December 11, 2014

Otmj Thursday, December 11, 2014

over the mountain journal ❖ otmj.com

Painting the Town “Bob Moody’s Birmingham–A City in Watercolor” was released in late November under the auspices of the Birmingham Historical Society. The new book features 107 watercolors of iconic images in the Birmingham metro area, including the Bromberg’s Christmas tree in Mountain Brook Village. Moody, a former graphic designer, architect, NASA artist and Mountain Brook City Council member will hold a book signing on Dec. 12 at Little Hardware in English Village. See story on page 16.

inside

Holiday Greetings OTM students show off their colorful creations beginning on page 32.

Holiday treats Bake It and Take It: Cookie swap participants put their best treats forward.

Food page 28 Holiday star Tucker Meek, a Vestavia Hills third-grader, is making his film debut this weekend in “The Santa Con,” a Lifetime Holiday Movie. Life Page 14

2 • Thursday, December 11, 2014

Opinion/Contents

Mayoral Merriment Mountain Brook Mayor Terry Oden, left, got some help from Betty Meyer putting on a reindeer hat ahead of the Mountain Brook Christmas Parade this past weekend.

Homewood and Vestavia Hills held tree lighting ceremonies on Tuesday and Hoover kicked off the holiday season in the Over the Mountain area on Dec. 1 with its tree lighting event. Up next, Vestavia Hills will hold its Christmas parade Dec. 14 starting at 2 p.m. at Liberty Park Sports Complex.

murphy’s law

A

Photo special to the Journal

On otmj.com

There’s so much happening in the Over the Mountain area, we can’t fit it all in the paper! Visit www.otmj.com for more stories and photos.

in this issue About Town 3 news 12 Life 14 Social 20

food 28 Weddings 31 schools 40 Sports 44

OVER THE MOUNTAIN

JOU RNAL

December 11, 2014

Publisher: Maury Wald Editor: Keysha Drexel Features Writer: Donna Cornelius Office Manager: Christy Wald Editorial Assistant: Stacie Galbraith Sports: Lee Davis Contributors: Susan Murphy, June Mathews, William C. Singleton III, Emil Wald, Marvin Gentry, Lee Walls Jr., Bryan Bunch Advertising Sales: Suzanne Wald, Julie Trammell Edwards, Tommy Wald Interns: Jacob Fuqua, Mary Varnell Vol. 24, No. 24

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

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 ads@otmj.com. Find us on the Web at otmj.com.

Copyright 2014 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.

Six Geese A-laying and Two Ducks

look like locals. Exactly what are their ll year, I’ve been watching intentions? They’re not getting any of a pair of geese that live in a the good grass, I can tell you that right pond near my house. Now, now.

I know some people find geese a I worried about the duck/goose bother, but I like them. They’re merger all night, but the next day, the graceful and focused and protecducks were gone and that made me tive of their mates, qualities I worry even more. Where did they go? appreciate in an animal. Qualities I Why did they leave? It was a lovely appreciate in a person, too, for that pond. I’m sure that, just like the geese, matter. all the ducks wanted was a place to Anyway, I checked on “my geese” nibble and swim and be happy, and every day as I drove past the pond, and from where I was standing there was lo and behold, last spring they became room for everyone. the proud parents of four babies – cute, We don’t often think about ducks fuzzy little things – and I couldn’t at Christmas. There are no duck have been more excited than if I was Sue Murphy Christmas stories, no TV specials, “The their actual goose grandma. The babies Duck that Saved Christmas.” (The wobbled around for several months, Christmas goose you hear about, but plopping into the water, until they We all have ducks in that’s only as an entrée and that’s not became beautiful, accomplished our lives – people who what I’m talking about. Not at all.) swimmers. I know mom and dad are right now wading But maybe this is the year we were proud. could finally get our holiday ducks in From time to time, some of their around on the fringes of a row. We all have ducks in our lives goose friends dropped by, not for our pond, waiting for a – people who are right now wading long, just a short stopover on the welcome. You know who around on the fringes of our pond, way to southern regions beyond. waiting for a welcome. You know My goose friends would lead their they are – the guy not who they are – the guy not asked to guests across the street to munch on asked to be in the footbe in the football pool, the woman the parkway grass, then they’d get ball pool, the woman not not invited to lunch after aerobics, together and glide in unison across the pond. Synchronized goose swim- invited to lunch after aer- the kid who walks home by himself. feathers may look a little difming. It was fun to watch. obics, the kid who walks Their ferent. They may speak a different Back in October, however, I home by himself. language, but whether you quack or noticed two new faces. Ducks. I honk, I’ll bet we’re all saying pretty don’t know if a person deposited much the same things. How’s it them there or they just waddled in on going? Where are you headed? How’s your mama? their own, but there they were. Small and unassuming, So, what would it hurt this holiday season to paddle a bit shy, they kept to themselves toward the back of the on over and extend a friendly wing? Face it, we’ve all pond. felt a little ducky from time to time. (I’ve made it my Even though the ducks were keeping a low profile, life’s work.) And isn’t that the point of the season, that it was obvious they were getting a chilly reception from we redouble our efforts to get along swimmingly? the goose crowd. I could just imagine what the geese “The Duck that Saved Christmas.” I may have to call were thinking. Who are these creatures? They have some Disney. ❖ nerve just barging in. Where are they from? They don’t

over the Mountain Views

What’s your favorite holiday dish?

“My grandmother’s Cincinnati chili.”

“Green bean casserole with onions on top.”

“I like eating pie with my family every Christmas.”

Maggie Tapscott Homewood

Mike Clements Homewood

Sydney Allen Homewood

“Sweet potato pie.”

Robert Maples Homewood

Happy holidays from the Over the Mountain Journal! After our annual break, we’ll return with our first issue of the new year on Jan. 15.

About Town

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Save the Date

through Dec. 12. For more information and links to the wish lists, visit www. ywcabham.org.

Hoover

Christmas on the Bluff Dec. 11, noon-9 p.m.

Artists on the Bluff Artists on the Bluff will host Christmas on the Bluff Dec. 11 from noon-9 p.m. at 571 Park Ave. in Hoover. The open

house event will give guests a chance to meet the artists and learn more about what happens at Artists on the Bluff.

Guests will hear about the 11 artists who work in mediums ranging from painting and photography to fused glass and metal upcycling. There will also be door prize drawings. For more information, visit www.artistsonthebluff.com or call 367-5946.

PJs and Playthings, Please Bob Boylan, left, is ready to reprise his role as one of Santa’s elves for the YWCA of Central Alabama’s Santa’s Workshop Drive.

Photo special to the Journal

Over The Mountain

Santa’s Workshop Drive Dec. 11-12 YWCA Central Alabama The YWCA of Central Alabama is seeking donations to help make the holidays brighter for women, children and families living in Birmingham area shelters. The agency is asking for donations of nonviolent toys, puzzles, children’s books, children’s clothing, scarves, gloves and hats that will be a part of its annual Santa’s Workshop event Dec. 13. Santa’s Workshop gives parents the opportunity to “shop” for free gifts for their children while the kids make gifts for their family members.

Donations will be accepted at the YWCA, 309 23rd St. N., Birmingham,

Vestavia Hills

The Vestavia Hills Fire Department is collecting toys and pajamas for children at Jessie’s Place through Dec. 15. From left: Firefighters Chris Mareno, D.R. Wendorf, A.D. Gravlee and CJ Elliott. Journal photo special by Keysha Drexel

Toy and Pajama Drive Dec. 11-15 Vestavia Hills Fire Stations The Vestavia Hills Fire Department is partnering with Jessie’s Place this Christmas season to collect toys and pajamas for children served by the facility. Jessie’s Place provides services to homeless and hurting women and children who are seeking shelter while preparing to reach self-sufficiency.

Unwrapped toys and pajamas can be dropped off at any Vestavia Hills fire station through Dec. 15 for delivery to Jessie’s Place. For more information, contact Lt. CJ Elliott at celliott@vhal.org. ❖

Thursday, December 11, 2014 • 3

4 • Thursday, December 11, 2014

About Town NEW THIS YEAR

Membership Drive going on now until December 31!

Ride the all-new, over 100ft Yuletide Slide!

Birmingham

Holiday Spectacular Dec. 11-21 RMTC Cabaret Theatre The Red Mountain Theatre Company will present its Holiday Spectacular Dec. 11-21 at the RMTC Cabaret Theatre.

RMTC Youth Programs participants will perform alongside professional actors during the holiday event. The familyfriendly show is rated G. Tickets start at $30. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Dec. 4-6 and Dec. 10-13 and 2:30 p.m. Dec. 7 and Dec. 14. For more information, visit www.redmountaintheatre.org or call 324-2424.

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

The first noel

Birmingham

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December 5-7, 12-14, 18-23 and 26-31 • 5–9pm Members FREE • Non-members $8* Individual Attractions $3.50* • Unlimited Attraction Wristband $10*–Best Value! *Plus tax

Buy your tickets online today at birminghamzoo.com! ❆ NEW: Take a ride on the all-new, over 100-foot Yuletide Slide* attraction each night. Fun for all ages!

❆ Up-close interactions with Children’s Zoo barn animals

❆ NEW: See and listen to the amazing 12 Days of Christmas musical light show displays, towering up to 10 feet tall.

❆ Holiday Hayride*

❆ NEW: Enter the Zoo through a nearly 30-foot tall illuminated giraffe arch! ❆ See the tree lighting ceremony every night at 5pm by the front gate!

❆ Candy Cane Train* ❆ Jingle Bell Carousel* ❆ Take a stroll through over one million lights ❆ Photos with Santa through December 23 ❆ And so much more!

*Requires ride tickets. The Zoo will close at 4pm every night of Wells Fargo ZooLight Safari. Animal exhibits will be closed during Wells Fargo ZooLight Safari.

BAO Open House Dec. 11, 5-7:30 p.m.

Magic City Acceptance Center Birmingham AIDS Outreach will host an open house event at the Magic City Acceptance Center, a new youth center, Dec. 11. The free, family-friendly event will run from 5-7:30 p.m. and will feature live music and complimentary hors d’oeuvres. The center is at 412 37th St. S., Birmingham. For more information, visit www.birminghamaidsoutreach.org or call 322-4197, extension 107.

MBAA Holiday Art Show Dec. 11-19, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

Brookwood Mall Mountain Brook Art Association artists will present their annual Holiday Art Show Dec. 11-19 at Brookwood Mall. The event will be held inside the lower level in the former Gus Mayer space. Proceeds will support the Hand in Paw Animal Assisted Therapy program. Paintings of all sizes and price ranges will be for sale. Featured artists will be on site daily for painting demonstrations. For more information, visit mountainbrookartassociation.com.

“Holiday Hijinks” Dec. 11-21 Virginia Samford Theatre Lee Ann Brown, Kristi Tingle Higginbotham, Jan D. Hunter and Kristin Staskowski are ready to celebrate the holidays with a fun-filled show of comedy sketches and songs. They will perform in “Holiday Hijinks” at the Virginia Samford Theatre Dec. 11-21. General admission tickets are $22. For more information, visit www. virginiasamfordtheatre.org or call 2511206.

Birmingham

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The Briarwood Presbyterian Walkthrough Nativity is Dec. 11-12. The free event runs from 6:45-8:45 p.m. each night. Photo special to the Journal

Walk-through Live Nativity Dec. 11-12 Briarwood Presbyterian Church The Christmas story will come to life Dec. 11-12 when Briarwood Presbyterian Church presents its annual Walk-through Nativity. More than 850 church members will participate in 13 different scenes depicting the birth and life of Jesus. Live animals, including a camel, will be a part of the presentation, which will feature narrated drama in each scene. The walk is an easy one for the entire family, including children in strollers and those in wheelchairs.

This is a free event. The presentation will be on the church grounds at 2200 Briarwood Way. For more information, visit briarwood.org or call 776-5200. ❖

Birmingham

Birmingham

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Over the Mountain

Holiday Music Concert Dec. 11-12, 7:30-9:30 p.m.

Alabama School of Fine Arts The Alabama School of Fine Arts will host its holiday music concert Dec. 11 and 12 from 7:30-9:30 p.m. The concert will feature the school’s orchestra, jazz ensemble, choir and Concerto delle Donne. The event will be held in the Dorothy Jemison Day Theater. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students.

Call 458-0360 or visit www.asfa.k12. al.us for more information.

Birmingham

ZooLight Safari Dec. 11-31, 5-9 p.m.

Birmingham Zoo Wells Fargo’s ZooLight Safari will run through Dec. 31 this year at the Birmingham Zoo. The zoo is open from 5-9 p.m. each night during the event,

which includes more than one million lights along with holiday music and activities. New this year, guests can take a ride on the Yuletide Slide, a more than 100-foot inner tube slide ride. Guests can also enjoy the winter wonderland on the Jingle Bell Carousel, the Candy Cane Train and the Holiday Hayride.

Admission is $8 for nonmembers and free for members. The zoo will close each day at 4 p.m. Call 879-0409 or visit www.birminghamzoo.com for more information.

Birmingham

Home for the Holidays Dec. 11 and 13, 7:30 p.m.

Samford University Samford University will host Opera Birmingham’s Home for the Holidays performance Dec. 11 and 13 at 7:30 p.m. The event for all ages will feature a special surprise artist with a variety of holiday songs. Tickets are available online at www.operabirmingham.org or by calling 322-6737.

Birmingham

“The MuttCracker” Dec. 12, 7:30-10:30 p.m.

BJCC Concert Hall The BJCC will host “The MuttCracker” Dec. 12 from 7:3010:30 p.m. The performance includes Birmingham Ballet dancers with special appearances by four-legged performers.

This canine version of the Nutcracker benefits the Greater Birmingham Humane Society. Tickets range from $33-$55 and are available through Ticketmaster or the BJCC Central Ticket Office. Call 800-745-3000 or visit www.birminghamballet.com for more information.

Birmingham

“An Elf Tale” Dec. 13-14 Birmingham Children’s Theatre Birmingham Children’s Theatre will present “An Elf Tale” Dec. 13-14. The performance is for ages 2-6 and will present the story of Gobo the elf at the North Pole during Christmas. Tickets are

$9 for children and $11 for adults. Visit www.bct123.org for more information.

Homewood

Christmas Songs and Stories Dec. 12, 7:30 p.m.

Homewood Public Library The Homewood Public Library will present Jingle All the Way Dec. 12 at 7:30 p.m. The event will include favorite songs, stories and singa-longs with Dolores Hydock and Bobby Horton. Light hors d’oeuvres will be served starting at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets are $25, and reservations are required. Call 332-6600 or visit www. homewoodpubliclibrary.org for more information.

Shelby County

Christmas Traditions on Ice Dec. 12-14 Pelham Civic Center and Ice Arena The Pelham Civic Center and Ice Arena will present “Christmas Traditions: Holiday Wishes and Dreams Brought to Life on Ice” Dec. 12-14. Students enrolled in the Pelham Skating School will perform to holiday classics.

Birmingham native Tim Dolensky, a 2012 junior silver medalist, will also perform. More than 80 children and adults will perform 38 group numbers and solos. Performances are at 7 p.m.

Dec. 12, at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Dec. 13, and at 1 p.m. Dec. 14. Tickets will be available at the door; reserved tickets are available by calling 6206448. For more information, visit pelhamciviccomplex.com.

Birmingham

Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis Dec. 13, 8 a.m.

Railroad Park The annual Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis will be Dec. 13 at Railroad Park, 1600 First Ave. S., Birmingham.

Participants are encouraged to wear holiday-themed costumes and tie jingle bells to their shoelaces for the event that raises money to help find a cure for arthritis. Participants can run or walk the 5K route with team members or

individually. Activities kick off at 8 a.m.

The run/walk begins at 9 a.m. For more information, contact Kayla Smeraglia at ksmeraglia@arthritis.org or at 314-8440.

Thursday, December 11, 2014 • 5

About Town

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal Shelby County

Decked Out Dash Dec. 13, 8-11 a.m.

Oak Mountain State Park Oak Mountain State Park will host

Christmas Classic

the fifth annual Decked Out Dash 5K and one-mile fun run Dec. 13 at 8 a.m. The race is presented by the Arc of Jefferson County and is holiday themed. Participants are encouraged to come dressed in their best holiday costumes. Santa suits, jingle bells and

tacky holiday sweaters are encouraged.

Registration begins at 7 a.m. on the day of the event. All proceeds benefit children and adults with intellectual disabilities. For more information or to register, visit www.arcofjeff.org or call 705-1809.

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The Alabama Ballet will present George Balanchine’s “The Nutcracker” Dec. 12-21 at the Dorothy Jemison Day Theater.

Balanchine’s “The Nutcracker” Photo special to the Journal Dec. 12-21 Dorothy Jemison Day Theater The Alabama Ballet will present George Balanchine’s “The Nutcracker” Dec. 12-21 at the Dorothy Jemison Day Theater on the campus of the Alabama School of Fine Arts in Birmingham. The professional company of 39 dancers remains one of only seven companies in the world granted the right to perform this holiday classic by the Balanchine Trust. Performed to Balanchine’s exacting specifications, this show’s dazzling choreography, opulent costumes and extravagant sets make it a production like no other. Tickets are $20-$55.

Show times are at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 12-13 and Dec. 19-20 and at 2:30 p.m. Dec. 13-14 and Dec. 20-21. For more information, visit www.alabamaballet.org. ❖

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Over the Mountain Office 1220 Alford Avenue • 205.281.4731 To: From:

Mike Over The Mountain Journal, PHONE: FAX: 205-824-1246 DEc. 2014

Date:

To: From: Date:

This is your AD PrOOF from the Ov DEc. 11, 2014 issue. Please fa

James Over The Mountain Journal, 205-823-9646 ph., 205-824-1246, fax December

Please make sure a including address

This is your ad proof from the over the mountain Journal for the december 11th, 2014 issue. Please contact your sales representative as soon as possible to approve your ad or make changes. You may fax approval or changes to 824-1246.

Please initial and fa

if we have not heard from you by 5 your ad will run as is. W

Please make sure all information is correct, including address and phone number!

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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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6 • Thursday, December 11, 2014

About Town Hoover

Alabama Wildlife Center’s Holiday Craft and Bake Sale Dec. 13, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Veterans Park The Alabama Wildlife Center will present a holiday craft and bake sale Dec. 13 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Veterans Park off Valleydale Road in Hoover. The event will feature holiday-themed crafts, ornaments, jewelry, blankets and other gifts. The bake sale will have a variety of foods and baked goods including casseroles, hams, turkey breasts, jams and candies. Santa Claus will be on hand for pictures from 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Free refreshments will be served. The event will benefit the Alabama Wildlife Center. Visit www.awrc.org or call 6637930 for more information.

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

holiday hafla

Leeds

Blue Light Special Art Show Dec. 13-14 Earthborn Studios Cahaba ClayWorks and Earthborn Studios will host the Blue Light Special Art Show Dec. 13 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and Dec. 14 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. More than 50 artists will sell their pieces at a discount at the event. Admission is $2, and lunch will be provided for $20 from Birmingham area chefs. Proceeds will benefit First Light Women’s Shelter.

For more information, visit www. earthbornpottery.net or call 563-3052.

Hoover

Youth Orchestra Holiday Concert Dec. 14, 2-4 p.m.

Riverchase Galleria Mall The Alabama Symphony Youth Orchestra will present its holiday concert Dec. 14 from 2-4 p.m. at the Riverchase Galleria in Hoover. This is a free event. For more information, visit www. alabamasymphony.org.

Homewood

FOOTMAD Christmas Dance Dec. 13, 7:30-10:30 p.m.

The Exceptional Foundation FOOTMAD will host its annual Christmas Dance at the Exceptional Foundation from 7:30-10:30 p.m. Dec. 13. The event in Homewood will include contra dancing with the Birmingham

Birmingham

Performers with the Zivah Saphirah Middle Eastern Dance Troupe will present the Holiday Hafla benefiting Toys for Tots on Dec. 13. Clockwise, from the left: Basma Shimmies, Sibylle Kristensen, Gema Madi, Allison Cason, Illya Kristensen and Kim Thomas. Photo special to the Journal

Holiday Hafla for Toys for Tots Dec. 13, 6:30-10 p.m.

Das Haus: German Club The Zivah Saphirah Middle Eastern Dance Troupe will present the Holiday Hafla benefiting Toys for Tots Dec. 13 at Das Haus: German Club in Birmingham. The event will include two sets of performances by the dance troupe followed by an open dance session for all those attending. Tickets are $5 at the door, or guests will be admitted with an unwrapped toy valued at $5 or more. All proceeds will go to Toys for Tots. For more information, send an email to ZivahSaphirah@gmail.com. ❖ Friends of Old-time Music and Dance.

Tickets are $10 for nonmembers, $8 for college students and $4 for ages 13-18. Children 12 and younger get in free. Newcomers receive a coupon to attend their next dance for free. The Exceptional Foundation is at 1616 Oxmoor Road. For more information, visit sites.google.com/site/bfootmad or call 822-0505.

Hoover

Book signing Dec. 14, 2-4 p.m.

2nd & Charles Author Chelsea Berler, who lives in the Spain Park area, will sign copies of her new book, “The Curious One: From Food Stamps to CEO: One Woman’s Journey through Struggle, Tragedy, Success & Love,” from 2-4 p.m. Dec.

14 at 2nd & Charles in Hoover. The book is the story of how Berler left behind the heartache of her past and found peace in her present. Copies will be available for purchase.

Chelsea Berler For more information, visit www.TheCuriousBook. com.

Birmingham

“The Wonders of His Love” Dec. 14, 6 p.m.

Briarwood Presbyterian Church Briarwood Presbyterian Church will

host “The Wonders of His Love” Dec. 14 at 6 p.m. The concert will feature the Ballet Exaltation and will include dancing and traditional and contemporary carols directed by Kenneth Tolle. The free event is for all ages. Visit briarwood.org for more information.

Vestavia Hills

Jingle Jam Dec. 14, 5 p.m.

Shades Mountain Baptist Church Shades Mountain Baptist Church will host Jingle Jam Dec. 14 at 5 p.m.

The family event is aimed at helping those attending rediscover what matters most about Christmas, organizers said.

Childcare will be provided for children up to 3 years old. The Jingle Jam will be

held in the church’s worship center. Visit www.shades.org for more information.

Birmingham

Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols Dec. 14, 3-4 p.m.

Cathedral Church of the Advent The Cathedral Church of the Advent will present the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from 3-4 p.m. Dec. 14. The Cathedral Choir will perform during the traditional service celebrating the birth of Jesus, modeled after the annual service held at King’s College in Cambridge, England. The free event will be presented at the church at 2017 Sixth Ave. N. For more information, visit adventbirmingham.org or call 226-3505.

the more the merrier

HOover

“Christmas Spectacular: Trouble in Toyland” Dec. 16, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Hoover Public Library The Hoover Library will present “Christmas Spectacular: Trouble in Toyland” from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Dec. 16.

The special presentation from That Puppet Guy will be followed by a visit from Santa Claus. Refreshments will be served. The event is free and open to all ages. For more information, visit www. hooverlibrary.org or call 444-7830.

Hoover

Holiday Music with Old Fashioned Rhythm Band Dec. 18, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Hoover Public Library The Old Fashioned Rhythm Band will play a collection of holiday favorites in a Dixieland jazz style at the Hoover Public Library Dec 18 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. The event is free. For more information, call 444-7821.

North Shelby

Meadow Brook Runs Dec. 20, 9 a.m.

Over the Mountain

Thursday, December 11, 2014 • 7

About Town

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Fresh Air Family’s Wacky Tacky Christmas Lights Tour on Dec. 16 will include several Over the Mountain stops, including this house in Homewood. Photo special to the Journal

Wacky Tacky Christmas Lights Tour Dec. 16, 5:30-10:30 p.m.

Starting at Avondale Brewing Co. Fresh Air Family will seek out the best and worst light displays in town during the Wacky Tacky Christmas Lights Tour from 5:30-10:30 p.m. Dec. 16. The two-hour tour will start at Avondale Brewing Co., 201 41st St. S., Birmingham, and include a mid-tour break with drinks at La Paz Restaurant in Mountain Brook’s Crestline Village. Drink tickets are $3-7. Bus seating is limited, and bus reservations can be made using PayPal or by check. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for kids. The buses will run every 20 minutes starting at 5:30 p.m. The last bus leaves at 8:30 p.m. Proceeds from the tour will provide scholarships for children to attend Fresh Air Family’s award-winning camp programs. For more information, visit www.freshairfamily.org or call 540-6642. ❖

Aliant Bank The 20th annual Meadow Brook 5K and one-mile fun run will be held Dec. 20. Aliant Bank at 1100 Corporate Parkway will serve as the race headquarters. The 5K starts at 9 a.m.

The fun run begins at 10 a.m. Race timing will be provided by the Trak Shak.

The event will also feature gift bags, prizes and food. For more information, visit www.meadowbrookruns.org.

Vestavia Hills

Sugar Plum Fairy Tea Dec. 20, 2 p.m.

Vestavia Hills UMC The Magic City Nutcracker will present the Sugar Plum Fairy Tea at 2 p.m. Dec. 20 at the Tyson Theatre at Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church, 2061 Kentucky Ave. The second annual event will feature an afternoon tea and buffet of wintertime goodies and a performance of the abridged version of “The Nutcracker” conceived by Stephanie Rangle, artistic director. Jamorris Rivers and Carleton Rivers, guest principal artists from Arova Contemporary Ballet, will star in the performance, which

will also include dancers from other Birmingham area studios. Tickets are $15 before Dec. 20 or $20 at the door.

Tickets include admission, a buffet of snacks and desserts, and teas, ciders and hot chocolate. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www. magiccitynutcracker.org. ❖

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with special guest To:speaker Tricia Former FirstFrom: LadyOver The Mountain Journal,

Date: Dec. 11 This is your aD prOOF f Dec. 11 2014 issue.

Laura Bush

To: From: Date:

Janet Over The Mountain Journal, 205-823-9646 ph., 205-824-1246, fax Dec.

Tuesday, February 24, 2015 please make s 5:30 p.m. including a The Club, Grand Ballroom

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purchase tickets online: childrensal.kintera.org/nightofhope

This is your ad proof from the over the mountain Journal for the dec. 11, 2014 issue. Please contact your sales representative as soon as possible to approve your ad or make changes. You may 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.

benefiting

Thank yo

By Keysha Drexel Journal editor

From the entry door handles made of leather to the wood-burning stove in the barn, visitors to the Stewart Perry Headquarters on Overton Road this weekend might forget they are in a place of business as they take in all the details.

The 16-acre campus of the general contracting firm founded and headed up by Merrill Stewart will be featured on the 65th annual Independent

Presbyterian Church Holiday House Tour Dec. 13-14.

Stewart is a longtime member of the church and said he’s happy the company can contribute to the tour, which benefits the Children’s Fresh Air Farm’s Summer Learning Program.

“That program brings about 300 kids from the inner city to the camp every year, and we’re glad to be a part of something that is good for the children,” Stewart said.

About Town

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Minding Their Business – Beautifully Stewart Perry Headquarters Shows Thoughtful Designs

Tour-goers stopping at the Stewart Perry Headquarters might never guess the property, with its 25,000-squarefoot main building and woodworking barn situated beside a beautiful lake, was once a dumping ground.

“Some people had been using this area as a dumping ground and throwing their trash here for several years,” Stewart said. “But I thought it was a great location to do something inspiring and uplifting for the community here.”

The vision for the campus was to create a comfortable work environment for employees, to serve as a thoughtful and contributing neighbor in the community, to build a flagship facility to serve clients, and in the process lead the movement for green and sustainable construction by example.

The result is a corporate headquarters that won a national award from Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc., and achieved the U.S. Green Building Council’s Silver LEED certification.

“It was the first LEED-certified (building) in the state of Alabama,” Stewart said.

The building features several ecofriendly aspects, including doors and ceilings made from red ball cypress salvaged from one of the company’s building projects and oak floors and siding that came from a demolished warehouse in Virginia.

At the entrance to the main building, visitors will see rain chains that disperse runoff evenly to water surrounding plants. The lobby features polished concrete floors, a table handcrafted in the woodworking barn from maple salvaged at a Delaware River Valley project, and the first of several

pieces by local artisans displayed throughout the building.

A woven art piece created by Stewart hangs in the lobby, and a tall table crafted by Thomas Moser, a Maine artisan, offers the perfect place for quick meetings.

Stewart has a personal connection to many of the handcrafted pieces and works of art at the headquarters,

including Moser’s table in the lobby.

Stewart spent a week at Moser’s Freeport studio as a customer-inresidence.

The next stop on the tour will be the great hall, which features a rotating quilt display from local artisans, a planning table meant to encourage standing meetings, and a cast concrete countertop set with a north-pointing

A Faithful Recollection

years, the book also features chapters exploring a variety of subjects, as well as a photo collection of many of the beautiful brides married at IPC over 10 decades.

The book is now available at the reception desk at the church and online at ipc-usa.org/ipc-centennial-book for $35.

The limited edition book also is available as part of a three-volume, gift-wrapped set including “An Enduring Ministry,” Whiting’s biography of church founder Dr. Henry Edmonds, and “Beginning the Day,” Edmond’s book of daily devotionals first published in 1919. The three-volume set is $60.

–Keysha Drexel

IPC Celebrating Centennial with History Book The 65th annual Independent Presbyterian Church Holiday House Tour is not the only milestone the Birmingham church is celebrating this holiday season.

The church will celebrate its 100th birthday in 2015 and recently kicked off its year-long celebration with the debut of “Forward in Faith,” a centennial history book written by Cathy Adams and the late Dr. Marvin Whiting and designed

by Stefanie Goodwiller.

Whiting was not a member of the church, Adams said, but loved it dearly.

He researched and wrote “The Bearing Day Is Not Gone” for the church’s 75th anniversary in 1990.

“Having had the great privilege of calling Marvin Whiting a close friend and mentor until his death in 2010, I undertook the chronicling of IPC’s history from his end point up to the great centennial of 2015, keeping foremost in mind his often-stated regret that the limited graphic technology of the 1980s did not allow for the advanced interpretation through visual imagery that we enjoy today,” Adams said.

The hardbound book has 250 pages featuring 550 photographs and includes Whiting’s history on the church’s first 75 years.

“We included that text with dozens of never beforepublished images to supplement his words, as well as bringing the narrative and pictures up to the present day,” Adams said.

Adams said she feels blessed to be a part of the church and to play a role in preserving its history.

“For me personally, it has been a great honor to pick up the mantle of Marvin Whiting in carrying forward our church’s history,” she said.

Along with a chronological narrative and timeline of events and personalities shaping Independent’s first 100

compass aimed at reminding employees where they are headed.

The Stewart Perry operations wing is designed with a hybrid open floor plan with glass office fronts that afford a measure of privacy for business calls combined with a large, open space in the middle of the great hall aimed at encouraging camaraderie and public gatherings.

While most office conference rooms could never be described as beautiful, that’s just how Stewart Perry employees think of their main meeting space.

Photo special to the Journal

8 • Thursday, December 11, 2014

Designer Stefanie Goodwiller, left, and author Cathy Adams hold copies of the new Independent Presbyterian Church centennial history, “Forward in Faith,” which was released in late November.

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Floor-to-ceiling windows in the conference room offer stunning views of the lake and wash the space in tons of natural light. A local sculptor crafted the overhead lighting using a salvaged wagon wheel. The conference table is square so that no one sits at the head of the table and has been lovingly patched over the years instead of discarded.

The conference room opens to a deck, complete with rocking chairs and handrails just the right size for holding a cup of coffee.

The kitchen boasts EPA Energy Star appliances, a table built in the woodworking barn from salvaged heart pine, a refurbished antique Coke machine, and insulated glass doors that open to a patio.

In the warmer months, staff members open the doors and have company-wide cookouts on the patio beneath the sail shade. In cooler weather, after-work conversations are often held around the fire pit.

The kitchen also offers the perfect spot to whip up healthy fare using the freshly-harvested produce grown in the Stewart Perry garden. The garden

Photos special to the Journal by Virginia Jones

Visitors can warm up by the woodburning stove in the barn, above, or take in the view of the lake from the main building, right.

Thursday, December 11, 2014 • 9

About Town

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

features seasonal fruit and vegetables planted in organic compost, raised planters made from recycled materials, and a green bean trellis fashioned by a local artist at Sloss Furnaces.

The garden area also extends across the lake, where the company keeps beehives.

The garden started with a small area for growing tomatoes in 2009 but by 2012 required its own staff. The area is now maintained by Katherine Murray and Matthew Smith of Magic City Gardening. They bring fresh produce into the office three times

a week, and the Stewart Perry team takes what they need for their families and shares the rest with clients as well as with Jessie’s Place, a local shelter for women and children.

Just like in the rest of the building,

the offices in the accounting wing are flooded with natural light and only rely on artificial light to provide about 10 percent of the illumination needed.

Additionally, the office lights are set up on a sensor that automatically shuts them off if they are not needed.

The countertops in the accounting space were made out of scraps of the flooring used throughout the building and were built to accommodate some ill-fitting filing cabinets.

Instead of making their way to the burn pile, the wood remnants were used to make the countertops, giving the accounting staff plenty of work and storage space.

Adjacent to the main building, the barn’s exterior features a design painted by children at neighboring Mitchell’s Place and also includes an American flag piece handcrafted onsite from salvaged wood. A woodburning stove keeps staff carpenters cozy while they work during the cooler months.

The barn also features an upstairs lodging space. Outside, water silos

capture rainwater from the roof.

For the holidays, the office will be decked out by Carole Sullivan. Guests on the IPC Holiday House Tour will see several different themed trees throughout the main building. ❖

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About Town

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OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Iberia Bank Interiors & Antiques Market Jackson, Howard & Whatley, CPAs JAMM Entertainment Jimmie Hale Mission John Henley State Farm Insurance Kidz Closet & More Liberty Park Joint Venture Life Time Fitness Mary Kay Cosmetics-Susie Serio Newk’s Eatery OnTime Service Regions Bank Renasant Bank Mortgage Lending Rocky Ridge Hardware Serendipity Sweets Snapper Grabbers Standard Heating & Air Conditioning Stephanie Steinmetz Pediatric Dentistry Summit Express Urgent Care Tutoring Club TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church Wild Birds Unlimited Xceligent

Thursday, December 11, 2014 • 11

About Town

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Calendar of Events Breakfast with Santa

Search for Jingle Bell

December 13

November 13-December 15 Jingle Bell the Reindeer is hiding in stores all over Vestavia Hills. Print the list of stores from www.vestaviahills.org and go look for him! When you find Jingle Bell in a store, have the store stamp your sheet. When you have 10 stamps, turn it in to the Chamber of Commerce office for a surprise and to be entered to win the Grand Prize valued at $1000 from Life Time Fitness and a $25 Chamber GiftCheck.

Vestavia Hills Civic Center, 7:30-10:00 am 1975 Merryvale Road Enjoy a pancake breakfast with Santa. $1 Suggested Donation

Vestavia Hills Christmas Parade & Celebration December 14 Liberty Park Sports Complex to Alston Meadows 2:00-4:00 pm Enjoy the city’s official parade followed by the Liberty Park Christmas Celebration with children’s activities, refreshments, live entertainment, visit with Santa & more!

Visit www.vestaviahills.org for an extended list of events Presented by the City of Vestavia Hills & the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce

Search for Jingle Bell Jingle Bell the Reindeer will be hiding in these Vestavia Hills businesses November 13-December 15. Go find him!

Visit www.vestaviahills.org to print out a copy of the worksheet and take it to the stores listed on it.

When you spot Jingle Bell in a store, ask the employees to stamp your sheet.

When you have 10 stamps from different businesses, bring your sheet to the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce (1975 Merryvale Road) for a surprise and to be entered to win the Grand Prize valued at $1000 from Life Time Fitness and a $25 Chamber Gift Check (one entry per person).

12 • Thursday, December 11, 2014

news

By William C. Singleton III Journal contributor

For Homewood, Hoover, Mountain Brook, Vestavia Hills and North Shelby, 2014 was a year of plans coming to fruition, city and community leaders coming and going, and a snowstorm arriving so unexpectedly it caught everyone by surprise and paralyzed surrounding communities, if only for a few days.

Snow is usually a welcome sight for Over the Mountain residents who enjoy seeing the accumulation of flakes every now and then in a climate not very hospitable to flurries. But even television weatherman James Spann wasn’t expecting what happened on Jan. 28, when the Birmingham metropolitan area received nearly 2 inches of snow, bringing much of the area to a standstill.

Vehicles were stranded on streets from John Hawkins Parkway to Columbiana Road and other roads with steep inclines. Area schools like Simmons Middle in Hoover and Homewood High were turned into hotels as thousands of students unable to get home camped out overnight in classrooms. Motorists became pedestrians as many set out on foot, hoping to reach home by dark.

And some motorists, like Kelly Garner of Vestavia Hills, never made it home that night.

Garner, 49, of Vestavia Hills, is now known by most people as the Good Samaritan who went missing while helping stranded motorists near the Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest during the Jan. 28 “snowpocalypse” Garner, who has had type 1diabetes since he was a child, spent 12 hours down in the ravine beside the library in the snow. The fall broke his back and his ribs, injured his shoulder and resulted in a head injury that still affects his memory.

“When I got up that morning, on Jan. 28, I would have never have guessed it would turn out the way it did,” Garner said.

But the snowstorm that hid city streets couldn’t bury community spirit and goodwill.

Those with vehicles equipped to get through icy roads helped those who needed rides home.

Social media users took to Twitter and Facebook to post information about missing loved ones with many venturing out to find those stranded in the storm. Several businesses remained open as “warming stations” for those seeking refuge from the cold.

“This could have been a whole lot worse, but our citizens jumped in, our employees did an outstanding job, and we all worked together to make it through,” Vestavia Hills Mayor Alberto “Butch” Zaragoza said the day after the snowstorm.

Personnel Changes

In several Over the Mountain communities, 2014 was a year of big personnel changes.

Hoover City Schools Superintendent Andy Craig is leaving to take a position with the Alabama Department of Education as deputy superintendent for administrative and financial services beginning in January.

Craig has been superintendent for eight years but during the last two years has had to tackle tough and controversial issues such as cutting bus services to Hoover students for the 20152016 school year – a final decision on that issue is still pending – and proposing a comprehensive rezoning plan that shifts school population to relieve overcrowding and to prepare for an influx of future students.

That plan, which Craig officially unveiled in August, is still being revised and awaits a vote by the school board.

In November, Homewood Chamber of

over the mountain year in review

2014’s Hot News Starts with Cold Weather Crisis Cars still lined Columbiana Road in Vestavia Hills on Jan. 29, the morning after an unexpected snow storm blew through the Over the Mountain area and other parts of the state. Hazardous road conditions left some drivers stranded for hours, while others had to leave their vehicles to seek safety. Journal file photo

Commerce Director Tricia Ford announced her retirement after six years with the organization.

Ford said she’s just ready to “write another chapter” to her life.

However, she plans to stay on until the chamber hires her successor, she said.

In November, the Over the Also in Mountain community selected Homewood, Gary Palmer as its new Sixth Jenifer Champ Congressional District repreWallis stepped sentative. down in July as Ward 4 Place 1 council representative.

Wallis, an attorney, resigned to take a job in Los Angeles. The council interviewed several candidates to replace Wallis and selected Barry Wise Smith, a nursery and parents’ day out director at Trinity United Methodist Church, to fill Wallis’ unexpired term.

In May, Vestavia Hills City Schools hired

Sheila Phillips to be the new superintendent.

Phillips, the system’s former assistant superintendent, took over for Jamie Blair, who announced his retirement in March. Blair will serve in an advisory position until his official retirement on Oct. 1.

In November, the Over the Mountain community selected Gary Palmer as its new Sixth Congressional District representative.

Palmer, who lives in Hoover, emerged from a seven-candidate Republican primary to face State Rep. Paul DeMarco, R-Homewood, in a runoff.

DeMarco was the top vote-getter in the primary, but Palmer was able to snatch the nomination from DeMarco and then topple Democratic challenger Mark Lester of Homewood in the general election.

Palmer, founder of the conservative think-tank Alabama Policy Institute, heads to Washington, D.C., next month ready to spread the message of financial accountability and join his colleagues in trying to dismantle the Affordable Health Care Act, also known as Obamacare.

Growth and Progress

Several cities saw plans they’ve been working on for years come to fruition – or at least get started.

Homewood in May opened its new $16 mil-

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

lion recreation center, a facility officials hope will serve the needs of the community for years to come.

The new 51,830-square-foot center has two gymnasiums, a fitness center with cardio and weight machines and free weights, indoor walking and jogging tracks, locker rooms and meeting rooms. The new center also features an eight-lane competition pool and a splash playground.

“We look forward to everyone enjoying their new facility,” said Parks and Recreation Superintendent Berkley Squires following the center’s opening. “We feel this facility is something our community can grow with.”

Growth and progress were also buzzwords in Vestavia Hills in 2014.

After several failed attempts, the city of Vestavia Hills last month sold its old library site at 1112 Montgomery Highway to America’s First, which plans to build a branch at the location and open it sometime next year. The city also agreed to sell its present municipal complex at 513 Montgomery Highway to Chick-fil-A, which plans to build a restaurant on the site.

Chick-fil-A still has to apply to rezone the property from institutional to business.

Both moves, city officials say, are part of an overall revitalization of the U.S. 31 corridor that runs through Vestavia Hills. The city plans to build a new municipal complex on the former Food World property in the Vestavia Plaza Shopping Center and on adjacent property which was the former site of Joe’s Ranch House.

The city also has partnered with a developer to bring a 34,000-square-foot retail establishment to the eastern side of U.S. 31 where Ruby Tuesday and Pizza Hut formerly existed.

Sprouts Farmers Market has announced plans to open a store in that area, and more tenants are expected to be announced in the coming year.

In Mountain Brook, construction began in January on the $35 million Grand Bohemian Hotel – a major component of the $140 million Lane Parke project, which will include about 166,000 square feet of retail space, 30,000 square feet of office space, a 274-unit apartment complex and the luxurious 100-room hotel. The Kessler Collection hotel is expected to open by next summer.

In 2014, both Vestavia Hills and Hoover began offering services that certainly were the delight of residents who’ve stood in long lines waiting to renew their car tags.

Vestavia Hills was the first city to take advantage of a bill passed in the State Legislature earlier this year allowing municipalities in Jefferson County to offer car tag renewal services to their residents. Vestavia Hills started offering the service in April.

Hoover started offering renewal services to its residents at the Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in August, while continuing to look for a permanent location for a full annex to offer full services.

While waiting to find a permanent location, Hoover and Jefferson County Commission officials announced the annex at the Hoover Met would offer the full complement of vehicle services to all county residents starting Nov. 3. Now, county residents can visit the Met to have their tags renewed or get new tags for cars, motorcycles and boats.

The Met will also be the home of the University of Alabama baseball team – at least for the spring. The university and Hoover city officials last month signed an agreement that has the Crimson Tide baseball team playing a minimum 28 games at the Met. UA needed a place to play as its SewellThomas Stadium undergoes $35 million in renovations, which should be completed by 2016. ❖

Pig Deal u mountain brook

Council May Vote Next Week on Rezoning Lots for Store

By William C. Singleton III Journal contributor

The Mountain Brook City Council will likely decide next week whether a new Piggly Wiggly grocery store will be built at a controversial spot in Crestline.

The council has called a special meeting on Dec. 16 to consider rezoning three lots on Vine Street to pave the way for a new Piggly Wiggly. The meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall at 56 Church Street.

Naseem Ajlouny and Andy Virciglio have asked the council to rezone two lots from residential to commercial and another from professional district to commercial so they can build a 28,250-square-foot Piggly Wiggly grocery store with up to 92 additional parking spaces.

Thursday, December 11, 2014 • 13

news

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Building the store would require At that meeting, the planning comremoving three existing buildings, mission voted 4-3 for rezoning the including a facility the Girl Scouts cur- property but recommended the develrently use and an early learning center. opers eliminate from their plan traffic Though Mountain Brook residents access using Vine Street. have been clamoring for a return of Brewer told council members keepPiggly Wiggly to their neighborhood ing Vine Street open is essential to the after the former store closed at 93 plan but outlined changes to the proEuclid Ave. – ending a 30-year rela- posal, which include moving a service tionship with the entrance for truck community – many from Vine The council has called deliveries residents are split Street to an alley on whether the new a special meeting on that runs parallel to store should be locat- Dec. 16 to consider Vine Street. ed in the proposed rezoning three lots on Changes to the area, which is near original plan also Crestline Elementary Vine Street to pave the include funnelSchool and a park. way for a new Piggly ing traffic exiting They say the Wiggly. The meeting the store’s parkpresence of the store ing lot away from would increase traf- starts at 5:30 p.m. at the school, adding fic and make the area City Hall at 56 Church an additional sidedangerous for chil- Street. walk on Vine Street, dren who attend the adding a pedestrian elementary school crosswalk from and those who use the park.

Crestline Elementary across Vine At their Nov. 24 meeting, council Street and adding decorative six-foot members heard the architect – Jeffrey high wrought iron fencing as a buffer Brewer, executive vice president for between the parking lot and the sports Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood – dis- fields. cuss the proposal and modifications But several residents who spoke made since the Nov. 3 planning com- at the more than two hour Nov. 24 mission meeting. council meeting opposed any traf-

fic from the store accessing Vine Street. Residents also complained that approving the rezoning would invite further commercial encroachment into the neighborhood.

However, council members said that additional lots necessary to accommodate a Piggly Wiggly store

are already zoned for retail use.

Council President Virginia Smith said she liked the proposal with its new changes. Councilman Billy Pritchard recommended delaying a vote so residents could review changes made since the planning commission meeting in November. ❖

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City Will Spruce up Southern Gateway Vestavia Hills city officials want to ensure the first impression of their city is its best impression.

City leaders are working on improving the southern gateway at Interstate 65 and U.S. 31 and have hired a Birmingham landscaping company to help them.

The City Council recently approved a contract with Blackjack Horticulture for $350,000 to help beautify the area on the Vestavia side of the interstate. Blackjack was the lowest bidder of four companies who responded to the city’s request for proposals.

Blackjack will be adding two stone retaining walls and landscaping the site with an assortment of trees and bushes.

—William C. Singleton III

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life Tucker’s ‘Con’ Job

14 • Thursday, December 11, 2014

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

By Keysha Drexel

J

Journal editor

ust two years after he first signed with a talent agent, a Vestavia Hills third-grader is making his film debut and counting such Hollywood heavyweights as Robert Redford and Emma Thompson as his co-stars.

Tucker Meek stars in “The Santa Con,” a holiday film premiering on Lifetime Television at 7 p.m. Dec. 13.

And next year, audiences will see the young thespian flex his acting chops in scenes with Redford and Thompson as he plays their grandson in “A Walk in the Woods.”

With five feature films and several short films and commercials under his belt, the 8-year-old said he’s been paying attention to the buzz in Tinseltown as he plans his next career move.

“One day, I hope to get to work with Will Ferrell. He is one of my favorite actors,” Tucker said in an interview from Los Angeles last week. “I heard that there is going to be a Lego Movie 2. I loved the first one and consider myself a ‘Master Builder,’ so being in a Lego movie, especially if Will Ferrell was in it, would pretty much be a dream come true.”

Tucker’s acting career took off when he was 6 years old and wowed the judges at the Actors, Models and Talent for Christ Shine Convention in Orlando, Fla. His mother and father, Lani and Derek, said Tucker has always been an expressive child, and when he showed an interest in acting, they let him try it out at the convention in Florida.

At the convention, Tucker won the Overall Male Child Actor award and received 15 callbacks from top agents.

After the convention, the Meeks starting getting calls from casting agents from around the world. Pretty soon, Tucker had an agent and several auditions for both film and television work. Tucker is represented

by J Pervis Talent in the Southeast and by CESD in New York and Los Angeles.

Earlier this year, Tucker received an audition request from the casting director of “The Santa Con,” which is directed by and stars Melissa Joan Hart of “Melissa and Joey” and a host of recognizable actors and actresses from television, including Barry Watson of “Hart of Dixie,” Scott Grimes of “Party of Five,” John Ratzenberger from “Cheers,” Jaleel White from “Family Matters” and Melissa Sagemiller of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.” “‘The Santa Con’ filmed in Connecticut, so we were fortunate that he was asked to send a taped audition,” Lani said. “As with every audition, Tucker works hard and has a lot of fun, but once it’s submitted, we rarely give it another thought.”

That “submit it and forget it” attitude is part of the Meeks’ efforts to keep Tucker grounded, Lani said.

The Meeks were on vacation when they got the call that Tucker had won the part of Billy in “The Santa Con,” which has already been listed by the New York Times as one of the top five holiday movies to watch this

year.

“We packed up and headed to Connecticut for several weeks for filming,” Lani said. “Tucker’s younger brother, Hudson also has a small part in one of the scenes.”

Tucker said his favorite parts of starring in “The Santa Con” were being on the movie set and making lots of new friends.

He said he was also impressed with the behind-the-scenes magic that happens during a film.

“It’s really cool to see how they film each scene from different angles and what the movie looks like when it’s edited together,” he said.

Tucker said he also learned a lot about special effects while filming the holiday tale. “‘The Santa Con’ takes place during December. We filmed it during the summer, so it was really hot,” he said. “But when you use special effects, you can make it snow in July. How amazing is that?”

When Tucker wasn’t filming, the Meek family spent their downtime exploring Connecticut and the New England region.

“The northeastern corner of the U.S. is absolutely beautiful, and (Tucker and Hudson) made several new friends and learned a lot during our adventure,” Lani said.

Tucker’s acting adventure is rolling full steam ahead and with the full support of his family.

“As long as it’s fun to Tucker, we’ll support him. He is learning things like poise, confidence and how to get up and talk in front of a crowd. These are things he will use no matter what he does in the future,” his father, Derek, said.

For more information on Tucker’s adventures in acting, visit his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/TuckerMeekActor or visit www.IMDB.me/TuckerMeek. ❖ Tucker Meek, a Vestavia Hills third-grader, is making his film debut in “The Santa Con” this weekend on Lifetime Television.

Tucker plays Billy opposiste Barry Watson as a not-so-nice Santa Claus, below, in the Lifetime Television movie directed by Melissa Joan Hart.

Photos special to the Journal courtesy of Lifetime Television

Vestavia Third-grader Stars in Lifetime Holiday Movie

Next year, audiences will see the young thespian flex his acting chops in scenes with Robert Redford and Emma Thompson as he plays their grandson in “A Walk in the Woods.”

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Inquiring Mind

people

Thursday, December 11, 2014 • 15

Rhodes Scholar Says He Learned ‘Constant Curiosity’ at Oak Mountain A graduate of Oak Mountain High School was recently elected to the Rhodes Scholar Class of 2015.

Ameen Barghi, a student at the University of Alabama, was the third UAB student since 2000 named as a Rhodes Scholar.

The 2015 competition began with a pool of 877 applicants nominated by their colleges and universities across the nation. Recently, 256 of those students were interviewed in groups of 16 in 16 separate districts. Two winners were chosen from each group.

Each applicant was questioned for 20 minutes by a seven-person committee. After nearly three hours of deliberation, the committee announced the two District 7 winners: Barghi and Jane Darby Menton, a Yale University student from Florida.

Barghi, 22, began his work at UAB as a hospital volunteer in 10th grade and then joined the lab of Edward Taub, a world-renowned behavioral neuroscientist in UAB’s psychology department in the UAB College of Arts and Sciences.

“He just opened his door to me,” Barghi said. “I had the opportunity to learn clinical neuroscience at its finest. I’m getting experiences at UAB that kids from the best institutions around the world can’t get.”

Taub said Barghi is “as good as my graduate students.”

“He will be a first-class scientist.

He excels in almost everything – reasoning, strong application, and a firm sense of how to get things done and how to approach people,” Taub said.

Barghi was admitted to UAB’s Early Medical School Acceptance Program, which gives highly-qualified students an enriched undergraduate experience, with promised admission to the UAB School of Medicine after successful completion of undergraduate work.

Barghi is a double-major in the

Ameen Barghi, a graduate of Oak Mountain High School and a student at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, was recently named a Rhodes Scholar. Photo special to the Journal

undergraduate neuroscience program and is working toward an individually-designed major in translational research. He is enrolled in the UAB Honors College in the science and technology honors program as well as the business honors program at the UAB Collat School of Business.

Barghi has a 4.0 grade point average and won a Goldwater Scholarship as a sophomore.

“We wish Ameen every success as he pursues his Doctor of Philosophy degree in clinical neuroscience at Oxford next October,” said UAB President Ray Watts. “He exemplifies the passion and excellence we seek from every student at UAB – undergraduate, graduate and professional.”

Barghi said he credits Amanda Bittinger, his Oak Mountain High School calculus teacher and math team coach, for his intellectual awakening.

“She instilled this constant curiosity, this constant passion,” Barghi said.

“She taught us that even if you get an answer, you still need to know why. I still use that framework in everything I do. Before that, my goals had just been utilitarian – I tried to circle the answer as soon as possible.”

Questions for Barghi from the Rhodes selection committee included explaining the physics of magnetic resonance imaging, describing neuroplasticity, naming his favorite composer from his freshman music appreciation class, discussing business/corporate ethics and more.

Barghi said the music class actually focused on the Beatles, and he chose John Lennon after watching the movie “A Hard Day’s Night.”

The Rhodes Trust profiles of the American Rhodes scholars-elect for 2015 include this description of Barghi: “… Ameen is also active in community programs relating to substance abuse, on a crisis line, in blood drives and hospital clinics. He speaks Azari and Farsi and has also done healthrelated work in Azerbaijan and Iran.

He has also, for five years, worked intimately with the low-income community of Bessemer, Alabama. He is interested in developing clinical imaging systems and software technologies that could allow for earlier diagnosis of progressive diseases.”

Carl McFarland, a professor of psychology and co-director of the Undergraduate Neuroscience Program, said Barghi is unusual.

“What he has over every student I’ve ever known – graduate or undergraduate – is a confidence that is off the chart. When he talks to distinguished scientists, he is not intimidated,” McFarland said.

UAB’s previous Rhodes winners are Neelaksh (Neel) Varshney in 2000 and Joshua Carpenter in 2012. ❖

OUR 117TH YEAR BIRMINGHAM TRUNK

People Notes Homewood’s Dudley Wins UAB Alumni Award A Homewood resident was among eight people honored recently by the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Health Professions.

Princeton Baptist Chief Operating Officer Sarah S. Dudley received the UAB School of Health Professions’ Young Alumni Sarah S. Dudley Achievement Award during the inaugural Alumni Awards Ceremony in October.

Dudley, a 2010 graduate of the UAB Master of Science in Health Administration program, is the youngest person to hold the title of COO at Princeton Baptist Medical Center.

Princeton, a 92-year-old institution, is the flagship hospital for the Baptist Health System in the greater Birmingham area.

Dudley’s first position with Princeton was as director of operations and business development in 2010. She became assistant administrator in 2012 and has been COO since February.

Byrd Will Lead Auburn Alumni Association A Mountain Brook man has been named the new vice president of the Auburn Alumni Association.

Beau Byrd, a partner in the Birmingham office of Bradley Arrant Boult Cummings LLP, graduated from Auburn University in 1989 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting.

After graduating from Auburn, Byrd attended the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University, where he is an adjunct professor.

He is a fellow of the American College of Mortgage Attorneys and a

member of the Professional Advisory Board of Auburn University’s Masters of Real Estate Development program.

Byrd is a past president of the NAIOP Alabama Chapter, a commercial real estate development association, and is the former chairman of the Real Property, Probate and Estate Section of the Alabama State Bar. He is listed in “The Best Lawyers in America” and “Chambers USA.” Byrd and his wife, Kathy, have two sons–Walker, a junior at Auburn, and Carter, a junior at Mountain Brook High School.

Byrd served on the Auburn Alumni Association board of directors from 2010-2014, chairing the scholarship committee from 2012-2014. He is also a past president of the Greater Birmingham Auburn Club.

The Auburn Alumni Association is a 44,000 member-based nonprofit organization funded by membership contributions, individual donations and corporate sponsorships.

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16 • Thursday, December 11, 2014

life

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

No Place Like Home Johnson’s Books Draw on His Over the Mountain Childhood

By Keysha Drexel Journal editor

city, Bob has come to know buildings personally, as if they were beings with feelings and flair,” White said. “The result of his talent meeting the classic nature of Birmingham is a book that will surely be passed down through generations to come. It’s that special.”

The idea for the book was born out of a conversation between White and Moody a couple of years ago, Moody said.

“Marjorie and Jim White were over one Sunday afternoon, and Marjorie knew that I had been saving slides and scans of my watercolors for the last 50 years, and I half-jokingly told her I would give her all the images and she could do a book for the Birmingham Historical Society,” Moody said. “The hard work of figuring out the order and which ones to include was all done

by Marjorie and her committee. It’s been a fun project.”

This is not Moody’s first book of watercolor art. He and his wife, Rebecca, collaborated on a book featuring Alabama churches and followed that up with “The Church Triumphant,” a book on English churches.

“The Church Triumphant” found a royal audience when Moody was asked personally to present it to Queen Elizabeth and the Archbishop of Canterbury at the 50th celebration of the Historic Churches Preservation Trust at St. Bartholomew’s Church in 2003.

The new book is printed on Japanese art paper. Its cover features a painting Moody created from what he saw standing behind Vulcan and peering out over the city.

The subjects in the book range from a 1967 view of Terminal Station to Sloss Furnaces and Morris Avenue’s Peanut Depot. The Lyric

The landscape, language and characters in a series of award-winning novels for youngsters might sound familiar to Over the Mountain readers.

That’s because the Blackwater Novels written by Mountain Brook native Allen Johnson Jr. are his love story to the places and people that shaped his childhood and continue to inspire his writing.

“This whole series is about trying to get back to my boyhood because I loved every minute of it, and my childhood had a loving cast of characters that show up in my writing more and more,” the 78-year-old said. “I tell people that I’m a pretty good writer, but I was a genius at being a boy, and that’s what these books are about, really.”

The Blackwater Novels, set partly in Over the Mountain locales, recently won the 2014 Moonbeam Children’s Book Award, which recognizes books that not only celebrate the joys of childhood but also help kids and families deal with its challenges.

“The Blackwater Novels show the joys and perils of growing up in the great outdoors in the South during the 1930s,” Johnson said. “They also emphasize the warmth of belonging and the love that existed between the good people of both races.”

The books – “My Brother’s Keeper,” “The Dead House” and “A Nest of Snakes” – follow the struggles of identical twins who were orphaned and separated as toddlers. One lives with an abusive aunt in Tennessee and runs away to the fictional Blackwater Swamp, and the other has been adopted by an affluent couple who live near the very real city of Birmingham.

The hero of the books, Johnson said, is a character called Linc, a reclusive black man who lives deep in the fictional Blackwater Swamp and who helps the twins during their adventures – and misadventures.

And while Johnson said readers won’t find any subtly-nuanced adult sophistication in the books, he knew he could not write a book about life in the South without examining racial relations.

“Look, racial stuff is woven into the fabric of the South, but my goal wasn’t to get up on a soapbox,” Johnson said. “The Blackwater Novels confront head-on the problem of racial bigotry that existed at that time, and to do otherwise would not have been authentic.”

And one of Johnson’s main goals in writing the books was to be authentic.

“For part of the setting of the books, I used the home of my grandfather, P.J. Shook, my mother’s father, who settled Shook Hill Road,” he said. “Writing these books took me back there and brought up all those wonderful memories of being a young boy in Mountain Brook.”

Johnson said writing the book allowed him to experience again all the fun things about being a boy.

“It really took me back, and I remembered things like being chased out of Gilchrist Drugs

by Dr. Gilchrist and roaming all over Cherokee Road and behind Mountain Brook Elementary

See moody, next page

See johnson, next page

Painting the Town Bob Moody’s New Book Captures Birmingham in Watercolor

By Keysha Drexel

A

Journal editor

book recently published by the Birmingham Historical Society chronicles a Mountain Brook artist’s half-century love affair with the Birmingham metro area.

Released in late November, “Bob Moody’s Birmingham–A City in Watercolor” features 107 watercolor paintings of iconic buildings and scenes created by the former graphic designer, architect, NASA artist and Mountain Brook City Council member.

Moody said he painted many of the watercolors featured in the book as part of the work of the architectural firm he founded in 1974, Moody and Associates, which was headquartered in the building that today is the home of Highlands Bar and Grill.

But the 83-year-old Boaz native said his love of Birmingham goes back further than that.

“When I was 3 years old, I came to Birmingham for the first time to have my tonsils taken out,” he said. “I didn’t get to call this my home until I was 35, but I already had an emotional attachment to the community.”

Moody said that attachment only grew through his work with John Lauriello, principal of Southpace Properties. The duo spearheaded the downtown revitalization movement long before it was cool.

“I worked with John to take historic buildings and restore them, and we’ve worked on more than 40 downtown buildings together over the last 35 years,” he said.

Moody said he’s been involved with the Birmingham Historical Society for longer than

Bob Moody, above, works on a painting in the studio at his Mountain Brook home. The former graphic designer, architect, NASA artist and Mountain Brook City Council member will hold a book signing for “Bob Moody’s Birmingham–A City in Watercolor” Dec. 12 at Little Hardware in English Village. Moody captured a scene from a Mountain Brook Christmas parade, top, in this watercolor featured in the new book. Photos special to the Journal

he’s been working with Lauriello to preserve Birmingham’s rich architectural heritage.

“Fortunately, I’ve been able to do the things I really love to do and that I’m passionate about,” Moody said. “I guess I have inadvertently become a historian through those things that mean a lot to me.”

Moody’s affection for Birmingham is evident on every page of the new book, said Marjorie White, director of the Birmingham Historical Society.

“Through a decades-long romance with our

johnson,

From previous page

School with my friends,” he said. “I had the good fortune of growing up with the space and freedom to be outside, have adventures, explore and get into trouble. A boy’s purpose in life is to have fun, and the tantalizing possibility of getting into trouble added spice to that purpose.”

Johnson said his childhood in Mountain Brook also blessed him with a rich heritage of storytelling.

“I was lucky because I had a large, extended family, Southern family, and storytelling was an informal tradition in our family,” he said.

That family included his paternal grandfather, the late Crawford Johnson Sr., who in 1902 founded Crawford Johnson and Co., the predecessor company of Coca-Cola Bottling Co. United, with a single employee, a wagon, a mule and a 25-by-50 foot space at First Alley and 24th Street in Birmingham.

Johnson was just 6 years old when Crawford Johnson Sr. passed away but said his grandfather’s legacy plays a major role in his childhood memories.

“Boyhood was a verb in my day, and after chasing, wrestling and exploring in the woods, we would come in and guzzle three or four Co’Colas, as we called them,” he said. “I remember my grandfather as a sweet man and a smart man, and as I grew older, I realized what a visionary he was.”

Johnson said the impact of the narrative of his childhood on his career as an author can’t be understated.

“I grew up with people telling stories around me, so that’s what I view myself as, really, a storyteller,” he said.

On the way to becoming a professional storyteller, Johnson had several other titles.

After graduating from boarding school up north, Johnson said he headed south as fast as he could and enrolled at the University of Alabama.

“That’s where all my old Mountain Brook buddies were going to school, and I got into a fraternity there and spent a couple of years drinking beer before that got too boring and I wanted to quit school,” he said.

But Johnson’s parents persuaded him to stay in college and suggested he try taking classes at the University of Geneva.

“My French wasn’t really good enough to handle the courses, and it was during the Hungarian uprising there, so after about 6 months, I

moody,

From previous page

Theatre, 16th Street Baptist Church, Oak Hill Cemetery, English Village and Mountain Brook’s Old Mill are just a handful of the iconic places captured in Moody’s watercolors.

“Photographs of our buildings are one thing – Bob Moody’s treatments are another,” White said. “He paints skillfully with watercolors, yes, but the extra ingredient is the love he feels for each site. They are whispers of the relationship he’s had with Birmingham since he first visited in the 1940s – a relationship that, if

Thursday, December 11, 2014 • 17

life

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

came home and got a job on a yacht in Cuba.”

After that, Johnson became a farmer in Florida, growing Easter lilies and strawberries.

“Then one morning, I woke up and all of the strawberries were under water from a flood – and I had no idea we were even in a flood zone – and shortly thereafter, I was drafted into the Army and spent a year and a half in Germany,” Johnson said.

Following his military service, Johnson returned to school to pursue a degree in botany at the University of Miami.

“But that was short-lived. It turns

Allen Johnson Jr. called on the adventures of his childhood – including getting kicked out of Gilchrist Drugs in Mountain Brook – to write his award-winning novel series for youngsters. Photo special to the Journal

out that I was more of a creative type than a scientist.”

Johnson channeled that creativity for the next 23 years in Vermont where he helped found what is now called the Vermont State Crafts Center.

Johnson got serious about the guitar while he lived in Vermont but tried his hand at storytelling through music for the first time in the 1960s.

A traditional-style Christmas carol called “The First Christmas” that he wrote almost 50 years ago is included in the last book in the Blackwater Novels series.

“I did a lot of freelance writing at that time and studied jazz guitar. It was beautiful up there, but the winters were brutal, just really tough,” he said.

Eventually, Johnson made his way back to anything, has grown even stronger since that first flirtation.”

Moody said he’s happy that his work will help the Birmingham Historical Society’s efforts to preserve the city he loves.

“An interesting part of this is that John (Lauriello) got some friends together to pay for the (publishing) of the book so that the proceeds can go to the historical society,” Moody said.

The book is available for $35 at Gus Mayer, the Birmingham Public Library and online at amazon.com.

Copies will be available for purchase at a book signing event at Little

Alabama and lived in Birmingham for about 13 years before he and his wife, Jill, a native of the U.K., moved to Mercer Island near Seattle, Wash.

“The climate here in Washington suits my wife a lot better than the climate back home in Alabama,” he said. “You can take a Southerner out of the South, but you can’t take the South out of a Southerner.”

Like their Southern-raised father, Johnson’s three grown children – Colby, April and Ben – are also storytellers.

“All three of them are filmmakers, and that’s how they tell their stories,” Johnson said. “Ben lives here in Washington, April lives in nearby Seattle and Colby lives in New Orleans.”

Johnson said he gets back home to Alabama as much as he can and often visits Mountain Brook Elementary and other Over the Mountain schools to talk about his books, including “Picker McClikker,” a children’s book published in 1994 that he wrote while living in Alabama.

The school visits have also allowed Johnson to combine his writing with his other passion – jazz guitar.

“I started bringing my guitar along on the author visits, and the kids loved it and I loved it even more,” he said. “Some of the cutest and funniest things I’ve ever experienced happened during those visits.”

In 1999, Johnson’s friend Bobby Horton wrote a melody for a song called “The Ballad of Picker McClikker” and would perform the tune with the author during school visits.

“That song just blew me away, and that whole experience was just wonderful because it was like playing with your friend and being a kid again,” Johnson said.

And for Johnson, being a kid again through crafting the Blackwater Novels series has been like coming home.

“As you get older, your early days get clear, but you can’t remember what you did yesterday,” he said.

“You kind of circle around and meet yourself coming and going, and to get to go back and really think about what it was like to be 9 years old, well, it was just a great time.”

For more information on the Blackwater Novels series, visit BlackwaterNovels.com. ❖

Hardware in Mountain Brook at 4:30 p.m. Dec. 12.

Books can also be purchased at the Birmingham Historical Society’s website at bhistorical.org.

An exhibition of 65 of Moody’s paintings of the Birmingham area, including watercolors of Homewood, Mountain Brook, Forest Park, Redmont and Highland Avenue, runs through Jan. 4 at the Birmingham Public Library, 2020 Park Place.

Admission is free. ❖

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18 • Thursday, December 11, 2014

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OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

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Woody Norman conducted more than 20 interviews with William Jelks Cabaniss Jr. for his book, “William Jelks Cabaniss Jr.: Crossing Lines in His Business, Political and Diplomatic Life.”

The book follows Cabaniss’ career in business and politics and includes interviews with more than 30 of his friends and business and political associates.

Norman and Cabaniss said they are working now to schedule book signings.

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Bill Pearson of Hoover, left, presents a check to Melanie Jones, executive director of the Autism Society of Alabama. Photo special to the Journal

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Pearson Donates Award Money to Autism Society A Hoover resident who was one of three finalists for a national community service award recently presented the check he received for the honor to the Autism Society of Alabama.

Bill Pearson, a member and past president of the Autism Society of Alabama board of directors, was a finalist in the eighth annual Invest in Others Community Leadership Awards in the Community Service Award category.

He and the other finalists were honored at the Invest in Others Community Leadership Awards dinner in New York City in September.

The Invest in Others Charitable Foundation established the Community Leadership Awards to support the philanthropic and volunteer activities of financial advisors. Financial advisors from across the nation are nominated by their peers for exemplifying outstanding leadership qualities in the industry and actively volunteering to improve their communities and make a difference in the lives of others.

Pearson, who has lived in Hoover for 36 years, is a senior vice president financial advisor at Morgan Stanley.

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William J. Cabaniss Jr., left, holds a copy of his biography, which was written by Hoover resident Woody Norman, right. Photo special to the Journal

Taylor, Cosby Honored at Philanthropy Day The Association of Fundraising Professionals–Alabama Chapter hosted its 33rd annual National Philanthropy Day Awards Nov. 13.

The event honored individuals in the Over the Mountain and Birmingham metro areas for their commitment to philanthropy in the community.

Myrah Taylor, a 2014 graduate of Oak Mountain High School, was named Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy.

Thomas R. Cosby, formerly of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and the Birmingham Business Alliance, was named the 2014 William S. Roth Outstanding Fundraising Executive.

The Woodlawn Foundation was named Outstanding Charitable Organization at the awards program.

Hill Named Girls Inc. President and CEO A Forest Park resident has been named the new president and chief executive officer of a nonprofit organization serving girls throughout central Alabama.

Connie Hill started her new Connie Hil job with Girls Inc. of Central Alabama Nov. 3 after being hired by the group’s board of directors.

For the past four years, Hill provided training and technical assistance to many programs for homeless people.

Prior to her consulting work, Hill was executive director of Pathways, a nonprofit agency providing housing and supportive services to homeless women and children.

Hill has experience in nonprofit management, strategic planning, program development and evaluation.

She has a bachelor’s degree from Birmingham-Southern College, a master’s degree from the University of Alabama and a doctorate degree in government and politics from the University of Maryland.

“As a long-time member of the nonprofit community in Birmingham, I know the vital role Girls Inc. plays in improving the lives of girls and their families,” Hill said. “I’m honored to be chosen by the board of directors to lead an organization that works each day to give girls the skills to lead healthy and successful lives.”

Founded in 1938, Girls Inc. of Central Alabama is a Birmingham-based organization that served more than 8,300 central Alabama girls in 2013.

life

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Push to End Polio

Birmingham Rotaract Club Makes $10,000 Donation The Rotaract Club of Birmingham Foundation recently donated $10,000 to help eradicate polio.

In support of World Polio Day Oct. 24, the club made the donation to Rotary International’s End Polio Now Campaign.

The Rotaract Club of Birmingham has donated a total of $21,000 to End Polio Now, the largest cumulative donation to the campaign by any Rotaract club in the world.

Rotaract and Rotary clubs across the world have spent the last 25 years on efforts to end polio. Rotary began its fight against polio in 1985 and began a formal partnership with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention in 1988. Since that time Rotary has donated more than $1 billion to the polio eradication effort and has seen polio cases plummet by more than 99 percent by immunizing 2.5 billion children.

“The Rotaract Club of Birmingham wants to do its part to support the eradication of polio, because as long as polio threatens even one child anywhere in the world, all children – wherever they live – remain at risk,” said John Smola, Birmingham Rotaract Club president. “We hope our donation to End Polio Now will help in efforts to eradicate this preventable disease for good. As a part of the larger Rotary International network, the Rotaract Club works to make a lasting impact not only in the Birmingham community but across the world.”

As of this year, India has been removed from the list of polio-endemic countries. However, the remaining

Rotaract President John Smola, left, and Rotaract Foundation Board Member Bains Fleming.

Photo special to the Journal

one percent of infections is the most difficult and expensive to eliminate.

Partnering with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the End Polio Now campaign is focusing its efforts on

this final 1 percent. The remaining polio-endemic countries are Pakistan, Nigeria and Afghanistan.

The Rotaract Club of Birmingham was founded in 2004 to develop effective leaders and promote responsible citizenship.

The club’s membership includes young professionals who are deeply committed to playing key roles in serving communities locally, nationally and globally.

The Rotaract Club of Birmingham is one of more than 8,300 Rotaract clubs worldwide and is the largest community-based club in the world, with more than 250 total members.

For more information, visit www. birminghamrotaract.com. ❖

Thursday, December 11, 2014 • 19

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20 • Thursday, December 11, 2014

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OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Festively Formal

Debutante Club Honors 23 at Annual Heritage Ball

T

wenty-three young women were presented at the 2014 Heritage Ball last month.

The annual ball was held, according to tradition, the day after Thanksgiving at the Country Club of Birmingham.

The Birmingham Debutante Club honored the young women, who were presented by their fathers.

The Heritage Ball was directed by Millymac Shackelford, assisted by Kathy Pearce.

For the formal presentation, harpist Marsha Gunter provided music, and David Seale was the announcer.

The team from Buffy Hargett Flowers created an elegant setting for this year’s Heritage Ball with decor featuring shades of white and cream with accents of ice blue.

White peonies, tulips, calla lilies and garden roses set the tone for the elegant event. A ceiling full of oversized white helium balloons tied with satin ribbons and floral accents added to the festive theme.

Following the presentation, debutantes and guests danced to the music of the Atlanta Showstoppers under a canopy of lights and white paper lanterns.

Debutantes and their dates for the evening were Ann Anthony and Wesley Hazel, McKenzie Burton and Jamie Adams, Sarah Katherine Cole and Elliott Potter, Daphne Culp and Kevin Chen, Caroline Donald and Billy Hereford, Caroline Drew and Mitchell Lloyd, Lyons Durkee and Hudson Ratliff, Dorothy Estes and Winston Joe, Sara Frese and Michael Tortorici, Mary B. Garrett and Kendal Parker, Caroline Given and Brennan Peck, Alie B. Gorrie and Neal Buckley, Dabney Hofammann and Karl Hofammann, Ginny Luckie and Logan Rafield, Kathleen Patrick and Haas Byrd, Katharine Patton and Miller William, Madeline Reich and Blake Branning, Charlotte Sinor and Cole Preston, Patricia Stutts and Barr Miller, Marie Tucker and Guy Able, Helen Walker and Nicholas Saab, Eugenia Watkins and Charlie Hartley and Emily Yearout and Parker McAnnally. ❖

From left: Emily Yearout, Katharine Patton, Dorothy Estes and McKenzie Burton.

Charlotte Sinor, Alie B. Gorrie, Ginny Luckie and Madeline Reich.

Caroline Given, Helen Walker, Sarah Katherine Cole and Sara Frese.

Lyons Durkee, Ann Anthony, Caroline Donald and Kathleen Patrick.

Dabney Hofammann, Marie Tucker, Daphne Culp and Mary B. Garrett.

Caroline Drew, Eugenia Watkins and Patricia Stutts.

Photos special to the Journal by Dee Moore

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Fashion-forward Fundraiser

Assistance League Hosts Little Black Dress Event

Above: From left: Julie Converse, Pam Buck, Becky Smith, Darlene Negrotto and Melanie Barnes. below: Gwen Belle-Isle, Mary Ann Wade, Kylie Wade and Rochelle Simms. Photos special to the Journal

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Thursday, December 11, 2014 • 21

social The Assistance League of Birmingham hosted a fashionable affair recently to help raise money for its philanthropic programs.

The organization hosted its annual Little Black Dress Luncheon and Fashion Show Nov. 7 at Vestavia Country Club.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the PrimeTime Treasurers, Operation School Bell and Operation Literacy programs.

Event chairmen were Melinda Thornbury and Char Bonsack. They

were assisted by fundraising chairman Jody Dean.

Jan Service, past president, welcomed guests to the luncheon.

Attendees enjoyed lunch while admiring the latest fall and winter fashions presented by Harendy Gomez and Whitney Smith from White House Black Market.

Assistance League members modeling in the fashion show were Gwen Belle-Isle, Char Bonsack, Beth Clarke, Jody Dean, Barb Kelley, Rochelle Simms, Paula Verdu,

Kylie Wade and Mary Ann Wade.

Carol Carlson modeled clothes from the Assistance League thrift shop, Encore.

Paula Verdu won a silver necklace and earring set donated by James Avery.

Sandra Sweat Silver, Southern Natural Soap, High Fashion Designs

by T and Pottery by Sandra Annonia sold their wares with each donating a gift for a drawing for a lucky guest.

Nancy Harper provided piano music throughout the event. ❖

22 • Thursday, December 11, 2014

social

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

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The Charades Dance Club held its fall dinner party for members and their husbands or guests Oct. 19 at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

George Ann Parker, club president, and Susan Pitts, party chairman, members they arrived.

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Others on the committee assisting with the party were Lynn Smith, Rita Spencer, Nancy Stetler, Linda Stewart, Marsha Terrell, Susan Strickland, Lana Thompson, Janie Trammell, Rae Trimmier, Diana Turnipseed, Katie Dunn, Katy

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Attending the party with the committee members were Alton Parker, Wheeler Smith, Burr Spencer, Joe Stewart, Eddie Terrell, Harry Thompson, Bud Trammell, Steve Trimmier, Bill Turnipseed, Brad Dunn, Rick Sexton, Allen Weatherford and Carlos White.

Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres were served downstairs in the Hodges Room and the adjoining Rushton Garden.

Sampling mini crawfish tartlets and hummus crostini while socializing in a fall harvest atmosphere were Kathi and Roger Ash, Margaret and Eason Balch, Judy and Adrian Bewley, Camille Butrus, Gayle and Mike Byrne, Warren Cain, Betsy and Frank Canterbury, Anne Carey, Mary and Bobby Cobb, Carol and Jerry Corvin, Ellen and Russell Cunningham, Judy and Andy Daniel, Deanna and Timothy Davis, Anne Dawson, Enid and Bill Dean, Sara Lynn and Fox DeFuniak, Betsy Dumas, Louise and Durham Ellis, Carolyn Featheringill, Anne and Rick Finch, Diane and Tom Gamble, Claire and Pat Goodhew, Annie and Maurice Green, and Laurie Hayworth and Roger Mills.

The serving and dining tables upstairs in the Ireland and East Rooms were decorated with mums surrounded by gourds, pumpkins and fall leaves.

The buffet-style menu was prepared by Café Iz. Enjoying shrimp and grits, chicken jambalaya, creamed corn, green beans and bread pudding were Naomi and Kirk Cunningham, Lyndra and Bill Daniel, Beth and Rich Henry, Carolyn and Delmar Hill, Dale and John Holditch, Pam and Rick Kilgore, Carolyn and Walter LaGroue, Karen and Keith Lloyd, Barbara and Cliff Lynch, Joanie Miree, Carol Ann and Bob Moorer, Pat and Wimberly Miree, Josephine and Paul Pankey, Milner and Allen Phillips, Becky Powell, Mary and David Putman, Martha and Tom Roberts, Helen and Ty Robin, Becky and Doug Rollins, Madelon and Fred Rushing, Karen and Brant Sanders, Emily Scarbrough, Alice and Bob Schleusner, Marianne and Paul Sharbel, Lynn and Wheeler Smith, Patsy and Bob Staka, Karen and Charlie Watkins, and Kathleen and Ray Watkins. ❖

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Common Cause

Thursday, December 11, 2014 • 23

social

Christmas is a Time of Giving

Tide, Tiger Fans Team up to Support Reed Foundation Old Car Heaven was the place to be on Nov. 20 for the annual “Finish the Fight” Iron Bowl Tailgate Party.

The event supports the efforts of the Robert E. Reed Gastrointestinal Oncology Research Foundation.

Every year the “Finish the Fight” Iron Bowl Tailgate Party brings together hundreds of avid Alabama and Auburn football fans. For one evening, fans set aside their school loyalties to support GI cancer research at UAB, under the direction of Dr. Martin J. Heslin.

The 10th anniversary celebration was sponsored by Cowin & Co., Inc. Additional major sponsors were Mr. and Mrs. Don Logan, Maynard Cooper & Gale P.C., Hoar Construction and Hoar Program Management, and Alliant Group.

Corporate sponsors for the vintage cars on display at Old Car Heaven were ComplyMD LLC, the Morton Family, McWane, Inc., Realty South, Oakworth Capital Bank, Founders Investment Bank, Protective Life Foundation, White Plume Technologies, Vulcan Value Partners, Bradley, Arant, Boult, Cummings LLP, Willis of Alabama, Mr. and Mrs. James Bradford, ABC Polymer Industries LLC, Medical Properties Trust, Sirote & Permutt P.C., B. L. Harbert International, Mrs. Stratton’s Salads and McPherson Oil. Greg Curran, this year’s event chairman, was recognized for his leadership. Curran has served the foundation as corporate chairman and has been a loyal supporter for many years.

Bill Morton was recognized as the 2014 corporate chairman. Jeremy DiPiazza accepted the Lessley Oliver Hynson Award for outstanding corporate effort and commitment to the foundation.

An array of tailgate food was catered by CM Foodservices. The Cooper Trent Band provided music throughout the evening.

A silent auction featured artwork, travel packages, jewelry, children’s items and photography packages. ❖

ABove: From left: Elizabeth Jernigan, Kathi Ash and Tom Jernigan. below: Edmond Doss, David Faulkner and Lee Edwards. Journal photos by Julie Edwards

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24 • Thursday, December 11, 2014

social

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

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Above: From left: Margaret Shuttlesworth, Jason Turner, Sarah Duggan and Jennifer Cope. Below: Melissa Singleton and Ragan Cain. Photos special to the Journal

Honoring Homeowners

IPC Hosts Reception for Holiday Tour Participants Over the Mountain homeowners were recently honored for opening their homes to the public for the holidays.

A reception honoring the owners of the homes featured on the 65th annual Independent Presbyterian Church Holiday House tour was held Nov. 20 at the home of Paige and Carl Albright in Mountain Brook.

The Albrights’ home, a beautiful Georgian house filled with rugs from Paige’s nearby shop, Paige Albright Orientals, was the perfect venue to welcome guests, including committee members, former and current tour homeowners, architects, designers and decorators.

Guests enjoyed food prepared by Kim Martin of the IPC kitchen. Desserts, savory appetizers and fruits hand-dipped in chocolate were presented on silver trays.

Flowers complementing the colors of fall were on the dining table and mantels throughout the house.

Homeowners for this year’s tour are Jason Turner, Robert Listerman, Joey Pierson, Ragan Cain and Melissa Singleton.

Those spotted at the reception included Margaret

Shuttlesworth, the 2014 tour chairman, along with 2014 co-chairman Sarah Duggan and her husband, Charley.

Former tour chairmen Beth Adams, Amy McCain and Jennifer Cope were also at the reception.

Church members attending included Susan and Bob Barrett, Cathy and Barry Delozier, Rusty and Gina Boyd, Alice and Bob Schleusner and Betsy and David Middlebrooks.

Also spotted at the reception were house chairmen Ashley Inscoe, Georgia Miller and Ann Walthall.

The IPC Holiday House Tour will be from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Dec. 13 and from 1-5 p.m. Dec. 14. ❖

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Thursday, December 11, 2014 • 25

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The third installment of a party aimed at supporting programs for women and children was held at Iron City Birmingham recently.

The Women’s Fund of Greater Birmingham hosted the Smart Party 3.0 Oct. 16 to honor 10 local women involved in innovative work to improve the region.

The women honored at this year’s gala were Andrea McCaskey, Michele Elrod, Kathy G. Mezrano, Constance Burnes, Eileen Markstein, Dr. Farah Sultan, Carolyn Sherer, Louise Beard, Kay Bains and Susan Greene.

Presented by Regions, the party incorporated the latest in social media and crowd funding technology in a kind of online reinvention of the fundraising telethon.

Other sponsors of the event included EBSCO, Healthsouth, Altec, Inc., Bradley Arant Boult Cummings

Kramer, Michele Elrod, Bill Elrod, Valerie Ramsbacher, Tonya Jones, Jeanne Jackson, Emily Hess Levine, Mary Alice Kline, Sarah Duff, Ellen Miles, Charla Brown, Shelly Chattopadhyay, Purvi Shah, Paramita Roy, Dr. Pia Sen, Uma Srivastava, Nital Patel, Yvette Weaver, Hampton Stephens, Meredith Shah and Dina Jordan. ❖

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26 • Thursday, December 11, 2014

social

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Piano Performance

Becks Welcome Music Club Guild Members

holiday open house sale! through dec. 31st

The Mountain Brook home of Diane and Reb Beck was a warm setting on a cold day for a meeting of the Guild of the Birmingham Music Club.

A morning coffee and piano performance featuring Smith Williams and Dr. Lucy DeSa was held Nov. 14.

Nancy Canada and Michele Smith. Photo special to the Journal Program Vice President Nancy VanWanderham introduced the performers.

Performing together on one piano, Williams and DeSa played music from “Candide” and “The Nutcracker” along with renditions of Fats Waller’s “Ain’t Misbehavin’” and “The Saber Dance.”

Following the performance, Guild President Pat Grant presided at a business meeting and presented a $5,000 check from the Guild’s fundraising efforts to the Birmingham Music Club. BMC Executive Director Ron Bourdages accepted the donation.

Expressing appreciation for the gift, Wyatt Haskell, president of the BMC board, commented on the Music Club’s distinguished history and cultural contributions since it began in 1905.

Bourdages previewed upcoming programs for the 2015 BMC season. On Feb. 28 at 7:30 p.m., opera singers Terrance and Tiffany Bostic-Brown will perform with the Red Mountain Chamber Orchestra at the Clubhouse on Highland. Program sponsors are Wyatt and Susan Haskell.

On May 8 at 7:30 p.m. and May 10 at 2:30 p.m., “The Desert Song” will be presented at Virginia Samford Theatre. Kristin Kenning is directing the light opera. Performances will include a tribute to Edith and Robert Bauman, who met at a production of “The Desert Song” more than 50 years ago. Sponsors are Wyatt and Susan Haskell, Betty Healey, Patty McDonald and Judy and Edward Wiggins.

Chairman Nancy Jones encouraged attendance at the Guild’s Christmas party, “Prelude to the Holidays,” on Dec. 12 at First Partners Bank. Judy Anderson reviewed items that will be available at the Guild’s auction and fundraiser, “Rhythm and Muse,” at Vestavia Country Club Jan. 31.

Among members and guests attending the coffee and meeting were Shirley Brown, Anne Lamkin, Nancy VanWanderham, Linda Griggs, Martha Black, Elise Warren, Janis Zeanah, Tallulah Hargrove, Cheree Carlton, Audrey Cornutt, Heather Waldron, Theresa Griffin, Nancy Morrow, Lochrane Coleman Smith, Janine Goode, Olivia Weingarten, Liz Warren, Elouise Williams, Nancy Canada, Babs Simpson, Roberta Atkinson, Elaine Clark, Jane Ellis, Kay Clark, Kathie Ramsey, Sandra Holley, Michele Smith, Jeanne Bradford, Grace Norville and Judy Wiggins. ❖

Support for Scholarships More than 300 Turn out for Taste of Triumph Gala

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A recent event at Iron City gave those attending something to believe in as they helped raise money to support services for adults with developmental disabilities.

Triumph Services’ annual Taste of Triumph gala Nov. 6 raised more than $75,000 to support the nonprofit agency’s scholarship program.

All of the more than 300 guests who attended wore name tags showing their support of Triumph Services participants. The name tags read, “Hello, I Believe In…” and included

the name of a participant.

Guests enjoyed live music by the Jimmy and Laine Band and a beer and wine tasting by International Wine and Craft Beers. Iron City provided food for the gala.

The fundraiser also featured silent

Welcoming Young Writers NSAL Members Hear Students’ Presentations The warm fall colors of mums welcomed members and their guests to the Oct. 16 NSAL gathering at the Country Club of Birmingham.

President Mildred Allen-Taub greeted members and their guests, including Anne Russell, Celine Chenoweth Russell and Lisa Bolton.

Vice President Edie Barnes introduced Stuart Flynn, a professor at the Alabama School of Fine Arts. Flynn introduced three ASFA seniors–Dakotah Murphree, Elliott Emfinger and Julianna Schock–who each made a presentation of their writings to the group.

Flynn then answered questions from NSAL members on creative writing.

Those attending the event included Dr. Michael Meeks, director of ASFA, and Edith Bauman, Robert Bauman, Lisa Bolton, Peggy Carlisle, Lynn Russell Davis, Jane Hinds, Ruth Jenson, Nancy Jones, Melva Jones, Rayburn Jones, Marie Lewis, Miriam McClung, Jeannine McElroy, Libby Odom, Rebecca Rast, Mary Frances Reed, Catherine Rogers, Anne Jones Russell, Celine Russell, Dr. Carolyn Satterfield, Pat Southern, Sue Watkins and Janis Zeanah. ❖

Anne Jones Russell and Rebecca Rast. Photo special to the Journal

and live auctions.

Those attending included Charles Yeates, Seth Poole, Brooke Bowles, Joe Carter, Debbie Wilson and Sara Walker.

Others coming out to show their support of Triumph Services and its programs were Rebecca Hughes, Laine Poole, Alan Poole and Shea Bowles.

Also on hand for the celebration were Hayden Couch, Ashlon Schum, George Kakoliris, Alicia Virciglio, Deb Thompson, Nadine Early, Jeffrey Baer, Joy Mann and Julie Morrow. ❖

Shea and Brooke Bowles. Photo special to the Journal

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Raising the Roof

Event Benefits Rett Syndrome Research, Programs

Above: From left: Jennifer Dunn, Shena Birdsong and Ashley Greer. below: Eisa and Tonya Shunnara and Janet and John Issis. Photos special to the Journal

Thursday, December 11, 2014 • 27

social More than 325 people turned out for a recent fundraiser at LINC Point to help patients at Children’s of Alabama.

The SUKI Foundation hosted the second annual Raise the Roof for Rett event Nov. 1.

Proceeds will help fund research and therapy programs for Rett syndrome patients at Children’s of Alabama.

Rett syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder that predominantly affects girls and causes severe cognitive impairment, including loss of communication and fine motor skills, reduced growth, abnormal head growth and unusual breathing patterns.

The event included live music by Jarrett and Friends, dinner from Full Moon Bar-B-Que, dessert by Slice, complimentary drinks, a silent auction and a live auction hosted by Ken Jackson.

The SUKI Foundation was created

by Brian and Marie Bateh in honor of their daughter, Sarah Katherine,

who is known as Suki. She was diagnosed with Rett syndrome at age 2.

Those attending include Jennifer Dunn, Shena Birdson, Ashley Greer, Mirna Awaad, Sumar Awaad, Marlene Awaad, Christine Botthof, Cindy Crook, Jacqueline McLeod, Nikki Woods, Stacie Rohn, Eisa and Tonya Shunnara and Janet and John Issis. ❖

merry Christmas from your friends at OTMJ! Our next issue will be Jan. 15

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please make sure all information is correct, including address and phone number!

Being connected by sidewalks to great restaurants, art galleries and parks is driving home

Leda Mims, Adam Cohen and Joanna Ellard on the roof-deck of Liberty House

buyers downtown. “There’s a wave of enthusiasm, fueled by projects like Railroad Park, please initial andAdam fax back within 24 hours.

Region’s Field and a vibrant UAB campus,” says developer Cohen, currently reinventing if we have not heard from you by 5 pm of the Friday before the press date, Liberty House on First Avenue North, with views ofthe Red and the yourpanoramic ad will run as is.

We print paperMountain Monday.

Birmingham skyline. He and business partner Jim O’Brien of The City Scape Group reinvented Thank you for your prompt attention.

Athens Flatts on Second Avenue North. Leda Mims, an agent with ARC Realty marketing for Cohen, says, “When I explain what’s happening in this district, people want to hang out here.

There’s a great vibe.” Joanna Ellard, also with ARC Realty, says, “You know your neighbors, so there’s a sense of community you don’t always find in suburbs.” Cohen says that makes marketing a task of introducing this option to potential home buyers. “I tell people to come down here at 6 p.m. and see the scene on these streets. They don’t want to leave.”

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food

28 • Thursday, December 11, 2014

Photo demetrisbbq.com

Bake It and Take It

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Demetri’s BBQ Makes Playboy List A Homewood barbecue restaurant has made a prestigious list – but not for its pulled pork.

Playboy recently chose Demetri’s BBQ as its top breakfast spot in Alabama.

Culinary The magazine’s choices for Community 101 Best Breakfasts in America News and appear on its website, www.

Events playboy.com.

“If you’re a breakfast traditionalist, this diner/barbecue joint just south of Birmingham is the spot for you,” Jason Horn wrote on the website. “There’s no signature dish or unusual flavor combinations, just the most perfectly prepared omelettes, French toast and pancakes you’re apt to find in Alabama.”

Demetri’s BBQ, which opened in 1961, is owned

by Sam Nakos.

Cookie Swap Participants Put Their Best Treats Forward

By Donna Cornelius

Journal features writer

C

ookie swaps are a great way to go home with a plateful of holiday treats.

But they also can turn into occasions that remind participants of Christmases past – and help them create new memories.

Peter Northcutt of Inverness said he thinks about his mother when he’s whipping up cookies for Birmingham Bake and Cook’s annual cookie swap. He and his brothers grew up eating delicious mom-made food, he said.

“My love for cooking came from having a mom who was at home with us until we were in our early teens,” Northcott said. “We have German and English heritage, so she made dishes from both. She made everything from scratch.

“At holiday times, she had a sweet tooth, as I did. She would make every kind of pie and dessert. I learned to cook through her.”

Northcott is originally from Michigan but spent 15 years in Kansas City, Mo. He came to Birmingham about two and half years ago when his partner, Dr. Keith Gurley, became a professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, he said.

He’s a Realtor at LAH Realty’s Hoover office and a Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce ambassador. He’s also at home in the kitchen.

“I like all types of cookies,” he said. “Keith and I are vegetarians. We do eat cheese and eggs.”

Recipe for a Successful Cookie Swap,Page 30 Three Generations of Bakers,Page 30

Peter Northcutt of Inverness said he thinks about his mother when he’s whipping up cookies for Birmingham Bake and Cook’s annual cookie swap. He and his brothers grew up eating delicious mom-made food. Journal photos by Lee Walls Jr.

Cooking is “a tribute to traditions my mom helped me to love and enjoy,” he said.

Northcott said his association with Green also has inspired him as a cook.

“Because of Susan, I’m more active in my kitchen,” he said. “I pay more attention to detail, more attention to flavor and more attention to good ingredients.” ❖

Northcott said he got to know Susan Green, owner of Birmingham Bake and Cook, when her shop was on Valleydale Road. Green recently moved the store to Cahaba Heights.

“When Susan’s shop was on Valleydale Road, she taught cooking classes there,” he said.

“I would help her in the kitchen. This is my third Christmas with Susan.”

For this year’s swap, Northcott made his mom’s spritz cookies (recipe on page 30).

“Mom didn’t just make cookies with a few little sprinkles and with frosting slapped on,” he said. “They were like little pictures. They were gorgeous. She’d make little gingerbread men and hand-pipe the edges.”

This year, Northcott’s cookiemaking session was a poignant one.

“My mom died June 2,” he said.

“Before then, she’d pulled together all her favorite recipes, and my aunt put them into a file box for me. They’re all my mom’s original recipes. I’d look at them and say, ‘I remember this one.’”

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Park Avenue Café Opens At Artists on the Bluff in hoover Artists and art lovers have a new place to grab a bite to eat in Hoover.

Park Avenue Café at Artists on the Bluff is now open and serving breakfast and lunch.

The café is open Tuesday through Saturday from 7 a.m.-2 p.m.

The menu includes breakfast sandwiches, and for lunch, flat wraps, sandwiches and salads. Park Avenue Café also has a kids’ menu and serves a variety of hot and cold espresso drinks.

Park Avenue Café patrons can take in the artwork of Artists on the Bluff’s own resident artists featured in the café space.

Artists on the Bluff is a nonprofit organization supported by the city of Hoover and the Hoover City Schools system. The building on Park Avenue gives artists working studios, teaching areas and offices. The facility also houses the Soon-Bok Lee Sellers Gallery and the Artists on the Bluff Gallery.

Christmas on the Bluff, an annual holiday open house and art sale, is slated for Dec. 11 from noon9 p.m.

For more information on Park Avenue Café, visit parkavecaf.wix.com or call 719-1717. For more information on Artists on the Bluff, visit www. artistsonthebluff.com.

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Make-ahead Magic Christmas Brunch Recipes Let You Enjoy the Party

By Donna Cornelius

Journal features writer

Wesley Lassen, right, owner of the Cook Store in Mountain Brook Village, knows her way around the kitchen.

That doesn’t mean she wants to spend all her time there, especially during the holiday season.

“My philosophy is to use make-ahead recipes so I can enjoy the party,” Lassen said.

Pre-party prep is particularly useful if you’re hosting a brunch – lest you want to rise, shine and cook at the crack of dawn.

Lassen said her Frozen Cranberry Salad has become a brunch favorite for her family.

“It’s an easy do-ahead recipe,” she said. “It cuts great with a serrated knife.”

Even biscuits, the bane of many an inexperienced cook, can delight guests when they’re made with her simple three-ingredient recipe.

“These can be prepared ahead of time, cooked and then frozen,” Lassen said. “They’re a winner every time.”

Luscious Gruyere cheese grits are another boon for busy cooks. Put them together the day before your brunch and bake them just before serving, Lassen said.

She found the cranberry salad, biscuit and cheese grits recipe in “Magic,” she said. The Junior League of Birmingham’s cookbook has been a staple in most Over the Mountain kitchens since it was first printed in 1982.

Naturally, Lassen bakes and serves her creations in pretty pottery dishes from the Cook Store. butter in microwave. Add sour cream and flour to butter and mix. Drop batter into an ungreased mini muffin pan. Fill to the top. Bake for 25 minutes.

Makes 24 small biscuits.

Frozen Cranberry Salad Ingredients: 1 16-ounce can whole berry cranberry sauce 1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple, unsweetened and drained 1 8-ounce carton of sour cream ¼ cup confectioner’s sugar, sifted Mix all ingredients together and freeze in an 8-inch square pan. To serve, let stand about 15 minutes and cut into squares. Serve on a bed of lettuce.

Gourmet Cheese Grits Ingredients: 1 quart milk ½ cup butter 1 cup uncooked grits 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground white pepper 1 egg

1/3 cup butter 4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated ½ cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated Bring milk to boil over medium heat, stirring often. Add ½ cup butter and grits. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is about the consistency of oatmeal, about 5 minutes. Remove grits from heat. Add salt, pepper and egg, beating until well combined. Add 1/3 cup butter and Gruyere cheese. Pour into a greased 2-quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Can be made the day before and baked just before serving. Makes 10 servings.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together brown sugar, cayenne and black pepper in a small bowl. Arrange bacon slices in one layer on a large broiler pan and bake in the center of the oven for 20 minutes. Turn slices over and sprinkle evenly with spiced sugar mixture. Continue baking until bacon is crisp and brown, about 15-20 minutes, and transfer to paper towels to drain.

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Eggs Bluestein

Lassen got this yummy recipe— and the dish got its name—from her friend Jane Bluestein.

merry Christmas and Happy new Year!

OTMJ next issue will be Jan. 15

Call today to book your holiday part y with us!

Ingredients: 1 ½ tablespoons packed brown sugar Rounded ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper Rounded ¼ teaspoon black pepper 1 pound thick-cut bacon (12 slices)

Open Monday-Saturday 11am-2pm & 5pm-9pm 521 Montgomery Hwy, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216 • (205) 823-1505

Ingredients: 12 eggs ½ cup flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt To: ½ teaspoon pepper From: 16-ounce container of cottage cheese 1 pound sharp Cheddar cheese, Date: grated ½ cup melted butter This is ½ large onion, grated 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard Cayenne pepper Tomatoes Parsley

Jeremy Over The Mountain Journal, PHONE: 205-823-9646 FAX: 205-824-1246 November your ad proof from the over the mountain Journal for the nov 2014 issue. Please fax approval or changes to 824-1246.

please make sure all information is correct, inclu address and phone number!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 3-quart casserole dish with cooking spray.

Love what you give!

Sour Cream Biscuits

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt

Beat together eggs, flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Mix remaining ingredients and add to egg mixture.

Pour into casserole dish and top with two sliced tomatoes. Bake about 1 ½ hours. Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving. ❖

Sweet and Spicy Bacon

Give what you love...

Ingredients: 2 sticks of butter (no substitute) 8-ounce carton of sour cream 2 cups self-rising flour, un-sifted

Thursday, December 11, 2014 • 29

food

2841 Cahaba Road Mtn. Brook Village • 879-5277 M-F 10-5 • Sat 10-4 www.thecookstoremtnbrook.com

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.

30 • Thursday, December 11, 2014

food

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Recipe for a Successful Cookie Swap cookies,” Green said. “We have a broad definition of cookies that includes candy, bars and brownies.

Some people try out new recipes, and others make tried and true ones.”

Green asks participants to send their recipes to her ahead of time so that she can compile the recipes into a booklet to hand out at the swap.

“Sometimes people will call and say, ‘I’m not bringing that recipe – the cookies didn’t turn out,’” she said, laughing.

At the swap, Green asks each person to talk about his or her cookie.

“Some will say they just thought the recipe sounded good, and others will tell about the significance that particular cookie has had in their lives,” she said.

At the Birmingham Bake and Cook swap, everyone samples the cookies and then votes on a favorite. That cookie wins the People’s Choice award, the prize captured this year by Pat Short.

“The competition is fun,” Green said. “It’s kind of a lively rivalry.”

Then guests take cookies home, giving them a variety of treats to share with their families.

Green said the swap is usually held on the first or second Monday of November.

—Donna Cornelius

Three Generations of Bakers Maggie Czeskleba is an experienced Birmingham Bake and Cook cookie swap participant. She’s taken cookies to the event for the past four years.

Not bad for a 6-year-old.

Jamie Czeskleba, Maggie’s mom, said she learned about the swap from visiting Susan Green’s store when it was on Valleydale Road.

“It was about two minutes from our house,” said Jamie Czeskleba, who lives with her family in Oak Mountain. “We’d go in just to look around. The shop was so inviting, and Susan always remembered who we were.

“Maggie has a twin brother, and when they were 3 years old, I’d gone into the store to buy a pancake pan with bug shapes. Susan mentioned the

cookie swap, and I asked if kids could come.”

Green said she’d be happy to have Maggie at the swap.

“But she said both of us would have to bring a cookie,” Czeskleba said. “We pulled out recipe books, flipped through them to find recipes and had a great time baking together.”

Maggie, who’s a kindergarten student at Oak Mountain Elementary School, already has preferences when it comes to ingredients, her mom said.

“She knows the difference between golden raisins and regular raisins,” Czeskleba said.

The cookie swap has not only helped Maggie hone her culinary skills but has boosted her public speaking ability, her mom said.

“You have to stand up at the swap

Pat Short’s Traditional British Shortbread

Pat submitted her recipe in metric measurements. Susan Green’s Americanized conversions are included in parentheses.

Ingredients: 500 grams salted butter, softened (1 pound plus 1 ½ ounces) 200 grams golden caster sugar (8 ounces granulated sugar) 500 grams all-purpose flour (1 pound plus 1 ½ ounces) 250 grams cornstarch (9 ounces) Preheat the oven to 170 degrees C. (340 degrees F.) Using a large bowl and a wooden spoon, cream together the butter and sugar. Then sift in the flour and cornstarch gradually, mixing briefly between each addition until it binds together.

Flour hands and gently knead until smooth. Don’t overwork the dough.

To make dough easier to roll, wrap in cling film (plastic wrap) and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

On a floured board, roll out the dough to 5-6 millimeters (about ¼ inch) thick and cut into your chosen shape.

Place on baking sheets and cook for 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle with sugar and cool for 10 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

and talk about your cookies, so that’s helped Maggie learn to talk in front of people,” Czeskleba said. “It’s been a lot of fun for her.”

Czeskleba said her own grandmother taught her to bake.

“We have all her old recipes, and Maggie pulled out one for a sugar cookie,” she said.

For the past two years, Karen Czeskleba of Montevallo has joined her daughter-in-law and granddaughter at the swap.

“A lot of the same people come every year, so it’s like seeing family,” Karen Czeskleba said. “Maggie always seems excited about it. And we eat together before we go to the cookie swap.”

This year, Karen Czeskleba made oatmeal cookies with cranberries and almonds.

“You have to bring 48 cookies, so

I was looking for a recipe that made a large volume,” she said. “I thought the dried cranberries in these cookies made them more Christmassy.”

Thanks to Maggie, there’s little chance that the three generational bakers will ever miss the Birmingham Bake and Cook swap.

“She’s the one who always remembers it,” Jamie Czeskleba said.

“She can kind of sense when it’s getting close.”

—Donna Cornelius

Northcott Mace, he said.

Ingredients: 1 ½ cups butter 1 cup sugar 1 large egg 2 tablespoons milk 1 teaspoon vanilla ½ teaspoon almond extract 4 ½ cups flour ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking powder Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place oven racks apart to have two oven levels somewhere in the middle.

Thoroughly cream butter and sugar.

Add egg, milk, vanilla and almond extract; beat well.

Stir together flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture, mixing to a smooth dough. Do not chill!

Place dough into cookie press and press cookies onto ungreased cookie sheet. Add some colored sanding sugar to the tops of cookies if desired.

Bake at 400 degrees for 6 minutes (3 minutes on lower rack and 3 minutes on upper rack).

Makes 6 dozen cookies.

Karen Czeskleba’s Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies Ingredients: 1 cup unsalted butter 3/4 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup brown sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 ½ cups flour ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon nutmeg ¼ teaspoon cardamom 3 cups rolled oats 1 cup dried cranberries 1 cup white chocolate chips, optional 2/3 cup sliced almonds, optional Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugars until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla.

Combine dry ingredients and then add to butter mixture and stir until well blended. Add dried cranberries. Stir in white chocolate chips and almonds if using.

Drop by teaspoonfuls on parchmentcovered baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes until lightly golden.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

Spritz Cookies

This recipe was a favorite of Peter Northcott’s mother, Mary Ann Wright

Pat Short, who was visiting her sister in Birmingham, Ala., all the way from Birmingham, England, not only attended the Nov. 10 event but took home the top prize.

Cook’s note: Do a test cookie to see if the mixture needs more flour to function well in the cookie press.

Do not brown bottoms of cookies, so monitor oven temperatures.

Journal photo by Lee Walls Jr.

Birmingham Bake and Cook’s annual cookie swap had an international flavor this year.

Pat Short, who was visiting her sister in Birmingham, Ala., all the way from Birmingham, England, not only attended the Nov. 10 event but took home the top prize.

“Pat stops in to visit the store when she’s in town, and this year she happened to be here when we had the cookie swap,” said Susan Green, owner of Birmingham Bake and Cook.

This was Green’s sixth year to host the swap and the first since she moved her store from its Valleydale Road location to Cahaba Heights Village.

The event “really does help create community and create friendships,” Green said. “The same people usually attend, so there’s continuity there.”

About 30 people attended this year’s swap, she said.

“We had 22 kinds of cookies to taste, enjoy and judge. And everyone went home with lots of cookies, needless to say,” Green said.

The New England native said she’d never been to a cookie swap before she came to Birmingham and opened her store. One of her customers, Rita Wood, suggested the idea, Green said.

“Everyone is asked to make four dozen

For more cookie recipes go to otmj.com

Wright-King

Rita Cecil Sandner Wright and Hobart Amory King were married

Nov. 22 at the Cathedral Church of the Advent. The Very Rev. Dean Andrew C. Pearson Jr. officiated the ceremony.

The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Wright III of Birmingham. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Mark Steven King of Birmingham.

Given in marriage by her father, the bride wore a classic fit-and-flare gown featuring a sweetheart neckline with vintage embroidered Alencon lace over silk satin organza. The chapel-length train had a scalloped lace edging. The cathedral-length veil was borrowed from her cousin, Elizabeth Sandner Rich, and featured Alencon lace over tulle and scalloped lace edging on the base of the train. A beautiful bouquet of white peonies, tulips

and garden roses was gracefully tied with satin ribbons and pearl buttons, tucked with the handkerchief given to Cecil by her great-grandmother, Nim Smith.

Attending the bride as maids of honor were Virginia Carol Wright and Abigail Lynne Wright, sisters of the bride. She was also attended by her sister, Katherine Wright Gamble, as matron of honor. Bridesmaids were Margaret Richardson King and Adelaide Harling King, sisters of the groom, and Audra Britton O’Shields, Misty Ann King and Brittany Thomas Kelly. Mary Lynne Hennessy, cousin of the bride, was the flower girl.

The groom’s father was the best man. Groomsmen were George Gordon Crawford King, brother of the groom, along with Samuel Joseph

Emile Hughes, Hugh Samuel Gainer Jr., John Peterson Loftin, Douglas Shook Zeiger, Robert Benjamin Thomas III and James Sturgeon Christie. Joseph Edward Sandner V, cousin of the bride, was the ring bearer.

Ushers were Ross Barrett Gamble, Ballard Alexander Jones, John Phillip Sauer and Robert Alexander Wasson V. Carol Ann Phillips and Margaret Nim Phillips, cousins of the bride, served as greeters and program attendants.

Readers were Sally Wallace Sandner, cousin of the bride, and Nancy Adelle Burton.

After a honeymoon trip to New Orleans, the couple will live in Columbus, Ohio.

Crow-Pullen

a summa cum laude graduate of the University of Alabama, where she received a bachelor’s degree in food and nutrition and a master’s degree in human nutrition. She was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority as well as Omicron Delta Kappa, Mortar Board and Phi Eta Sigma honor societies. She was presented at the Beaux Arts Krewe Ball and the Ball of Roses. Miss Crow is employed at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn., as a registered dietitian.

The prospective groom is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Lyndell Pullen and Mr. and Mrs.

Walter Edward Korte of Metropolis and Mrs. and Mrs. Max Lee Korte of Crowne Point, Ind. Mr. Pullen is a graduate of Massac County High School and the University of Mississippi, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in finance and was a member of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. He earned a master’s degree in accounting from Belmont University. Mr. Pullen is employed with Asurion as a global inventory accountant in Smyrna, Tenn.

The wedding is planned for March 7 at Mountain Brook Baptist Church in Birmingham.

Wiggly, Whole Foods, Alabama Goods, Oak Street Garden Shop, A Little Something Boutique, Please Reply, Oli.O, and other fine foods shops in the Birmingham metro area.

Williamson also is a part of Bamawise’s sales and distribution team, which helps promote Alabama-based food companies and supports the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind.

Chutneys were brought from India to Western Europe centuries ago as luxury goods that enhanced the flavor of meats and provided a complement to cheeses and baked products. Today, chutneys are enjoyed around the world as convenient toppings that boost almost any dish’s complexity or create easy and sophisticated appetizers.

After years of making her signature Green Tomato Chutney for friends, relatives, and guests, Williamson is commercially producing her old English recipe for distribution to a wider audience.

In addition to her original product, Williamson has developed two other varieties –– Peach and Balsamic Red Onion.

Williamson said she was first introduced to green tomato chutney in 2002 while living in England. The country’s short growing season produced a surplus of green tomatoes, which were made into chutney and served with fish, chicken, pork, cheese and bread, among other items.

Williamson said her passion for food led her to create Holmsted Fines, which uses all natural ingredients, and that her compassion for people has led her to commit to donate 10 percent of company profits.

The “Committed to Give” movement

that she has started with Holmsted Fines works to save and/or improve the lives of people throughout the world who do not have the resources or ability to do so themselves, she said.

Williamson said she also is challenging other businesses to make the same pledge of contributing a fixed portion of profits to help those in need.

For more information, visit www. holmstedfines.com or contact Williamson at 914-9017 or holmstedfines@gmail.com.

open a store in Vestavia Hills along U.S. 31 where the vacant Pizza Hut and Ruby Tuesday buildings now stand.

The new store is part of an overall plan to redevelop Vestavia Hills’ portion of the U.S. 31 corridor, City Manager Jeff Downes said.

Earlier this year, the council approved a $1.6 million incentive agreement for a retail development center on 3.4 acres east of U.S. 31 where Sprouts will build its new store.

GBT Realty Corp., one of the nation’s largest retail developers, plans to revitalize the area commercially with other retail establishments. The commercial project dovetails with the city’s plans to build a new municipal complex on the west side of U.S. 31 on property near the Vestavia Plaza Shopping Center.

“The city of Vestavia Hills is excited about Sprouts Farmers Market becoming a part of our business community,” Downes said. “They are one of the hottest retailers, and their choice of Vestavia Hills as one of their few Alabama locations is flattering for all Vestavians. The site they have chosen will serve as a catalyst for further development along Highway 31 as well.”

The store is expected to open in 2016, Downes added.

Based in Phoenix, Sprouts is a smaller, specialty grocery store which focuses on fresh foods, produce, healthy foods and vitamins and supplement. It has more than 180 stores nationwide but plans to increase its presence in the South and in Alabama, where it also plans to build stores in Hoover, in the Brook Highland Plaza and in Huntsville.

––William C. Singleton III

Mr. and Mrs. Warren Baker Crow IV of Birmingham announce the engagement of their daughter, Caroline Milliken Crow, to Travis Michael Pullen, son of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Thomas Pullen of Metropolis, Ill. The bride-elect is the granddaughter of Mrs. John Mottley Milliken and the late Mr. Milliken of Bowling Green, Ky., and Mrs. Warren Baker Crow III and the late Mr. Crow of Birmingham.

Miss Crow is a graduate of Mountain Brook High School and

food news, From page 28

Red Diamond’s Warm-Hearted coffee Blend Will Benefit Children’s of Alabama Red Diamond has a new single serve product that will benefit Children’s of Alabama.

The coffee company’s Warm-Hearted Blend is now available in Walmart stores while supplies last. For every package sold, Red Diamond will donate 50 cents to Children’s of Alabama, up to $30,000.

“Red Diamond is excited to bring a unique coffee product to families who shop at Walmart,” said Dave Burke, Red Diamond’s executive vice president.

“Our products have been shared by families for more than 108 years, just as Children’s of Alabama has been sharing their world-class pediatric care with families for over a century. Children’s is a very special place.”

Red Diamond is one of the three oldest coffee, tea and food service companies in the United States continuously operated by the same family.

For more information, visit www. reddiamond.com.

Holmsted Fines Chutney Line Spreads to OTm Stores Holmsted Fines Chutney products are now being sold in the Over the Mountain area and across the Southeast.

The company’s owner is Chef Rebecca Williamson, a Birmingham resident who trained at Le Cordon Bleu London.

You can find Holmsted Fines Chutney at Western Supermarkets, Piggly

Thursday, December 11, 2014 • 31

Weddings & Engagements

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Chicken Salad Chick opens in HOmewood’s soho square Homewood’s SoHo Square will be the home of the second Chicken Salad Chick restaurant in the Over the Mountain area.

The company announced earlier this month that it will open a Homewood location this week.

The Auburn-based fast-casual restaurant opened its first restaurant in the Birmingham metro area in September at the Village at Lee Branch Shopping Center off U.S. 280 in Hoover.

Founded in Auburn in 2008 by Stacy and Kevin Brown, Chicken Salad Chick restaurants offer 15 original flavors of chicken salad along with soups, side salads and desserts.

A third location is planned for 2112 Seventh Ave. S. The Homewood restaurant will be at 1830 29th Ave. S. ––Donna Cornelius Sprouts Market Plans Store on U.S. 31 in vestavia hills Vestavia Hills officials recently announced plans to bring a Sprouts Farmers Market to the U.S. 31 corridor.

Sprouts Farmers Market plans to

Rehab Reality

by Jeff (Bonzo)

Tis the season.

The holidays...a time for families and friends to come together. The last thing

people want to think about during this time is addiction or alcoholism. However, the holidays often provide a setting where the toll of addiction on a loved one is glaringly apparent to all.

I liken it to that ugly Christmas sweater from your crazy aunt that everyone sees you wearing and just shakes their heads while saying, "Bless your heart."

At the same time the holidays and the resulting get-togethers are opportunities for loved ones to have an honest and meaningful discussion about addiction and/or alcoholism and to do something about it.

It’s time for the stigmas of addiction and alcoholism to end and give way to understanding.

Where am I going all this?

Simple. What better gift can you give to someone than the gift of sobriety? What gift can you find at Best Buy that will be longer lasting and used more often than genuine happiness and clarity? What better gift can more people enjoy than having a loved one back?

As the same gift is not appropriate for everyone, neither is treatment. At Bayshore, we tailor treatment to each individual client. With only six at time, we can do this. I hope the holidays find you and your loved ones safe and happy.

Happy Holidays from all of us at Bayshore Retreat!

850-687-6831

www.bayshoreretreat.com Destin, FL Healing water front setting Licensed & court approved

32 • Thursday, December 11, 2014

holiday cards

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

First row, from left: Advent Episcopal School: Chloe Smith, 3rd; Annikah Mishra, 4th; Taryn Billups, 3rd; Lucy Craig, 4th; Ascension Episcopal: Mary Christian Peters, kindergarten; Second row: Wyatt Farrell, kindergarten; Brookwood Forest Elementary: Aubrey Engel, 1st; Elizebeth Powell, 1st; Larson Jones, 1st; Cherokee Bend Elementary: Blayne Hannon, 3rd; third row: Daniel Carter, kindergarten; Mary Florence Lacy, 1st; Ellen Thorpe, 5th; Kathleen Webb, 5th; Madeline Frerman, kindergarten; fourth row: Merrill Hines, 1st; Julia Naftel, 1st; Quinn McDonald, kindergarten; Amelia Tynes, 5th; Creative Montessori: Calli Hontzas, 3rd; fifth row: Sienna David, 3rd; Olivia Vanlandingham, 3rd; Vivian Laslo, 1st; Crestline Elementary: Hartwell Higgins, 2nd; Alice Loveman, 2nd; sixth row: Ella Emblom, 5th; Libby Clegg, 4th; Liza Brewer, 3rd; Mary Lynne Hennessy, kindergarten.

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

holiday cards

Thursday, December 11, 2014 • 33

First row, from left: Crestline Elementary: Ann Derby Welden, 5th; Tiley Perrine, 2nd; Quinn Denson; Pearson Trammell, kindergarten; Mary Margaret Malatesta, 1st; Second row: Kate Methvin, 5th; Emmaline Stewart, 5th; Ann Elise Leonard, 2nd; Deer Valley elementary: Addie Bellizio, 2nd; Jesse Givens, 3rd; third row: Laasya Daasari, 1st; Liz Wang, 3rd; Lily Grace Denard, 3rd; Caitlin Scroggs, 1st; Laney Hunter, 4th; fourth row: Lilly Etheridge, 3rd; Edgewood Elementary: Ava Chiesa, 1st; Lorelai Bland, 4th; Riley McCullars, kindergarten; Zoe Winslett, 4th; fifth row: Harper Keenan, 2nd; Meredith Maxwell, 5th; Josh Colvert, kindergarten; Henry Erickson, 5th; Evan Smiley, 3rd; sixth row: Haley Callaham, 5th; Taylor Rose, 5th; Carson Jarmon, 3rd.

34 • Thursday, December 11, 2014

holiday cards

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

First row, from left: Green Valley Elementary: Jonathan Figueroa, 5th; Sophie Temple, 3rd; Jhayla Barnes, 4th; Sophia Sansbury, 5th; McKenzy Stribling, 3rd; Second row: Sabrina Thornton, 4th; Greystone Elementary: Grace Schifer, 4th; Macie Thompson, 4th; Talan Smith, 2nd; Patrick Bishop, 4th; Alicia Walker, 4th; third row: Vickie Kim, 4th; Gwin ELEMENTARY: J.T. Austin, 4th; Sam Bachrach, 4th; Eduardo Garcia-Perez, 3rd; Kamdyn Berryman, 3rd; Jake Hatch, 4th; fourth row: Wyatt A. Elliott, 5th; Mary Carlisle Dotwiler, 3rd; Jaden Wilhite, 3rd; Highlands School: Olivia Altamirano, 5th; Taylor Boyen, 5th; fifth row: Ava Lefkovits, 3rd; Francie Bodnar, 5th; Tess Barton, 1st; Matt Kuwica, 2nd; sixth row: Inverness Elementary: Alejandro Venzor Moran, kindergarten; Ana Lynn Hagood, 3rd; Conner Dennis, 2nd; Gwyneth Strong, 1st.

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

holiday cards

Thursday, December 11, 2014 • 35

First row, from left: INVERNESS ELEMENTARY: Crowder Smith, 1st; Aldyn Falkenberry, 2nd; Darcy Bearden, 2nd; Peyton Parkinson, 3rd; Melisa Monroy-Ramirez, 3rd; Second row: Lilly Skates, 2nd; Joseph Bruno Montessori Academy: Anna Grace Trembly, 1st; Zara Siddiqui, 3rd; Sophia Bacik, 2nd; Yasmine Ferzli, 1st; third row: Mountain Brook Elementary: Bay Matthews, 5th; Gili Weintraub, 4th; Julia Mather, kindergarten; Mary Carlon Feagin, 1st; Sarah Beth Cowart, 4th; Fourth row: Cate Cooper, 4th; Howell Fell, 4th; Lillian Still, 5th; Erin Gilbert, 3rd; Eva Jane Worthen, 1st; fifth row: Charlie Wellman, 4th; Olivia Stanley, kindergarten; Becker Mayor, 2nd; Drue Perkins, 2nd; Sophie Hicks, 1st; sixth row: N.E. Miles Day School: Alexis Rothenberg, 4th; Esty Friedman, 5th, Lila Fleisig, 1st.

36 • Thursday, December 11, 2014

holiday cards

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

First row, from left: Oak Mountain Elementary: Natalie Fixler, 3rd; Ruby Busenitz, 3rd; Margaret Slovensky, kindergarten; Thomas Spina, 3rd; Drowdy Hackbarth, 3rd; Second row: Lily Head, 2nd; Payton Coggin, 3rd; Lily Sullivan, kindergarten; Jo Jo Miller, 1st; Jessica Towe, 3rd; Oak Mountain Intermediate School: Briahanna Patton, 4th; third row: Joshua Jallah, 5th; Hope Miller, 4th; Libby Jackman, 5th; Kate Murray, 4th; Madison L’Hoste, 5th; Merrin Tommie, 4th; fourth row: Our Lady of Sorrows catholic School: Emma Claire Jordan, 3rd; Brodie Vicinanzo, 3rd; Grace Smith, 2nd; Hannah McMillan, kindergarten; Victoria Ryan, 2nd; fifth row: Lyla Douglas, 1st; Jordan Madison, 2nd; Luca Demartini, 2nd; Our Lady of the Valley catholic School: Virginia Bach, 2nd; LilyAnn Neumann, 4th; sixth row: Abigail Buttrey, 5th; Prince of Peace Catholic School: Cassy Satchwell, 4th; Drea Santagata, 4th; Joseph Lilley, 4th.

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

holiday cards

Thursday, December 11, 2014 • 37

First row, from left: prince of peace catholic: Grace Horton, 5th; Hope Lacy, 4th; Ella Kate Kappler, 1st; Nina Murray, 2nd; Marjorie Kingsmore, 6th; Second row: Rocky Ridge Elementary: Alex Baskin, 5th; Amanda Vogel, 4th; Bella Hatcher, 3rd; Hadley Carter, 3rd; Scarlett Daibes, 4th; Taylor Straate, 5th; third row: Shades Mountain Christian: Sarah Ford, 5th; Dakarai Bolden, 2nd; Sarah Grace Henderson, 5th; Niles Daniel, 4th; Shades Mountain Elementary: Caroline Whisenhunt, 5th fourth row: Elizabeth Baty, 3rd; Kayla Scott, 5th; Evan Hemphill, 5th; Madison Lee, 5th; fifth row: Southminster Day School, Aimee Lavalellet, 5th; Madeline Splawn, 2nd; Ansley Meadows, 4th; Timothy Lily, 2nd; Haley Miller, 5th; sixth row: Connor Robinson, 4th; Spring Valley School: Caleb Whatley, 4th; Haley Goode, 3rd.

38 • Thursday, December 11, 2014

holiday cards

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

First row, from left: Spring Valley School: Nix Wood, 4th; Vestavia Hills Elementary Central: Brantley Newsome, 5th; Audrey Trimm, 4th; Cameron Walker, 5th; Conley McCormick, 4th; Second row: Haley Armstrong, 4th; Ella Clae, 4th; Harper Craft, 4th; Maggie Phillips, 5th; Lucas Frith, 5th; third row: Marley Jackson, 4th; Kimberly Ramos Perez, 4th; Lane Cullighan, 5th; Rachel Defore, 5th; Mackenzie Merrill, 4th; fourth row: Vestavia Hills Elementary Liberty Park: Catherine Largent, 5th; Abigail Loftin, 4th; Charlee Spencer, 3rd; Khadijah Raquib, 2nd; Christopher Khalaf, 4th; fifth row: Dina Dauphin, 3rd; Kristen Green, kindergarten; Morgan Waltman, 2nd; Lauren Christian, 2nd; Vestavia Hills Elementary West: Alex Pepke, 2nd. sixth row: Amelia Grace Stewart, 3rd; Annalise Jacobus, 2nd; Charlotte Hottle, 2nd.

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

holiday cards

Thursday, December 11, 2014 • 39

Our Favorite Tradition

For more than 22 years, we’ve enjoyed sharing the art of the talented Over the Mountain students in our annual Holiday Cards issue. All of the schools in our area were invited to participate again this year and the schools that did are represented.

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First row, from left: Vestavia HILLS Elementary West: Brooke Mitchell, 3rd; Sara White, 2nd; Savannah Basgier, 2nd; Second Row: Erin Darnall, 3rd; Sophia Meacham, 3rd; Henry Strand, 3rd; Third row: westminster School, Campbell Merk, 4th; David Haskins, 5th; Lillian Gourley, 4th; Fourth row: Mary Ellis Alley, 4th; Macy White, 5th.

iew v d l or lty W u l c a a ic ed F Bibl fi i l a ogy l u o Q n ly ech T High n is o s a h tics p e l m h t E AA 1 A A zes i S AHS ass l C l l Sma

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Shades Mountain Christian School smcs.org 205.978.6001 Call to schedule a tour!

40 • Thursday, December 11, 2014

schools

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

school environments. Rachel’s Challenge is based on the life and writing of Rachel Scott, the first victim of the Columbine tragedy in 1999.

est selections of Melissa & Doug toys in Vestavia, with more than 200 items at the store,” says Leslie Self, pictured above right with Carmen Clower, left, and Diane Clower, center.

The store also offers monogramming services and complimentary gift wrap.

Fancy Goods Variety is located at 2512 Rocky Ridge Road, Suite 102, Vestavia Hills, Alabama 35243, 978-1451.

A Wonderful Gift Item from Fancy Goods Variety

Fancy Goods Variety Fancy Goods Variety is a locally owned and operated variety store specializing in unique gifts, toys and party goods.

“We are very proud to feature one of the larg-

'Tis The Season To Buy Fancy Gifts at Fancy Goods Variety

Solmate Socks, made In the USA from recycled cotton and slightly mismatched, nine patterns available, $16.50.

SMCS Students Chosen for Leadership Forum

Members of the Friends of Rachel Club at Liberty Park Middle School in Vestavia Hills held a shoe drive to help those in need.

Photo special to the Journal

Liberty Park Club Collects Shoes to Help Others Members of the Friends of Rachel Club at Liberty Park Middle School in Vestavia Hills recently held a shoe drive to help foster children in Jefferson County.

Club members collected 214 pairs of new or gently-used shoes to help children in need this holiday season.

The club called the drive “Free the Shoes” with the idea of freeing their own closets of shoes that can be used by others.

Friends of Rachel, or the FOR Club, is part of Rachel’s Challenge, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to creating safe, connected

Two students from Shades Mountain Christian School have been selected to participate in a community-wide leadership program for high school sophomores and juniors.

Jesse Moore and Nicholas Burns, below, will be a part of the 2014-2015 Youth Leadership Forum of Birmingham.

The forum is made up of 44 students who have shown exemplary leadership in the classroom and community. Membership in the forum is a competitive process including a written application, interview and school recommendation.

Burns is a junior at SMCS and is the son of Felix and Cathy Burns.

Moore is a sophomore and is the son of Kevin and Judi Moore.

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OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Thursday, December 11, 2014 • 41

sports

Eighth-grade Football All Metro Players of the Year The eighth-grade football players named Metro South Players of the Year for 2014 were Josh Wallace, Mason Pronk, Daris Robinson and Kenyon Hines, Berry Middle; Jesse Kelley, Jack Henry Milligan, Peyton Rea and Peyton Wilson, Bumpus Middle; Larkin Williams, David Robertson, Logan Padgett and Wilson McCraw, Homewood Middle; Parker Turner, Diego Melendez, Josh Silverman and Andrew Tillman, Liberty Park Middle; Edward Cain, Michael Mancuso, Hamp Greene and James Burkett, Mountain Brook Junior High; Luke Percer, Jackson Kimbrell, Garrsion Frisch and Alex Burns, Oak Mountain Middle; Sean Smyth, Jalen Henderson, Rob Barrentine and Michael Kash, Pizitz Middle; Chris Sykes Jr., Levi McCree, Greg Russell and Brady Hopkins, Simmons Middle; Jonah Wright, Keegan Hudson, Hunter Stokes and Cedric Tooson, Bragg Middle; Devin Dale, DeMarcus Burris, Jaylin Mack and Courtney Braxton, Clay-Chalkville Middle; Daniel Harris, Antonio Reed, Christian Renda and Caden Kirk, Hewitt-Trussville Middle; and Shadrick Byrd, Eric Mizell, Derek Hussey and Caleb Ragland, Thompson Middle. Photos special to the Journal

Seventh-grade Football All Metro Players of the Year The seventh-grade football players named Metro South Players of the Year for 2014 were Harrison Barker, Richard Moses, DeQarius Hill and Manny Austin, Berry Middle; Codey Martin, David Bodden, Jeppa Kilgore and Wade White, Bumpus Middle; Michael Chapman, Jaihel Chavers, Nick Young and David Estrada, Homewood Middle; Will Brooks, Caleb Leak, Luke Mann and Eli Sawyer, Liberty Park Middle; Clark Griffin, Beau Hubbard, Crawford Golden and Alex Belt, Mountain Brook Junior High; Will Pfaffman, Zane Nelson, Jonathan Bennett and Luke Love, Oak Mountain Middle; Wilson Owen, Bo Coleman, Jermaine Harris and Cole Johnston, Pizitz Middle; Lawrence Hammonds, Cole Roberts, JaMari Buye and J’Marri McCall, Simmons Middle; Stephon Stanley, Dazalin Worsham, Bailey Parsons and Jayson Brooks, Bragg Middle; Leroy King, Jaylen Mitchell, Kelvin Slaughter and Damion Ward, Clay-Chalkville Middle; Evan Kirk, Tyler Mauldin, Malachi Moore and Logan Self, HewittTrussville Middle; and Sawyer Pate, Carson Hobbs, Jermel Gaiters and Jacolbi Jones, Thompson Middle.

Eighth-grade All Metro Volleyball Team

Front row, from left: Jewel Mealing, Taylor Burrell, Clay; Megan Swanzy, Hensley Green, Liberty Park; Presley Blaylock, Hanna Vines, Pizitz; Amelia Davis, Kate Smith, Homewood.

Middle: Kate Perry, Ellen Dulin, Mountain Brook; Trenity Wilson, Molly Cobb, Hewitt; Maddie Moss, Kaylin Warren, Oak Mountain; Riley Phillips, Savannah Pennington, Bragg.

Back: Madison Wright, Mikayla Touhey, Thompson; Grace Harris, Jade Skelton, Bumpus; Mallory Smith, Maddie Dease, Berry; Brook Hoven, Mackenzie Martin, Simmons. Coach of the Year: JoAnn Hollis, Simmons.

Photos special to the Journal

Seventh-grade All Metro Volleyball Team

Front row, from left: Thalia Oltmanns, Allison Kachkelhofer, Homewood; Payton Morgan, Charleigh Hager, Bumpus; Amelia Auchmuty, Ramey Medders, Simmons; Ann Vandevelde, Lauren Walston, Mountain Brook. Middle: Catherine Schaffeld, Anna Wood, Pizitz; Erin Denenberg, Lauren Price, Oak Mountain; Izzy Vidales, Ashley McDaniel, Hewitt; Sarah Barker, Taylor Harrington, Berry. Back: Maddie Crane, Andie Rivera, Liberty Park; Gracie Moon, Danilyn Moore, Bragg; Kennedy Foote, Sydney Latimer, Thompson. Coach of The Year: Tonnie Glover, Thompson.

Not Pictured: Kamryn English and Tylar Knight, Clay.

Look for the Journal’s All OTM Football and Volleyball Varsity Teams in January

Discover the Difference! view d l r o lty W u l c a a ic ed F Bibl fi i l a ogy l u o Q n ly ech T High n sis o a ics h t p e l m E Ath A 1 AA S zes H i S A lass C l l Sma

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42 • Thursday, December 11, 2014

sports

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Title run

Clockwise from left: Leonard Wood savors the moment with Hoover cheerleader Cassidy Sims; Alex Elam gets ready to stiff-arm a Prattville defender; Hoover players ready to accept their 7A State Championship trophy; Buc quarterback Jack Hutcheson looks for running room; A gatorade bath for Hoover head coach Josh Niblett; Prattville rallied for two late touchdowns to make the margin respectable, but the Bucs’ domination was never in doubt. Game MVP Marcus Webb follows the blocking of Nick Eldridge. More photos at otmj.com

Journal photos by Marvin Gentry

state champs, From page 44

Interestingly, Hoover coach Josh Niblett saw the victory as much more than another bluemapped piece of hardware to put in the alreadycrammed school trophy case.

“It’s not just about a state championship,” said Niblett, whose seven-year record with the Bucs is a Sabanesque 96-8. “It’s really about getting up every day and making the most of what we do. We talk to the kids every day about winning the day. What we did in the past or future isn’t the focus. It’s what we do for this game that matters. All we talked about this week was, ‘Let’s be 1-0.’ That means do all we can to be successful in the challenge ahead.”

Some may say that sounds like The Process.

Whatever you call it, the strategy worked.

Hoover took command almost immediately. With quarterback Jack Hutcheson at the controls, the Bucs marched 80 yards on 13

plays for a touchdown on their first possession. Hutcheson’s 7-yard pass to tight end Quincy Clark gave the Bucs a 6-0 lead with 5:37 remaining in the quarter. Hunter Schmith kicked the first of five extra points to raise the score to 7-0.

Prattville battled back. The Lions drove 78 yards into Hoover territory, facing a first and goal at Hoover’s 1-yard line. Prattville couldn’t pick up the yard needed for a touchdown in four plays as the Bucs’ defense produced an epic goal line stand. The setback may have taken a little steam out of the Lions.

After an exchange of punts, Hoover was knocking on the door again. Marcus Webb’s 26-yard scoring run gave the leaders a 14-0 margin with eight minutes to play in the first half.

The Bucs seemed on the verge of closing the deal early when Bradrick Shaw struck pay dirt from 5 yards out, giving his team a 21-0 advantage with just over two minutes remaining in the half.

Prattville may have been down, but the Lions weren’t out. Quarterback Keith Washington passed 50 yards to Seth Knotts for a touchdown to shave the lead to 21-7 with 1:24 on the clock.

At that point, Hoover used its own version of a hurry-up offense, traveling 80 yards in six plays to score. Shaw had runs of 20 and 8 yards, and Webb also ran for an 8-yard gain. The drive was climaxed by Hutcheson’s 41-yard touchdown toss to Leonard Wood in the final seconds of the half, bringing the margin to 28-7.

The Bucs turned more conservative in the third quarter, utilizing Webb and Shaw heavily on the ground to gain yards and run the clock.

Hoover’s offensive line, led by Chance Pruitt, Nick Eldridge, Ziggy Arledge and Alex Horn, opened large holes for Hoover’s strong running backs. Shaw’s 20-yard run elevated the margin to 35-7 with five minutes to play in the stanza.

Prattville rallied for two late touchdowns to make the margin respectable, but the Bucs’ domination was never in doubt.

Webb finished with 153 yards on 22 carries

to be named the game’s Most Valuable Player.

Shaw added 101 yards on 19 carries.

“There’s not enough I can say about them,” Niblett said. “They are two of the most unselfish players I’ve ever been around and two of the best competitors I’ve ever seen.”

Webb completed the season with more than 1,100 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns.

Hutcheson, a senior, completed nine of 15 passes for 150 yards and two scores.

Shaw said Webb was deserving of MVP honors.

“Marcus deserved everything he got tonight,” Shaw said. “Marcus worked hard all year. He gained weight in the weight room and changed his entire work ethic. Without a doubt, he’s a great running back.”

Hoover opened the season with two losses to out-of-state powers before rebounding for 12 consecutive victories. The question remains: Now with its first Class 7A title under its belt, what does Hoover do for an encore?

Here’s an answer: Just keep on winning.

From page 44

And with Niblett’s hands on the controls of the program as firm as ever, it’s as good a time as any to ask the same question from a decade ago: When will it ever end?

Easy question, difficult answer.

The pipeline of talent flowing into Buccaneer Drive continues to get larger, and there are no hints of issues to be seen anywhere. Rival programs in metro Birmingham and beyond strive to improve coaching and facilities, but Hoover remains several steps ahead.

Pundits like to compare the Bucs’ domination to the University of Alabama dynasties of Paul Bryant or Nick Saban, but for sheer length of domination, perhaps a baseball comparison is more appropriate. From 1947-64, the New York Yankees made 15 World Series appearances, winning 10 of them. Similarly, Hoover has appeared in 13 state championship games in 14 years, winning nine of them.

Aging players, complacency and changing times contributed to the fall of that Yankees dynasty. None of those problems apply to the modern day Bucs.

It’s always possible that Niblett could become restless at Hoover and seek a position at the collegiate level.

And while Niblett’s contribution as a coach, role model and leader in the community would surely be missed, a competent replacement could come in and not miss a beat. In fact, a new coach might actually bring fresh eyes and new enthusiasm to an already nearly ideal situation. I’m not suggesting that Niblett will or should move on, just simply saying that if

Journal photo by Marvin Gentry

Hoover, year championship streak ended the next season, when a hungry Prattville team smashed Hoover 35-21 in the Class 6A final.

The next season, controversies surrounding Buc coach Rush Propst and the aftermath of a much-hyped but clearly distracting reality show resulted in Hoover missing the championship final for the first time since 1999. The tumultuous season also resulted in Propst’s resignation.

Josh Niblett was hired from Oxford to replace Propst. Some critics thought the job might be too overwhelming for Niblett. They were wrong. The new coach used a backto-the-basics approach to restoring Buc football to its previous glory. He tightened discipline and fortified the off-season workout program.

In Niblett’s maiden campaign of 2008, Hoover returned to the championship finals before losing a narrow 16-13 decision to perennial nemesis Prattville. The next season, Hoover claimed its first 6A championship since 2005 – ending what, by Buccaneer standards, had been a long drought.

Niblett brought Hoover back to the championship games in 2010 and 2011, only to lose by close margins.

Then the program really took off.

Last Wednesday’s decisive 35-21 win over Prattville gave Hoover its third consecutive state championship and the first-ever in the new super-sized Class 7A. The Bucs opened the regular season with consecutive losses to powers from Florida and Georgia but did not lose again on the way to their rout of the Lions at Jordan-Hare Stadium last week. Hoover has now won 40 consecutive games against Alabamabased competition, with the last loss coming at the hands of Prattville in the 2011 final.

Thursday, December 11, 2014 • 43

sports

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

he were to move on, doing so would not necessarily portend the end of the Bucs’ reign of power.

Demographics could be the one thing that might at least water down Hoover’s string of championships. The city’s continuous growth could lead to the building of an often-discussed third high school. The redistricting that would follow could lessen Hoover’s talent pool.

But did Spain Park’s arrival on the scene as the city’s second high school

a dozen years ago seriously hurt the Bucs’ athletic program? No. Even as the Jaguars’ young program grew and prospered, Hoover became stronger than ever.

If the city of Hoover can support two quality athletic programs, it probably can support three.

To sum it up, the future looks endlessly bright for fans of the Orange and Black. Ten years from now, someone may be writing yet another column entitled “Who Will Ever Beat Hoover?”

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OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Sports

All Metro Volleyball Teams and Metro South Football Teams announced. Page 41

Lee Davis

That Question Again: Who Will Ever Beat Hoover?

It’s good to be #1: Justin Johnson and the Hoover Bucs celebrate after beating Prattville to win the Class 7A state championship last week.

Journal photos by Marvin Gentry

shake it up, baby!

Hoover Bucs Are No. 1 in Alabama’s New Class 7A

By Lee Davis

Journal Sports Writer

Hoover’s football team has reached the point that every time it wins a game, an old streak is continued or a new record is set.

And that was true even before the Bucs met Prattville for the first-ever Class 7A championship at Auburn University’s Jordan-Hare Stadium Dec. 3.

Entering the game, Hoover was making its 13th appearance in a state title game in 14 years – a

model of consistency virtually unmatched in any sport at any level. Additionally, the Bucs had won 39 consecutive games against teams from the state of Alabama. Hoover’s last loss to an in-state team came in the 2011 championship game when Prattville slipped by the Bucs 7-6.

If that wasn’t enough, a Buccaneer victory over the Lions would give the program its 11th football championship, tying it with Hazelwood for the most of any Alabama high school. That includes two championships for the old Berry High School under

the late Bob Finley in 1977 and 1982.

With all this on its resume, didn’t it naturally follow that Hoover should be the first team to win a championship in the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s new Super Classification?

It does.

The Buccaneers took care of business by dominating the first half and coasting home to a comfortable 35-21 victory, earning their first 7A title and third consecutive state crown.

See state champs, page 42

Sometimes the more things change, the more they stay the same.

In 2004, after the Hoover Bucs had claimed their third consecutive Class 6A state football championship (and fourth in five years), I wrote a column saying that Alabama high school football had a serious problem: Who was ever going to knock the Bucs off their perch as the perennial champion of the state’s largest classification?.

That long-ago piece cited quality coaching, incredible facilities and – most importantly – an endless stream of blue chip talent as reasons why it was difficult to see when or if Hoover would come up short of claiming Hoover, under Head the big blue coach Josh Niblett, trophy in the has now won 40 congames against foreseeable secutive Alabama-based comfuture. petition.

The column ended with the prediction that short of something unforeseen or the building of a third high school in Hoover, nothing would stop the Buccaneer Express for decades.

With the gift of hindsight, it’s easy to see where my column was right – and wrong.

Hoover cruised to another championship in 2005, but trouble was just around the corner. The Bucs’ fourSee hoover, page 43

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