Hoover Sun April 2024

RETURN OF THE ‘SILVER FOX’

American Idol winner, Broadway actor, TV show host Taylor Hicks prepares to release first album in 15 years

By JON ANDERSON

Even when Taylor Hicks was a teenager in Hoover in the 1990s, music was a big part of his life.

Former classmates from Hoover High remember him as an outgoing guy who was always singing in the basketball locker room or playing his harmonica.

People who worked in the guidance counselor’s office recall him saying that his main goal was to be in a band one day.

Curt Posey, who now serves on the Hoover City Council, was in the same graduating class as Hicks — the class of 1995 and the first to graduate from Hoover High — and remembers Hicks being voted the most talented of the 432 seniors.

“He was very talented and played the harmonica and sang,” Posey said. “I never really saw him perform like he did [later] on ‘American Idol.’ … When you’re in high school, you don’t really get to see that side of a person at school.”

Taylor Hicks. Photo courtesy of David McClister Photography.

New Hospital Opening in August

UAB Medical West, as a community hospital, knows how important it is to have quality care close to home. That’s why we’re thrilled to open our brand new state-of-the-art facility right off of I-459 at Exit 1 this August. In addition to our current services, the new facility will allow us to offer robotic surgery, more beds in our Intensive Care Unit and Operating Room, and the newest state-of-the-art imaging technology including 3-D mammography. It’s just one more way we can continue to bring the highest quality of care to the communities in West Jefferson County. For more information about our services near you, visit us online at medicalwesthospital.org.

Editor’s

If you walk down the hallways of Hoover High or Spain Park High, you’ll see hundreds, if not thousands, of faces.

The interesting thing, if you think about it, is that you never know what’s in store for each of those young people. You could be looking at the next Taylor Swift, the next Billy Graham, the next Michael Jordan, the next Steve Jobs. You never know what’s going to become of someone, and sometimes they’ll surprise you and even themselves.

For example, if you backtracked 30 years and took a stroll down the brand-new hallways of Hoover High, you could have bumped into Taylor Hicks — never knowing that one day he would become a name and face that most people in America recognize.

The young kid with a harmonica in his pocket, a knack for basketball and a love for soul and blues music would go on to win the fifth season of “American Idol” 11 years after graduating from Hoover High. He landed on the cover of People magazine as the “Hottest

PHOTO

Bachelor,” got his own show in Las Vegas, a headline role on Broadway and his own national TV show. He’s arguably the most famous person to ever come out of Hoover.

I caught up with Hicks not too long ago and chatted with him about his early days in Hoover, the highlights of his career, what he’s doing now and what he’d like to do in the future. I hope you enjoy the read that’s on the cover. And the next time you visit a school or see a kid walking down the street, take another look and imagine.

Publisher:

Community Editors:

Sports Editor: Design Editor: Photo Editor: Page Designer:

Dan Starnes

Jon Anderson

Leah Ingram Eagle

Kyle Parmley

Melanie Viering

Erin Nelson Sweeney

Ted Perry

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Second graders at Greystone Elementary participated in the Super Citizen Kickoff event with the Liberty Learning Foundation on March 8. Greystone Elementary is the first school in the Hoover City Schools system to participate in the Liberty Learning Foundation. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.

Amwaste changes garbage pickup days for 12K+ Hoover customers

By JON ANDERSON

Amwaste, the company that picks up residential garbage in Hoover, has changed garbage collection days for more than 12,000 customers in Hoover, City Clerk Wendy Dickerson said.

The change was to occur on March 25, affecting 12,331 households in Hoover, Dickerson said.

The switch eliminates the routine pickup of garbage on Wednesdays and Saturdays and puts everyone in the city on either a Monday/Thursday or a Tuesday/Friday pickup

schedule, she said.

The new schedule makes it easier to adjust schedules for holidays, Dickerson said. Under the former schedule, people who missed garbage pickup due to a Monday holiday received only one pickup that week and had to wait a full week between pickups. With the new schedule, pickups will be delayed by only one day on predetermined holidays, and trucks will be available to fulfill that service, Dickerson said.

The revised pickup schedule provides garbage pickup for everyone north of Interstate 459 on Tuesdays and Fridays, except for those

who live east of Interstate 65, she said. Most people south of I-459 now have garbage pickups on Mondays and Thursdays, she said.

The exception on the south side is for single-family homes encircled by U.S. 31, I-459 and Lorna Road and a couple of areas in the southwest corner of the I-65/I-459 interchange, Dickerson said. Those areas get pickup on Tuesdays and Fridays, she said.

The city planned to mail yellow postcards to anyone whose service is changing, Dickerson said. For anyone who needs clarification, the city also planned to update an online tool that allows people to type in their address and

have their garbage pickup days identified for them, she said.

Amwaste planned to make the same change for Mountain Brook and Pelham at the same time, Dickerson said. Vestavia Hills already has this type of schedule, she said.

People who wish to recycle in Hoover should save their recyclables for the second pickup of each week because Amwaste carries materials from that pickup to a facility in Montgomery for sorting and recycling. Anything put in the garbage for the first pickup of the week is sent to the landfill, city officials said.

Above: A map shows the new way the city is divided for garbage pickup days. Map courtesy of City of Hoover. Left: An Amwaste truck picks up garbage. Photo courtesy of Amwaste.

Palmer, Sewell seal primary victories in Congressional Districts 6, 7

By JON ANDERSON

The stage is set for the Nov. 5 general election in Alabama’s Sixth and Seventh Congressional Districts, with incumbents Gary Palmer and Terri Sewell securing victories in the March 5 primary elections.

DISTRICT 6

Palmer, a five-term congressman from Hoover in the Sixth Congressional District, won the Republican primary over two challengers — Gerrick Wilkins of Vestavia Hills and Ken McFeeters of north Shelby County.

Palmer captured 83% of the vote on March 5 with 76,063 votes, compared to 9,636 votes (11%) for Wilkins and 5,668 votes (6%) for McFeeters, according to results from the Alabama secretary of state’s office.

Palmer now will face Democrat Elizabeth Anderson and independent candidate Kevin Stewart in the Nov. 5 general election.

The Sixth Congressional District includes Vestavia Hills, Mountain Brook, Trussville, Clay, parts of Homewood and Hoover, the northeastern part of Jefferson County, a small part of Talladega County and all of Shelby, Bibb, Chilton, Coosa, Autauga and Elmore counties.

Palmer, who is seeking his sixth two-year term, said in a written statement that he is honored to be the Republican nominee for the Sixth Congressional District again and that the results from the primary represent that voters in District 6 believe proven conservative leadership is what is needed for Alabama.

“Now that the primary and Super Tuesday are behind us, I will be

focused on supporting other Republicans in their races so we can give President Trump a Republican majority when he is back in the White House,” Palmer said. “Thank you to the voters for their confidence in our vision and to those who supported our campaign. I am looking forward to getting back to work for you!”

DISTRICT 7

Sewell, a seven-term congresswoman in the Seventh Congressional District who calls Birmingham home, beat challenger Chris Davis of Birmingham in the Democratic primary. Sewell had 93% of the vote (59,040 votes) to Davis’s 7% (4,709 votes), according to the secretary of state’s office.

Sewell now will face Republican Robin Litaker of Homewood in November.

Litaker initially faced opposition from Christian Horn in the Republican

primary, but Horn announced in February he was withdrawing from the race. However, his decision did not come in time to have his name removed from the ballot, and Horn actually received more votes than Litaker. Horn earned 18,100 votes (58%) compared to 12,981 votes (42%) for Litaker.

The Alabama Republican Party said that, because Horn dropped out of the race, Litaker will move forward as the party’s nominee in the general election.

Litaker said the primary results “kind of took the wind out of my sails moving forward,” but she noted that she had put her campaign on pause after Horn announced he was withdrawing from the race. “I didn’t see any sense in wasting money,” she said.

Still, she looks forward to taking on Sewell in the general election, she said.

Gary Palmer, far left, won the Republican primary for the Sixth Congressional District, and Terri Sewell won the Democratic primary for the Seventh Congressional District. Photos courtesy of Gary Palmer and Hillary Beard.

On the Ballot

In the Nov. 5 general election, voters will decide who will represent the Sixth and Seventh Congressional Districts in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Sixth Congressional District:

► Gary Palmer, Republican (incumbent)

► Elizabeth Anderson, Democrat

► Kevin Stewart, Independent

“I think it’s a prime year for a Republican to win, especially in District 7,” Litaker said. “People are tired of being ignored. … There are so many things in District 7 that have been overlooked. It’s one of the most impoverished areas of the country, and it is the most impoverished area of this state. The question is: Why is District 7 the way it is and no other district in this state? I look at Terri Sewell.”

Sewell, while celebrating her primary victory, said she knows the fight is not over.

Sewell said she was energized by voters in the primary and is fully confident that they understand she has delivered on her promise to lower unemployment, create jobs, give more money to historically black colleges and universities and fight for affordable health care and affordable housing.

“When you are the poorest district

Seventh Congressional District:

► Terri Sewell, Democrat (incumbent)

► Robin Litaker, Republican

in the state of Alabama, you are not going to change overnight,” Sewell said. “I think I’ve earned the right to ask voters for another term, and I look forward to going back and continuing to roll up my sleeves to do all that I can to help Alabama’s Seventh Congressional District.”

District 7 includes most of Birmingham, parts of Homewood, Hoover and western Jefferson County, parts of Clarke, Montgomery and Tuscaloosa counties and all of Choctaw, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Lowndes, Marengo, Pickens, Perry, Sumter and Wilcox counties.

Mayor’s Minute

By Frank V. Brocato

I hope by now you’ve heard all the buzz surrounding a tremendous opportunity that lies before the city, one that would greatly improve our access to health care. Riverwalk Village is envisioned as a mixed-use community focused on health and wellness, to include medical offices, housing, retail, trails and green spaces. But the centerpiece will be an outpatient surgery center and diagnostic center.

In January, the Hoover Health Care Authority submitted an application to the state, seeking a Certificate of Need for the surgery and diagnostic center. As part of our application package, we asked you, our residents and business leaders, to submit letters and/or sign a petition in support of the project. Nearly 200 signed the petition, and 85 submitted letters. I want to say a personal thank you to everyone who helped us with that effort.

We’re still waiting to learn if our application has been approved and should have an answer sometime next month. But we believe strongly that it will be accepted and that this will be the start of a project that will revolutionize our city for generations to come!

I’d also like to take this time to extend a personal invitation to this year’s Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast, which is hosted by the Hoover Beautification Board. This will be our 41st year holding the event, and I am pleased to announce that our speaker for this year is Auburn head football coach Hugh Freeze. I hope you will join us for this wonderful event that always brings us together as a community.

The breakfast will be Tuesday, May 7, from 7 to 9:30 a.m., and it will be held in the ballroom of the Hyatt Regency Birmingham — The Wynfrey Hotel. If you’d like to attend, you can purchase tickets through the Hoover Public Library Theatre Box Office. Their phone number is 205-444-7888. I hope to see you there.

Lindsay Floyd, D.V.M. Ross Scruggs, Ph.D.

Locally owned and operated, we make the hardest time in a pet owners’ life a little easier by offering end-of-life services to allow you and your pet to remain in the comfort of your home.

Compassionate Crossings offers peaceful in-home pet euthanasia for the Birmingham area. We handle all cremation services with all of your selected memorial items hand-delivered to your doorstep. Evening and weekend appointments are available.

We’re here for you. You can learn everything by visiting our website or giving us a call. We’ll do the rest.

Frank V. Brocato

Business Happenings

COMING SOON

Five Guys, a fast-food chain that serves made-to-order hamburgers, hot dogs and fries, plans to open in the former location of MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes in Stadium Trace Village at 1028 Marble Terrace, Suite 100. restaurants.fiveguys.com

Hyderabad House, an Indian restaurant, will be opening soon at 1694 Montgomery Highway, Suite 118, in the Centre at Riverchase shopping center. 205-238-5491

NOW OPEN

Glass Panda, an Asian street food restaurant, has opened in The Village at Brock’s Gap at 1031 Brock’s Gap Parkway, Suite 151. The menu features Japanese, Korean and other Asian street food, including Japanese A5 wagyu, ramen, shareable plates and an original strawberry bao dessert. The restaurant also serves bubble tea, a spiked green tea cocktail and an American craft beer infused with ginger and plum wine. Owner Kiran

Sunkavalli worked with SpeedPro Direct, a large-format printing company, to provide custom event décor for parties and events.

205-378-7847, glasspandaeats.com

Chase Bank has opened new offices in the Stadium Trace Village development at 1021 Marble Terrace and in the River Oaks Village shopping center at 3740 Lorna Road.

659-903-6350, chase.com

RELOCATIONS AND RENOVATIONS

The Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa 4000 Grand Ave., has completed a renovation of its spa. 205-949-3041, rtjspatrail.com/spa/the-spa-at-rossbridge

GGA Accounting, owned by Tabby Duncan, has relocated to 520 Mineral Trace Drive, Suite B. 205-767-6617

The Plenty of Vino wine shop has relocated from its location in the Hoover Square shopping center to 2202 Second Ave. N. in Birmingham. plentyofvino.com, 205-874-9463

NEW OWNERSHIP

TrueWealth Advisors, 2000 Southlake Park, Suite 200, is merging with another financial services business in Trussville. 205-588-4800, truewealthllc.com

NEWS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Capstone Building Corp., 1200 Corporate Dr., Suite 350, has completed a $45 million resort-style residential development in Alcoa, Tennessee, called Vital at

Springbrook Farms. This project was developed in a joint venture by StoneRiver Co. and Bluedog Capital Partners and covers 311,996 square feet with 300 units, including 32 studio units, 176 one-bedroom units and 92 two-bedroom units.

205-803-5226, capstonebuilding.com

Warren Averett, an accounting firm with an office at 2500 Acton Road, #200, has received ClearlyRated's Best of Accounting Award. This award is based exclusively on client ratings, citing the firm's excellent level of customer service.

205-979-4100, warrenaverett.com

Michael Gee, president and co-owner of The Pants Store, is the 2024 chairman of the Alabama Retail Association board of directors. The Pants Store, based in Leeds, also has locations in Hoover, Mountain Brook, Huntsville, Tuscaloosa and Auburn. Other businesses in Hoover with representatives on the association’s board of directors are Alabama Goods (Beth Staula), Best Buy (Scott Zinda), CVS Health (Catherine Raynor) and Moe’s Southwest Grill (Kealon Drake)

205-829-1188, pantsstore.com

Business News to Share?

Do you have news to share with the community about a business in Hoover or the greater Birmingham area?

Let us know at starnesmedia.com/ business-happenings

Broad Metro, the development company for Stadium Trace Village, in mid-February released a proposal for a second phase of the development that would include a 1,000-seat performing arts center owned and operated by the city of Hoover. The proposal for the 82-acre project, which was still being negotiated with the city in mid-March, also includes a Golf Suites tiered golf bay and entertainment center similar to Top Golf, a 25-bed surgical center, four medical office buildings, a 120,000-square-foot furniture store with a dining space and 1.5 miles of walking and bicycle trails. Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato on March 18 presented a proposed $22 million incentive package for the City Council to consider, but Will Kadish, the developer, said it was a bad deal. Councilman Curt Posey, the council’s liaison to the Hoover Arts Council, said the council would review it and possibly amend it before taking a vote. Negotiations were ongoing about things such as the price of the land for a performing arts center, the amount of the incentive package, the road network and who would pay for the main access road.

516-456-6599, broadmetro.com

Sports Facilities Companies has been chosen as the management partner and food and beverage provider for the 2.5-acre Village Green amphitheater and entertainment area at Stadium Trace Village. Sports Facilities Companies is the parent company of Sports Facilities Management, which manages the Hoover Metropolitan Complex. The company will collaborate with a company called Village Green Presents to handle music programming for the amphitheater. Village Green Presents is led by Wes Keith, who has more than 20 years of experience in concert production and promotion, including the New Orleans Jazz Heritage Festival, Bayou Country Super Fest at LSU’s Tiger Stadium and the Superdome, the Florida Country Music Fest at the Everbank Field in Jacksonville and the Country 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Birmingham musician Matt Devine of “Downright” will work with Keith. sportsfacilities.com

Jackson Renfro & Associates, based at 31 Inverness Center Parkway, Suite 300, and MW Davis Dumas & Associates, based at 4500 Southlake Park, Suite 200, have been hired to work on a three-story, 28,500-square-foot addition to Brasfield & Gorrie's headquarters building in Birmingham's Lakeview District at 3021 Seventh Ave. S. Jackson, Renfro & Associates is providing the electrical engineering, and

MW Davis Dumas & Associates is providing mechanical engineering.

205-995-1078, jraee.com, mwdda.com

PERSONNEL MOVES

OS1 Orthopedic & Sports Injury Clinic, with locations at 1031 Brock's Gap Parkway, Suite 185, in Hoover and in Trussville, has appointed Dustin Taylor as its new CEO. Dustin brings more than 10 years of experience to the company and helped open the clinic in Trussville.

205-352-2911, bettersooner.com

Keller Williams Hoover has several new additions to its office at 1021 Brock’s Gap Parkway, Suite 125, at The Village at Brock’s Gap, including Angela Owens on the leadership team, Tara Respinto as an associate broker and Sarah Fisk Robert Mardis III Jennifer Brown and Molly Giddens as Realtors.

205-822-2272, kellerwilliamshoover.org

Kristin Harris is stepping into the role of executive director of the Hoover YMCA, 2250 Alabama 150, effective April 8. Harris replaces Tim DeViese, who has served as the Hoover YMCA executive director since summer 2021 and is retiring. Harris has been with the YMCA for two decades and most recently served as the executive director of the Greystone YMCA.

205-682-1399, ymcabham.org/locations/hoover

RealtySouth has added Linda Ponder Lindsey Lester and Suzanna Jones to its Over-the-Mountain office at 2409 Acton Road, Suite 137, and Jena McIntire, Danny Turner and Mike Elsokari to its Inverness office at 109 Inverness Plaza #4800.

Linda Ponder: 205-777-1906, Lindsey Lester: 601-201-8068, Suzanne Jones: 205-492-0598, Jena McIntire: 205-253-0654, Danny Turner: 205-837-4097, Mike Elsokari: 205-365-4230; realtysouth.com

Apex Roofing & Restoration, based at 4601 Southlake Parkway, has hired Cathy Hulsey as its new head of human resources. Hulsey brings more than 30 years of experience in human resources in the public and private sectors and has held executive leadership roles in Fortune 50 corporations and local and state governments. 866-716-3347, apexroofs.com

ANNIVERSARIES

Birch Tree Day Spa in Ross Bridge, 3601 Market St. #103, celebrated its fifth anniversary on March 15. The spa offers skin care, waxing, massage, salt scrub, tinting and bronzing services.

205-989-0001, birchtreedayspa.net

Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe has been open for 26 years, with several locations in the Hoover area. The restaurant is known for fresh, healthy Greek fare, including gyros, pitas, hummus and salads.

205-980-6063, tazikis.com

Element Wellness Center has been open at 6600 Tattersall Lane for one year. The practice uses eight elements of wellness to give patients natural healing and balance. Massage therapy, infrared sauna, IV vitamin infusions and nutritional guidance are among the services offered.

205-326-7333, elementwellness.me

CLOSINGS

Rack Room Shoes in the Brook Highland shopping center has recently closed its doors. The signs were removed and doors locked permanently. While there are other stores nearby, a representative for the footwear chain says that they are considering opening in another location in the future.

205-980-5750, rackroomshoes.com

Orangetheory Fitness Hoover has closed its location at 4441 Creekside Ave., Suite 441 in the Patton Creek shopping center. orangetheory.com

Hoover community celebrates great character with 2024 Finley Awards

By SOLOMON CRENSHAW JR. and JON ANDERSON

Glen and Kelly Helms have had two sons nominated for the senior Finley Award for character at Spain Park High School — Trey in 2020 and Josh this year.

Out of all the seniors in the Jaguars’ Class of 2024, Josh actually won the award, which is considered one of the most prestigious honors bestowed in the Hoover community.

Josh Helms joined Hoover High senior Phanuelle Manuel and Spain Park math teacher Keri Ross in receiving the top three Finley Awards at a banquet at the Finley Center on March 21.

Each year, one senior from each of the two high schools and a faculty member from Hoover City Schools are chosen for the top awards, given in honor of Bob Finley, who coached and taught at Berry High School until he died in 1994 and was known as a man of outstanding character.

JOSH HELMS

Helms, a member of the Jaguar basketball team, also is an Eagle Scout and on a leadership team at Riverchase Student Ministries, helping guide middle school students.

One person who nominated him for the Finley Award said his most remarkable attribute is his genuine compassion for his peers.

“He consistently demonstrates inclusivity by actively seeking out opportunities to partner with students who may not always feel included,” science teacher Jenifer Bradley said in a letter.

Spain Park parent Kwa Hatchett said Helms exhibits “immense and palpable godly character. He is that quintessential child that all parents hope will befriend their child.”

Boys basketball coach Chris Laatsch had three of his players, including TJ Lamar and Parker Chase, in the running for the Finley Award. He said the committee’s job of picking one winner from among the host of nominees was a daunting task.

“That being said, Josh is an outstanding young man and such a humble [person] and just a server and a lover of people,” Laatsch said. “I'm not shocked at all that he was chosen.”

Helms said his path began his sophomore year, when he welcomed Jesus into his life.

“Once I realized that Jesus saved me and that he cared for me while I was a sinner, that changed my whole life,” he said. “If God

has that much compassion and grace for a person, why can't I show that much grace for someone?”

His brother, Trey Helms, is now a student at Mississippi State University, and their parents said they are proud of both of them.

“We look up to them as much as they look up to us for what they do day to day,” Glen Helms said. “It is amazing what kind of faith they have, what kind of character they have.”

Their mother said she’s a little partial, but she thinks they’re both wonderful boys. “It's wonderful, absolutely wonderful to see what they've accomplished,” Kelly Helms said.

Josh Helms said he would have to tease his older brother about being the only one to win the award, but he also credits his older brother with being a shining example for him.

“I kind of look up to him a lot,” Josh said. “He's a lot wiser, a lot older than me, and I see a lot of characteristics of Jesus in him that I want to follow.”

PHANUELLE MANUEL

Manuel was chosen from among 647 seniors at Hoover High and was among 39 nominees for the Finley Award this year.

Adults who nominated her described her as an honest person of profound faith with a deeprooted love for family, a strong sense of loyalty and a caring heart for others in the community. She is a 2022 graduate of the Youth Leadership Forum of Birmingham and has been involved with the Birmingham-area YouthServe nonprofit since 2020, currently serving as president of the Youth Philanthropy Council. In her work with YouthServe, Manuel helped

Josh Helms is the winner of the 2024 Finley Award among all the seniors at Spain Park High School in Hoover. Photo by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

direct the investment of $60,000 to a variety of

including bringing mental health coaching to public school educators, helping a foster care center provide transitional living to children aging out of state care, supplying reading help for struggling second graders in poverty and helping first-generation and second-generation immigrants gain access to secondary education.

Manuel also has served as a Hoover Ambassador and Peer Helper, helped tutor her younger brother and other students and co-founded an initiative called Matronize to provide resources for women after the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

She also is known for a strong work ethic and high academic achievement, ranking in the top 10 of her class, taking 14 Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate classes, being inducted into several honor societies and participating in the Engineering Academy, Science Olympiad, Scholars Bowl and Girls Who Code organizations.

“She is self-sufficient and responsible and

has good time management skills,” wrote Youth Leadership Forum Executive Director Susie Abbott. “In addition, she is confident and has exceptional communication skills. She knows when to be serious and focus on a task, but she also knows how to have fun!”

Sydney White, the Advanced Placement coordinator at Hoover High, wrote in a nomination letter that Manuel is one of the most deserving students she has taught in 16 years.

“She’s nuanced and authentic in ways that human beings typically aren’t,” White wrote. “Character traits that can be learned behavior for someone with enough self-reflection to achieve over a studied period of time are simply innate for her. In short, I think I would recommend her for just about anything from babysitting my child to running a small country. She is diplomatic, caring and objective.”

KERI ROSS

Ross attended the initial ceremony in which Helms was informed he had won the senior

Finley Award for Spain Park, but she said she couldn’t believe her ears when she was announced as the faculty winner.

“I was not expecting to be part of it in any form or fashion,” she said, acknowledging she has been on the Spain Park committee that selects that school’s student winner. “I was just stunned, stunned.”

Spain Park parent Susan Kendrick said in a nomination letter that Ross is able to demonstrate and convey not just her knowledge of the material she teaches but also her love for learning and excellence.

“I believe her passion for the material is contagious,” Kendrick wrote. “But it is her leadership that helps her students grow in responsibility. She believes in her students, expects the best from them and helps them work to make it happen.”

Parents Michael and Jana Lee cited the extra effort Ross gave in working with their son as he battled cancer.

“Mrs. Ross stepped in that gap for our son,”

the Lees said in a letter. “When we were overwhelmed with chemo treatments and doctor’s appointments, she made sure he was not only on top of his math assignments, but all of his assignments.”

Spain Park Principal Amanda Esslinger said Ross is a great teacher and great person.

“When kids come into her room, they feel loved and cared for and encouraged,” Esslinger said. “It is not uncommon for us to hear students say, parents say that she's firm and she sets expectations, but she does everything that she can do to help students meet those expectations and to do it in a way that they believe in themselves.”

The principal said Ross is quick to say that people don’t sign up to take a math class. They have to take a math class.

“But there are kids that sign up for AP Stats because she is the AP Stats teacher,” Esslinger said, “and they've heard what a great teacher, what a great person she is and how she cares for her students.”

Right: Phanuelle Manuel is the 2024 Hoover High School senior winner of the Finley Award for outstanding character. Photo courtesy of Hoover City Schools. Far right: Spain Park High School math teacher Keri Ross, at right, is congratulated for winning the 2024 Finley Award for outstanding character among all faculty who work for Hoover City Schools.

Photo by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Hoover events guide

April 2: Magic City Poetry Festival Kickoff. 6-8 p.m. Hoover Public Library. The beginning of the month-long poetry festival kicks off with readings. Poets can register to perform at magiccitypoetryfestival.org. More events are planned at places such as the Alabama Library Association Conference at the Homewood Public Library, Birmingham Museum of Art, East Village Arts, Miles College, St. Paul United Methodist Church and the Birmingham Public Library.

April 3: Hoover Small Business Alliance Breakfast. 8-9 a.m. Hyatt Regency Birmingham — The Wynfrey Hotel. Panel discussion on Information Technology 101. Learn tips and network with other small business owners. Panelists are: Robin Schultz, PC Medics of Alabama; Keith Keller, American Computer Consultants; and Tyler Carroll, Sawyer Solutions. Free. For more information, call Traci Fox at 205-919-0561.

April 4: Washington Update Luncheon with U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer, R-Hoover. 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hyatt Regency Birmingham — The Wynfrey Hotel. Palmer will speak on issues facing Congress this year. The luncheon is jointly sponsored by the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce, the Shelby County Chamber, Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce, Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce, Gardendale Chamber of Commerce and Montevallo Chamber of Commerce. Cost is $35 for members of those organizations and $45 for others. Reserved corporate tables for six cost $220. Register by emailing info@ shelbychamber.org by March 30.

April 6: Roast of Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis (Benefit for Cystic Fibrosis Foundation). 6:30 p.m. Soiree Event Gallery, 2132 Lorna Ridge Lane. Roasters will be: Paul Finebaum, ESPN/SEC Network contributor and journalist; Gene Hallman, president of Eventive Sports; Carol Robinson, AL.com reporter; Frank Barefield, president of Abbey Residential and chairman of Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama; Janice Rogers, WBRC Fox 6 news anchor; and Bubba Bussey, co-host of “The Rick and Bubba Show.” Individual seats cost $375; sponsor packages range from $2,500 to $25,000 (each with seating for eight people). The event is organized by Miss Hoover 2024 Abbie Stockard. Register at nickderzisroast.com.

April 8: Murder in the Stacks. 6:30-7:30 p.m. Hoover Public Library. Attendees can use detective skills to solve a murder mystery, listen to a jazz band and partake of light refreshments and mocktails. For more information, call 205-444-7800.

April 11-12: Carousel in Concert. 7 p.m. Hoover Library Theatre. This Rodgers and Hammerstein touring production stars Ciaran Sheehan and tells the story of Billy Bigelow, a swaggering, carefree carnival barker who falls in love with and marries the sweet but naïve Julie Jordan. It’s a tale of hope, redemption and the power of love set in the

1870s and 1880s. The actors and singers perform the musical in the style of an old radio show. Tickets are sold out, but the Library Theatre keeps a waiting list for returned tickets. Call 205-444-7888.

April 13: The Kingdom Philanthropy 5K Scholarship

Run. 8 a.m. Veterans Park, 4800 Valleydale Road. This 3.1-mile run and walk organized by The Tower of Prayer Church raises money to provide college scholarships for high school seniors who have demonstrated exceptional academic merit and are interested in using their careers to do as much good as possible. Registration costs $25.

April 13-14: Patton Creek Art Festival. 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Patton Creek shopping center in the former Christmas Tree Shop, 4391 Creekside Ave. About 75 artists are expected for this juried art show, including painters, jewelers, woodworkers and stained glass artists, said Jinger Glasgow, president of the Central Alabama Artist Guild. “We’ve got some fine artists coming in,” Glasgow said. The show has always been held outdoors since it moved to Patton Creek in 2020, but “last year was horrible. It was cold and it was wet,” Glasgow said. “We decided we’ve got to go indoors.” There also will be an art competition for Hoover elementary, middle and high school students and goods for sale by Ady’s Army, a nonprofit that supports people and families affected by autism, Glasgow said.

April 16: State of Recycling in Alabama. 6-8 p.m. Hoover Public Library. Panel discussion on the changing landscape of recycling, including current trends, what works, innovations and plans for the future. Panelists include: Patrick Byington, reporter for Bham Now; Nick Ciancio, sustainability coordinator at University of Alabama at Birmingham; Leigh Shaffer, Birmingham Recycling and Recovery; Ken Grimes, Hoover city administrator; and Paul Barber, Amwaste district manager for Alabama.

April 18: Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce Luncheon. Networking at 11:15 a.m.; luncheon at noon. Cost is $25 for members and $30 for others. Call 205-988-5672.

April 18-20: Aldridge Gardens Spring Plant Sale. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to noon Saturday. Plants include hydrangeas for sun and shade, wildflowers, azaleas and pass-alongs.

April 19: Denim & Dining Fundraiser for Hoover City Schools Foundation. 6-10 p.m. Aldridge Gardens. This is a casual barbecue dinner catered by Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q that includes live music by Jenna and Ben Kuykendall and live and silent auctions. Tickets cost $85 in March and $100 in April and can be purchased at hoovercsf.org/events. Discounts available for teachers.

April 26: Household Hazardous Waste Day. 8 a.m. to noon. Hoover Public Safety Center, 2020 Valleydale Road. Items accepted include old paint, pesticides, fertilizers, electronics, ammunition, firearms, medication, cooking oil, auto fluids, batteries and light bulbs. For residents of Hoover and Indian Springs Village only. No businesses allowed. No paper shredding.

April 27: Celebrate Hoover Day. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Veterans Park. Citywide celebration that will include live music by the band More Cowbell, a car show by the Dixie Vintage Antique Automobile Car Club, children’s games, a petting zoo, pony rides and airbrush tattoos, said Kelly Peoples, the city’s events manager. The Hoover police and fire departments should have their specialty equipment and vehicles on display, and businesses and other organizations working with the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce will have an exhibitor tent, she said. The event always includes food trucks, and volunteers will be handing out servings from a 10-foot-wide apple pie cooked in a giant oven.

April 27: Hope for Autumn Foundation Crawfish Boil. 3-9 p.m., Main Green at Ross Bridge. All-you-can-eat crawfish boil to raise money to assist families battling childhood cancer in Alabama and fund childhood cancer research at Children’s of Alabama hospital. Crawfish will be prepared by Louisiana native John Hein, and live music will be provided by The Divines and Whiskey River Band. There will be hamburgers and hot dogs for kids, as well as bounce houses, face painting, a disc jockey and balloon artists. Soft drinks and water will be provided with tickets, but adults may bring their own adult beverages. Tickets are $50 online for teens and adults and $20 for children ages 5-12. Children younger than 5 are admitted free. Parking is at the Shades Creek Pool in the James Hill sector of Ross Bridge and the Hamptons pool in the Hamptons section of Ross Bridge, with shuttles running continuously. Visit hopeforautumnfoundation.org for more information.

Adhesives

Paint (latex, acrylic, oil, and spray)

Stains / Sealants

Varnishes / Shellacs

Strippers / Removers

Thinners / Solvents

Turpentine

Wallpaper Cement

Stripper / Adhesive

Asphalt Sealers

Roof Cements

Machinery / Lawn Equipment (compressor, generators, lawnmowers)

Ammunition / Explosives

Pool Chemicals (algaecides, chlorine)

Insect Sprays and Powders / Fumigants (ant, flea, rat, roach, wasp)

Septic Tank Additives

Degreasers

Yard Chemicals (fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides)

Batteries (car, truck motorcycle, marine)

Cleaners / Degreasers

Rust Removers (carburetor, polish, soaps, solvents)

Filters and Fuel Additives

Fluids (antifreeze, brake, transmission)

Asbestos / PCBs

Gas / Oil Gas and Oil Mixture

Tires (without rims, limit 8)

Aerosols (disinfectants, hair products)

Batteries (alkaline, lead, lithium, rechargeable or NiCad)

Chemicals (acids, ammonia, bleach, drain openers)

Cleaners / Degreasers (bath, kitchen, rug, outdoor)

First Aid and Sunscreen (antiseptics, burn and wound care, sanitizers)

Medical Waste

Light Bulbs / Tubes / Ballasts (CFL, fluorescent, sodium)

Appliances (air conditioners, freezers, refrigerators, stoves)

Household

Cooking Oil and Grease

Electronics (computers, cell phones, televisions, security equipment, small appliances)

Fire Extinguishers

Smoke Alarms

Gas Cylinders / Flammables (carbon dioxide, gasoline, kerosene, oxygen, propane)

Mercury and Mercury Containing Items (thermometers, thermostats)

Radioactive Materials

Unidentified Materials

Bucs finish off 2nd straight state sweep ‘An everything school’

By KYLE PARMLEY

Certain words and phrases were not allowed inside the walls of Hoover High School this season.

Back-to-back. Repeat. Run it back.

Hoover boys basketball coach Scott Ware would hear none of it, at least until March 2, when the Bucs won their second straight Class 7A state championship with a dominant 59-34 victory over Enterprise.

“Our message was the same as it’s been all year: take care of Hoover,” Ware said of the game plan. “Most nights if we take care of Hoover, it’s going to give us a fighting chance. Tonight, the guys did a great job of following through with the game plan.”

DeWayne Brown was one of the centerpieces of that dominant performance, as the towering forward posted a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds and was named the state tournament MVP. He heard the message from Ware loud and clear.

“One thing coach told us back in April was that we weren’t going to say we were repeating. We were chasing a new one. The team took that to heart and we were always dedicated to getting another [title],” Brown said.

The Bucs dominated the state championship game from the outset, opening up a 17-9 lead after a quarter of play and taking a 32-19

advantage into the break. Hoover held Enterprise to just 15 total points in the second half to put the game out of reach.

“Winners win, and these guys win,” Ware said. “They’re used to winning. They’re a little

too loosey-goosey for me and the staff sometimes, and they know that. But it goes back to winners win. They have so much confidence in themselves.”

Salim London was the high scorer in the

game, pouring in 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting. He also dished out five assists and pulled down seven rebounds.

Jarett Fairley also finished with 12 points and four assists in a solid performance.

The Bucs celebrate with the Class 7A state championship trophy following Hoover’s win over Enterprise at Legacy Arena at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex on March 2. Photos by Erin Nelson Sweeney.

Brown, London and Fairley have been a dominant trio over the last three years, but Ware has always emphasized the importance of everyone. Following the game, he highlighted the contributions of Seneca Robinson, Austin Dudley, Elijah Thomas and Jackson Sheffield.

“The other guys have all played their roles,” Ware said. “All these guys like each other. They pull for each other. Not only on the basketball floor, but in life. It’s just a blessing.”

That team chemistry was perhaps best characterized by the reaction to Brown being named the MVP. The giddiness from London and the rest of his teammates gave credence to the idea that the Bucs have a tight-knit group.

“We’re all friends. We love each other,” London said.

Once Hoover gets back in the gym and begins preparing for the 2024-25 season, a new phrase will probably be added to the banned list.

Three-peat.

Hoover will certainly miss the contributions of Thomas and Trace Cunningham and will be looking to continue the momentum that allowed the Bucs’ boys and girls programs to sweep the 7A titles for the second straight year.

Hoover’s girls won their fourth straight title with a win over Hewitt-Trussville, and the boys won the program’s third ever.

When asked if Hoover was now a basketball school, Ware stole a line from Auburn men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl.

“We’re an everything school,” Ware said.

Above: Hoover’s Jarett Fairley (1) shoots a layup guarded by Enterprise’s Walker Clark (2) and Jordan Knight (10).

Left: Hoover’s Salim London (5) shoots a layup guarded by Enterprise’s Tucker Wadsworth (23).

Hoover’s Austin Dudley (15), Jarett Fairley (1), DeWayne Brown (55) and Jackson Sheffield (35) react as the clock winds down.

Lady Bucs capture 4th straight state title ‘The

By KYLE PARMLEY

best one’

Hoover High School girls basketball coach Krystle Johnson could not contain her emotions following the Class 7A state championship game on March 2.

On the scoreboard at the BJCC’s Legacy Arena, Hoover defeated Hewitt-Trussville 58-56. It is the fourth consecutive state championship for the Lady Bucs, and the third time in the last six years the Lady Huskies have earned the red map trophy as the runners-up.

For Johnson, her smile (and tears) showed the pride of watching her team write a new chapter in the Hoover girls basketball annals. Some assumed the Lady Bucs’ dynasty would fade following the departure of Aniya Hubbard and Reniya Kelly. At the outset of the season, there were no household names on the Hoover roster.

That’s no longer the case. Sophomore Khloe Ford is clearly the next star player to emerge for the Lady Bucs, as she capped off a brilliant postseason run with another double-double, posting 17 points and 12 rebounds in the final.

But it wasn’t just Ford. Seniors Kamryn Lee, Ariana Peagler, Jillian Clark-Williamson and Katie Ridgeway were asked to carry a significant amount of responsibility. They rose to the occasion.

“These girls were asked to do so much and had so many people against them,” Johnson said. “This is the culmination of so much emotion.”

On that day, Hoover was clearly the better team through three quarters, opening up a 43-33 lead after three quarters.

Hewitt-Trussville refused to let Hoover coast in the fourth quarter. The Lady Huskies came out hot and cut the deficit all the way to 51-50, before Ford’s three-point play made it 54-50 with a couple minutes to play. Hoover held on the rest of the way.

Hoover was a team prepared to weather that late-game storm. Kaitlyn Gipson went for 12 points, Layla Cannon added eight, and Peagler and Lee each scored seven.

“Hewitt gave us a fight,” Johnson said. “Jordan Hunter is one of the best players in the state and she left it all on the floor.”

The Hoover seniors will complete their

high school careers knowing nothing other than winning it all. But for Lee and Peagler particularly, this one will hold a special place.

“This is the best one,” Lee said. “We were

doubted so much, and we worked so hard and everything fell in place. Even though it wasn’t the prettiest game, we pulled it through and played to our standard and played as Hoover.”

to come.

“I’m just so happy,” Lee said.

The memories formed on both sidelines will cause those smiles to be recreated for many years

Above: The Lady Bucs celebrate after defeating Hewitt-Trussville 58-56 in the Class 7A state championship game at Legacy Arena at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex on March 2. Below: The Lady Bucs celebrate with the Class 7A state championship trophy following Hoover’s 58-56 victory over Hewitt-Trussville.

Above: Hoover’s Ariana Peagler (14) dribbles the ball guarded by Hewitt-Trussville’s Lauryn Holley (12). Right: Hoover’s Khloe Ford (5) shoots the ball under the goal guarded by Hewitt-Trussville’s Ashlyn Howard (30). Photos by Erin Nelson Sweeney.

All-South Metro Basketball

Krystle Johnson earns postseason award

By KYLE PARMLEY

The 2023-24 high school basketball season has been completed, which means it’s time to recognize those with standout seasons on the annual Starnes Media All-South Metro basketball team.

Mountain Brook’s Ty Davis and Hewitt-Trussville’s Jordan Hunter are Players of the Year, as each capped off incredible careers. Both were coached by their parents and led their teams to state runner-up finishes this year.

Homewood’s Tim Shepler is the boys Coach of the Year, after leading Homewood back to the regional final for the first time since 2016. Tonya Hunter and Krystle Johnson met up in the Class 7A girls state championship game and both share Coach of the Year honors due to their stellar leadership.

BOYS AWARDS

► Player of the Year: Ty Davis, Mountain Brook

► Coach of the Year: Tim Shepler, Homewood

GIRLS AWARDS

► Player of the Year: Jordan Hunter, Hewitt-Trussville

► Coaches of the Year: Krystle Johnson, Hoover, and Tonya Hunter, Hewitt-Trussville

BOYS: 1ST TEAM

► Salim London, Hoover: One of the top guards in the state, averaging 17.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4 assists for the state champs.

► DeWayne Brown, Hoover: Nearly averaged a double-double, with 15.1 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.

► Avery Futch, Chelsea: Helped the Hornets to regionals by averaging 12.5 points and 6.6 rebounds per game.

► Ty Davis, Mountain Brook: Capped off a brilliant career with 17.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 5.2 assists per contest for the state runner-up.

► Drew Mears, Briarwood: Led the area in scoring, with 23.6 points per game this season.

BOYS: 2ND TEAM

► Jackson Weaver, Vestavia Hills: Went for 13 points per game for the Rebels.

► Korbin Long, Spain Park: Led the Jags with 14 points and 4 rebounds and assists per game.

► Devon McKinnon, Clay-Chalkville: Surpassed 1,000 career points and drained 75 3-pointers.

► Victor Odiari, Clay-Chalkville: Won area tournament MVP for a strong Cougars squad.

► Reid Stodghill, Hewitt-Trussville: Accepted a preferred walk-on offer to Alabama and eclipsed 1,000 points and 500 rebounds for his career.

BOYS: 3RD TEAM

► Jarett Fairley, Hoover: Went for 14 points per game for the state champion Bucs.

► Adam Barksdale, Vestavia Hills: One of the Rebels’ top options, scoring 12.3 points per game.

► TJ Lamar, Spain Park: A solid physical presence, averaging 13 points and nearly 7 rebounds a game.

Above: Spain Park’s TJ Lamar (5) shoots a 3-pointer in a game against Oak Mountain at Spain Park High School on Jan. 19.

Left: Spain Park’s Korbin Long (2) dribbles the ball downcourt guarded by Chelsea’s Avery Futch (0).

► David Stone, Homewood: The only double-digit scorer for a balanced Patriots team.

► Grey Williams, Oak Mountain: Averaged 12.5 points per game.

HONORABLE MENTION

► Seneca Robinson, Hoover; Gavin Collett, Chelsea; Aiden Owens, Chelsea; Christen Whetstone, Chelsea; Ben Evans, Vestavia Hills; Carson Romero, Mountain Brook; John Carwie, Mountain Brook; Jack Bakken, Mountain Brook; KJ Kirk, Clay-Chalkville; Kaleb Carson, Homewood; Aden Malpass, John Carroll; Braylon Bernard, John Carroll; Kevin Jasinski, Oak Mountain; Emanuel Johnson, Oak Mountain

GIRLS: 1ST TEAM

► Haley Trotter, Chelsea: One of two players in the area to average a double-double, with 18.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game.

► Jordan Hunter, Hewitt-Trussville: The Auburn signee helped the Lady Huskies to a state runner-up finish, going for 19.9 points per game.

► Sarah Gordon, Vestavia Hills: Led the

Above: Hoover head coach Krystle Johnson. Right: Hoover’s Khloe Ford (5) rises to shoot, guarded by Auburn’s Avari Bowley (24) in the first half of a girls Class 7A state semifinal game at Legacy Arena at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex on Feb. 29. Photos by Erin Nelson Sweeney.

area in scoring, with 20.3 points per game.

► Khloe Ford, Hoover: Burst onto the scene as a sophomore, finishing with 12.8 points and 7.8 rebounds for the four-time state champs.

► Kameron Sanders, Clay-Chalkville: Led the Lady Cougars with 12.3 points a game.

GIRLS: 2ND TEAM

► Emma Kerley, Briarwood: Has become one of the most versatile players in the area, going for 11.9 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.

► Jill Gaylard, Vestavia Hills: All-around solid point guard, posting nearly 10 points per game as well.

► Brooklyn Phillips, Clay-Chalkville: One of the top 3-point shooters in the area, making 72 of them.

► Raegan Whitaker, Oak Mountain: Averaged a double-double in her final season.

► Maddie Walter, Mountain Brook: Went for 10 points and 8 rebounds a game.

GIRLS: 3RD TEAM

► Caroline Brown, Chelsea: The versatile forward averaged nearly 10 points per game.

► Ryleigh Martin, Hewitt-Trussville: Had plenty of flashes in her freshman season,

including a 27-point outing late in the season.

► Kayla Warren, Homewood: Led a balanced team, with 9.8 points a game.

► Kaitlyn Gipson, Hoover: Surpassed 1,000 career points for the state champs.

► Ann Tatum Baker, Briarwood: The fourth-leading scorer in the area, with 13.4 points per game.

HONORABLE MENTION

► Emily Williams, John Carroll; Sadie Schwallie, Chelsea; Olivia Pryor, Chelsea; Mallory Ogle, John Carroll; Ashlyn Howard,

Hewitt-Trussville; Ellis McCool, Homewood; Ava Robinson, Homewood; Mira McCool, Homewood; Savannah McDonald, Homewood; Lane Crowe, Homewood; Laine Litton, Homewood; Grayson Hudgens, Vestavia Hills; Ariana Peagler, Hoover; Aaliyah Blanchard, Hoover; Layla Cannon, Hoover; Kamryn Lee, Hoover; Kamoriah Gaines, Clay-Chalkville; Ava Leonard, Spain Park; Tori Flournoy, Spain Park; Teagan Huey, Spain Park; Caroline Kester, Oak Mountain; Emma Stearns, Mountain Brook; Libby Geisler, Mountain Brook; Sarah Passink, Mountain Brook; Mary Beth Dicen, Briarwood

Left: Hoover’s DeWayne Brown (55) takes a shot. Right: Hoover’s Kaitlyn Gipson (12) dribbles the ball downcourt.

Recently sold homes in Hoover

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Berwick Road

► BED/BATH: 3/2

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North Lake of Greystone

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WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR HEALTH

At ENT Associates of Alabama, P.C.Experience Matters

If you suffer from allergies or other ear, nose, throat or hearing problems, we don’t want you to treat your healthcare lightly or ignore symptoms that could lead to more serious issues.

For a complete and thorough evaluation make an appointment today to see one of our 15 board certified physicians, 4 highly trained, licensed PA’s, or 16 clinical audiologists – all available to serve your needs at any of our 10 locations.

At our practice, your health comes first; and we strive to treat each patient as a person, not just another case. Our goal is to deliver a positive personal experience along with a positive outcome.

For your convenience, we have same day appointments available, as well as early morning, evening, and Saturday appointments. Please call 1-888-ENT-5020 (1-888-368-5020) for more information, visit us on our website at www.entalabama.com, and scan the QR code below to follow us on social media.

There’s

The

“We

and entertainment areas,” Grant says.

The

Autumn is a perfect season to have Gardner Landscaping beautify your property.

“Fall is considered the best time of year to plant new trees and shrubs,” Grant says.

However, you need help picking the perfect plants for you.

Many factors come into play, Grant says — sun exposure, soil type, landscape slope and your own preferences.

“We enjoy creating a plan that meets the needs of each customer and landscape,” he says.

The company staff specializes in beautiful landscapes but they’re also “very good at developing outdoor play

The team stays abreast of the latest design trends and can satisfy any client’s taste with either traditional or unusual plant materials.

“More customers are spending more time around their homes,” Grant says. “We have the best prices locally on large and small trees and shrubs to create privacy screens, shade and curb appeal.”

Gardner Landscaping also does clean ups, drainage projects and landscape borders.

“We can get your property where it’s managed correctly,” Grant says.

Gardner Landscaping works with all types of budgets and projects in Birmingham, Auburn, Dadeville, Alexander City or Lake Martin.

For details, call 205-401-3347 or go to gardnerlandscapingllc.com.

Shop local at Budget Blinds for great service and window covering selection

Many people like to shop local as much as they can to support the locally owned businesses in their communities.

One of those businesses in Vestavia Hills is Budget Blinds of Birmingham.

The company is owned and operated by Steve and Michelle Thackerson who live and work in Vestavia Hills and support the community, including youth programs.

They also offer all types of custom window coverings, and their highly trained personnel take the time to understand their customers and provide them with top-quality window coverings designed for their lifestyles.

Customers can also take advantage of the buying power of Budget Blinds, the world’s largest retailer of custom window coverings.

And when you call the Budget Blinds location in Vestavia Hills to get information or to schedule an appointment, you speak to someone in the local office, not a call center or remote person.

“All of our staff is employed with us and has been with us at least 10 years,” Thackerson said. “We don’t subcontract any workers out. All scheduling is done by us — not remotely or by a third party. We have total control over the scheduling.”

All window coverings are custom made to fit to each home, and all in-home measuring and installation is taken care of by Budget Blinds local employees.

“We install them, so anything that’s purchased from us, we’ll custom measure your windows and professionally install them,” Thackerson said. “We

control everything from setting up the appointment to the final installation.”

You can request a free in-home consultation or visit the showroom.

Some of the top sellers at Budget Blinds are shutters, solar shades and woven wood products.

Motorization and cordless options

for window coverings remain popular. Motorized options allow you to control blinds, shutters, solar shades and draperies from anywhere, and can be used with your home’s automation system.

“We can usually tie our product into any system you might have,” Thackerson said.

The store now carries Zebra Shades,

originally in Australia and now available in the United States. It is a unique product with both beauty and function. By combining roller shades and horizontal blinds, Zebra Shades allow you both privacy and great light control.

Budget Blinds also sells blinds with traditional cords. Due to changing national safety standards, these products are no longer available at the big-box retail stores. Budget Blinds sells the products and educates customers about using the blinds safely.

Customers at Budget Blinds of Birmingham take advantage of the long relationships Thackerson and his wife, Michelle, have built in more than 30 years in the business, as well as the national presence of Budget Blinds.

“Because of the nationwide volume of Budget Blinds, we get exclusive warranties others cannot offer,” Thackerson said. “Our manufacturers may also sell to our competitors, but they don’t give them the same warranties they give us. That sets us apart. We get the same products but better pricing and better warranties because we are the largest retailer of custom window coverings in the world.”

Budget Blinds of Birmingham is also consistently in the Top 20 Budget Blinds franchises for volume.

You can visit the showroom at 2130 Columbiana Road anytime Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, go to budgetblinds.com/birmingham or call 205-824-3300.

Gardner

Are you a homeowner who is sick and tired of your grass not growing?

Would you like to stop spending thousands of dollars sodding your lawn over and over again?

Are you tired of incurring all of the expenses in mowing, watering and fertilizing your grass?

If so, you should call the skilled professionals at Gardner Astroturf and have Astroturf installed at your home.

You’ll be joining a growing trend, because the popularity of artificial grass has grown tremendously in the past decade.

Artificial turf has even attracted positive attention recently from such trendy media outlets as House Beautiful and Architectural Digest.

Consumers should be aware that artificial grass looks and feels much closer to real grass than it did in the past, thanks to improvements in technology

and manufacturing.

They can save lots of money on maintenance of their lawns if they choose Astroturf.

Astroturf is also very versatile and is often used not just for whole lawns, but for children’s play areas, decks, patios, putting greens and other spaces.

The skilled professionals at Gardner Astroturf deliver top-quality service to homeowners with a friendly, personal touch.

“We give individualized attention to our customers the big companies can’t,” owner Grant Gardner says.

The company’s employees are “some of the best in the business,” Gardner says, with knowledge, experience, attention to detail and a passion for customer service.

“We want our customers to have an enjoyable experience,” he says.

For details, call 205-401-3347 or go to gardnerlandscapingllc.com.

Why

focus on kitchens and

After undertaking full remodels and building from the ground up, I

that kitchens and bathrooms are my passion. They’re the most difficult areas in the home, and the challenge is exciting. Getting lighting, plumbing, tile, countertops, cabinets, hardware, appliances and paint to all work in harmony is extremely rewarding.

What sets Ambrose Kitchen & Bath apart? We started as a design and remodeling company, so we can take your project from design to finish, including

space reimagination. We also stand out by carrying six distinct cabinet lines to meet the design and budget needs of anyone looking to elevate their home’s value. We can usually produce 3-D renderings of your vision after only one design appointment. What’s your favorite cabinet line? I love working with any cabinet that meets a customer’s needs, but my personal favorite is Mouser — a true luxury brand with lots of custom options. Mouser is still made in Kentucky bourbon country with the same quality and craftsmanship found nearly 70 years ago in Mr. Mouser’s tiny shop. It’s a brand that gets even architects excited — with luxury inset, trend right faceframe, chic custom veneers and modern frameless laminates. If you dream it, we can do it with Mouser.

For more information, call 205-510-6961 or visit ambrosekitchenandbath.com.

Foo Shunnarah

Shunnarah Flooring offers great selection, top-quality service

Shunnarah Flooring • 205-518-6423 • shunnarahflooring.com

Shunnarah Flooring, formerly Homewood Carpet & Flooring, recently changed its name.

But long-time owner Foo Shunnarah hasn’t changed any of the great things that customers love about the store, including the best selection of flooring in Birmingham.

Located at 813 Green Springs Highway, Shunnarah Flooring is the go-to place for designer carpets, hardwood, tile and luxury vinyl plank. The company also offers custom rugs and runners, as well as wall-to-wall carpet.

Shunnarah Flooring carries numerous top-quality designer brands. Crescent Carpet makes many wool rugs and runners. Stanton Carpet and Anderson Tuftex are preferred by many interior designers and decorators. Anderson Hardwood Flooring offers a beautiful selection and excellent quality.

The store also carries gorgeous tile for your floors, walls, and backsplash, with

brands such as Daltile and Stonepeak, and a wide variety of durable, luxurious countertops for kitchens and bathrooms, including brands like Cambria, Enigma and Valiant.

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“When I say ‘Foo and You,’ it’s really like 90% of the time you’ll see me if I’m there, and if you have any issues, you’ll talk directly to me,” he says.

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Shunnarah Flooring is located at 813 Green Springs Highway. For more information, call 205-518-6423 or go to shunnarahflooring.com.

CITY LEADERS

CONTINUED from page 1

The third major addition was Jennifer Cornett, who started in January as the city’s new chief financial officer to replace Tina Bolt, another retiree.

It’s a season of change for the city, and all three of these new leaders have been busy getting more acquainted with Hoover and diving into their respective roles. With a city as big and busy as Hoover, it’s been like “drinking through a fire hose,” Cornett said.

CITY ADMINISTRATOR

Grimes said while he may not have known all the inner workings of Hoover, he came into this job very familiar with the city. He grew up in Bessemer and remembers the opening of the Riverchase Galleria and the completion of Interstate 459 in the 1980s. He and his wife, Kelly, got engaged at Georgetown Lake.

Grimes previously served as president of the Bessemer Area Chamber of Commerce, then became president and CEO of the Alabama Gulf Coast Area Chamber of Commerce in 2001. He next spent six years as a special projects coordinator for the city of Orange Beach and more than 14 years as city administrator and parks and recreation director there, before moving into a new role of director of external affairs in November 2022.

Then Brocato came calling to gauge his interest in the Hoover job, and Grimes applied and was hired out of more than 50 applicants.

Grimes said he is passionate about local government and wants to finish his career strong, and he believes Hoover would be a good place to do that. “It’s kind of like coming back home.”

Grimes said one of the things that has impressed him the most since coming to Hoover is the level of professionalism he sees in city employees in all departments.

“There is a tremendous pride when they speak of the city of Hoover,” he said. “There is a tremendous history of service. People are proud to work for the city of Hoover. As an outsider coming in, seeing that is huge.”

It shocked him how many employees have been with the city for more than 25 years, he said.

He also is impressed with the level of service given by both employees and contractors, he said. Hoover is a clean and safe city with a great school system, which are foundational building blocks for any city, he said. “The machine is very well-oiled.”

And, as big as Hoover is, it still has that community feel, he said.

Grimes said he spent the first few months getting to know the staff, City Council, area legislators and civic and business leaders, and now he is ready to branch out more to officials in the Jefferson and Shelby county governments, though he already knows the county managers through the Alabama City/County Management Association.

He also has started diving into projects, such as the Exit 9 interchange being built on I-459.

Grimes, who is paid $222,086 a year, said he sees his primary role as managing the day-today operations of the city, overseeing personnel, resources, budgets and policies, but he also has to stay in touch with the community at large so he can help make sure city government is meeting the needs of the community.

“I’m trying to improve the city every day for those who live here, those who own businesses here and invest here,” he said.

There are always going to be more requests for resources than there are resources available, so the key is prioritizing the needs and making sure the budget is tied to revenues and the economy, he said. He also wants to look for ways to make government more efficient, he said. Changes happening with garbage pickup right now are a prime example of that, he said.

“I would love to take Hoover from good to great, but it’s already great in so many areas,” he said.

Another goal is to make the city more transparent, he said. “You’re always striving to create trust in your local government.”

Hoover is blessed to have a mayor who is so engaged with the community, Grimes said.

“I’m very impressed with how much he loves this city and how long he’s served this city,” he said. “That’s not the norm — staying in one place that long. His passion shines through.”

Grimes said he also has relationships with former longtime Hoover Executive Director Allen Pate and former Hoover Mayor Tony Petelos, who have been open and willing to

share their institutional knowledge. He also has enjoyed developing a working relationship with Maddox and Cornett and is impressed with their strong morals and integrity, he said.

SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT

Maddox, who spent 11 years as an assistant superintendent in Homewood and five years as a principal there, said he had a phenomenal job in Homewood.

“Had I stayed there and retired from there, it would have been great,” he said. “But this is one of those jobs I considered an opportunity of a lifetime.”

Maddox said he has always had his eye on the Hoover school district. “It has such a sterling reputation for academic success and having great community schools,” he said.

He also knows a lot of graduates from the former Berry High School and is impressed with them and the success they have had in life, he said.

Grimes said that when former Hoover schools Superintendent Kathy Murphy announced she was leaving to become president of Gadsden State Community College in 2020, he filled out an application for the Hoover superintendent job then, but he never officially submitted it. After

doing some digging and realizing the Hoover school board at that time was looking for someone with superintendent experience, he decided to hold off.

But when the next superintendent, Fowler, decided to retire and the school board was more open to someone without experience in the top chair and willing to interview candidates privately, Fowler decided to apply.

Coming from a comparable and high-performing school district such as Homewood, “I feel like I know what success looks like and the recipe for it and the ingredients involved in the recipe, and I see all those ingredients here [in Hoover],” Maddox said.

Two of the measures of a great school district are whether the kids are happy and whether the teachers love kids, and Hoover checks both of those boxes, Maddox said. “I have seen evidence of it time and time again.”

It’s rare to see a school district as big and diverse as Hoover have the academic success that Hoover has, Maddox said.

Diversity is amazing but comes with its own set of challenges, he said. Another measure of a great school system is whether all children are learning and growing academically, and the data shows that all groups of children in Hoover are

growing, not just one or two, he said.

“We have phenomenal people in this school district — leadership, teachers, staff, people who have been here a long time — who love this school district and who are invested and committed to this school district being successful,” Maddox said.

Maddox, who is paid $230,000 a year, said he’s not the kind of leader who spends a lot of time behind a desk in the central office. He likes to be out in the schools, but one thing he realized early on is that he may not be able to visit each school quite as often as he did in Homewood because of the number of schools and distance between them. However, in the first six months, he has been able to spend an extended amount of time in each school at least twice, plus shorter visits for certain activities, he said.

One thing that surprised him is that, despite its size, the Hoover school district still acts like a family, he said. When a student died unexpectedly in March, schools throughout the district sent staff to the schools most connected to that family, so staff members there could attend the funeral, he said.

While he feels good about what he sees so far, the district in April is surveying all staff to get feedback and hear about any needs and challenges, he said.

One big initiative already underway is the hiring of retired teachers to serve as academic interventionists to help kids who are at-risk or struggling. Federal COVID-19 relief money was used to hire 41 interventionists in the 202122 school year, but that money was temporary. Upon recommendation from Maddox, the Hoover school board in January agreed to hire 35 part-time interventionists for the rest of this school year, and 25 more are planned for next year, Maddox said.

Also, the district is hiring 14 more special education teachers, two more speech language pathologists and a couple of additional counselors to help support kids, he said. The school board is digging into its healthy reserves to cover that and believes it can do that for three to five years without spending too much of those reserves, he said. “We are full-court pressing the things we need,” Maddox said. “We’re focusing on at-risk students.”

Maddox also hired a new chief talent officer in the central office to bolster the district’s recruitment and retention of great teachers and started staffing plans for the 2024-25 school year at least two months earlier than was the custom in Hoover.

He and his staff will continue to keep an eye on the city’s growth and its impact on schools, but he believes they have the classroom space they need for the near future. “Building schools is extremely expensive right now,” he said. Maddox said he appreciates the support of the mayor and City Council and is working cohesively with them.

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Just as Maddox had not been a superintendent before coming to Hoover, this is Cornett’s first

Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato, left, has a private chat with Hoover ’s new city administrator, Ken Grimes, during a Hoover City Council meeting in which Grimes was introduced in September 2023. Photo by Jon Anderson.

Hoover City Schools Superintendent Kevin Maddox tests a hovercraft at Rocky Ridge Elementary School on Feb. 23. Photo courtesy of Sherea Harris-Turner, Hoover City Schools.

time being a chief financial officer.

She began her career with more than a decade in the commercial lending business before going back to school to get a master’s degree in accounting and becoming a staff accountant at Barfield, Murphy, Shank & Smith. After about 2 ½ years there, her husband, Chris, took a job at an obstetrics and gynecology clinic in Opelika, and she started teaching accounting at Auburn University.

Cornett fell in love with teaching, became a full-time instructor and stayed a total of 19 years at the university. About three years ago, her husband changed careers and they moved back to the Birmingham area, this time settling in Mountain Brook, next door to their best friends. This

opened up more job options for her, she said.

When the Hoover chief financial officer job came open, she saw it as an opportunity for personal growth but also as a way to keep serving people, she said. “I’m really working for the citizens,” she said.

She has never worked in government accounting before, but as an auditor previously, some of her clients were nonprofits that used fund accounting, which is similar to government accounting, she said.

Cornett, who is paid $174,829 a year, said she sees her primary responsibility as twofold: providing accurate information to decision-makers about the financial accounts of the city so they can make good decisions and ultimately

— understanding where they want to be and helping them get there, she said.

There are 15 people in Hoover’s Finance Department, and probably half of them have 15 or more years with the city and bring a lot of perspective to the job, she said. Claire Hamilton, head of purchasing and budget division, did a great job of serving as acting chief financial officer after Bolt retired and kept things running smoothly, she said.

Also, the City Council brought back former Chief Financial Officer Robert Yeager to serve as city treasurer, and Yeager is serving as a consultant and advisor for the city right now as well.

“I feel like I’m really just scratching the surface,” Cornett said. “The city is big, and we have a lot going on, a lot of irons in the fire.”

Cornett said she is still in somewhat of an assessment phase for now and doesn’t want to cause disruption by changing things just for the sake of change, but she knows there are always opportunities for continuous improvement.

“I imagine in the coming months I will be forming a strategy about what to do next,” she said.

She hopes she will get to add a couple of new people to the finance team so they have time and space to be more proactive, she said. She also wants to be known for transparency, she said.

“Transparency isn’t just about sharing the right information. It’s also about timing,” she said. “If you’re sharing information and it’s six months old, that’s not as helpful in decision making or evaluating information.”

providing accurate information to the public because they are dealing with public tax dollars, she said.

Her team also makes sure the city is following financial reporting requirements for publicly issued debt and following laws related to public finance, she said. She is one of many voices at the table in terms of investment and economic development decisions, such as incentive packages for companies, though those decisions ultimately lie with the City Council, she said.

She is supervising more functions than she has ever done before, but she has supervised more people in her other jobs, Cornett said. One of her primary goals for her first six months is to get to know the people on her team better

Cornett said she has been received extremely well by city staff and loves the spirit of city employees. “I don’t think I’ve ever worked with a group of people that were so in concert with one another,” she said.

She also has developed a new appreciation for the city of Hoover and how highly utilized city services are, she said. She came into the office one Sunday, and the library parking lot was packed, she said. After taking a turn in the simulator at the police training center, she also has a better appreciation for the work of police officers, she said.

As a new chief financial officer, “I expected I would have to kind of prove myself, and so I’m excited about that,” Cornett said. “I’m excited about the challenge. It’s been fun so far.”

Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.

TAYLOR HICKS

CONTINUED from page 1

But Hicks, who became famous after winning the fifth season of the “American Idol” TV show in 2006, confirmed that music was in his blood from an early age. He remembers sneaking into a nearby sports bar after high school basketball games to hear music.

Even then, he had enough premature gray hair to blend into the crowd, despite being underage, he said.

“I knew music was going to be a part of what I’d do,” Hicks said. “I didn’t know to what level.”

THIRD ALBUM

Hicks, who is scheduled to perform in concert at the Wright Center at Samford University on April 19 as a benefit for Alabama Game Changers, now is preparing to release his third album since “American Idol.” It will be his first full album release in 15 years. He has been working on it for about 10 years, he said.

In 2017, Hicks put out a single called “Six Strings and Diamond Rings,” and then in 2021, he performed a song called “Porch Swing” in the romantic comedy “Stars Fell on Alabama,” playing himself in the movie.

He officially released “Porch Swing” in February of last year and followed it up with another song, “Teach Me To Dance,” in June, in conjunction with Father’s Day weekend and his debut appearance at the Grand Ole Opry.

“Porch Swing” was co-written by Runaway June’s Jennifer Wayne and Jason Deere (who has written songs for Little Big Town, Lady A and LeAnn Rimes) and was recorded at Zac Brown’s Southern Ground studio in Nashville.

The ballad marries the sounds of country and soul and expounds on the idea of John Anderson’s “Swingin,’” Hicks said.

The porch swing is an iconic part of American life, from lazy evenings to first kisses, he said. “A lot of things go on on a porch swing.”

“Teach Me To Dance,” written by Victoria Shaw and Candy Parton, is described by Hicks as “the perfect wedding song.” It can be either a first dance song or father-daughter dance song because it’s universal and can be looked at from a father-daughter perspective or a romantic couple perspective, he said.

The song had been on hold for a Garth Brooks album, but Hicks found it and was able to snatch it up, he said.

He hopes to have his full album ready for release by late spring or summer and has been trying to get all the ducks in a row from a marketing perspective, he said. In the meantime, he released his own version of “Jingle Bells” in October and said he might want to do a Christmas album sometime soon as well.

POST-‘IDOL’ SUCCESS

Hicks has been a busy man since winning “American Idol” 18 years ago. Soon after beating out Katharine McPhee, Chris Daughtry and Kellie Pickler in that season of the show, he was named the “Hottest Bachelor” of 2006 by People magazine.

The debut single on his first album release after the show, “Do I Make You Proud,” debuted in the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 and later was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. The album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart and later was certified as a platinum album.

Hicks landed a book deal with Random House for a memoir that came out in 2007, and in 2008 he joined the cast of the Broadway musical “Grease” to play the role of Teen Angel, continuing in the role for a national tour.

In 2009, Hicks released his second post“Idol” album, called “The Distance,” on his own label, Modern Whomp Records, and the first single, “What’s Right is Right,” made it to No. 24 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks.

In 2012, Hicks steered his Soul Patrol ship in a different direction, becoming the first “American Idol” alumnus to land a long-term gig in Las Vegas. He started out at the Bally’s Las Vegas Hotel & Casino in June 2012 and shifted to the Paris Las Vegas

Hotel & Casino in January 2013, as part of a deal that allowed him to sing at other Caesar’s properties across the country the same year.

In 2019, Hicks stepped back onto the stage at the Serenbe Playhouse just outside Atlanta, taking on the lead role of Charlie Anderson in “Shenandoah.”

LOVE FOR FOOD

The singer and actor also has always had a passion for food, he said. While he was growing up in Alabama, he enjoyed visiting mom-and-pop restaurants all over the state, and that love of cuisine continued as he traveled around the country performing, he said.

In 2011, he joined with several partners to open a restaurant in Birmingham called Ore Drink and Dine, which served upscale versions of Southern classic dishes. The restaurant was rebranded in 2012 as Saw’s Juke Joint in conjunction with Mike Wilson and Doug Smith of Saw’s BBQ. Hicks said he handles the marketing for all six locations of Saw’s, including the one that opened in Hoover in 2022.

“The brand is growing, and people walk out with BBQ sauce all over ‘em,” he said. “That’s one thing we’re happy about.”

Hicks took his passion for food to the television screen from 2016 to 2018 in a series on the INSP channel called “State Plate,” in which he served as host, traveling across the country to feature iconic dishes and ingredients from each state. One of his favorites is Maine lobster, he said. “I think it tastes different.”

Hicks, who has lived off and on in Nashville for about 15 years, said he now spends a lot of time traveling back and forth between Nashville, Birmingham and the

My motto is — have guitar, will travel. TAYLOR HICKS

Gulf Coast. He probably comes to Birmingham two to three times a month, he said. He still has family in Hoover and the restaurant in Birmingham. On the Gulf Coast, he likes to perform at places such as the Flora-Bama in Orange Beach and Perdido Key, Florida, and The Oasis Resort in Gulfport, Mississippi.

But he travels to perform in other places around the country as often as he can get gigs.

“My goal is to stay on the road as much as possible,” he said. “I love working, and I love performing and entertaining. I probably do eight to nine performances a month all over the country and in Canada.”

One of his favorite places to perform was the Crystal Ballroom in Portland, Oregon, which is an old ballroom built on springs, he said. “You can see people spring up and down on the floor,” he said. “It’s a magnificent place to play music and entertain people.”

PEAKS AND VALLEYS

Show business is thrilling, but it comes with a price, Hicks said. “It’s a lot of hard work,” he said. “I enjoy the challenges of the valleys just as much as I enjoy the peaks of my career.”

While “American Idol” was definitely a highlight that brought him into the national

spotlight, the best part of his 25 years in show business is all the people who come to hear him play and perform, he said. He also has had a chance to perform with a lot of great musicians.

“Willie Nelson was my favorite,” Hicks said. He got to sing “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” with Nelson at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado and considers it the highlight of his career, he said.

He’s also had a lot of variety, noting he sang with Snoop Dogg at City Stages in Birmingham in 2006. He would love to perform with Van Morrison one day, “but I’ve got to get in line for that.”

The hardest thing he’s had to do in his career is learning how to act on the fly — diving headfirst into Broadway theater without any formal training, he said.

“It’s definitely a work in progress still,” he said. “I have the utmost respect for the theater folks.”

Hicks said he would love to find a more serious acting role in film or TV to create some artistic credibility for himself as an actor — maybe take on something like Billy Flynn, a fictional character from the 1926 play “Chicago.”

“Something that catches people off guard,” he said. “That’s kind of the goal.”

He also would love to be a contestant on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars, he said.

“[American Idol judge] Simon [Cowell] said I dance like a drunk uncle at a wedding,” he said. “That would be an awesome gig.”

But music remains his biggest passion, whether he’s performing with a six-piece band or doing an acoustic gig by himself or with one or two others, he said.

“My motto is — have guitar, will travel,” he said. “Whatever combination they want.”

Taylor Hicks.

Photo courtesy of Adkins Publicity.

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