Tuscaloosa’s Premier Community Newspaper
March 2016 - Volume 3, Issue 3
Field of Dreams Miracle League Ready for Season By Cokie Thompson
Tuscaloosa Academy Wins State Championship for Girls Basketball
Full Story on PAGE 19
In March, the highs get a little higher and the sky a little bluer, and people all over Tuscaloosa break out their lawn chairs and coolers for America’s favorite pastime: watching baseball. The Crimson Tide is breaking in the new Joe and college students are enjoying the right field, and a different group is up to bat at Sokol Park on Saturday mornings. The Miracle League of Tuscaloosa provides players with special needs the opportunity to play baseball. The “field” is rubber, and it’s completely flat, allowing players with assistive devices to round the bases with ease. John Miller, one of the founders of Miracle League of Tuscaloosa, brought the group to town after his son played for the team in Moody, Alabama.
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Miracle League of Tuscaloosa’s season starts on Saturday, March 26 at Sokol Park. Photo: Miracle League of Tuscaloosa
Volksfest Celebrates German Culture Learn How to Make Your Own Cheez-Its Complete Recipe on Page 22
Inside This Issue About Us City News Opinion Community Business Schools Sports Home & Garden Calendar Food
2 4 6 10 DruidCityLiving 14 18 19 20 @DruidCityLiving 21 22
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By Tori Linville German culture will permeate Tuscaloosa’s Government Plaza on Saturday, April 2 with the Tuscaloosa Volksfest. The festival is a fundraiser for FOCUS on Senior Citizens of Tuscaloosa County. “We have several programs such as transportation services and volunteer programs, and we’re given federal funding, but we have a matching requirement,” said Morgan Mann, executive director of FOCUS. “The fundraiser will help us match the federal funding – we usually have to match up to 20 to 30 percent.” A volksfest, or “people’s festival” in German, is a traditional German festival that includes a number of
attractions, including beer tents, wine, games, rides and music. The widely-known Oktoberfest is a volksfest. “We wanted to do a fundraiser, and we were looking to do something to celebrate German culture,” Mann said. “Oktoberfest originated in Stuttgart, the home of Mercedes, but the Oktoberfest is during the same time period of the United Way blackout period, so we decided to do just a volksfest.” The Tuscaloosa Volksfest will include a large beer garden tent that will feature local brewing companies, such as Black Warrior Brewing Co. and Band of Brothers Brewing Co. Music will include Wolfgang Mortiz, a
Continued on Page 11
2 ABOUT
March 2016
Photo of the Month
CEO/Publisher Josh Watkins (205) 529-5723
Josh@druidcitymedia.com
Editor Laurie Mundy Perrigin (205) 246-2977 Laurie@druidcitymedia.com Visuals Editor Christopher Edmunds (205) 541-7092
Christopher@druidcitymedia.com
Staff Writers Tori Linville Courtney Corbridge Stan J. Griffin
Marketing Consultants Britney McComb (256) 476-6888
Britney@druidcitymedia.com
Tom Sommerville (205) 393-6396
Tom@druidcitymedia.com
Allison Adams (205) 914-2400
allisonpadams@gmail.com
Amber Bara (440) 413-6774
On Tuesday, March 2, Alabama head football coach Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide visited the White House in Washington, D.C. to be honored by President Barack Obama. Nick Saban has made four trips to the White House with the Crimson Tide, all during Obama’s presidency. Photo: UA Athletics
amberbara@gmail.com
DINE
PLAY
STAY
PLAY
PLAY
DINE
You can travel all over, and you won’t find Another town with our name or our frame of mind visittuscaloosa.com
Music plays under Southern Skies And all that you see is a feast for the eyes Tuscaloosa – The One and Only
4 CITY NEWS
March 2016
Mayor’s Minute – March 2016 The City has committed itself to a new standard of excellence – to be the most innovative and effectively managed City in the United States of America. In large measure, the ability to achieve this will depend upon our leadership team, and, to that end, we recently took a major step forward in the selection of Tera Tubbs and Brendan Moore as new executive directors. Tera and Brendan will oversee the restructuring of eight departments with $80 million in operating budgets, $100 million in capital projects and 540 employees. Tera will serve as the executive director of infrastructure and public services, which will oversee all public service and infrastructure activities including engineering, transportation, water and sewer, storm water, fiber, environmental services and facilities maintenance. Tera is a registered engineer and has served as the director of the Department of Transportation since 2007. She holds both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from the University of Alabama in civil engineering.
Brendan will serve as the executive director of urban development, which will oversee urban planning, development services and economic development activities. Brendan has been with the City since 2008 and has served as the director of economic development since 2013. Brendan holds a bachelor’s degree in American studies and a master’s degree in geography from the University of Alabama. Both Brendan and Tera will determine their respective departmental structure, and I am confident in their ability to make innovation at the very core of the restructuring. To thrive as a community, we must strive for excellence and reject mediocrity, and this restructuring is a quantum leap forward in simplifying our government and cutting red tape. Sincerely, Walter Maddox
6 OPINION Give Life to Your Story: Help, My Teenager is Dating The other day, I had a long conversation with a group of our Campus Life leaders on the subject of teenagers and dating. Some are parents themselves, and all have seen the tremendous pressure placed on our youth to have a boyfriend or girlfriend. We had so many varied opinions on the subject that I thought you might benefit. So here are our top ten suggestions for you parents who have teenagers entering the dating world: 1. Have a game plan before your child starts dating. Don’t wait. Create a plan today. At what age will you let your teen enter the dating world? Will
they be allowed to go out by themselves or only in a group? Will they be given complete privacy in your home or even left at home alone, or not? These, and many other questions are best answered before you are faced with making an immediate decision. Spontaneous decisions usually are not the best. 2. Don’t pressure your child to date or communicate that they need to be in a dating relationship. Our kids get plenty of this pressure already. Let them know it’s okay if they are not in a relationship with someone. 3. Explain that friends are more important than their dating relationship.
For most of us, our friends lasted longer than those we dated for a few weeks or months. To abandon friendships because we are “in love” is not healthy. 4. Talk frequently with your teen. Good parents ask lots of questions. Share your mistakes in dating and what you learned from them. Be real. 5. Talk about sex. Let them know your standards and expectations for them. 6. If you are single and dating, are you modeling healthy relationships for your teen? They are learning far more from you than you think. 7. Get to know your child’s
March 2016 by Mike Green
boyfriend or girlfriend. Make the effort to get to know them and their family. 8. You, the parent, get final decision on who your child dates. If the boyfriend/girlfriend will not come in your house and look you in the eye, there is a problem. This, and many other reasons may veto your child’s choice for a date. Discussion of this power you hold ahead of time is important (see number 1). 9. Don’t minimize your child’s emotions. Telling your child they don’t understand what “real love is” will not foster the open dialogue you need with your teen. Yes, it may very well be sappy, puppy love but I hope you can remember how powerful it can be. 10. Prepare your child for a broken heart. It’s going to happen. They will be on the mountain top one day only to see their lives “crash and burn the next.” Talking about this ahead of time may even out the highs and lows they are going to face. Believe it or not, helping your teen through their early dating years can take your relationship to a whole new level. I hope at least one of these insights will be of benefit to you. Mike Green and his wife, Laura, serve on staff of Tuscaloosa Youth For Christ. They helped two grown children survive their teenage years.
OPINION 7
March 2016
The Land of Oz: Let’s Talk Tuscaloosa Traffic
by Derek Osborn
A monthly editorial piece of masterful opinionated writing (insert joke here) regarding life and times in the big town of Tuscaloosa coupled with the musings of a guy nicknamed “Oz.” I see you sitting there. You stare at taillights that illuminate the interior of your car as if a volcano was erupting ahead, giving your skin a crimson glow in the darkness. You vigorously apply your eyeliner and blush and lipstick in the morning while waiting on the immovable object in front of you to move. You text and check emails and peruse Facebook – acts that could be considered by many to meet the definition of distracted driving. But you’re not driving. You’re sitting. As a society, we’re a strange lot. It is unknown as to who exactly came up with the traditional work week, or what esteemed business planner decided to encourage the majority of employers to dictate to employees a daily schedule of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or why schools all traditionally begin around the same time. Regardless, we know what it creates: gridlock. According to the United States Census Bureau, Tuscaloosa County gained an extra 8,000 inhabitants between 2010 and 2014. That’s a significant jump in a four-year span for a county that boasts a population of around 200,000. Another big factor causing our “burst at the seam” roadways is the expanding University of Alabama. Enrollment has gone from approximately 21,000 in 2004 to approximately 37,000 in 2015. It has practically doubled in a short amount of time. And that number does not include the influx of employees that UA has hired to handle the extra student load. The battle of the population bulge is winning, and we don’t have elastic in our waistbands. Bradford Lipstick Half Pg Ad_Layout 1 12/4/14 2:43 PM Page 1 For the most part, growth is positive. But our infrastructure has trouble shouldering the extra workload.
And when the morning commute can take over 45 minutes to travel a short distance, there is a problem. By comparison, many would consider our traffic issues to be minimal. Go drive Hwy 280 in Birmingham during the rush hours. You’ll return happy that at least our traffic is moving, albeit slowly. Or, for a truly life changing experience, try any of the interstates in and around Atlanta in the same time frame. Then make an appointment with your family psychologist, and be thankful you are alive. But we know that our issue here at home will likely only get worse. And we need to be exploring options sooner rather than later (if we aren’t already). The time is now (if not five years ago) to start making arrangements. More lanes? Maybe. A bypass for 69 South? Yes. Alternating school start times? Potentially. I would never claim to possess the intelligence of a traffic engineer, nor is it a career that I would desire to undertake. I’m sure it can be thankless job with an obscene amount of hurdles to overcome, and I have the utmost respect for the profession. But for the love of all that is sacred, can we at least finish the turn lanes at 15th Street and McFarland? Waistband Boulevard continues to pack on the vehicle pounds. And the asphalt is stretching thin. I tweet insignificant things @ozborn34. Derek Osborn is the Executive Director of PRIDE of Tuscaloosa by trade and writer by hobby. He lives in Tuscaloosa with his wife, Lynn, and daughters Savannah and Anica.
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8 OPINION
March 2016
The Mommy Chronicles: Getting out of the Pre-Spring Doldrums by Marlena Rice Christmas? Check. New Years’? Check. Valentine’s Day? Check. 23 degrees outside today, 68 degrees tomorrow, potential hail and storms next week? Check! Immunity to catching colds due to the crazy weather shifts? Check. Welcome to the doldrums. These are the final few weeks of winter in our area that have most of us in a funk as we so desperately wait for spring and the upcoming vacation season. How do we pull everyone, including our kiddos, out of the pre-spring doldrums? Check out these ideas: • Visit your local bookstore. Coffee for mom, snacks for kids, a play area and magazines galore – what more could you want? • Take a walk around your home, and/or property, and let your children take pictures with a disposable camera. Once printed, make idea boards with the photos. • Buy extra large-sized puzzles and put together over lots of yummy snacks. Extra points for laminating and framing them afterward. • Make a morning of the Tuscaloosa River Walk. Start off with a visit to the farmer’s market, walk or jog for exercise, and end with the playground and a cup of frozen yogurt. • Find and write a pen pal. • Have a parent/child playdate. While the kids play, catch up on favorite TV shows with girlfriends and kill two birds with one stone: The kids will be worn out afterward, and you will feel as if you’ve had some free time. • If your child is a messy eater, pretend you are in a fancy restaurant and practice proper manners. Doll up your kitchen table, pull out your nicer silverware and dress up.
• Recall your favorite vacation with the kiddos. Now, whip out crayons, markers and drawing pads and recreate your favorite moments on paper. When you’re done, bind all of the pages together and make your own book! • Take indoor tent making to a whole new level. Grab sleeping bags, blankets, sweaters, etc., and camp out during the warmest part of the day, outside in the yard of course. • Make tie-dye tee shirts. And shorts. And socks. And whatever the kids find (likely a lot)! • Let your child pick out their favorite book and act it out. Make it a family thing, or invite neighborhood friends over to join. • Make jewelry. • Pull out the family photo albums and design a family tree. Taking this Photo: Marlena Rice a step further, play family bingo with your child on occasion to help them • Have a parade in last year’s Halloween costumes. remember the faces of family members he or she may • Write letters to family members your children not see often. don’t get to see often. Then, make a visit to the post • Have a cooking contest with all the cold/dry in- office and explain the mailing system. gredients in your kitchen. Whoever makes the best • Go bowling. tasting concoction wins. • The most important of all: Enjoy your babies! • Play “Does it Float?” with the little ones. Draw a bath and allow your toddler to guess which items will float before tossing them into the water. This is Marlena Rice is a local mom and author. Her new a great activity for little ones who like getting into book, “Pacifiers, Flatbeds and Barn Wood Thingamthings. ajigs, a ‘Come to Jesus Guide’ for the New, South• Get a jump on your outdoor planting, and involve ern Mom,” will be available on Amazon.com soon. the youngsters in the planning. Follow Marlena on Instagram at marlena_rice.
OPINION 9
March 2016
Lake Living: Swing into Spring by Allison Adams Spring is in the air. We see daffodils popping through to remind us once again to hang in there! Cold weather has got nothing on me, and these nice sunny days are even more blessed as we contrast them with the blustering winds of February. I command you, as the little ones are bustling about, to not let March be just for the “breakers.” Shake off the winter blues and spread some sunshine. Here are a few suggestions. Bring a little sun in. Visit a garden center and pick up something to make you smile. Daffodils are in bloom by the roadside. Pick some for your sweetie (or sweeties) and put them in that vase that has been buried in the cabinet until “some occasion.” Visit a forest. One of Alabama’s top industries is forestry. While surrounded by towering trees that actually do speak to you when you are beneath them, kiss your anxieties goodbye. Sit a spell on a rock or a mossy area and just enjoy nature. Lake Nicol
has some amazing spots and there are a number of great parks in the area. Take a blanket and invite a friend, or take a book and enjoy just breathing in the fresh air as you read. For you not so woodsy types, book something at a spa (or at least block some time on the calendar). No, expense is no excuse. You can do it at home, with kids, without kids, or with a friend. A soak in the tub with some candles is nice. Olive or baby oil from the cabinet and sugar makes a fine body scrub. Do your nails in a snazzy new color, or have them done. It’s all about tying up your mind and body so you aren’t able to reach for that phone. And lastly, stop crashing in bed without treating yourself as you deserve to be treated. Why only live in luxury on vacation? We spend more time in our beds than anywhere else in life. Remember your favorite hotel: the robe, the bedding, the pillows (lots of pillows). And turn off that TV at least two nights a week - let nature and total darkness lull you to sleep. We are all moving along in life so much faster than we were naturally wired to move. With all of this hustle and bustle, our minds, our families and our bodies take a licking. Try to remember to give yourself a “time out” to enjoy the scenery and those around you. And for a change, pamper yourself, or let someone else pamper you. And guess what? Daylight saving time begins Sunday March 13, and that is something to celebrate! Have a blessed Spring Break, wherever that takes you. Allison Adams Allison Adams is a Tuscaloosa Realtor with Lake Homes Realty, and she lives on Lake Tuscaloosa. You can reach her at aadams@lakehomes.com.
Photos: Allison Adams
10 COMMUNITY
March 2016
Tales of
Local author and historian Jim Ezell is busily writing a collection of historical stories about the Druid City and surrounding areas, in hopes of publishing a book ahead of Tuscaloosa’s bicentennial celebration in 2019. What began as genealogy search in 1992 quickly turned into a much larger project. As Ezell searched through over a century of newspapers at the University of Alabama’s Hoole Special Collections Library, he became fascinated by other articles from the Druid City.
Tuscaloosa
By Jim Ezell
Kentuck: March 6, 1836
About two hours before dawn, three men awoke to the sound of bells and knew their horses were “going back the way we came.” The men had journeyed nearly 200 miles from Tennessee. The year was 1817, somewhere in the wilderness near Tuscaloosa. This scene was described years later in the autobiography of one of these men—Davy Crockett. Crockett was on his second visit to Alabama. He first came during the Creek Indian War (1813-14). In his book, he detailed a raid on Black Warrior’s Town “which stood near the very spot where Tuscaloosa now stands.” However, some historians now believe the raid actually occurred on a different village a number of miles away. After returning to Tennessee, Crockett’s first wife, Polly Findley, died, and he subsequently married Elizabeth Patton, a widow with two children. Because of his chronic malaria and the death of his first wife, he may have considered his Beans Creek homestead to be unhealthy. He and his companions left to explore south into Alabama with an eye towards resettlement. However, their horses got loose, and Crockett pursued them on foot for nearly 50 miles until he suffered a severe relapse of malaria. His companions left him for dead, but Indians helped him find a place to recuperate. He returned to Tennessee, choosing instead to relocate westward to what is now Lawrence County, Tennessee. Later, Crockett became a Congressman, strongly opposing the Indian Removal Act that led to the Trail of Tears. After losing his seat in 1835 to peg-legged Adam Huntsman, he famously stated, “Since you have chosen to elect a man with a timber toe to succeed me, you may all go to hell and I will go to Texas.” Crockett and some friends swore allegiance to the Texas Republic and joined the revolution. A few months later, on March 6, 1836, Crockett died at the Battle of the Alamo at San Antonio de Béxar, present day San Antonio. With the exception of Crockett’s autobiography, no record exists of his second journey to the Tuscaloosa area. However, his visit may be marked by a place name. Tuscaloosa and her next door neighbor, Northport, have coexisted since their earliest settlement in about 1816. Northport has been known by several names; at first Kentuck, for
A Tennessee Historic Marker on U.S. 64 near Belvidere, Franklin Co. Photo: Jim Ezell
a short while North Tuscaloosa, then North Port and finally as Northport. North Tuscaloosa and North Port are easily explained, they simply came from the city’s location on the north side of the river relative to Tuscaloosa. Kentuck is problematic. The city notes the possibility that it is derived from “Canetuck” – a reference to the dense growth of native cane once lining the river. The contraction of Kentucky is also considered a possibility by others. Upon his return to Tennessee, Crockett described his exploits to
family, friends, and neighbors; perhaps from the front porch of his cabin on the homestead he named “Kentuck.” He did not return to Alabama; but maybe others, hearing his tales of the Tuscaloosa area, chose to trek south. Gideon Lincecum, a pioneer physician, historian and naturalist, described Tuscaloosa in 1818 as “full of people just landed mostly from Tennessee all felling timber and hastily building up a town of poles and clapboards and such people, I
had never seen any of that type of the genus before, they were large men generally, full-fleshed and having the appearance of having been wellgreased with hog’s fat.” Perhaps Crockett influenced some of these settlers to move to the area, and they took the name of his homestead with them. If you have a comment or question for local historian and author Jim Ezell, you can email him at Ezell0071@comcast.net.
COMMUNITY 11
January 2016
FESTIVAL
continued from page 1
traditional polka musician, The Frayed Knot, Smooth Saddles and The Horizon Band until 8 p.m. “I’m looking forward to all the activities and the German culture, music, arts and crafts,” Mann said. “And the big crowds. We just wanted a fundraiser where people didn’t have to wear a tux.” The festival will include a German classic car show on 6th Street and will have traditional German food, a children’s area with a petting zoo and blow-up obstacle courses. Vendors will have tents for arts, crafts and more. Tuscaloosa Sister Cities International will be present to represent Tuscaloosa’s German sister city, Schorndorff. “We wanted people to just show up, kick back, relax and have fun,” he said. “So there’s a little bit of something for all ages.” Ticket packages for the festival range from general admission to VIP. General admission costs $15. A second package offers the chance to receive a T-shirt and glass with a Tuscaloosa Volksfest logo for $25, while the VIP package allows for participation for a keg tapping ceremony to open the festival. VIP packages let purchasers to drink off the kegs until they’re gone in addition to getting the shirt and glass for only $50. Tickets can be purchased at Bank of Tuscaloosa, Bank First, Greek Resource Services or at brownpapertickets.com. To stay updated with the latest Tuscaloosa Volksfest information, visit the festival’s Facebook page.
MIRACLE
continued from page 1
He first heard of the program from his coworker Jeff Walker. Walker’s grandson, who has autism, played for the team in Moody. “I said, ‘My son has cerebral palsy. He could never play ball like that,’” Miller said, “and he was like ‘Sure he can. Let me tell you about it.’” Miller and his family wasted no time getting involved with the team. “I think that was a Tuesday and we we’re playing ball that Saturday,” Miller said. That was in 2004. Miller and Walker continued traveling back and forth to Moody, but they decided Tuscaloosa needed their own team in 2007. They began reaching out to the community for support to get a field built, but it took longer than they hoped. “We felt like it was a no-brainer, that the money would just fall into place,” Miller said. The field opened in June of 2010. While Moody got their team up and running in six months, Miller said Tuscaloosa’s three years is much closer to average. With the field ready for the start of the season on March 26, Miracle League is preparing for Saturdays full of games. “Every Saturday beginning at 9 a.m., and there are games starting every hour,” said Kathryn Taylor, who runs communications for Miracle League of Tuscaloosa. Most of the games end with tie after every player bats and moves around the bases, but a competitive team plays at the end of the day. This group, comprised of more advanced players, keeps track of outs and scoring. Miller said that they even trash talk, but they stay civil.
“Nobody ever gets mad,” Miller said, “They don’t care if they win or lose, they’re just there to play.” Each player has a buddy who stays by their side through the whole game, helping them bat and round the bases. This relationship is an important part of the program. “A lot of buddies have built relationships with the children and they come back every year,” Miller said. In addition to the buddies, Kathryn Taylor said coaches, spectators and other site volunteers keep the program running. “A lot of people just don’t know what it is,” Taylor said. “We still need a lot of volunteers.” Being on a Miracle League team gives people with special needs the opportunity to have fun and be part of a team, but it also pushes them to test their physical abilities. “There are several players who started out in a wheelchair or using a walker, and the end of the season they aren’t having to use those devices” Taylor said. “It’s really encouraging to the players to be more active. It’s a really positive light in their world.” Miller said some of the players are doing things doctors said they would never do. His son, Brylan, stopped using a walker when he played in Moody and hasn’t used it since. Miller thanked the board members for their hard work for the team. “They do such a fantastic job,” Miller said. “We couldn’t do what we do without them.”
12 COMMUNITY
March 2016
Summer Camps It’s that time of year – time to start thinking about summer camp! Every child should have the opportunity to experience summer camp – it’s a rite of passage, a part of growing up. These days, summer camps are as varied as the children who attend them, so no matter what your child is interested in, the chances are good there is a camp they’ll enjoy. Druid City Living has assembled here some of the best summer camps around. Listed are a number of great options, from local Tuscaloosa camps to regional camps and even some summer camps out of state that Tuscaloosa-area kids regularly attend. Dance Academy of Ballet and Jazz: Open all summer. Instructor Susu Hale Prout. Ages 18 month to adult, Mommy and Me, Preschool, and intensives. For more information, call (205) 752-5124 or visit www.danceabj.com. The Dance Centre: One-week workshops are offered over the summer, including Little Princess Camp (ages 3 to 5), Camp Radio Disney (ages 6-9) and Frozen (ages 3-5). A Summer Intensive Workshop is also offered. For more information, call (205) 752-5354 or visit www.thedancecentre.net. MJ’s Academy of Dance: Weekly classes are offered during the summer for all styles and levels of dancing. Sibling discounts are also offered. Ages offered include 3 years-K, 1-6 grade, and more. For more information or to pre-register, call (205) 3437757, email: dancemjs@gmail.com or visit www. mjsacademy.com.
Theater The ACT Summer Production Camp: June 6-11 and July 25-30. The Actor’s Charitable Theater offers two summer camps, with students putting together a musical that culminates in performances complete with lights, sets, costumes and special effects. A Spring Break camp is also offered (March 14-19). For more information, call (205) 393-2800, email ActShows1@aol.com or visit www.theactonline.com.
The 2016 DCL Guide Tuscaloosa Children’s Theatre and Theatre Tuscaloosa’s Theatre Camp 2015: June 13-24 in the fine arts center on Shelton State’s Martin Campus. In this day camp, classes are offered from 8 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. for children who have completed kindergarten through 11th grade. Session topics will include acting, dance, singing, improvisation, audition, stage makeup, and technical theatre. Registration is limited to 20 students per age group and is conducted on a first-come-first-serve basis. Visit www.theatretusc.com to download the registration form. Class descriptions, instructor bios, and class schedules are also available. Or call the ticket office at (205) 391-2277 for more information.
Fitness Northridge Fitness Kid’s Strength Camp: Three days per week. Ages 11-15. Principles of proper body mechanics, developing core strength, and weight lifting safety. For more information, call (205) 752-1201 or visit www.northridgefitness.net.
Martial Arts Tiger Rock Martial Arts: Six days per week for Martial Arts classes and three locations. Limited number of spots for a “Train All Summer” program. For more information, visit baileystkd.com.
Sports Bama Bounders Gymnastic Camps and Classes: Offered for all ages and abilities. Camps begin on Monday, June 6. For more information, including specific camp dates and activities, call (205) 7222436 or visit www.thebamabounders.com. Druid City Soccer Camp: Offered over the summer, ages 4-12 (all levels of experience). This camp strives to help children learn and develop their skills on the soccer field. Coach: Carter Hill. For more information, call (205) 799-6342 or email carterdcsc@hotmail.com. NorthRiver Tennis Summer Camps: June 6-10, June 27-July 1, July 18-22, July 25-29 (M-F 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.) Instruction offered for all ages; groups are separated by age and skill level. For more
information, call (205) 343-4558. University of Alabama Sports Camps: UA offers a number of different camps and clinics for sports enthusiasts. Sports camps are offered for baseball, cheer/dance, football, gymnastics, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s golf, soccer, softball, volleyball and tennis. For more info on UA’s many summer sports camps for kids, visit www.rolltide.com/camps/alab-camps.html.
Art All Fired Up Summer Camp: For kids who love crafts, this camp offers a week of fun morning sessions (Tuesday-Friday 9 a.m. to noon) that allow them to create many different and interesting projects. For more information, call (205) 343-0015. Forest Lake United Methodist Church Weekday Kids Program Summer Camp: May 26-August 4. Grades 1-7. Camp features arts and crafts, daily devotions, bowling and movie field trips, swimming, water days at Shelby Park, sports, skating, and more. Open 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. during summer school vacation. Cost: $50 registration, $25 daily attendance fee and $95 weekly attendance fee. Includes two snacks per day, supplies. Wee Camp for pre-K-4 also available. For more information, call (205) 758-6623, visit www.forestlakeumc.org or email WDKSummerCamp@hotmail.com. PARA Kids Summer Day Camp: a healthy and safe environment, physical development, discovering new activities, encouraging social skills, long lasting friendships and self-esteem development. Activities include: exercise programs, swimming, archery, skating, bowling, softball, kickball, inflatables, and arts and crafts. For more information on day camp, please email: Melinda Wiggins at mwiggins@tcpara.org, call (205) 5623230 or visit the site at: www.tcpara.org/page/35/ day_camp_youth_events.html. Tuscaloosa Academy Summer Knights Program: Programs (offered over eight weeks) are available for children ages 3 to rising 6th graders, and ages 3 to Kindergarten. Taught by certified staff, with special activities to help a child’s development. Half days and full days are available. For more information, call (205) 758-4462 ext. 513, email summerknights@tuscaloosaacademy.org or visit www.tuscaloosaacademy.org.
All-Around Camp Fun
Photo: Arts ‘N Autism
All Fired Up Summer Camp: For kids who love crafts, this camp offers a week of fun morning sessions (Tuesday-Friday 9 a.m. to noon) that allow them to create many different and interesting projects. For more information, call (205) 343-0015. Arts ‘N Autism Summer Camp: Offers six week-long sessions (June and July) for children, adolescents young adults with autism. Daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Activities include field trips, art, music, drama, horseback riding, swimming and more. Cost: $450 per session. Enroll early as camps fill up quickly. For more information, call (205) 247-4990 or visit www.artsnautism.org. The Capitol School Summer Explorations 2016: Five two-week sessions beginning on May 31 through August 5. Ages 2.5 to 18 years. Morning classes: 8 a.m. to noon and afternoon sessions 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Tuition: $203 for each two week morning or afternoon class ($406 for full day). Lunches will be supervised by the teachers. Registration: $25 (deducted from tuition). For more, including specific activities and session dates and schedules, call (205) 758-2828, email contact@thecapitolschool.com or enroll online at www.thecapitolschool.com.
COMMUNITY 13
March 2016 Crazy Daze of Summer: Children’s Hands-On Museum (C.H.O.M.), downtown Tuscaloosa, Nine weeks of fun, including: kids karaoke, dueling basketballs, skee ball, air hockey and more. For more information on activities and schedules, call (205) 349-4235 or visit www.chomonline.org. Forest Lake United Methodist Church Weekday Kids Program Summer Camp: May 26-August 4. Grades 1-7. Camp features arts and crafts, daily devotions, bowling and movie field trips, swimming, water days at Shelby Park, sports, skating, and more. Open 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. during summer school vacation. Cost: $50 registration, $25 daily attendance fee and $95 weekly attendance fee. Includes two snacks per day, supplies. For more information, call (205) 758-6623 or visit www. forestlakeumc.org. PARA Kids Summer Day Camp: a healthy and safe environment, physical development, discovering new activities, encouraging social skills, long lasting friendships and self-esteem development. Activities include: exercise programs, swimming, archery, skating, bowling, softball, kickball, inflatables, and arts and crafts. For more information on day camp, please email: Melinda Wiggins at mwiggins@tcpara.org, call (205) 562-3230 or visit tcpara.org. Tuscaloosa Academy Summer Knights Program: June 6-July 29. Programs are available for children ages 3 to rising 8th graders, and ages 3 to Kindergarten (pre-school program). Taught by certified staff, with special activities to help a child’s development. Half days and full days are available. For more information, call (205) 758-4462 ext. 220, email rmcneal@taknights.org or visit www.tuscaloosaacademy.org. Tuscaloosa Barnyard Summer Day Camp: All ages. Learn about life on the farm away from TV and video games. Activities include: taking care of animals, boat rides, fishing, games, farm movies, hayrides, pony rides, horse training, arts and crafts, games, and learning about nature. Slow paced environment. For more information, call (205) 248-0773 or visit www.tuscaloosabarnyard.com. YMCA Summer Day Camp: This all-day experience includes a variety of indoor and outdoor activities, and includes swimming time. Campers enjoy field trips, sports, arts and crafts, and more. The Y-Readers literacy program is also included. For more information, call (205) 759-4284 or visit barnesymca.com.
Photo: Camp Skyline
Children’s Musical Camp – A Disney KIDS Show: July 18-29, 9 a.m. to noon M-F. The University of Alabama School of Music. Ages 6 to 12. This two-week camp offers a beginning level musical theater experience. Cost: $175. For more information, including rates and dates, call (205) 348-6741. Crimson Music Camps: Two weeks of instruction with programs in Jazz and Improvisation (High School 9-12), Drum Major and Leadership Team (High School 9-12), Marching Percussion (High School 9-12), Colorguard (High School, 9-12), Majorette and Dance Team (High School 9-12), Strings (Junior High and Senior High 6-12) and Concert Band (Junior High and Senior High 6-12). For more information, email Heath Nails, University Bands Program Assistant at jhnails@ua.edu. Alabama Blues Project Summer Blues Camp: This week-long camp offers children the chance to participate in art activities and learn about blues history. Blues music instruction is offered. For more info, call (205) 752-6263 or visit alabamablues.org.
Learning Moundville Archaeological Park Indian Summer Day Camp: Indian Summer Day Camp is a week-long program teaching kids, ages 9 through 13, Native American arts and ways of life. Located at Moundville Archaeological Park, activities include museum and park tours, videos, storytelling, nature hikes, sampling Native American foods, and playing Native American games. Children create several crafts including pottery and baskets or gourd masks. Session 1 – June 6-10; Session 2 – July 25-29. For more information, call (205) 371-8732, email llrasco@ua.edu or visit moundville.ua.edu. Sylvan Learning Center: Writing, mathematics, study skills, and specialty classes for state exams available. For more information, call (205) 345-7676. Tuscaloosa Library Summer Reading Programs: All ages. All activities are free. Activities include: juggling, summer safety programs, magic, storytelling, animal programs, movies, and more. For specific dates and times, visit www.tuscaloosa-library.org or call (205) 345-5820.
Scouting Photo: Alabama Blues Project
Music The Community Music School (CMS) Summer
Camp Horne, Boy Scouts of America (Black Warrior Council): Cottondale. Three one-week sessions of Boy Scout resident camps are offered in June, followed by two Cub Scout resident camp sessions. For more information, visit www.bwc-bsa. org or call (205) 861-4496.
Camp Cottaquilla (near Anniston) and the Kanawahala Program Center (Chelsea), Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama: Resident camp and day camp programs available. Resident camps begin in late May. Prices vary, depending on the type of camp. For more information, call (800) 734-4541 or visit www.girlscoutsnca.org/camps. State and Regional Camps Lake Forest Ranch Interdenominational Christian Co-Ed Camp: Shadow Lake, East Central Mississippi (less than two hours from Tuscaloosa). All ages. Activities include horseback riding, wild ride water rube, low and high ropes course, basketball, gym games, tennis, beach volleyball, swimming, fishing, canoeing, boating, archery, Frisbee golf, game room/arcade, paint ball course for teens, and Bible studies. For more information, visit www.lakeforestranch.com. McWane Center Summer Camps: McWane Science Center, Birmingham. All ages. Weekly camps run throughout the summer. Full-day and half-day camp sessions are available. For more information, call (205) 714-8300 or visit www. mcwane.org. Camp McDowell: Episcopal Diocese of Alabama, Nauvoo. Camps for primary, elementary, junior high and high school-aged students. In addition to nurturing spiritual, social, and creative growth, Camp McDowell offers hiking, canoeing, arts & crafts, swimming, a ropes and group action course, soccer, softball, soccer, capture the flag, and many other group games and creative activities. For more info, visit www.campmcdowell.dioala.org. Riverview Camp for Girls: Mentone (located on the former Saddle Rock Camp for Girls campus). Ages 6-16. Sessions run from June 5-July 29. This Christian camp features cabins with bathrooms and showers. Photos are downloaded each day of campers. Mother-daughter weekend in August. For more information, including session dates, call (800) 882-0722, visit www.riverviewcamp.com. Camp Laney: Mentone. Boys, ages 7-14. Sessions run from June 5-July 29. One- and twoweek sessions available. Tuition includes chartered bus trips, cabin photos, arts and crafts, canteen snack store, golf trips, rock climbing trips and more. For more information, including session dates and tuition rates, call (256) 634-4066, visit www. camplaney.com. Camp Skyline Ranch for Girls: Mentone. Ages 6-16. Sessions run from June 5-July 29. Two-week and “mini-camp” sessions are available. Camp includes: arts and crafts, horseback riding, swimming, archery, dance, and other activities. For more, including session dates and tuition rates, call (800) 448-9279 or visit www.campskyline.com.
14 BUSINESS
March 2016
Tuscaloosa
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BUSINESS 15
March 2016
Now Open Physical therapy and wellness clinic EW Motion Therapy, 401 22nd Avenue, Suite B., celebrated its grand opening in February. EW Motion Therapy offers outpatient physical therapy for clients to obtain an optimal level of mobility. (205) 462-3097, ewmotiontherapy.com
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Ezell’s Southern Food Express held a ribbon cutting ceremony at its Tuscaloosa location, 220 15th Street East. Ezell’s offers traditional favorites and fresh new options on its menu. (205) 248-7721
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The New Orleans Fry House reopened on March 3 as The Kitchen, offering a mix of Cajun, southern, Tex-Mex and American dishes. The Kitchen is located at 2322 4th Street. (205) 331-4731
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Vapor Craft is now open at 1110 15th Street, Suite 1 (the College Park shopping center) in Tuscaloosa. The store offers electronic cigarettes and hand-crafted flavors. (205) 737-7338
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Coming Soon: Highway 55 Burgers,
5 Shakes & Fries plans to open its location at
3615 McFarland Blvd. E Suite 102 this month.
T-Town Harley Davidson is now open at 6401 Interstate Drive in Cottondale. The store offers a full range of products and services, including Harley motorcycles and parts, as well as apparel. (205) 632-6835
News and Accomplishments Cravings Specialty Grocery (2320 University Boulevard) has expanded its seating section, and this month will offer a complete new menu which includes New York bagels, lox, homemade quiche, New York pastrami and corned beef (along with other hot pressed sandwiches), salads, burritos and more. (205) 331-4153 Taylor Bronson has taken ownership of The Northport Package Store, located at 2801 Lurleen B Wallace Boulevard Suite 2. The store offers a variety of different beers, wines and liquors. (205) 701-7816. Tuscaloosa neurologist Dr. Daniel C. Potts was named to the Alabama Humanities Foundation’s board of directors in January 2016. Potts, who is on staff at the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center, has championed life-affirming care for those with Alzheimer’s disease/Dementia and their caregivers. He is the co-author of A Pocket Guide for the Alzheimer’s Caregiver. Tuscaloosa’s Salvation Army Center of Hope homeless shelter opened its doors on Feb. 22. A grand opening for the facility, located at the corner of Greensboro Avenue and 29th Street, is planned for April 27 – the five-year anniversary of the Tuscaloosa tornado which destroyed the original building.
The Tuscaloosa County Park and Recreation Authority (PARA) was named the 2015 Agency of the Year by the Alabama Recreation and Parks Association during the ARPA’s annual conference, held Jan. 31-Feb. 2 in Orange Beach. Dr. Alexander Benitez is the new director of The University of Alabama’s Moundville Archaeological Park. He holds a master’s and doctorate in anthropology from the University of Texas-Austin and a bachelor’s from the University of Arizona. Kimberly McMurray of Ward Scott Architecture was named the 2015 Charles H. Land Member of the Year, the highest honor bestowed by the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama to an individual member. McMurray received the award at the Chamber’s 115th Annual Meeting and Awards Celebration at the Bryant Conference Center on Feb. 18.
If you have information you’d like included in Business Happenings, email Contact@druidcitymedia.com
BE PREPARED FOR WINTER STORMS Ken Fine – Lineman, Power Delivery
Before the Storm
After the Storm
1. Minimize travel. If travel is necessary, keep a disaster supply kit in your vehicle.
1. Go to a designated public shelter if your home loses power or heat during periods of extreme cold but avoid driving when those conditions include sleet, freezing rain or drizzle, snow or dense fog.
2. Winterize your vehicle and keep the gas tank full. A full tank will keep the fuel line from freezing.
3. Maintain heating equipment and chimneys by having them cleaned and inspected every year.
4. Bring pets/companion animals inside during winter weather. Move other animals or livestock to sheltered areas.
2. Before tackling strenuous tasks in cold temperatures, consider your physical condition, the weather factors and the nature of the task.
3. Protect yourself from frostbite and hypothermia by wearing warm, loose-fitting, lightweight clothing in several layers. Stay indoors, if possible.
5. All fuel-burning equipment should be vented to the outside and kept clear.
CAUTION: Carbon Monoxide Kills • Never use a generator, grill, camp
stove or other gasoline, propane, natural gas or charcoal-burning device inside a home, garage, basement, crawlspace or partially enclosed area. Locate unit away from doors, windows and vents that could allow carbon monoxide to come indoors.
• The primary hazards to avoid when using alternate sources for electricity, heating or cooking are carbon monoxide poisoning, electric shock and fire. • Install carbon monoxide alarms in central locations on every level of your home and outside sleeping areas to provide early warning of accumulating carbon monoxide.
In an emergency, call:
For more safety tips, visit AlabamaPower.com/stormsafety
1-800-888-APCO (2726)
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As an Alabama Power customer, we want you to know we are prepared for the winter season. When a major storm hits, you can be assured our linemen will be on the job to quickly and safely restore your service. Meanwhile, there are things you can do to be better prepared for severe winter weather and its aftermath.
16 COMMUNITY
March 2016
Family Fun: TSO and Tuscaloosa Community Dancers Collaborate for Event By Tori Linville
Kids will get to try musical instruments at the Instrument Petting Zoo. Photo: TSO
The Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra’s annual Family Discovery Concert will be held on Friday, March 11 at 6 p.m. at Moody Concert Hall. Carnival Spectacular will be this year’s theme, highlighting Camile Saint-Saen’s “Carnival of Animals.” Adam Flatt will conduct and narrate the TSO concert, and the Tuscaloosa Community Dancers choreographed the event. TCD Artistic Director Jenna Wilson said the event presents a unique opportunity for area dancers. “Due to cuts in arts funding around the country in recent years, it has become increasingly rare, even for professional companies, to perform with live music,” Wilson said. “The opportunity for our dancers to collaborate with the Tuscaloosa Symphony is not only unique but a wonderful gift as well.” The Tuscaloosa Symphony Guild will host the TSO’s Instrument Petting Zoo at 5 p.m. The petting zoo gives children the opportunity to familiarize themselves and even play the musical instruments they will see during the concert. Volunteers will guide participants in the basic ideas necessary to make sounds come out of each instrument and to allow children to play with as many instruments as possible.
“Parents will be able to bring their children to the concert and not worry whether they will make noise or shout out,” said Jenny Mann, executive director of the TSO. “The Family Discovery Concert will be a non-threatening environment, whereas a normal concert is quiet. It will introduce parents and children to classical music in a positive way so that maybe one day, when your child decides to join an orchestra or choir, they will have already been exposed to classical music.” The Carnival Spectacular features hands-on learning for children to learn about and enjoy a classical music experience. Musicians and music educators Kevin Chance and Brad Baker will perform as soloists. The concert will include Rossini’s Overture to “The Barber of Seville,” Ravel’s “Laideronette, Empress of the Toy Mandarins” from Mother Good Suite and Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Flight of the Bumblebee.” Every year, the TSO donates three concerts earlier the same day of the Family Discovery Concert, so each fifth grader in Tuscaloosa County and Tuscaloosa City has the opportunity to see a live orchestra performance. Tickets will be $5 for students and $10 for adults. For more info, call 205752-5515 or visit tsoonline.org.
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P.O. Box 70574 Tuscaloosa, AL 35407 (205) 554-0204 Fax (205) 554-0205
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COMMUNITY 17
March 2016
Winning Hand
an elderly relative, helping out with project at the church, etc. One day, one of the widow’s good friends from the Bridge group called her By Rick Sexton and asked if she could stop by for a quick visit. Her friend had figured out the reason she was I have been in residential real estate skipping lunch was due to her financial situand mortgage lending since 1962, and I startation. The friend’s sister had gotten a reverse ed doing reverse mortgages in 1998. I quickly mortgage and she was very happy with it. This noticed how different my relationship with our didn’t surprise me, in addition to my own exreverse mortgage borrowers is from a regular perience, national surveys show that between mortgage. We spend a lot more time getting 89%-93% of reverse mortgage borrowers are to know a reverse mortgage borrower – their pleased with their decision. This is very high needs, family circumstances, health concerns, for any financial product. etc. A reverse mortgage is not just a financial I explained the FHA reverse mortgage transaction; it is much more than that. While program to the widow at her kitchen table and Christmas shopping, I bumped into one of our it seemed like the perfect solution -- she could borrowers outside a store and we talked for pay off her mortgage, some high interest credit a while. Her widowhood was the reason she cards, and have approximately $78,000 in a got a reverse mortgage and it was good to hear line of credit. Because she didn’t have to make that she was getting along well and that she was monthly mortgage or credit card payments, once again enjoying lunches with her Bridge the widow was saving about $1075 per month, club. which was enough to allow her to live comfort This widow had played Bridge with a ably. And on top of that, for future emergengroup of friends for many years. Their routine cies she could draw on her line of credit which was the same: play Bridge for a couple of hours has a built in tax-free growth rate. and then go eat lunch together. Unfortunately, After talking it over with her children her husband passed away several years ago, and and some family members, the widow decided when he did she lost part of his social security that a reverse mortgage was in her best interincome and pension. Money was tight before, est. As we were talking in the parking lot, she but now she was really struggling to make ends told me that the stress had been affecting her meet. She was cutting every expense back: well-being and outlook on life, and without lowering the thermostat to an uncomfortable that persistent financial strain she was happier level, not buying clothes, and foregoing othand healthier. I asked her if it was helping her er expenses such as going to lunch after the win her bridge games and she laughed and bridge game. said “no!”. She then told me that win or lose, The widow started making excuses as to she was enjoying her lunches with her friends why she couldn’t go to lunch – needing to visit again.
Reverse mortgage homeowners have no monthly payments as long as they live in their home. Nor can they ever owe more than the value of their home, so there is no personal liability. Only the amount of money borrowed, plus interest, is due after the last remaining homeowner permanently leaves the property. And because the reverse mortgage program is backed by FHA, borrowers have the peace of mind knowing that their best interests are being protected. A reverse mortgage might not be the right thing for you, but I guarantee you that you know someone who would benefit from this FHA insured program. I would enjoy discussing the “ins and outs” of the reverse mortgage program with you; just contact me at the number below. _____________________________________ About the Author: Rick Sexton works with McGowin-King Mortgage, which has been doing reverse mortgages longer than anyone in Alabama. McGowin-King is Alabama owned and operated and has six reverse mortgage specialists dedicated to serving seniors throughout Alabama. McGowin-King has an A+ Rating with the Better Business Bureau and is a member of the Alabama Mortgage Brokers Association. Mr. Sexton is a life-long resident of Birmingham and a senior home-owner. Mr. Sexton can be reached at (205) 649-1199.
A vast majority of senior homeowners could benefit from a reverse mortgage...
Rick Sexton NMLS #1035750
(205) 649-1199
18 SCHOOLS
March 2016
DCL’s Teacher of the Month — Kristin Jacks, Hillcrest By Tori Linville
Originally from the Huntsville area, Kristin Jacks began her teaching journey in 1997. She began by teaching preschoolers and after returning to her alma mater, the University of Alabama, she received a Masters degree in general education and special education. Jacks is now in her second year of teaching special education at Hillcrest Middle School. She said her biggest accomplishment as a teacher is staying in the teaching “game.” “There have been many times when I could easily have given up,” she said. “If I had given up, I wouldn’t be able to learn from and teach my amazing students now…and that’s too horrible to
contemplate.” Jacks has lived in the Tuscaloosa area since May 1991, and said her family is her main source of inspiration. “My family inspires me every day to work harder and be better. The colleagues in my home school and around me work every day to meet children where they are and help them grow,” she said. “People who aren’t closely related to an educator just don’t understand how hard we work.” She also said she wishes people knew how much effort an educator puts into teaching and she said she thinks it is ridiculous for teacher pay to be tied to standardized testing. Instead, Jack said, the best classroom leaders should rely on
honesty and fairness. “Without both, a leader is nothing more than a tyrant, and morale is the first casualty.” As for teachers just starting out, Jacks said inquiry is a new teacher’s best friend. “Ask a lot of questions about procedures and little things. Find someone, or a couple of someones, and ask a lot of questions,” she said. “You have to dig to find the unspoken culture and rules that you need to know in order to function in a school.” If she wasn’t teaching with her favorite colorful pens and teacher planner? Jacks said she’d probably be a writer or graphic designer of literature and supplies for teachers and students.
Rock Quarry Elementary Raises Money for Children’s Hospital Second grade teacher, Leigh Allen, gets ready to take 2 pies in the face from top Curing Childhood Cancer fundraisers, Zakieh Kalabani and Quinn Merritt on Friday afternoon at Rock Quarry Elementary. The school raised $7300 to contribute to the research fund at Children’s Hospital in honor of RQES Kindergartener and two time cancer survivor, Ava Kate Hollingsworth. The yearly event is organized by Ava Kate’s mother, first grade teacher, Lisa Hollingsworth. Photo: Amelia Pilsch
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SPORTS 19
March 2016
NPF Championship Series Coming to Tuscaloosa By Stan J. Griffin
For nearly two decades, John and Ann Rhoads Stadium on the University of Alabama campus has served as the home venue for Patrick Murphy’s Crimson Tide softball program, one of the most successful and tradition-rich programs in the nation. And in the not-so-distant future, what is still viewed by many as arguably the country’s finest softball complex will receive even more of a national spotlight. It was announced recently that the National Pro Fast Pitch (NPF) league, initially created in 1997 to provide elite female fast pitch softball players an avenue for which to pursue a professional career in their chosen sport, will be holding its 2016 Championship Series in Tuscaloosa Aug. 19-23. Fans attending the series will be able to watch some of the most celebrated college softball players in the nation, as well as Olympic gold and silver medalists and top players from Canada and Japan. Softball fans can expect to see former college standouts such as Lauren Chamberlain (Oklahoma), Monica Abbott (Tennessee), Andrea Duran (UCLA), Lauren Haeger and Hannah Rogers (Florida), Keilani Ricketts (Oklahoma), as well as former Crimson Tide standouts such as All-American and Gold Medalist Kelly Kretschman, Jackie Traina and Kelley Montalvo. The championship series will include the top four league teams and begin on Friday, Aug. 19. The series will conclude on either Monday, Aug. 22 or Tuesday, Aug. 23, based on the results of the best-of-three final series. NPF Commissioner Cheri Kempf, also a broadcaster for ESPN, said she is very appreciative to UA and the City of Tuscaloosa for welcoming her organization and being open to the prospect of hosting a professional championship. “Thanks just to the entity that is Alabama athletics for having the foresight and the pride and the bravery 17 years ago to build this place,” she said. “It has been an amazing venue that hosted the first-ever Southeastern Conference championship in the sport of softball, and it is still relevant and still known as one of the most beautiful places to play. I think without question, one of the things
The Alabama men’s basketball team started the first season under Avery Johnson with several key wins. Photo: Stan J. Griffin
that enhances that beauty is all the people that come in. It’s a fun place to sit in the (broadcasting booth at Rhoads Stadium) and call a game. I think that regardless, whether you’re inside the venue or watching it on television, it’s exciting and you can feel the people and you can feel the intensity that those people bring.” Murphy, who is leading the Alabama program into its 20th season in 2016, said the NFP championship series being hosted by UA will no doubt translate into a win-win situation for everyone who loves the sport of softball in the Tuscaloosa area. “When this came about, it was a no-brainer for me, and when everyone was on board, I said that in the college football capitol of the United States, there is no way that I thought that we would also be the college softball capitol of the United States 20 years ago,” he said. “The fans, the former softball players that used to play men’s fast pitch in the 1960s and early 1970s in Tuscaloosa that would have 3,000 to 5,000 people watching them, they have embraced the sport, and I am so excited. Let’s make Tuscaloosa the place for professional fast pitch softball for their championship series. I
would love to have 4,000 people for every game. To have the world’s best female softball players in Tuscaloosa for five days in August, It’s going to be an absolute treat for not just softball fans, but any fan. You’re going to see the best of the best.” Jay Kasten of the Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports Commission said the event should prove to be a major boost for the city in several ways. “This is huge for us and we’re very excited to have such a prestigious event,” he said. “It’s going to have a significant economic impact, especially having it at Rhoads Stadium, and everyone is familiar with legacy that Coach Murphy has built here, to have the best softball facility in the country, and have the championships played here, I think it’s going to have a significant impact. From a local standpoint, there’s going to be a lot of people coming here from out of town and staying here and spending money that wouldn’t be here otherwise. We’re always excited about that, but it’s more than that. It’s good for the sport of softball. We’re excited to be televised. I think it’s going to be a great opportunity to expose people to Tuscaloosa, and help people with the story we have to tell.”
Tuscaloosa Academy Lady Knights Win State Championship By Stan J. Griffin
As you approach the school campus of Tuscaloosa Academy, it’s hard to miss the gold and blue banner celebrating the recent history-making achievement by William Johnson’s Lady Knights basketball team. On February 8 in Montgomery, the Lady Knights put an amazing cap on a stellar 19-5 campaign by ending a nearly-two decade state championship drought for TA girls’ basketball. Johnson’s team, led by 12-year-old sixth-grade point guard Chloe Johnson, topped Glenwood Academy 42-28 at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl to gain the school’s first girls’ basketball state title since 1997. Chloe Johnson, no relation to the fifth-year Knights hoop coach, was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. “It’s awesome,” said TA’s coach regarding his Class AAA state champions. “I was 18 years old the last time they won it, so we told the girls all year to look at that banner (of the title teams at the school) and picture this year with you up there and strive for that because none of these girls were born the last time TA won a state championship, and to make your mark. It was awesome because they made their mark. Forever that 2016 number will be on that banner, which is special.” He said a state title is always special, but especially for a school such as Tuscaloosa Academy,
which has such a rich basketball tradition. “The culture here is unbelievable, and this is my third school that I’ve worked at and nothing else compares to it,” Johnson said. “The parental support, the whole support from the school itself is just unbelievable and basketball is really important to a lot of people here. You can tell that in the culture, and when basketball starts, it is serious stuff. With our girls, the tradition has kind of dipped over the past few years, and when we took the job we wanted to change the culture, and we wanted to start playing for championships. We’ve had some good teams the past three years and the past few years we won 20 games or more except for this year and we won 19, but we didn’t play as many games this year and had several cancelled. It’s just believing that we’re going to play for championships year-in and year-out and these girls have done a phenomenal job.” He said that entering the season, he felt this 2015-2016 Lady Knights team had the potential to accomplish something truly momentous. “We told the girls every day that this could be a special group,” said the TA coach. “We had some adversity, and there was a time where had lost one of our leading scorers to injury for the year, and we just had girls step in and step up and we talked about not focusing on the whole mountain itself, but that each day was a climb, and one plateau at a time,
and they kind of bought in and did that.” While seniors such as Mackenzie Smelley and Addison Harrison played integral roles in the success of the Lady Knights with their production and leadership, so did Chloe Johnson, the standout sixth-grader who is also the daughter of Knights football coach Robert Johnson. “She handles the floor as good as any point guard I’ve coached, and if you take her age out of it and just look at her as a player, I told her I was going to coach her like a senior and not like a sixth-grader,” Coach Johnson said. “That started this (past) summer with learning to take good shots and that bad shots were a turnover and to relax and play basketball. I’ve never seen (such a level of maturity and skill development from a sixth-grader). It’s amazing. It’s something I’ve never witnessed and I’ve never seen, and I’ve been around basketball for a long time.” “I knew we had a lot of good players, and if we all bonded real well we could do it,” said Chloe Johnson, who said she has played hoops since the age of 4 or 5 and who comes from a sports-oriented family. “It felt really good (to capture the state crown) and I definitely wanted to send the seniors out with the state championship. Everybody just worked together, and we had this cool bond and everybody just pitched in and helped all they could.”
20 HOME & GARDEN
March 2016
Alabama Wildflower Society Plant Sale set for April 2 By Nancy Campbell The local chapter of the Alabama Wildflower Society (AWS) is holding its 37th annual plant sale on Saturday, April 2, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Kentuck Center courtyard in downtown Northport. The sale features primarily native plants indigenous to the southeastern U.S., but it also includes some non-invasive “passalong” plants that are well-adapted to our area. Items for sale are obtained from an out-of-state nursery specializing in native plants and from members of the Alabama Wildflower Society, who contribute plants from their own gardens and property. For those interested in gardening to support butterflies and other pollinators, bright-blooming plants for spring, summer, and fall, natives, as well as passalongs, will be clearly marked. Native plants offered will include lots of shrubs and trees, such as dogwoods, redbuds, pawpaw, butterfly bushes, hydrangeas, sweet shrub, and several varieties of native azaleas, all with some of the lowest prices to be found in this area. Ferns, ground covers, and flowering vines and plants will also be offered. Wildflowers for sale typically include columbine, coneflowers, coreopsis, Lenten roses, spiderwort, various asters and mints, and native irises and violets. Passalongs contributed by members typically include shrubs such as flowering quince, spirea, and kerria, as well as daylilies and other plants from bulbs. Proceeds from the sale will help further education about, and preservation of, Alabama’s native plant life. Every year, proceeds contribute to college scholarships to botany majors in Alabama colleges and universities. Smaller amounts help to support the Cahaba Lily Society and its annual Cahaba Lily Festival, as well as local projects in partnership with the University of Alabama Arboretum and the Druid City Garden Project. Customers are encouraged to come early for the best selection. For those who wish to join the Alabama Wildflower Society, membership information will be available on site. The sale will take place rain or shine.
The AWS’ native plant sale is an opportunity for residents to purchase everything from native azaleas to shrubs to native violets and irises for some of the lowest prices available in this area. Photo: Nancy Campbell
March Calendar of Events Tuscaloosa County Preservation Society’s Sundown Lecture Series: March 10, 5:15-6:30 p.m. Jemison Van de Graaff Mansion, downtown Tuscaloosa. The Tuscaloosa Area Virtual Museum Committee presents the “Tuscaloosa Area Virtual Museum: An Online Research Tool for Historic Tuscaloosa.” TAVM committee members will speak on the project and there will be a real-time demonstration of how the virtual museum works. For more information, visit HistoricTuscaloosa.org. 12th Annual Sprayberry Education Center Art Show and Silent Auction: March 10, 6-7:30 p.m. Northport Civic Center. This show features approximately 100 pieces of art in a variety of categories, including Little Hands Art (preschool), Extraordinary Art, and more. Proceeds from the art show will go towards providing new therapeutic equipment and sensorimotor activities for the newly renovated Sprayberry facility (the former Lloyd Wood Middle School). Admission is free. TSO’s “Carnival Spectacular” Family Discovery Concert and Instrument Petting Zoo: March 11, 5 p.m. (Instrument Petting Zoo) and 6 p.m. (concert). Moody Concert Hall, UA campus. For those young and young at heart, the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra offers a concert to celebrate and introduce the orchestra, as well as a special “Instrument Petting Zoo” by the TSO Guild. For more, including concert tickets, call (205) 752-5515 or visit tsoonline.org. University of Alabama’s 16th Annual Moundville Knap-In: March 11-12, Moundville Archaeological Park. Stone toolmakers, artists and ancient technology experts from around the country demonstrate their crafts. This event is great for anyone interested in Native Americans, ancient technologies or outdoor sports such as hunting and fishing. For more info, call (205) 371-8732 or email llrasco@ua.edu. PARA’s Breakfast with the Easter Bunny: March 19, 8:30-11 a.m. Bobby Miller Activity Center, Tuscaloosa. Bring the kids to meet the Easter Bunny and enjoy Easter egg hunts, too. For more information, including specific times for Easter egg hunts (based on age), visit tcpara.org.
“Calico Street” Troupe Performance: March 19 and April 2, 10:30 a.m. to noon, Northport Civic Center. This exciting stage play for kids (ages 5 to 11) features great programs of unpredictable fun and learning with costumed actors and dancers, lights and music. Admission is free, and parent seating is available. Come early to register. For more information and additional show dates, visit calicostreet.com. Tuscaloosa Belles Easter Egg Hunt: March 20, 3-5 p.m. Battle-Friedman House, Tuscaloosa. Hosted by the Junior Tuscaloosa Belles. Activities include the egg hunt, visits with the Easter Bunny, games and prizes, a petting zoo, door prizes, and more. $5 per adult; first 2 children are free, $2 for every child after. For more information, visit historictuscaloosa.org. Play Fore All Golf Tournament: March 24, 11:30 a.m. (registration), 1 p.m. (play begins). Ol’ Colony Golf Complex, Northport. Help build Tuscaloosa’s Inclusive Playground for all ages and abilities by participating in this tournament, which benefits the PARA Foundation. Entry fee: $500 (four-person team). Includes scramble format, greens fee, lunch, cart and special events (including a putting challenge). For more information, visit tcpara.org/golf/ playforeall. C.H.O.M.’s Easter Eggstravaganza: March 25, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Children’s Hands-On Museum, downtown Tuscaloosa. Over 800 eggs will be available in this indoor hunt. Bunny bags are provided (bring no baskets). For more, visit chomonline.org. 7th Annual HOWA Family 5K: March 26, 8 a.m. Hospice of West Alabama, Tuscaloosa. Registration for this annual 5K race begins at 7 a.m. This annual event features a 5K run/walk, shopping with local vendors, live music and an Easter egg hunt for the kids. Registration fee: $20. For more information and to register, visit hospiceofwestalabama.org. First Wesleyan Church’s EasterFest: March 26, 10 a.m.-Noon. Snow Hinton Park, Tuscaloosa. Thousands are expected to come hunt for over 27,000 Easter eggs – the largest hunt in Tuscaloosa. There will also be games, inflatables and more. For more information, visit firstwesleyan.com
13th Annual Doctor’s Day 10K & Fun Run: Apr. 2, 8 a.m. (10K) and 9:30 a.m. (1 mile Fun Run). Sokol Park, Tuscaloosa. Breakfast will be served and goody bags and door prizes are available. All proceeds benefit local health-related projects via the Tuscaloosa County Medical Alliance. 10K: $20, Fun Run: $10. For more information, contact brookeRbarton@gmail.com. Tuscaloosa Volksfest: Apr. 2, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Government Plaza, downtown Tuscaloosa. This German cultural festival includes German foods, live music, a Biergarten tent, a German car show, arts and crafts, children’s activities, and more. Proceeds benefit FOCUS on Senior Citizens of Tuscaloosa County. General admission tickets: $15. For more information, visit Tuscaloosa Volksfest on Facebook or focusonseniorcitizens.org. Alabama Wildflower Society Plant Sale: Apr. 2, 8 a.m-2 p.m. Kentuck Center courtyard, downtown Northport. This sale features native plants and non-invasive “passalong” plants. Sale is rain or shine. For more information, visit alwildflowers.org. Insane Inflatable 5K Tuscaloosa: April 2, 8:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Tuscaloosa Regional Airport. Get ready to experience the most fun, wild and insane obstacle run in the world. The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Alabama is the charity partner for this event. For more information, visit insaneinflatable5k.com Walk4Water: Apr. 2, 10 a.m. South Gym of the UA Rec Center, University of Alabama campus. This four-mile walk by the Tide for Christ Student Ministry (in conjunction with Healing Hands International), will help raise much-needed funds to help build a well in Honduras, offering residents there access to clean drinking water. For more information, call (256) 655-2836 or visit hhi.org/walk4water/ tuscaloosa-al-2016. 5th Street Vintage Market: April 3, 11 a.m.4 p.m., 4150 5th Street, Northport. The Vintage Market is a great place to find unusual and unique treasures, from vintage books, clothes, and jewelry to handmade items, vinyl records, and more. For more information, visit 5thstreetvintagemarket.com.
22 FOOD
March 2016
MARCH RECIPES
Comfort Food and Low- Carb Snacks
Recipes and Photos by Amy Poore
Are you a snacker? If so, you know: It’s not easy to find a healthy, low-fat and low-carb treat to enjoy. This month, I’ve got a solution! These Low Carb Cheez-It® crackers are an excellent option as a go-to when you need something flavorful that won’t destroy your healthy eating plan! Need a delicious entrée idea for the week? I’d highly recommend giving this beef stroganoff recipe a try. This classic, creamy dish is always a big crowd pleaser at our house. As always, bon appétit! Amy Poore is a mom, a wife and a foodie. To see more of Amy’s delicious recipes, visit her blog, www.pooreamy.com
Homemade Beef Stroganoff • 1 pound sirloin steak, cut into cubes • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 1/2 large sweet onion, chopped • 8 ounces sliced mushrooms of your choice • 3/4 cup chicken stock, divided
• 2 cups beef broth • 2 tablespoons cornstarch • 1/4 cup sour cream • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard • 12 ounces, extra wide egg noodles • Salt and pepper
Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in large skillet to medium high heat. Season steak with salt and pepper. Brown meat on all sides and remove from pan. Add second tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, along with onions and mushrooms. Cook until golden brown, 5-6 minutes. Pour in 1/2 cup chicken stock and the beef stock and cook down for 3-4 minutes or until reduced by about a third. In a measuring cup, make a slurry with the remaining 1/4 cup chicken stock and cornstarch. Pour the slurry into skillet and cook until sauce thickens, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and mustard until combined well. Add beef and return to heat until heated through. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve over cooked egg noodles.
Low-Carb Cheez-It® Crackers • Sharp cheddar cheese slices • Parchment paper
Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Cut cheese slices into four quarters, place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cook for 35-45 minutes or until crisp. When cool enough to handle, drain on paper towels. *Note: You can substitute with other cheeses such as pepper jack.
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FOOD 23
March 2016
TASTE OF TUSCALOOSA Miss Dots Serves up Deliciously Addictive Chicken There’s a new chick in town, and she sure is tasty. Restaurateur and former Alabama football player John Cassimus, who is no stranger to Tuscaloosa, has once again served up an exciting dining option for all to try. The recent debut of the Tuscaloosa restaurant has already created a gastronomic buzz among gourmet foodies and fried chicken lovers alike. I recently had the chance to catch up with Cassimus to learn more about his latest enterprise. Who is “Miss Dots”? Miss Dot, or Leola Rogers, and I have been cooking together for seven years at my full-service hunting lodge, Sawtooth Plantation. She is the head chef there, and over the past seven years we developed a unique style of cooking that meshes her deep southern roots recipes with my grilling, roasting and steaming techniques. When I had the idea for the concept, which is basically the same menu as we cook for guests, there was only one logical name: Miss Dots. Her fried chicken would be the star of the concept and she deserves the credit. What made Tuscaloosa an ideal choice for a Miss Dots location? I have opened three different restaurant concepts in Tuscaloosa, and it has been an excellent market for us: Zoe’s Kitchen, Maki Fresh and, now, Miss Dots. The locals and students have been welcoming to all three brands and we love this town. Not to mention, I am a graduate and former football player, recently named Alumni of the Year by Coach Saban. I am also still involved with UA’s Business School on an advisory level.
What’s your favorite item on the menu? My favorite menu item would be the Baked Flat Top Chicken. It is so juicy on the inside, and I love it with the Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Old Fashioned Scalloped Potatoes. What sets Miss Dots apart from other restaurants in the area? At Miss Dots, we make everything from scratch each day at the restaurant. Our typical ticket times are around three minutes, and our chicken is fresh
by Sheena Gregg
ice packed, with no preservatives. No other large chain that serves bone in fried chicken can say that. Our recipes are unique and addictive. We have made from scratch cocktails, like my favorite, the Frozen Screwdriver. We even make 20 pecan pies each day from scratch, just like Miss Dot taught us. Miss Dots is located in downtown Tuscaloosa at 1715 University Blvd. The restaurant is open Monday-Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. For more info, including a full menu, visit lovemissdots.com.
The fried chicken at Miss Dots is not to be missed. Photo: Sheena Gregg