OTMJ OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL u OTMJ.COM
SOCIAL
THURSDAY, MAY 30, 2019
SPORTS
Actor Michael O’Neill and Wife, Mary, Share Their Experience in ‘The Industry’ By Emily Williams
R
Photo by Harry Long
eflecting on her success in the film industry, Judy Garland once said she was “born at the age of twelve on an MGM lot.” Today, show business isn’t so tied to location. Technological advancements have made it easier than ever to make a name for yourself and build a career from the comfort of your own phone. Alabama native and career actor Michael
Hollywood Couple At the June 4 Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce luncheon, the O’Neills will discuss what it means to be a career actor rather than a star.
O’Neil has appeared in more than 100 roles. Among his most notable film projects are “Dallas Buyers Club,” “Transformers” and “Seabiscuit.” He is also well-known among “Grey’s Anatomy” fans for portraying Gary Clark, a grieving widower-turned-gunman who committed mass murder. O’Neill has seen it from both sides. A Mountain Brook resident, Michael, along with his wife, Mary, will share their experiences in the industry at the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce’s luncheon June 4 at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. “The business that we will be discussing includes how does an actor get a job and how that has changed since Michael began his career,” Mary said. “The structure of his business. He formed a corporation that is the entity that contracts with production companies for his talent … generally, his experience over 30 years in the business.” At the June Mountain Brook Chamber luncheon, the O’Neills also will discuss what it
See HOLLYWOOD COUPLE, page 6
2 • Thursday, May 30, 2019
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
OPINION/CONTENTS
Inside
Murphy’s Law
I YOU GOTTA HAVE ART Studio by the Tracks to Host 30th Annual Art From the Heart Benefit on June 9 PAGE 4
LIFE AFTER THE BUREAU Retired Agent Develops a Fictional Flair After a Life Spent Chasing Truth PAGE 12
GRACE ABOUNDS Couple’s Beach Home in 30A’s Watersound Exudes Casual Elegance PAGE 22
GIFTS FOR FOODIE FATHERS Treat Dad to Delicious Out-of-theKitchen Experiences PAGE 24
ABOUT TOWN 4 NEWS 8 LIFE 10 SENIORS 12 SOCIAL 12
HOME 22 FOOD 26 SCHOOLS 28 SPORTS 32
otmj.com With everything that’s happening “Over the Mountain,” it can be difficult to keep up. That’s why we have launched the OTMJ newsletter. Published every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday - we’ll give you a quick recap of the latest news, sports and social events as well as a heads up on upcoming events so you won’t miss any of the interesting and fun happenings in the Greater Birmingham metro area. To sign up for our newsletter, visit otmj.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, @overthemountainjournal, for daily updates on what’s going on around town, too.
OVER THE MOUNTAIN
May 30, 2019 JOU RNAL Publisher & Editor: Maury Wald Copy Editor: Virginia Martin Features Writer: Donna Cornelius Staff Writers: Ingrid Howard, Emily Williams Editorial Assistant: Stacie Galbraith Sports: Blake Ells, Rubin E. Grant Contributors: Susan Murphy, Jordan Wald, June Mathews, William C. Singleton III, Emil Wald, Marvin Gentry, Lee Walls, Bryan Bunch, Sam Prickett Advertising Sales: Julie Trammell Edwards, Tommy Wald, Gail Kidd, Suzanne Wald Vol. 28, No. 21
Over The Mountain Journal is a suburban bi-weekly newspaper delivered to Mountain Brook, Homewood, Vestavia Hills, Hoover and North Shelby County areas. Subscriptions for The Journal are available for $24 yearly. Mail to: Over the Mountain Journal, P.O. Box 660502, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216. Phone: (205) 823-9646. E-mail the editorial department at editorial@otmj.com. E-mail our advertising department at mwald@otmj.com. Find us on the Web at otmj.com. Copyright 2019 Over The Mountain Journal, Inc. All rights reserved. The Journal is not responsible for return of photos, copy and other unsolicited materials submitted. To have materials returned, please specify when submitting and provide a stamped, self-addressed envelope. All materials submitted are subject to editorial review and may be edited or declined without notification.
Good To Go … Or Not
just signed up to take my dream might keep you locked in your statetrip to France … again. I tried room strapped into your life jacket twice before but had to cancel for just in case. various reasons. I hold out great hope If the day’s activities boast an anifor this go-round. mal encounter, it’s best to check It’s one of those guided bus tours, whether they are talking about a meet13 days, and I can already see some of and-greet with koalas or a cold-water you rolling your eyes, but I’m a perswim with baited sharks. I’m always son who likes to have everything on up for a float trip, but not whitewater the trip planned ahead of time. rafting. Cooking classes? My nametag Winging it in a foreign country with will say, “Lost Cause,” but I’m game variable currency and socialized if you are. Of course, if it’s sausage health care is not my idea of a good making, I’m out. Sue Murphy time. I want a professional to make The trip I have booked begins in the plans, take care of all of the pesky Paris. Should we all survive our trek details and be responsible for scurthrough Charles de Gaulle Airport, The trip promises rying around behind the scenes if we’ll see Versailles and the Louvre. something goes wrong. In my real culinary “treats” along Over the next few days, we’ll move life, I have to be all of those people, on to Normandy and Giverny and the way, but I will be Rouen, where poor Joan of Arc was so turning the job over to Guy the Tour Director is a real vacation for pocketing packets of brought before the special council me. her unredacted self was found peanut butter crackers and Because I keep bravely signing in contempt of the church. up, tour companies send me copiThe trip promises culinary in case the “treat” is ous brochures with full color “treats” along the way, but I will be foie gras or snails or pocketing packets of peanut butter National Geographic-esque photoanything confit. graphs of beautiful scenery being crackers in case the “treat” is foie enjoyed by beautiful people. gras or snails or anything confit. If They’re gazing dreamily off a balyou want to treat me, give me an cony, dining al fresco at a sidewalk café or enjoying a extra éclair. sunset cocktail housed in a coconut. Ahhhhh … I hope I get to make the trip. I really do. When life My knee-jerk reaction is always, “Sign me up!” gives you a chance, you should go and do … unless but, over time, I have learned to pay closer attention to it’s something unnecessarily dangerous or uncomfortthe tour’s itinerary. If the trip is labeled a cruise, it’s able or cooked in duck fat. Then, you have my permisusually AARP safe. The excursions will involve bus sion to say thank you, but no. Let others parasail over rides and lunch will be included. If the voyage is the Andes, spend the night in a crocodile blind, or do called an expedition, it’s possible that you will be tenone of those tin can dives under the polar ice cap. You dered out to an ice floe to visit a group of marooned can hang back with me and gaze across the night sky polar bears who look at you as lunch included. When from your balcony, take your petit dejeuner at a sideyou see the words, “weather or conditions permitting,” walk café, or wiggle your toes in the sand as you sip a there’s good chance that there will be days when the cocktail out of a coconut. That, my friend, is a vacaconditions will not only be less than permitting, they tion.
Over the Mountain Views
What do you think about the new Explore playground in Hoover? “We had a lot of fun and really enjoyed the water attractions too.” Isabella Ingle with Michael Thomas McLaughlin Hoover “It looks great we’re really glad to have it in Hoover.” Daisy and James Haight with Savannah and Bentley Hoover “We really like it and it’s convenient.” Lenka and Lilly Tomasovic Hoover
“It’s really safe and high quality. Love the shade and it’s fun for all ages.” Misty, Lily and Jeck Purcell with Mia Lee Hoover
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
(THE
CO N D O MI N I U M
Thursday, May 30, 2019 • 3
ABOUT TOWN
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4 • Thursday, May 30, 2019
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
ABOUT TOWN
MAY 30 - JUNE 13
Sat., June 1 Slice Fest
Thurs., May 30 Vestavia Hills Summer Reading Kick Off
Photo courtesy Studio by the Tracks
What: “Alabama Has A Universe of Stories” will be the theme this year and includes two performances by Roger Day. Free Kona Ice will be available after the morning show. When: 10:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Where: Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest Website: vestavialibrary.org
Silent and live auctions will feature more than 200 pieces of artwork donated by local and regional artists. Student artwork will include a variety of mediums, including paintings, drawings and ceramics.
You Gotta Have Art Studio by the Tracks to Host 30th Annual Art From the Heart Benefit on June 9
By Emily Williams The 30th annual Studio by the Tracks’ Art From the Heart benefit will celebrate just that, art that comes from the heart. The event will take place June 9 at The Theodore, at 3211 Second Ave. S. Silent and live auctions will feature more than 200 pieces of artwork donated by local and regional artists. In addition, a cash-and-carry section will offer a selection of works created by the studio’s participants. Student artwork will include a variety of mediums, including paintings, drawings and ceramics. “We will have a selection of loose paper works, but most of the artwork is framed or on canvas and ready to hang,” said gallery manager Danielle Dyar. The studio, based in Irondale, provides free art programs and materials for adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder throughout the Greater Birmingham area. “Our artists benefit immensely from our services,” Dyar said. “Not only are we able to provide an outlet for expression through art, but we are also providing an opportunity for social engagement and professional development.” Students receive 60% of the sales of their artwork, with 40% going back into the studio to provide the artists with free studio space and free supplies. Dyar noted that studio artists received more than $28,000 in commissions last year. “The proceeds from the Art From The Heart benefit make up a large portion of Studio by the Tracks’ annual operating budget, so each ticket purchased is a big stepping stone in accomplishing the organization’s mission,” Dyar said. Tickets are $65 for general admission, with early admission tickets available for $100. For more information, visit 2019artfromtheheart.eventbrite.com or studiobythetracks.org.
Homewood Library Summer Reading Kick Off
What: A night of family fun. See the tricks of Gutsy the Flying Fox, sign up for summer reading and celebrate the start of summer. When: 6:30-7:30 p.m. Where: Homewood Public Library, Large Auditorium Website: homewood.libnet.info
May 30-June 2 Native Plant Conference
What: Enjoy pre-conference workshops, plenary presentations and concurrent sessions, field trips, plant vendors, sales of books authored by presenters, an art exhibit, a pig roast dinner and more. When: Check the website for events and times Where: Birmingham Botanical Gardens Website: bbgardens.org
Little Shops of Horror
What: Red Mountain Theatre Co. continues its production of this campy musical based on the 1960’s Roger Corman cult horror film. When: Thurs.-Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sat. and Sun., 2 p.m. Where: RMTC Cabaret Theatre Website: redmountaintheatre.org
May 30, 31 and June 2, 13-16 Magic City Theatre Festival “Alice in Wonderland”
What: Birmingham Children’s Theatre kicks off this festival with a free world premiere adaptation by Brandon Bruce and Luke Schares based on stories by Lewis Carroll. When and Where: May 30-31, 7 p.m.; June 2, 2 and 6 p.m. Sloss Furnaces; June 13-15, 7 p.m., June 15-16, 2 p.m. Riverchase Galleria Website: bct123.org
Fri., May 31 Tails in the Trails
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What: Birmingham Zoo’s annual fundraiser features animal residents, music from Nationwide Coverage, hors d’oeuvre, craft beer, a signature cocktail, photo booth, cash bar and an online auction. When: 6:30-10 p.m. Where: Birmingham Zoo’s Trails of Africa Website: birminghamzoo.com
What: Birmingham’s largest food and music block party hosted by Slice Pizza and Brewhouse features music by local and regional talent, food and brews. Proceeds benefit Birminghambased non-profits. When: 2 p.m.-midnight Where: Lakeview District Website: slicefest.com
Birmingham Fire & Rescue Crawfish Boil
What: Meet your favorite firefighters and enjoy all you can eat crawfish, potatoes, corn, sausage and more while enjoying music from live bands and DJs. When: 4-8 p.m. Where: Sloss Furnaces Website: “Birmingham Fire & Rescue Crawfish Boil” Facebook page
Shades Valley Class of 1959 60th High School Reunion
What: Calling all classmates. Mail a check by April 30 to Shades Valley 60th Reunion, 2424 Hawksbury Lane, Hoover, 35226. When: 6 p.m. Where: A private club in Vestavia Hills Website: For more information e-mail svhs59@gmail.com
Sun., June 2 Vulcan’s 115th Birthday Bash
What: Enjoy an afternoon of entertainment, face painting, drum circles, a game truck, rock wall and more. Full Moon Bar-B-Que and City Bowls will be onsite. Party bags for the first 300 kids. When: 1-5 p.m. Where: Vulcan Park and Museum Website: visitvulcan.com
Viva Health Starlignt Gala
What: Jeff Goldblum along with The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra will deliver jazz standards and improvisational comedy. A pre-performance cocktail reception and a JPat After Dark Party are available. When: 5 p.m. Where: Alys Stephens Center, Jemison Concert Hall Website: alysstephens.org
Tues., June 4 West Homewood Farmer’s Evening Market
What: Food trucks will be onsite at this community gathering featuring 40-50 vendors, easy parking, 8-10 farms, arts and crafts, baked goods, kids activities, live entertainment and more. When: Tuesdays in June, July and the first Tuesday in August, 5-8 p.m. Where: 160 Oxmoor Rd. Website: westhomewood.com
Wed., June 5 Birmingham Botanical Gardens’ Flicks Among the Flowers
What: Make it a date night or bring friends and family, lawn chairs or a blanket to a showing of The Sandlot.
Admission is free but a suggested $5 donation benefits the Gardens. When: 6 p.m., gates open; 8 p.m., film Where: Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Formal Garden in front of the Conservatory Website: bbgardens.org
June 7-9 Barber Small Bore
What: Formerly the Smoky Mountain Crawl, participants and spectators will see more mainstream industry vendors, the worlds largest motorcycle collection, parade laps on a premier track, on site dining and more. When: Check the website for events and times Where: Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum Website: barbermuseum.org
Symphony in the Summer
What: Alabama Symphony Orchestra will play three free concerts. Friday and Saturday night will feature classical favorites. Enjoy Family Fun Day on Sunday with a family-friendly pops concert. When: June 7 and 8, 8 p.m.; June 9, 6 p.m. Where: Railroad Park Website: alabamasymphony.org
June 7-July 26 Free Friday Flicks
What: “Mary Poppins Returns” is the first movie of the summer series which runs every Friday night though July 26 (with the exception of July 5). Enjoy a kids’ zone, register for giveaways and picnic. When: 6:30 p.m. Where: Veterans Park Website: “Free Friday Flicks” Facebook page
Mon., June 10 Tee It Up Fore Life Golf Tournament
What: The American Cancer Society presents a full day’s golf event honoring Auburn Basketball head coach Bruce Pearl. Enjoy entertainment, a gourmet lunch, cocktail award reception, silent auction and more. When: check the website Where: Old Overton Club Website: teeitupforelifebirmingham. org
Wed., June 12 Alabama Young CPA Charity Golf Tournament
What: Participants of the Exceptional Foundation will kick off this fundraiser on the putting green and driving range, followed by golf, drinks, food, music and awards. Proceeds benefit the foundation and Alabama Young CPAs Educational Foundation. When: Registration and lunch at noon; 1 p.m. shotgun start Where: Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Capitol Hill in Prattville Website: ascpa.org
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Thursday, May 30, 2019 • 5
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OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
ABOUT TOWN
‘HOLLYWOOD COUPLE’
The O’Neills moved to the Birmingham area in 2011 to be closer to Michael’s aging father and his brother.
means to be a career actor rather than a star. Michael’s first role was in Fred Astaire’s final film, “Ghost Story.” Since then he has appeared in more than 100 roles. Among his most notable film projects are “Dallas Buyers Club,” “Transformers” and “Seabiscuit.” He is also well-known among “Grey’s Anatomy” fans for portraying Gary Clark, a grieving widower-turned-gunman who committed mass murder. Montgomery-bred, Michael was born to a farming family and graduated from Auburn University in 1974 with a degree in economics. Instead of entering a more conventional career, he took a leap of faith. He traveled to California to pursue a career he knew next to nothing about; he had never even been on a stage before. He began with acting lessons, which later took him to an acting school in New York. A lot has changed about the industry since Michael’s entrance into the world of acting. Many of those changes have made it much easier to get away from LA and make a home in Birmingham. “The fact that the industry has become more mobile and more technology-dependent makes it easier,” he said. No longer does he have to appear in a room before a panel for auditions. He simply records his audition and sends it to a casting agency. “Very often a production company
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looks at my reel online and makes an offer without an audition,” he said. “The mobility means work for me can be anywhere.” That mobility also means that work takes him across the country, during the past two years sending him to Los Angeles, Savannah, Nashville, New York, Washington, D.C., Northern California and Toronto. “One of the reasons I love this area is the ease with which I can get to and from (BirminghamShuttlesworth International Airport),” Michael said. “Our house is about a 20-minute ride to the airport and traffic is nothing compared to California.” The O’Neills moved to the Birmingham area in 2011 to be closer to Michael’s aging father and his brother. “At the time, our three girls were close to high school age and we knew Mountain Brook offered excellent schools,” Michael said. With Annie, Ella and Molly in school, Mary took the Alabama bar and now works for the international firm Ogletree Deakins’ Birmingham office. She also volunteers as a court appointed special advocate for Jefferson County CASA and the Alabama Lawyers Assistance Program. Mary never saw herself living in the South until she spent time in Michael’s old stomping grounds of Lake Martin and Auburn. “As a native New Yorker who
Thurs., June 13 Sounds of Summer - A Live Music Event What: The Summit hosts its annual event benefiting Magic Moments. In addition to music, enjoy food, drinks, snow cones, food trucks and kids activities. Bring lawn chairs, blankets and a picnic dinner. When: 5-8 p.m. Where: The Summit near Swoozies Website: thesummitbirmingham.com
NOW OPEN!
Patty Over The Mountain Journal, phone 205-823-9646, fax 205-824-1246 Feb.
Photo by Harry Long
From page one
Over the past year, Alabama has experienced a huge increase in films made locally. “The film industry here brings so much cash infusion into the local economy,” Mary said. “Small businesses benefit from the talent and crew taking their earnings and spending it at restaurants, dry cleaners, gyms and shops.”
Alabama has some stiff competition, though, according to Mary. The industry here is still limited. The state gives out a maximum of $20 million in tax credits each year, which can be eaten up by just two films. “So, it’s limited and will keep a lot of production away from the state,” Mary said. “Georgia has no cap, one of the reasons it’s the location of choice for so many shows and films.” Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal stated in July that Georgia-licensed films had an economic impact of more than $9.5 billion in the 2017 fiscal year – $2.7 billion of those dollars in direct spending for the state. Though he does not consider himself a star, but a career actor, Michael will be gracing the small screen in
S’mores & Pours
Birmingham Fairytale Ball
lived most of my adult life in California, my perception of Alabama was jaded until I got here,” she said. “Now I don’t see myself living anywhere else.” “Coming home to Birmingham gives me an opportunity to slow down, connect with my family and friends and relax until the next gig,” Michael said.
Film Industry Comes Home
What: An evening of local brews, select wines, food, a silent auction, pop-up shops and live music to benefit Camp Fire Alabama programs in our area. When: 5-8 p.m. Where: Avondale Brewing Co. Website: campfire-al.org
Fri., June 14 Art on the Rocks
What: Birmingham Museum of Art’s summer entertainment series features a roster of visual and performing arts. Featured artist in the first installment is San Francisco-based soul, psych-rock band Con Brio. When: 7-11 p.m. Where: Birmingham Museum of Art Website: artsbma.org
Sat., June 15
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Association hosts a 5k and one-mile walk to help fight heart disease and stroke. Festivities include opening ceremonies, a warm up, bubble wrap stomp and more. When: 8 a.m. Where: Railroad Park Website: birminghamheartwalk.org
What: Pretty Princess Parties presents many princesses, professional princess portraits, a candy buffet, stories, songs, games and more. When: 10-11:45 a.m., 1:30-3:15 p.m. and 5-6:45 p.m. Where: Noah’s Event Venue Website: “Birmingham Fairytale Ball” Facebook page
Funky Food Truck Festival
What: Attendees will enjoy a vendors area, food trucks, brews and adoptable dogs from the Greater Birmingham Humane Society. A suggested donation of $5 will benefit AIDS Alabama’s programs. When: 1-5 p.m. Where: Cahaba Brewing Co. Website: aidsalabama.org
LOCAL 2019
What: Food trucks will be on site at this free celebration of some of Alabama’s best eclectic artists, vendors and musicians, presented by UAB’s Alys Stephens Center. When: 5 p.m. Where: Engel Plaza Website: alysstephens.org
Fri., June 21 Funky Monkey
What: Smile-A-Mile’s Junior Board
spring 2020 in a new NBC show “Council of Dads.” The show is about a father whose life is thrown into disarray by a health scare. He seeks help from a few of his closest friends to act as “back-up dads,” role models for his kids for each stage of their lives. Michael, who frequently plays an officer of the law or military officer, is taking on the role of Larry, the main character’s AA sponsor. “Larry is a man who lost his own family to alcoholism, and, sober, he’s being given a second chance to be a part of his mentor’s family,” Michael said. “He’s not sure he has the tools to succeed. “Ultimately, he proves to be a calming presence who shows his love through his actions,” he added. For those who live in the area and dream of turning acting into a career, Michael has some words of wisdom. “The best thing young people can do is get training,” Michael said. “Train with a good acting teacher.” In Los Angeles, he first studied at the Theatricum Botanicum under Will Geer – best known for portraying Grandpa Zebulon Tyler Walton on the series “The Waltons” – and his daughter Ellen Geer. For those who are looking to build a good foundation for a future in film production, Michael suggests the University of Montevallo. “The University of Montevallo has developed a very good production program and is committed to training young people for the film industry and other forms of media,” he said. To hear more from Michael and Mary O’Neill at the June 4 chamber luncheon, visit mtnbrookchamber.org. of Directors presents silent and live auctions, complimentary beer, wine, heavy hors d’oeuvres, a cash bar, music from The Toddfather, a silent disco and more. When: 6-11 p.m. Where: Regions Field Banquet Hall Website: smileamile.com
Alabama Theatre Summer Film Series
What: Doors open one hour before showtime for a sing-a-long accompanied by the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ in this film series featuring “Grease” as its first installment. Check the website for additional films and times. When: 7 p.m. Where: Alabama Theatre Website: alabamatheatre.com/events/ category/movies/list/
Sat., June 22 Zoo, Brews & Full Moon Bar-BQue
What: Attendees will enjoy samplings of brews from all over Alabama and the Southeast, dinner, music, lawn games, animal greetings and walkabouts, rides on the train, a slide and more. When: 5:30-8:30 p.m. Where: Birmingham Zoo Website: birminghamzoo.com
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Mountain Brook’s Pitard Earns Eagle Scout Rank
Joseph Douglas Pitard of Troop 320 at Mountain Brook Presbyterian Church recently earned the rank of Eagle Scout. He was recognized during a Court of Honor ceremony March 17. In his scouting career, Pitard Joseph Douglas earned 23 merit Pitard badges and held multiple leadership positions. He was also awarded the Order of the Arrow by his peers. As part of his Eagle project, Pitard made improvements to the grounds of his church, Bluff Park United Methodist, including removing overgrown shrubs at the entrance and replacing them with new bushes. Pitard is a senior at Mountain Brook High School. He will attend the University of Montevallo in the fall, where he will run track. He is the son of Carole and Joe Pitard of Mountain Brook.
Golf Tournament Benefits Cancer Research
Ninety-two players hit the green when the Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama held its 24th Annual Drive-Out Breast Cancer Golf Tournament on May 20 at Old Overton
Thursday, May 30, 2019 • 7
PEOPLE Club. The event raised more than $110,000 for breast cancer research in Alabama, according to Beth Bradner Davis, executive director of the BCRFA. “The BCRFA is proud to support collaborative and innovative breast cancer research being done right here in Alabama, knowing the research will, in turn, make a national impact and ultimately save lives,” Davis said in a statement. The top teams of the tournament were recognized at an awards reception on the patio. The Low Gross winners were a team from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama. Brent Carter, Andy Moutardier and Cameron Mosley were on that team. A foursome composed of Lance Kitchens and Harris Wilson from Russo Corp. and Hunter Worley and Rick Passey from Kirkpatrick Concrete took home the First Place Net award.
OTM Writers Win State and National Accolades in Journalism
Solomon Crenshaw Jr. of Hoover and Jane Newton Falany of Vestavia Hills were among award winners in the 2019 Alabama Media Professionals and National Federation of Press Women’s communications contest. Crenshaw won five awards. On the state level, he won first-place awards in three categories: specialty articles for education, government or politics, and green/environmental. He also won a second-place award for feature story for an online publication and an honorable
mention award for a specialty article in sports. On the national level, he won an honorable mention at the national level for his green/environmental specialty article entry, according to a press release from the AMP group. Crenshaw is a veteran journalist who worked nearly 40 years for the Birmingham News and AL.com. He now works in multiple platforms, providing writing, photography and videos for clients. Falany won two state-level awards: first place for personal blogs and third place for personal website. She is a veteran public relations practitioner who worked for more than 20 years at Alabama Power Co. and taught at the University of Alabama and Samford University. She now provides writing and editing services for clients and is a member of the National Federation of Press Women board of directors. The awards were presented April 11 at an AMP luncheon at The Club. Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist John Archibald was keynote speaker at the luncheon. Alabama Media Professionals is a state affiliate of the National Federation of Press Women. Members of both organizations include journalists and other professionals in a variety of communication-related fields.
PLEASE SEND PEOPLE NEWS TO: EDITORIAL @OTMJ.COM
June 5, The Sandlot July 17, Field of Dreams Presented by Publix Super Markets Charities Movie will begin at dusk (around 8 p.m.). Beverages and food available for purchase from Catering by Kathy G.
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NEWS
8 • Thursday, May 30, 2019
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
‘A Constant Reminder’
Officials representing Vestavia Hills gathered at City Hall with community members May 15 to dedicate the nearly finished “Thin Blue Line” memorial. The ceremony was held on Police Memorial Day and was hosted by the Vestavia Hills Police Department Foundation, the Vestavia Hills Police Department and the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce. The memorial was erected to commemorate all officers in Alabama, whether currently serving or having served. Keynote speaker at the event was former Jefferson County District Attorney David Barber, who spoke about the commitment that is required to serve in law enforcement and the level of risk an officer faces each day on the job. Master of ceremonies for the event was Jefferson County Commissioner Steve Ammons, who helped spearhead fundraising for the memorial. The project began more than three years ago, when Police Chief Dan Rary and Lt. Brian Gilham reached out to Ammons, then serving on the City Council, looking for a way to commemorate their fellow officers. “It is exciting to see any plan come to life, but this one has special meaning to me because these guys are like family to me, and I want to serve them as much as they serve the community,”
Photo special to the Journal
Vestavia Hills Celebrates Installation of Thin Blue Line Police Memorial
The “Thin Blue Line” memorial was recently erected in Vestavia Hills to commemorate all officers in Alabama, whether currently serving or having served.
said Ammons. Money for the memorial continues to be raised through the foundation, a nonprofit organized to collect donations by individuals, local organizations and officers through payroll deductions. Additionally, the foundation donates money for police equip-
ment and training. City and county officials cut the ribbon at the memorial’s pavilion, where phase one of the project has been completed. The first phase includes a 5-foot marble statue of a police department badge. The second phase will include two
bronze statues, one a police officer and the other a child saluting. “I would like for the memorial to be a constant reminder to our citizens that law enforcement is a difficult and dangerous job,” Ammons said, “and we are privileged to have the men and women of the Vestavia Hills Police
Department to protect our city and our families. “I would like for the memorial to be a constant reminder to our officers that there is a community that is behind them and supports the job that they do to protect us.” — Emily Williams
Mountain Brook Promotes Citywide Use of Ring-Style Doorbell Cameras
Journal photo by Maury Wald
By Sam Prickett
The city has coordinated with Frank Davies, above, of Little Hardware, on Cahaba Road in English Village, to promote the program.
Mountain Brook officials are asking residents throughout the city to buy and install Ring-style security doorbell cameras as the next step in their Stop Crime Now Initiative. Mountain Brook Mayor Stewart Welch and Police Chief Ted Cook announced the decision as a way to deter crime and help police catch criminals. “The Ring ‘Neighbors’ app allows us to not only positively identify a potential criminal through video, but in some cases, we can track criminal movement through a neighborhood,” said Cook. “The ‘Neighbors’ app effectively creates a digital Neighborhood Watch.” The doorbells have the ability to connect directly with police through an app, according to a statement released by the city. Regardless of whether a homeowner is home, the doorbell will send an alert to the user’s phone when someone walks in front of the device or rings the door-
bell. The doorbell also can allow homeowners to speak through the device to the visitor, whether the user is at home or elsewhere. “If we can get citywide adoption of these systems, it will deter crime as
“The ‘Neighbors’ app effectively creates a digital Neighborhood Watch.” TED COOK , MOUNTAIN BROOK POLICE CHIEF
criminals learn the security systems are widespread within our community,” Cook said. “It will just be less risky to go somewhere else.” The city has coordinated with Frank Davies of Little Hardware, on Cahaba Road in English Village, to promote the program.
“It makes good sense to me,” Davies said. “Ring is fairly supportive of (Mountain Brook’s initiative) — of course, as they ought to be, because they’re trying to sell their product.” Davies said that Little Hardware has “definitely” seen an increase in sales of the device since the city announced the initiative. “Probably 30 minutes after the press release from Chief Cook, my guys tell me that the phone started ringing off the hook with people asking about it,” he said. “We have sold a couple dozen units since then … and we’ve got a backup order on the way.” The store also offers installation services for an additional fee; installation takes just more than an hour. “This highly effective product costs less than $200,” Welch said. “I own one and it provides a great sense of security.” For more information on the doorbell systems, Mountain Brook residents can contact Cook at 802-3852 or Davies at Little Hardware, 8714616.
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Thursday, May 30, 2019 • 9
NEWS
Changes Coming When Vestavia Hills Students Return to School in the Fall
By Emily Williams Vestavia Hills school students left school for the summer May 23. This August, some of them will return to schools that look a bit different. The Vestavia Hills City Schools system has been and is making updates to schools and other facilities. “This summer we’re moving East and West and Central’s teaching staff around to accommodate these moves. There’s a lot of moving parts … that are taking place, and that’ll go all through the month of June and into early July,” Superintendent Todd Freeman said. “We want to have that move done as quickly as possible so our teachers can get in at some point in the summer as they would like to and begin preparing. So it’s an exciting summer of things to take place.“ In the fall, the new Vestavia Hills Elementary School Dolly Ridge will open its doors at the former Gresham Elementary campus. This month, Freeman provided an update on what parents and students can expect at the start of the 2019-2020 school year. “As you know, we have a good bit of construction still remaining in our projects, and that includes work that’s taking place at Berry, which will be the new Pizitz Middle School, and also at the existing Gresham Elementary School, which will be Dolly Ridge in the fall,” Freeman said.
At a May 20 Board of Education meeting, Dr. Patrick Martin, assistant superintendent of operations and services, provided a more detailed update of the work that is expected to be finished this summer and this fall. Martin noted that the work at Dolly Ridge will be, for the most part, finished before the first day of school. The creation of a new carpool loop, additional parking spaces and a playground should be finished by July 31. On a new addition, which includes two floors of classrooms and multi-purpose space, the first floor will be completed by Aug. 1. The second floor is expected to be completed by Aug. 26. Should the construction of the addition stall over the summer, Martin assured the audience at the meeting that there are plenty of plans to work around the construction when school begins. “(Dolly Ridge Principal Ty Arendall) has gone through several, several phases of contingency plans,” Martin joked. “Kidding aside, he has been very thorough, so we feel confident in where teachers and students would go subject to what the contractor is able to finish.” As was stated earlier this semester, plans for the Berry campus to open in the fall as the new location of Louis Pizitz Middle School were stalled by weather delays in construction. Roofing work at the building is expected to be completed this week. Crews will continue to work on interior
updates to the existing school buildings. An addition will include buildings to house band, chorus and a new gymnasium. According to Martin, the move from the current Pizitz building to the Berry campus will result in an additional 60,000 square feet for the school to use. At the meeting, the board unanimously approved a proposal by city
manager Jeff Downes to trade a few land parcels around Cahaba Heights Elementary and the neighboring baseball fields for the city’s Strategic Planning project. According to Downes, when the Cahaba Heights area was first annexed, the property lines drawn were irregular. The land on which the New Merkel House sits will be given to the school. The city will then take over a parcel of
the school’s land near the ball fields and several parcels alongside the school to create access roads to reduce traffic. “It involves totally demolishing the existing ball fields, creating some community park space, creating some additional parking space and, ultimately, moving the New Merkel House to the back part of the property as a senior center in Vestavia Hills,” Downes said.
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LIFE
10 • Thursday, May 30, 2019
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Going for Gold
Seven OTM Girl Scouts Set Examples While Earning 2018-2019 Gold Awards The Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama recently celebrated 23 Girl Scouts who earned the program’s prestigious Gold Award. The award is the highest honor a Girl Scout can earn. Scouts ages 14 to 17 years old are required to create a meaningful and sustainable project that helps the community locally, nationally or globally. According to the organization, earning a Gold Award is an achievement that stands out in the college admissions process, often leading to scholarships and advanced rank when enlisting in the U.S. Armed Forces. “Earning the Girl Scout Gold Award is truly a remarkable achievement, and these young women exemplify leadership in all its forms,” said Karen Peterlin, chief executive officer of Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama. “They saw a need in their communities and around the world and took action. Their extraordinary dedication, perseverance and leadership is making the world a better place.” Of the 23 Gold Award recipients this year, seven are from the Over the Mountain area.
Holly Brown
Holly Brown, a senior at Mountain Brook High School, earned a Gold Award for her project, “Picnic for the Kids.” Her project aided The Bell Center for Early Intervention Programs, in Homewood. The program provides therapeutic and educational programming for young children with developmental delays. Brown has volunteered with the Bell Center for years and saw the need for an outdoor Holly Brown space for children to have therapy sessions. Brown created a safe, child-friendly outdoor space by building a picnic table as well as a sensory garden. “Growing up I really valued my relationship with the outdoors and felt that every kid should have the same ability despite their differences,” Brown said. “I believe my project will inspire other developmental delay centers to put an emphasis on spending time outdoors.” Bell Center participants were able to be a part of the project by adding their handprints to the picnic table and learning about the three plants included in the sensory garden – lavender, rosemary and lamb’s ear. Brown noted that she believes that providing an outdoor space for developmentally delayed youth provides a tactile and alternative opportunity for therapy. Brown’s project will affect Bell Center participants as the organization continues to carry out therapy sessions and classes outside, providing a break in their daily routine. According to Brown, the process of earning her Gold Award paired with her time in the Girl Scouts has better prepared her for her future. “As a Girl Scout, we’ve been given a lot of opportunities to work with younger kids but also develop important leadership skills,” Brown said.
Abigail Courtenay
Abigail Courtenay, a senior at John Carroll High School, earned a Gold Award for her project, “Outdoor Classroom.” Courtenay focused her project on issues created when children spend too much time indoors, which can lead to a decrease in creativity, concentration and social skills. To tackle these issues, she created an outdoor classroom at the Mountain Brook Girl Scout House for the local community as well as the Abigail Courtenay Girl Scouts who use the space. The classroom is available for activities such as art and music lessons, community group meetings and elementary school classes. “There is a limited scope of activities available inside a confined, traditional classroom,” Courtenay said. “People react positively to an outdoor space that gives them the opportunity for multi-sensory learning, physical activity and the ability to connect with nature.” Courtenay’s project will continue to help people as more of them have the chance to use her outdoor classroom to get children outside and immersed in nature. “Going through this process has really given me confidence to know that I can do something that’s bigger than myself,” Courtenay said.
Lydia Estes
Lydia Estes, a junior at Homewood High School, earned a Gold Award for her project, “The Message is Clear.” Her project focused on confidence and self-esteem among elementaryaged girls. Estes wanted to provide other girls with frequent reminders of their value to help them realize their full potential and feel empowered. She hosted seminars for girls in inner-city schools and held surveys to see how girls viewed Lydia Estes themselves. She then painted the school bathroom stall doors and around the mirrors with positive words such as “brave,” “strong” and “smart.” “It’s one thing for an adult or teacher to say positive things, but it’s another level to have the words right on the mirror so you say them to yourself,” Estes said. She believes her project made girls feel more empowered and act more kindly to themselves and others. She believes her project will have a ripple effect as these girls go into their schools and the world with more confidence and knowledge of their power. Staff at the schools also indicated that the words had a positive effect on them. Estes said Girl Scouts strongly influenced her own self-esteem and will hopefully affect new girls in the school for years to come. “I’ve grown up knowing that I can make a
difference and have a voice,” she said. “Girl Scouts has allowed me to have so many great female role models, including my mom, who is my troop leader.”
Rachel Estreicher
Rachel Estreicher, a senior at Mountain Brook High School, earned a Gold Award for her project, “Reachable Resources for NonReading Students.” For her project, Estreicher partnered with Start the Adventure in Reading, a nonprofit with 13 sites in Birmingham that works to improve the reading skills of underserved second graders who are reading below grade level. Estreicher has volunRachel Estreicher teered with Stair for five years, during which she noticed an influx of students who had no reading ability at all. To address the issue, she created an accompanying program that allows students to partake in the tutoring services with a more focused set of guidelines that allows them to catch up to where other children are when they enter the Stair program. After extensive research, she developed a prototype kit, tried it out in her own tutoring, expanded it and improved on the prototype. Each kit includes flash cards and Lego blocks to help students understand reading and new ways of learning letters, the sounds they make, and how to use those sounds to produce words. “I took action in my community because I saw a need and I wanted to help fix that need and make it better any way that I could,” Estreicher said. Her project will have a lasting influence because the kits and materials she created for non-readers will remain at all the Stair of Birmingham sites. All of the materials, guidelines and lesson plans are available for future tutors to use to aid non-readers.
Taylor Player
Taylor Player, a senior at Oak Mountain High School, earned a Gold Award for her project, “The Four Little Girls Patch Program,” which focused on the 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing. The bombing occurred in 1963, with members of the Ku Klux Klan targeting the church because it served as a meeting place for civil rights leaders. Four girls from the congregation were killed in the blast, marking a turning point in Civil Rights Taylor Player history and leading to more support for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Player was touched by this story – particularly by one of the girls, Carole Robertson, having been a Girl Scout – and wanted to take action to spread awareness so the four little girls’ story would not be forgotten.
She learned more about the girls by meeting with their families and hearing firsthand accounts of their lives. She also met one-on-one with U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, R-Ala., who successfully prosecuted two Ku Klux Klan members nearly 40 years after the bombing. She talked to him about his role in the case and asked that the story of the four girls be included in the statewide school curriculum. “He told me that my generation, people like myself, we’re going to change the world,” Player said. Player created a Girl Scouts patch program so that girls across the country would learn about the four girls killed in the bombing. Some of the activities to earn the patch include watching a Spike Lee documentary about the bombing, called “Four Little Girls,” visiting a civil rights museum, talking to a civil rights activist or someone who was alive during that era, visiting a historical African-American church and discussing why the story of the bombing is important today. “No matter what you pick to earn your Girl Scout Gold Award, it will leave a legacy and it will make the world a better place,” Player said. Player is interested in studying law and will be attending the University of Alabama this fall.
Lilly Poehler
Lilly Poehler, a graduate of Hoover High School, earned a Gold Award for her project, “Blood Drives Save Lives.” Poehler tackled the lack of awareness regarding the importance of donating blood. Poehler grew up going with her mom to blood drives, and later her grandfather needed a blood transfusion in the hospital. She volunteered several times with the American Red Cross Lilly Poehler blood drives before sponsoring her own. Her blood drive drew several first-time donors and collected 37 units of whole blood. A single unit of whole blood can help save up to three lives, so her drive resulted in enough donations to potentially save the lives of up to 111 people. To further educate her community, Poehler created a presentation that she shared with several groups, including her church. The presentation includes information on how beneficial giving blood is to patients, as well as the donors themselves, and shares resources for groups wanting to host their own blood drives. “During my presentations, others learned that it doesn’t take much to make a difference in people’s lives,” Poehler said. Poehler wants to be a trauma nurse practitioner. She is currently studying nursing at the University of South Alabama. “Doing this project really helped solidify my ambitions and it made me see what kind of impact I could have,” she said.
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Rotarian Talks About His Grandfather’s Business Acumen and Belief in the Power of the Four-Way Test
Ivey Randle
Businessman Al Mathis talked with fellow Rotarians in April, describing his grandfather, Herbert Taylor, his career and his authorship of the “Four-Way Test.” Taylor wrote the 24-word ethical guide in 1934, when his company was immersed in Depression-incurred debt and he wanted to promote a corporate culture of trust and goodwill, Mathis said in his speech to the Alabama Rotary’s Combined District Annual Conference. The test still is a touchstone for Rotary International, of which Taylor
had been president, and is inscribed on courtroom walls in Ghana and printed on publicly distributed umbrellas in Japan. Across the globe, more than a million Rotarians in 34,000 clubs and 200 countries rely on the simple ethical and moral code that does not split people based on their cultures, governments, religions and languages. Taylor did succeed in pulling his company, Club Aluminum, out of
debt, crediting his ethical mantra. Mathis has followed in Taylor’s footsteps, from his four-decade involvement in his family business, De Soto Caverns Fun Park to his involvement in Rotary. He also is administrator for the Four-Way Test Association and director of the Christian Workers Association. The Combined Conference, meeting at the Marriott Grandview, welcomed Rotarians from both Alabama
Districts, 6860 and 6880, and was attended by Past Rotary International president, John Germ of Chattanooga, and by Wade Nomura, of Santa Barbara, special representative of the 2018-2019 International president, Barry Rassin, of the Bahamas. Ken Schuppert of Decatur represented the Rotary Foundation as trustee. Sam Adams and Carol Argo, District Governors of 6880 and 6860, respectively, attended.
BB&T Scott & Stringfellow is pleased to announce
Photo special to the Journal
Ivey Randle, a senior at Oak Mountain High School, earned her Gold Award for her project, “Beauty Within – God Created You Beautifully.” For her project, Randle wanted to promote selfesteem among middle school girls through the lens of her Ivey Randle Christian faith. She created a workshop for middle school girls at Valleydale Church, which included discussions and demonstrations regarding age-appropriate clothing and makeup, healthy eating and fitness, and discipleship to “remind the girls that God created each one of them beautifully.” Her project will be sustained for years to come through a Beauty Within workshop template she created for Valleydale Church. Randle said that earning her Gold Award has strengthened her public speaking, time management and problem-solving abilities. “Through the Gold Award project, I was able to act on what I believe in,” Randle said. “I think it’s important to be a female leader because younger girls need someone to look up to and have a positive role model in today’s world.”
Thursday, May 30, 2019 • 11
LIFE
Al Mathis, with an umbrella from Rotary in Japan, bearing text of the Four-Way Test.
Ryan M. Parks
Managing Director, Financial Advisor
Joseph D. DuMontier
Managing Director, Financial Advisor
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SENIORS
12 • Thursday, May 30, 2019
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Write On
A Life’s Work Culminates in Book Release
Homewood author Jack Owens is working on the third installment of a satirical, dark comedy series featuring a serial killer named Pock. Owens began his 30-year career with the FBI in 1969 with a year of service in Denver followed by 29 years in the FBI’s Birmingham field office.
Life After the Bureau Retired Agent Develops a Fictional Flair After a Life Spent Chasing Truth
By June Mathews Sit down for an hour or so with Homewood author Jack Owens and the conversation could go in just about any direction. A retired FBI agent, Owens has experienced life in a way few people do. The 30-year veteran of the bureau wound up working for the FBI, he said, “because Annapolis turned me down. My whole life,
‘The Cold War never ended. We saw this in full stride during the 2016 election. We know they did it, but what we don’t know is what they’ll do to affect things in the future. The FBI will be gearing up for the 2020 election to stop them from harming the process.’ since I was 3 or 4 years old, I was going to be in the Navy. But when they turned me down, it interrupted my Naval career.” So, Owens decided to go to law school and then practice in the Navy. But that career plan, too, was interrupted during his senior year, when an FBI agent from Birmingham made a recruitment visit to the University of Alabama School of Law. Owens liked what he learned.
Thus began a crime-busting adventure that started in 1969 with a year of service in Denver followed by 29 years in the FBI’s Birmingham field office. “The bureau was a natural home for me,” Owens said. “I considered it the perfect lifestyle, and I loved being an agent. And they even paid me to do it.” Not only did Owens’ career involve foreign counterintelligence, terrorism, SWAT operations and the recruitment of women and minorities into the bureau, it gave him the chance to help crack some of the most notorious cases in the Southeast. Among the cases he worked on were the mail bomb assassination of U.S. Judge Robert Vance, the Atlanta child murders and the 1991 prison riot at the Federal Correctional Institution in Talladega. “The bureau is fascinating to work for,” Owens said. “The variety is staggering, and so much stuff just unfolds before your eyes.”
About Face
When Owens retired in 1999, a different side of life began unfolding. In 2003, he competed on the CBS reality show “Big Brother,” appearing for 36 episodes in the series’ fourth year. At 58, he was the “geezer” of the house in a cast mostly of 19- to 30-year-olds. “Agents have to avoid cameras, so I went from never being photographed to being seen on TV by 7 million people, three episodes a week,” he said. “What a change.” As it turns out, the personable West Virginia native who made his way to Alabama via
Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., is as adept at storytelling as he was at cracking cases. About 15 years into his stint with the FBI, Owens began writing short stories and articles. But as an agent, he wasn’t allowed to publish them. “So I shoved them under the bed and saved the ideas for later,” he said. Some of those stories became the basis for his memoir, “Don’t Shoot! We’re Republicans!” published in 2009. A great admirer of John F. Kennedy, Owens also wrote a chilling fictionalized account of the 1963 assassination of JFK in Dallas. That book was published in 2013. “I just loved the guy, and I was inspired by him,” Owens said. “He asked my generation to go into government service.” Owens is now working on the third installment of a satirical, dark comedy series featuring a serial killer named Pock, described by the author as “an evil, ugly person with a club foot and a pock-marked face who loves Victorian language, flowers and Jesus. In the first book, he gets away with stuff because people would avert their eyes from him and could never give a description.” The first Pock book was set in Birmingham; in the second installment, the author moved his creepy character to Tuscaloosa. But for all his post-retirement pursuits, Owens is living proof that once the FBI gets into your blood, it’s there to stay. He still refers to the bureau as “we,” and he holds some definite opinions about where the nation’s principal federal law enforcement agency stands in today’s See OWENS, page 15
After spending the past couple of decades waking up early and writing before work, 83-year-old Liberty Park resident Herb Sanders has finally finished his first novel. “Destiny’s Resolve” is a 329-page book about reconnecting with a long-lost love. The book is also packed with action and adventure, even going into the South American jungle. Herb’s son Terry said this book is more than just a romance novel. “I don’t read many books,” he said. “But that one was a good read. And I’m not being partial, because if I read a book, and it doesn’t keep my attention, I’m going to put it down. I don’t care who wrote it.” Herb didn’t have much of a background in writing, even though he was the editor of his high school newspaper. He also did some technical writing for his job in engineering, but his full-time job was as a real estate broker. “I got up at five o’clock in the morning to start writing,” Herb said. “Every day I pushed.” After he finished writing, he would go to work at his full-time job. He wasn’t able to sit on the computer all day and finish his work, so it took him about 10 to 15 years to finish “Destiny’s Resolve.” “I was impressed with his perseverance,” Herb’s other son, Tommy, said. “I think it’s tremendous that he had that kind of perseverance over a long time.” He retired last year and was able to put his finishing touches on the book. He got it published a couple of months ago, and held a book signing recently at Barnes and Noble at The Summit. He’s working on his next novel, but he said he hopes this one doesn’t take nearly as long as the first one did. Those who are interested in reading Herb’s first novel can order the book online at Amazon.
‘I got up at five o’clock in the morning to start writing. Every day I pushed.’
Photo coourtesy Herb Sanders
Journal photo by Jordan Wald
By Ingrid Howard
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
SENIORS
Thursday, May 30, 2019 • 13
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OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
SENIORS
Always Best Care Always Best Care has provided non-medical care and skilled nursing services to local residents for the past five years. “Our team is made up of nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists and certified nurse aides who have extensive experience working with elderly and disabled individuals,” said owner Jennifer Mancuso, above. “Staff members provide a wide array of services, including bathing, vital sign monitoring, medication reminders, meal preparation, companionship, transportation and inconti nence care. We take a concierge approach to
working with our clients and can manage such things as arranging doctor’s appointments, running errands, taking care of pets and handling aesthetic needs. All care services are supervised by an on-staff RN who completes the initial client care assessment, as well as ongoing assessments. “With a team of experienced RNs, LPNs, PTs and OTs, we provide a full continuum of care, including skilled nursing services such as wound, burn and trach care and disease management,” Mancuso said. Always Best Care is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Health Care for private duty nursing, infusion nursing, companion and aide services. Accreditation by ACHC reflects Always Best Care’s dedication and commitment to meeting standards that facilitate a higher level of performance and patient care. ACHC is a not-for-profit organization that has stood as a symbol of quality and excellence since 1986. “We are proud to be the only company in Alabama to be accredited by ACHC for these services,” Mancuso said. “Client satisfaction is paramount to Always Best Care. We cater to the needs of our clients by providing services from just a few hours a day to 24 hours, seven days a week, 365 days a year. “Our clients are carefully matched with the most appropriate caregiver, based on their individual needs and care plan,” she added. “All Always Best Care clients receive a customized care plan developed for their particular situation and regular nurse visits to ensure that the care plan is being followed and updated as needed.” Always Best Care is located at 6 Office Park Cir., Ste. 315, Mountain Brook, 8749730.
Alabama Family Trust Alabama Family Trust is Alabama’s only non-profit pooled trust company. “We are currently celebrating our 25th anniversary, having been created by the Alabama Legislature in 1994,” Executive Director Melanie Holliman said. Alabama Family Trust manages special needs trusts for elderly individuals in order to complement their government benefits. State law allows the trust to hold senior’s assets that would otherwise be spent on nursing home care – sometimes called the “spend-down” – so the senior can meet the financial eligibility requirements for Medicaid. The trust funds can then be used for the senior’s needs while Medicaid pays
the monthly bill at the nursing home. Federal and state laws and regulations are very strict as to how you can legally use funds in a special needs trust. “Alabama Family Trust knows how to administer the trust funds correctly. This prevents families from misusing the funds in a way that would cause the senior to lose government benefits,” Holliman said. “Talk to a knowledgeable Estate Planning or Elder Law attorney to set up the special needs trust which Alabama Family Trust can then help manage long-term. Our forms are available online at alabamafamilytrust.com for attorneys or seniors’ families to use.” Alabama Family Trust is located at 2820 Columbiana Rd., Ste. 103, Vestavia Hills, 3133915.
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info@alabamafamilytrust.com | 205-313-3915
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Alabama AEgis, Inc. Alabama AEgis, Inc. has been providing social work case management to senior citizens and persons with special needs for 25 years. Services are provided state wide. “AEgis, or the Greek word for partnership, represents our mission to partner with clients to develop a life care plan to maximize independence and autonomy,” said Anna Monroe Schauer, Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW), above. AEgis staff is made up of social workers, licensed by the State of Alabama, who hold a master’s degree in social work with experience in providing case management to seniors and persons with special needs. They identify financial and community services to assist clients to maintain the highest level of independence possible. AEgis advises people seeking case management on services to assist them in remaining at home as well as selecting facilities that are best suited to meet their needs. The staff assists clients in maximizing their financial resources and identifying resources that can pay for services. AEgis staff is trained in behavior management and teaches caregivers to manage behaviors that are often associated with dementia and mental illness. Office hours are 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. A live operator is available 24/7 at 871-2007. Alabama AEgis, Inc. is located at 2910 Linden Ave., Ste. 203, Homewood, 871-2007.
Thursday, May 30, 2019 • 15
SENIORS
OWENS From page 12
climate of political intrigue and unrest. “The Cold War never ended. We saw this in full stride during the 2016 election,” he said. “We know they did it, but what we don’t know is what they’ll do to affect things in the future. The FBI will be gearing up for the 2020 election to stop them from harming the process.” Owens said one of the things he most appreciated about the bureau was that it wasn’t inher-
When Owens retired in 1999, a different side of life began unfolding. In 2003, he competed on the CBS reality show “Big Brother,” appearing for 36 episodes in the series’ fourth year. At 58, he was the “geezer” of the house in a cast mostly of 19- to 30-year-olds. ently a political organization. “I love the culture of the FBI and how it operates,” he said. “It’s very conservative, and we’re all patriots. If we do our job, we will pro-
tect the American people.” Jack Owens is available for speaking engagements. Visit his blog at fearofroosters.wordpress. com.
the future looks good INTRODUCING A NEW SENIOR LIVING DESIGN IN BIRMINGHAM. Alabama Ægis, Inc.
Alabama Ægis, Inc. goal is to partner with clients and caregivers, helping you select the options for care to maximize independence and autonomy. - Licensed Social Workers - Local and Long Distance Case Management - HIPAA Compliant Social Workers that can attend doctors appointments - In-Home Assessment
www.alabamaaegis.com Call 205.871.2007 Phones are answered 24hrs a day Office Hours: M-F 8:30am to 5:00pm
Longleaf Liberty Park is taking a fresh approach to elevate
expectations of what assisted living and memory care should be. Modern, welcoming spaces match our forward-thinking philosophies, programs and amenities. Longleaf is built upon the idea of turning corners, not cutting them. For seniors and their loved ones looking for a community that values the highest levels of care and style, Longleaf is here.
our Prime location is just east of I-459 in the Vestavia Hills/Mountain Brook communities, offering spectacular Cahaba River views. Limited-time pre-opening Priority Program savings and benefits now available.
Call (205) 627-6631 to schedule an appointment at our newly opened Information Center today.
451 Liberty Parkway • Vestavia Hills, Alabama 35242 (205) 627-6631 • LongleafLibertyPark.com LIBERTY PARK
ASSISTED LIVING • MEMORY CARE • SHORT-TERM STAYS
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16 • Thursday, May 30, 2019
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I’M A SURVIVOR
Fifth Annual St. Jude Field of Dreams Highlights Pediatric Cancer Survivors
P
Journal photos by Jordan Wald
atients, survivors and families affected by pediatric cancer gathered May 11 with supporters at the Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook for the fifth annual St. Jude Field of Dreams. The evening of live and silent auctions highlighted local patients who had treatment at St. Jude Hospital, and it raised funds for the facility. This year’s patient honoree was Caytlin Hopf, a survivor of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Hopf began receiving chemotherapy at St. Jude in 1999, completing her treatment in 2003. She is now a part of the St. Jude Life Study, which provides insights into the health of adult survivors of childhood cancer to reduce the late effects of childhood cancer treatments. This year’s event chair was Miranda Vickers. She was aided by a planning committee: Charlene Van Hoy; Melissa Thrasher; Missy Wagoner, St. Jude patient family; Ashley Bazemore; Thompson Wagoner; Emily Anderson; Jennifer Debruge; Meleesa Jack, St. Jude Field of Dreams co-founder; Melanie Riley; Michael Schefano; Julie Van Hoy; Sophia Schefano; Molly Fielding, St. Jude Field of Dreams co-founder; Cole Tanner; Lisa Tanner; and Jennifer Tortorici. Funds raised at the event will benefit the St. Jude families, who never receive a bill for treatment, travel, housing or food. ❖
Front, from left, Maggie Leeds, Libet Leeds, Sarah Kathryn Tarter and Emily Anderson. Back, Josh Anderson, Jason Anderson, Larry Anderson and Eddie Tarter.
Jonathan and Lindsay Handy with Ashley and Tucker Groves.
Molly Fielding and Gisel Cooper.
Christeena Calkins and Devi Chin.
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Pride and responsibility drive us to be the best in everything we do.
Journal photos by Jordan Wald
As a life-long Over-the-Mountain resident and a third generation working at Guin, I feel great pride and responsibility in carrying on the legacy of honesty and hard work that my grandfather began 60 years ago. Family is very important to us, and we treat our customers with the same care and respect as members of our own family. It Joseph Braswell would be a privilege to serve you.
Trent and Kelly Pate with Mary Claire Tidwell and Mikel Belcher.
Cocktail Challenge
Serving Birmingham since 1958
Cocktails Were the Focus at Cancer Society Event Hosted by the junior board for the Birmingham Area American Cancer Society, the inaugural Magic City Cocktail Challenge brought more than 200 guests to B&A Warehouse on April 25. Attendees sampled cocktails served up by expert mixologists representing The Atomic Bar and Lounge, Pilcrow Cocktail Cellar, Carrigan’s Public House, Café Dupont, Bar 51, Paper Doll, The Lab Bar and Kitchen, The Lumbar, Roots & Revelry, The Marble Ring, The Roof at Redmont, The Louis and Automatic Seafood & Oysters. In addition, hors d’oeuvres were served and a silent auction provided guests with the opportunity to snag art, jewelry, gift cards and more. ❖
Josh Snead and Haley Napier.
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18 • Thursday, May 30, 2019
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OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Photos by Dee Moore
Members of the Mountain Brook High School Class of 1969 celebrated their 50th high school reunion with a funfilled weekend of activities May 3 and 4. The weekend began with Nancy Adams McDonald arranging for several groups to play golf at The Birmingham Country Club on Friday morning. Allison Lankford Morgan and Lindsay Cook planned and executed a party at Carrigan’s on Friday night, when 143 classmates and guests sampled food and drinks, saw old friends and reminisced about days gone by while listening to “oldies but goodies” performed by classmate Bill Tankersley. Saturday morning, many classmates toured the high school, led by several MBHS ambassadors and orchestrated by classmates David Aarons and Frank Siegel. Following the tour, alumni visited with Principal Phillip Holley and were entertained by former teachers Freddie and Ann Abernathy Stephens, who shared stories. Many classmates met at Billy’s Tavern for lunch, the highlight of which was surprise guest Charles Barkley, who posed for pictures with several classmates. For the big party Saturday evening, Charlotte Foster Coggin helped rekindle memories from kindergarten through high school by decorating with memorabilia from three kindergartens, Mountain Brook and Crestline elementary schools, and Mountain Brook junior and senior high schools. Also, a video loop captured many social, academic and sporting activities from their era. Assisting Coggin in decorating were classmates Marjean DuBois Brooks, Mark Coggin, Jerry and Sarah Saunders Hodge, Allen Jones Halli, Larry Johnson, Janet Meadows Lamar and Stephanie Maxwell, outgoing director of the Mountain Brook School Foundation. A total of 237 people were welcomed at The Club by Mark Coggin’s vintage Oldsmobile 442. The Mountain Brook High School Jazz Band and the junior high and high school cheerleading squads helped revive the Spartan team spirit. Kenneth Myers, from Jacksonville, Florida, pulled together a presentation to honor the 41 classmates who have passed away. A slideshow presentation and a memorial table display also was part of the memorabilia. Planning committee chairman Bobby Crook and classmate Candy Abroms Berman planned the party,
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Jerry and Sarah Hodge, Elizabeth Meadows and Prince Warnock.
Allene and Foots Parnell.
Let the Good Times Roll
Mountain Brook High School Class of ‘69 Celebrates With Reunion Weekend which included music by The Atlanta Party Band. Classmates from Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Mississippi, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, South and North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Washington, and San Juan, Puerto Rico gathered at the event. The theme for the reunion was, “This May Be the Last Time. I Don’t Know. I Don’t Know.” In a unanimous vote, classmates Steve and Lynn Bryan Briggs. chose “There will be a next time, I know. I know!” The next reunion will be in five years, with mini-reunions in between. Charlotte Foster Coggin stated that communication from the planning committee was key in pulling people home for the reunion. That committee, which worked for eight months, included, chairman Bobby Crook, David Aarons, Candy Abroms Berman, Rusty Boyd, Charlotte Coggin, Lindsay Cook, Sarah Saunders Hodge, Jane Howze, Larry Johnson, Allison Lankford Morgan, Frank Siegel, Bill Chairman of Planning Committee, Bobby and Tankersley and outgoing Sara Crook. foundation director Stephanie Maxwell. Also working with the committee were Peggy Estes Baker, Marjean DuBois Brooks, Felix Drennen, Allen Jones Halli, Mikie Penick Kitchens, Nimrod Long, Nancy Adams McDonald, Wendy Williamson Martin, Foots Parnell, Dee Peerson, Sisty Matthews Phillips and Ralph Smith. ❖
Elaine and Joe Happer, Cathy and Mike Fowler.
John and Sara West McCollugh, Jeffery and Cynthia Barnes.
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Thursday, May 30, 2019 • 19
SOCIAL
Rehab Reality...
Photos courtesy UAB Medicine
By Judy Butler
Scott Laney, Leila Deep, Megan Wise, Katie Kimbrell, Dr. Alicia Waters, Rebecca Beers, Whitney Price, Lochrane Smith, Caroline Davis and Jennifer McEwen.
Laura Faulkner, Dr. Katie Alexander and Samantha Davis.
Jessica Bennett, Keely McCown and Dr. Ed Partridge.
Ole! Ole!
Fiesta Ball Raises Funds for O’Neal Cancer Center’s Young Researchers The Young Supporters Board of the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB hosted its annual fundraiser, Fiesta Ball, May 3 at Haven. A wide selection of dining and vacation packages, art, jewelry, memorabilia and more was available in a silent auction while Livewire provided music and Happy Catering dished out heavy hors d’oeuvres. Money raised at Fiesta Ball supports the Mary Ann Harvard Young Investigator Grant, which helps jump-start the research of early-career scientists. Funds raised through the silent auction were donated to support programs at the cancer center, in memory of Jacob Baker, a beloved YSB member who lost his battle with glioblastoma this year. ❖
Tom and Peggy Hsu.
Drs. Smita and Ravi Bhatia.
Come Find Your Treasures
One of the nation’s premier college preparatory schools for students grades 5-12
Congratulations Class of 2019! altamontschool.org | 205-445-1232
The Determination of a Bird
We have a cross walk between our garages at home with a nail exposed about 4 inches underneath the top where I can hang a wreath at Christmas. For the last couple of years a Barn Swallow has built a nest on that nail. It is amazing to watch this little bird make flight after flight to build its nest with nothing but the nail as its base. Every time I see this I’m in awe of the determination and think if only we, as humans, could channel that kind of determination we could do wonders. The problem with humans is we have outside influences such as injuries that might require medication that can take control of our senses. Or maybe it’s alcohol that begins as a little stress reliever and becomes more than that. Addiction is a black hole for those who suffer with it. This is also the time of year that we receive countless phone calls from people who are vacationing in the Destin area and are looking for their Methadone fix. I’ve finally stopped giving the lecture about the Methadone trap and feel sorry for those whose life is centered around where to get it. Obviously they can’t take a ‘vacation’ from it. Our holistic approach to healing is to help clients build a addiction free life. In addition to getting physically healthier the goal is to help them understand how it all began with approximately 30 hours of counseling weekly. As with the little bird it takes time and effort to accomplish an addiction free life. If you or someone you know needs help call us today.
20 • Thursday, May 30, 2019
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It’s About the Scholarships New Officers Inducted as Linly Heflin Unit Looks Toward 100th Anniversary
Photo special to the Journal
The Linly Heflin Unit held a new member orientation on May 2 at the Country Club of Birmingham. Then-President Susan Alison welcomed new members, as did Nancy Bromberg, who took the gavel as president later that day at a full membership meeting and luncheon. Also present at the orientation were Virginia Phillips, co-chair of the 2019 Scholarship Fashion Show, and Sheri Corey, discussing the scholarship committee. The Linly Heflin Unit awards $7,000 in scholarships for up to four years to deserving Alabama women to attend Alabama colleges and universities. Linly Heflin is celebrating its 100th anniversary this upcoming year. ❖ Christy Cater, Francie Deaton, Beverly Hoyt, Martha Grizzle, Carol Ann Phillips, Kimberly Bean, Landon Stivender and Emily Curran.
Neither Rain, Nor Wind … New Officers Inducted as Carousels Club Looks Forward to the New Year
The spring meeting for Carousel’s Dance Club was held in April at the home of Sahra Coxe Lee. Despite anticipated bad weather, many joined and elected officers for the coming year, 2019-2020. They are President Sahra Coxe Lee, Secretary Jesse Key, Treasurer Patsy Norton, party chairman Joyce Lott, year book, Sahra Coxe Lee and publicity, Virginia Gross. ❖
Photo special to the Journal
Fuzzy Paws to the Rescue Hand in Paw Hosts Silent Auction to Raise Money for Anna’s Fund
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Hand in Paw hosted an auction of artwork and antiques May 17 to honor the memory of Anna Connelley Tucker, a pup who passed away before she could become a member of Hand in Paw. Tucker’s owners started Anna’s Fund in her memory. Hand in Paw helps provide training and resources for people who want to train their dogs to serve as therapy dogs. Money raised at the auction goes toward assistance for those volunteer teams. Potential and current volunteers are granted scholarships for obedience training courses, money to pay registration costs and funding to buy supplies such as uniforms. Throughout the evening, local art was available for bids during a silent auction while hors d’oeuvres and drinks were served and therapy teams interacted with guests. ❖
STEP IN TIME
Ballerinas Dance Club Inducts New Officers The spring Ballerinas Dance Club meeting was held at the home of thenPresident Carmen Morrow recently, with guests gathering for an afternoon of fellowship, refreshments and lovely floral decor. The new slate of officers was presented for approval. It includes Julie Crocker, president; Leigh Laser Collins, first vice president; Ginger Ballard, second vice president; Carla Roberson, secretary; Carolyn Waguespack, treasurer; Pat Grant, assistant treasurer; and Carmen Morrow, parliamentarian. ❖
Photo special to the Journal
Patsy Norton, treasurer; Sahra Coxe Lee, president; and Jesse Key, secretary.
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Journal photos by Jordan Wald
Left, Sylvion Moss, Rene Brown, Meghan Blackburn, Mae Connelley and April Trent. Below, Casey Schaffer, Maragaret Stinnett and friend.
Leigh Laser Collins, Carolyn Waguespack, Carmen Morrow, Julie Crocker, Ginger Ballard and Carla Roberson.
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
June 15, 2019 Railroad Park 8:00AM Opening Ceremonies 8:15AM Warm-Up 8:30AM 5K & 1 Mile Walk
9:45AM Bubble Wrap Stomp
@HeartAlabama #BhamHeartWalk
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Thursday, May 30, 2019 • 21
BHAM
Heart Walk
2019
www.birminghamheartwalk.org
HOME
Photos courtesy Sarah Butler
22 • Thursday, May 30, 2019
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White marble tiles are used in the home’s bathrooms, above. The light and airy kitchen, left, which spills into the adjacent dining and living room, is perfect for entertaining.
A Mountain Brook Couple’s Beach Home in 30A’s Watersound Exudes Casual Elegance
The gated Watersound village offers walking paths, boardwalks and pedestrian bridges, as well as a community pool and private beach. “The architect of the home was Chris Stoyles at Archiscapes Design Firm in Florida,” designer Sarah Butler said. “I came in after the plans had been completed and selected finishes, materials and decor.”
magine the waves lapping against the shoreline of your own private beach along 30A. You’ve just taken a dip in the crisp salt water and are heading back home, your toes massaging the sugar-white sand as you walk toward the wooden boardwalk that meanders through a nature trail into the Watersound coastal village community. Nestled among the towering pines, sandy pathways lead to a secluded New England shingle-style house surrounded by a white picket fence. You approach and open the screen door of the home’s wraparound screened-in porch, then come back and settle into the shade of the porch overlooking a small lake. “A fabulous breeze blows onto the porch from the lake,” said Sarah Butler, who described the house she decorated for Mountain Brook couple Steve and Melinda Smith as lead designer of Sarah Butler Interior Design. “Steve and Melinda are empty nesters who wanted a vacation home where their grown-up children and their growing families could all come together, a place that would draw them under the same roof on weekends, summers and holidays to spend quality time together and make memories,” Butler said. The Smiths named their family beach home “Grace Abounds,” and, like its name, the home exudes beauty and elegance while offering a sense of comfort and serenity. A color palette of whites and touches of subdued blue and cool grey intermingle with whitewashed and bleached woods, all under soaring 10-foot ceilings, for a light and airy coastal vibe. The Smiths, longtime clients-turned-friends of Butler’s, wanted the home to stand the test of time, possibly being the family beach house for generations to come, so they committed to quality. “They didn’t skimp on building materials,” Butler said. “From the appliances
See GRACE, page 24
Photo courtesy Melinda Smith
GRACE I Abounds
By Lauren Helmer
Melinda and Steve Smith, above center, with their two daughters, Lauren (with husband Drew Sullivan) and Emily (with husband Clay Money) and their dogs, Jeb, Gracie, Lucy and Harper. Melinda said being able to bring their dogs to the beach was a motivating factor in building their home in Watersound.
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E L EVAT E YOU R E X P E R I E N C E Idyllic Setting Of fering Breathtaking V iews
Highly regarded as one of Alabama’s top five private clubs by Golf Digest, Old Overton Club offers world-class golfing in the heart of the Liberty Park Community. The 18-hole championship golf course is sculpted from rocky terrain for sweeping views and championship play. Discover what Old Overton and Liberty Park have to offer. PH 205.972.9000
•
OLDOVERTONCLUB.COM
Thursday, May 30, 2019 • 23
24 • Thursday, May 30, 2019
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HOME
GRACE From page 22
and gas lanterns to the polished nickel fixtures and the marble tile, the refinement really shows in the details.” The kitchen is spacious, with chic French bistro bar stools at an island topped with white quartz and a Wolf range with a custom hood and classic white subway tile backsplash.
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Calming blues and greys are woven throughout the home. The dining room, below, is a mix of rusticity and refinement.
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To: From:
Alabama Appliances Over The Mountain Journal, PHONE: 205-823-9646 FAX: 205-824-1246 Date: May 2019 This is your AD PROOF from the OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL for the May 30, 2019 issue. Please fax approval or changes to 824-1246.
Please make sure all information is correct, including address and phone number! Please initial and fax back within 24 hours.
If we have not heard from you by 5 pm of the Friday before the press date, your ad will run as is. We print the paper Monday.
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The den is anything but den-like as it shares an open floor plan with the kitchen and dining areas. Natural light pours into the mostly white great room through three sets of French doors and generous windows. The kitchen spills into the dining area, where laid-back comfort meets refined elegance. An unfinished wooden dining table and chairs boast traditional lines and rustic textures, while linen slipcovered chairs bookend the dining vignette. Above, a striking chandelier features strands of small seashells. Overall, the room captures the casual elegance of the French provincial style through a modern, more beachy lens. The den is anything but den-like as it shares an open floor plan with the kitchen and dining areas. Natural light pours into the mostly white great room through three sets of French doors and generous windows. “The den is my favorite,” Butler said. “You can lounge on the comfortable sofas and converse with someone in the kitchen as you look out over the lake through the French doors.” A white-washed cedar-planked ceiling adds subtle texture, along with shiplap walls. The Smiths had two specific requests for the house. Butler said. One was the shiplap walls. The other was en suite bedrooms. “Privacy and comfort for each bedroom was important,” Butler said. “All bedrooms have king size beds, except one, which has a queen size bed.” The bedrooms each boast sumptuous textiles, as well as the home’s signature pale blue woven into pillows, art and accessories. The en suite bathrooms all feature beautiful white marble tiles and stately freestanding bathtubs. Also upstairs, the bunk room – with its builtin bunk beds, comfy couches and TV – is an ideal hangout for the kiddos of the family. The finished beach house, designed by Chris Stoyles at Archiscapes Design Firm in Florida, is a sleek twist on the traditional beach house style. Butler layered beachy elements into the airy, modern design with understated elegance, capturing the chic coastal look the clients wanted in their family gathering spot.
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Thursday, May 30, 2019 • 25
HOME The den’s muted color palette and lush textures create a dreamy, light-filled refuge.
“I’ve known and worked with the Smiths for about 12 years now, and the friendships formed with clients are always my favorite thing about my projects,” Butler says. “It’s so rewarding to see a project
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turn out to be both so beautiful and so functional – perfect for entertaining friends and family. It is most gratifying, though, to know that this home will be used by the Smith family for the specific purpose of simply enjoying each
other.” This summer, the Smiths will head to their beach house to enjoy family time in its laid-back charm. reminding them that, like the beach house’s name, “grace abounds.”
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To: Tricia From: Over The Mountain Journal, phone 205-823-9646, fax 205-824-1246 Date: May This is your AD PROOF from the OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL for the May 30, 2019 issue. Please fax approval or changes to 824-1246.
Please make sure all information is correct, including address and phone number! Please initial and fax back within 24 hours.
If we have not heard from you by 5 pm of the Friday before the press date, your ad will run as is. We print the paper Monday.
Thank you for your prompt attention.
FOOD
26 • Thursday, May 30, 2019
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FOODIE NEWS WATCH AND LEARN: PEPPER PLACE OFFERS SUMMER COOKING DEMOS
Gifts for Foodie Fathers
If you visit the Market at Pepper Place this summer, you can watch chefs and other food folks in action every Saturday at 9 a.m. The upcoming lineup of demos includes FoodBar on June 1, Blueprint on 3rd on June 8, Back Forty Birmingham on June 15, Urban Cookhouse on June 22, Bare Naked Noodles on June 29, Satterfield’s on Kathy G. Mezrano July 13, Hot and Hot Fish of Kathy G & Co. Club on July 20, and Kathy will be in action at G & Co. on July 27. Pepper Place on There’s no charge. July 27. Pepper Place is at 2829 Second Ave. S. For more information, visit pepperplacemarket.com.
Treat Dad to Delicious Out-of-the-Kitchen Experiences
Stock
CULINARY CHOPS: IRON CITY CHEF HAS NEW VENUE
F
ood often is a major part of Father’s Day, usually in the form of treating Dad to dinner at his favorite restaurant or gathering the family for a backyard cookout. But if your father is really into food, go a little outside the usual recipe box this year with the gift of a food experience. There are plenty of options: You can stay local for a cooking class, take a short road trip to visit a farm or winery, or plan a vacation around a food festival. And if you’re as much a food fanatic as Dad, you can always take a page from the “Seinfeld” episode in which George gifted Jerry with two tickets to “Guys and Dolls” and then said, “I’m gonna go with you!”
Cooking Classes Little Savannah Restaurant and Bar
Chef Clif Holt not only offers great farm-totable food at Little Savannah Restaurant and Bar, he also teaches cooking classes on pasta, steaks and other topics. But one of the most fun learning sessions is his Market to Kitchen outing, which starts at the Pepper Place Chef Clif Holt teaches cooking classes Saturday Market. Participants get to on pasta, steaks and wander through the other topics. stalls with Holt, meet some of his favorite farmers and vendors,
shop with him, and then go back to the restaurant to cook up all the goodies in a handson session. For a full list of upcoming classes, visit. littlesavannah.com. The restaurant is at 3811 Clairmont Ave. S. in Birmingham.
Biscuit Experience
Scott Peacock is a James Beard Awardwinning chef who’s been featured on “The Martha Stewart Show” and “Today” and in publications such as Food & Wine magazine, the New York Times and, most recently, Garden & Gun magazine. Formerly a star of the Atlanta food scene and known nationally, he’s now living and work- Small groups can ing in Marion, in the sign up for Scott Peacock’s Biscuit heart of Alabama’s Experiences, which Black Belt. Small groups can he teaches in sign up for Peacock’s Marion’s historic Reverie mansion. Biscuit Experiences, which he teaches in Marion’s historic Reverie mansion. The halfday sessions take participants through traditional Southern biscuit-making using some heirloom ingredients. Best of all, you get to hang out with Peacock, a natural storyteller with a warm personality and a passion for Alabama food – and you get to eat the biscuits you make with a healthy dollop of locally made mayhaw jelly. It’s a day Dad won’t soon forget. For more information, visit chefscottpeacock.com.
Sur la Table
This shop at The Summit sells all kinds of cooking-related products and has an extensive menu of in-store classes, too. You’ll gather in the large kitchen at the back of the store, where a knowledgeable instructor takes you through the lesson. You go home with printed instructions and recipes, and you get to eat what you cook. While you can choose from a wide range of classes that focus on street tacos, Italian food, Korean barbecue and many other foods and techniques, two classes in June might be just right for Dad: the Father’s Day handcrafted burger celebration and the Cooking with Local Craft Beer session. For a full list of classes and dates, visit surlabtable.com. The Birmingham store is at 115 Summit Blvd.
See FOODIE, page 28
Tours and Tastings Belle Chevre Creamery Tours
See how some of the best goat cheese in the country is made with a tour of Belle Chevre in Elkmont. Guided tours include a look at the cheesemaking process with one of the creamery’s cheesemakers, an up close and personal visit with the goats and samples at a tasting bar. Tours are at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Fridays and at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturdays. On non-tour days, you can still visit the cheese shop and tasting room. For more information, visit bellechevre. com. The creamery is at 18849 Upper Fort Hampton Road in Elkmont.
Snow’s Bend Farm Tours and Tastings If Dad has shopped at this Tuscaloosa-area
See FATHER’S DAY, page 27
File photo
By Donna Cornelius
Chef Patrick McCown, below, of Snapper Grabbers Land and Sea in Vestavia Hills won last year’s Iron City Chef competition and will return this year to try to defend his title. McCown and three other Birmingham chefs will compete in the July 27 event. The popular culinary contest has a new venue this year. It will be at the banquet hall at Holy Trinity-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 307 19th St. S. in Birmingham. Each chef will prepare food for 300 guests, who can then vote for their favorite chef. The top two vote-getters will compete head-to-head, with judges choosing the winner. Vestavia Hills Rotary Club hosts Iron City Chef to raise money for local and international Rotary programs. The club’s partnership with Jefferson State’s Culinary and Hospitality Institute and Alabama 13 has contributed more than $150,000 over the past 10 years. General admission tickets are $55. Reserved corporate tables are $400 for four seats and $800 for eight seats. Doors open at 6 p.m. For updates and tickets, visit vestaviarotary.org.
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Eat Local, Win Big
Thursday, May 30, 2019 • 27
FOOD
By Emily Williams
said. The contest is a new addition to the chamber’s ongoing Shop Dine Play program, an effort to support Vestavia Hills’ local businesses. Eating at a local restaurant not only supports the establishment’s ability to provide jobs and services to citizens, it adds to the local economy through the tax dollars they pay. “We want to encourage residents and non-residents alike to support our restaurants during the slow time of the year,” Odle said. “Thus, we came up with this fun event to get folks to frequent our restaurants during the summer.” To participate, pick up a receipt envelope at the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce, City Hall, Library in the Forest or new Merkel House. According to Odle, Savor the Summer will continue until school is back in session for the 2019-20 year. Throughout the competition, place original receipts from the restaurants visited in the envelope and turn in
This summer, the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce has invited locals to visit eateries throughout the city with a “Savor the Summer” contest. The contest kicked off on May 23, the final day of school for Vestavia Hills City Schools students. Participants are challenged to visit as many food vendors in the city as they can – including fast food shops, ice cream shops, grocery stores, delicatessens, fine dining restaurants and others. While updating the chamber’s brochure for new residents, chamber Executive Director Karen Odle said she and her staff noticed how much the list of dining establishments has grown. “Then we had four open around the same time, but it was so close to the holidays. So we waited until after the holidays to think of how we could best promote having over 100 restaurants in Vestavia Hills,” Odle
FATHER’S DAY
Festival Fun We’re lucky to have a wealth of year-round food festivals in Birmingham, and foodie dads likely would enjoy tickets to any of them. But if you’d like to hit the road, here are some out-of-state events to consider.
From page 26
farm’s booth at the Market at Pepper Place or eaten its high-quality fruits and vegetables at Birmingham restaurants, he might love seeing where all the magic happens. Snow’s Bend offers farm tours for one to 20 people and a farm tour and tasting, in which you get to sample the harvest, for two to four people. The Coker property is a beautiful mix of rolling hills, coves, ridges and swampland. There’s even an earth mound that dates from centuries ago when the land was home to the Mississippian people. For more information, visit snowsbendfarm.com. The farm is at 14900 Commerce Road in Coker.
Music City Food + Wine
This Nashville celebration always has a star-studded lineup of guest chefs, and this year’s event is no exception. Scheduled to appear at the Sept. 20-22 festival are Aaron Sanchez, who’s a regular judge on Food Network’s popular “Chopped” series and on Fox’s “MasterChef” and “MasterChef Junior” shows; Masaharu Morimoto, one of the original American Iron Chefs; Carla Hall,
Photo courtesy Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce
Vestavia Hills Chamber Highlights Local Eateries With Savor the Summer Competition
From left, Katie Woodruff, Betsy Webster and Karen Odle met for breakfast at Chick-fil-A on May 23 to kick-off the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce’s “Savor the Summer” challenge.
the envelope at the chamber offices no later than 4 p.m. on Aug. 5. Winners will be announced Aug. 9 during the annual Back 2 School in the Hills event. First prize will be a $500 Visa gift card; second place earns a $300 gift
card, and the third-place winner will receive a $200 gift card. The contest is open to residents and non-residents of the city. Only one entry may be submitted per household, and only one receipt may be submitted for each meal.
Additionally, the chamber will highlight a Restaurant of the Week on Facebook. Participants who take a selfie at the establishment and post it on the Chamber Facebook page will be entered in a drawing for a $25 gift card from the restaurant.
a popular contestant on Bravo’s “Top Chef” and “Top Chef All Stars” and a former co-host of ABC’s “The Chew”; and other high-profile national and Southern chefs. The festival features a wide range of experiences and demos for food and wine lovers. For more information, visit foodandwinefestival.com. You can buy tickets on the website, which also has a list of Nashville hotels offering special festival deals.
Special Beer Fest packages offer deals on accommodations and tickets. To buy tickets or for more information, visit baytownebeerfestival.com.
Carolina’s Holy City. Details and schedules for the 2020 event aren’t on the website yet, but it’s a good idea to check the site frequently because tickets to many of the popular signature events sell out fast. More than 29,000 people attended the 2019 festival. For more information, visit charlestonwineandfood.com. You can sign up on the website for email updates.
Charleston Wine + Food
If your pop is the patient sort, schedule a trip to the Charleston Wine and Food Festival March 4-8. It’ll be worth the wait to experience this annual culinary celebration in South
Baytowne Wharf Beer Fest
Is it beer, beer, beer that makes Dad want to cheer? The Village at Baytown Wharf at Florida’s popular Sandestin resort welcomes those who love brews to this beer-centric event. Set for Oct. 11-12, the festival spotlights local, domestic and international specialty and craft beers plus food vendors and a VIP experience.
Wine-loving fathers likely wouldn’t say no to a visit to the Napa Valley or Tuscany. But you can find more budget-friendly options with a visit to an Alabama winery. Our state has a North Alabama and a Plains and Coastal wine trails, but closer to home is the Shelby County Trail, which features Corbin Farms Winery, Lewis Lakes Vineyards, Morgan Creek Vineyards and Ozan Winery. Some have restaurants, and Ozan even has a wine train. For more information about any of the trails, visit alabamawinetrails.com or check out each winery’s website: corbinfarmswinery.com, lewislakesvineyards.com, morgancreekwinery. com and ozanwine.com.
Photo courtesy Music City Food + Wine
Alabama Wineries
Southern Gourmet at it's Best LOCATED AT THE TOP OF SHADES MOUNTAIN ON HWY 31, BISTRO V OFFERS ONE OF THE FINEST CULINARY EXPERIENCES IN BIRMINGHAM!
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28 • Thursday, May 30, 2019
Jade Greene and Brian Hood.
Journal photos by Jordan Wald
Guests with a sweet tooth were satiated at the 2019 Magic City Chocolate Challenge, hosted by Disability Rights & Resources on May 1 at Regions Field. Winners of the judged competition included Jawanda’s Sweet Potato Pie, best-dressed table; Carrabba’s Italian Grill, most creative use of chocolate; K & J Elegant Pastries, most delecta-
Homewood City Schools Foundation Awards Grants to Each Facility
Jawanda’s Sweet Potato Pie, won the best-dressed table competition. Jawanda Jackson and Madison Averhart, above right.
Above, Tara Fales, Cara Bullard and Nicke Behm. Below, Courtney Conti, Emily Phillips and Robin Riddle.
ble chocolate dish; and Christian Catering, people’s choice. Other competition participants included Ivory LeShore’s Gourmet Bread Pudding and Cheesecakes, Great Harvest Bread Co., Savoie Catering, Dena’s Cakes, Velvet Kake LLC, Itsy Bitsy’s BonBons and Simply Sonequa Pound Cakes. In addition to tastings of chocolate confections, festivities included live music and a silent auction. Event proceeds benefit the work of Disability Rights and Resources to increase the independence of individuals with disabilities.
FOODIE From page 26
CARIBBEAN CELEBRATION: ANNUAL FESTIVAL FEATURES FOOD, MUSIC OF THE ISLANDS
Celebrate the food, music and culture of the Caribbean at the eighth annual Magic City Caribbean Food and Music Festival on June 8. The event, hosted by the Central Alabama Caribbean American Organization, is at Linn Park, 710 20th St. N. in Birmingham, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. There’s no admission charge. For more information, visit cacaoonline. org.
TACO THE TOWN: VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE AT THIS TASTY EVENT
Sample tacos from Alabama vendors
From left, Mary Scott Pearson, Betsy Crimi, Alli Phelps, Dr. Bill Cleveland and Dr. John Lowry.
Photo courtesy Homewood City Schools Found.
A Sweet Treat
Christian Catering Earns People’s Choice at Annual Magic City Chocolate Challenge
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
FOOD/SCHOOLS
and vote for the one you like best at Birmingham Taco Fest on June 22. Margaritas and other beverages are on the menu, too. The festival is at Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark, 20 32nd St. N. in Birmingham. Advance admission is $5; tickets are $10 at the gate. Food and drinks cost extra. To buy tickets and for more information, including festival hours, visit bhamtacofest.com or the festival’s Facebook page.
PIZZA PARTY: SLICEFEST IS SET FOR SATURDAY
Slice Pizza & Brewery will host its eighth SliceFest, a food and music block party, from 2 p.m.-midnight June 1. Pre-sale tickets are $30. Tickets at the gate are $35. The event has raised more than $60,000 for Birmingham
nonprofit organizations since it started. SliceFest is at Slice Pizza’s Lakeview restaurant, 725 29th St. S., but the fun usually extends all along the street. Visit slicefest.com to buy tickets and for more information.
HIT THE ROAD: AUBURN HOSTS FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL
Feel like a pre-football season road trip? The Auburn Food & Wine Festival benefiting the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Lee County is from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on June 22. Chef David Bancroft’s highly regarded restaurant, Acre, is among the participants. The event is at Twenty-One Acres, 5505 Wire Road. General admission tickets are $105; you can buy a food-only ticket for $55. For tickets and more information, visit auburnfoodandwinefestival.com.
A number of grants recently were awarded to Homewood schools by the Homewood City Schools Foundation. The annual awards were given to projects developed by teachers and administrators to supplement their lesson plans and enhance learning opportunities for the students. Funding for the grants were raised during the year through general donations, as well as fundraising events, including Homewood Grown and Grateful Dads. The 2018-19 grants awarded were:
• A Summer Reading Grant will provide reading intervention and English language students with non-fiction and fiction books to read over the summer. Students will also have the opportunity to meet with each other and teachers throughout the summertime, helping prevent regression.
Edgewood Elementary
Homewood Middle School
exploration and hands-on learning in nature. The classroom will be maintained by the school’s Helper’s Program and fifth grade students.
Shades Cahaba Elementary
• Learn.Play.Osmo will provide each first grade classroom with OSMO kits, which teach kids through play and exploration. The kits will be used to enhance instruction in math, reading, language arts and technology. • OG is a GO will allow seven teachers to go through ISME OrtonGillingham training, a research-based strategy that uses multisensory strategies to help students process language. Three teachers will attend the comprehensive training and four teachers will attend an intermediate-level training. • Out of This World – Lunar Buggy Engineering Design Challenge will allow fifth grade students to participate in an annual project to create a Lunar Buggy, similar to the one used on Apollo 15, using reusable materials. Students will engineer and design the buggy and a landing pod, and they ultimately will be allowed to test their creations. • Building Bridges to Meaningful Play: Full STEAM Ahead will provide hands-on building materials that incorporate STEAM lessons. With ongoing construction occurring at Edgewood, students can use real-life observations and incorporate them into their own design and construction projects. • Team Up for English will fund the purchase of Team toolkits, designed to help English learners to achieve further mastery in speaking, listening, reading and writing. Toolkits will be used by all six grade levels.
• Through Using IXL’s online program, eighth grade math and English students performing below grade level will be provided targeted practice. Teachers and administrators will be able to monitor student progress in real time. The program also is tied to Alabama state standards. • The Exploring History Through Graphic Novels program will be used to purchase five different graphic novels with historic content for sixth grade history teachers, as graphic novels have been shown to be helpful to struggling readers. • A Virtual Book Club, started at HMS in the fall to promote literacy, will be able to buy more books for its online library. With the grant, students will be able to participate in the club at no cost.
Hall Kent Elementary
• Empowering English Language Learners for Academic Success will pilot a program at Homewood Middle and High schools, providing “Finish Line for ELLs 2.0,” an interactive eBook for English Language Learners. The online content will use a format similar to the annual English proficiency test and will provide teachers with frequent progress reports. —Emily Williams
• ISME Orton-Gillingham Comprehensive Training for Kindergarten will allow all kindergarten teachers at Hall-Kent to attend the ISME Orton-Gillingham Comprehensive Training. • An Outdoor Classroom grant will cover the cost of building materials to create a space on the Hall-Kent campus where students cultivate curiosity,
Homewood High School
• Updated Technology for the New Chemistry and Physics Labs will compliment a recent lab renovation, which provided updated equipment and furnishings but not digital tools necessary to enhance the STEM curriculum. The grant will purchase access to Probeware, a lab-based learning tool that connects probes and sensors to a computer to allow students to view realtime data. • Biology lab equipment, in the form of beakers and flasks, will be purchased for biology classrooms to allow students to participate in lab investigations.
Multiple Schools
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Board of Education Names Pennington New Principal for Pizitz Middle School
“We are excited to welcome Mr. Pennington to Vestavia Hills City Schools,” said Superintendent Todd Freeman. “He brings a wealth of experience as a teacher and administrator that will serve the students and staff at Pizitz Middle School extremely well.” Pennington is currently principal of Chickasaw Middle/High School in Mobile, which has grades 6 through 12. Before arriving in Chickasaw, he was assistant principal of Athens Middle School and went on to become the district’s director of fine arts. He has served as an administrator at schools in Crenshaw County and Oxford and spent more than two decades of his career directing high school band programs in Oxford, Madison County and Blount County.
Pennington holds a bachelor’s in music education from UAB, a master’s in music education from Auburn University and an educational specialist degree from Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee. “It’s important to me that we make sure our students, faculty and staff feel supported by the entire community throughout this transition. We’ll all be working together for the good of our students and helping them to be the best they can be,” Pennington said. He also noted that he is looking forward to maintaining the school’s current state of academic excellence through its upcoming move to the Berry campus. That move will take place at some point before the beginning of the 20202021 school year.
Vestavia’s Rise Named One of America’s “Most Spirited” Service Projects
Vestavia Hills High School’s inaugural Rise spring fundraiser has been named by Varsity Brands as a Top 10 Finalist in the category of Most Spirited Community Service Project in the nation. The title is one of 25 categories in Varsity Brands’ 2019 School Spirit Awards, which recognizes schools, organizations and individuals that go above and beyond to build school pride, student engagement and community spirit. Finalists were invited and winners announced at an awards ceremony May 11 in Orlando. “These passionate, spirited students, faculty members and community leaders exemplify student engagement
and the school spirit we see all across the country,” said Adam Blumenfeld, CEO of Varsity Brands. “And, importantly, this is the kind of positive energy that, in turn, yields better school and student performance.” Nicole Lauchaire, executive director of the Varsity Brands School Spirit Awards, added, “These unsung heroes are absolutely essential to reinforcing the strong correlation between school spirit, involvement, achievement and self-confidence. We are honored to recognize them and their positive contributions across the country.” Rise is a semester-long service and learning project of Vestavia Hills High School. It supports the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB, one of the nation’s leading research and treatment centers.
Journal photos by Jordan Wald
The Vestavia Hills Board of Education named a new principal for Louis Pizitz Middle School at its May 20 board meeting. Chris Pennington will replace former principal Meredith Chris Pennington Hanson, who will become the district’s director of personnel services in July. He has 29 years of experience in Alabama schools.
Thursday, May 30, 2019 • 29
SCHOOLS
Spain Park High School college and career specialists Tracy Prater; Spain Park principal Larry Giangrosso; Hoover mayor Frank Brocatto; Spain Park seniors Crestin Abawi; Hope Brown; Mary Hiers and Hoover school superintendent Kathy Murphy.
Hoover mayor Frank Brocato, Hoover High School seniors Danah Dibs; Jesse Kelley; Aleah Moon; and Anne Stewart; Hoover school superintendent Kathy Murphy and Hoover High School principal John Montgomery.
Hoover Service Club Awards Annual Academic and Service Scholarships
Students from throughout the Hoover area gathered May 9 for the Hoover Service Club’s annual Scholarships and Citizenship Awards luncheon. The luncheon took place at Hoover Country Club, chaired by members Gwen Grasso and Lynda Hollimon. This year, $41,000 in scholarships were awarded to high school students. The money was raised through private donations, by members and with a grant from Jefferson County. Scholarship winners from Hoover High School and their future universities were Katherine Cohen, Auburn; Danah Dig, UAB; Jesse Kelley, Birmingham-Southern; Aleah Moon, Alabama; and Anne Stewart,
Alabama. Scholarship winners from Spain Park High School included Crestin Abawi, UAB; Hope Brown, Samford; Mary Hiers, Samford; and Sydney Le, Alabama. The club also recognized winners of its Margaret Alford Memorial Service Scholarship, Jessica Bradley, Hoover; and Caroline McCabe, Spain Park. The award honors the memory of the late Margaret Alford who volunteered with the Hoover Service Club and throughout the community. The award is annually presented to one student from each Hoover high school for their outstanding service to the Hoover community. is the co-founder and New,Bradley Collectible president of the Hoover Girls Code
student organization, through which she mentors and teaches young girls computer science and STEM lessons in the hopes of inspiring future entrepreneurs and programmers. She is also the founder and president of the IB Student Leadership Council. The council aims to create a well-rounded program for its 300 participants, planning more than 16 academic and social events throughout the school year that celebrate diversity and encourage collaboration. She plans to attend the Georgia Institute of Technology after graduation. McCabe states that her favorite form of community service is helping elementary school students. She helps with elementary school English
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Language Learning classes. As a freshman and sophomore, she accumulated the highest number of volunteer hours with the American Heart Association’s local chapter and later was recognized as Outstanding Sweetheart of the Year for her accomplishment. In addition, two students from each of the city’s middle schools were recognized for their academic and community service achievements. They were Richard Samuel Wright, Berry, academic; Ryan Elizabeth McKern, Berry, citizenship; Dominic Renda, Bumpus, academic; Ava Slocum, Bumpus, citizenship;
Alexander Brockmann, Simmons, academic; and Lucy Wills, Simmons, citizenship.
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2820 Petticoat Lane Mountain Brook Village 870-5544 Open Thursday - Saturday 10 am - 4:30 pm To: From: Date:
Mary Charles Robbins Over The Mountain Journal, 205-823-9646 ph., 205-824-1246, fax May 2010
This is your AD PROOF from the OVER THE MOUNTAIN June 3, 2010 issue. Please fax approval or changes to
To: Mary Charles From: Over the Mountain Journal 823-9646 ph, 824-1246 fax Date: Feb. 2019
Please make sure all information is c including address and phone num
Please initial and fax back within 24 hour
If we have not heard from you by 5 pm of the Friday before the your ad will run as is. We print the paper Monday.
Thank you for your prompt attentio
This is your ad proof for the OTMJ for the Feb. 7th 2019 issue. Please contact yo approve your ad or make changes. You may fax approval o
To: From:
Mary Charles Robbins Over The Mountain Journal, 205-823-9646 ph., Two students from each of the city’s middle schools were recognized for their academic and community service 205-824-1246, fax achievements. From left: Richard Samuel Wright, Berry, academic; Ryan Elizabeth McKern, Berry, citizenship; Dominic Date: May 2010 Renda, Bumpus, academic; Ava Slocum, Bumpus, citizenship; Alexander Brockmann, Simmons, academic; and Lucy Wills, Simmons, citizenship (not pictured).
This is your AD PROOF from the OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL for the June 3, 2010 issue. Please fax approval or changes to 824-1246.
JOHN CARROLL CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL Please make sure all information is correct, including ad Now enrolling students grades 9-12 for the 2019-2020 school year!
If we have notfor heard from you by 5 pm of the friday before the pre Contact admissions@jcchs.org more information.
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30 • Thursday, May 30, 2019
SPORTS
From page 32
• 2019 Class 6A Bryant-Jordan Scholar Award Winner • 8 team state championships (4 cross-country, 2 indoor track and field and 2 outdoor track and field) • Cross-country state champion (2016, 2017, 2018) • Indoor track and field state champion in the 800-meter run (2019) 1,600m (2018, 2019), 3,200m (2018, 2019), 4x800m relay (2017, 2019) • Outdoor track and field state champion: 800m (2018, 2019), 1,600m (2018, 2019), 3,200m (2018, 2019), 4x800m Relay (2017, 2018, 2019) • School records in 1,600m (4:15.76) and 3,200m (9:15.14)
REBELS From page 32
the season.” The Rebels capped their perfect season and broke the record when they beat McGill-Toolen Catholic 2-0 in the Class 7A championship game on May 11. Hill scored a goal and was named MVP.
As a result of the No. 1 ranking, the championship and the recordbreaking winning streak, Vestavia Hills coach Brigid Meadow last week was named the National High School Coaches Association’s National Coach of the Year for girls soccer. “They sent me an email to let me
know,” Meadow said. “It was a complete surprise. “I am honored, but I think it’s an award for all the girls who have come through our program as well as the coaches and parents. It’s an accumulation of all of us working together and having a shared belief and then put-
‘I don’t know if you can find the words to do justice for what he accomplished. He was the most decorated athlete I’ve ever had.’ TOM ESSLINGER HOMEWOOD TRACK COACH
lengthy bond. “We’re the best of friends,” Stone said. “We’ve gone through thick and thin since elementary school and we finished high school together. I am going to miss spending time with him.” Gray is headed to Rice on a track scholarship, while Stone will attend Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee, a private Christian university of about 4,000 students. Stone was crosscountry state champion in 2016.
ting in the work.” Meadow collected her milestone 300th victory during the season. She has coached the Rebels for 15 years and guided them to five state championships (2019, 2018, 2016, 2007 and 2005). “This season was truly a dream
His parents, Tim and Tammy Stone, are Lee alums. “They were excited I chose Lee,” Stone said. “They didn’t put any pressure on me. I also considered Auburn and Samford, but when I went up there to visit Lee, I just loved it. I had a good feeling about going there and I liked (track) coach (Caleb) Morgan.”
Student Athlete
Stone will head to Lee as the 2019 Bryant-Jordan Class 6A Scholar-Athlete winner, which came with a $3,500 scholarship. He also was awarded a $3,000 scholarship for being a regional winner. Stone finished high school with a 4.33 grade-point average and scored 35 on the ACT. The Bryant-Jordan StudentAthlete Program was created in 1986 by the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in conjunction with the Alabama High School Athletic Association. One objective of the program is to recognize and honor Alabama students who have by ability and effort achieved a level of excellence in the areas of academics and athletics that is commensurate with their potential. “Personally, that was my favorite highlight of my high school career,” Stone said. “Winning that BryantJordan award is like the umbrella over everything I’ve done.” Stone plans to study pre-med, perhaps biochemistry, at Lee with an eye toward going to medical school. While the future beckons, Stone is just now coming to grips with high school career being over. It went by far too quickly. “I really can’t believe it’s over for me,” he said. “But like it or not, it’s over now. There are definitely things I’m going to miss. I won’t see my friends again in this setting until our reunion, but that will be a different kind of event.” season and with everything that is happening with all the accolades is well deserved,” Meadow said. “The girls did everything I asked of them. They didn’t talk a lot or brag. They just stayed focused on what we were doing. They have received everything that has come to them humbly.”
“When I look back in a few years, I can say, ‘Yeah, we were No. 1 in the nation.’” LIZZIE HILL “An undefeated season was our goal, but when it happened I just couldn’t believe it,” Hill said. “I was going around hugging people and saying, ‘We’re undefeated, we’re undefeated.’ This truly was a dream season.”
Journal photo by Jordan Wald
Journal photo by Jordan Wald
TOP TEN
Mountain Brook’s Grayson Scott competes in the long jump during the AHSAA 2019 Heptathlon competition at Hoover High School on May 13 and May 14. Her 4.95m performance was good enough for fourth place. Scott finished sixth overall with 3,709 points. Vestavia’s Azaria Wright, was tenth with 3,523. In the AHSAA State Decathlon Championships Mountain Brook’s Baynes Autrey finished fifth and Homewood’s Eli Brooks tenth.
When it’s all added up, Stone was a 14-time individual state champion. “I don’t know if you can find the words to do justice for what he accomplished,” Homewood track coach Tom Esslinger said. “He was the most decorated athlete I’ve ever had. “But what is more impressive than Will the athlete is Will the person. He’s a leader in the school and the community. You talk to folks in the community and they have nothing but the most positive things to say about him. He’s the kind of guy you want your kids to grow up to be.” Stone doesn’t take sole credit for his achievements and accolades. He pays tribute to all the members of the Homewood track program. “I had a lot of success that I couldn’t have foreseen,” Stone said. “It was a product of all the efforts, not only me, but my teammates and coaches.
My teammates kept me accountable. I ran for them as well as myself.” Of all his accomplishments, Stone puts his final relay race, the 4x800 at the state meet earlier this month, near the top. He ran the anchor leg, teaming with fellow seniors Jack Gray and Logan Justice and sophomore Crawford Hope. “We were trying to break the school record, which is 7:59 and we finished at 8:00.01, just off it,” Stone said. “It was devastating to not break it, but it was also the last time I got to run with my teammates.” He and Gray grew up across the street from one another in the Hollywood community. They have a
File photo
STONE
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
The Rebels were tabbed the No. 1 team nationally in the USA Today and MaxPreps rankings. The Rebels set a new state record with 29 consecutive wins.
Tubbs Happy to Return as Homewood Girls Basketball Coach
When Kevin Tubbs made the decision to leave as Homewood girls basketball coach two years ago to move to Seattle, he consulted with his son Logan. Logan was headed into his senior year of high school and Tubbs didn’t want to uproot him. But Logan didn’t mind moving across country. “We left it up to him and he was all for it,” Tubbs said. Tubbs had just coached the Homewood girls to a 33-2 record and the 2017 Class 6A state championship when he and his family moved to Seattle to work as the director of research at the Seattle Science Foundation alongside his brother Shane. There also was a bonus. Tubbs got
to watch Logan play basketball his senior year. “It was a great experience for him,” Tubbs said. “The school was great and the coach was great. I got to go to all of his games and just be a parent. That was really cool.” But after Logan graduated, Tubbs missed being around basketball. “My second year in Seattle was rough,” Tubbs said. “It was the first time in 28 or 29 years I was not involved with a team.” At the end of 2018, Tubbs and his family decided to return to Homewood. Shortly after he got back, he got his old job back as the Patriots’ girls head basketball coach. “I came back in the middle of February and I started looking for a job coaching again because that is where my passion is,” Tubbs said. “I
started looking around and applying for other jobs that were open. I didn’t think about the possibility of coming back to Homewood.” Homewood had an opening because Jazmine Powers, who replaced Tubbs and was the Patriots’ coach the past two seasons, left to become head coach at Bob Jones High School in Madison. When Homewood learned Tubbs was back in town looking for a job, he was contacted, and things happened quickly. He was hired as the Homewood Middle School librarian in February. “They had a teacher who transferred and they needed a certified teacher,” he explained. “It’s been cool. I’ve heard a lot of jokes about the Dewey Decimal System. But it’s great to be back home.”
Sliding Back Into the Groove
In the fall, Tubbs will be back at the high school coaching and teaching physical education. He is familiar with the players he’s inheriting. In addition to coaching girls basketball the first time around, he was also athletic director for Homewood City Schools and implemented an offensive and defensive scheme for girls basketball throughout the system. “They’re the same girls I was working with when they were in the seventh and eighth grade,” Tubbs said. “When I was going over things with them during spring practice, they just reverted back to what we did in the seventh and eighth grade. That was pretty nice.” Tubbs was excited that 26 players participated in spring training, so the Patriots can have a junior varsity team along with the varsity. “We’ll have only one senior on the varsity,” Tubbs said. “We’ll have mostly juniors and sophomores, so we’ll be a little young. But I definitely think we’ll be competitive.”
Ogletree Is State Mountain Bike Champ for Second Year By Blake Ells
Photo courtesy Cindy Ogletree
Jackson Ogletree won the Mountain Bike State Championship for ninth grade boys recently, an award and season hosted by NICAAlabama. It was his second consecutive state championship in the sport; he is the first Mountain Brook student to achieve the feat. At the ninth grade level, most races are about 8 to 10 miles on off-road terrain. His practice routine is year-round, and it varies from other riders. “Some guys have a training plan from a professional track rider,” Ogletree said. “Some days we’ll have practice with our team; just show up and help each other.” At the state championships, he defeated 75 other riders at his grade level. The championship is awarded
based on points accumulated over a four-race season. Ogletree accrued a perfect 1,575 in races in Huntsville, Tuscaloosa, Oak Mountain State Park and Tannehill State Park. It’s a sport that attracted Ogletree at a young age. “I was in sixth grade,” he said. “My fifth grade teacher, Bill Andrews, had Treeline Expeditions. He’ll take kids on all these wild adventures. It might be kayaking with manatees. This trip was a week in Brevard, North Carolina. You’d ride roughly 10 miles a day for a week. After I went on that trip, it just stuck. I’ve loved the sport ever since.” His first competitive race with NICA was in seventh grade. NICA began in California. It is the National Interscholastic Cycling Association. It’s grown rapidly
Briarwood Falls in Game 3 of State Baseball Championship Series
Tubbs had just coached the Homewood girls to a 33-2 record and the 2017 Class 6A state championship when he and his family moved to Seattle.
across the country, with Mississippi and South Carolina expected to form their own collectives next season. Just last year, Alabama had 450 students competing in NICA; this year, that number was 650. Several Over the Mountain schools have their own teams under NICA, including Hoover, Vestavia Hills, Spain Park and Oak Mountain. Ogletree currently competes for a club team, Red Mountain Composite, but he is hopeful that Mountain Brook will have its own team by next season. About 10 riders at the junior high and high school levels compete with Ogletree through the club. “I hope to continue to compete throughout high school and go pro during college or after,” he said. Ogletree has already secured sponsorships from Fox Factory Racing and Crank Brothers. This summer, he will compete at the USA Cycling Nationals in Winter Park, California.
SPARTANS From page 32
Hundon Arnold pitches in the AHSAA Class 5A State Baseball Championship Series at Paterson Field in Montgomery.
Journal photo by Jordan Walld
Briarwood Christian dropped two games to rival Springville during the AHSAA Class 5A State Baseball Championship Series recently, ending its season with a crushing loss. Briarwood won its first matchup with the Tigers 5-4, then fell 12-9 to send the teams to a third and deciding game, which Springville took 9-3. The result was particularly heartbreaking because, after starting the season with a 0-11 record, the team turned it around and won 20 out of the next 25 games. But the winning was not to be continued, and Springville took the title during a game May 18 at Paterson Field in Montgomery to end the season. It was the first state title for Springville since 1992. Briarwood, coached by Steve Renfroe, was runner-up, ending with a 20-16 record for the year, according to a statement from the AHSAA. In the third game and final game of the series, Sam Hamner had two hits and an RBI for Briarwood. Starting pitcher Carson McKinney had one hit and an RBI and Blake McKenna drove in the other run with one hit. Bryce Perrien allowed only one hit over the final four innings and struck out two for the Lions.
Journal file photo by Mark Almond
‘It’s Great to Be Back Home’
By Rubin E. Grant
Thursday, May 30, 2019 • 31
SPORTS
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
“We’re all really close,” Reynolds said. “Not only during the season, but we play together throughout the entire year. We’re all really good friends. I think that helped.” The Spartans have raised the bar on standard expectations under coach Alex Lockett’s watch. Several players have gone on to play collegiately, including Reynolds, who will play at Furman this fall. Reynolds is optimistic about the team that he leaves behind and the legacy that he hopes they will carry on. “I’ll be following them,” Reynolds said. “When I’m back, I’ll be playing with the guys on the team and coach Lockett.” He’ll play in some tournaments this summer as he prepares for the move to South Carolina. He will compete in several qualifiers; he’ll also compete in the Palmetto Amateur. His primary focus, however, will be to qualify as he hopes to compete in national tournaments.
Tubbs Happy to Return as Homewood Girls Basketball Coach. Page 31
SPORTS Thursday, May 30, 2019 ❖ OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Brigid Meadow last week was named the National High School Coaches Association’s National Coach of the Year for girls soccer. She’s seen here celebrating her 300th career win.
Top 10 Finish for Mountain Brook’s Grayson Scott In State Heptathlon. Page 30.
Stone Leaves Impressive Legacy In Homewood Track, Classroom By Rubin E. Grant Will Stone walked into the Homewood library recently and an aide in the media center jokingly quipped, “I thought we got rid of you last night.” “Last night” was a reference to the Homewood High School graduation on May 20. Stone received his diploma, finishing third in his senior class of 288. He was back at the school the next day for an interview about one of the greatest track careers in the history of the school. His litany of accomplishments: • Gatorade Cross Country Runner of the Year for Alabama in 2016, 2017 and 2018 See STONE, page 30
By Rubin E. Grant
The Vestavia Hills girls soccer team’s dream season became even dreamier last week. The Rebels were tabbed the No. 1 team nationally in the USA Today and MaxPreps rankings. Senior forward Lizzie Hill was totally astonished. “When I first heard it, it was so unreal,” Hill said. “To think that there are so many
Vestavia Hills Girls Soccer Team Ascends to No. 1 National Ranking; Coach Receives National Award
other schools and for us to be ranked on top of all of them is unbelievable. “When I look back in a few years, I can say, ‘Yeah, we were No. 1 in the nation.’” Vestavia Hills earned its ranking by going
undefeated with a 23-0-0 record this spring and winning its second consecutive AHSAA Class 7A state championship. The Rebels also established a new state record with 29 consecutive wins, breaking the previous mark of 28 set by Oak Mountain during the 2014 and 2015 seasons. “This year’s team was really close,” said Hill, who will play college soccer at UAB. “We trusted each other on and off the field and I think that’s what helped us throughout See REBELS, page 30
Will Stone
Spartans Three-peat Photo courtesy Mountain Brook High School golf
Mountain Brook Wins Third State Golf Championship in a Row
By Blake Ells Mountain Brook sealed their third consecutive state championship in boys golf with a second round 7-over 295 on May 14. Their team total for the state tournament at the Robert Trent Jones at Capitol Hill course in Prattville was a 588, 11 strokes ahead of second-place McGill-Toolen from Mobile and 13 strokes ahead of Vestavia Hills.
Journal photo by Jordan Wald
Journal photo by Lee Walls
REBELS RISE
Members of the Mountain Brook High School boys golf team with their Class 7A state championship trophy, from left: William Wann, Coe Murdock, Reynolds Lambert, coach Alex Lockett , Mac Scott, Gordon Sargent and Evans Gross.
It was Austin Coogin of Vestavia Hills who earned low medalist honors, shooting 4-under 68 on Tuesday and 5-under 139 on the tournament. But a pair of Spartans tied for second, as Reynolds Lambert and Gordon Sargent each shot a 1-under 143. Reynolds, a senior, joined the varsity team as a sophomore. He has been part of each of the three consecutive state championship teams. “Over the last few years, we have had really good individual players,” Reynolds said. “But what we focused on this year was the chemistry between us; always being able to help each other and motivate each other. I felt like that was a big part of what we did this year to win.” It was the eighth boys’ golf state championship in Mountain Brook High School history; the fourth in the past five years. See SPARTANS, page 31