Volume 4 | Issue 5 | September 2016
2016 MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS
New faces prep for office Asphalt degradation and potholes, like this one on Crosshaven Drive, have led to nearly 30 miles of Vestavia roads being deemed to be in “fair to poor” condition. Photo by Emily Featherston.
Nearly 30 miles of roads to be resurfaced over next 3 years By EMILY FEATHERSTON When driving through various parts of the city, certain things are unavoidable: Congestion around schools in the early afternoon or the frequent steep hills in neighborhoods near the Vestavia Country Club are all familiar to Vestavia Hills drivers. ► List of roads set Potholes and street for repaving degradation are unfortuwork, A28 nately another common encounter, but over the next few years, the city hopes to continue the recent push for road improvements. City Manager Jeff Downes said a recent study found that nearly 30 miles of residential roads, roughly 9 percent of the city’s roadways, are in “fair to poor” condition. “Being able to put a plan together to address those 30 miles is very important,” Downes said. Two years ago, Downes said the City
INSIDE
Mayor-elect Ashley Curry shares a moment with his daughter, Anna, after receiving the final results Aug. 23. Photo by Sarah Finnegan.
Curry ousts Zaragoza for mayor; Ammons drops out of Place 3 runoff By EMILY FEATHERSTON
THE FACES OF YOUR NEW CITY GOVERNMENT
W
hen November rolls around, four new faces will take a seat in the council chambers. With Steve Ammons dropping out of a runoff for Place 3 and the defeat of Mayor Butch Zaragoza and Place 1 Councilor John Henley, Place 4 Councilor George Pierce was the only incumbent to win in the Aug. 23 election. Former FBI agent Ashley Curry won the mayoral race
Pre-Sort Standard U.S. Postage PAID Tupelo, MS Permit #54
See ELECTIONS | page A30
Mayor
Place 1
Place 2
*Place 3
Place 4
Curry
Weaver
Cook
Head
Pierce (I)
3,712 votes
3,288 votes
3,606 votes
2,546 votes
4,110 votes
Zaragoza (I) .........2,771 Henley (I) ............. 2,919 Benos ...................2,729 Ammons (I) ........ 2,333 Elliott ..................2,082 De Buys .................1,420
INSIDE
Sponsors .............. A4 News...................... A6
Business ............... A8 Events .................. A12
Community .........A15 School House ..... B10
See REPAVING | page A28 Sports .................. B12 Real Estate.......... B17
School Guide ...... B18 Calendar ............. B22 facebook.com/vestaviavoice
30 Years of Yarn
‘Be All There’
Hooked on the hobby for decades, Vestavia Hills resident Holly Tenison runs mother’s business, Knit Happenz.
Boys, girls cross-country squads prepare to face giants in their 2016 seasons.
See page B8
See page B15