE CONSULTATION 205.994.2393

aplanforme.com

HooverSun.com

Now Open Bohemian Bliss, a women’s clothing store, is now open at 611 Doug Baker Boulevard, Suite 111, in the Village at Lee Branch. The store specializes in trendy and affordable women’s clothing, shoes, jewelry and gifts. Their clothes have a Bohemian flair with items like bellbottoms and tie dye prints. 438-6060, shopbohemianbliss.com

Hungry Howie’s Flavored Crust Pizza is now open at 1777-A Montgomery Highway, in the Riverchase Crossings shopping center. 444-2300, hungryhowies.com/store/hungry-howies-02328

Precision Tactical Arms is now open at 3435 South Shades Crest Road, Suite 111. The store specializes in weapons manufacturing and customization and is a certified Cerakote applicator. 703-8212, ptarms.com

Jake’s Soul Food Café is now open at the Gallery at Riverchase, 3075 John Hawkins Parkway, Suite D. The restaurant serves a wide range of dishes including chicken and waffles, macaroni and cheese, oxtails, jerk chicken, fried fish, and more. 624-3315, facebook.com/jakescafefoods

Coming Soon Construction has begun on the new location for Children’s Lighthouse Learning Center, 4731 Chace Circle. This will be the first Alabama location for the center, which offers educational opportunities for children ages 6 weeks through 12 years. childrenslighthouse.com/hooverAL

Golf & Country Club, 6 Greystone 4100 Greystone Drive, will open a new restaurant for its members, CELLAR 91, in mid-April. The menu will feature thin crust pizzas, innovative small plates, signature burgers, and fresh catch dishes. 980-5200, greystonecc.com

Relocations and Renovations Roots gift shop at Aldridge Gardens, 3530 Lorna Road, has reopened with a new look and new items for purchase. 682-8019, aldridgegardens.com

Perrigo Dental Care, 2038 Patton Chapel Road, has undergone a complete renovation to their office. The renovation will allow them to better serve patients and improve efficiency and patient comfort. 822-7822, myhooverdentist.com

Highland Commercial Mortgage recently relocated their corporate office to 242 Inverness Center Drive in the Beaumont office park. The company is a fully approved FHA MAP lender serving clients across the country. Their services include construction, refinancing, acquisition, and redevelopment loan programs for multi family, affordable housing, and health care facilities. The Highland team as underwritten and originated over $3 billion in closed loans. 940-4200, hcmd4.com

The Comedy Club StarDome, which opened at 1818 Data Drive in September 1993, closed on March 14 to undergo a complete renovation. The club is scheduled to reopen on April 1 with new seating arrangements, a new dinner menu, renovated theatre, and much more. 444-0008, stardome.com 10

April 2016 • A11 Park Circle to 5025 Highway 280, Suite 101, in the Inverness Heights Market shopping center. 981-2333, oxymed1.com

New Ownership I.O. Metro, a chain of upscale furniture stores with a location at 4431 Creekside Avenue, Suite 109, has been bought and rebranded as Erdos at Home. 444-0641, erdosathome.com 12

News and Accomplishments RE/MAX Southern Homes, 104 Inverness Corners, was recognized by RE/MAX as the top office in Alabama for both volume of sales, at $315,825,484, and highest number of transactions, at 1,244, for 2015. 313-8500, remax-southernhomes-al.com 13

Mercedes-Benz of Birmingham, 1800 Montgomery Highway South, has received the Best of the Best Dealer Recognition Award for 2015. Given annually, the award goes to top-performing Mercedes-Benz dealerships around the country for their performance in sales, service, parts, operations, and customer service. 403-5179, mbbhm.com 14

Kasey Davis Dentistry, 589 Shades Crest Road, Suite A, is now offering Botox® injections and Derma fillers. Dr. Kasey Davis has completed training and is now a fully accredited member of the American Academy of Facial Esthetics. 822-7277, kaseydavisdentistry.com 15

244-1114 Heavy Runoff ? Standing Water ? Erosion Problems? Storm Drainage Clogged ?

Hirings and Promotions Child’s Play Therapy Center, 3057 Lorna Road, Suite 220, has hired Leslie Clark as a licensed and certified speech-language pathologist. Child’s Play offers occupational, physical, speech, music, and behavioral therapy in a non-clinical, child friendly environment. 978-9939, childsplaytherapycenter.com 16

Hoover Toyota, 2686 John Hawkins Parkway, has named Bob Lochamy as their Hoover Toyota Lane Ambassador. Lochamy, who has worked at the dealership for some time, will be helping customers with their needs as they arrive to the dealership’s service department. 978-2600, hoovertoyota.com 17

Laure Kimes has joined mc2 realty, 501 Riverchase Parkway East, Suite 200, as a Realtor®. 223-7167, laurakimesrealtor.com 18

WaterDrainageSolutions.com Bladeless LASIK - Call 205-969-8100 - FREE Consultation

UAB Highlands

1201 11th Ave. S., Ste. 501

Birmingham, Alabama 35205

e21 Realty, 100 Concourse Parkway, Suite 135, has hired several team members, including Dennis Bierlair, marketing assistant; Emmett Nuckles, marketing intern; Missy Sparks, Realtor®; CJ Hasberry, Realtor®; and Michael Bierlair, Realtor®. 989-7215, e21realty.com 19

Anniversaries Lisa Miller Oral Facial Surgery, 1 Inverness Center Parkway, Suite 200, is celebrating its first anniversary in business this month. 789-5075, lisamillerofs.com

The Cajun Cleaver, 2341 John Hawkins Parkway, Suite 101, is celebrating its 7th anniversary this month. 444-0496, thecajuncleaver.com

OxyMed, a CPAP medical supply store, has relocated from 201 Cahaba

Sun

“When it rains, we drain!”

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

Marc Michelson, M.D.

Tyler Hall, M.D.

All Laser Bladeless LASIK • •

Experience Personalized Care

• •

Advanced Technology Affordable

Call for a FREE LASIK consultation 205-969-8100 Michelson Laser Vision, Inc. 205-969-8100 www.michelsonlaser.com

A12 • April 2016

Hoover Sun

Above: Speed skating is just one of several exercises Hannakah Rubin includes in her routine when working out at Reformu Reformer Training. Left: Frankie Romano, a certified trainer, demonstrates the use of one of the three machines at Reformu Reformer Training. Photos courtesy of Ainslie McLean.

Personal trials lead to personal training By MARIENNE THOMAS OGLE Ainslie McLean had been an athlete all her life. But after the birth of her second child, she began experiencing severe back and hip pain, the source of which doctors could not pinpoint. “I was 31 and seeing more and more doctors, having MRIs, pain blocks and X-rays,” McLean said. “Nothing seemed visibly wrong to the professionals, but the pain just worsened so I stopped all my exercise activities, which was devastating.” In 2003, a friend convinced McLean to try Pilates using the reformer machine that, she said, gave her instant relief. “It improved my quality of life to the point that I wish every medical professional knew about its benefits,” she said. “All back pain is not the same, but I found that pain from muscle

tightness and imbalance really improved using this method.” The Pilates program helped McLean’s condition so much that she became a certified Reformer instructor through Balanced Body University. She has been the owner of Reformu Reformer Training for the past 10 years and recently opened a studio at Inverness Highlands, 5209 Valleydale Road. There, she and trainer Frankie Romano conduct private classes for individuals or up to three participants by appointment only. The studio features three Reformer machines and, choosing from more than 400 Reformer exercises, McLean develops exercise programs tailored to the needs of each client. According to McLean, the Reformer is a clinical rehabilitation machine that takes gravity

away from the body and allows resistance training without stress on joints. “The jump board attachment turns a full body workout program into cardio and calorie burning exercise, as well,” she said. Hannakah Rubin, 33 and a resident of the Greystone area, has been a client of McLean’s for 2 1/2 years and works with the instructor three times a week. According to Rubin, she worked out regularly but had hit a plateau and hadn’t been successful targeting certain areas. “I found that on the Reformer that I was strengthening the muscles in my lower back, targeting my abs and improving the back of my legs, plus I’m much more flexible, my core is stronger and I have better balance,” Rubin said. “As opposed to going to a gym, this is unique

and varied and the focus is on you. And I’ve done cycling and boot camps but had never seen this type of improvement.” McLean suffered a heart attack at age 39 and was diagnosed with lupus. But today, at 46, she credits Reformer training for the symptom control and high quality of life she has enjoyed for several years. “When you don’t feel good and have physical issues, it is not easy to exercise, and this method allows you to have a complete workout including cardio, with modifications to make it safe for people of most any age,” she said. “It’s really a lifestyle choice.” For more information about Reformu Reformer Training, call 249-0043 or 936-4348 or email Ainsliepilates@gmail.com or Frankieromanotraining@gmail.com.

HooverSun.com

April 2016 • A13

School House Green wins Prince of Peace geography bee

Prince of Peace Catholic School Principal Connie Angstadt, at left, and teacher Greg Hughes, at right, stand with eighth-grade student Darby Green, who won the school’s geography bee this year. Photo courtesy of Jill Spero.

Prince of Peace Catholic School eighthgrader Darby Green won this year’s National Geographic Bee. Green was one of 170 students in the school’s preliminary competition, which was then narrowed to 10 finalists. After winning the schoollevel geography bee, Green will take a test to qualify for the state-level bee. The state-level competition will be held at Samford University in the spring. The statewide winner will move on to the

National Geographic Bee in Washington, D.C., in May. The school-level bee was open to students in fifth through eighth grades. Fifth-grader Caris Gonzalez won second place, and seventh-grader Tyler Wittman won third. The National Geographic Bee is an annual contest sponsored by the National Geographic Society. Nationally, it is open to students in grades 4-8. – Submitted by Jill Spero.

Bluff Park students learn about wheelchair basketball

Bluff Park students watch members of the U.S. Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Team. Photo courtesy of Damian Veazey.

Members of Bluff Park Elementary’s second-grade class recently visited the Lakeshore Foundation to the attend U.S. Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Training Camp. The 120 students met team members, learned about adaptive sports and watched a game. They were invited as part of the foundation’s

School Sport Project to teach children about inclusion, problem solving and adaptive sports. As participants in the School Sport Project, the students will be incorporating their learning about wheelchair basketball into their school year. – Submitted by Damian Veazey.

Hoover Sun

A14 • April 2016

A decade of staying the course Bradley Johnson Memorial golf tourney continues to help others By MARIENNE THOMAS OGLE Bradley Johnson may no longer walk the fairways, but for the last 10 years numerous young players have followed his path, taking part in the golf tournament that bears his name. The Bradley Johnson Memorial Golf Tournament celebrated its 10th anniversary in March, a two-day event named for the Spain Park High School student and rising golf amateur who lost his life in a 2006 automobile accident at age 17. Held at Greystone Golf & Country Club, the tournament featured 15 Alabama high school teams with a total of 75 players. Proceeds go to the nonprofit Bradley Johnson Memorial Foundation, established by Shari and Hugh Johnson in their son’s name and dedicated to providing financial resources for male and female junior golfers for college scholarships and tournament participation. According to Shari, the foundation has awarded $180,000 over the last 10 years. “Bradley’s is a very public story. He took up golf at the age of 8, played for Spain Park and was nationally ranked when he passed away,” Shari said. “Ten years later we have been able to help dozens of kids — both boys and girls — get to the college level of golf, including some that are now tour players. It means so much to us.”

The foundation’s assistance also means a lot to Will Wilcox, who has full status on the PGA tour, is number 67 on the FedEx Cup list and is ranked 136th in the world. From Pell City, Wilcox attended UAB and then Clayton State University. But as a senior, his scholarship money had run out, and between classes and having to wait tables, he was struggling to be able to pursue his sport. “That’s when the foundation stepped up and helped me out financially so I could still play golf,” he said. “It was so impactful for a senior in college and my future.” Wilcox, 29, said he was close friends with Bradley, though the threeyear age difference led them in different directions socially. “I loved the Johnson family, and Bradley was just a freshman when everyone was saying he was the real deal,” he said. “People called him the next up-and-coming superstar from Alabama, and they were right.” Al Del Greco, today Samford University men’s golf coach, had a similar feeling when he was coaching the Spain Park High School golf team and Bradley was a student at Berry Middle School. Del Greco, who started the Spain Park golf program in 2001 and coached to 2010, said he “kept hearing about this kid in the seventh grade.” “We had to convince the Berry

Hugh, left, and Shari Johnson, here with son Michael, established the Bradley Johnson Memorial Tournament 10 years ago in honor of their oldest son. Michael, who will graduate from Auburn in May, is ranked the second best college player in the country and the 31st amateur in the world. Photo by Janet Taylor.

principal to let him play, and I didn’t know if he was good enough to make the starting five, but I did know he would eventually help us,” Del Greco said. “He was so talented. he placed third in his first tournament. Some kids just have that ‘it’ factor — they work, love the competition and nothing scares them, and that was Bradley.” During his days at Spain Park, Del Greco said he had the honor to coach another up-and-comer in Michael Johnson, Bradley’s younger brother by four years. Michael, who will graduate from Auburn in May and is ranked the second best college player in the country with a world amateur ranking of 31, said his relationship with his brother Bradley was not that competitive, but rather a “classic big brother” situation. “He’d pick on me a lot but then stand up for me when I needed it,” Michael, 23, said. “And besides playing every Sunday with our dad, we didn’t golf together as much as people think. He was four years older, a lot

bigger and could hit the ball a lot farther.” Michael, who spoke at the memorial tournament last year, said his brother would love the event “because he loved golf, competing and especially building relationships with almost everyone he met.” “But as far as being remembered, it would depend on who you asked because his close friends wouldn’t remember him for golf, and that’s what he’d want,” Michael said. “He’d never boast, just play a round then go hang out with friends. He loved being a normal kid.” Scott Barnes, a fellow Spain Park golf team member, said Bradley was the first to befriend him when he moved to Hoover from a small town as a high school freshman. “He was the one who reached out to me, bringing me into his group and made me feel like I belonged,” Barnes said. “He was the best golfer on the team, one of the best junior golfers in the country and pretty much had his pick of where he could play college golf, but you’d never know it.”

Barnes, who serves as youth minister of Riverchase United Methodist Church, said he often speaks to young people about his friend. “Bradley’s funeral was packed with so many people from so many schools and every walk of life and I tell that to the kids and use him as an example of what I expect of them,” he said. “He wasn’t perfect, but the way he treated others is something we can all take lessons from.” Barnes said he and many friends make it a point to gather each year at the Bradley Johnson Memorial Tournament, making the event “almost like a class reunion.” “It’s been 10 years, but it seems like yesterday, and that shows the impact Bradley had on people,” he said.“He’d be embarrassed to be in the spotlight, but it’s great his memory and legacy go on. And we all want to see it continue for the next 10 years and 10 years after that.” For more information about the Bradley Johnson Memorial Foundation and Tournament, go to bradleyjohnsonmemorialfoundation.org. The Spain Park High School golf team was the 2015 Bradley Johnson Memorial Tournament runner-up. From left to right: Hugh Johnson, Shari Johnson, Coach Brian Carter, Sam Prater, Conley Miller, Andrew Tomko, Thomas Luther and Patrick Martin. Photo by Janet Taylor.

HooverSun.com

April 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ A15

Hoover Sun

A16 • April 2016

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Former Homewood, Hoover band director still making music after retirement By JON ANDERSON It has been 15 years since Pat Morrow stepped off the podium as a high school band director, but the rippling effect of his presence can still be felt in Homewood and Hoover to this day. Morrow spent 20 years as band director at Homewood High School and six years leading the Hoover High band before becoming the public relations coordinator for the Hoover school system in 2001. He retired six years later but left an indelible mark on the lives of thousands of students, those who know him say. Even though he left the high school band world, Morrow has maintained his connections to music. He started an orchestra program at Meadow Brook Baptist Church about 13 years ago and then moved to direct the orchestra at Dawson Memorial Baptist Church in Homewood about eight years ago. In late December, with new triplets bringing his total number of grandchildren to five, Morrow decided to retire again — this time from Dawson Memorial. “I am officially retired from, I guess, everything at this point,” said Morrow, who just turned 69. “I’m just a normal person.”

NOTES ‘ROUND THE WORLD

Morrow, who lives in Greystone with his wife, Margaret, got his start as a band director at General Forrest Junior High School in Gadsden in 1969. The next year, he became band

current band members were students of Morrow. “It’s certainly a family tradition for a lot of folks in the Homewood area,” Pence said. “His legacy still lives on here at Homewood.”

PRIDE, PERFECTION, PROFESSIONALISM

Pat Morrow directs the Homewood High School Patriot Band in Washington, D.C., at the inauguration of President George Bush in 1989. Photo courtesy of Pat Morrow.

director at Emma Sansom High School, but he really gained notoriety after coming to Homewood in 1975. When he arrived at Homewood, there were 35 students at his first band practice. By the time he left 20 years later, the band had grown to 170 members. Morrow became the first high school band director from Alabama to take a band to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City and the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena. He even took the Homewood band

to perform in the New Year’s Day Parade in London and two St. Patrick’s Day parades in Ireland. They won both the Dublin and Limerick, Ireland competition parades, and the trophies still sit in the Homewood band room. “He had a vision when he got here of putting the Homewood band and the Homewood community on the national and international stage,” said Ron Pence, who followed Morrow at Homewood and is in his 20th year there. Morrow succeeded, and “the tradition is still going strong now,” Pence

said. The Homewood band made its eighth appearance in the Macy’s parade in 2011, and it was Morrow who arranged two songs for the band’s TV appearance. The Homewood band also went to the Tournament of Roses Parade again in 2014 and now, approaching 400 members (about 40 percent of the high school’s student body), is scheduled to go to the Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia in November. “Everybody still knows Pat,” Pence said. Many of the parents of

Martha Ann Cole Wilson was Homewood’s first female drum major in 1989 and 1990. Wilson, who now lives in Tupelo, Mississippi, with children of her own, still vividly remembers three stars that Morrow put up in the Homewood band room, emblazoned with the words “pride,” “perfection,” and “professionalism.” “He wanted those three things in his program,” Wilson said. “He didn’t settle for less. He strived for perfection.” She recalls one time when the band disappointed him and he took one of the stars down until the band redeemed itself. “There was a level of expectations that were high. Everybody wanted to please him,” Wilson said. “You didn’t want to disappoint him. You wanted to make him proud.” Those stars still hang over the podium in the band room. Morrow had a very commanding personality, but he loved his students, Wilson said. “He was warm and friendly, but you knew he meant business,” she said. “The students respected him … You knew he knew what was best for us.

HooverSun.com You knew he had your back.” Jack Farr, a former Homewood High School principal who later became Hoover’s superintendent, recruited Morrow to become Hoover High School’s band director in 1996. Morrow took the Hoover band to the Orange Bowl Parade that fall and later on trips to Holland, Germany and Belgium. The last band trip he organized was to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade — two months after the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center. Harry McAfee, who followed Morrow at Hoover High and now serves as executive secretary of the Alabama Bandmasters Association, described Morrow as a great musician and teacher. “He’s always earned a lot of respect from his students and still has a lot of respect and admiration from those that were in his band programs all those years,” McAfee said. “He’s a great guy … He was very helpful to me, very supportive in making the transition for me into the Hoover system.”

THE ‘PR’ MAN

But Morrow was not only a good musician; he was a fantastic promoter, McAfee said. He planned excellent trips for the students and had a knack for public relations, which is what made him good in his role as a spokesperson for the Hoover school system, McAfee said. “He’s really good at dealing with people and problem-solving and talking to the media — presenting things in a positive way,” McAfee said. Morrow said one of his biggest challenges as a public relations person was in 2002 when a student at Hoover High stabbed a classmate to death at school. The school was immediately crawling with media, and Morrow — still fairly new to his public relations role — said Hoover police were a great help in managing the ordeal. Three years later, Morrow helped Hoover High avoid a messy situation when the nation’s No. 1-ranked high school football player — Tim Tebow — rolled into town with Nease High School from Florida for a matchup with the Hoover Bucs. The game was being aired by ESPN, and the network had lined up an out-ofstate band for a free concert to add to the fanfare. Someone from Hoover researched the band’s

April 2016 • A17 lyrics, which Morrow described as highly offensive, and parents began to protest. Morrow said he tried to get ESPN to cancel the band, but ESPN already had signed a contract. So to prevent a public relations disaster, Morrow followed the money. He tracked down an executive with Procter & Gamble, the advertising sponsor for the game, and shared the band’s lyrics. The executive agreed there was a problem, and the band got nixed, Morrow said. He quickly found a replacement band to put on the free concert.

FOND MEMORIES

Morrow said the best part about being a band director for him was a combination of arranging the music his bands would perform and the opportunity to get know a lot of students and hopefully make some impact in their lives. He was greatly surprised when he first came to the Birmingham area how many students came from one-parent families, he said. “For a lot of them, band was like a second family and helped them get through some tough times,” he said. The worst part of the job was having to deal with parents whose children did not make auxiliary groups such as the danceline, majorettes or color guard. “It usually got kind of testy at times,” he said. Morrow said he’ll never forget the many trips he was able to take with his bands. He fondly recalls on the Homewood band’s first trip to the Macy’s parade how the press made a big deal about a band coming from Alabama. “Some of them showed up, I think, to find out if our kids were going to be wearing shoes,” he said. He put the fear of God in the Homewood students before they went on the trip, telling them to stay on his schedule and in his sight, he said. They took him literally. When they were watching a movie in Radio City Music Hall, he left the theater to go to the concession stand, and all 130 of them busted out the doors because they thought he was leaving, he said with a laugh. Wilson said the band trips were great then, but “now I think everybody realizes that he provided us with educational opportunities that really were once in a lifetime.”

A18 • April 2016

Hoover Sun

One-man cleanup crew Hoover resident works to clean up city one Saturday at a time By ERICA TECHO Many people ignore the trash on the side of the road, but Andrew Fort works to combat it. Each Saturday morning, Fort picks a road in Hoover, grabs a few empty trash bags and works to clean up the roadside. “A lot of times, if you’re driving down a road you don’t really see trash sometimes,” he said. “When you actually park your car and walk the road, it’s amazing how much trash you do see.” Fort lives in the Preserve and has been a member of the Hoover Beautification Board for about eight years, and cleaning up litter is one way he believes people can help improve Hoover. “I’m real passionate about keeping our city clean,” he said. “I think that a clean city helps attract people to our city. It keeps our property values up. And I think when you have a road that’s highly littered, it attracts more litter. It encourages people to throw more litter.” He has picked up anything from wine cooler bottles and beer cans to fast food garbage and other items he’d prefer not to mention. Some people might see the effort as futile, and Fort admits the road is normally dirty by the next week, but continuing to pick up garbage is better than letting it pile up for weeks. “I know it’s a little quirky, but I just can’t stand to see my community dirty,” he said.

Old Rocky Ridge Ranch Road is one of the roads with the biggest litter problems, said Hoover Beautification Board member Andrew Fort. Photo by Erica Techo.

The process also gets easier over time, Fort said. When he started out, he would fill five or 10 large trash bags. Now he can knock out a few roads in a day because the weekly cleanup combats accumulation. Fort sticks to local roads with a slower traffic flow due to safety concerns, he said, but when trash starts piling up in higher-traffic areas, he will notify the Hoover Public Works Department of the issue. After emailing the department, Fort said they normally send a crew to the area within a week. “They do a really, really good job keeping

HF-HooverSunAdApril2016.qxp_Layout 1 3/14/16 9:12 PM Page 1

got the dress... got the tux... got the flowers? Don’t forget to order Prom flowers early!

Hoover Florist Exotic, Elegant, and Unusual Designs at Reasonable Prices

823-5273

“Simply The Best” • City Wide Delivery

1905 Hoover Court • Birmingham, Alabama 35226

www.hooverflorist.net

up with those,” Fort said. “It’s not an easy project to keep up those roads from being heavily littered.” In the past, Fort said he has also worked with the Hoover Police Department to set up digital message boards on roadways in order to remind drivers of the fines for littering. South Shades Crest Road is an area where garbage will be picked up and then replaced with new trash in less than a week, Fort said. Last year, Hoover PD set up a sign for a few days that said “Do not litter” and noted the $250 fine for first-time offenders.

“I can tell you that it absolutely made a difference,” Fort said. “When people were going down that road, they were seeing that message.” The road had exponentially less trash during those three or four days, and the trash collected at a slower rate for the next few weeks, he said. “The problem is just education on this,” he said. “I think that if people realize what the fines were for littering and that it takes somebody actually going out there and cleaning it up, maybe people would think twice before throwing it out.” Education is one reason he wants to get more signs on Hoover roadways, he said, and one reason the beautification board works with Hoover schools. The board helps put together Litter Awareness Week, which takes place leading up to Household Hazardous Waste Day, and works toward educating students. There is a poster contest during the week, and about five Hoover elementary schools participate. Almost every year, Fort said Hoover has a student place in the top three in the statewide competition. “We do encourage the kids through their teachers, of course, to grow up not with that mentality of throwing things out the window,” Fort said. Fort hopes teaching habits such as using proper trash receptacles and recycling when possible will help Hoover continually improve. While the goal is lofty, he is content helping one Saturday morning at a time. “One of my goals is for the city of Hoover, for our city to be one of the cleanest in the state from a litter and recycling standpoint,” he said. “That’s very challenging at times.”

HooverSun.com

April 2016 • A19

2016

THE WINNERS Congratulations to all! FOOD AND DRINK ► Most Friendly Service Chick-fil-A Runner-up: The Whole Scoop ► Most Kid Friendly Restaurant Chick-fil-A RU: The Whole Scoop ► Best Breakfast/Brunch The Egg & I RU: IHOP ► Best Date Night Firebirds RU: J. Alexander’s ► Best Ladies’ Lunch Spot Ashley Mac’s RU: Taziki’s ► Best Casual Dining The Boot at Preserve Village RU: Taziki’s

► Best Asian Food Stix RU: New China ► Best Italian Food Costa’s Mediterranean RU: Vecchia Pizzeria and Mercato ► Best Mediterranean Food Taziki’s RU: Costa’s Mediterranean ► Best Mexican Food Iguana Grill RU: La Fiesta ► Best New Restaurant (must have opened after February 2015) Brixx Pizza RU: Pie Five

► Best Burger Five Guys RU: Baja Burger ► Best Pizza Tortuga’s RU: Vecchia Pizzeria and Mercato ► Best Place for a Sweet Treat Edgar’s Bakery and Cafe RU: The Whole Scoop ► Best Cheese Dip Iguana Grill RU: La Fiesta ► Best Dessert (name of the dessert and restaurant) Strawberry Cake, Edgar’s Bakery and Cafe Chocolate Cake, Zoe’s Kitchen

SUNDAY-THURSDAY

Must present coupon. Valid at Brixx-Hoover. Not Valid With Other Offers Or Specials. Dine-In or Carry Out. Expires: 5/31/16

A20 • April 2016

Hoover Sun

BUSINESSES AND SERVICES ► Best New Business (must have opened after February 2015) Sprouts Farmers Market Hoover RU: Brixx Pizza ► Best Place to Buy a Gift Wrapsody RU: World Market ► Best New Business (must have opened after February 2015) Sprouts Farmers Market Hoover RU: Brixx Pizza ► Best Place to Buy a Gift Wrapsody RU: World Market ► Best Children’s Store Toys R Us RU: Learning Express

► Best Women’s Clothing Store Von Maur RU: Belk ► Best Store for Men Belk RU: Jos. A. Bank ► Best Place to Buy Home Décor Home Goods RU: At Home ► Best Customer Service Chick-fil-A RU: Publix ► Best Veterinarian Lake Crest Animal Clinic RU: Bluff Park Animal Clinic ► Best Mechanic Shop Estes Warehouse Tires

RU: Anthony’s Car Wash ► Best Salon Renaissance Ross Bridge Spa RU: Stone Salon ► Best Golf Course Robert Trent Jones at Ross Bridge RU: Hoover Country Club ► Best Grocery Store Publix RU: Sprouts Farmers Market ► Best Real Estate Agent Kate Giffin ► Best New Car Dealership Hoover Toyota RU: Long-Lewis Ford ► Best Used Car Dealership Carmax RU: Tameron Honda

HEALTH AND WELLNESS ► Best Work Out Facility Hoover YMCA RU: Hoover Recreation Center ► Best Dentist Jennifer Morrissey, Hoover Family Denistry RU: Michael Anglin, DDS, Pediatric Dentistry ► Best Orthodontist Backus Orthodontics RU: Birmingham Orthodontics

► Best Pediatrician John Cortopassi, Greenvale Pediatrics RU: Jeff Malone, South Trace Pediatrics ► Best Family Practitioner Carrie Huner, Brookwood Primary Care RU: Jody Gilstrap, Baptist Heath Center ► Best Pharmacy

Walgreens RU: CVS ► Best Spa Renaissance Ross Bridge Spa RU: Massage Envy ► Best Chiropractor Lake Crest Chiropractor RU: Family Wellness Chiropractic ► Best Orthopedist Mike Ellerbusch, Southlake Orthopedics

COMMUNITY ► Best Outdoor Space Moss Rock Preserve RU: Veterans Park ► Best Community Event Moss Rock Festival RU: Bluff Park Art Show ► Best Neighborhood

Bluff Park RU: The Preserve ► Best Church Choir Hunter Street Baptist RU: Riverchase United Methodist ► Best Teacher

Lindsey Nichols RU: Dan Cater ► Best Place for Family Outing Moss Rock Preserve RU: Veterans Park

HooverSun.com

April 2016 • A21

HE ONCE BEAT HIS DAD FOUR STRAIGHT GAMES IN CHESS. AFTERWARD, HE CELEBRATED WITH SOME ORANGE SLICES AND A BOOK ABOUT WIZARDS.

and at Children’s of Alabama we want to see every child grow up and live to their fullest potential. That’s why we recruit, train and retain the most inquiring minds, the most skilled hands and the most compassionate hearts in pediatric medicine.

C H I L D R E N A M A Z E U S E V E R Y D AY

1600 7TH AVENUE SOUTH, BIRMINGHAM, AL 35233 (205) 638-9100 ChildrensAL.org

C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S D R . J O H N C O R T O PA S S I O F G R E E N V A L E P E D I AT R I C S — V O T E D B E S T P E D I AT R I C I A N , ANNUAL “BEST OF HOOVER” RECOGNITION.

HooverSun_COA_HeadlineAd_Chess.indd 1

3/9/16 1:27 PM

A22 • April 2016

Hoover Sun

Left: Roughly 90 people showed up for the March 7 Hoover school board meeting where the board approved Superintendent Kathy Murphy’s final school rezoning plan. Right: Ron Dodson, an assistant superintendent for Hoover City Schools, points out locations on a school rezoning map during the March 7 meeting of the Hoover Board of Education in which the school board approved the superintendent’s final rezoning plan on a 4-0 vote. Photos by Jon Anderson.

REZONING

CONTINUED from page A1 school next year, school officials said. However, a significant number of those children could qualify to be “grandfathered” at their current school. The “grandfathering” option is being offered to students in grades 8-11 to let them stay in their current high school zone through the end of high school. Students with only one year left at their current schools (grades 1, 4 and 7) also would have the option to stay for one more year. Parents would have to provide transportation for any “grandfathered” students. Here are some other key aspects of the plan: ►South Shades Crest Elementary School would change from a K-4 school to a K-2 school, and Brock’s Gap Intermediate School, now with grades 5-6, would begin to serve students in

grades 3-5 in the South Shades Crest Elementary School zone only. ►Trace Crossings and Deer Valley elementary schools, now serving grades K-4, would return as K-5 schools. ►Bumpus Middle School, now serving grades 7-8, would switch to a 6-8 school, similar to Berry and Simmons middle schools. ►Trace Crossings Elementary students would split up between Bumpus and Simmons middle schools but at more equal percentages than originally proposed. All of the students from Trace Crossings Elementary would reunite at Hoover High together. Murphy modified her original rezoning proposal released in early February after taking input from residents in five community feedback meetings as well as via emails and a survey. Among the changes from her original proposal: ►The Preserve neighborhood, north of Al

YOU’RE THINKING SPRING CLEAN.

We think that AT EVERY CLEAN.

Proudly keeping homes cleaner and healthier since 1987

205-871-9338 www.MAIDS.com

Referred for a reason.

Seier Road from Hurricane Branch to Heritage Park Drive, and the Highland Cove Townhomes were allowed to stay in the Gwin Elementary School zone instead of being rezoned to Trace Crossings Elementary. ►Four neighborhoods in the Brock’s Gap Parkway area (Chestnut Ridge, North Ridge, Scout Creek and Lake Trace) were allowed to stay in the Trace Crossings Elementary School zone instead of being rezoned to South Shades Crest Elementary. However, the Creekside subdivision in the Brock’s Gap section of the Trace Crossings community, the one closest to South Shades Crest Road, still was rezoned to South Shades Crest Elementary and Brock’s Gap Intermediate. ►The Ridge Crossings apartment complex, whose children currently are zoned for Deer Valley Elementary, would be rezoned to Trace Crossings Elementary instead of South Shades Crest Elementary and Brock’s Gap Intermediate.

►The Barrington on the Green apartment complex was allowed to stay in the Riverchase Elementary zone instead of being rezoned to Trace Crossings Elementary. ►The Chace Lake neighborhood would remain in the Riverchase Elementary zone instead of being rezoned to Rocky Ridge Elementary. Residents in some of the communities that were rezoned, such as Crest Cove, Stone Brook and O’Neal Drive in the Bluff Park area, said they didn’t understand why in some cases small pockets of children were being moved. Murphy said that, in isolation, some of the changes may seem like small pieces. But “every change that looks small, when those changes come together collectively, had a larger impact,” she said. “My role as superintendent is to look at the big picture, to look at the whole.” For more details and maps of the rezoning plan, go to hooverrezoning.com.

HooverSun.com

April 2016 • A23

DABNEY

KIDNEY DISEASE

CONTINUED from page A1 Texas. Stephen is 41 years old. He first began showing signs of kidney problems about seven years ago, and Lorraine said doctors believe some sort of virus or infection attacked both kidneys. About three years later, Stephen’s kidney function had so greatly decreased that he had to begin dialysis and be added to the kidney transplant lists at UAB, Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville and Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta. According to Martha Tankersley, UAB’s transplant administrator, about 3,000 people in Alabama are waiting for a kidney transplant. UAB performs between 80 and 120 living donor transplants per year, and the average wait time is three to five years. Patients on the list are prioritized by age, health situation and the length of time they’ve been on dialysis, Tankersley said. Transplant recipients must also have compatible blood and tissue tests with their donor. “We want to have kidneys that are of the quality to last a long time for patients that are likely to need them for a long time,” Tankersley said. Stephen’s parents and older brother Buddy are all unable to donate due to health issues. A few friends have offered but have not been matches. Stephen has Type B blood, which Lorraine said is one of the more difficult blood types to match. So, the wait for a new kidney continues. “He’s good, thank God, it’s just how long are we going to have to wait?” Lorraine said. While they wait for a donor, Stephen has dialysis every Monday, Wednesday or Friday morning. Lorraine said her son is considered the “rockstar” of the dialysis center. However, the lifesaving treatments take a physical toll on him. Stephen must adhere to a high-protein diet and limit intake of dairy and high salt, potassium or phosphorus foods. He’s tired most days once he completes treatment, and often on Sunday when he’s gone two days without treatment. Stephen’s forearm, still muscular from years of athletics, has raised fistulas where the dialysis needle is placed. “Everybody’s got the misconception that dialysis is no problem at all. Believe me when I tell you it’s a big deal. It really is. It ravages some

3,000

Alabamians in need of a kidney transplant

Stephen Dabney has competed at the Special Olympics and on traveling athletic teams for many years, but he can no longer do so now that he has dialysis three days per week. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

of these people,” Al said. “Where you and I have seven days of good days … they only have four.” When Stephen was first added to the transplant list, Lorraine said they did not spread the news beyond close family and friends. Now, however, they are trying to reach out to more people in hopes of finding a donor before Stephen’s health gets worse. “His life was so full,” Lorraine said. “He’s always been just the one up front and center in anything that goes on [at the Exceptional Foundation], until this.” Still, it’s difficult for the Dabneys even to ask. “How do you approach someone?” Al said. Al and Lorraine believe many people are hesitant to be living donors because of fears about the surgery and health risks afterward. However, Tankersley said new, minimally invasive procedures mean donors are typically in the hospital for only a couple days after surgery. “I think people are scared or don’t know,” Lorraine said. According to the National Kidney Foundation, the remaining kidney in a living donor will

Birmingham Kidney Walk • WHERE: Samford University Track and Soccer Stadium • WHEN: April 30, 9:30 a.m. • WHAT: Fundraising goal of $185,000 • WEB: birminghamkidneywalk.org

increase in size to compensate for the donated one’s absence. Donors can go on to live regular lives, making some modifications to protect the remaining kidney, with no changes to their life expectancy or likelihood of kidney failure, the Foundation says on its website. Tankersley also said that UAB has a crossmatch program, where they match two sets of incompatible donors and recipients with each other if each donor matches the opposite recipient. That way, two patients can receive a kidney even if they don’t have a family member or

3.6 YEARS

average wait time for a kidney transplant

8,000 Alabamians on dialysis

14 MINUTES frequency in which someone is added to a kidney transplant list

SOURCE: ALABAMA KIDNEY FOUNDATION

friend who is compatible with them. If the Dabneys can find a donor for Stephen, his energy will return and he’ll be able to travel, play sports and spend time with friends again, without being held down by the dialysis machine. “We just want life to get back to normal for him,” Lorraine said.

Benefitting Aldridge Gardens Reception 6 pm, Dinner & Live Auction 7:30 - 9 pm Honorary Host Hoover Mayor Gary Ivey Reserved table for eight: $2000 | Individual tickets: $250 each To purchase tickets online visit aldridgegardens.com For more information call 205.682.8019

3530 Lorna Road, Hoover, AL 35216

enjoy life outside.

Aldridge Gardens is a 501 (c) (3) non profit organization. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. PANTONE 7484

CMYK C: 100 M: 0 Y: 85 K: 50

CMYK C: 47 M: 60 Y: 79 K: 68

PMS 400

CMYK: C: 0 M: 3 Y: 6 K: 16

Sun

Community B2 School House B4 Home and Garden Guide B5

Spring

SECTION

B APRIL 2016

Home Guide special advertising section

INDEX

Spring is in bloom, and it’s the perfect time to plant a garden, do some cleaning or start a home renovation. Find tips and tricks from area businesses to jump-start any project in our guide. See B5.

Carpet Warehouse ..............................B5 Gardner Landscaping .........................B6 Advanced Turf Care ............................B6 Plumb One ............................................ B7 Skelton’s Heating and Air.................. B7 DSLD Land Management ...................B8 Anna Lu Hemphill ...............................B9 Urban Home Market ......................... B10 EZ Roof ................................................B12

Decorating Den Interiors ..................B13 Sentry Heating and Air .................... B14 Nix Design Build .................................B15 Cottage Supply Company .................B16 Sunrise Lawn Service .......................B17 Hanna’s Garden Shop ....................... B18 Specialized Renovations ................. B18 Construx ..............................................B19 5 Star Rooﬁng ....................................B19

One Man and a Toolbox ................... B20 PLUMCORE ....................................... B20 Cabinet Cures ..................................... .....................................B21 Backyard Creations ...........................B21 Classic Gardens ................................ B22 Grifﬁth Art Gallery .......................... B22 Window Decor HomeStore ..............B23 Starling Concrete Resurfacing .......B23

B2 • April 2016

Hoover Sun

Community Hoover High grad Agsalud headed to West Point

Hoover teen travels to Florida as Children’s Miracle Network ambassador By ERICA TECHO

Jason Agsalud, a 2015 graduate of Hoover High School, recently received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point. Agsalud is currently attending Marion Military Institute in Marion and will be reporting to West Point on June 27 for his basic training. Once he graduates from West Point, he will be a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army. Agsalud graduated Hoover High with honors

and academic excellence and was a member of the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta Honor Society and National High School Honor Society. He played high school baseball for four years and received the Larry Giangrosso Coaches Award and the Shades Mountain Park President’s Scholarship Award for Outstanding Performance in Sports and Academics during his senior year. He is the son of Butch and Andrea Agsalud. – Submitted by Andrea Agsalud.

Hoover teen James Strong had the chance to represent Alabama in Orlando, Florida, this February. Strong, a Berry Middle School student, was chosen as the 2015-16 Children’s Miracle Network ambassador for the state of Alabama, and he left to take part in the official Ambassador Tour in Walt Disney World on Feb. 23. “We’re so excited for him to be a part of this special event and really just get the red carpet treatment,” said Cayleigh Cummings, community development coordinator for Children’s of Alabama. In Florida, Strong and his family helped spread the word about Children’s Miracle Network and why children’s hospitals need financial support. Kim Mitchell, Strong’s mom, said they looked forward to representing the state and Children’s of Alabama as well as reconnecting with other families in the Children’s Miracle Network. Strong was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition that prevents fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord from draining, before he was born. Doctors said he could be deaf, mute, blind, disabled and mentally incompetent and that he would not live past the age of 3. He has now undergone more than 20 surgeries and is 14 years old. Strong also has cerebral palsy, Dandy-Walker syndrome and a spinal tumor, but his motto continues to be “Go strong or go home.” “In the midst of everything he’s been through, he’s a fighter,” Mitchell said. “So James Strong earned his name, the strong one, because he’s just that.”

A representative of Children’s Miracle Network holds a sign in support of James Strong before he left for the Ambassador Tour in Walt Disney World. Photo by Cherie Olivier.

Watch James Strong’s story:

280living.com/topics/video

hooversun.com/videos

HooverSun.com

April 2016 • B3

Hoover High students send 6-year-old boy with heart defect to Disney World By JON ANDERSON Being born with a congenital heart defect has made life challenging for 6-year-old A.J. Thompson, but students at Hoover High School recently gave the Hueytown boy a surprise to make life a little better. Over the course of the year, the Hoover High Student Government Association raised $15,000 to send A.J. and his family to Walt Disney World, in partnership with Make-A-Wish Alabama. The students broke the news to the youngster at a pep rally for the Hoover High baseball team in early March. He thought the only reason he was being invited to the gym was because the baseball team had made him an honorary member of the team for a game against Vestavia Hills. But after they got him in the gym, he was greeted by characters from his favorite movie, “Toy Story,” and Ronald McDonald. Then students opened up a giant banner telling A.J. he was going to Disney World. “I thought I was going to go crazy,” A.J. said. The young man said he was kind of scared being in front of thousands of high school students in the Hoover High gym, but that didn’t stop him from celebrating by throwing his hands in the air, hugging his mom and batting balloons around the gym. A.J. already was excited about being an honorary member of the Hoover Bucs baseball team, his mother, Gina Thompson, said. He played T-ball for two years, but his cardiologist wouldn’t release him to play this year because of his heart status, she said. The generosity of the students at Hoover High is greatly appreciated, his mom said. “I’m just amazed — everybody coming together just to make his day,” she said. “It was almost breathtaking. When you see this community that doesn’t even know you and all these people gathered around for your son that they don’t even know, it’s wonderful.” A.J. has had a hard time since he was born, his mother said. He underwent open-heart surgery at 4 months and

Watch A.J.’s surprise as it unfolds:

280living.com/topics/video

hooversun.com/videos

again at 11 months and probably will have to have another open-heart surgery this summer, she said. He tires easily because his heart is constantly “beating 90-to-nothing all the time,” she said. But “he’s come a long way. He’s done things they said he was never going to do. He’s just really beat the odds,” she said. “He’s a trooper.” A.J., his twin 4-year-old sisters and 13-year-old half sister and his parents all were given the trip to Disney World free of charge. The Hoover High SGA raised money for A.J.’s trip with a variety of fundraisers, including a pre-game tailgate before the Vestavia Hills-Hoover football playoff game, tickets and T-shirts sold for the school’s Sadie Hawkins dance and sales of “Home Sweet Hoover” T-shirts. “I’m so excited,” SGA President Jordan Walters said. “We’re just privileged that we could all come together and help him and his family have a good time at Disney World. I think it was really an eye-opener for the student body.” The Hoover High baseball team presented A.J. with a Hoover Bucs baseball jersey and cap, and he also received multiple gifts during a reception afterward, including a “Toy Story” backpack, Buzz Lightyear action figure, coloring books, hats and T-shirts. Lori Salter-Schommer, a spokeswoman for the Hoover mayor’s office, presented A.J. with a proclamation from the mayor’s office and a “Hoover challenge coin” given to special guests of the city and people who have overcome challenges or achieved noteworthy accomplishments.

B I RM I N G H AM

BoTanICal GarDens

SPring Plant Sale M ore T han 100,000

Public Plant Sale

Friday, April 15 | 9 - 7 p.m. Saturday, April 16 | 9 - 5 p.m. Sunday, April 17 | 11 - 3 p.m.

planTs

Six-year-old A.J. Thompson reacts to the sight of Ronald McDonald during a pep rally at Hoover High School in which he learned he and his family were going to Disney World. Hoover High students raised $15,000 for the trip, organized by MakeA-Wish Alabama. Photo by Frank Couch.

Take us with you.

Brookwood Village Located in the Macy’s parking lot 780 Brookwood Village Birmingham, AL 35209

205.414.3950 bbg ardens.org

Sta ffed by hundreds of vol u nteer s r ea d y to a ns wer you r p l a n t a n d g a r d en i n g q u es ti o n s

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

B4 • April 2016

Hoover Sun

Celebrations

The Variables, from left, Toby Conn, Noah Warren and Jaye Conn, are going to the First LEGO League Robotics World Festival in April. Photo by Erica Techo.

Student group heads to international competition By ERICA TECHO The Variables, a group of three Altamont students, are gearing up for the First LEGO League Robotics World Festival. Hoover residents Toby Conn and Jaye Conn teamed up with their classmate Noah Warren for the First LEGO League Challenge, placing first at the State Championship in December. At the state competition, the students received the first place Champions Award, which recognizes the team that embodies the FLL core values. Teams that do not follow the core values end up getting points deducted, Noah said. “I think that’s a main part of how we won the state competition — we were really nice to all the teams,” Toby said. This year’s theme is Trash Trek, and teams are asked to build and program a robot in order to complete certain challenges. Aside from the robot competition, teams must come up with a project that fits that year’s theme. The Variables decided to take on K-Cups. While they started

with brainstorming repurposing K-Cups, which are not biodegradable, they decided to take the project one step further and reached out to the CEO of Keurig, Brian Kelly. “We had to dig down deep into K-Cup’s website to find the sustainability plan,” Jaye said. “When we found it, they were trying to make a 100 percent recyclable K-Cup by 2020, and that’s a pretty long way off.” The Variables did not want to wait, Jaye said, so they created a video asking Kelly to move up the date of a completely recyclable K-Cup. After sending the video, they received a response from Kelly saying he would fly their team and their parents to the location where they are working on sustainability plans. “It’s kind of awesome because you can just think, ‘What else can we do?’ We’re probably going to have way more opportunities to do stuff,” Toby said. The international competition will be from April 27 through April 30 in St. Louis. For the full story, visit hooversun.com.

Matthews - Coker Mr. and Mrs. Vann Marshall Matthews II are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Mary Houston Matthews, to Cullen Davis Coker, son of Mr. and Mrs. Gregg Richmond Coker of Hoover, Alabama. Mary Houston is the granddaughter of Mrs. David Wyeth Royster, Jr. and the late James Houston Matthews, Jr. of Gastonia, North Carolina, and Mrs. Alfred Rankin Stowe and the late Mr. Stowe of Belmont. She is a graduate of Forestview High School and the University of Mississippi, where she was a member of Chi Omega sorority. She was presented at the 2009 Gastonia Debutante Ball.

Mary Houston is currently employed by Technology Advice in Nashville, Tennessee. Cullen is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Richmond Coker of Norman, Oklahoma, and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Henry Clayton, Jr. of St. Louis, Missouri. He is a graduate of Hoover High School in Hoover, Alabama, and the University of Mississippi. Cullen is a First Lieutenant in the United States Army and is currently serving with the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. A June wedding is planned at First Presbyterian Church in Gastonia, North Carolina.

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

Breathing should be the last thing on your mind. Celebrating 50 Years

Our board-certified allergists at Alabama Allergy & Asthma Center are committed to the peace of mind that comes with every effortless breath. We provide children and adults with the individualized care needed for a better quality of life. Specialized Diagnosis and Treatment: • Asthma

• Food Allergies

• Sinus Issues

• Drug and Insect Allergies

• Seasonal Allergies

• Eczema and Hives

• Chronic Infections

Weily Soong, MD Maxcie Sikora, MD John Anderson, MD Meghan Lemke, MD Sunena Argo, MD Amy CaJacob, MD James Bonner, MD, Emeritus

Make an appointment with our board-certified allergists today.

Call 205.871.9661

visit www.alabamaallergy.com

HooverSun.com

Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section

CARPET WAREHOUSE

Low prices, best flooring selection Carpet Warehouse has served the Birmingham area for more than 20 years. Locally owned and operated by Tim and Tracy Lanier, Carpet Warehouse, conveniently located in Hoover, offers a wide selection of flooring from traditional to contemporary to fit every taste and need. Whether you are looking for carpet for your home or other types of flooring, including hardwoods, laminate, vinyl, LVT or LVP, they have something for everyone. They also offer in home design services, free home consultations, customer area runs. There are also trade discounts for contractors and do-it-yourself customers all at the guaranteed lowest prices. Carpet Warehouse prides itself on offering customers the best quality flooring at the lowest prices. “Our super-low overhead enables us to truly sell for less,” Tim said. “Americans serving Americans — our crews are all time proven American craftsmen.”

Carpet Warehouse offers such top brands as Shaw, Mohawk, Masland, Armstrong, Bruce and Mannington, just to name a few. “There’s really too many to mention. If it’s ﬂooring, we have it!” Tim said. Some of their most popular types of ﬂooring are carpet, hardwood and luxury vinyl tile and planks. The luxury vinyl planks are perfect for families with children and pets. “They look like hardwood but they are virtually waterproof and pet proof,” he said. The Lanier’s enjoy sharing their high level of expertise with customers. “For more than 20 years, our family has served the Over the Mountain area. We are a company you can trust. The secret to our success is our commitment to quality, customer satisfaction at the lowest prices. You don’t survive for over 20 years unless you are doing things right,” he said. For more information, call 205-9895678 or visit carpetwhse.com.

April 2016 • B5

B6 • April 2016

Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section ADVANCED TURF CARE

GARDNER LANDSCAPING

Landscaping with attention to detail and customer needs Grant Gardner grew up with a love of landscaping that naturally led him to the work he is passionate about. “I am a very visual person and have an ability to look at a piece of property and visualize what it will take to make a landscape that the customer will be proud of,” said Gardner. He has worked in the landscaping business for 16 years, developing the skills that led him to open Gardner Landscaping in 2007. Gardner’s goal is to ensure customer satisfaction. Each job is done to the owner’s specifications. “We at Gardner Landscaping want to be known as the best landscaping company in Alabama. We believe we have the attention to detail that will make our customers happy,” he said. Gardner Landscaping offers full service landscaping, installation and design, irrigation, outdoor living areas, landscape lighting,

Hoover Sun

patios and walkways, decks, gazebos, lawn maintenance, flowers, shrubs, trees, lawn aeration, landscape cleanup, drainage systems and fertilization and weed control. There is also a garden center, Gardner Nurseries, fully stocked with a wide variety of plants, flowers, trees and shrubs. Gardener Landscaping is a one-stop shop for all of your lawn care and landscaping needs. “We are able to provide the detail to what we do that makes our customers happy. We are able to complete projects within a short period of time and are responsive to our customers’ needs,” Gardner said. Gardner Landscaping works with all types of budgets and strives to provide customers with landscaping they will take pride in and that will increase property value. For more information, please call 8233168 or visit gardnerlandscapingllc.com.

Focusing on customers to create beautiful lawns Advanced Turf Care, locally owned and operated since 2010, is committed to providing the highest quality lawn care for customers. “We have the expertise to develop a lawn care plan that will make our customers’ lawns flourish,” said Grant Gardner, owner of Advanced Turf Care. “We have lawn technicians who have a personal interest and pride in making sure that the customer has the best looking lawn possible. We are responsive to our customers’ requests and work extremely hard to meet their needs.” Advanced Turf Care offers fertilization, weed control, tree and shrub applications, ornamental bed weed control, lime application, fire ant control and lawn aeration. “We give our customers individualized and personal attention. We are not one of those

companies that works on volume and a cookie cutter business plan,” Gardner said. Advanced Turf Care’s customers’ needs are their top priority, and customer satisfaction is the result. “Our customers tell us that once they give us time to correct their lawns, they have the best looking lawn they have ever had,” he said. The community is very important to Advanced Turf Care. Their employees work with customers to ensure they have the lawn they desire and keep it in excellent condition. Advanced Turf Care makes it easy to have a beautiful lawn, so that you can spend your time with family and friends and have the beautiful home you value. For more information, call 305-7949 or visit advancedturfcare.com.

HooverSun.com PLUMB ONE

SKELTON’S HEATING AND AIR

Dedication to detail and commitment to community Plumb One, family owned and operated since 1997, takes pride in giving customers the highest quality service available to meet all of their plumbing needs. They offer residential and commercial service repairs on water lines, sewers, backed up sewers, sink, tub and drain repairs, faucet repairs and replacements and have emergency service available 24/7. Plumb One was founded by Barry Isbell of Trussville who had a dream, a borrowed van, and $1,000. Today, Plumb One consists of a warehouse, office and fleet of trucks, as well as various heavy equipment. Through commitment to customers and community, Plumb One continues to thrive. Whatever your plumbing needs, Plumb One can provide customers with the best service and quality work available.

April 2016 • B7

Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section

Residential services include new construction or remodeling, bathroom and kitchen plumbing, laying gas lines or plumbing, appliance connections and running pipe throughout the house. They include a oneyear warranty on new construction from the date of completion. Plumb One is committed to providing the surrounding communities with honest, reliable and affordable solutions to all of their plumbing needs. “What sets us apart from other companies is our dedication to detail. We strive to repair your problem the first time, but if we can’t, we will continue to provide quality service until the job is done to your satisfaction,” said Robin Isbell, vice president and owner of Plumb One. For an estimate or more information, call 640-2848 or visit plumbone.com.

Your comfort is our concern Your comfort is their concern at Skelton Heating and Air. Recently named the No. 1 Trane Comfort Specialist in the state of Alabama, they are committed to providing exceptional heating and cooling services to homeowners and commercial establishments. Brian Skelton founded the locally owned and operated company in 2002. Since that time, Skelton has worked diligently at creating long lasting relationships with customers, which has resulted in successfully serving the Birmingham Metro community and employing nearly 20 people. “Skelton’s Heating and Air Conditioning has been serving residential and commercial customers for many years,” Skelton said. “All of the equipment we use and recommend is certified to be of exceptional quality. “Additionally, we constantly strive to reduce our costs in order to offer reasonable prices to our customers. In an emergency,

Skelton’s is available to ensure that you stay comfortable. And since a major portion of our business comes from referrals, our continued success is a reflection of our commitment to our customers.” Skelton’s prides itself on courteous and prompt service. They offer a full range of air conditioning and heating products and services while providing outstanding on time service and repairs. Qualified technicians and installers provide knowledgeable equipment advice. Services include equipment replacement, preventative maintenance, complete system installation, duct work and service repair. Skelton’s is running a special spring promotion from March 15 through May 30 in which customers can buy a qualifying Trane system and choose either no interest until January 2021 or a trade allowance up to $1,000. Special terms apply. For more information, call 991-5878 or visit their website, skeltonsair.com.

B8 • April 2016

Hoover Sun

Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section

DSLD LAND MANAGEMENT

Design your dream landscape DSLD Land Management is a full-service design/build landscape contractor ﬁrm. We are a family owned and operated company that strives to meet and exceed the expectations of our clients. During our initial consultation, all on-site factors are considered from function to form, with special emphasis given to economy and value added work. DSLD Land Management, Inc. opened its doors in 1983. Today, DSLD has built an excellent reputation in landscape construction as a prominent design/build company that services central Alabama. Over the past 30 years DSLD has been recognized and featured multiple times in publications such as Southern Living Magazine and Builder’s Architect Magazine. DSLD welcomes projects of any scope and size, and stands ready to serve our clients with a full staff of licensed and degreed designers, a full-time administrative assistant and one of the most experienced ﬁeld service teams in the business.

DAVID H. SHARP

Pursing his life-long interest in horticulture and business, coupled with a background in drainage and soil erosion, David Sharp was inspired to create the ideal landscape construction company specializing in residential design and installation. This inspiration is now DSLD Land Management, a full service design/ build landscape contractor ﬁrm founded in 1983. David studied geotechnical engineering at the Ohio State University. While a student at OSU David was offered and accepted a scholarship to Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, where he graduated with a degree in business administration.

integrated into everyday ofﬁce work,” she said. “When you are working toward a common goal, it gives purpose and life to the task at hand. Also, having been in business for over 30 years and having established themselves as leaders in the Design, Build Landscape community, it’s inspiring to see what has already been accomplished and leaves me motivated to ﬁnd ways to leave my footprint and invest in such an inspiring company.”

Soon after graduating David became interested in applying his background in geotechnical engineering and business administration to a new course of study in ornamental horticulture. In addition to learning from the environment around him, David has developed a more thorough understanding of various cultural landscape design applications from his travels throughout Europe and Asia visiting gardens and landscapes in over 20 countries. David ﬁrmly believes in the value of family. Not only does he enjoy his family, but also works to improve the lives of families with at risk children. David sits on several national board of directors where he volunteers on behalf of foster and adopted children across the country.

J. COLE SHARP

Growing up alongside his father, Cole Sharp learned the family business from the ground up. Cole attended Jefferson State Community

College where he studied computer information systems technology and mathematics. In addition to his major courses, he took horticulture courses to enhance his knowledge of the family business. Today Cole is fully engaged in the day-to-day operations of DSLD; from sales to installation as well as providing technical support.

AMY SHARP

Amy Sharp joined the team in January as ofﬁce manager. She loves being a part of the family-owned business and lending her organizational skills to keeping the business running smoothly. “I love the team mentality that David has

MEGAN A. MCNAIR

Megan McNair is a landscape designer. She is a graduate of Auburn University with a degree in landscape horticulture with an emphasis in landscape design. While obtaining her degree from Auburn University, Megan was able to develop a strong foundation in landscape design. She has advanced training and specializes in software such as Dynascape and ProLandscape. Megan looks forward to continuing her career with DSLD Land Management and creating spaces that reﬂect the lifestyle, purpose and attitude of our projects as well as injecting it with her personal ﬂair. For more information, visit DSLD Land Management at 1178 Dunnavant Valley Road, call 437-1012 or visit dsldlandmgmt.com.

HooverSun.com

Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section

April 2016 • B9

ANNA LU HEMPHILL - REALTYSOUTH

Putting the magic in ‘Magic City’ Anna Lu Hemphill of RealtySouth puts the magic in the Magic City. She can show newcomers to the city everything it has to offer and give locals a fresh perspective on what is available in the town they thought they knew. It’s Hemphill’s love of Birmingham and the real estate business that brings it all to life. She has been serving the Birmingham area in the real estate business since 1994. Being a native, she knows all areas of Birmingham well, whether it’s Hoover, Homewood, Vestavia or Trussville. She serves all areas and clients from all stages of life from downsizing baby boomers to young families looking for their dream home. Her thriving business has grown through the years as the result of referrals that come from a mutual respect between Realtor and client. “I love serving people, helping people whether they are trying to ﬁnd more space or downsize. It’s a ministry of serving customers,” Hemphill said. “I appreciate them and as a result they trust you.” She is passionate about real estate, as well as serving others. “I do whatever it takes to achieve the goal of the buyer and seller. If you do a good job, it makes a difference in someone’s life,” she said. She guides clients through the entire real estate process. “For a buyer, the ﬁrst step is to give them a true picture of what they can afford so they will be more prepared and know their affordability. For the seller, I help them understand the market and

how to make their home competitive,” she said. “There is so much more to buying and selling a home than many people realize. I help them with contracts, ﬁnalizing them and getting them to the closing table. Many people don’t realize the details involved and the various people they will be working with. I understand it and can help them get a better deal. I can help buyers pay the right price for their home, not just the price they are offered. “It’s like putting a puzzle together,” she said. “It is very detailed with appraisals and contracts. I try to be very candid and up front with my clients. It’s important to gain their trust.” Her goal is to make the entire process as easy as possible. “Buying or selling a home can be stressful. My goal is to make it the least stressful possible experience,” she said. As Birmingham has grown and evolved, she has assisted many who have relocated in the city to work in its growing industries including education, banking and the medical community. She introduces them to a city, many were unaware existed, one that is a metropolitan city, but with hometown friendliness. “I am honored when asked to represent someone who is relocating to the city. I am sensitive to their needs. The good part is being able to educate people about the area,” she said. After all, creating magic in the Magic City is her specialty. For more information, please call 540-6135 or visit annalu.com.

B10 • April 2016

Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section

Hoover Sun

URBAN HOME MARKET

Springtime inspiration abounds for rooms needing pick-me-up

pring — we crave it, long for it, wish it would come early. As we look at the cloudy sky, we imagine our hands raised in the air, grasping and drawing back the curtain of gray for a glimpse of blue sky. We watch the sun as it sets and cheer for it to set later and later, as we know it soon will. And with it, we linger a little longer outside. There is something about this time of year that brings hope. We made it through January and passed by February enjoying ﬁres around the hearth and sipping hot cocoa. And just when we think we can’t take another day of winter, spring joins us and we smile. It comes alongside us

with fresh ﬂowers and more warm-than-cool breezes. The trees seem to smile, too, as they sprout buds and become pretty. Everything and everyone is a little happier. It’s this time of year when our homes long to smile, too … a small pick-me-up is needed. It’s like it signals to us, calls to us from the other side of the room for some colorful throw pillows or a patterned rug, maybe a table lamp to brighten a dreary corner. Our homes get tired of winter, too, and could use a touch of spring. Imagine opening the doors of Urban Home Market and walking into Pinterest and beautiful springtime. We often hear wonderful compliments such as this from our

customers wandering throughout the store: “It’s like being inside Pinterest!” This is what makes the trip to Urban worth the drive: the inspiration we provide. The creative energy is palpable as displays and vignettes are arranged by our team, taken down, and then re-created as a new idea is born. Here, you will ﬁnd friendly faces and helpful staff to greet and show you around. Or, you may just wish to leisurely browse throughout the showroom. Our top-notch designers are the best the industry has to offer, and amazingly, their services are complimentary inside the store or in your home. Now, that’s something to smile about!

Just as spring and longer sunsets bring a smile to our faces, visiting Urban Home Market will also. As warmth edges into the atmosphere and buttercups emerge, hopeful that winter is on its way out, our interiors await you. From the helpful, friendly staff, and the award-winning designers to the stunning and inspiring showroom, Urban beckons you to return again and again. We look forward to welcoming you and to becoming part of your happy spring. – Written by Tammy Heinss. For more information, visit Urban Home Market at 1001 Doug Baker Blvd., Suite #101, call 980-4663 or visit urbanhomemarket.com.

HooverSun.com

Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section

April 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ B11

B12 • April 2016

Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section

Hoover Sun

EZ ROOF

What to know about roofing We asked roofing specialist Gerry Rotter of EZ Roofing what homeowners should be aware of regarding roofs. Q: What advice would you give to someone thinking about replacing his/her roof? A: Talk to a professional. Find someone who is fully licensed and insured, with experience and a good reputation. Always use a company that is rated A+ with the Better Business Bureau. Remember, if you have any warranty issues that arise, you want a company that will be around, that you can find years down the road. Look up the address of the business using Google Earth. Choose a company with a brick-and-mortar business, not one operating out of a basement. Find reviews and ask for references. The biggest thing — ask questions. Your roofing contractor should be knowledgeable about products and solutions for your individual project. Also, ask about warranties. What extended warranties can you provide? What is your labor warranty? Q: What are some signs that you need a new roof? A: One sign is if you notice your shingles are curled, cracked or missing, or you find shingles on the ground. Age is also a big factor. If your roof is at least 20 years old, you may need a new roof. Are your neighbors getting new roofs? Homes built around the same time period and in the same location will experience the same types of weather conditions and natural wear. Did your neighborhood experience a hailstorm or high winds? You may have damage that is covered under your homeowner’s insurance. When in doubt, call a professional roofer to give you a free consultation. A roofing professional can

tell you how much life is left in your roof, if there is storm damage worthy of a filing a claim, and what action is recommended. Be careful, though. There are groups that I refer to as “storm chasers” that just go after insurance claims and encourage you to file a claim, whether there is one or not! This can increase your rates. Make sure you are talking to someone who has your best interest in mind. Q: Why should a homeowner choose EZ Roof as his/her roofing contractor? A: EZ Roof is locally owned and operated and has been in business for over 10 years. We are fully licensed and insured and have worker’s compensation and general liability. EZ Roof has an office and showroom located at the corner of Valleydale Road and Caldwell Mill Road. You can visit us in person and view real samples of the products we use. You can always put a face to the name. EZ Roof has a full-time staff, which means we do not subcontract out our roofing jobs. You will always be getting someone reliable, professional and experienced on your job. We also make payment easy. We do not collect anything up front, but rather upon completion and satisfaction of the job. Financing is also offered to help with the upfront expense of a new roof. We pride ourselves on our reputation and treating our customers like we would our own family members. I encourage you to look us up and read our reviews. EZ Roof is top rated on professional roofing sites, has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and has an A rating with Angie’s List. For more information on EZ Roof, call 968-1034 or visit ez-roofer.com.

HooverSun.com

Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section

April 2016 • B13

DECORATING DEN INTERIORS

Beat the heat with beautiful windows Summer is right around the corner and looks like it could be another scorcher. Everyone is looking for ways to reduce their cooling bills, but there are a few beautiful ways you may have overlooked — window treatments. Draperies, roman shades, blinds and shutters can be effective in keeping the summer heat outside where it belongs and reducing the stress on your cooling unit. Sunshine pouring through your windows brightens a room and creates a cheery atmosphere. Unfortunately, it can also do irreparable damage to your furniture, flooring and upholstery. When it comes to drapery panels and roman shades, there are many ways to line them to increase the energy efficiency. Interlining, a flannel lining, can be used between the decorative face fabric and lining providing a great “blanket” for your room. Blackout lining can also be used to provide even greater protection from the heat. French blackout is another form of lining that uses four layers of fabric to provide the ultimate room darkening treatment. It is ideal for those who sleep during the day and need total light blockage. Woven Wood blinds also make a great light and heat barrier for your rooms. Treatments can also be combined to increase your energy efficiency and make a distinct look for your room. You might start with wood blinds and add panels or a valance, or you may use woven wood blinds alone. Another look is to add a soft shade with a valance or just use stationary panels or full draw draperies. No two custom window treatments are exactly alike. Add the thousands of fabrics available, and the possibilities are endless! Finally, no one wants to live in a fish bowl. We all value our privacy, and window treatments are a great way to not only keep the heat and cold out but also the prying eyes of passersby. The proper window dressing will shield you and your belongings from inquisitive glances. This is particularly important to those who live at

street level in areas where foot trafﬁc abounds. The job of an interior decorator is to help you choose the right fabric, treatment and hardware to enhance your space. Whether you want to block light, create privacy, camouﬂage a window mistake or frame a beautiful view, an interior decorator and an experienced workroom can help you avoid costly mistakes when it comes to window

treatments. Think of window treatments as the jewelry for your room. You wouldn’t wear Versace to the ball and forget your earrings or necklace! Decorating Den Interiors has been providing their clients custom window treatments and home furnishing for over 45 years. Laura Purvis owned and operated a custom window treatment workroom and decorating business for over 14

years. For all your window treatment, furniture, accessory, ﬂooring and wall covering needs, let the professional designers at Decorating Den Interiors help you create the room of your dreams. Call Decorating Den Interiors for your free consultation today! For more information call Laura Purvis at 447-4589 or visit decdens.com/laurap.

B14 • April 2016

Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section

Hoover Sun

SENTRY HEATING AND AIR

On guard for your comfort Sentry Heating and Air was founded in 1987 by Charlie Conklin on the principle of providing fast and reliable 24-hour, seven-days-a-week HVAC service with professional, uniformed technicians. Sentry offers heating, air conditioning, plumbing, generators and electrical services. In addition to these services, they offer their Comfort Guard Service Agreements, which is the best way to make sure your home or business HVAC and electrical systems are operating efficiently and safely year round. They specialize in residential, commercial, and light industrial service and replacement, light commercial and industrial design build HVAC installations and historical building restorations. The award-winning Sentry Heating and Air is fully accredited and maintains strict quality, safety and environmental standards. This relentless pursuit of continuing education and drive to be the best is one of the many things that sets Sentry apart from others. Customers can expect fast courteous and reliable service with highly skilled and friendly technicians. Everyone at Sentry Heating and Air strives to provide outstanding customer service both in the field and in the office to keep customers happy and comfortable in their homes. “We take pride in taking the time to do every job the right way the first time and going the extra mile to ensure every customer is happy with the work that we perform. You will always encounter clean, friendly and well-trained technicians when you call Sentry. We are ‘On Guard for Your Comfort’ 24/7,” said Lauren Conklin, Sentry Heating and Air. “One of the secrets to our success is surrounding our business with highly skilled office and technical staff. Our employees are like family here at Sentry. We believe that when you invest in their future, they will be willing to invest in

your business’ future successes’ as well.” One of the best ways customers can save money and keep units running smoothly for years to come is through maintenance. “The importance of maintaining and servicing your units is crucial to extending the life of your HVAC unit. Our Comfort Guard Service Agreements can help prevent untimely breakdowns and keep your unit clean and running at its maximum efﬁciency,” she said. Spring is the perfect time to make sure your

air conditioning unit is working perfectly before the hot summer months are upon us. Sentry recommends keeping all shrubbery and bushes trimmed back from units. This not only keeps unwanted debris from getting into the system, but also helps our technicians properly service your unit during a maintenance inspection. Filter changes are a great way to keep your unit running smoothly, with the pollen and other air borne particles drifting throughout your

home, a stopped up filter can shut your unit down, or put strain on its efficiency. “Remember, we sell custom and regular sized MERV 8 and above filters for your home at Sentry, they are a far superior quality and cost less than the ones you would buy in any home store,” said Conklin. Sentry is currently featuring a spring tune up special per ad for their electrical services. For more information, call 979-9864 or visit sentryheating.com.

HooverSun.com

Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section

April 2016 • B15

NIX DESIGN BUILD

Changing industry in Birmingham Nix Design Build is full-service remodeling company specializing in design-build project delivery that is changing the construction industry in Birmingham through strict adherence to the core principles of craftsmanship, integrity and value. Jeremy Nix has been part of the construction and remodeling industry for many years, having managed multiple, diverse residential home and multimillion dollar commercial and government projects. The quality of his work has brought him recognition as an industry leader by Professional Remodeler magazine and an inclusion on their “40 under 40 Class of 2014” list. Jeremy also received first place in the 2008 ABC Excellence in Construction Awards for the $5 to $10 million category. As an employee of RSU Contractors of Nashville, he opened that company’s Birmingham office at 920 Oxmoor Road, Homewood, in early 2014. Under his guidance, the local branch flourished and, in June of this year, Nix purchased the Birmingham division, renaming it Nix Design Build (NDB). “The name may be new, but our location is the same and our highly dedicated and professional team remains intact,” he said. “Making this a ‘hometown’ company allows us to not only better serve our area but to be more community focused and more active locally.” For those unfamiliar with design-build, it is a method of building in which the design and construction of a new space are contracted and controlled from one source. Traditional construction methods often require the client to serve as the designer or, worse yet, as a referee/mediator between the general contractor and the designer or architect. But NDB serves as a single point of accountability, creating a more organized and controlled project. This process helps prevent unnecessary delays in schedule and added construction costs due to unforeseen design discrepancies typical of traditional construction.

“The NDB team can take you from zero to your design and then ﬁnished project with everything tailored to your budget,” Nix said. “NDB’s ability to provide our clients with excellent customer service and superior craftsmanship reﬂects the construction experts on our staff, the top design professionals we partner with, and our overall implementation of the design-build process.” The advantages of the design-build process include:

► Maintaining realistic project completion dates and reduction in the amount of time from the inception of your project to its completion. Teamwork reduces rework and redesign. ► Phased construction: Allowing construction to begin before the full design is complete saves time. ► The creation of a non-adversarial relationship between owner, design members and the construction team. Team members are

encouraged to work together to solve issues between design and construction to save time and money. ► Contractor-directed change orders are minimized, if not completely eliminated. Ongoing estimating during the design phase results in more accurate and guaranteed construction costs. For more information, call 352-4100 or visit nixdesignbuild.com.

Nix Design Build

B16 • April 2016

Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section

Hoover Sun

COTTAGE SUPPLY COMPANY

Transforming your home into the cozy retreat of your dreams Cottage Supply Company in Hoover has just the perfect touch for your home, whether you need paint, flooring or décor. Just as the name suggests, Cottage Supply Company can transform your dwelling place into the cozy retreat of your dreams. The store is filled with inspiration, from beautiful shades of paint to flooring solutions, including carpet, tile and stone, luxury vinyl tile, pre-finished wood, or sand-and-finish wood — there’s something for everyone. Cottage Supply Company started out over 12 years ago as a “plain Jane” paint store in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, when owner Sonny Blaising purchased a local Benjamin Moore paint store called Cabiness Paint & Decorating. In 2008, the Hoover store opened under the name Hoover Paint and Decorating, and in 2010, they purchased an existing paint and flooring store in Pelham. Over the last five years, they have expanded to include fl ooring in all three locations. “When we first opened, each store had its own, independent name. In 2015, we renamed all our stores to Cottage Supply Company to not only streamline our company, but to represent everything we offer our customers,” said Lani George, business manager. “As a company, we hope to help customers create a cozy, cottage-like home that is comfortable, functional and affordable. We strive

to provide our customers with excellent service and knowledgeable people to help them create the space they are dreaming of,” said George. Cottage Supply Company is a Benjamin Moore Signature Store, and they also have their own private label paint called Cottage Color Boutique. However, they are not just a

paint store, but a place of inspiration and transformation for all of your home décor needs. They offer decorators who can help with all décor selections for your home, from paint to ﬂooring, and have the ability to custom-match paint. Cottage Supply Company offers free in-home estimates on all ﬂooring, and their

installers work directly for them to install carpet, hardwood, vinyl and tile. “We install all types of flooring and backsplashes,” George said. “We can order window treatments and wallpaper, and we have granite, marble and quartz countertops. Our Hoover store manager, Ken Smith, Jr., has over 20 years of experience in the paint business. We value both the paint contractor and the homeowner and offer friendly, one-on-one service to both.” Cottage Supply Company has also recently added a new decorator, Jill Campisi, at their Hoover location. She specializes in color and can help with all flooring selections. The team at Cottage Supply Company strives to provide customers with excellent service and experienced staff to help them create a space they will love coming home to. They go the extra mile to help customers find that perfect shade, that perfect style. Each showroom provides plenty of inspiration while shopping, and their flooring installers go out of their way to have your flooring installed on time. You supply the vision, and they will make it a reality. Together the result is the comfortable, functional home of your dreams. For more information, call Ken or Jill at 205-987-6777 or visit cottagesupplycompany. com.

HooverSun.com

Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section

April 2016 • B17

SUNRISE LAWN SERVICE

Creating beautiful lawns and lasting relationships Sunrise Lawn Service has served the Birmingham area since 2009. “Our mission is to provide Birmingham residents with a high-quality fertilization and weed control service. We strive to build relationships with our customers to help them achieve a beautiful landscape,” said Kelley Zwiebel, who teamed up with Joey Hamaker in 2012. “We have always had a mutual respect for each other’s abilities. That spring, we met and decided to join forces. We discussed our business plans to develop the company, and we have been putting it into action ever since.” The company specializes in lawn fertilization. “We want to do one thing and do it well. We provide landscape fertilization services for residential and commercial accounts,” he said. Having the beautiful lawn of your dreams requires more than regular watering and weekly mowing. Sunrise Lawn Service can design a plan that addresses each and every aspect of your lawn’s health and growth needs. Their program is a constantly evolving system of products that have been developed over the past 15 years. Their experienced technicians are trained to provide quality care to use the right materials at the right time to get the results you expect. Zwiebel advises homeowners to prepare their lawns now for summer. “The absolute most important thing to do is apply pre-emergents to prevent crabgrass and many of the summer weeds. Pre-emergents create a barrier within the lawn to prevent the germination of weed seeds,” he said. Their team is very experienced in treating the various grass types prevalent in the area, including Bermuda, zoysia, centipede and St. Augustine. Their licensed and experienced technicians are trained to provide quality care, using the right

materials at the right time each season. All of the Sunrise Lawn Service team is passionate about what they do and committed to quality service. “We feel what sets us apart from the others is our people,” he said. “Our guys have a passion for what they do. We take great pride in creating beautiful lawns. At the end of the day what matters most is that the person treating your lawn cares and is going to take the time to do it right.” A great team is one of the keys to their success. “Just like in football and baseball, you must have the best person that you can ﬁnd in each position throughout the organization,” he said. “In addition, we promote a family environment that makes people want to come to work. Everyone feels that they have a voice in the operations on the business.” Sunrise Lawn Service is currently offering 50 percent off of the ﬁrst lawn application (up to 10,000 square feet), a savings of up to $35. For more information, call 849-9229 or visit birminghamweedcontrol.com.

✓ Crabgrass Pre-emergent ✓ Fertilization & Weed Control ✓ Insect & Disease Control ✓ Results Guaranteed!

B18 • April 2016

Hoover Sun

Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section

HANNA’S GARDEN SHOP

SPECIALIZED RENOVATIONS

Little steps build beautiful path “Can’t you just feel the sunshine…?” – James Taylor Spring is springing — have you noticed? Time to get outside and plan your garden’s revival. No need to rush it. Little steps will do. Hanna’s garden experts are here to lead you down a beautiful garden path. Hanna’s has everything you need to bring forth nature’s wonder in your own personal landscape — a vast selection of annuals and perennials, shrubs, fruit and shade trees and plenty of choice evergreens. Did we mention Encore azaleas, Knockout roses, Limelight hydrangeas, Okame ﬂowering cherries? Or, Cherokee Princess dogwoods and Dynamic crape myrtles? You’ll ﬁnd all these and much more in Hanna’s four acres at the foot of Oak Mountain — truly Birmingham’s best selection of plants, shrubs and trees. Hanna’s also carries everything you need

for a lush lawn — including ﬁve varieties of sod (by the piece or pallet), soil testing kits and Fertilome lawn applications — to control pests and weeds, and nurture your yard now. If you’re not ready to tackle the whole bloomin’ yard, start small — perhaps with a few container plants. Hanna’s offers a wide selection of houseplants, seeds, herbs and veggies — and the perfect containers for them. They’ll even plant a container with plants of your choosing. If Hanna’s sells it, they can also deliver it — including landscape rocks. Everything comes straight to your garden — healthy and ready to enrich your lifestyle. All from Hanna’s, the plant savvy garden shop with a passion for growing things — and for sharing its unparalleled garden expertise. Hanna’s Garden Shop is located at 5485 U.S. 280 East. For more information, call 991-2939 or email support@hannasgardenshop.com. Visit hannasgardenshop.com.

Come and hang with us at

Hanna’s Garden Shop

to protect your plants from the last cold snap of the year!

From begonias to geraniums or ferns – get ‘em now and save!

Come back for the expertise.

Come for the healthy plants.

Open Monday-Friday 8am-6pm Saturday 8am-5pm | Sunday 11am-5pm 205-991-2939 | hannasgardenshop.com On Hwy 280, across from Drivers Way.

with any purchase of $50 or more! HS0416

Hang with us at Hanna’s and see our great selection of hanging baskets, which can easily be brought inside if the weather turns cold again.

Free 10” Hanging Basket Subject to availability. One coupon per customer. Good through May 3rd, 2016.

Offering home exterior renovations and remodeling If your home’s exterior needs a facelift, the crew at Specialized Renovations are the right people for the job. Dustin Woods and his father started Specialized Renovations about seven years ago. Woods has 20 years of building experience, and said he has wanted to start his own remodeling company for years. “My talented, experienced three-man crew and my father have combined 80 years of building expertise to bring to any specialized remodel home improvement project,” Woods said. Specialized Renovations offers many services in exterior remodeling or renovations, including decks, patios, screened porches, rooﬁng, window replacement, vinyl siding and even additions. Having all of these services available from a single company makes remodeling projects easier for the clients,

Woods said. Rather than having to contract different specialists and coordinate their schedules for each part of the job, Woods is the single point of contact for the entire job because his team can do it all. Specialized Renovations strives to make every job the “best job possible,” Woods said, and to keep their customers satisﬁed. Woods said new clients can expect their renovation job to be done on time and with a clean job site. If you’re looking to start a remodeling job of your own, Woods said the best way to get started is to ask for referrals, especially from friends who are satisﬁed with how their own projects turned out. That due diligence and care on the front end can save time, money and stress in the future. For more information, call 585-6215 or visit specializedrenovations.net.

HooverSun.com

Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section

CONSTRUX

April 2016 • B19

5 STAR ROOFING

5 Star Roofing has you covered

Construx is your 1-stop shop for remodeling, new construction Are you thinking about building or remodeling your home? Take the next step and call the experts at Construx to assist you. Whether you have a specific vision for your home or just a couple of vague ideas, Construx can make it happen. “Many people are choosing to remodel their current home at this time when the economic situation is working in their favor,” said owner and partner Kent Irwin. “And by doing it now, you can immediately enjoy those upgrades while adding value to your home.” Bathroom trends include: ► Getting rid of the tub/shower combo and replacing it with a separate walk-in shower. ► Adding rimless glass shower walls.

► Adding features to allow you to age in place, such as handheld showers, seats and grab bars. ► Installing big plank tiles for floors and walls. Kitchen trends: ► Creating an open floor plan — opening your kitchen to an adjoining room creates a dramatic effect and a great update. ► Installing hardwood flooring gives flow with the rest of the house and feels warm and inviting. ► Creating a kitchen island makes a good break between the kitchen and living space. Consider making it look like furniture. ► Installing quartz countertops. For more information, call 533-2668 or visit construxhome.com.

5 Star Roofing and Restoration has all of your roofing needs covered. The family-owned business is fully licensed, insured and maintains the highest Better Business Bureau rating. “Our core business is to offer repairs and replacements of commercial and residential roofs,” said Adam Brook, operations manager. “Additionally, we have the experience, size and depth of knowledge to offer full storm restoration services including framing, siding and interior repair.” 5 Star Roofing and Restoration partners with GAF, the manufacturer of the best-selling shingle in America, to supply the highest quality shingles, professional sales training and factory installation certification. Their sales reps are factory trained, and the company maintains factory installation certification. They are committed to serving customer needs and providing them with prompt, professional service. “We strive to exceed customers’ expectations during every phase of the job process,” Brook said. “We achieve this goal by building into our processes our vision that quality and excellence are valued over short-term rewards. We believe the secret to our success is consistently holding to our core values of quality,

honesty, integrity, ethics and accountability.” Spring is the perfect time to make those updates and small repairs to your roof to prevent further damage. Brook advises to “repair small leaks quickly, keep your roof and gutters free of debris, and install the proper attic ventilation to extend the life of the roof.” He advises to have your roof inspected annually to look for tiny cracks in the shingles, granulation loss and seal around roof penetrations. Check out their $99 roof tune up for spring. For information, call 518-8433 or visit 5starroofer.com.

B20 • April 2016

Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section

ONE MAN & A TOOLBOX

Hoover Sun

PLUMCORE

Committed to quality home improvement for your home One Man & a Tool Box has been helping people with a variety of home improvement projects and repairs since 1997. “The company was started to fill a void in the market to provide professional contracting services for jobs too small for a general contractor to do,” said owner Jay Moss. “In many cases, small handyman type projects are done by unskilled, unlicensed, uninsured people working out of their trucks going from job to job — many times not completing jobs as they go, or not standing behind jobs after they are complete.” One Man & a Tool Box is insured and bonded to further protect customers. “We offer carpentry, painting, minor plumbing, electrical, pressure washing, roof and gutter repair, appliance installation, drywall repair, door and window repair and more,” he said. Spring is the perfect time to take care of home maintenance issues. One Man & a Tool Box’s affordable hourly rates can fit any budget. “We are a 19-year-old company,” Moss said. “We have invested in technology and

Unique solution prevents hassle of plumbing repairs skill enhancement of our technicians to ensure jobs are done timely and professionally.” Their technicians are skilled and professional. They pride themselves on getting the job done well and on time. “We have multiple technicians, so if you think a job is too large for one man and a toolbox, you can have two men and more if the job requires it,” he said. They service not only Birmingham, but Montgomery, Tuscaloosa and Gadsden as well. For information, please call 823-2111 or visit onemanandatoolbox.com.

PLUMCORE is a leader in all things plumbing related in the Birmingham area. The PLUMCORE team is composed of highly trained individuals who utilize their expertise to partner with owners and businesses in addressing any of their plumbing needs. Although they are known for servicing businesses in the healthcare, government, retail, hospitality, and industrial divisions most are not aware of their pipe lining capabilities. PLUMCORE offers a unique solution to all residential, commercial, and industrial pipe issues through an application called trenchless pipe lining. It is basically creating a pipe inside of an existing host pipe to restore failing drains

and sewer lines without being invasive to an existing property. Most applications can be restored and completed within an eight-hour timeline, which speaks volumes to the hassles of traditional repair techniques. This is a great alternative that is noninvasive, cost effective and environmentally friendly. For more information, call 631-4343 or visit PLUMCORE.COM.

HooverSun.com

Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section

April 2016 • B21

BACKYARD CREATIONS

CABINET CURES

Get custom cabinets without the custom cabinet price tag Cabinet Cures of Birmingham owner Wendi Peeks found a career she loves in an unlikely place. “I never expected to end up in the cabinet business, but two years ago, I stepped out of my own kitchen and into literally hundreds of others. After 20 years as a tutor for high school and college math, the business was a natural fit for my two passions: geometry and client relationships.” Refacing, not remodeling or refinishing, is the up and coming go-to option in a kitchen makeover because of its flexibility, affordability, quality, design and convenience. Cabinet Cures provides custom work without hidden costs and without the need to change out countertops, floors, backsplashes or appliances. Doors and drawer fronts are replaced with solid, wood cabinetry, and

boxes are clad in wood skins of the same species and finish — no laminates, ever. Design choices fill the range from trendy to classic. Detailed measurements, skilled trim carpentry, an eye for design and detail and a relationship, not just a job, are what make Cabinet Cures your cure for the common cabinet. Go from ordinary to extraordinary! The average kitchen reface cost is about $9,000 and takes five days to complete, and you get an 83 percent return on your investment. “Come visit my Inverness showroom, bring pictures of your kitchen and ideas, and let’s make it happen together,” Peeks said. For more information, visit cabinetcures.com or facebook.com/CCBham, or call Wendi at 598-0331 to set up a design consultation.

Turn your yard into an oasis Backyard Creations is committed to giving customers the backyard of their dreams. Whether that includes a swimming pool/ spa installation, decorative walls, landscape design, fireplace, fire pit or that outdoor dream kitchen, they do it all. They specialize in residential and commercial gunite, shotcrete, fiberglass, vinyl liner pools and even half in/half out of the ground pools. Their new storefront does water testing and carries a full line of chemicals, pool/spa accessories, grills (Grill Dome), patio furniture, game tables, spas and much more. They also do aboveground pools, pool service, resurfacing, liner changes and much more. Backyard Creations strives to build a relationship with the customer. As a result, they have been in business for 20 years largely based on word-of-mouth referrals. They credit our success to “hard work and doing what you say you will do, when you

Transform your old cabinets to NEW in just 5 days!

REFACE, don’t REPLACE Call 205-598-0331 • New Solid Wood Doors and Drawer Fronts • Painted or Stained • Custom colors & styles • No laminates EVER • Soft-close, hidden hinges • New knobs and pulls • Professionally finished and installed (no subs) • Save $$$$ over remodeling We want a relationship, not just a job!

Owner: Wendi Peeks Showroom (Inverness Village): 5291 Valleydale Rd., Suite 121

Now Offering The Incredible Pool That Fits Any Backyard, Any Budget, Anywhere!

said you will do it,” owner Todd McGarity said. Backyard Creations is also an exclusive Radiant Pools dealer. Radiant Pools offer incredible benefits due to unique manufacturing technology, unlimited installation options, incredible warranty protection and energy savings (that over time, allow the pool to pay for itself). No other pool on the market today can offer this complete value-added package to fit any budget. Backyard Creations provides unsurpassed quality and value. They have served more than 40,000 satisfied customers since 1998, including more than 15,000 above-ground pools and over 400 in-ground pools. Make your backyard into a dream oasis you can enjoy with your family and friends. For more information, call Todd at 9651902 or visit website, backyardcreationsal. com.

B22 • April 2016

Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section

CLASSIC GARDENS

GRIFFITH ART GALLERY

Making your garden grow Mike Pender was born with a passion for gardening. In 1973, at the age of 20, Mike actually started getting paid for his passion when he went to work for the Southeast’s largest landscape company. Then in 1980, he and his wife, Ann, stared their own company, Classic Gardens. Classic Gardens offers a large array of landscape services from irrigation and night lighting to sod installation, fixing drainage issues, shrub and tree installation and building hardscapes such as sidewalks, patios, retaining walls and outdoor kitchens. Mike and Ann, along with a talented staff, assist customers across four counties with their gardening problems. Classic Gardens is widely known for their expert lawn care service, being able to diagnose problems that no one else can. Classic Gardens applies products to your lawn on a

Hoover Sun

timely basis to keep weeds out and grass green. They also make sure fungus and insects stay under control. What highlights Classic Gardens is not only do they offer you the above services, but also they have a beautiful garden center that you can visit and see a huge variety of shrubs, trees and gorgeous flowers. Classic Gardens has been the top selling garden center in the entire nation 20 years in a row of Fertilome Lawn Care Products. The reason is that Classic doesn’t just try to sell you a product, they know the product line inside and out and tell you what to use, when to use it and how to properly use the product. When you come into Classic Gardens, don’t forget to ask about their secret Tomato Program and they will show you how to grow 300 pounds of tomatoes in a pot you can sit on your back deck! For information, visit classicgardens.com.

Perfect art, framing for home Rick and Dave Griffith are passionate about art. The twin brothers and their parents turned that passion into a business in 1987 with the opening of Griffith Art Gallery, which specializes in oil paintings and readymade frames. “We represent about 100 different artists, ranging from emerging and up-and-coming, to world famous modern masters,” Dave said. “We have more than 2,500 original paintings in the gallery and specialize in providing the most beautiful hand painted art to our community at very reasonable prices. We believe that everyone can enjoy owning wonderful art that fits their budget.” The brothers continually add to their stable of artists to provide an inventory of one-ofa-kind creations. “In addition to the huge selection of original art, we also offer ready-made frames of our own design, with up to 10,000 unique styles under one roof. Representing multiple

lines of custom framing, our every day price is always lower than any coupon pricing,” Dave said. “Using all acid-free materials, we are a full-service, custom-framing gallery. Rick or I will personally assist you in selecting the perfect framing choice for any situation. Most framing can be completed in less than a week, usually the next day or possibly while you wait.” Griffith Art Gallery is the perfect place to find that special addition to your collection. “We strive to provide for our customers a relaxed, pleasant atmosphere in which they can peruse thousands of original and unique paintings and frames with the opportunity to take anything they might like home to look at without any obligation,” Rick said. “We want our customers to be so happy with anything they purchase that they wonder how they did without it.” For information, call 985-7969 or visit their website, griffithartgallery.com.

HooverSun.com

Spring Home Guide | Special Advertising Section

WINDOW DECOR

STARLING CONCRETE RESURFACING

Your one-stop shop for home decor Pam Mitchell has more than 15 years of experience in providing custom window treatments. Her store, Window Décor Home, provides customers with custom window treatments including blinds, shades, shutters, draperies and hardware. They have bedding and pillows and a large selection of fabrics, and offer full interior design services. They are the only Hunter Douglas Gallery in Birmingham, showcasing window coverings, including customer favorites like Duette® Honeycomb Shades, Silhouette® Window Shadings, Luminette® Privacy Sheers, wood blinds, shutters and more. They feature hundreds of choices for color, texture, fabric and function. They are now offering custom sliding barn doors and hardware and exterior wood shutters. Window Décor’s experienced design

April 2016 • B23

professionals work with customers to find solutions and provide great looks for your home. They take care of all measuring and installation needs to ensure the perfect fit. Mitchell has always had a love for interior design and found a special niche with window treatments. She is passionate about providing clients quality products. “With constant upgrades and nonstop innovation, I will continue to strive for higher standards and to be the best that I can be at what I do.” Her work continues to inspire her through “meeting new people and putting smiles on their faces, when I can turn their home or office into that masterpiece.” Window Decor can take care of all of your home décor needs. For more information, call 437-9575 or visit their website, alabamawindowdecor. com.

Resurface — don’t replace — your peeling concrete floors Whether it’s a garage floor that is peeling up or a warehouse floor that needs repair, Starling Concrete Resurfacing, LLC, may have a solution. No longer do you need to rip up the concrete and start all over again. Starling Concrete Resurfacing, LLC, offers the latest technology in coatings, overlays and polished concrete that gives customers more options to consider. “Our goal is to make concrete beautiful and functional,” said owner Vernon Starling. “For example, the concrete in most residential garages is damp, dusty and ugly. If it has been painted it is usually peeling up. We can restore that floor and make the garage a great place to entertain, easy to clean and an extension of the house. We can give that customer several more square feet of useful space.”

Starling began the company in 2013 and quickly became successful due to his knowledge about the choices of products that can enhance and repair concrete. “Concrete resurface technology has evolved so the customer has more options than to just tear it out and start over. We can make old concrete beautiful and functional again using that new technology, which is faster and less expensive than replacing the concrete,” he said. Starling Concrete Resurfacing, LLC, is equipped for any job, commercial or residential. “We are a small local business, but we have big equipment for any size floor. We recently completed 24,000 square feet of polished concrete and 10,000 square feet of epoxy,” he said. For more information, call 999-1337 or visit starlingconcrete.com.

Sun

Sports C2 Events C7 Real Estate C17 Calendar C18

SECTION

C APRIL 2016

she’s gonna be a Hoover teen Bailey Ingle in hot pursuit of music career after singing with Keith Urban By JON ANDERSON Everyone has deﬁning moments in their lives, and for Hoover teen Bailey Ingle, one of those moments was Aug. 23, 2014, when she got to sing on stage with country superstar Keith Urban at the Oak Mountain Amphitheatre. Ingle, who had just turned 15 two months before, won a radio competition with 102.5 The Bull and got to sing Urban’s song “We Were Us” with him in front of about 11,000 people. That moment in the spotlight changed her life.

See INGLE | page C14 Photo by Jon Anderson.

C2 • April 2016

Hoover Sun

Sports

Not so Little

talent

Hoover junior establishes reputation as one of the best hurdlers in the state By SAM CHANDLER Barreling down a smooth stretch of Mondo track at the Birmingham CrossPlex in early February, Caitlyn Little appeared to be gliding. With her legs stretched horizontally and feet pointing in opposite directions, she effortlessly leaped over the series of 33-inch hurdles at top speed, clearing each by the slightest of margins. As Little, a Hoover High junior, sped toward the finish in the Class 7A 60-meter hurdles final at the Alabama High School Athletic Association State Indoor Track and Field Championships, she narrowly trailed only one competitor: teammate and training partner Brittley Humphrey. At the line, Little crossed in a personal-best time of 8.71 seconds, placing second to Humphrey, who crossed in a sizzling 8.47. “I know she doesn’t like getting beat by Brittley,” Hoover head track and field coach Devon Hind said, “but she works hard and she’s established herself as one of the best hurdlers ever in the state of Alabama.”

STELLAR CAREER

Often excelling in the shadow of her more established teammate, Little has quietly crafted a stellar prep career, earning a pair of state titles and a trio of runner-up performances while adopting a team-first mentality. “She has been chasing one of the best hurdlers in the nation, but she’s had a great attitude and never gets discouraged,” Hind said. That much is clear. Ever since her days at Bumpus Middle School, Little has brought a spirit of determination to the track, fearlessly chasing after her athletic goals. As a hurdler, there’s no other way to do it. One of the most daunting and difficult events in track and field, hurdling requires courage, as the smallest miscue can result in a wipeout-causing collision with the barrier. Not one to back away from the challenge, Little has persistently worked on her skill, steadily progressing from a seventh-grader who stutter-stepped between hurdles to the high-caliber athlete she is today. “I’ve come a long way from where I was when I first started,” Little said. She has, but not only in the hurdles. Blessed with innate speed, Little also shines in the sprints. And, as a freshman on the Hoover team in 2014, that’s exactly where she made an instant impact, scoring at sectionals in the 100 and 200 meters. But, after qualifying for the state meet as a ninth-grader, she tallied a

pair of 19th and 21st-place finishes, missing the finals in each event. Determined to yield a better result the following year, Little refocused her efforts during her sophomore campaign. Plus, she received a boost of inspiration from a person she considers one of her best friends: Humphrey. Observing her meticulous work ethic up close on a daily basis, Little became dedicated to emulating Humphrey’s example. “OK, I need to get up there with her too,” Little remembers telling herself prior to her sophomore track season. Although frequently battling for position at meets, the duo maintains a close relationship, each playing an integral role in the other’s development. “They challenge each other every day in practice,” Hind said. “They run side by side in the hurdles. Caitlyn will watch Brittley, and Brittley will watch Caitlyn.” Ranked among the nation’s top 20 in the 60 hurdles during the 2016 indoor season, the two, along with coach Erika Russ, provide each other with mutually beneficial insight. “We know what it’s supposed to look like, so if we see something that’s off, we’re like, ‘Oh, OK, we’ll fix that,’” Little said. Reaping the product of her labor, Little’s hard work paid off in 2015. One year after her back-of-the-pack finishes, she captured her first and second state titles at the 2015 outdoor state meet, placing first in the 100 and 200. “It was so great. I think I was seeded to come in third in the 200, so just to win and actually have a state title was just really good,” Little said. After playing volleyball at Hoover as a freshman and sophomore, Little chose not to participate in the fall, shifting her attention solely to the oval for her pivotal junior year.

Caitlyn Little cruises down the backstretch in her leg of the Hoover girls 4x400-meter relay at the Class 7A indoor state meet, held at the Birmingham CrossPlex Feb. 5-6. Photos by Sam Chandler.

WHAT’S IN STORE

Her success carrying over to 2016, Little helped propel the Bucs to a third straight indoor state title this winter. In addition to her runner-up finish in the 60 hurdles, she placed sixth in the 60-meter dash and ran a leg on the second-place 4x400-meter relay. Now, she’s more focused than ever. With aspirations of running for a major Division I university like Florida State or UCLA, she’s striving to lower her times and collect more medals as she contributes to a potent Bucs squad looking for its fifth consecutive outdoor state title. “Being around the team and just scoring points for the team, especially state when you get to win, it’s just a really good experience for everybody,” Little said.

Little celebrates a runner-up finish in the 60-meter hurdles at the Class 7A indoor state meet.

HooverSun.com

April 2016 • C3

Shortstop Mary Katherine Tedder has been committed to Texas since her freshman year. Tedder is the Lady Jags’ main power source in the middle of the lineup. Photos by Kyle Parmley.

Lady Jags battle for more success By KYLE PARMLEY Adversity can bring out the absolute worst in people and organizations. But it can also bring out the absolute best. Count Spain Park’s softball team as the latter. Look back to an early-season contest against Tuscaloosa County, a Top 10 program in Class 7A last season that knocked off defending state runner-up Sparkman the weekend before. The matchup alone was one thing, but the Lady Jags were dealing with the absence of two of their lineup regulars. You could find one of them — Auburn commit Jenna Olszewski — in the press box with a brace on her arm. If you want to pile on, consider that they were trying to replace an all-star in the circle — MK Bonamy is now playing at Notre Dame — with a pair of freshmen, Caroline Kendrick and Kate Campbell. Right fielder Caroline Parker will also log some innings when needed. Not to worry, though. The Lady Jags had things under control. Mary Katherine Tedder, a “stud” in the words of Spain Park head coach C.J. Hawkins, got things started with a bang. The junior shortstop came up in the bottom of the first inning with a runner on, and with one swing of the bat made the score 2-0. Her line shot over the left-center field fence. Leadoff hitter Kynadi Tipler came to the plate with the bases loaded in the second inning, and laced a double to the opposite field for a 4-0 Spain Park lead. Her hit was proof that practice breeds fruit. “I’ve been practicing, working on hitting outside (pitches) to right field,” Tipler said. “When I got that pitch, I knew I could hit it well and score those people.” There is a good reason Tedder has been committed to the University of Texas since her freshman year, as she doubled the score in the fourth inning of that game with a grand slam. Her laser focus at the dish allows her not to worry so much about the home run ball, but just hitting the ball as hard as she can. “My mindset is if she throws it in here, I’m going to bust it. If she throws it in there, then I just swing as hard as I can and if it goes, it goes,” Tedder said. Tedder attempted to give credit to everyone else for her success. “I could never do it without my teammates

Head coach C.J. Hawkins, right, hopes to lead Spain Park back to the state tournament this season.

for encouraging me through every pitch,” she said. Kendrick got the start that night, and never let Tuscaloosa County see a glimpse of hope. She pitched a complete game of six innings, allowing just one run (unearned) on three hits, four walks, and two strikeouts. Bailey Bowers finished off that game with a three-run double to give the Lady Jags an 11-1 victory. The only run Spain Park allowed in the game? An error by Tedder allowed that one in, as she became more animated discussing a botched grounder than either of her big home runs. Not that anyone was upset with her, but she said, “I felt so bad. I don’t even know what happened.” Spain Park fell to Hewitt-Trussville in the regional round of the state playoffs a year ago, and the Lady Jags hope to return to the state tournament once again this season. The hope is that the adversity faced early in the season will breed success come playoff time. For Tipler, a senior, it will have to if her dream is to be realized. “I want to leave Spain Park saying that we won state,” she said.

C4 • April 2016

Hoover Sun

Bucs, Jags end season in Final Four Hoover’s Jamari Blackmon had 29 points in the Bucs’ season ﬁnale. Hoover’s season ended with a 16-19 mark, as the Bucs played a schedule packed with juggernauts with a team that lost nine seniors from its 2015 state champion squad. Photo by Frank Couch.

By KYLE PARMLEY Hoover and Spain Park saw otherwise extremely successful seasons on the hardwood end in overtime disappointment at the Final Four. Both fell in the Class 7A Boys State Semiﬁnals on March 3 in a pair of contests that were down to the wire. It took double overtime, but McGill-Toolen had just enough in the tank to top Hoover, 77-74. The game would not have reached that point without the heroics of Hoover’s Jamari Blackmon, who scored a game-high 29 points in a standout performance. The sophomore guard drove and scored at the buzzer in the ﬁrst overtime period to tie the game. “Coach just told me to create space for myself and I did, and I was able to knock down the shot,” Blackmon said of his shot to force double overtime. The Bucs held an early edge in the second overtime, extending the lead to four before Scott took over. An offensive play went awry late, and forced them to foul Scott. Hoover had one last shot to tie it, but it came up just short. “I’m so thankful and grateful for our kids to have this experience,” Hoover head coach Charles Burkett said. “They’ve worked so hard to get to this point … It was a wonderful ride.” Hoover’s season ended with a 16-19 mark, as the Bucs played a schedule packed with juggernauts with a team that lost nine seniors from its 2015 state champion squad. Burkett said, “It was not as much of a Cinderella as people think. There were so many tough teams and we had to grow with minimal experience.” The Bucs will miss the contributions of another strong senior class, consisting of Jaylan Gaither, Srihari Prahadeeswaran, Kevy Eason, Anthony Jefferson, Robbie Cohen, Wes Banks and Johnathan Postell. Spain Park stormed back in the fourth quarter to force overtime in its game, but fell just short in a 63-61 loss to Central-Phenix City. The

Jags ﬁnished 23-10 under ﬁrst-year head coach Donnie Quinn. “Both teams laid it out there, and they made one more (play).” Quinn said following the game. The fact that the game made it to overtime is a testament to the resilience shown by Spain Park in the second half. Central-Phenix City took off with a ten-point lead early in the fourth quarter, as Jamal Johnson was on the bench with four fouls.

Johnson returned to the floor, and helped the Jags erase that defi cit in just over two minutes. The run happened right after an 11-0 burst from Central. The Jags’ 16-2 run gave them a four-point lead midway through the fourth quarter. Johnson picked up his fourth foul with 2:52 left in the third quarter, but returned in the final minute of the period. He led the team with 20 points to go along with nine boards and four steals.

The junior point guard played with that fourth foul until picking up a controversial charging foul driving to the basket late in the overtime period. Wiley and Justin Brown each eclipsed a double-double for the game. Wiley picked up 19 points, 13 rebounds, and four blocks, while Brown scored 15 and grabbed 10 boards. Spain Park will say goodbye to three seniors in Brown, Jameson Floyd and Bailey Defalco.

HooverSun.com PF Best Deal Starnes 3-14.qxp_Layout 1

April 2016 • C5

3/14/16 9:48 AM Page 1

BEST DEAL ON THE PLANET. $10 A MONTH.

That’s right, for just $10 a month you’ll be working out in the Judgement Free Zone® - That means no egos and no lunks.

Crestline 4500 Montevallo Rd

205-703-0571

Hoover 1839 Montgomery Hwy

205-444-2282

Inverness

Roebuck

168 Inverness Plaza

9118 Parkway East

205-408-0020

205-208-0414

Homewood 146 Wildwood Pkwy

205-719-1722

Vestavia 700 Montgomery Hwy

205-208-0398

www.planetfitness.com *Home Club only. Billed monthly to a checking account. Subject to $39 annual membership fee. With a $39 One Time Start Up fee. Includes t-shirt.

It’s a world gone digital at the North Shelby and Mt Laurel Libraries! Like audiobooks? Click on OneClickDigital, a service available for FREE to library patrons, and check out audiobooks anytime, anywhere.

Hoopla allows you to instantly borrow free digital movies, music, and more, 24/7 with your library card.

Lynda.com gives you access to more than 3,500 tutorials on multimedia production, design, professional skills, and more.

OverDrive puts a large selection of audiobooks at your fingertips, available to all residents of Shelby County.

Also for library patrons • Rent mobile Hotspots to use at home or anywhere you need them • Check out iPads or laptops for use inside the library • Many more digital services available; visit our websites to learn more

www.northshelbylibrary.org www.mtlaurellibrary.org

5521 Cahaba Valley Road | 439-5500 111 Olmsted Street | 991-1660

C6 • April 2016

Hoover Sun

2015-16 1st grade basketball tournament champions CLIPPERS Regular season 5-0 Players pictured from left: ► Jordan Montgomery ► Miles Bledsoe ► Josiah Bain ► Houston Fulton ► Ayden Newman ► Clement Peters (not pictured) – Submitted by Coach Ellis Bledsoe.

Athletes garner All-America honors Treasure Adams. Photo courtesy of Barry Adams.

Spain Park soccer player signs with West Alabama Treasure Adams recently signed an athletic scholarship to play soccer at the University of West Alabama. She is a senior at Spain Park. Treasure played goalkeeper for the Hoover Soccer Club for the past seven years. She plans on majoring in marine biology and performing field research on sharks upon graduation. She is the oldest of three children of Barry and Krista Adams. Barry Adams is a fire lieutenant with the Hoover Fire Department. – Submitted by Barry Adams.

By SAM CHANDLER Five Hoover-area runners garnered All-America honors at New Balance Nationals Indoor, held March 11-13 at The Armory in New York, New York. Composed of Brittley Humphrey, Caitlyn Little, Kyla Horn and Michelle Nkoudou, the Hoover girls 4x55-meter shuttle hurdle relay clinched its second national title in three years. The quartet posted a time of 31.87 seconds to defeat defending champion Western Branch (Virginia) by four-hundredths of a second. The mark did not eclipse Western Branch's national record of 31.22 set in 2015. Humphrey also claimed individual All-America honors in the 60-meter hurdles, notching three consecutive personal records on her way to a fourth-place finish. The LSU signee posted times of 8.39 and 8.29 in two preliminary rounds before running 8.23 in the finals. Humphrey hadn’t set a personal record in the event since she ran 8.43 at NBNI in 2014. Spain Park’s Daniel Nixon placed sixth in the 800

meters with a personal best 1:52.98. Dipping under 1:53 for the first time in his career, Nixon narrowly edged Pennsylvania’s Tucker Desko by fourth-tenths of a second to claim the final All-America spot. Nixon now owns the third-fastest indoor 800 time in Alabama high school track and field history. Although they placed outside the nation’s top six, multiple Hoover girls also posted notable performances at the meet. In the Girls Championship 800, Samford signee Presley Weems ran 2:14.31 to place 16th. Meanwhile, sophomore Sydney Steely etched an indoor personal record in the 800 by over two seconds. She crossed the line in 2:14.11 to place fourth in the Emerging Elite division. As a result, Weems and Steely finished the indoor season with the state’s top-two 800 times. The duo, along with Ava Weems and Caroline Franklin, charged to a 13th-place finish in the 4x800-meter relay. Their time of 9:19.57 is over 20 seconds faster than any other relay in the state.

HooverSun.com

April 2016 • C7

Events

Hazardous Waste Day set for April 23 By JON ANDERSON Got spring cleaning in your blood and need a place to get rid of things that shouldn’t go in the garbage? The city of Hoover is holding its 18th annual Household Hazardous Waste Day on Saturday, April 23 — collecting a host of items best left out of landfills. The event will once again be in the parking lot at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium from 8 a.m. to noon. Last year, 1,081 Hoover residents brought items, said Robin Mangino, the administrative services supervisor for the Hoover Public Works and Park Maintenance Department. That included enough paint and paint-related materials to fill three 30-yard rolloff containers and 17 boxes, 49 55-gallon drums of pesticides, eight 55-gallon drums of flammable liquids and solids, eight 55-gallon drums of antifreeze, six 55-gallon drums of batteries and 28 55-gallon drums of other hazardous materials, city records show. Residents also brought 650 gallons of used motor oil, 125 gallons of used cooking oil, 199 tires, seven boxes of aerosols, 30 fire extinguishers, 315 fluorescent bulbs and 876 compact bulbs, records indicate. The Hoover Police Department last

Workers unload a grill at a previous Hoover Household Hazardous Waste Day event. Photo courtesy of Ricky Linn/Hoover Fire Department.

year took in 687 pounds of leftover or expired medications, almost 78 pounds of ammunition, two handguns and one pellet rifle, Officer Brian Hale said. The Police Department also will collect fireworks, flares, gun powder, military ordnances and souvenirs, explosives, reloading supplies and edged weapons. The Foundry Rescue and Recovery Center is expected to be on hand again this year as well, collecting electronic equipment such as TV sets, printers, computers, keyboards, power cables, radios and telephones. The Foundry

will refurbish and resell items that they can and recycle the rest. The city also will accept U.S. flags that will be turned over to the Boy Scouts for proper disposal. Household Hazardous Waste Day is open to Hoover residents only. Materials will not be accepted from people who live outside the city or from businesses. People should bring a valid driver’s license or current photo ID with their address included. MXI Environmental Services is the company hired to dispose of materials in an environmentally safe way.

Household Hazardous Waste Day ACCEPTED ITEMS

► Aerosol spray cans (with content) ► Automotive fluids (motor oil, antifreeze, brake fluid, gas and/or mixed gas) ► Batteries (automotive and alkaline) ► Caulk/glue ► Drain cleaners/openers ► Fluorescent tubes/light bulbs ► Household cleaners (bleach, oven cleaners, metal cleaners, polishes, toilet cleansers) ► Oil and latex paint, aerosol paint, paint thinners, paint strippers, paint removers (Please note that empty latex paint containers or hardened solid paint are safe to put in the regular garbage. People can bring liquids to a solid by mixing the paint with cat litter, sand or sawdust. Paint lids should be removed before going in the trash bin.) ► Pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers ► Polish (auto and furniture) ► Wood preservative ► Wallpaper remover ► Grease and rust solvents ► Stains/varnish ► Standard vehicle tires (No commercial or heavy

equipment tires will be accepted.) ► Preservatives ► Lighter fluid ► Kerosene ► Moth balls ► Insect repellent ► Waste cooking oil ► Fireworks, pyrotechnics and flares ► Gun powders ► Military ordnances/relics/souvenirs ► Ammunition ► Explosives and explosive materials ► Reloading supplies ► Firearms ► Edged weapons ► Prescription medication ► Non-prescription drugs ► U.S. flags

ITEMS NOT ACCEPTED

► Refrigerators/freezers ► Stoves/microwaves ► Toasters/toaster ovens ► Coffee makers ► Oxygen bottles ► Smoke detectors ► Lawn equipment (weed trimmers and mowers) ► Medical waste (syringes) ► Radioactive material of any kind ► Asbestos ► PCB ► Air conditioners ► Unidentified materials and containers

- cOMMUTESMART RIDESHARE COMMUTER STORY

The Smarter Way to Work! Do you ever sit in traffic and think, “There has to be a better way to get to work?” CommuteSmart is here to help everyone enjoy an easier commute and reduce air pollution in Jefferson and Shelby counties. CommuteSmart offers free online ridematching, carpool and vanpool services, the Emergency Ride Home program and more. We can help you find a commute alternative from home to work and back.

Visit commutesmart.org for more information

C8 • April 2016

Hoover Sun

Bird walks return to Aldridge Gardens

Participants use binoculars to spot different bird species around Aldridge Gardens. Photo courtesy of Richard Ryel.

By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE Aldridge Gardens will be hosting their monthly bird walks again in 2016. For the fourth consecutive year, Dr. Richard Ryel and his wife, Patricia, will lead the walks on the third Saturday of each month from 8-10 a.m. Dr. Ryel said that in this “team sport” type event, participants can identify over 30 types of birds on the two-hour walk through different areas of the gardens, with the help of binoculars. The 30-acre space provides a diverse habitat of birds that live around the lake, in the urban forest and manicured gardens, even in the trees surrounding the parking lot. The gardens have a list of about 100 species of birds, and during the 10 walks, more than 60 will be seen, sometimes even more during the migrations periods. “That many birds on that sized property bodes well for that area,” Ryel said. “We have a great time, and that’s what all makes it worthwhile.” Not just for adults, children are encouraged

and welcomed on the walks. Ryel believes that kids should get out and enjoy the natural environment at an early age. “They’re great to have along,” he said. “They have very inquisitive minds, and ask questions and offer insight even adults may not have thought of.” Ryel said 15 is usually the maximum number of participants he takes on the walks, with many of those returning for multiple times. Registration is encouraged online at For information, visit www.aldridgegardens. com. The monthly event, open to members of Aldridge Gardens only, is free. Scheduled walks: ►April 16 ►May 21 ►June 18 ►July 16 ►August 20 ►September 17 ►October 15 ►November 19

Tablescapes luncheon to feature Sister Schubert

Women enjoy various decorated tables and a silent auction over lunch as part of Hannah Home Shelby and King’s Home Shelby’s annual Tablescapes luncheon. Photo courtesy of Hannah Home Shelby Auxiliary.

By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE The Hannah Home Shelby Auxiliary will host its annual Tablescapes luncheon on Wednesday, April 6 at the Metro Church of God, 2800 Metropolitan Way. This is the largest fundraiser of the year, with proceeds beneﬁting Hannah Home Shelby and Kings Home Shelby Patricia Barnes, founder and CEO of Sister Schubert’s baking company and a resident of Andalusia, Alabama, will be featured as the keynote speaker. She will also have copies of her new memoir cookbook, “Celebrations of the Heart,” for sale and signing. Barnes serves on the Board of Directors of the Alabama Women’s Hall of Fame, is a Visiting Executive in the Lowder School of Business at Auburn University, and is a member of the Women’s Philanthropy Board and the Dean’s Board of School of Human Sciences. She is also president of the Barnes Family Foundation. Janie Dollar, president of the 2016-2017

Hannah Home Shelby Auxiliary, said Schubert will share her testimony and believes it will be one that’s inspirational, especially for the women from the Hannah Home that will be in attendance. The event opens at 10 a.m. to view the tablescapes and bid on silent auction items, which have been expanded this year. Dollar said there are usually 25 to 30 different designers and local stores designing tables. As part of the fundraising effort, guests can vote for their favorite tablescape with a contribution, and the one with the most votes wins. A catered lunch will be served at noon for the upwards of 275 guests. “That helps us not only build our membership base, but helps us to get volunteers to go out to homes and work with the women and children,” Dollar said. Tickets will be available at the door at $40 per person, but reservations are recommended. To reserve a seat or for more information, contact Mary Saggus at mwsaggus1@gmail.com.

Try on all our eyeglass and sunglass frames...

Scan this code to see a video of the software in action!

...without putting them on. When you visit our office, you can experience the state-of-the-art FittingBox technology, allowing you to see how you look in a wide range of frames. Call our office to schedule your appointment. 2000 Southlake Park, Suite 100 [Valleydale Road, across from Faulkner University]

968-1160 drtraceymercer.com

HooverSun.com

April 2016 • C9

Your guide for run, walk events this month By JESSE CHAMBERS In addition to nice spring weather, the month of April will bring numerous walks and runs to our area. They are great chances to enjoy the great outdoors, meet nice people and get some exercise while also helping to raise money and awareness for great causes.

THE WALK FOR AUTISM/5K RACE TO SOLVE THE PUZZLE

The Autism Society of Alabama (ASA) will host The Walk for Autism and the 5K Race to Solve the Puzzle at Veterans Park on Saturday, April 16. The 5K will begin at 7:30 a.m. and the walk at 9:30 a.m. The event will support the ASA’s efforts to improve services for the roughly 50,000 Alabamians affected by autism spectrum disorder. Registration is $35 for the 5K and $30 for the walk. To register, call 951-1364 go to walkforautismal.com.

registration and package pickup will be held at the pavilion at 7 a.m. Participants are urged to pre-register. The fees are $30 for the 3-mile race and $35 for the 6-mile race. Late registration fees will be $5 more. For more information or to register, go to southeasterntrailruns.com/Tranquility-Trail-Run.html.

The Walk to End Lupus raises funds and awareness of Lupus in Veterans Park. Photo courtesy of the Lupus Foundation.

THE WALK TO END LUPUS NOW

The Walk to End Lupus Now will be held at Hoover’s Veterans Park, located at 4800 Valleydale Road, on Sunday, April 10, with check-in at 1 p.m., an opening ceremony at 2:45 p.m. and the walk at 3 p.m. The event will increase awareness of lupus, an autoimmune disease; raise money for research; and rally support for the 27,000 Alabamians who suffer from the disease. To

THE TRANQUILITY TRAIL RUN

The Tranquility Trail Run, sponsored by Southeastern Trail Runs, will be held at Oak Mountain State Park on Saturday, April 9. The event, with 6- and 3-mile races, will begin at 8 a.m. at the Redbud Pavilion. Late

Submit information on a run or walk event that is near and dear to you. Email the event name, date, time and location, registration fee and contacts for registration to kwilliams@starnespublishing.com. walks, a dance party, games for kids and healthy snacks for participants. UAB HealthSmart will offer health screenings. Funds raised will enable kids to attend Camp Seale Harris, Alabama’s only diabetes camp. There is no registration fee; all participants that raise $50 or more in donations will receive an official Diabetes Walk T-shirt. To register or for more information, go to campsealeharris. org.

RELAY FOR LIFE

The Birmingham chapter of the American Cancer Society will host the annual Relay for Life at Heardmont Park, 5452 Cahaba Valley Road, in Oak Mountain, on Friday, April 29, from 5-11 p.m. There are also Relays for Life in several other communities, including Homewood and Mountain Brook, in April. For more information or to register, call 800-227-2345 or go to http://relay. acsevents.org.

Spread the word

The Diabetes Walk supports Camp Seale Harris, a camp for children with diabetes. Photo courtesy of Camp Seale Harris.

THE DIABETES WALK FOR CAMP SEALE HARRIS

The Diabetes Walk for Camp Seale Harris, benefiting Southeastern Diabetes Education Services (SDES), will be held at Veterans Park on Sunday, April 24, from 2-5 p.m. SDES, a nonprofit, educates and supports children with diabetes and their families to live well. The walk will feature 1K and 5K fun runs or

PURPLESTRIDE BIRMINGHAM

PurpleStride Birmingham, presented by UAB Medicine, will be held at Veterans Park on Saturday, April 23, at 10 a.m. The PurpleStride events are held nationally by the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network to boost awareness of the disease and raise money for research and patient support. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m., opening ceremonies at 9:30 a.m. and the walk at 10 a.m. To register or for more information, go to http://bit. ly/1obnMty or to kintera.org/faf/home/default. asp?ievent=1144032.

C10 • April 2016

Hoover Sun

City gears up for 2016 Celebrate Hoover Day

Former Alabama football and NFL standout Bobby Humphrey is scheduled to be the speaker for the 2016 Hoover Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham — The Wynfrey Hotel on May 3, 2016. File photo by Jessa Pease.

Bobby Humphrey to speak at 2016 Hoover Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast Attendees hold their hands to their hearts as they recite the Pledge of Allegiance during the 2015 Celebrate Hoover Day at Veterans Park. Staff photo.

By JON ANDERSON The 2016 Celebrate Hoover Day at Veterans Park is set for Saturday, April 30, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The free event is slated to feature live entertainment from musicians and dance groups, a kids’ play zone with inﬂatables, games, pony rides and a petting zoo, a business expo and a car show. The Birmingham Zoo is scheduled to have an animal exhibit, and the McWane Science Center is supposed to have an area with interactive activities for kids, said Erin Colbaugh, events coordinator for the city of Hoover. The day kicks off with the dedication of memorial pavers that have been bought in the last year to honor veterans in the Veterans Plaza at the park. The 10 a.m. ceremony also includes a re-enactment of the famous 1945 raising of the U.S. ﬂag on the island of Iwo Jima during World War II. The re-enactment will be carried out by the Howlin’ Mad Smith Detachment of

the Marine Corps League. The city also will serve free ice cream and a giant apple pie in a pan that is 10 feet, 3 inches in diameter and weighs 2,000 pounds (without the pie). Food vendors slated to be there include Jim ‘N Nick’s BBQ, Papa John’s Pizza, Bojangles’ Famous Chicken ‘n Biscuits and Repicci’s Italian Ice. The Shred-It paper shredding company will provide free document destruction, and Pro-Tech will be collecting electronic items such as computers, cell phones and printers for recycling. Both of those companies will be set up in the parking lot at Spain Park High School, where parking for the festival will be. An estimated 20,000 people showed up for the 2015 Celebrate Hoover Day, Colbaugh said. “We had perfect weather. It was just perfect the whole day with people there,” she said. “It’s just a great time together with family and friends. You can encourage people to come out and meet you at the park for free activities.”

By JON ANDERSON Former Alabama football and NFL standout Bobby Humphrey has been selected as the speaker for the 34th annual Hoover Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast in May. This year’s event is set for 7:30 a.m. on May 3 at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham — The Wynfrey Hotel. Tickets are $25 and go on sale April 4 at the Hoover Library Theatre box ofﬁce or the box ofﬁce website. Hoover Mayor Gary Ivey said Humphrey was asked to be this year’s speaker because he’s a good friend who has accomplished so much and is an extremely good speaker. “I think they’re really going to enjoy it,” Ivey said. Humphrey, who played running back for the University of Alabama in the 1980s, set many records while in Tuscaloosa, including most 100-yard games, most 200-yard games, most kicks returned, most yards returned and most all-purpose yards. He was named to the All-SEC teams and chosen as an All-American during his sophomore and junior years and was a candidate for the Heisman trophy during his

junior year. An injury sidetracked him his senior year, but Humphrey was drafted by the Denver Broncos and rushed for more than 1,000 yards in 1989, earning the American Football League Rookie of the Year Award and a place in the starting lineup for the 1990 Super Bowl. In 1992, he was traded to the Miami Dolphins and became that team's leading receiver. After his NFL career, Humphrey became the first head coach for the Birmingham Steeldogs Arena Football 2 team. He was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2004 and named a member of the SEC Legends Class of 2014. He now is vice president for business development for Bryant Bank, manager for the Speed City Track Club and a member of the Hoover Parks and Recreation Board. He and his wife, Barbara, live in Hoover and have five children, all of whom have been athletic standouts as well. The deadline to purchase tickets for the 2016 Hoover Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast is April 25. The event, organized by the Hoover Beautification Board, usually draws 550-600 people.

HooverSun.com

April 2016 • C11

LUMA show brings mix of light, color, motion to Hoover Library Theatre By JON ANDERSON Michael Marlin ran off and joined the circus at age 18 and spent a year tending a herd of elephants. Then he made a living as a professional comic and juggler, performing in Las Vegas, before ditching his career and moving to Hawaii, where he lived in a treehouse with no electricity or running water. So it’s probably no surprise that a traveling show he created 20 years ago is rather on the unusual side. He’s bringing that show to the Hoover Library Theatre on April 21-22. It’s called LUMA: Art in Darkness. The show takes place in the dark and uses a combination of light, color and motion in an effort to mesmerize the audience and stir their imaginations. Seven shadowy figures move around the stage and use rhythmic gymnastics, dance, magic, puppetry, physics, ultraviolet light and high-tech, colorful luminous objects to create multitudes of illusions. “It’s completely different than anything we’ve ever done” at the Library Theatre, said Matina Johnson, the fine arts coordinator at the library. “It’s a light spectacle … It’s just a very different show. It’s a little bit of everything.” The show has been seen in 15 countries on five continents, Marlin said in a phone interview from Hawaii. He brought it to Mobile years ago but it has never been performed in the Birmingham area, he said. “It’s a show about light in the dark,” Marlin said. “Every light needs a dark to stick itself into to stand out.” His intent with the show is to create the same sense of awe and wonder that people feel when

The LUMA: Art in Darkness show combines light, color and motion in an effort to mesmerize the audience and stir their imaginations. The show comes to the Hoover Library Theatre April 21-22. Photo courtesy of Hoover Library Theatre.

they see the night sky in all its glory for the first time, he said. Not many people in cosmopolitan areas get to experience that because the world is so lit up with artificial lights, he said. If you look at the United States from satellite images, its easy to see that “the dark is a rapidly disappearing resource,” Marlin said. “It’s fun to be in the dark. We all have those really fond memories of playing in the dark under the covers.” But love for light in darkness is not something that only children have, Marlin said. It stays with people throughout their lifetime, he said. Almost everybody loves holiday lights and fireworks, and even people who have had near-death experiences talk about going toward the light, he said.

Portions of JLB Bargain Carousel to benefit FOCUS On Recovery

A team of golfers at the 2015 Crest Cadillac Golf Classic. Pictured from left: John Lyda, David Luke, Joe DiBenedetto and Don Outlaw. Photo courtesy of the Kiwanis Club of Hoover Metro.

Crest Cadillac Golf Classic to honor former member By ERICA TECHO The Kiwanis Club of Hoover Metro is teeing up for its 24th annual Crest Cadillac Charity Golf Classic. This year’s tournament is in memory of longtime Kiwanis member Dave Broderick, who died in 2015 after a longtime battle with cancer. Broderick also chaired the golf classic for more than 20 years. “We will have an easel where we’re registering all of our golfers, and we’ll make a big poster in memory of Dave,” said Deb O’Hara, chair of this year’s golf tournament. The April 11 tournament will benefit SafeHouse of Shelby County, Camp Smile-A-Mile, Adaptive Aquatics, Hope for Autumn Foundation, Restoration Academy and two state university scholarships. Multiple donor and sponsorship levels are available, including individual sponsorships for $180 and four-person team sponsorships for $700. O’Hara said people do not have to be great at golf to participate or enjoy the tournament, and there are several non-golfing ways to contribute through donations or sponsorships.

“It’s this unusual fascination that never goes away,” Marlin said. And it’s a global phenomenon, he said. In all the countries where he takes the show, “everybody has the same kind of ooohs and aaahs experience around it.” The idea for the show was born in the early 1980s when Marlin was working in Las Vegas as a comic/juggler and took a friend on a camping trip in the Arizona desert, according to the Luma Theater website. The friend had grown up in the vicinity of New York City and had never seen the marvels of the Milky Way like that, Marlin said on his website. In a moment of play, Marlin picked up

a burning branch from the fire pit and brandished it about, creating a storm of sparks that rose into the sky, he said. Then when Marlin was living off the grid in Hawaii, he and “a bunch of street-performing jugglers, clowns, misfits and madmen” would venture onto the lava fields at night for adventure and entertainment. He noticed how the other people were hypnotized by the red glowing light of the lava and attracted to it like a moth to a flame, he said. That inspired him to get back into show business, using dark as his canvas and light as his paint. He created the LUMA show in 1996 and has continued ever since, stopping only for a 15-month hiatus about three years ago, he said. The show changes over time as he tries to keep it fresh and incorporates new light technology into the presentation, he said. The current cast includes Canadian rhythmic gymnastics champion Melissa Staroszik as the captain and director of operations. Marlin serves as the producer and artistic director. He loves the way adults can watch his show and, because it’s in the dark, not know what they are seeing and how it’s done and be puzzled by it. And it’s rewarding the way people seem to remember the show so well years later, he said. “It’s a tremendous privilege to have the opportunity to bring a gift into the world that people remember in their hearts.” As of this writing, there was only one ticket left for the two LUMA shows scheduled at the Library Theatre, but tickets sometimes are turned back in to be resold, and the theater keeps a waiting list. For more information, call the Library Theatre box office at 444-7888.

24th Annual Crest Cadillac Charity Golf Classic • WHEN: April 11 • HOURS: Lunch at 11 a.m., start at 1 p.m.

They began accepting sponsorships and donations in February, O’Hara said, and will continue up to the day of the tournament. “We’re really shooting very high this year,” she said. “We’re trying to double what we did last year, so there’s no deadline other than that April 11 deadline.” Sponsorships include a round of 18 holes including green fees and cart fees, a gift bag, lunch, drinks during the tournament and eligibility for tournament prizes. The tournament’s “Hole in One” prize is the use of a Cadillac for two years. For more information about the tournament or sponsorship options, contact Deb O’Hara at oharadsp@gmail.com or 515-7770.

Amy Allen (left), CEO of Baptist Health System, stands with Latonya Story, senior program assistant at FOCUS On Recovery. Photo courtesy of Sara Franklin.

By ERICA TECHO This year’s Bargain Carousel, hosted by the Junior League of Birmingham, is set to benefit local nonprofits such as FOCUS On Recovery. FOCUS On Recovery focuses on the well-being of women in recovery from alcohol, drugs and other related behaviors. Bargain Carousel will have more than 100,000 items for sale, including art, appliances, furniture, heirloom items, clothing, sporting goods and other items. This year’s event will also have office furniture from a local business that liquidated its office furniture. “As a mother of a newborn, Bargain Carousel is the perfect place to shop,” said Hoover resident Jillian Westervelt. “I found gently used children’s books, clothes and a swing for my new baby boy.” This year’s event will be held in the old Princeton-Hoover location located off of Interstate 459 Exit 10.

Bargain Bash, a cocktail party on April 21, is an event for first-chance shopping of Bargain Carousel items. There will also be silent and live auctions during the event. Bargain Bash shopping starts at 6 p.m. for VIP shoppers and 7 p.m. for general admission. VIP tickets are $40, and general admission tickets are $30. The main Bargain Carousel event will be Saturday and Sunday, April 23 and April 24. Saturday tickets are $10 from 8 to 10 a.m. and $5 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free on Sunday, and merchandise is half price during the 1 to 5 p.m. sale. “Bargain Carousel’s purpose is twofold,” said event chair Haley Holden. “The sale raises money for the League’s 31 projects serving women and children in the metro area, and it allows us to sell items at deeply discounted prices to individuals who can benefit from them.” For more information about the event, visit bargaincarousel.net.

C12 • April 2016

Hoover Sun

Hoover native racks up more awards

in Hollywood Savannah Lathem wins best lead actress for role in ‘The Guest House’ By JON ANDERSON Savannah Lathem may have whetted her appetite for acting as a young girl in Hoover, but she continues to develop her talent and rack up awards in Hollywood. Lathem, who years ago attended South Shades Crest Elementary School and still has family in the Birmingham area, is now 18 and in February won best lead actress in a feature film from the Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival. She was honored for playing a 14-year-old girl in a movie called “The Guest House,” a suspense thriller which tells the story of a man who separates from his wife and rents a guest house from a wealthy landlord who turns out to be psychotic. Lathem’s character, Sam, is the daughter of the renter and is upset with her dad for separating from her mom. She and her dad get to know his new

landlord, but they’re in for some surprises. “I’m very young and naïve, and I don’t know he’s a psychotic killer,” Lathem said. “I trust him, and my character gets in a lot of trouble because I’m so naïve.” It was a challenging role but a fun movie on which to work, Lathem said. “I got to do a stabbing scene,” she said. “I had a stunt double teach me how to properly stab someone.” The movie includes a dramatic fight scene that involves an RV rolling downhill, and Lathem’s character is forced to use the knife to stab the landlord to keep him from killing her dad, she said. The editor for the “The Guest House,” Eric Won, won the best editing award at the Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival. The movie also was nominated for best picture, along with “Black Mass” (which stars Johnny Depp), “Iscariot,” “Hickey,” “Love Meet Hope” and “Trumbo,”

KaseyDavis

Dentistry

SPECIAL $9/unit

PLUS: All Dermal Fillers 20% OFF

Member, American Academy of Facial Esthetics

Savannah Lathem, an 18-year-old native of Hoover, is making a mark for herself as an actress in California. Photo courtesy of Savannah Lathem.

HooverSun.com

Savannah Lathem, an 18-year-old Hoover native, won best lead actress in a feature ﬁlm at the 2016 Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival. Photo courtesy of Savannah Lathem.

April 2016 • C13 which won the best picture category. Lathem said she had a wonderful experience working on the set with actors such as Tom Altar (who plays her dad), Tim Robinson (who plays the landlord), Lisa Romaine (who plays her mom), Eileen Davidson (a psychologist) and Daniel Baldwin (her dad’s boss). This is just the latest of numerous awards and nominations for Lathem since she moved out to California to act in 2007. At age 15 in May 2013, Lathem won a Young Artist Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Feature Film for her role in a movie called “California Solo.” The Young Artist Awards are similar to the Oscars for young actors. Lathem was nominated for a Young Artist Award two other times. In 2010, she was nominated for best guest star performance by a young actress in a TV series for her role as the “young Rachel” on the 2009 season finale of the hit TV show “Lost.” Her second nomination came in 2012, when she was nominated for best young lead actress in a short film for her role in a film called “Vanilla Promises.” Lathem in 2013 won an award from the L.A. Webfest for outstanding lead role in a reality/ documentary web series for her role as “Judge Savannah” in a show called “Kids Justice,” which she said is a lot like a kid-version of “Judge Judy.” She also has had guest roles on episodes of “Criminal Minds,” “Castle,” “Private Practice” and the Disney Channel’s “I Didn’t Do It.” She recently was nominated for a Young Entertainer Award for her guest starring role in an episode of TNT’s “Major Crimes” show. Lathem in 2013 made IMDb’s list of “30 young actors to watch out for in 2013” and played the lead role in a short film called “The Cub,” which was picked for the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. She was in an Xbox 360 commercial with Selena Gomez, and her other film credits include “Money Ball” and “The Stepfather” and voiceover jobs in “Ramona and Beezus,” “Diary of

a Wimpy Kid” and “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules.” She recently appeared in two episodes of the “Guidance” series, which appears on YouTube and Verizon’s Go90 app. “I’m very happy, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for my future,” Lathem said. “I just feel really blessed to have worked with really great people. I’ve learned a lot acting-wise … It’s been a great experience.” Lathem considers Meryl Streep and Sally Field as role models and hopes to one day win an Oscar. Lathem got her start at age 9 when a talent agency held a cattle call at the Riverchase Galleria and she was selected out of 1,200 kids to go to California for a commercial. Then she auditioned for “Are You Smarter Than a FifthGrader?” and made the top 10 out of 3,000 9-year-old girls. Her parents, Don and Gina Lathem, hired an entertainment attorney, who assured them the talent agency that had an interest in their daughter was credible and one of the top agencies in Hollywood. So they decided to let her follow her dream. Lathem and her mother moved to California and split time between there and Alabama, while her father at first stayed in Hoover to run a real estate investment and property management business. Her father has since joined them in California and travels back and forth to Birmingham to help with the family business, which is managed by their oldest son. Gina Lathem said they don’t regret taking the leap and moving to California to help Savannah find her way. “She’s had such great opportunities,” her mother said. “She has come really close to landing major roles in film and TV. She loves it. She’s very passionate about her career and acting.” It’s important to follow your passions, Gina Lathem said. “If it’s something you truly love, I think it will work itself out,” she said. “We’re very happy with what’s happened so far.”

C14 • April 2016

Hoover Sun

INGLE

CONTINUED from page C1 “As soon as I sang with Keith Urban, it was like, there’s nothing else I want to do,” said Ingle, who is now a 16-year-old junior at Hoover High School and steadfastly pursuing a career in music. Ingle has always loved singing. She sang the national anthem at a Birmingham Barons game when she was 11 and sang in the show choir, talent shows and holiday shows at Bumpus Middle School. She wrote her first song when she was 13 after her grandmother died.

TURNING POINT

But singing with Urban was definitely a turning point, said her mother, Teresa Ingle. Ever since, Bailey has been eager to sing wherever she can, going to restaurants and bars across the Birmingham area — and even in Tennessee, Florida and Georgia. “I usually have one to two shows a weekend,” she said. “I rarely don’t have a show on a weekend … I’ve been going like crazy it seems like.” While other teenagers are going to parties or to the movies, Bailey is working on her craft. Sometimes you can find her at Beef ‘O’ Brady’s at The Grove shopping center, but she also has sung at Bishop’s on Morgan Road, The Courtyard in Helena, Vecchia Pizzeria and Mercato in The Preserve, and The Boot at Preserve Village. “I don’t go anywhere or do anything other than singing,” she said. “But I love it. This is what I want to do. I want to be a country singer.” In March of last year, she sang at a bar called Shenanigan’s in Georgia, and this past summer, she sang at Pompano Joe’s in Destin. She has been six or seven times to open mic night at Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, a famous honky-tonk across the alley from Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville. It was there that she ran into some people who wrote songs sung by Blake Shelton and Brad Paisley, she said. “It was awesome,” she said. “They told me not to stop — that I would get my shot.” Ingle now is in the process of recording her first album with a company called By Still Water

Bailey Ingle performs in concert at the Hoover Library Plaza in January while her father, Tim Ingle, plays the guitar. Photo by Jon Anderson.

in Cullman. It probably will have seven or eight original songs on it, and maybe a few covers, she said. Ingle has written about 15 songs, and her mother has helped her on a lot of them. If she’s inspired, sometimes she can write a song in a night, but other times, it may take several weeks, she said. Her preference is to sing country music. Some of her favorite singers are Kacey Musgraves, Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood. But Ingle realizes not everybody likes country, so

she also takes other types of musicians’ songs and puts her own spin on them to help reach a larger fan base, she said. Building your own fan base is a big part of making it in today’s music industry, her mother said. From YouTube videos to Instagram and Twitter accounts, “it’s all about social media — getting your name out there and building a fan base,” Teresa Ingle said. “Now musicians have to build their own fan base before a record company will sponsor them.”

PARENTAL SUPPORT

Bailey’s parents have to go with her to the bars because of her age, but Teresa Ingle said she has been surprised how open people have been to having Bailey come and sing. “Her father and I are both really proud of her,” Teresa Ingle said. “She works really hard.” Taking their daughter around to sing all the time wasn’t in their plans a couple of years ago, but “I feel great about it,” her dad, Tim Ingle, said. “With any of our kids, if a kid has a passion,

ELECTRICAL SAFETY STARTS WITH THE RIGHT CALL Barron Jefferson – Lineman, Power Delivery

Here are a few very important things you should know about underground power lines and how to work safely around them. More and more power lines are being buried underground. This poses a considerable threat for both construction workers and do‑it‑yourself homeowners. Even if you’re undertaking a seemingly harmless job, such as digging a hole for a new fence, the risks are still there.

Color codes for marking underground utility lines White

Proposed excavation

You’ve probably heard the “Call before you dig” mantra many times. But take it to heart, nothing good happens when a shovel plunges into a live power line.

Pink

Temporary survey markings

The number to call is easy to remember: 811. Call, preferably 48 hours in advance of your project, and the representative will notify all the appropriate utilities. Pretty easy.

Red

Electric power lines, cables, conduit and lighting cables

Yellow

Gas, oil, steam, petroleum or gaseous materials

Orange

Communications, alarm or signal lines, cables or conduit

Soon after the call, various technicians will come out and put colored spray paint in the places where there are lines. At right is a chart to explain which one is which.

In an emergency, call: 1-800-888-APCO (2726) For more electrical safety tips, visit AlabamaPower.com/safety.

Before you dig:

Blue

Potable water

Dial 811

Purple

Reclaimed water, irrigation and slurry lines

Green

Sewers and drain lines

Please take this simple step before digging. It’s easy. And it’s free. You’ll save a lot of headaches—and maybe even your life.

HooverSun.com

April 2016 • C15 Watch Bailey Ingle discuss her passion to perform:

280living.com/topics/video

http://hooversun.com/videos

Hoover High School student Bailey Ingle performs a song with Keith Urban at the Oak Mountain Amphitheatre on Aug. 23, 2014. Photo courtesy of Teresa Ingle.

we’ll support it 100 percent.” Bailey has always been confident being in front of people and has a magnetic personality that lights up a room, her parents said. So that part of it is not surprising to them. They do, however, support the idea of Bailey going on to college after high school to get a degree. Bailey said right now, she plans to go to Belmont University in Nashville and major in songwriting or the music business. But, as a big fan of the “Criminal Minds” TV show, she also might like to work in the FBI’s behavioral analysis unit, she said. “In 20 years, if I’m not singing, I’ll be in Quantico in Virginia,” she said. Some people at school give her a hard time about her music pursuits, calling it a long shot or a pipe dream, but others support her and are

excited for her, she said. “I won’t let people who don’t believe in me get me down,” she said. They may be right about not making it in the music business, “but nevertheless, I’m still going to work for it.” This past summer, she was finally old enough to audition for “American Idol,” where Urban is a judge. She got through three preliminary rounds but never made it to the judges’ table, she said. “It was the hardest process ever,” Ingle said. “But it was a wonderful experience. It was a lot of fun.”

‘YOUNG, PURE HEART’ When asked what she likes about singing, Ingle said she just enjoys being on stage and watching people smile and sing along with her.

She usually sings for two to three hours at a time, she said. “It’s like I have two to three hours to distract someone from all the world, and somehow they’re benefiting from something I love to do,” she said. Ingle has been to Nashville six to eight times to see Renee Grant-Williams, a vocal coach who has worked with artists such as Urban, Underwood, the Dixie Chicks, Jason Aldean, Miley Cyrus, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Larry Gatlin, Charlie Daniels, Garth Brooks and Christina Aguilera. Grant-Williams said Ingle is a lovely girl with a lovely voice. “She has an excitement about music that’s hard to top, and definitely she works hard,” Grant-Williams said. Ingle is ambitious in her pursuit of a music

career, but “it comes from a genuine love of making music,” Grant-Williams said. “She is interested in not simply becoming a star.” Ingle is charming and talented, which works in her favor, but luck also plays a certain role in making it in this business, Grant-Williams said. “I’ve known very talented people who have done all the right things in all the right order — had all the right credentials — and never had a successful career in terms of what they wanted to accomplish with their career,” she said. Sometimes, it just takes some luck and a good break, but aspiring artists multiply their chances by the time and work they put into it, and Ingle gets extra points for being resourceful, Grant-Williams said. “I’m very impressed by the amount of effort she puts into performing and writing,” Grant-Williams said. “Plus, she’s a pretty girl, and that never hurts.” Lisa “Roxanne” Richardson, a morning show host on the WDJC Christian radio station in Birmingham who has been in radio and TV for more than 20 years, said she has seen a lot of musicians during her career, and Ingle blew her mind when she saw her January performance at the Hoover Library Plaza. “What I saw was a young, pure heart. What I saw was a talent that is beyond her youth. What I saw was a star. I was so inspired by her,” Richardson said. “Her physical beauty doesn’t hurt, but she’s got all the talent to back it up. She’s gonna be a star. You can feel it.” The one thing Richardson would recommend is that Ingle take more time to talk to her audience in between songs. She’s a charming girl, and it would be great to hear more from her heart, Richardson said. “I just thought she was sensational,” Richardson said. “Somebody’s gonna grab her up quick. I hope she remembers us.”

NOT WELCOME HERE.

Turning away unwanted houseguests since 1965 663-4200 | www.vulcantermite.com

C16 • April 2016

Hoover Sun

Putting food on the table By SYDNEY CROMWELL When the nights got cold in Birmingham this winter, there was a team of restaurants, including one in Hoover, ready and waiting to provide a hot meal for the city’s homeless. Heart to Table is an organization started by Marco Morosini, the owner of Silvertron Cafe in Forest Park, to serve dinner at Boutwell Auditorium every night it is open as a warming station. In its first winter, Heart to Table provided over 1,500 meals through a partnership among 10 area restaurants. “I’m trying to bring in a sense of community,” said Morosini. One of those partners is Vecchia Pizzeria and Mercato, located in the Preserve. Allison Nichols, Vecchia’s director of marketing, said they found out about Heart to Table in January through Facebook. She and owners Benard and Brianna Tamburello all agreed that they wanted to play a part. “Just giving back to the community — it’s nothing fancy… That’s what we’re called to do,” Nichols said. “So when an opportunity arises, and Marco was so easy to work with, and the process is easy and it’s helping a lot of people at one time, then it’s kind of a no-brainer.” Vecchia didn’t have a chance to serve a meal at Boutwell this winter, but they hope to next year. When Morosini gives the call, Vecchia’s kitchen staff has to be prepared to create at least 200 meals on less than a day’s notice. Nichols said the food they provide will likely be staples such as pasta, salad and bread to create a simple but complete dinner. “This may be the only meal that these people can eat,” Morosini said, adding that he would like the Heart to Table restaurants to feed the homeless “as well as you and I would like to eat.” Nichols said Vecchia has cooked for larger

crowds before, but the short notice they’ll be given — Morosini can’t make the call until Boutwell decides to open its warming station — may make her unpopular in the kitchen. “The kitchen is probably going to hate me for a hot minute,” she laughed. Morosini said his most frequent challenge is coordinating the restaurants, especially ones with small kitchens. “When you have a machine that works 100 miles per hour, I need to be able to stop the machine and cook for 200 people in a short period of time,” Morosini said. Vecchia already participates in fundraisers and spirit nights in the community for different causes, but Nichols said Heart to Table provides a connection to their neighbors outside Hoover. “The more people you can touch and impact in a positive way, the better community you have,” Nichols said. Morosini said he was surprised by the response in the first year of his program, which started as a proposal through Leadership Birmingham. In addition to the 10 restaurants across the Birmingham metro, he’s also had help from United Way, local banks and private donors. Heart to Table raised about $5,000 in a matter of weeks, which Morosini said he has saved to help restaurants cover some of their food expenses. So far, however, not a single restaurant has requested reimbursement. In return, Heart to Table tries to share their partners’ participation frequently to give them exposure to customers who support the work they do. “I think it’s great that locally owned restaurants get exposure to a market they didn’t know they had before,” Morosini said. Nichols said she would like to see more restaurants, whether inside or outside Hoover city limits, offer their kitchens to feed the homeless when cold nights come around again

Heart to Table participants hand out meals to the homeless at Boutwell Auditorium’s warming station. Photo courtesy of Marco Morosini.

in the fall. “Birmingham has so many great pockets but at the same time we’re all one big moving piece,” Nichols said. “You have Hoover and you have Homewood and you have Mountain Brook, but I mean,

imagine the power that we can have if we all come together and not view each other as a competition.” “To be able to offer a warm meal… it just hopefully will make at least one person’s day better,” she added.

HooverSun.com

April 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ C17

Hoover

2146 Chalybe Drive

Real Estate Listings MLS #

Zip

Address

Status

Price

743258

35226

2146 Chalybe Drive

New

$319,900

743539

35226

1512 Kestwick Drive

New

$329,000

743499

35226

3858 Ross Park Drive

New

$365,000

743472

35226

2308 Chapel Road

New

$199,000

743461

35226

1120 Lido Drive

New

$153,900

743441

35226

2687 Swiss Lane

New

$439,900

743397

35226

1344 Shades Crest Road

New

$377,000

743392

35226

2321 Woodcreek Drive

New

$217,500

743378

35226

2211 Farley Road

New

$214,900

743283

35226

4674 Mcgill Court

New

$443,665

743275

35226

4754 Mcgill Court

New

$422,900

743210

35226

279 Cambo Drive

New

$204,000

743191

35226

1444 Linda Vista Drive

New

$234,900

743173

35226

4295 Abbotts Way

New

$379,000

743115

35226

2675 Creekview Drive

New

$330,000

743131

35226

2642 Hackberry Road

New

$339,999

743008

35226

1306 Al Seier Lane

New

$215,900

742980

35226

4347 Village Green Circle

New

$519,900

742981

35226

3746 Chapel Creek Circle

New

$549,900

742955

35226

302 Bedford Avenue

New

$184,900

Real estate listings provided by the Birmingham Association of Realtors on March 14. Visit birminghamrealtors.com.

2675 Creekview Drive

C18 • April 2016

Hoover Sun

Calendar Hoover Events April 4: Bizwomen Mentoring Monday. 7:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m. Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa, 4000 Grand Avenue, Hoover. $35. Visit bizjournals.com/birmingham/event/141172. April 4: Human Trafficking Speake . 6:30 p.m. St. Mark United Methodist Church. Ashley Anderson (cq), Development Director of the WellHouse (cq), will speak on human trafficking April 7: Economic Development Committee Meeting. 8:30 a.m. Hoover Chamber Office Visit hooverchamber.org. April 11: LifeSouth Blood Drive. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Hoover Recreation Center, 600 Municipal Drive. Visit hooveralabama.gov. April 14: Hoover Chamber Coffee & Contacts. 7:30-9:00 a.m. The Hyatt RegencyThe Wynfrey Hotel. Visit hooverchamber.org. April 16: Walk for Autism & 5K. 7 a.m. Veterans Park, 4800 Valleydale Road. Visit walkforautismal.com.

April 16: Alabama Open. Karate tournament and national qualifie . Shades Mountain Christian School Gym. Visit bluffparkdojo.com. April 20: Chamber Ambassador Meeting. Hoover Chamber Office Visit hooverchamber. org. April 21: Hoover Chamber Luncheon. Hyatt Regency-The Wynfrey Hotel. 11:15 a.m. networking, noon luncheon. Call 988-5672 or email lisa@hooverchamber.org for reservations. Visit hooverchamber.org. April 23: PurpleStride Birmingham 2016 5K Run & Family Friendly Walk. 8:30 a.m. Veterans Park, 4800 Valleydale Road. Signature event of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Visit kintera.org. April 23: Household Hazardous Waste Day. 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Hoover Met, 100 Ben Chapman Drive. Safely dispose of household chemicals and hazardous items. For Hoover residents only. For a complete list of acceptable and non-acceptable items, visit hooveralabama.gov.

April 24: Diabetes Walk for Camp Seale Harris. 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Veterans Park, 4800 Valleydale Road. Raising awareness for the diabetes community. Visit first iving.com. April 26: Horizons Luncheon. 11 a.m. Hoover Senior Center, 400 Municipal Drive. Visit hooveralabama.gov. April 26: Constant Contact Workshop. Hoover Chamber Office Free. Make reservations at 988-5672 or lisa@hooverchamber.org. April 28: Business after Hours. 5 p.m.- 7 p.m. AAA Alabama, 2400 Acton Road. Visit alabamaaaa.com. April 30: Celebrate Hoover Day. Veterans Park, Valleydale Road. Family friendly city-wide celebration. Visit hooveralabama.gov for information. Stardome Comedy Club 1818 Data Drive, Hoover. Visit stardome.com. April 1-3: Lester Bibbs. 7:30 p.m. Friday.

6:30 and 8:45 p.m. Saturday. 6:30 p.m. Sunday. $16.50. 17 and up show. Visit stardome.com for tickets. April 5: Shang. 7:30 p.m. $9.75. Visit stardome. com. April 6-10: Steve “Mudflap” McG ew. Wed-Fri at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, 6:30 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. Sunday 6:30 p.m. $9.75 Wed/Thurs/Sun and $16.50 Fri-Sat. Visit stardome.com. April 15-17 Charlie Murphy. Friday at 7:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. Saturday, 6:30 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. Sunday 6:30 p.m. $28. 17 and up show. April 19-21 Tim Statum. Tuesday-Thursday at 7:30 p.m. $9.75. April 22-24: Don “DC” Curry. Friday 7:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. Saturday, 6:30 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. Sunday 6:30 p.m. 17 and up show. $34. April 28-May 1: Sinbad. Friday 7:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. Saturday, 6:30 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. Sunday 6:30 p.m. $35.

Hoover Public Library Events Kids Mondays: Together with Twos. 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Children’s Programming Room. Stories and crafts for twos and their caregiver. Register each week. Visit hooverlibrary.org. Tuesdays: Father Goose. 9:30 a.m. Children’s Programming Room. Visit hooverlibrary.org.

Stories, songs and snacks for ones and their caregiver. Register each week. Visit hooverlibrary.org. Tuesdays: Early Birds. 10 a.m. Children’s Programming Room. Stories, songs and finger pl ys for birth to 12 months and their caregiver. Register each week. Visit hooverlibrary.org. Wednesdays: Tiny Tot Tales. 9:30 a.m.

and 10:30 a.m. A short action-packed story time for children under four. Children’s Programming Room. Visit hooverlibrary.org. Wednesdays: After Lunch Bunch. 1:30 p.m. Children’s Programming Room. Visit hooverlibrary.org. Storytime for ages 3 and up. Visit hooverlibrary.org.

Thursdays: Storytime Live. 10:30 a.m. Children’s Programming Room. Stories, songs, games and puppetry for ages 3 and up. Visit hooverlibrary. org. Thursdays: PJ Storytime. 6:30 p.m. Children’s Programming Room. Wear your pajamas for stories, songs and a bedtime snack. All ages. Visit hooverlibrary.org.

Offer Expires 04/30/16

HooverSun.com

April 2016 • C19

Adults Tuesdays, April 5-26: Adult English Classes. 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. Theatre Level Meeting Rooms. Basic or intermediate English classes. Free. April 3: Global Cuisine @ the Plaza: Swedish. 2:30 p.m. Library Plaza. Complimentary samples provided. Free. April 4: Friends of the Hoover Library Membership Coffee. 10-11:30 a.m. Library Plaza. Stop by for refreshments, learn about the friends activities and join or renew your membership. April 4: Helping Hands. 3-8:30 p.m. Nonfi tion Department. Drop in to make newspaper rolls for a local humane society. Teens and adults. April 4: Discoveries in the Making. 6:30 p.m. Theatre Level Meeting Rooms. The Brain and Unhealthy Eating Behavior; Stress and Risk for Type-2 Diabetes in Women. Presented by the UAB Graduate School. Free. April 7: First Thursday Fiction Book Group. 10 a.m. Theatre Level Meeting Rooms. “Gilead” by Marilynne Robinson. 444-7820. April 9: Purl @ the Plaza. 1-5 p.m. Library Plaza. Bring out the colors of spring by crafting with your fellow hobbyists! April 10: Wilder Adkins. 2:30 p.m. Library Plaza. Singer-songwriter. April 11: Encounters at the End of the World. 2 p.m. & 6:30 p.m. The Library Theatre. Free admission and refreshments. April 11: Trivia Night. 7 p.m. Beef ‘O’Brady’s at The Grove. April 12: Daytime Nonfiction Book Group. 10:30 a.m. Theatre Conference Room. “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot. April 12: Spanish Conversation Club. 7-8 p.m. Library Plaza. All Spanish fluency levels welcome to practice and learn.

April 14: Second Thursday Fiction Book Group. 10 a.m. Theatre Level Meeting Rooms. “Circling the Sun” by Paula McLain. April 14: Glue Gun Gang: Giant Dahlia Door Décor. 10:30 a.m. Theatre Conference Room. Create a giant colorful paper flower to we come spring. Adults only. Reservations required. Sign up beginning April 1. April 16: Blowout Book Sale. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Theatre Level. April 17: Blowout Book Sale. 2 p.m.-5:30 p.m. Theatre Level. April 18: Neuroscience Café: Autism and Rett Syndrome. 6:30 p.m. Theatre Level Meeting Rooms. Presented by the UAB Comprehensive Neuroscience Center. Free. April 19: Small Business Empowerment. 10:30 a.m-1:30 p.m. Theatre Level Meeting Rooms. Small business planning for products, services, marketing, accounting, taxes and security. April 19: French Conversation Club. 7-8 p.m. Library Plaza. All French fluency levels welcome to practice and learn. April 20: No Jacket Required Nonfiction Book Group. 10:30 a.m. Theatre Level Meeting Rooms. This month’s genre: Be Green. April 20: A Naturalist Goes Fishing. 6:30 p.m. Theatre Level Meeting Rooms. Presented by UAB marine biologist, sport fisherman and author D . James McClintock. April 23: Write Club. 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Library Plaza. Mystery novelist Max Everhart speaks with Q&A and book signing to follow. April 24: 10 Shades of Greying. 3:00 p.m. Theatre Level Meeting Rooms. Learn how to enjoy retirement through travel, volunteering, family ties and care of one’s self. Free. April 25: Monday at the Movies. 2 p.m. & 6:30 p.m. The Library Theatre. Free admission.

Area Events April 1-3: Michael J. and Mary Anne Freeman Theatre and Dance Series Concert. Harrison Theatre, Samford University, 800 Lakeshore Drive. Samford Dance showcases the talents of student artists. 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday. $15, $6 students. Visit Samford.edu/arts. April 1-3: Batson Bladesmithing Symposium and Knife Show. Tannehill State Park. Learn how modern knives are forged and made. $3-$5 admission. 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Sunday. visit alaforge.org. April 2: Birmingham Homeschool Fair. 12 p.m.-5 p.m. Cahaba Grand Conference Center. Resources and information for homeschooling families, exhibitors, curriculum share and sale. Visit / birminghamhomeschoolfair.com. April 2: Celtic Nights Spirit of Freedom. 7 p.m. Wright Fine Arts Center, Samford University, 800 Lakeshore Drive. Celebrations of 100 years of Irish independence $25, $15 students. Visit tickets. samford.edu. April 5: Alabama Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster & Friends Series: Bass-ic Virtuosity. 7:30 p.m. Brock Recital Hall, Samford University, 800 Lakeshore Drive. $32. Visit alabamasymphony.org. April 6: Determination, Drama and Daring: The Life of Louise Wooster. 5:30 p.m. Vulcan Park and Museum. Free for members, $8 non-members. Visit visitvulcan.com. April 7: Alabama Symphony Orchestra Classical EDGE Series. 7:30 p.m. Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Ave. South. $16. Visit alabmasymphony.org. April 7: Birmingham Art Crawl. Downtown Birmingham. 5 p.m. Meet local artists and performers and buy art work. Free. Visit birminghamartcrawl.com.

April 7-10 Alabama Auto Show. BJCC Exhibition Halls, 2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North. 12 p.m.-9 p.m. Thursday. 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday-Saturday. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. $12 adults, $6 children 6-11. Children under 5 free. Visit alabamaautoshow.com. April 8: Alabama Symphony Orchestra Red Diamond SuperPops! Series. 8 p.m. Alabama Theatre, 1817 Third Ave. North. $14-$85. Visit alabmasymphony.org. April 8: UAB ASME's 27th Annual Brent Newman Memorial Egg Drop Contest. 9:15 a.m. Vulcan Park & Museum, 1701 Valley View Drive. $4-$6. Visit uab.edu/engineering. April 8-9: 18th Annual Lebanese Food and Cultural Festival. 10 a.m.-9 p.m. St. Elias Maronite Catholic Church, 836 8th Street South. Free. Visit stelias.org. April 8-10: Coppelia and the Toymaker. Dorothy Jemison Day Theater, Alabama School of Fine Arts, 1800 Rev. Abraham Woods, Jr. Blvd. Presented by the Alabama Ballet. $25-$55. 7:30 p.m. Friday. 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday. 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Visit alabamaballet.org. April 9: Alabama Asian Cultures & Food Festival. 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Zamora Shrine Temple, 3521 Ratliff Road. Fashion show, silent auction, music, kid’s activities and more. $5-$8. Visit alabamaasiancultures.org. April 9: Cajun Cook-Off. Railroad Park, 1600 1st Ave. South. Cooking competition, live music, kid’s activities, silent auction and more. $20 adults, $5 children 3-10. Proceeds benefit Girls Inc programs. Visit bhamcajumcookoff.com. April 9: CahabaQue BBQ Cook Off. 12 p.m.-5 p.m. Cahaba Brewing Company, 2616 3rd Ave. South. Supporting the Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama. $5-$20. Visit cahababrewingcompany.instagift.com.