Vestavia Voice January 2023

AHEAD AT

Park improvements, more events and possible school upgrades on horizon

By NEAL EMBRY

Following a couple of years of construction delays, the city of Vestavia Hills is expected to wrap up the Community Spaces Plan in 2023, with just the completion of Wald Park left to finish.

In addition to improvements at Wald Park, work will begin to improve Altadena Valley Park, a former golf course city leaders hope can be turned into an asset for residents, while new events at new city facilities will also mark the new year.

Several businesses will be joining the city as new developments take shape, while Vestavia Hills City Schools leaders anticipate a vote on a tax increase to fund the proposed 1Rebel 1Future plan to bring improvements and additions all across the school system.

DREAM TO REALITY

More than six years after plans were first introduced, the Community Spaces Plan should be complete this year, City Manager Jeff Downes said.

While plans previously called for the nearly $60 million worth of infrastructure and parks and recreation improvements to be finished in the past couple of years, a series of delays related to supply-chain issues and other problems pushed back the last handful of projects, including the new Civic Center, which opened in November 2022.

Above: Altadena Valley Park in Vestavia Hills. Below: Improvement efforts continue near Wald Park on Dec. 15. Photos by Erin Nelson.

healthy new year!

You don’t have to face your new fitness resolutions alone. At TherapySouth you’ll find a movement expert who will work with you to develop an individualized exercise program to help you feel stronger and reduce pain.

With an Annual Movement Screening, your PT can assess your mobility and strength to help you face everything this new year will bring.

Scan this code to schedule an appointment and start a Healthy New Year.

VESTAVIA 1944 Canyon Road, Suite 100 | 205.822.7607

Editor’s Note By Neal Embry

Time truly does go by fast.

About Us Please Support Our Sponsors

This month four years ago, I married my wife. It does not seem like it has been that long, but four years have brought so many changes: from an apartment to a home, to bringing home our first dog and, of course, welcoming home our baby girl in 2020.

Of all the roles I have in my life, besides being a Christian, being a husband and a father is what I enjoy the most. I am blessed to have the family that I have and am thankful for them each and every day.

Another role I enjoy is being editor of this newspaper. As a native Vestavian, it’s my pleasure to serve my hometown by providing excellent news coverage to its many residents.

This month, we preview some of the major projects the city has coming up in 2023 and some fun events Vestavia Hills students are hosting to raise money for RISE at Vestavia Hills High School, which benefits cancer research.

We also have stories honoring the All-Metro South volleyball and football teams, which feature plenty of Vestavia athletes. Congratulations to this year’s honorees!

I hope this month brings many blessings to you as we start 2023, and, as always, thank you for reading!

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

Abenoja Orthodontics (A11)

Accel Clinical Research, Achieve (A7)

Advanced Turf Care - Gardner (A6)

Alabama Power (A19)

Alabama Vision Center (A26)

Always Best Care: ABC Senior Services (A12, A24)

Bedzzz Express (A32)

Bistro V (A30)

Bromberg’s (A31)

Campfire Woodfuel (A1)

Cardinal Roofing (A9)

Cremation Center of Birmingham (A28)

Dear Emmaline (A31)

Dermatology & Skin Care Center of Birmingham (A23)

Donatos Pizza (A11)

Enroll Alabama (A23)

French Drains Pro (A14)

Gardner Landscaping (A5)

Groome Transportation (A11)

Highlands Dental Arts (A5)

Homewood Carpet & Flooring (A26)

IOP Services LLC (A25)

Issis & Sons (A16)

Jana Hanna, RealtySouth (A15)

LIST Birmingham (A17)

Mr. Handyman of Birmingham (A10)

Oakworth Capital Bank (A13)

One Man & A Toolbox (A14)

Parrot Structural Services LLC (A29)

Pet Vet Express (A9)

Riverpeak Partners of Raymond James (A27)

Royal Automotive (A3)

Scott Perry, RealtySouth (A10)

Southern Home Structural Repair Specialists (A30)

Stuart Curry Dentistry (A6)

The Altamont School (A28)

The Crossings at Riverchase (A15)

The Welch Group (A29)

TherapySouth Corporate (A2)

Vapor Ministries/Thrift Store (A22)

Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce (A1)

Virginia Samford Theatre (A28)

Vulcan Termite & Pest Control (A25)

Window World of Central Alabama (A27)

For advertising contact: dan@starnesmedia.com

Contact Information: Vestavia Voice P.O. Box 530341 Birmingham, AL 35253 (205) 313-1780 dan@starnesmedia.com

Legals:

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

Published by: Starnes Publishing LLC

to the attention of the publisher at (205) 313-1780 or by email.

Please recycle this paper.

The students and teachers at Vestavia Hills Elementary West give the “Merlin wag” sign as Dawn Norris and Merlin, the school’s facility dog, walk the halls while the students wish him a happy birthday on Dec. 16. Photo by Erin Nelson.

Mayor’s Minute By Ashley Curry Council approves new small-cell poles, hears update on projects

By NEAL EMBRY

The Vestavia Hills City Council, in December meetings, heard an update on several projects and approved new poles to host small-cell technology.

The council voted at the Dec. 19 meeting to allow the installation of multiple poles to host small-cell nodes that power 5G cell phone networks, much to the chagrin of multiple residents.

New poles will be installed at the following locations: 1445 Linda Vista Lane, 2604 Kingswood Road, 2733 Southview Drive and 2857 Vestavia Forest Drive. After a homeowner near a proposed location at 1829 Forest Haven Lane said Alabama Power was removing their devices from their pole at that location, a representative from Crown Castle agreed to table that request as the company would prefer to use an existing pole. Alabama Power would move their power underground.

Several residents opposed the moves, arguing poles should not be placed in front yards. The Crown Castle representative said rear-yard power poles are main power structures and not suitable for the nodes, and those installing such devices are not legally allowed to place the nodes on the poles.

Vestavia Hills City Manager Jeff Downes updated the council about several projects at the Dec. 12 meeting.

The city recently held a series of meetings with residents to discuss stormwater issues on upper U.S. 31 and Shades Crest Road. Downes said they were well-attended and the input gathered at the meeting will now be used by

the city’s design and engineering departments to present recommendations during the city’s strategic planning session early next year.

Downes also gave an update on a proposed roundabout at the intersection of Pump House Road and Sicard Hollow Road. The city currently has half of the project’s drawings and expects to receive a full set of drawings in early 2023. The existing estimate for the project is roughly $2 million. Jefferson County previously committed to paying $1 million. Downes said if everything goes well, the city may be able to go to bid for the project by the spring of 2023.

For more on these meetings, visit vestaviavoice.com.

I hope all of you had a joyful holiday season with family and friends. From a city perspective, we had a special holiday season with holiday events in our new Civic Center. The Christmas tree lighting event was moved indoors at the Civic Center because of thunderstorms.

Participants were greeted by a larger tree for the lighting ceremony, a delightful Christmas concert by our elementary and middle schools, a performance by the “Rockettes” and guided tours of the new facility.

On Dec. 9, the Alabama Symphony Orchestra performed a “Christmas Concert” in our new ballroom of the Civic Center. This event was hosted by RISE (Rebels Impact through Service and Engagement), part of Youth Leadership Vestavia Hills. Proceeds from this event benefit the Adolescent and Young Adult division of the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB Hospital. This was a fantastic event and provided another opportunity to showcase our new Civic Center ballroom.

Our Beautification Board encouraged our citizens to “Light Up Vestavia Hills” by placing a live or artificial tree (featuring white lights), a menorah or any celebratory holiday symbol in the front yards of our homes. Thanks to all who participated in lighting up our city.

As I observed the tree lighting event in the new Civic Center, I remembered that about five years ago, our City Council was planning the much-needed renovations to our parks. Coincidentally, the owner of the building that is now our Civic Center contacted the city to see if there was an interest in purchasing the building. This was a stroke of good fortune and probably one of the best decisions this council has made.

What a blessing to have this nice building adjacent to City Hall. Our Parks and Leisure Services Department will be able to accommodate most any type of event.

Here are some things to look forward to in the coming year. We should finish our Community Spaces and Infrastructure Plan in the next few months. This would include the Crosshaven Drive street widening and sidewalks in Cahaba Heights. We will also finish Phase Three of the Wald Park improvements: tennis courts, pickleball courts, and dog park. We will also complete the finishing touches on the new Civic Center.

Now that the COVID-19 crisis is behind us, I look forward to resuming awareness meetings for topics such as financial scams against the elderly, opioid awareness, our Phoenix Program for individuals with substance abuse issues, and awareness about human trafficking.

You have probably made your New Year’s resolution by now and hopefully you have not already broken it.

If you have not made one, I will leave you with a thought for the New Year. An old Chinese proverb said, “If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for the day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. But, if you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.”

I wish everyone a happy new year.

Photo by Meredith Rowlen Photography

We’re looking for people who can help us advance development of an investigational flu vaccine using mRNA technology.

Flu causes millions of cases of severe illness worldw ide every year. One important way to protect yourself and others from the flu is to get vaccinated. While flu vaccines exist, new ones are needed because the flu virus is constantly changing. Recent developments in mRNA technology may lead to flu vaccines that are better matched to each season’s flu strains.

You may be eligible for this study if you are at least years old and have not received a flu vaccine in the last six months. If you qualify and choose to take part, you will be in the study for about six months. You will receive either the investigational flu vaccine or a licensed flu vaccine. There is no cost to participate. Compensation will also be provided for your time and travel.

Ready to learn more? 205)757-8212

PHOTOS YEAR OF THE

PHOTOS

BY ERIN NELSON

Left: Jupie Lindley, a longtime kindergarten teacher at Cahaba Heights Elementary School, reads the book “Mercy Watson to the Rescue” to her class on April 7.

Below: The Rebels react from the dugout after Vestavia Hills’ Thomas Watson (16) scored on a passed ball in game two of a quarterfinal series against Bob Jones in the Class 7A playoffs at Sammy Dunn Field on May 6.

Vestavia Hills head coach John David Smelser reacts to a call in the first half of the girls Class 7A state championship game against Hoover at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Center’s Legacy Arena on March 5.

Above left: Vestavia’s Josh Matthews throws the ball down the lane during the AHSAA state bowling tournament held at The Alley in Gadsden on Jan. 28. Below left: Jonathan Vickery, a firefighter with the Vestavia Hills Fire Department, talks about the experience of losing his home to a house fire the night of Oct. 19 and the support received from his fellow firefighters, as he stands in the rubble of his McCalla property on Nov. 10. Below right: Vestavia Hills’ Reese Gurner (11) shoots a layup during the first half of the AHSAA Class 7A boys Northeast Regional Semifinal at Pete Mathews Coliseum on Feb. 16.

Left: School counselors Emily Foster, top left, and Dawn Norris sit with Merlin, 3, the new facility dog at Vestavia Hills Elementary West, as students from the school pet Merlin on June 14.

Your Pet & Their Oral Health

Pet Vet Express gained state-of-theart dentistry equipment during their remodel. To honor their reopening, Dr. Oden is sharing the most frequently asked questions she has received about pet dentistry.

Q: Why does my pet have bad breath?

A: Your pet may have bad breath due to dental disease.

Q: What is “dental disease”?

A: When we say “dental disease,” we are referring to any and all diseases of the mouth. Most often, we are referring to periodontal disease, which happens when plaque and tartar migrate below the gumline. The spread may lead to inflammation of the gums and bone loss around the teeth.

Q: What causes dental disease in pets?

A: Dental disease begins when bacteria in your pet’s mouth collect to form plaque, which hardens into tartar that can spread below the gumline. Once tartar spreads below the gumline, it begins to cause problems not only for your pet’s oral health, but also for their health as a whole.

Q: What will cure my pet’s bad breath?

A: A professional dental cleaning may make a difference when it comes to improving your pet’s breath, but without regular athome oral care (toothbrushing), odor-causing plaque and tartar will begin to build up on the teeth again. We recommend consistent tooth brushing, water additives, and other preventive measures to help keep your pet’s breath fresh longer.

untreated, bacteria can enter your pet’s bloodstream and spread to the heart, kidneys or liver. Additionally, preventing tooth and bone loss, oral pain, are all important aspects of oral wellness in pets.

A: Having your pet’s oral health evaluated can be done on regular, routine exam for your pet. We’re happy to see them in our office here in Vestavia Hills. However, dental radiographs (x-rays) are taken under anesthesia. We’re happy to see them at our freshly remodeled office here in Mountain Brook.

A: Oral health can impact many things when it comes to your pet’s overall health and wellness. If left

A: Dental radiographs allow your veterinary care team to see below your pet’s gumline. This is important because over 70% of the tooth falls below the gumline and issues often go undetected until radiographs are taken.

Q: How can I schedule an appointment for my pet’s oral exam?

A: Call our office at 205-518-0606 for an appointment. We’ll be happy to see your pet!

Q: Why is it important for my pet to have good oral health?

Q: How can I have my pet’s oral wellness evaluated?

Q: Why are dental radiographs important?

Dr. Amanda Oden and the entire Pet Vet Express team are excited about enhancing your pet’s oral health!

Dr. Amanda Oden of Pet Vet Express

Business

Compassionate Crossings

By JON ANDERSON

When Hope Ausley found out this fall that her 16-year-old cat, Simon, didn’t have much more time to live, she made the difficult decision to put him down.

But like many cats, Simon didn’t like getting into a car, so Ausley and her husband, Francis, took advantage of a new Hoover-based business that provides euthanasia services at pets’ homes.

They called Dr. Lindsay Floyd of Compassionate Crossings, who came out to the Ausleys’ Cahaba Heights home about 10 p.m. one night and gave Simon a peaceful transition into death in the comfort of his own home.

“We were able to hold Simon, have him in his heating pad and blanket,” Ausley said. “We sat in his favorite chair by the fireplace.”

It by far beat having Simon get agitated about having to get into a car and go to a veterinarian’s office, she said. “It was a real blessing.”

Also, Floyd was absolutely wonderful and didn’t rush the process, Ausley said. “We were able to spend time with him in the end.”

Floyd, who grew up in Hoover and moved back to Bluff Park in 2012, works as an associate veterinarian at the Lincoln Veterinarian Clinic in Talladega County. She started her Compassionate Crossings business in October as a side business to help meet a need for both pet owners and vet clinics, she said.

Putting a pet to sleep is an incredibly intense time for most pet owners, and many people like the idea of letting their pet transition into death in

a calm, quiet, comfortable environment to which the pet is accustomed, instead of taking their pet to an unfamiliar office with a lot of strangers and unfamiliar animals around, Floyd said.

Also, it’s difficult to get some animals to a vet’s office, she said. Cats usually are terrified of vet clinics, and some dogs are heavy, aggressive or nonmobile, she said. Sometimes, pet owners who are disabled have difficulty getting out, she said.

Floyd said she isn’t trying to compete with vet clinics but instead provide a service for them as well. She only makes her appointments after hours (usually 6-10 p.m.) or on weekends or holidays, all times most vet clinics are closed, she said.

Also, providing in-home euthanasia service is not really a moneymaker for vets, she said. And with manpower shortages, it’s hard for vets to make time to leave the office, she said.

When she opened in October, Floyd sent letters to vet clinics in communities south of Birmingham, letting them know she was available

to help, and vets surprisingly have been the source of most of her referrals, she said.

She had about 25 clients in her first two months, which was more than she expected, she said. Compassionate Crossings, while based in Hoover, also is licensed to do business in Homewood, Mountain Brook, Vestavia Hills and other parts of Jefferson and Shelby counties, she said. As her business grows, she hopes to extend her reach into other communities, she said.

Compassionate Crossings does not provide any medical, surgical or hospice services — only euthanasia and body aftercare services, she said.

Floyd graduated from Hoover High School in 1999, got her doctorate in veterinary medicine from Auburn University in 2007, completed an internship in medicine and surgery in North Carolina and then practiced for four years in South Carolina before moving back to Hoover in 2012. She has two dogs and two cats.

Lane and Kathryn Hagan, a Mountain Brook couple, in November found themselves in need of euthanasia services and called Floyd to help.

Their 15-year-old cat, Stella, had beaten cancer in 2020 but had gotten sick again and was going downhill fast, and they didn’t want to take Stella to a vet clinic, Lane Hagan said. They wanted Stella’s final moments to be peaceful and easy, and they also wanted their kids — ages 8, 6 and 5 — to be there to say goodbye, he said.

Going through it at home was easier for everyone, Lane said. “You don’t want to go out and have an emotional experience in front of other people if you don’t have to,” he said.

Lloyd was very professional and compassionate and talked to the children in a way they could understand what was happening, he said. “It was a very pleasant experience,” Lane said. “We would definitely recommend her to anybody going through the same situation.”

For more information, visit their website compassionate-crossings.com.

Left: Ross Scruggs and Dr. Lindsay Floyd sit on their patio swing with Jack, center, the couple’s 12-year-old dog, and Dave, a 6-year-old sphynx cat, at their home.

Above: Compassionate Crossings, an athome end-of-life pet service, offers families a variety of options of remembrance for their pet through pet cremation packages. Photos by Erin Nelson.

homeRN, a concierge caregiving service, is excited to announce the opening of their office in Crestline providing services to Mountain Brook, Vestavia and Homewood. homeRN cares for clients in the comfort of their homes and offers a wide range of caregiver and nursing services including helping with daily living activities, sitting services and communication between physicians and family members. 205-644-2906, homeRNcare.com

Franklin T. Jones Jr., M.S., D.M.D., announces the opening of his new dental practice Highlands Dental Arts offering full-service dental care for all ages. Services include general and cosmetic dentistry. 205-740-9465, highlandsdentalarts.com

Biscuit Love is now open in Cahaba Heights, marking the Tennessee restaurant’s first restaurant outside of its home state. Biscuit Love started as a food truck

and opened its first store soon after. The restaurant has received multiple awards and accolades including Andrew Zimmern’s “Munchies: Food Choice Awards” and “Best Sandwich of 2015” by Bon Appetit magazine for its “East Nasty” meal, a buttermilk biscuit topped with fried chicken, aged cheddar and sausage gravy. 205-407-1186, biscuitlove.com

COMING SOON

Next year, Local Favorite Restaurants will reopen Twisted Root Burger Company at its previous location, as well as a new, adjacent Mexican restaurant called Taqueria La Ventana. Modeled after a Mexican taqueria, Taqueria La Ventana focuses on tacos and margaritas. Twisted Root offers burgers, milkshakes and more. taquerialaventana.com, twistedrootburgerco.com

RELOCATIONS AND RENOVATIONS

The AMC Summit 16 theater at The Summit shopping center is receiving a facelift, according to the general contractor, Petrie Construction. “We are excited to be getting started with our upcoming project with AMC,” said Petrie Construction on their website. The project will include updates to the floor, concession area and box office, in addition to other changes. 205-298-1329, amctheatres.com/ movie-theatres/birmingham-al/ amc-summit-16

8000 Liberty Parkway Vestavia Hills 205.969.1969 bracesbham.com

Helping provide seniors and disabled individuals with ‘an excellent quality of life’

JENNIFER MANCUSO, ALWAYS BEST CARE

hen family members must provide care for their aging or disabled loved ones, the choices they face can be overwhelming. Fortunately, there’s a trusted home-care company in Mountain Brook that can help.

Always Best Care delivers high-quality caregiving services to seniors and disabled people in the home, as well as in senior living communities or other facilities.

“I understand what families go through in this type of situation, and I’m very passionate that seniors and disabled people have an excellent quality of life,” said Jennifer Mancuso, Always Best Care owner and president.

“I love getting to know the families and helping to provide solutions to their needs,” she said.

The employees at Always Best Care provide a wide array of services, such as bathing, vital sign monitoring, medication reminders, meal preparation, companionship, transportation and incontinence care.

The company seeks to provide the best in-home care services in the area, and it sets “a very high bar” for its employees, Mancuso said.

“We work hard to identify and recruit the most qualified and experienced caregivers in Birmingham,” she said.

A Nashville native, Mancuso attended Duke University and Millsaps College, earning an undergraduate degree in business. She opened the local franchise of Always Best Care in 2013 after working as a senior manager with leading clinical and health management service companies.

The company takes a “concierge approach” to working with clients, Mancuso said. Upon being contacted by a potential client, the Clinical Services Director (who is also a Registered Nurse) and the company’s Sales and Services Director work together to create a customized client care plan.

When Always Best Care begins providing care to a client, one of the company’s office staff professionals goes to the client’s home to introduce them to each new caregiver. “I don’t think another agency in town does caregiver introductions, but we take this extra step to smooth the entrance of the caregiver into the family’s home,” Mancuso said. “The warm introduction also ensures that the caregiver fully understands all aspects of the care plan.”

► WHERE: 6 Office Park Circle, Suite 315, Mountain Brook, AL 35223

► CALL: 205-874-9730

► WEBSITE: alwaysbestcare.com/al/birmingham

“At the beginning of the first shift, the staff member introduces the caregiver to the client, reviews the care plan and answers any questions and makes sure we get off to a good start,” Mancuso said. “If it doesn’t look like it’s going to be a great match between the client and the caregiver, then we know that immediately and can change things around.”

The members of the company’s clinical team continue to make regular home visits to make sure the client is healthy and happy and that the care plan is being followed, and the care plan is typically updated at least every 90 days, Mancuso said.

“We also engage with family members and other health care providers to keep them informed about a client’s health and well-being,” she said.

“Many of our clients have family members in other states who are not able to monitor the client’s wellbeing and the daily activities of their loved ones. We can provide another set of eyes and ears,” Mancuso said. “Even in-town family members who are very involved with their parents appreciate that we will let them know should we notice something amiss in the home.”

For example, Always Best Care employees will notice if a patient’s feet are swelling or if he or she is not eating properly or bathing regularly.

“We have a hard-working team who cares about our clients. We are very involved in our clients’ lives and we also are engaged with the client’s family members,” Mancuso said.

In early 2023, the company plans to roll out an in-home, artificial intelligence monitoring system. The product will allow Always Best Care to combine top-quality, in-person service and virtual, remote support. The system is an exciting project for the company as it will allow clients who are not able to afford around-the-clock care to receive the care services they can afford, as well as 24/7 monitoring.

“The system is designed to flag anomalies before they become

serious problems, allow clients to age in place and avoid frequent hospital visits,” Mancuso said.

In addition, Always Best Care provides more than just caregiving services. The company helps its clients identify “other valuable resources in the community that can help families,” Mancuso said.

These resources include companies or organizations that provide hospice care, skilled nursing, case management, senior placement services, estate planning and other financial services. There are also organizations that will send nurses or nurse practitioners to a home so that an elderly person can get a checkup without going to the doctor's office, Mancuso said.

Unlike many other local homecare companies, Always Best Care is fully accredited and is the only company in Alabama to be accredited by both the Accreditation Commission for Healthcare and the National Association for Homecare and Hospice, according to Mancuso.

Always Best Care, with 180 employees, is also “one of our franchise company’s fastest-growing agencies in the United States,” she said.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Always Best Care has broadened its range of services by providing staffing work in area hospitals, “There is a workplace shortage of employees, and we will fill the gaps so that they will have sufficient staff,” Mancuso said.

Always Best Care continually strives to provide the highest quality of service. “We routinely survey our clients, as well as our employees, to ensure that they are extremely satisfied with Always Best Care,” Mancuso said. “Any identified issues are swiftly remedied. We are constantly working to improve our protocols.”

Her work at Always Best Care is very gratifying for Mancuso.

“I feel like we are doing something good every day,” she said. “In this field, you can make a positive contribution to another person’s life. I sold software and consulting services in the past. You don’t get the same sense of accomplishment from selling software.”

Mancuso stays active in her community by supporting Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama, the Parkinson’s Association, the Tanner Foundation, Encore Community Respite Ministry and the Mountain Brook Police Department.

Empowering women and reinventing financial services through DEPTH

n the Baby Boomer era, financial advice was often spoken about on the golf course or in men’s clubs — places women were not frequently found. As a result, women were typically on the outside looking in when it came to wealth-growing opportunities.

This can be hard to imagine in today’s world, as just decades later women have become a financial force to reckon with. Given the increase in women who have careers, head corporations, run their own household and invest, Oakworth Capital Bank has formed their advisory and talent model to meet women’s needs. Between their wealth advisors and private bankers, 50% are female.

According to a recent study by Merrill Lynch and Age Wave, only 52% of women say they feel confident managing their investments, compared to 68% of men. According to research by Accenture Consulting, women are more likely to use dedicated advisors than men, but are less likely to say they are satisfied with their advisors or find them trustworthy. As a result, only 61% of women reported having a good understanding of their investments and holdings.

“At Oakworth Capital Bank, we are proud to celebrate initiatives that support the women we serve, helping them succeed,” said Alice Womack, Associate Managing Director, “We’re focused on adding value to our female clientele through our DEPTH program. You’re not just our client, you’re our partner.”

► WHERE: 850 Shades Creek Parkway, Birmingham

► CALL: 205-263-4700

► WEBSITE: oakworth.com

“We developed a program called DEPTH, which is dedicated to Women, Wealth and Wellness,” said Womack. “We want to help women succeed by offering services that target their needs. Many desire to gain a much deeper understanding of financial matters, from business planning, networking, death of a spouse, estate planning, divorce and budgeting to family finances or caring for aging parents. DEPTH serves the unique needs of our female clients in the form of programming, conversation circles and individualized consulting.”

Oakworth has combined many years of experience to build a better client approach from the ground up. Clients with Oakworth say that what makes Oakworth unique is the “people and service,” plus they make banking “easy.” This is not something you hear clients say often about their banking experience. No wonder Oakworth has a Net Promoter Score of 90 and a client retention rate of 99%.

Scott Reed, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, shares that the approach not only offers a more personalized experience but also challenges the status quo–including how female clients’ needs are met. This

is one way Oakworth is reimagining how financial services are delivered. Reed puts more emphasis on the human connection to create a deeper understanding of a clients’ needs in order to help them achieve their financial aspirations.

“Within the walls of Oakworth, there’s a culture that fosters our client’s goals through a cultivated relationship with a client advisor,” said Reed. “Our culture fosters an environment where our associates focus on relationships with not only our clients, but also with each other.”

Oakworth’s core values include:

► The Golden Rule: Treat others the way we wish to be treated.

► Character: Conduct ourselves with the highest level of honesty and integrity.

► Innovate/Creative Spirit: Employ ideas that create value for both the clients and the organization.

► Professionalism: Attract and retain the brightest, most motivated talent.

► Work Ethic: We recognize that hard work is required to achieve our objectives.

Throughout the company’s mission of helping their clients succeed, Oakworth Capital Bank uses the strategy of renewing the art of personal service combined with the benefits of modern technology, providing a more personable experience and solutions for more growth. For more information, visit oakworth.cc/depth.

Left to right seated: Jenifer Kimbrough, Chief Financial Officer; Janet Ball, Managing Director, Wealth Management; Amelia Ricks, Treasury Advisor, Jennifer Shaw, Managing Director, Talent and Leadership Development. Left to right standing: Kate Meriweather, Client Advisor, Alice Womack, Associate Managing Director, Private Banking; Lindsey Branyon, Senior Credit Analyst, Jennifer Wilson, Associate Managing Director, Private Banking.

Schoolhouse

The former Vestavia Hills Elementary Central campus is now up for sale.

The Vestavia Hills Board of Education is selling the building, but not the field behind it.

Former Central campus building up for sale

By NEAL EMBRY

The former Vestavia Hills Elementary Central building has been put up for sale, following Board of Education approval at the Nov. 28 meeting.

The school system plans to sell only the building itself. The track behind it will remain under board control, and there are plans, should the 1Rebel 1Future proposal be approved by voters, to add tennis and pickleball courts to that area.

The school board on Nov. 28 approved an agreement with Lathan Associates Architects for that project, which would include seven tennis courts, bleachers, the track, pickleball courts, concessions and restrooms. The estimated cost of the project is $2.25 million.

The Central building and associated property up for sale is a little more than 8 acres. Southpace Properties is serving as the broker, and the property will be up for sale for 12 months. The school closed after the 2018-19 school year.

Also at the Nov. 28 meeting, Arts Education Coordinator Faith Lenhart provided an update to the board. Lenhart said there are more than

800 students participating in the arts at Vestavia Hills High School, along with just more than 900 at Pizitz Middle School and a little more than 300 at Liberty Park Middle School, with elementary-age students receiving weekly art and music education.

As it pertains to the 1Rebel 1Future proposal, Lenhart said there is a need for more space for band, choir, art, dance and theater. Seven or more neighboring high schools have either renovated or built new facilities for the arts in the past six years, while Vestavia Hills High School has not updated theirs since 1970, she said.

A new black-box theater would allow for theater and dance performances, as well as serving as meeting space, she said. The proposed outdoor pavilion could serve as a space for outdoor performances, while classrooms at Vestavia Hills Elementary East and Vestavia Hills Elementary West would receive updates and new spaces.

“We’re really excited about the possibilities of 1Rebel 1Future,” Lenhart said.

For more on this meeting, visit vestaviavoice. com.

Superintendent requests 9.8-mill tax increase for 1Rebel 1Future

By NEAL EMBRY

Vestavia Hills City Schools Superintendent Todd Freeman has formally requested a property tax increase of 9.8 mills to fund the proposed 1Rebel 1Future plan.

Approved by the Board of Education, the issue now moves to the Vestavia Hills City Council, which will decide whether to ask the Legislature to set a special election so Vestavia Hills voters can decide. The council is tentatively set to introduce the matter at its Jan. 9 meeting and vote on the request at the Jan. 23 meeting.

If the Legislature agrees to set an election and the governor gives her approval, Vestavia Hills residents would vote on whether to approve the tax increase and fund the proposal on May 9, Freeman said.

Freeman previously said he would not request a 10-mill increase, which was approved by Mountain Brook voters in 2019 for improvements to Mountain Brook public schools.

Vestavia Hills school officials said the new tax money is needed to pay for a llitany of new programs and offerings for students, as well as numerous improvements and additions to campuses throughout the system.

Freeman said the system needs about $8.2 million a year to pay for those improvements and said the 9.8 mills should generate about $8.42 million annually.

The school board likely would borrow money for improvements and use revenue from the new tax increase to repay the debt over 30 years

at $8.2 million a year, said Whit McGhee, the school system's director of public relations. The tax increase would remain in perpetuity for future system needs, McGhee said.

Sixty-one percent of the budget would go toward existing facility and campus improvements, while 22% would go toward education programs and another 17% toward operational costs, officials said.

The city’s current millage rate is 92.6 mills.

A mill is one-tenth of one cent, currently expressed in Vestavia Hills as 0.0926. The millage rate is multiplied by the assessed value of a home — which is equal to 10% of a home’s appraised value — in order to determine how much a homeowner owes in property taxes.

An additional 9.8 mills would mean an additional $490 annually, or $40.83 monthly, in property taxes for a home appraised at $500,000, around the median price of a Vestavia Hills home.

For more on this meeting and upcoming discussions of the millage increase, visit vestaviavoice.com.

Staff photo.

If the 1Rebel 1Future plan is approved, this area at VHHS will include a new plaza area and indoor athletic field. Photo by Erin Nelson.

VHHS students raising money for UAB’s O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center

By NEAL EMBRY

This spring, students from Vestavia Hills High School are once again organizing events and raising money to help people battling cancer.

Following a handful of fundraising events in the fall, the spring semester of the RISE (Rebels Impacting Through Service and Engagement) campaign will include the annual kickoff assembly on Jan. 12, the Sadie Hawkins Dance, yard sales throughout the city, a Rebel Run 5K/color run and more, culminating in RISE Day, where the amount of money raised for UAB’s O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center will be unveiled. The money goes directly to the Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology program at the center, impacting people such as Sam Cunningham, a RISE committee chairman who has twice beaten leukemia. His journey and those of other Vestavia students has inspired his classmates.

“In middle school, two of our students were diagnosed with cancer,” said Miller Murray, one of this year’s campaign committee chairwomen. Seeing how cancer impacted their friends and classmates allowed Murray and her fellow chairpersons to see why they are fighting.

Joe Eshleman, who serves as a chairman on the committee, saw his mom battle breast cancer, inspiring him to fight.

In addition to Cunningham, Eshleman and Murray, the other committee chairpersons are Sarah Jane Richardson and Livi Cate Osborne. All of them have been involved with RISE since their freshman year, and all will graduate this spring.

RISE, born out of Youth Leadership Vestavia Hills, includes numerous other students who get involved and help organize different events. Part of the role of the five senior leaders is to ensure those committees have what they need to have a successful event. Murray said probably half of the high school’s student population is involved in RISE.

“I think one of the things this class has really pushed for us is being a servant leader,”

Murray said.

Murray and her peers are learning to “do the things that get missed” and helping others lead.

Osborne said she has learned a lot about working with adults over the past few months.

“I’ve shaken more hands than I had before,” she said.

Eshleman said helping lead RISE has helped him develop communication skills as they call sponsors and ask for funds.

Richardson said seeing the impact that fundraising for cancer treatment and more has on friends like Sam is significant for her. Raising money specifically for young adults battling cancer is meaningful, Murray said.

“I think it’s a very important phase of your life and needs specific care,” Murray said. “It’s a really powerful thing to think about.”

Eshleman said it’s special to know they are having an impact on the lives of others, while Murray said even though they’re still in high school, they can still make a difference.

“I think it can be easy to underestimate ourselves as students sometimes,” Murray said.

Here are some of the events scheduled in conjunction with RISE:

► Kickoff Assembly: Jan. 12 9 a.m. in the VHHS Gym

► Superhero Fun Run (1st-5th grade): March 4 at the Thompson-Reynolds Stadium at VHHS. Gather at 8 a.m.; race begins at 8:30 a.m. Registration is $20 per person and includes a T-shirt. Register online at GoFan.co by Feb. 21.

► Rebel 5K Color Run (6th grade to adults): March 4 in the VHHS front parking lot. Gather at 9:30 a.m.; race begins at 10 a.m. Registration is $20 per person and includes a t-shirt. Register online at GoFan.co by Feb. 21.

► Kids Day: March 18 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at VHHS. Features a touch-a-truck and character party. Tickets are $15 per child and free for adults. Tickets are available on GoFan.co

► RISE Day 2023: April 15 4-10 p.m. at VHHS Fields. This event is free and open to the entire community.

Events

Wine bottle luminaries, family night highlight January library events

By NEAL EMBRY

A new year means new events at the Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest.

This month, in the adult department, patrons can make wine bottle luminaries on Jan. 20 at 7 p.m. in the community room. All materials are provided, along with snacks and prizes. Registration is required; call 205-978-4678 or email terri.leslie@vestavialibrary.org.

Also in the adult department, patrons can learn to line dance on each Monday night of the month, excluding Jan. 16, at 6:30 p.m. in the community room. No registration is required.

The Friends of the Library is hosting a speaker from the Southern Museum of Flight at 10 a.m. on Jan. 26 in the community room. The speaker will share the history of the museum, as well as plans for future growth and programs.

In the children’s department, families can

enjoy a “family night” on Jan. 10. A meal will be served at 6 p.m. with a program beginning at 6:30. Guests can enjoy a make-your-owns’mores station, as well as other camp food and storytellers. All ages are welcome.

Parents of small children have questions answered by speech specialists from Steel City Speech Pathologists at 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 13 in the community room. Parents are encouraged to bring preschool-age children for a special story program and question-and-answer time.

In the teen department, teenagers can participate in an escape room at 4 p.m. on Jan. 24 in the community room. Teens will try to solve puzzles in the time allotted in order to “protect” the teen department staff “before it’s too late.”

Teens can also learn to paint mandala rocks or paint inspirational messages on lucky stones on Jan. 25 at 4 p.m. in the Makerspace area.

For a full list of events this month, visit vestavialibrary.org.

Viva Vestavia ready for 28th year

By NEAL EMBRY

The 28th iteration of Viva Vestavia is set for later this month at the new Vestavia Hills Civic Center.

The event brings together a number of Vestavia Hills restaurants, who provide food samples along with local beer, fine wines and a silent auction. This year’s event is set for Jan. 24 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. in the Civic Center ballroom.

Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce Director Michelle Hawkins said the chamber, which hosts the event, is still looking for restaurants to participate. It is free for restaurants to participate, and the chamber provides a table and can also provide assistance with serving, she said.

The event was, in previous years, held at the end of October at Hollywood Pools, but Hawkins said the chamber is “hoping for new traditions” with a new date and new location.

As of press time, a list of participating restaurants was not available.

Fine wines will be provided by local distributor International Wines, Hawkins said.

Hawkins said there will also be a variety of silent auction items.

Tickets are $50 and must be purchased in advance. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting business.vestaviahills.org/events, clicking on the event page and clicking “Register.” The new Civic Center is adjacent to City Hall at 1090 Montgomery Highway.

Nathan Marcus samples creole cuisine from Cajun Seafood House at Viva Vestavia 2017. Staff photo.

Crafts like these can be made at the Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest this month.

Photo courtesy of Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest.

Sports

All-South Metro Volleyball

Savannah Gann

named Offensive Player of Year

By KYLE PARMLEY

The 2022 high school volleyball season is in the books, with many teams in the Starnes Media coverage area putting together strong seasons. Hoover and Mountain Brook advanced to the state tournament, while several others qualified for regionals.

Here is this year’s rendition of the All-South Metro Team, as we attempt to recognize the standout players throughout the area.

► Player of the Year: Emma Pohlmann, Chelsea

► Offensive Player of the Year: Savannah Gann, Vestavia Hills

► Defensive Player of the Year: Brooklyn Allison, Spain Park

► Coach of the Year: Grace Burgess, Oak Mountain

1ST TEAM

► Outside hitter: Savannah Gann, Vestavia Hills — named the Offensive Player of the Year after a stellar senior season. She amassed 537 kills, putting her over 1,000 for her career. She also had 265 digs as a six-rotation player.

► Outside hitter: Emma Pohlmann, Chelsea — the University of North Florida commit is this year’s Player of the Year after capping off a tremendous high school career. This season, she surpassed 1,000 career kills and digs, posting 412 kills and 457 digs in her final campaign with the Hornets.

► Outside hitter: Emily Breazeale, Spain Park — went for 470 kills and 219 digs in another stellar season.

► Outside hitter: Lauren Buchanan, Chelsea — has quickly established herself as one of the area’s top players as a sophomore. This season, she posted 416 kills and already has more than 650 in her career.

► Setter: Maggie Harris, Hoover — ran the offense with precision, piling up 1,264 assists in addition to 176 kills and 336 digs.

► Setter: Hannah Parant, Mountain Brook — had another monster season, tallying 1,168 assists, 324 digs and 255 kills.

► Setter: Lilly Johnson, Spain Park — one of the top setters in the area, she put together 529 assists and 125 digs this season.

► Libero: Brooklyn Allison, Spain Park — the East Tennessee State signee concluded her high school career as Defensive Player of the Year, compiling 431 digs, 60 assists, 38 aces and 2.34 passing average for the Jags.

► Libero: Audrey Vielguth, Vestavia Hills — the junior had nearly 500 digs on the season, as several opposing coaches raved about her ability.

► Libero: Bella Guenster, Hoover — missed 10 games but still led the team with 490 digs for the season. She played her best in the most important matches, notching 50 digs in the regional final and 48 in the state quarterfinals.

► Middle hitter: Alanah Pooler, Hoover — held down the middle for the Bucs, finishing with 200 kills and

117 blocks.

► Middle hitter: Alice Garzon, Mountain Brook — compiled 343 kills, 87 blocks and 48 digs this season.

► Right side: Annie Lacey, Mountain Brook — finished the year with 210 kills and 30 blocks for the Spartans.

► Utility: Lauren Schuessler, Oak Mountain — a do-it-all player for the Eagles, racking up 424 assists, 238 digs and 152 kills on the year.

►

2ND TEAM

► Outside hitter: Stella Helms, Briarwood — had 361 kills for the year for an ascending Lions team.

► Outside hitter: Kendyl Mitchell, Hoover — one of the Bucs’ offensive weapons, racking up 361 kills.

► Outside hitter: Raegan James, Hoover — came back to the team and posted 322 kills and 396 digs this season.

► Outside hitter: Paige Parant, Mountain Brook — posted a solid allaround season, going for 220 kills and 281 digs.

► Setter: Jolee Giadrosich, Briarwood — piled up more than 1,000 assists on the year.

► Setter: Helen Macher, John Carroll — surpassed 2,000 career assists with a strong senior season, piling up 851 on the year.

► Setter: Madison Moore, Chelsea — wrapped up her career with 815 assists on the season.

► Libero: Anna Frances Adams, Mountain Brook — finished up her career with 544 digs on the season.

► Libero: Sydney Humes, Homewood — the Florida A&M commit led the Patriots defense to the regional tournament.

► Libero: Makayla Ragland, Oak Mountain — finished with 357 digs in her final season with the Eagles.

► Middle hitter: Mira McCool, Homewood — helped the Patriots to another strong season in the middle of the team’s attack.

► Middle hitter: Mae Mae Lacey, Mountain Brook — racked up 289 kills and 86 blocks.

► Right side: Adair Byars, Hoover — capped off her career with a solid season, posting 250 kills and 198 digs.

► Utility: Jordan Madsen, Vestavia Hills — the sophomore played every set this season, registering 256 kills and 28 blocks.

HONORABLE MENTION

► Outside: Mabrey Whitehead, Oak Mountain; Maria Groover, John Carroll; Marley Carmichael,

Hewitt-Trussville.

► Setter: Haley Thompson, Spain Park.

► Libero/DS: Peyton David, Hoover; Stella Yester, John Carroll; Caroline Jones, Briarwood.

► Middle: Megan Ingersoll, Spain Park; Kenzie Richards, Hoover; Reese Hawks, Hoover.

► Right side: Sydney Laye, Chelsea.

Starnes Media's publications cover several communities throughout the Birmingham metro area. Schools included for consideration on this team were Briarwood, Chelsea, Oak Mountain, Hoover, Spain Park, Homewood, John Carroll, Mountain Brook, Vestavia Hills and Hewitt-Trussville.

Above: Vestavia Hills’s Savannah Gann (20) sends the ball over the net in a match against Bob Jones at Vestavia Hills High School’s BraaschHatchett Court on Oct. 5. Right: Vestavia Hills’s Audrey Vielguth (6) passes the ball. Below: Vestavia Hills’s Jordan Madsen (3) passes the ball. Photos by Erin Nelson.

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All-South Metro Football Team

5 Rebels named to 1st team

By KYLE PARMLEY

The 2022 high school football season featured plenty of standout moments and highlight reel performances. Now, it’s time to release the annual Starnes Media All-South Metro Football Team.

Homewood senior quarterback Woods Ray is this year’s overall Player of the Year, leading Homewood to a 10-win season and to the quarterfinals of the Class 6A playoffs. Mountain Brook running back Cole Gamble is this year’s Offensive Player of the Year, as he torched opposing defenses as the leader of the Spartans’ dominant rushing attack.

It was nearly impossible to name a singular Defensive Player of the Year, considering how dominant Hoover’s defense was much of the year. Linebackers Kaleb Jackson and Bradley Shaw and defensive back DJ Estes share the honor as the top defensive players this season.

Chris Yeager is named Coach of the Year, as he took the Spartans to the state championship game for the first time since 1996.

► Player of the Year: Woods Ray, Homewood

► Offensive Player of the Year: Cole Gamble, Mountain Brook

► Defensive Players of the Year: Kaleb Jackson, Bradley Shaw and DJ Estes, Hoover

► Coach of the Year: Chris Yeager, Mountain Brook

1ST TEAM OFFENSE

► QB: Woods Ray, Homewood –The Player of the Year put together a tremendous season, totaling 38 touchdowns (27 passing, 11 rushing). Ray threw for 2,677 yards and rushed for 812 yards, as the Patriots advanced to the Class 6A quarterfinals.

► QB: Peyton Floyd, Hewitt-Trussville – was one of the top passers in the state, throwing for 2,413 yards and 25 touchdowns. He also rushed for 726 yards and 16 scores.

► RB: Cole Gamble, Mountain Brook – The Offensive Player of the Year ran for over 200 yards in three straight playoff games and finished the season with more than 1,900 yards and 35 touchdowns on the year.

► RB: Emerson Russell, Chelsea – was a major bright spot for the Hornets, rushing for 1,130 yards and 11 touchdowns on the year.

► WR: Jackson Parris, Homewood – served as Woods Ray’s top target, snagging 80 passes for 1,288 yards and 13 touchdowns.

► WR: Amare Thomas, Pinson Valley – played both ways for the Indians at times but caught 50 passes for 964 yards and 11 scores.

► WR: Keown Richardson, Vestavia Hills – led the Rebels’ prolific offense on the receiving end, grabbing 45 passes for 602 yards and 5 touchdowns.

► WR: Jadon Loving, Hewitt-Trussville – caught 54 passes for 613 yards and 5 touchdowns as the top receiver in the Huskies’ offense.

► TE: Tucker Smitha, Vestavia Hills – caught 44 passes from the tight end position after playing in the backfield much of his career.

► OL: Kade Martin, Hewitt-Trussville – The junior with SEC offers has started for three years along the Huskies line.

► OL: Walker Williams, Chelsea – only allowed 2 sacks the entire season, grading out at 88% while playing against many of the top defensive lineman in the state in Region 3.

► OL: Ethan Hubbard, Hoover –The Duke commit was a stalwart on the line for the Bucs.

► OL: Davis Peterson, Mountain Brook – finished the year with more than 60 knockdowns and 40 pancakes for a Spartans team that advanced to the state championship game.

► OL: Luke Oswalt, Oak Mountain – The senior was one of the leaders for the Eagles.

► ATH: Jaylen Mbakwe, ClayChalkville – The Alabama commit did a little bit of everything for the Cougars. He finished with 615 yards and nine receiving touchdowns and ran for two more scores.

► ATH: John Paul Head, Vestavia Hills – accounted for over 3,000 total yards and 38 touchdowns leading the Rebels offense.

► K/P: Peyton Argent, Hoover –connected on 34-of-35 extra points

and 8-of-9 field goals, with a long of 47 yards. He also averaged 43.8 yards per punt.

1ST TEAM DEFENSE

► DL: Tyrell Averhart, Hewitt-Trussville – led his team with 80 total tackles and 23 tackles for loss. He also racked up 6 sacks and intercepted a pass.

► DL: Jordan Ross, Vestavia Hills – scored a pair of defensive touchdowns and racked up 16 TFLs on the year.

► DL: Hunter Osborne, Hewitt-Trussville – The Alabama commit finished the year with 21 quarterback hurries and seven TFLs.

► DL: Jordan Norman, Hoover –The senior racked up 68 tackles and 10 sacks on the year.

► LB: Trent Wright, Mountain Brook – The senior accumulated over 140 tackles and 10 TFLs in a standout season.

► LB: DJ Barber, Clay-Chalkville – The junior has established himself as one of the top linebackers in the state, racking up 145 tackles and eight

sacks on the year.

► LB: Kaleb Jackson, Hoover –finished a stellar year with 118 tackles, 10 TFLs and five sacks for the Bucs.

► LB: Bradley Shaw, Hoover – had a strong season, getting 106 tackles with 15 TFLs and five sacks.

► DB: Grant Downey, Vestavia Hills – intercepted eight passes and punted for the Rebels.

► DB: Parker Sansing, Homewood – As one of the top defensive backs in the area, he finished with 90 tackles on the year.

► DB: Rickey Gibson, Hewitt-Trussville – The Tennessee commit led the team with four interceptions, finished with 41 tackles and scored an offensive touchdown.

► DB: Jay Avery, Hoover –racked up six picks and made 52 tackles on the year.

► ATH: Garrett Murphy, Oak Mountain – made 166 total tackles and handled the kicking duties for the Eagles.

► ATH: DJ Estes, Hoover –racked up 71 tackles, 15 TFLs and

six sacks playing multiple positions for the Bucs.

2ND TEAM OFFENSE

► QB: Christopher Vizzina, Briarwood – The Clemson commit threw for 1,828 yards and 16 touchdowns, and rushed for 11 touchdowns to cap off a phenomenal high school career.

► QB: John Colvin, Mountain Brook – threw for over 2,000 yards, as the Spartans played in the state championship game.

► RB: Aaron Osley, ClayChalkville – picked up 773 yards and eight touchdowns as the Cougars’ primary back.

► RB: LaMarion McCammon, Hoover – The senior gained 858 yards and 11 touchdowns this year.

► WR: Jordan Woolen, Hoover – caught 43 passes for 736 yards and five touchdowns in a standout year.

► WR: MJ Conrad, Chelsea –A big target in the Hornets passing game, he racked up 621 yards and five scores on 44 grabs.

► WR: Charlie Reeves, Homewood – caught 51 passes for 685 yards and 11 scores for the explosive Patriots’ attack.

► WR: Clark Sanderson, Mountain Brook – came on strong down the stretch, piling up over 800 receiving yards on the year.

► TE: Donovan Price, Hewitt-Trussville – In addition to his blocking prowess, he caught 27 passes for 338 yards and three touchdowns.

Above: Vestavia Hills defensive back Grant Downey (4). Photo by Erin Nelson.

Left: Vestavia Hills wide receiver Keown Richardson (8). Photo by Laura Chramer.

► OL: Mac Smith, Mountain Brook – finished the year with over 50 knockdowns and 30 pancakes.

► OL: Sawyer Hutto, Oak Mountain – a senior that has led the Eagles line for a few years.

► OL: AJ Franklin, Hoover – The Alabama all-star selection was a key factor to the Bucs’ offensive success.

► OL: Harrison Clemmer, Briarwood – the anchor to the Lions’ offensive line, known for his run blocking.

► OL: Henry Boehme, Mountain Brook – allowed no sacks all season at right tackle.

► ATH: Carson McFadden, John Carroll – accounted for over 2,300 total yards leading the Cavs offense from the quarterback position.

► ATH: Brady Waugh, Briarwood – The Lions’ top target snagged 53 passes, gaining 624 yards and eight touchdowns on the year.

► K/P: Jack Seymour, Chelsea – averaged 41.5 yards per punt and connected on all but one of his extra points.

2ND TEAM DEFENSE

► DL: Caldwell Bussey, Spain Park – racked up 5.5 sacks and 46 tackles to lead the Jags’ defense.

► DL: Jamon Smith, ClayChalkville – A North-South All-Star Game selection, he finished up with nine TFLs and eight sacks on the year.

► DL: Andrew Sykes, Vestavia Hills – The two-year starter had 42 tackles and five TFLs for the Rebels.

► DL: Chaleb Powell, Hoover –finished with 60 tackles and 10 TFLs to go along with six sacks.

► LB: Braylon Chatman, Hewitt-Trussville – racked up 119

tackles with 14 TFLs in a big season.

► LB: Hunter Jones, Hewitt-Trussville – racked up 124 tackles and nine TFLs in a strong season for the Huskies.

► LB: Vaughn Frost, Mountain Brook – accumulated over 100 tackles on the year.

► LB: Talton Thomas, Homewood – led the Patriots with 130 tackles with 16 TFLs on the year.

► DB: Keith Christein, Hoover –recorded two safeties, blocked four punts and returned an interception for a score.

► DB: Clay Burdeshaw,

Above right: Vestavia Hills defensive end Jordan Ross (5).

Left: Vestavia Hills running back Tucker Smitha (46).

Homewood –, finished up with 108 tackles on the year.

► DB: Mac Palmer, Mountain Brook – had over 60 tackles and two interceptions on the year.

► DB: Chris McNeill, Chelsea –covered the top receiver on each team and intercepted four passes.

► ATH: Grey Reebals, Briarwood – finished with 87 tackles and six TFLs as the key cog to the Lions’ defense.

► ATH: Jack Kendrick, Spain Park – had 69 tackles and seven TFLs for the Jags.

HONORABLE MENTION

► QB: Will O’Dell, Oak Mountain; Carter Dotson, Chelsea; Evan Smallwood, Spain Park

► RB: Jaqson Melton, Hewitt-Trussville; Taurus Chambers, Pinson Valley

► WR: Jaxon Shuttlesworth, Chelsea; Jonathan Bibbs, Spain Park; Clark Sanderson, Mountain Brook; Fred Dunson, Hoover; KJ Law, Hoover; Sawyer Smith, Oak Mountain

► OL: Jaxon Brooks, Homewood; Walker Chambless, Briarwood

► ATH: Devan Moss, Oak Mountain; Zach Archer, John Carroll

► DL: Emmanuel Waller, Oak Mountain; Lane Whisenhunt, Vestavia Hills; Preston King, Briarwood; Brian Alston, Spain Park; Zi’Keith Springfield, Pinson Valley; Jevonta Williams, Pinson Valley; Parker Avery, Mountain Brook; Randall Cole, Clay-Chalkville; Luke Dickinson, Briarwood; Andrew Parrish, Hoover

► LB: Jonas Harrelson, Spain Park; Matthew Yafonda, ClayChalkville; Houston Owen, Vestavia Hills; Jack Cornish, Briarwood; Devin Finley, Clay-Chalkville

► DB: Riggs Dunn, Hewitt-Trussville; Braxton Urquhart, Hoover

► K/P: Riley Rigg, Hewitt-Trussville

Above left: Vestavia Hills quarterback John Paul Head (13). Photos by Erin Nelson.

Vestavia Hills defensive end Andrew Sykes (94). Photo by Barry Stephenson.

Rebels make statement with strong season

By KYLE PARMLEY

The Vestavia Hills High School football team hoped to advance deeper into the postseason, but the Rebels may have put the rest of Class 7A on notice.

The Rebels outgained Thompson by nearly 100 yards in the second round of the Class 7A playoffs, but Thompson made the plays down the stretch to win 21-12 on Nov. 11. Thompson would go on to win its fourth-straight state championship.

Vestavia Hills ended the season with a 7-5 record, notching its first playoff win in seven years.

“I told the guys there’s nothing like winning or losing in the playoffs,” Vestavia Hills head coach Robert Evans said following the game. “This is the last time this team will ever play. But those seniors set the model and the example moving forward.

“We’re going to be a force to deal with in the future.”

The first half was all Vestavia. Over the first two quarters, Thompson ran only nine plays and gained no first downs. But the Warriors came out in the third quarter and immediately put those putrid numbers away. They marched 69 yards in 11 plays, gaining five first downs and scoring on AJ Green’s 1-yard run to take a 7-3 lead.

Vestavia responded with an impressive drive of its own and cut the deficit to 7-6 with Carter Shirley’s 27-yard field goal, his second of the game.

Thompson put the game away on a few key plays in the fourth quarter. Early in the period, with the Rebels trailing just 7-6, Evans elected for a fake punt on his team’s own 37-yard line. That play failed, and Thompson went up 14-6 two plays later on Michael Dujon’s 33-yard run.

Vestavia continued to press forward, though, putting together an impressive seven-play, 80-yard drive that featured five John Paul Head completions followed by a 17-yard touchdown run from Head. However, the two-point attempt

failed, leaving Thompson with a 14-12 lead with 5:12 left. The Warriors added a late touchdown to salt the game away.

The Rebels capped off Evans’ first season with some key wins and tight losses. Three of their five losses came to the 7A champions (Thompson, twice) and 6A runner-up (Mountain Brook). They also fell late to semifinalist Hoover and Hewitt-Trussville. Vestavia’s blowout win over Austin in the first round of the playoffs was the

program’s first postseason victory in seven years.

When the dust settled, Evans had nothing but high praise for his first team at Vestavia Hills.

“I’m the luckiest coach in the world to have 43 seniors that bought in, did everything right and modeled the way we practice and play to our younger guys, our middle school and youth,” he said. “There were a lot of good football players in that group, too. There’s no good words.”

Many thought the Rebels had a chance going

They nearly made those people look pretty smart.

“We’ll have to reload and rebuild for next year. Down the road in two, three, four years when our weight program is on par with everybody else’s, we’re going to win these games and go further,” Evans said.

into the game against the three-time defending state champions, a point of pride for Evans and his staff.

Vestavia Hills quarterback John Paul Head (13) carries the ball in a Class 7A quarterfinal game against Thompson at Warrior Stadium at Thompson High School on Nov. 11. The Rebels fell to Thompson 21-12. Photo by Erin Nelson.

Rebels win boys state cross-country title

By KYLE PARMLEY

The Vestavia Hills High School boys cross-country team won their third state title in the Class 7A state meet Nov. 5 at Oakville Indian Mounds Park, while the girls finished third in the team competition.

This was the first state title for the boys since 2012, and they won it on a tiebreaker. The Rebels and Huntsville initially tied with 60 points apiece, bringing each team’s sixth runner into play. Vestavia’s sixth runner, John Hayes, finished 32nd, eight spots ahead of Huntsville’s sixth runner.

The Rebels’ top boys runner finished eighth, but having four runners notch all-state honors attested to the depth of the team.

Mitchell Schaaf and Alex Leath finished eighth and ninth to lead the Rebels, with Schaaf running a 15:52.01 and Leath a 15:52.02, as both crossed the line at almost the exact same time. Will Jordan (12th, 16:00), Wilson Holt (15th, 16:05) and Jackson Mize (16th, 16:08) all posted times in the top 20 as well.

Max Armstrong, James Bentley, Drew Morris and Mason Thompson also ran for the team.

On the girls side, the Rebels scored 114 points to place third, behind Chelsea and Auburn. The team was led by two outstanding performances, as Kaitlyn Wende finished fifth in the race with a time of 18 minutes, 42 seconds. Claire Spooner placed seventh in 18:54 as well. Angela Zhang, Jasmine Zhang, Kendall Feild and Riley Zeanah

all finished within five seconds of each other, while Izzy Maniscalco, Angela Hjelmeland, Maddie Crawford and Elizabeth Gannon also ran in the race for the Rebels.

Vestavia qualified for state by its performance in the Class 7A, Section 3 meet the week prior at Veterans Park. The boys won the event, scoring 34 points, compared to 73 for second-place Spain Park.

Chelsea won the girls event, but Vestavia edged Hewitt-Trussville for second place, scoring 74 points compared to Hewitt’s 79.

The Vestavia boys placed four in the top 10, with Jordan leading the way. Jordan finished second, running the 5K in 16:39. Leath was right behind him in third place, while Holt finished eighth and Schaaf placed 10th. Mize finished 11th, while

Morris, Hayes, Bentley and Ethan Meadows also ran for the Rebels.

The girls team was led at the sectional meet by Spooner, who crossed the line second in 19:31. Wende had a strong showing as well, finishing sixth. Angela Zhang (17th), Feild (22nd) and Jasmine Zhang (27th) also scored points for the team.

Hjelmeland, Gannon, Crawford, Maniscalco and Finley Becker also

Below:

ran in the event.

Vestavia Hills now turns its attention to the indoor season, which features a handful of events at the Birmingham CrossPlex throughout January. The Class 7A state meet will be held the first weekend of February, also at the CrossPlex.

Vestavia’s girls have a previous indoor title, earned back in 2005.

Left: Vestavia Hills’ Mitchell Schaaf, left, and Alex Leath approach the finish line during the boys Class 7A race of the AHSAA State Cross-country Championships at Oakville Indian Mounds on Nov. 5.

Vestavia Hills’ Kaitlyn Wende raises her arms as she crosses the finish line in fifth place during the girls Class 7A race.

Photos by Erin Nelson.

BASKETBALL

Jan. 2: vs. Oxford. Wallace State Community College. Girls at 11:30 a.m., boys at 1 p.m.

Jan. 6: vs. Tuscaloosa County. Girls at 5:30 p.m., boys at 7 p.m.

Jan. 10: @ Hoover. Girls at 5:30 p.m., boys at 7 p.m.

Jan. 13: vs. Thompson. Girls at 5:30 p.m., boys at 7 p.m.

Jan. 16: Girls vs. Clay-Chalkville. TBD.

Jan. 16: Boys @ Muscle Shoals. 2 p.m.

Jan. 20: @ Tuscaloosa County. Girls at 5:30 p.m., boys at 7 p.m.

Jan. 24: vs. Hoover. Girls at 5:30 p.m., boys at 7 p.m.

Jan. 27: @ Thompson. Girls at 5:30 p.m., boys at 7 p.m.

Jan. 30: @ Huffman. Girls at 6 p.m., boys at 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 31: Girls vs. Cullman. Wallace State Community College. 6 p.m.

BOWLING

Jan. 5: vs. Hewitt-Trussville. 3:30 p.m.

Jan. 10: Rebel Roll. Vestavia Bowl.

Jan. 12: @ Southside-Gadsden. 3 p.m.

Jan. 19-20: Regional tournament. Tuscaloosa.

Jan. 26-27: State tournament. The Alley.

WRESTLING

Jan. 3: Hoover Dual. Vestavia Hills High School. 5 p.m.

Jan. 5: Hewitt-Trussville Dual. Vestavia Hills High School. 4 p.m.

Jan. 7: Region Duals. Hoover High School.

Jan. 10: Mountain Brook Dual. Mountain Brook High School. 6 p.m.

Jan. 13: Girls at Thompson Tournament. Thompson High School.

Jan. 13: State Duals. TBD.

Jan. 19: Girls State Tournament. Thompson High School.

Jan. 20: Girls State Finals. Birmingham CrossPlex.

Jan. 27: Mortimer Jordan Invitational. Mortimer Jordan High School.

Jan. 28: Ken Gleaton Duals. Corner High School.

Life Actually By Kari Kampakis

4 ways to start parenting from a place of calm

My friend’s 16-year-old daughter called her from school, panicked and stressed.

“Mom, you’ve got to check me out! Everybody is saying how hard this history test is. I know I’ll fail it. Please come get me so I don’t have to take it today!”

Immediately my friend knew that her daughter had spent time in the Mall. The Mall is our high school’s common area where the students congregate. Often, they make each other panic as they discuss the difficulty of their classes.

“I’m not going to check you out,” her mom calmly replied, “because you’re ready for this test. Get out of the Mall and go to the library to clear your head. You have studied, and you know the material. I promise you’ll do fine.”

Her daughter wasn’t convinced, but she listened to her mom. She made an A on that history test, and 2 years later, this straight-A student was named a National Merit Finalist. She won a full scholarship to the college of her choice. She graduated with top honors.

Clearly, she is an intelligent student who prepared for this test, so why did she suddenly doubt herself? And what does it say for the rest of us when even the brightest people lose sight of their ability to handle challenges?

In some way, we all relate. We all have “Malls” in our life that trigger

self-doubt or panic. Even when we’ve done the work, even when we leave home feeling confident, it only takes a voice or two to stir up worry, stress, or anxiety.

The Malls in our life can make us overreact, panic or despair. They can make us catastrophize events — assume the worst and believe our future rides on a singular event (“If my son doesn’t make this team, he won’t play college ball or have the right friends,” “If my daughter doesn’t get a homecoming date, she’ll never get a date in high school.”)

Nashville counselor Sissy Goff says that anxiety is an overestimation of the problem and an underestimation of our ability to handle that problem.

She has written amazing books to help girls (and their moms) develop healthy mindsets to work through it. Since we live in anxious times, her messages are super-relevant. It’s now estimated that one out of every three kids struggles with anxiety, and girls are twice as likely as boys to suffer.

So how can we, as moms, help? Here are four ways to get started:

► Address our anxiety. We can only take our children as far as we’ve come, and raising healthy kids begins with them seeing a healthy mom. We want to parent out of our wisdom, not our wounds, yet to do this, we have to work through the anxieties that spill into our family.

Taking my friend’s story, imagine if she’d panicked and checked her daughter out. Besides removing a challenge her daughter was ready for, she might have created a new dynamic of rescuing her before every scary test. Today, her daughter is thriving in college with a rigorous major, yet I doubt that’d be the case if her mother guided her differently. If her mother lacked the skills to manage her own panic, she might have fueled her daughter’s worries and deprived her of opportunities to build self-confidence.

The work we do for ourselves, as moms, benefits our family. Addressing our anxiety helps us better lead our children.

► Seek help when needed. My friend Kim Anderson is another fantastic Nashville counselor. She helps moms get “unstuck” from unhealthy thought loops, shame, and the stories (or lies) we tell ourselves.

Kim says it is amazing how quickly a mom’s mindset/perspective can change as she begins the process of healing herself. Sometimes we need professional help to replace unhealthy thoughts with healthy ones and work through trauma from our past that is negatively impacting us and our family. If we’re not careful, our stuck places will become our kids’ stuck places.

► Aim to be bigger, stronger, wiser, and kinder than our kids. One of Kim’s favorite counseling concepts is

the Circle of Security — which helps parents grow healthy, intimate attachments with their children by being the bigger, stronger, wiser, and kinder one. Through this relationship, children draw strength and enjoy life.

The opposite of this is the ET Syndrome, where the parent/child attachment grows symbiotic. In the movie ET, Elliott gets sick as ET gets sick, and in parenting, this may look like us being more upset than our child over an event in their life or being so distraught over a trial our child faces that we can’t provide love and emotional support.

It’s a sign of growth when our child’s emotions blow out of proportion, yet we can lovingly tell them, “I won’t get on that emotional roller coaster with you, but I will be here at the gate, waiting for you with my arms wide open when you’re ready to get off it.” It’s also a good sign when we say, “Yes, this is a challenge, but you’ve got this — and I believe in you.”

► Give ourselves grace. Maya Angelou said, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”

As parents, we need grace because we all make mistakes. We change, grow, and evolve. After parenting for 20 years, I can look back and see plenty of things I did wrong. While this self-awareness has made me better, it also can trigger regret or guilt.

It’s easy to dwell there, but God doesn’t want us to stay stuck. He created us to parent with a spirit of strength, not defeat, and to receive new mercies each morning. Who we are today matters more than who we’ve been in the past, and rather than beat ourselves up, we can move forward more wisely by asking God to bring good from our missteps.

Our children are growing up in a world full of loud Malls. They’re surrounded by voices that make them doubt themselves and want to check out. As moms, we can’t control the noise, but we can be a voice of reason. We can wisely guide them through difficult moments that build their confidence, character, and ability to meet a challenge.

Kari Kubiszyn Kampakis is a Mountain Brook mom of four girls, author, speaker and blogger. Kari’s newest book, “More Than a Mom: How Prioritizing Your Wellness Helps You (and Your Family) Thrive,” is now available on Amazon, Audible and everywhere books are sold. Kari’s bestselling other books — “Love Her Well,” “Liked” and “10 Ultimate Truths Girls Should Know” have been used widely across the country for small group studies. Join Kari on Facebook and Instagram, visit her blog at karikampakis.com, or find her on the Girl Mom Podcast.

FINANCIAL RESOLUTIONS FOR 2023

RETIREMENT & LONGEVITY

Start the new year right by reviewing and revamping your financial plan.

Instead of hauling out those familiar New Year’s resolutions about keeping a journal or drinking more water, how about focusing on your financial well-being? Here’s a set of resolutions that can help ensure your long-term financial confidence.

UPDATE YOUR BENEFICIARIES

If you don’t correctly document your beneficiary designations, who gets what may be determined by federal or state law, or by the default plan document used in your retirement accounts. When did you last update your designations? Have life changes (divorce, remarriage, births, deaths, state of residence) occurred since then?

Update your beneficiary listings on wills, life insurance, annuities, IRAs, 401(k)s, qualified plans and anything else that’d affect your heirs.

CREATE FLEXIBLE LIQUIDITY

Cash has inflation and opportunity tradeoffs, but a lack of access can cause greater problems if you find yourself needing to draw from your investments. Finding a balance in line with your life and goals is important to avoid disrupting your long-term plans.

The right liquidity strategy will be different for every investor and could incorporate cash reserves, cash alternatives, highly liquid securities, lines of credit, margin loans or even structured lending.

EVALUATE YOUR RETIREMENT PROGRESS

What changes are needed given your current lifestyle and the market environment? Don’t fixate solely on your assets’ value – instead, drill down into what types of securities you hold, your expected cash flows, your contingency plans, your assumed rate of return, inflation rates and how long you’re planning for. Retirement plans have many moving parts that must be monitored on an ongoing basis.

REVIEW YOUR ACCOUNT TITLING

Haphazard account titling can create problems down the line. If one partner dies and an account is titled only in their name, those assets can’t be readily accessed by the survivor. The solution may be creating joint accounts, but it’s not always that simple. Titling has implications across a range of estate planning issues, as well as other situations such as Medicaid eligibility and borrowing power, too.

DEVELOP A CHARITABLE STRATEGY

Giving comes from the heart, but you can also do well when doing good. For example, consider whether or not it’d make sense to donate low-basis stocks in lieu of cash, or learn about establishing a donor advised fund to take an upfront deduction for contributions made over the next several years. Give, but do so with an eye toward reducing your tax liability.

DIGITIZE YOUR RECORD KEEPING

You likely receive emails, letters reports and updates from multiple accounts. Consider going paperless and centralizing important files in one place to reduce frustration and ensure easy access when needed. Your advisor may have access to secure storage tools that can help.

CHECK IN WITH YOUR ADVISOR

Your advisor can offer specialized tools, impartiality and experience earned by dealing with many market cycles and client situations. Communicate openly about what’s happening in your life today and what may happen in the future. It’s difficult to manage what they aren’t aware of, so err on the side of overcommunicating and establish a regular check-in schedule for the year ahead.

These suggestions are a helpful starting point, but no two long-term plans are identical – so reach out to your advisor for more specific guidance about progressing toward your goals in 2023.

We manage more than your wealth. We manage your legacy.

Matthew

James

John

Matthew

I am backstage, about to tell stories onstage. A man with a name tag and a clipboard announces, “Ten minutes to showtime.”

I am tuning my guitar, hoping I won’t stink tonight.

This is what all performers think about before they go onstage. They say silent prayers that all go, more or less, the same way.

“Dear God, don’t let me suck.”

It’s easy to stink at storytelling because there is no school for such things, so you don’t know if you’re getting it right. Which leads me to ask: “What am I doing with my life?”

I am still unclear on how I started telling stories for a living. The only education I have in storytelling came from elderly men who wore Velcro shoes and wore their slacks up to their armpits.

I have always had a soft spot for old men. From childhood, I believed that I was an old man trapped inside a kid’s body. I never fit in with peers, and I never wanted to. This was only made worse by the fact that I was raised as a tee-totaling fundamentalist who was forbidden from touching NyQuil.

As a young man, I would find myself in a crowd of teenagers who were smoking cigarettes, sipping longnecks, far from parental eyes, and for some reason, nobody ever offered me any real chances at sinning.

Once, as a joke, my friend Jordan handed me a lit cigarette in front of everybody. I didn’t want anyone to think I was a wimp, so I took the biggest drag I could. I almost died from a coughing fit. My friends howled until they peed.

Thus, I was blacklisted from social situations. I was the old man of the group. During social scenarios, I would generally hang in the corner, drinking prune juice, adjusting my Velcro footwear, holding everyone’s car keys.

People called me “D.B.,” which was short for

Sean of the South By Sean Dietrich

“Designated Baptist.”

Ah, but my truest friends were elderly men. What I liked about them most was that they had already gotten their petty teenage sins out of the way. They were more interested in major sins. For example, weekend trips to Biloxi. Or scratch-off lotto tickets.

After my father died, I looked for anyone with white hair to pay attention to me. I just wanted someone to be proud of me. I wanted to piece together a father figure. When I found the right person, I would follow him around like a labrador until he took me home.

There was Ben. Bless him. He has Alzheimer’s now. He was a Mississippian who talked like Rhett Butler. We spent nearly every afternoon together.

He was retired and had nothing to do but tell stories. And he told some doozies. Some I can’t repeat here. Some I have told on stages.

When Ben came down with dementia, the world lost a library.

And there was the retired Auburn University professor. He was a man who chain-smoked Winstons and read Wordsworth. He would loan these books to me and encourage me to read them. He would ask me to summarize them.

I don’t know if you’ve ever read British Romantic poetry, but back in those days everybody was always saying things like “heretofore” and “whithersoever” to each other just for kicks. The poems were miles above me, but I loved them.

So the good professor would help me. In his ratty apartment, he taught a high-school dropout to appreciate literature.

Maybe this is how I started telling stories. Because my life has been spent in the company of old men who loved to tell them; who could not restrain themselves from telling stories.

Old men are not like boys. They don’t have big ambitions — if any. They’re past ambition, and

they have only experience left. They are ready to integrate what they know into the world around them. And if you listen, they will help you.

After all, old men have seen their mistakes get worse over time and watched their qualities get better with age. They’ve lost those they care about and discovered that success is nothing.

Sometimes they are grumpy, sure. Sometimes their joints get stoved up. Sometimes they can’t help telling it like it is. But other times, they will say something so profound, so incredibly put, that you have to write it down.

They are filled to the hairline with stories. And if you listen to them carefully, they will tell you one while they whittle a stick on the porch.

And when they are gone, you will miss the sound of Rhett’s voice.

“Five more minutes,” the man with the clipboard says.

I hurry to the bathroom one last time. When I am at the sink, there is an old man beside me. White hair, thick glasses.

He dries his hands with paper towels and says, “You ever heard of this storyteller guy, Sean Dietrich?”

I keep my head down. “No sir. Can’t say that I have.”

“Me neither. My dang wife dragged me here tonight; I sure as heck didn’t wanna come. I ain’t never heard of this joker before. All I can say is, I hope this guy doesn’t stink.”

He tosses his paper towel into the garbage and leaves the bathroom.

He was wearing white Velcro shoes. I sincerely hope I don’t let that old man down.

Sean Dietrich is a columnist and novelist known for his commentary on life in the American South. He has authored nine books and is the creator of the “Sean of the South” blog and podcast.

The last project to be finished is the final phase of Wald Park, which includes the addition of six tennis courts, six pickleball courts, more than 100 parking spaces, a dog park and a walking trail.

“The tennis community has been very patient,” Downes said.

The original budget for the project was about $1.8 million but rose substantially due to supply-chain issues and scope increases. In July 2022, the City Council approved a $4.25 million bid from Duncan Thompson Construction to complete the project.

The improvement project at Crosshaven Drive was also part of the project, and while there will still be some work ongoing in the early months of 2023, that work belongs to Jefferson County, as the city’s portion of the project is over, Downes said.

The main issues of improving resident quality of life and the lack of capacity at existing city facilities will be resolved with the program’s completion, he said.

“What was a dream has become a reality,” Downes said.

Now, the city’s task is to make good on the $60 million investment and use the new facilities and improvements to the best of their abilities, Downes said. At the new Civic Center, that means advertising its availability for residents to use as a gym, meeting space and more. While the city is not in competition with private gyms, Downes said, there are new and “nice” amenities featured at the center.

In November, the city held its annual “Salute to Veterans” event, the first event held at the center. Viva Vestavia is coming later this month and at least one wedding has been booked, Downes said.

“2023 is going to mark an incredible opportunity to see new programs and activities in that Civic Center,” Downes said.

While the largest project in city history will be over, there is always room for improvement, Downes said.

“We always want the best and we deserve the best,” Downes said. “And we as the city

have to deliver the best.”

ALTADENA VALLEY PARK

The first phase of Altadena Valley Park will include trail systems, parking, shelters and restrooms, all of which should come this year, Downes said.

With continued demand for more trails and green space, the city hopes to turn the former golf course into a “special park,” Downes said.

The first phase is already out to bid.

According to previous reporting, future phases could include a canoe launch, archery, a BMX pump track and more, but all future work would have to be approved by the council.

TIDYING UP

While 2022 saw the city purchase the old, much-maligned Days Inn hotel and former Bar 31 property, 2023 will see that property’s

demolition and steps taken toward the area’s redevelopment, Downes said.

At some point, the city will demolish the entire building and then hold a planning charrette, a meeting in which the public and other stakeholders will come together to discuss possible usage and redesign of the property. Downes said he has told the development community it took 50 years for that part of the city to get to the point it did, so give the city “five months” to determine what it could be.

A project to redevelop the old Motor Lodge property into a commercial project is underway by developers Ward Neely and John Michael Bodnar, which also helps improve the city’s southern end.

In Liberty Park, economic development will be ramping up alongside the construction of hundreds of new homes as The Bray project continues.

“It is the future of Vestavia Hills for financial sustainability, for quality-of-life opportunities,” Downes said.

There is also a plan to have a “grand lawn”

similar to what now exists at Wald Park, replicating that asset on the city’s eastern side, he said.

“Whether you live in the far western side of the city, the central or the east … there is something going on for everybody,” Downes said.

GET YOUR BEADS

While not planning on challenging Mobile or New Orleans for their festivals, the city of Vestavia Hills does plan on hosting a Mardi Gras parade this year in Cahaba Heights.

The plan is to bring the community together and watch as floats travel Cahaba Heights Road to Crosshaven Drive, passing through Heights Village and ending at Cajun Steamer.

Downes called that event the “tip of the iceberg” for what could come to the city, and said while Vestavia is still family-friendly, the city does not want to turn down events that draw all types of people to Vestavia, including

People walk along the gravel path at Altadena Valley Park. Photos by Erin Nelson.

young people, business leaders and other parts of the community that may not previously have been engaged.

The event will be the kick-off event of the Dogwood Festival.

CITY PROJECTS

While the city cannot control the timing of Alabama Department of Transportation projects, Downes said he expects “positive momentum” on projects such as the pedestrian bridge and the improvement of Massey Road.

The pedestrian bridge project will link the Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest to Wald Park, providing a way for residents and visitors to cross to two of the city’s main attractions without having to walk across busy U.S. 31.

Following the rejection of the initial bid for the project, the bridge is being redesigned and will then be rebid.

On Massey Road, the city is still working

with a few remaining property owners to secure rights of way before moving ahead with the project, which includes the installation of sidewalks along the entirety of the road, a drainage improvement project on the Columbiana Road side of Massey, curb and gutter work, the installation of a stormwater pipe and a slight road widening, along with slope stabilization and resurfacing.

In other projects, the city is finishing existing sidewalk projects in Cahaba Heights and the Rocky Ridge area and will follow that with a reevaluation of the sidewalk master plan, Downes said. That will be accompanied by a community survey, allowing residents to provide feedback on their priorities in regards to sidewalks.

The city is ready to begin improving the intersection of U.S. 31 and Columbiana Road, which has the highest number of motor vehicle accidents in the city. Turn lanes will be realigned as drivers access U.S. 31. City engineers are working on the plans, Downes said.

Other improvements include the

intersection of Dolly Ridge Road and Rocky Ridge Road and installing a roundabout at the intersection of Sicard Hollow Road, Cahaba Heights Road and Blue Lake Drive. The city is also creating a stormwater master plan and will pave several miles of streets next year, Downes said.

PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE

2023 will see Vestavia Hills voters decide whether to increase the city’s millage rate to pay for proposed improvements and additions to Vestavia Hills City Schools.

The 1Rebel 1Future plan seeks to add new facilities and renovate others, as well as add and expand program offerings. Superintendent Todd Freeman has requested an increase of 9.8 mills and said the plan would be to start new programs in the fall and start on the litany of projects included in the proposal, prioritizing energy savings projects, lighting, roofing and some new construction. That’s if residents

approve the increase during a May 9 election.

The plan centers on two initiatives: to invest in “profound learning experiences” and create “safe and dynamic facilities,” Freeman said.

While Vestavia Hills is highly regarded for its school system, there is always room for improvement, and the areas in need of improvement now include STEM and world languages, Freeman said. Right now, STEM classes are available for middle- and highschool students, and this proposal would add it as a “special” for elementary students, Freeman said. Specials are classes held once a week and currently include things like art, music and a day in the library, Freeman said.

Renovations would take place to create classroom space and more at the system’s elementary schools, while the high school would receive upgrades in the areas of arts, athletics and STEM. Choir would move into the existing band space, with a black box theater moving into the existing choral space. The band would move, along with dance, into a new space, with STEM and arts classes moving into existing spaces that would be renovated, Freeman said. The band space would also include a new kitchen and expanded cafeteria and would connect to a new plaza area that goes into the updated arts and athletic spaces.

A new indoor facility, located in the open field behind the competition gym, would include 50 yards of artificial turf that could be used by athletic teams and the band, and it would also include a weight training area for all sports, a locker room and a wrestling area.

Freeman said plans for the new year also includes partnering with Samford University’s Hope Institute to teach character education and selling the former Vestavia Hills Elementary Central campus, though the ballfields will remain under system control.

There are no other building projects outside of 1Rebel 1Future, Freeman said, and, if approved, the entire project should take between three and four years.

“My confidence is that we have a really good comprehensive idea to protect our legacy of excellence,” Freeman said.

The Days Inn on U.S. 31

slated

demolition in 2023 as part of the city’s redevelopment plan for the area.

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