ABOUT TOWN

Online Cats GBHS to Host Virtual Jazz Cat Ball Feb. 4, Online Auction Jan. 28-Feb. 11

Every February, the Greater Birmingham Humane Society’s auxiliary board hosts its annual Jazz Cat Ball in conjunction with Mardi Gras.

The 2021 event will go virtual Feb. 4 in an effort to adhere to CDC guidelines.

According to GBHS officials, the gala is mission-critical to the work the shelter conducts, supporting efforts to save the lives of homeless, abused and neglected animals.

Funds raised at the event provide vet care, vaccines, healthy food and a warm bed for 14,000 animals; spay and neuter surgery for 4,560 animals; transport for more than 2,000 animals to homes up north; and help fund 24/7 emergency response when people report an animal in crisis.

As guests log on to watch the virtual event, there are some added features available.

Attendees can order a Mardi Gras Dinner party package, including delivery within 30 miles of Birmingham or curbside pickup. The newest McWane Science Center exhibit, Brickology, an interactive exhibit using construction block play, is built to spark creativity and ingenuity.

The 5,500-square-foot exhibit opened Jan. 23 and was designed and created in-house by McWane’s exhibits department.

Brickology will highlight science, engineering and math concepts that can be taught through building block systems such as Lego, according to McWane officials.

“I am proud of our incredibly talented exhibits team for developing this fun and unique experience. Visitors of all ages will love finding new ways to express their creativity and engineering skills,” said Amy Packages include a dinner for anywhere from two to 10 guests.

According to GBHS officials, the gala is mission-critical to the work the shelter conducts, supporting efforts to save the lives of homeless, abused and neglected animals.

Dinners are available now through Feb. 4 and have been prepared fresh and then frozen. Meals include chicken and sausage gumbo with red beans and rice prepared by chefs Chip Welch and Harry Fine, a Manny Randazzo King Cake, Gambino’s bread, Howling Hurricane drink kit from Fortified Hospitality, hurricane glasses, Templeton, McWane’s president and CEO.

The exhibit, on McWane’s third floor, was designed so people of all ages could explore, design, build and test their own brick creations.

Activities include Building Tables McWane, which offers hundreds of pounds of Legos that guests can use to create works to be displayed on one of five

Enjoying last year’s GBHS Jazz Cat Ball were, from left, Sue Thors, Allison Black Cornelius, Tricia Preston, Janet King and Melanie Perry. This year’s event will be virtual. Mardi Gras beads and masks and a Beatriz Ball Sierra Tela large deep gold oval platter.

In addition, those who purchase a dinner will be entered to win a drawing for $25,000.

There also will be an online charity auction, to be available online from Jan. 28 to Feb. 11. The auction will feature art, wine, home interiors, jewelry, sports memorabilia and other items. Two of the featured items up for grabs are an Alabama Team autographed 2021 National Championship football and helmet.

For more information, visit gbhs. org/jcb21.

If You Build It, They Will Come McWane’s New Brickology Exhibit Uses Building Blocks for Play and Display

—Emily Williams-Robertshaw Graffiti Walls or City Tables. In addition, guests can test the resilience of their work on an 8-foot, 20-inch Giant Jump Ramp and Earthquake Tables. “The exhibits team kept safety and positive visitor experience at the forefront of each part of Journal photo by Jordan Wald

Brickology will highlight science, engineering and math concepts.

SAVE THE DATE

Feb. 12-14

Home Building and Remodeling Showcase

The Greater Birmingham Association of Home Builders will host this event showcasing local contractors, remodelers, suppliers, craftspeople and more. When: Feb. 12 and 13, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Feb. 14, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Where: The Finley Center at the Hoover Met Complex Website: birminghambuilder.com Mardi Gras-themed market featuring Creole food trucks, a live jazz band, and local shopping. When: 1-5 p.m. Where: 2101 Grand Avenue, Hoover Website: “Ross Bridge Farmers Market” Facebook page the Brickology design, while at the same time ensuring that precaution did not get in the way of the creative experience,” said Director of Exhibits Erik Lizee.

There also will be a variety of “My Own Creation” works on display – created by some of Birmingham’s most talented Lego creators – including Batman’s Arkham Asylum, a scale creation of the Alabama Theatre and a massive Cyber City.

“These individuals have been very generous by sharing their passion and creations with McWane visitors. It has been amazing to see what they are able to do and how much time, creativity and planning goes into the builds we have on display,” Lizee said.

Brickology is available with regular admission to the museum during normal hours of operation. For more information, visit mcwane.org. —Emily Williams-Robertshaw

Address

Join Mayor Welch, left, and the Mountain Brook City Council for a virtual address. Registration is free and questions should be sent ahead of time to When: 11:30 a.m.12:30 p.m. Where: Zoom Website: mtnbrookchamber.org

Troop 63’s Austin, Graham Earn Eagle Scout Rank

An Eagle Court of Honor ceremony was held Nov. 22 to recognize Pierce Austin and William Graham Jr. from Canterbury United Methodist Church’s Troop 63.

Collectively, the boys earned 51 merit badges and camped 65 nights on the way to earning scouting’s highest award, and both boys have been inducted into the Order of the Arrow.

Austin chose to build a deck with stairs at Cherokee Bend Elementary School for his Eagle project. The beneficiary was the Fair Oaks Adventure Curriculum, led by Rick Hedrick, and future Cherokee Bend students. Austin wanted to give back to the program and worked to identify the need. Pierce Austin

The project involved detailed planning, construction drawings and designing for the 10-foot-high deck and attached stairs, which provides a safer experience for the Fair Oaks climbing wall.

Austin is the son of Keith and Beth Austin of Mountain Brook. He is a junior at Mountain Brook High School and is considering a career in medicine.

For his Eagle project, Graham built a paver walkway, constructed and painted a wooden sign and installed landscaping for Woodlawn Community Table.

Woodlawn Community Table is a nonprofit food cooperative that helps the food insecure in the Woodlawn community, and its participants are the beneficiaries of Graham’s project. He worked with the Rev. Emily Freeman Penfield to identify the need.

The project involved detailed planning and design for both the sign and William Graham Jr. the 61-inch walkway to connect the Woodlawn United Methodist Church to the co-op building.

Graham led a crew of friends, relatives and fellow scouts over two weekends to complete the construction of the walkway and installation of the sign and landscaping. The walkway provides easier access to the co-op building for workers who transport goods from the church, and the sign and landscaping make the co-op building more identifiable and inviting for co-op participants.

Graham is the son of Will and Christi Graham. He is a junior at Mountain Brook High School and is considering a career in engineering or business.

Vestavia’s Lingala Earns Eagle Rank

Rishabh Lingala achieved the rank of Eagle Scout at Dawson Church Troop 83 in December.

Lingala’s leadership roles in the troop included patrol leader, assistant patrol leader, senior patrol leader, chaplain’s aide and instructor.

He earned 21 merit badges and earned the Arrow of Light as a Cub Scout. In his scouting career, Lingala participated in many high adventure trips, including Sea Base and Philmont, on which he was the chaplain’s aid.

For his Eagle Scout Project, Lingala renovated a powder room to be used for storage at The Sanctuary Apostolic Pentecostal Church. Rishabh Lingala

The project involved removing everything from the powder room including sink, plumbing, mirror and tile. He put up and painted drywall, and built and painted wooden shelves for the room. This project allows the church a storage room for equipment and supplies to support the activities of the youth program.

Lingala, the son of Vomsi and Sudha Lingala, is a senior at Vestavia Hills High School and is a member of the speech and debate team.

Introducing Custom Introducing Custom Valentine's Boxes! Valentine's Boxes!

Chocolate is Good ... Thoughtful and creative is better!

Tween to Trend Accessories In Snoozy's Kids

CRESTLINE VILLAGE 871.2662

‘Front and Center’ Legislature This Year Likely to Focus on COVID and Gambling

By Sam Prickett

When lawmakers return to Montgomery next month, they’ll be working under the long shadow of COVID-19.

A temperature check and questionnaire will be required for entrance to the State House, while legislators will

“Most people when they think of the word ‘lottery,’ they think of an education lottery.”

be tested for the virus during their first week back, “and probably subsequently, depending on how things go,” Rep. David Wheeler, R-District 47, told members of the Hoover Chamber of Commerce on Jan. 21.

Wheeler was a featured speaker during the chamber’s virtual luncheon, along with state Senate Majority By Sam Prickett

Homewood Mayor Patrick McClusky delivered his first State of the City address to the Homewood Chamber of Commerce Jan. 19, less than three months after being sworn into office amid a nationwide health crisis.

His speech painted an optimistic picture of Homewood’s future, highlighting the city’s ability “to make the best of this unfortunate situation.”

“Our businesses are rebuilding, our schools are back in session, and our citizens are starting to see a light at the end of a dark tunnel,” McClusky said. “The way we are living is different now, but that hasn’t stopped us.”

McClusky said he’s spent his first few months acclimating to the job, which had managed to hold some surprises for him despite his 11 years in city government.

“People continue to ask me, ‘So how are things going?’ And my standard answer has been, ‘Well, I feel like I’m drinking from a firehose, although I feel like I’m taking in fewer liters per second than I was back in November,’” he said. “There are a lot of things that even I wasn’t aware of as a council member over the past 12 years, but I am getting more acclimated to the daily position. Leader Jabo Waggoner, R-District 16; Sen. Dan Roberts, R-District 15; and Rep. David Faulkner, R-District 46.

The legislators previewed their priorities for the upcoming legislative session, including increasing COVID protections for businesses and, potentially, legalizing gambling statewide.

Waggoner said that, in addition to passing the state’s education and general fund budgets, the Legislature would make business legislation to renew “tax credits and rebates to industries that are due to expire” a priority. There also will be a vote to prevent state taxes on federal stimulus checks, he said, as well as to expand broadband.

Faulkner, meanwhile, said he’d been working on a “COVID Immunity Bill,” which he said would protect businesses and schools from COVIDrelated lawsuits.

“We want to give people the confidence that they can send the kids back to school, get back to work and not worry about COVID lawsuits,” he

STATE OF THE CITY

said.

Financially, Alabama is doing well, Roberts said.

“Through leadership in the chambers, I believe we’re economically in some of the best shape … . Our education budget is in great shape thanks to decisions that were put in place back in 2010,” he said, referring to the Rolling Reserve Budget Act, which caps education spending based on a rolling 15-year average growth rate.

But the state could feel COVID’s economic impact in the near future, he warned.

“My ultimate concern is that the impact on small business is going to be most felt in our next year’s budget,” he said. That impact may make other sources of revenue, even controversial ones, more appealing to legislators.

Gambling Expected to Take Center Stage

The potential legalization of gambling across the state will be “front and center” this year, Waggoner said, following a study ordered by Gov. Kay Ivey that determined “gambling will work in the state of Alabama.”

The study projected that instituting a statewide lottery would generate between $200 million and $300 million in annual revenue, while the lottery, casinos and sports betting combined would bring in $700 million per year.

Legalizing gambling would require amending the state constitution, meaning that the final yes-or-no decision would be up to voters. But what exactly would appear on the ballot – such as what types of gambling would be included and where the revenue would go – is still very much up in the air, legislators said.

Wheeler said his vote would be determined by “exactly how it’s written. If it’s giving a monopoly to one group or another, that might be hard for some of us to vote on. As with any legislation, the devil’s in the details.”

Waggoner said the legislation likely would be split into multiple bills “pertaining to the various topics of gambling,” such as casinos, the lottery and sports betting.

Some of those individual bills may have better chances of passage than others, Faulkner said.

“I think I would probably be against full-scale gambling – in other words, casinos in our state – due to all the issues and problems that they bring in,” he said. “But I do think the uation, I believe that they did their very best in such challenging situations.”

Over the first semester of this school year, McClusky said, HCS “has averaged less than 1% of new COVID cases districtwide each week and continues to show very little evidence of spread in our schools. Students continue to wear facial coverings and are distanced to the greatest extent possible.”

The retirement of HCS Superintendent Bill Cleveland on June 30 was “another obstacle” for the school system, McClusky said, but he praised the hiring of Dr. Justin Hefner to replace him, calling it an “excellent decision.”

“I am very impressed with his knowledge and understanding of the Homewood school system and I believe Homewood City Schools are in good hands with Dr. Hefner,” McClusky said.

Though McClusky acknowledged that, “it was and frankly still is a time of great stress for many of our citizens,” he said he had hope for a “more prosperous year” ahead.

“Franklin Roosevelt once said, ‘A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor,’ and I believe this quote still holds true today,” he said. “Hard situations like the one we are dealing with now make us stronger and more capable.”

During the chamber meeting, McClusky also presented three annual awards: firefighter of the year to Anthony Whittington, police officer of the year to Chris Brown, and city employee of the year to Jujuan Brooks. lottery is probably the one that has the most chance … . There’s clearly growing support for it in the state based on polling data that I’ve seen.”

Faulkner said he believed that support was tied to Georgia’s lottery model, which allocates lottery revenue to specific education programs, including college scholarships and pre-K programs.

“Most people when they think of the word ‘lottery,’ they think of an education lottery,” he said. “They think of Georgia. ‘Yes, I’m for it if the money goes to education.’ … I don’t think the Legislature will pass something that’s not dedicated to education.”

Even so, he said he was skeptical.

“I personally am not a big fan of the lottery, just based on what I’ve seen in other states. … I would hate to base any revenue for essential services on gambling,” he said.

Waggoner said he expected any gambling measure to stir up debate.

“It’s going to be highly controversial, but again, whatever we pass will ultimately go to the vote of the people to say yes or no,” he said. “In my opinion, I think a vast majority of the people in Alabama want the opportunity to vote, and if it goes to a vote, I

McClusky Found Mayor’s Job Overwhelming at First but Said Homewood Will Survive the Pandemic

“It is stressful knowing that you dropped more than 55% since 2015. campaigned so hard and long on cer- “I don’t know if you realize what tain aspects and visions of where you a huge number that is, but that is a wanted to see the city in four years, significant drop,” he said. but you can’t even begin The city made progto work on those things ress even during the panuntil you have a greater demic, McClusky said, understanding of the duties highlighting the numerous and responsibilities of this capital projects the city position.” undertook in 2020, includ-

Homewood’s finances ing the repair of a stormare stable despite the pan- water sewer at demic, he said. The city ended FY 2020 with a slight surplus, even after File photo Brookwood Hospital and the upgrade of streetlights to LED. He also pointed paying $370,000 in year- Homewood Mayor to the ongoing Green end employee bonuses, Patrick McClusky’s Springs Highway revitalthanks in part to $1.1 mil- speech painted an ization project, which lion in relief funding from optimistic picture of soon will begin its landthe federal government. Homewood’s future, scaping phase. The city

Sales taxes from highlighting the city’s also continues to research October to December also ability “to make the the development of a city were up 7% from what best of this unfortu- manager position, he said. they had been a year ago, nate situation.” McClusky also praised before the pandemic, Homewood City Schools’ McClusky noted. response to COVID.

In contrast, the city’s crime rate “I jokingly told people last year, continues to drop, McClusky said, back when the pandemic first hit our reaching “record lows” in 2020. community in March, that I wouldn’t

“The men and women of the wish those (school) board positions Homewood Police Department work on anybody,” he said. “These men very hard to keep our businesses and and women were put in a situation citizens safe, and I am so proud to see where they had to make last-second these continued declines.” decisions in circumstances they had

Total crime is down 14% com- never seen before. I applaud their pared to 2019, he said, and has efforts, and while it was a no-win sit-

think it will pass.”

Mountain Brook High School Wins “Best Hustle Award”

Alabama Possible, a statewide nonprofit that seeks to break down barriers to prosperity, recently announced that 51 schools will receive the Best Hustle Award for improving their early Free Application for Federal Student Aid completion by at least 10% from 2019 to 2020.

Mountain Brook High School received this recognition and had improved FAFSA completion by 20.71% compared to 2019.

To be considered for the award, more than 350 Alabama high schools participated in the Alabama Goes to College campaign, which is coordinated by Alabama Possible. Cash for College, a component of the Alabama Goes to College campaign, works with school counselors, career coaches and other educators at high schools across the state to equip students to continue their education after high school by completing their financial aid form.

By Dec. 1, nearly 12,000 Alabama high school seniors had completed the FAFSA. Despite barriers caused by COVID-19, counselors and students know completing the FAFSA is the gateway to postsecondary financial aid.

Any student seeking federal or state financial aid – including grants, loans and work-study programs – must complete the FAFSA. Most Alabama students qualify for Pell Grants of up to $6,345 per year. Students can use Pell Grants for two-year and four-year technical and academic programs. For more information, visit alabamagoestocollege.org.