Sun Neighborly news & entertainment for Hoover
Artistic dreams
Volume 3 | Issue 10 | July 2015
Using every minute
Hoover High graduate Jeremy Martin wants to turn his talent into an artistic career. Read more inside.
See page B14
Moving on up
Kayla Perry (far right) and her family have used her pediatric cancer diagnosis as a chance to raise funds for cancer research and increase awareness of children’s cancers. In a year, the Perry family raised more than $460,000. Photo by Ron Burkett.
By ERICA TECHO Two former Spain Park students were drafted into Major League Baseball. Read more inside.
See page B12
INSIDE City ....................A6 Business ............A10 Chamber ..........A16 Community .......A18
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Kayla Perry has helped raise $465,620 for pediatric cancer research in less than a year. When a doctor told Kayla she should experience all she hoped to experience before cancer took her life, the 20-year-old Hoover resident decided to dedicate her time to raising money for research.
“Obviously I have a pediatric cancer, so it’s close to my heart because of that,” Kayla said, “but I’ve also had lots of friends who were waiting for a trial to open up and passed away, or waiting for some piece of the puzzle to come in to it to get a certain drug. And it’s heartbreaking to see that there are potential answers out there, but the funding for research isn’t there.”
Kayla’s mother, Christen Perry, said it takes a special person to put others first when they’re going through what Kayla is going through. “She really knows that that study most likely won’t help her, but moving forward will help other people,” Christen said. In 2013, Kayla was diagnosed with
See RESEARCH | page A20
Ross Bridge welcome center closes By ROY L. WILLIAMS When the Ross Bridge Welcome Center opened in June 2005, the community was just drawings on paper with residential lots being cleared. Ten years, a luxury hotel and 1,300 homes later, Ross Bridge has become one of Hoover’s most successful residential developments, setting the stage for change at the welcome center. The Ross Bridge Welcome Center, located at 2101 Grand Ave. at the main entrance to the community, closed June 30, when developer Daniel Corporation’s
See ROSS BRIDGE | page A23
Max Harbuck, a Ross Bridge resident serving on the advisory committee, hopes developer Daniel Corporation can attract a restaurant to the former Welcome Center building behind him. Photo by Roy L. Williams.
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Hoover Sun
About Us Meet our new staff members Sydney Cromwell Sydney Cromwell is a 2015 graduate of Samford University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication. She worked for the campus newspaper, the Samford Crimson, for four years, including as editor-in-chief during her senior year. Sydney started as an intern at Starnes Publishing in August 2013 and continued part-time work until her graduation. She enjoys reporting on city news and the unique people and places that make up a community.
Erica Techo Erica Techo graduated from the University of Georgia with bachelor’s degrees in English and political science as well as a greater appreciation for caffeine. During her time in Athens, Erica worked at the independent student newspaper, The Red & Black, in the roles of crime reporter, news editor, managing editor, copy editor and social media editor. She also worked as a news intern for Flagpole Magazine, a weekly publication in Athens, and Morris News Service’s Atlanta bureau. Her passions for reporting include crime coverage and other community news.
Editor’s Note By Rebecca Walden I’ve always found the familiar. phrase, “All good things must We’re leaving a chercome to an end” to be spectacished neighborhood, a ularly inaccurate. It’s so shortSunday School class that sighted. So glass half empty. walks its talk and the To my way of thinking, kind of friends who leave all good things (morph and a couple of cold beers change though they may) tend on your doorstep “just to beget more goodness. because.” We’re leaving I’m acutely aware of such our longtime community, in young motherhood, but less neighborhood faves (La Fiesta forever!) and of so when it’s about me. That Walden came into sharp focus last course, the greatest baby month when my family and I made the sitter, pet sitter and young adult role decision to relocate to Ft. Worth, Texas. model around (love you, Katie Kate). We made up our minds following I’m also leaving behind this column, weeks of thorough and prayerful con- a monthly musing that, much to my sursideration. And while we’re buzzy with prise, seemed to resonate with folks. For excitement about this new chapter, those who have taken the time to write that joy is a bittersweet mix. To begin me with your thoughts about a particular this new adventure, we must leave the Editor’s Note, thank you.
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Dan Starnes Keith McCoy Rebecca Walden Madoline Markham David Knox Sydney Cromwell Katie Turpen Madison Miller Erica Techo Roy L. Williams Louisa Jeffries Emily VanderMey Matthew Allen Rhonda Smith Warren Caldwell Don Harris Michelle Salem Haynes Leah Ingram Eagle Marienne Thomas Ogle Jordan Hays Chris Griesedieck Olivia Burton Hoover Sun LLC
I’ve worked on these columns, and the Hoover Sun overall, for the pure joy of writing. I have also saved every single one of your letters; their thoughtful responses have increased my joy tenfold. They keep me motivated to do what I love most after my Lord and my family, and that is to write. While this is my final issue, know that I am leaving you in the capable journalistic hands of Katie Turpen and Sydney Cromwell, both award-winning writers in their own regard. As for the paper itself, you can expect more of the good, and the best to get better. In love and appreciation,
Contact Information: Hoover Sun #3 Office Park Circle, Suite 316 Birmingham, AL 35223 313-1780 dan@hooversun.com
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July 2015 • A5
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A6 • July 2015
Hoover Sun
City Mayor’s Minute By Gary Ivey
Summer is for the youngin full swing, est readers to which means the seasoned picnics, long veteran readers. days at the pool Be sure and save the and cookouts where folks are date for our grilling. July is National Night the peak month Out held on for grill fires Aug. 4 at the and roughly half Grove Shopof the injuries ping Center. National Night involving grills Gary Ivey are thermal Out is designed burns. Be sure to heighten and visit the City of Hoover Fire crime and drug prevention Department’s Facebook page awareness, strengthen neighwhere we have listed numerous borhood spirit with our police safety tips to keep you and your and fire community partnerships family safe while you are cook- and send a message to criminals ing out this summer. letting them know that neighIf you had a chance to attend borhoods are fighting back. our Hot Rod Power Tour, we This is always a very successful hope you enjoyed this event at the event and refreshments will be Hoover Met. We also invite you to provided. We have many activities and attend Freedom Fest at the Hoover Met. We will continue to work to events going on in our city this bring you state of the art events summer. Please be sure to visit that are free and family oriented. our website for a complete list of Be sure you visit the Hoover events at hooveralabama.gov or Library this summer. The call 444-7500. summer reading program is in Please remember, your full swing and a great way to elected officials and the city staff spend your days getting lost in are here to serve you so please a good book. Reading is one of don’t hesitate to contact our my favorite past times and our office. Library is one of the best in the country. You can find anything
Local lawmaker sponsors bill concerning entertainment districts By KATIE TURPEN In May, the House of Representatives passed HB 446, which allows the cities of Hoover and Vestavia Hills to establish up to three entertainment districts. Consumption of alcoholic beverages would be allowed within the designated districts. State Rep. Jack Williams sponsored the bill.
“People approached me asking for this legislation for the purpose of designating a place for large festivals and gatherings,” Williams said. He said he did not designate any specific areas in either city for these districts. “I certainly know of areas in town where they would work well,” Williams said. “However, what that will look like is up to the city and the
council.” Councilman John Lyda said while the city has not yet designated any particular spots for these entertainment districts, he sees the Patton Creek area or the Hoover Met as good places to establish them. “Ideally these districts will be for large gatherings of people,” Lyda said.
Recreation Center pool scheduled to reopen By SYDNEY CROMWELL After extensive repair work, the Hoover Recreation Center pool was scheduled to open again to the public on Friday, June 26. City Parks and Recreation Director Craig Moss described the project as a “total renovation of the whole pool.” Visitors will find that the pool is almost entirely new from top to bottom, including a new deck, plaster and tiling, gutters and structural work. Swimmers can also enjoy replaced starting blocks and diving boards. The pool underwent its final inspection on Monday, June 22 to ensure it was safe to swim. Barring any final fixes that need to be made, Moss said the inspection would result in approval
to immediately reopen the pool. The Hoover Recreation Center is located at 600 Municipal Drive and is open 5 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 5 a.m.-9 p.m. on
Fridays, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturdays and 1-6 p.m. on Sundays. A full membership or program pass for aquatic programs is required to use the pool. Call 444-7703 for more information.
Got Pain? We’ve got solutions Hands on Care, Close to Home. HOOVER | 205.987.6501 RIVERCHASE | 205.874.9523 www.therapysouth.com
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July 2015 • A7
HooverSun.com
Council approves budget increase for fire station construction
The Ross Bridge fire station is currently under construction and scheduled to finish in August. Photo by Roy L. Williams.
By JORDAN HAYS The addition of $4,809.59 was unanimously approved for the construction of Hoover Fire Station No. 10 during the June 15 Hoover City Council meeting. The total cost of construction will be more than $2 million. Much of the added funds went to the application of a flame retardant that must be added to the foam insulation of the fire station’s attic, which was required by city code, according to Hoover Battalion Chief of Operation Ben Allison. The completion of the station has also been delayed by 19 days. The station is now scheduled to be finished on August 13. The construction of the fire station has already been delayed five to six weeks, according to Hoover City Councilman John Lyda. But Allison said he thinks it will be delayed further because of issues with application of Stucco products to the exterior of the station. Residents of the Ross Bridge community have requested the new station for more than a year. Many of the homes in the Ross Bridge community are more than five miles away for the nearest fire station, leaving them unprotected by Insurance Service Organization standards. With the addition of the new station, members off the surrounding community will see their insurance rates lowered. “I think it is a wonderful thing to have fire and rescue personnel located within our neighborhood,” said Jeff Boyd, Daniel Corp vice
president of residential development. “It gives a very short response time for emergencies and helps homeowners insurance rates to remain as low as possible.” Residents of the Ross Bridge community will also see their emergency response time reduced by as much as five minutes, according to Allison. “In an emergency medical service call, where someone has a heart attack or have witnessed a heart attack, you have about four to six minutes to make something happen,” Allison said. “Being a lot closer gives them a better opportunity to facilitate a good outcome ... Five minutes means a whole lot.” The council also: Approved a request to Alabama Power Services to provide electric service for traffic signal installations at Chapel Lane at Al Seier Road, Ross Bridge Parkway at Shannon-Oxmoor Road, and Ross Bridge Parkway at Deer Valley Elementary School. Approved a sales tax holiday from Friday, August 7, at 12:01 a.m. to Sunday, August 9, at midnight. Exemptions on these days include: articles of clothing $100 or less; a single purchase of $750 or less of computers, computer software or school computer supplies; and school supplies of $50 or less per item. Approved a liquor license for El Gringo at 1843 Montgomery Highway, Suite 105. Approved the annexation of 2929 Monte D’Este Drive and 1701 Kestwick Drive to the City of Hoover from Jefferson County.
SEC baseball has another successful run at Met By DAVID KNOX The Southeastern Conference Baseball Tournament wrapped up its 18th consecutive run at the Hoover Met, and by all accounts it was a success on the diamond and in the stands. The 17-game tourney drew 132,178 fans over the six-day event. That’s the second-best total attendance, trailing only behind 2013’s 134,496 total, also over 17 games. Average attendance per game was 7,775, ranking it in the top eight years for attendance, and that’s with Auburn knocked out on Thursday and Alabama on Friday. SEC Assistant Commissioner Craig Mattox, who oversees the baseball tournament, had nothing but good things to say about the games, the crowds and The Met. “I think the week was definitely a successful one,” Mattox said. “We had great attendance during the week, and I’ve heard nothing but positive comments from coaches and players and school administrations. I know our staff was pleased with how everything went and how Hoover hosted us. They always do a great job.” Florida won the championship, beating Vanderbilt 7-3 before 7,998.
The current contract keeps the tournament in Hoover one more year. Mattox said he and the SEC staff will begin looking at the future this summer and should have a decision by the end of the summer. Hoover has hosted 18 of the past 19 years and also hosted in 1990, so this was the 20th time the SEC’s championship has been played at The Met. “We’ll probably dig into that pretty thoroughly this summer on how we want to proceed,” Mattox said. “All the coaches seem very happy with Hoover, and that’s where it starts. We’ll make our recommendations, based on our homework, on either a bid process or just extending the contract with Hoover and the athletics directors will make the decision. Hoover has done a great job and done everything we’ve asked them to do. We’ve been nothing but pleased.” “Hopefully, we’ll have something set in stone by the end of the summer,” he added. Mayor Gary Ivey said the event seems to get bigger every year. “It was great exposure for the city of Hoover,” Ivey said. Roy L. Williams contributed to this report.
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Hoover Sun
Ensuring city air is safe By ROY L. WILLIAMS Just off U.S. 31 in central Hoover sits a facility that helps ensure Jefferson County’s air is safe to breathe. The air monitoring station at 3425 Tamassee Lane is among eight strategically placed across Jefferson County to track ozone levels and microscopic particles that could endanger citizens’ health, said Matt Lacke, a meteorologist for the Jefferson County Department of Health. Lacke said the Hoover air monitor is not currently out of compliance, but it has been in the past - just like the rest of the metro area. The summer months are a time when ozone levels and pollutant emissions in the air tend to be at the most unhealthy levels of the year. “Air pollution in the Birmingham area affects every single community regardless of location,” Lacke said. “This is due to the combination of our emission sources [automobiles and industry], weather, and topography. Specifically for Hoover, there is the intersection of the 65 and 459 interstates, in which there is a large amount of traffic emissions.” Lacke said the county tracks ozone levels and pollutants in the atmosphere from factories, automobiles, lawnmowers, construction equipment, and even summer wildflowers. “It’s more of a problem in the summer months due to our hot, stagnant weather,” he said. “Ozone is
Matt Lacke, meteorologist for the Jefferson County Department of Health, stands in front of an air quality monitoring station that records air pollution levels. Photo by Roy L. Williams.
formed from emission sources that set off gases that chemically react at higher levels in the summer.” The gases worst for health come from two sources: nitrogen oxides from automobiles and factories, and volatile organic compounds released by chemicals in paints, pesticides, dry
cleaners and plants, Lacke said. “Our largest source of volatile organic compounds are vegetation – pine trees and plants like kudzu, and we have lots of those in the South. That’s why our ozone levels are so bad in the summer,” he said. The Department of Health tracks
hourly pollutant levels through its monitoring stations and can alert the public if they need to cut back emission levels. He said the Tamassee Lane station tends to have high levels on the Fourth of July. “It’s in a neighborhood, so much of
that probably comes from fireworks,” Lacke said. “That is probably the biggest pollutant over a two to three-hour period on the Fourth.” For many years, the Birmingham-Hoover metro was not in air quality compliance, a factor that hurt industry recruitment. In 2014, the region finally got into compliance as ozone and fine particle levels reached the lowest ever recorded, Lacke said. “On top of those low readings, we are in compliance with EPA federal health-based standards,” he added. “It’s a combination of awareness by the community and industry taking steps to get in compliance.” This compliance, he said, is something to celebrate. As county health department meteorologist, Lacke has done forecasts on air quality based on air pollutant levels for nearly eight years. On the Jefferson County Health Department website, jcdh.org, the public can keep track of air safety through the Daily Air Quality Index Report. Information on air pollution forecasts is also available on the health department’s Twitter account, @ JCDH_AirQuality, or via phone recording at 933-0583. Anyone with questions about air quality levels can call the Jefferson County Health Department’s Air and Radiation Protection Division at 930-1276.
HooverSun.com
July 2015 • A9
Brookwood emergency room facility to open this fall
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Dr. Conrad Brown, left, stands beside Chief Development Officer Mike Rickman, is Brookwood Medical Center’s new director of the freestanding emergency room under construction on U.S. 280. Photo by Roy L. Williams.
By ROY L. WILLIAMS More lives on the U.S. 280 corridor could be saved beginning this fall, when Brookwood Medical Center opens a freestanding emergency department in the Greystone area near Alabama 119. Hoover City Council President Jack Wright said the $19.5 million, 25,000-square-foot facility will fill a need for residents desiring emergency medical services but wanting to avoid traffic congestion on the busy highway. The council supported the project in January by approving incentives valued at $900,000. “How do you like to be stuck in traffic on 280?” Wright said. “When you’re having a heart attack or a stroke, every minute counts.” In May, UAB Medical West opened a $13.5 million freestanding emergency department at Alabama 150 and I-459, making Hoover the first city in Alabama with such a facility. Brookwood’s freestanding ER will be led by Dr. Conrad Brown, who relocated in late March from Dayton, Ohio, to become administrative director of emergency services for the Homewood-based medical center. Brown said the facility will have plenty of amenities to meet emergency needs, including 12 private rooms, two mental health rooms, a trauma room and rooms to handle X-rays, mammograms, gynecology and other services. Brown said the freestanding emergency department will be able to handle full-fledged medical emergencies similar to what patients receive at Brookwood Medical Center. Having worked at trauma centers across the country, Brown said he is excited by how the facility could give the gift of life by saving crucial travel time to get care. “The patients who will be coming from the neighborhoods on 280 will be able to get immediate access to the emergency department,” he said. “For those patients who need to be admitted, we will transfer them over to our main
hospital. We will have the capability to initiate and start treatment there and then do seamless transfer of patients here for continuity of care.” Mike Rickman, the chief development officer at Brookwood Medical Center, said the center will help the hospital better serve patients who currently live in the 280 area and beyond. In addition to treating emergency patients, it will also offer outpatient care, Rickman said. “A lot of folks think that the strategy for the freestanding ED was related to [Trinity’s] Grandview relocation, but we filed for this before that,” Rickman said. “This has to do with us meeting the community’s needs and seeing what showed up in our current emergency department.” Brown said the freestanding ER facility on 280 will essentially be an off-site department of Brookwood Medical Center. Brookwood hasn’t decided on the number of employees that will staff the facility. The roster will include emergency-trained physicians, a medical director, registered nurses and support services. An onsite lab will be available 24 hours a day, as well as a pharmacy to provide medications on-site. Asked about how many patients the ER facility on 280 will treat, Brown said the initial goal is 10,000 annually, or about 28 patients per day. He expects that number to rise over time. Brown said Brookwood Medical Center will begin a “very vigorous marketing campaign” to spread the word to both residents and medical emergency personnel as the fall opening approaches. Like the UAB Medical West ER facility on Alabama 150, Brookwood’s 280 facility will have a helipad capable of flying out patients needing treatment at its main hospital. “We will also have 24-hour on-site ambulance service as well, which others don’t,” Brown said. “The ambulance 24 hours is specific to us.”
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A10 • July 2015
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Now Open Cottage Needleworks is now open at 4524 Southlake Parkway, Suite 34. The store offers fabrics and threads for quilting enthusiasts and is owned by Regina Meyer. 490-6803, cottageneedleworks.com
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PGA Tour Superstore is now 2 The open at 165-A Inverness Plaza. This is the store’s first location in Alabama. 440-4200, pgatoursuperstore.com/ birmingham Pepperl+Fuchs, a German-based automation company specializing in electrical explosion protection and sensory technology, has opened an office in Riverchase Business Park at 255 Riverchase Parkway East. pepperl-fuchs.us
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Mason Music held a ribbon-cutting at its Bluff Park location at 761 Shades Mountain Plaza on June 11. 582-2238, masonmusicrocks.com
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July 2015 • A11 Fit People, a group training fitness facility, will open soon at 3435 South Shades Crest Road, Suite 101, near the intersection of Highway 150. 427-1837, unleashyourfit.com
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New Ownership First Watch Restaurants has acquired The Egg & I restaurant chain from its founders, Patty and Rayno Seaser. First Watch now has 267 restaurants, including one at 4741 Chase Circle. 982-8477, theeggandirestaurants.com
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News and Accomplishments L.A. Bikini, a hair removal business that uses a technique called sugaring, has announced the formation of a new franchise and a franchise holding company, LAB Holding Company, LLC. It currently has stores in Mountain Brook and in Hoover at 4441 Creekside Ave. 259-1651, mylabikini.com
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Children’s consignment store Precious Pieces, 2142 Tyler Road, Suite 106, held a ribbon-cutting on June 25. The store opened in May. 637-0644, preciouspiecesbluffpark.com
Sierra Earle, assistant vice president and branch manager of USAmeriBank’s office at 1100 Corporate Parkway, has been appointed as vice chair of the African American Business Council. 408-2000, usameribank.com
Orangetheory Fitness, 4441 Creekside Ave., held a ribbon-cutting at its Patton Creek location on June 30. 989-4357, orangetheoryfitness.com/hoover
Hirings and Promotions
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Coming Soon Pop Cult, a toy and collectible store, will open a location at the Riverchase Galleria, 2000 Riverchase Galleria. It will be the second location for the Atlantabased store. An opening date has not been announced. (770) 671-9655, facebook.com/ popcultatlanta
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RealtySouth’s Over the Mountain Alford Office, 1220 Alford Ave., welcomed Leslie Edwards and Sarah Johnson as Realtors. 822-2364, realtysouth.com
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Covenant Classical Schools & Daycare has promoted Tamara Harrelson as its new marketing manager. The school has a Trace Crossings location at 5390 Magnolia Trace. 733-5437, covenantclassical.com
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A12 • July 2015
Hoover Sun
Precious Pieces combines consignment with charity By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE When Ashlie Grills Walker was a fashion merchandising major at Auburn University, one of her work experiences not only changed her major, it changed her life. After being assigned to work at the Little Tree Learning Center, Walker was reluctant about working with children with autism. She left the experience feeling she had greater purpose. “I did it and I fell in love,” Walker said. “It was the most amazing thing I ever did in my life. I found what I was looking for.” After graduating from Auburn in 2005 with a degree in psychology, Walker went on to obtain her master’s degree in psychology, with a specialty in applied behavior analysis, from Florida State University in 2008. Walker is now using her fashion merchandising experience, along with her passion for children with autism, at her new store: Precious Pieces. The consignment store, located in Bluff Park Village, opened the beginning of May. The mission of the store is twofold. First, Walker sells gently used, quality children’s items
at a reasonable price that will benefit the buyer and seller. Second, she donates a portion of the monthly profits to Milestones Behavior Group’s therapy scholarships for Birmingham children with autism. Milestones is a non-profit company that Walker founded to provide low or no-cost services to families in need. Walker has two daughters and has been part of the consignment scene since before they were born. A Bluff Park resident, she said it was a logical choice to have the store close to home. Her volunteers include some of her old clients from Milestones, who tag and fold clothes to get job skill practice. Walker will also provide them work references for the future. The store accepts baby and children’s clothing from newborn to size 10. Walker says they are currently in need of boy’s clothes sizes 3-10, girl’s shoes and baby gear. Customers can receive a cash offer on their items or will receive 40 percent of the selling price if they choose to consign it. Items not picked up after 90 days will be donated to charity. Walker said inventory at the store has
Precious Pieces sells clothes, toys and other products for babies and young children, with a portion of the profits benefiting local children with autism. Photo courtesy of Ashlie Grills Walker.
exploded the past few weeks and is looking forward to what the future holds. “I pray every night the consignment store does well, and we can help give a kids a chance who would never had one,” Walker said.
Precious Pieces is located at 2142 Tyler Road, Suite 106. It’s open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Learn more at preciouspiecesbluffpark.com.
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HooverSun.com
July 2015 • A13
A church,
not a building By SYDNEY CROMWELL “We Are Hunter Street” — it’s a slogan that’s been attached to T-shirts, bumper stickers and magnets. It’s a reminder to the congregation of Hunter Street Baptist Church that their church is about the people, not the physical location. “Hunter Street Baptist Church is not a building at all. On any given Sunday, you’ll hear Pastor Buddy tell you, ‘It’s not the church, it’s the people.’ And it’s true,” said Mandy Hartley, who has attended Hunter Street for 15 years. The church celebrated this mindset on Sunday, May 17, when the entire congregation — more than 4,000 people — worshiped together at Samford University’s Pete Hanna Center. Normally, the large congregation is divided into three Sunday morning services. The service was the culmination of an effort that had begun a year and a half before. “It was fantastic and we all felt unified and all members of one large family that truly loves the Lord and each other,” said Tracy Dismukes, another 15-year member. In January 2014, Pastor Buddy Gray began preaching about how Hunter Street could be a
“real” New Testament church. This was followed in April 2015 by a renewal of church memberships and recommitment to the values that Gray had been preaching. The May service was a celebration of this effort and the words Hunter Street uses to define its purpose: belong, grow, serve, tell and worship. Gray also spoke at the service about the church’s history, dating back to 1907, as well as a greater faith and future for the congregation. His preaching is one of many reasons people are drawn to Hunter Street’s growing community. “We like Buddy’s preaching, that he preaches and teaches the Bible and Jesus,” said Todd Humphries, a six-year church member. “It’s a great place to go.” Hunter Street’s large congregation was on display at the Samford service, but longtime members point to the smaller groups within the church that make it unique. Heather Jones Skaggs, who has attended the church for around a decade, said people frequently call Hunter Street the “smallest big church you’ll ever attend.” Skaggs volunteers to write scripts for the short videos that run before weekly services. Humphries said he developed several new, close
The “We Are Hunter Street” service at Samford University on May 17 was a single service for all 4,000 members of Hunter Street Baptist Church. The service was the culmination of months of recommitment to the church’s core values. Photo courtesy of Hunter Street Baptist Church.
relationships through participation in small groups. Dismukes and her husband have served in the church nursery, led a small group and recently joined a new human trafficking ministry. Their nine-year-old son, Dalton, works with the worship team. The “We Are Hunter Street” service reinforced the unity of Hunter Street as a whole. The sense of community between 4,000 people, however,
has been built in the personal relationships and acts of service that happen in hundreds of small ways every week on the church campus. “We feel very connected to our church body and love the blessings of the opportunity to serve,” Dismukes said.
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A14 • July 2015
Hoover Sun
Paddling through the pain By SYDNEY CROMWELL
The view from Trevor Clark’s canoe as he paddled the Coosa River at the beginning of his 631mile journey. Photos courtesy of Trevor Clark.
Trevor Clark was never supposed to be able to walk without pain again. While a student at Hoover High School in 2002, Clark was in a car crash that broke his spine and left him dependent on a cane and pain medications. “I was supposed to be in severe chronic pain and laid up in bed the rest of my life,” Clark said. That cane has been replaced by a canoe paddle, as Clark is currently on a two-month solo trip to paddle the Alabama Scenic River Trail, a series of rivers creeks and deltas that run through the state. As a former Eagle Scout in Bluff Park’s Troop 21, Clark always enjoyed camping and canoeing. When he originally heard about the river trail over a decade ago, he knew he wanted to paddle the 631-mile journey. “I thought it sounded awesome and I wanted to do it,” Clark said. He faced a long road, however, to becoming healthy enough for the trip. After spinal fusion to repair his broken spine, Clark graduated
high school in 2003 with fibromyalgia and neuropathy, which is chronic pain and numbness caused by nerve damage. Pain medications weren’t enough to take away the pain or help him become more mobile, so Clark began investigating herbal alternative medications. After trying a few different herbs, Clark found a medication that brought him “70 percent back to normal.” Soon he was able to surprise his doctors by walking on his own into their offices. Since 2006, Clark has been using only herbal medicines to treat his pain symptoms. His own healing inspired Clark to continue studying naturopathic medicines at Bastyr University in Washington. Since his graduation in 2011, Clark has worked in research for Bastyr and with the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, which is part of the National Institutes of Health. He has worked on projects for naturalistic breast cancer care and treatment-resistant depression, and he plans to go back to school soon for his doctorate. “It’s hard to really get your own projects
HooverSun.com
July 2015 • A15
Trevor Clark is paddling the 631-mile Alabama Scenic River Trail for two months.
going without those little three letters: Ph.D.,” Clark said. Clark decided this summer was the right time to make the canoe journey. He spent months fundraising, preparing careful calculations of his food needs and practicing to carry his canoe and gear. On May 20, Clark set off from Weiss Lake at the Alabama-Georgia border. The trail has taken Clark along the Coosa River to Wetumpka, where it meets the Alabama River. From there, he is traveling to the Mobile-Tensaw Delta, which leads to the Gulf of Mexico. He plans to finish the trip by July 18. Along the way, Clark is identifying and pressing wild plants and flowers that have medicinal value. He also collects mushrooms to use as part of his food supply. “I found lots of amazing herbs and plants I’d
been looking for, some I’d never seen before,” Clark said. He is especially hoping to see a saw palmetto in flower and the yaupon holly, a southern Alabama plant that is the only native plant in the U.S. to contain caffeine. Clark noted that the yaupon is “supposed to taste great.” From day to day, Clark travels between eight and 18 miles. The distance depends on the current, wind and whether he has to carry his gear around dams. “Sometimes the river’s flowing downstream, sometimes if the dam’s been turned off the river flows upstream,” Clark said. “You never know what you’re going to battle.” The frequent thunderstorms in late May were also a challenge. One night while camping near a dam, Clark woke up to find the river flowing
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Due to his interest in plants and alternative medicines, Trevor Clark is collecting and pressing flowers and herbs he finds during his canoe trip. Here, Clark is digging up a bloodroot.
through his camp. The dam had been opened and, combined with heavy rains, the river level had risen three feet – right into his hammock tent. Clark had to scramble to get his gear to dry ground. “I was lucky I didn’t drown. I had to hop up and move all my stuff farther away and go to sleep in a wet tent,” Clark said. When he reached Wetumpka in mid-June, Clark had the chance to see old friends from his high school and Boy Scout troop. They camped and paddled with him for a day before he continued along the trail. The strenuous days of repetitive motion, however, have brought back old symptoms of Clark’s injury. The neuropathy in his hands has flared up into pain, numbness and swollen joints. Some days it gets so bad that he can’t hold a spoon
and his bones feel like they’re “on fire.” He’s determined, however, to push through and reach the end of the river trail as a triumph over the pain that threatened to keep him from the life he wanted to lead. “It’s just one of those things I’m going to have to put up with while I’m on the river,” Clark said. Follow live updates of Clark’s progress https://spotwalla.com/tripViewer. php?id=d00555462c4529d00 He is also blogging about the trip on one of his sponsors’ websites, adventureonthewater.com.
Hoover Sun
A16 • July 2015
Chamber
Preview of
July
Luncheon July 16, 11:15 a.m. $20 pre-register, $22 at the door RSVP by July 14
Lila Parks stands with 10 of the Lila Parks Scholarship recipients. Photo by Erica Techo.
Guest speaker Dale Caldwell addresses the crowd at the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce Luncheon. Photos by Erica Techo.
Scholarships awarded, consumer advocate Dale Cardwell speaks at May luncheon By ERICA TECHO Congratulations were in order at the Office Depot-sponsored May 21 Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon. The Chamber recognized 13 scholarship recipients and congratulated them on academic achievements in high school and college. Eleven winners were in attendance. Most scholarship recipients received a $1,500 scholarship, and Caroline Patterson, Benjamin Hartmann and Danielle Haynes received $2,000. A total of $21,000 was awarded. Following the scholarship presentation, consumer advocate Dale Cardwell took the podium. During his presentation, Cardwell discussed the importance of helping consumers
find the best businesses. Cardwell’s career started off in investigative journalism, where he learned the importance of seeking out the truth. “I realized that I wanted to stand for something as opposed to roll over for anything because as an investigative reporter,” Cardwell said, “if you’re worth your salt, you’re going to have a moment in your career where you have to make up your mind – am I going to do the right thing, or am I going to play the game?” After investigative journalism grew stale, Cardwell started seeking out ways to use his skills to help others. Through work with Atlanta-based consumer advocate Clark Howard, he worked to expose scams and provide information. “What I found was that I wanted to help
make a difference in people’s lives. I didn’t want to tell them how rotten the world was,” Cardwell said. “I wanted to help them make smart decisions, and together Clark and I did a lot of good.” But even that grew tiresome. Cardwell said it got to the point that he could throw a stone and hit a corrupt business, so he decided to help point out the best companies instead. In 2009, he kicked off TrustDale.com, which investigates and reviews businesses on the points of reputation, price, quality and customer service. Through this service, he said he helps both sides of the equation. “Consumerism is a two-way street,” Cardwell said. “A consumer deserves to get a great product at a fair price, but a company deserves to sell a great product at a fair profit. It’s called economy — it’s the way our system works.”
At their July luncheon, the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce will present the 13th annual Freedom Award to an as-yet unnamed recipient. The Freedom Award is given to public servants who are committed to the ideals of freedom and either live or work in Hoover. Award winners must display good character, support of the military, long-term service of the ideals of freedom and support of local, state and federal government. The City of Hoover Veteran’s Committee will choose this year’s winner and Mayor Gary Ivey will present the award. Last year’s winner was Army Lt. Col. Damon Holditch, chosen for his military and community service. Other past award winners include Art Headley, Bob Mosca, Bill Natter, John O’Malley, A. C. Roper, retired General Robert Lott, Albert Awtrey, Hollis Hayes, Hoover Police Lt. Trey Bass, retired Rear Admiral John T. (Jack) Natter and Dan Mikos. Networking begins at 11:15 a.m. and the meeting begins at noon. Regions Bank is sponsoring the luncheon. Call 988-5672 or email Lisa Dunbar at admin@hooverchamber. org to register or for more information.
HooverSun.com
July 2015 • A17
Community Ashley DeRamus earns national award
Hoover resident Ashley DeRamus has been named the recipient of the National Down Syndrome Society’s Self-Advocate of the Year Champion of Change Award. Photo courtesy of Katie Stewart.
Hoover resident Ashley DeRamus has been named the recipient of the National Down Syndrome Society’s Self-Advocate of the Year Champion of Change Award. U.S. Rep. Dan Benishek, M.D., presented DeRamus with the award at the Buddy Walk on Washington conference held in April. More than 150 people were in attendance to advocate for legislative priorities that positively impact the lives of people with Down syndrome and
their families. DeRamus is the founder of the Ashley DeRamus Foundation, a local charity dedicated to the education, advancement and quality of lifestyle of children and adults with Down syndrome. DeRamus also operates Ashley by Design, a clothing line tailored to fit women of many body types including those with Down syndrome.
Hoover High students to compete in Distinguished Young Women Three Hoover High School students will participate in The Distinguished Young Women Program of Jefferson County (formerly known as Junior Miss) this month. It will be held Friday and Saturday, July 17 and July 18 at the Wright Center Concert Hall on the campus of Samford University. Twenty-five high school senior girls will compete for cash-tuition and college-granted scholarships and the opportunity to represent Jefferson County in the Distinguished Young Women Program of Alabama in Montgomery in January. Rachel Blackerby, Ashleigh Rye and Katherine Splawn will represent Hoover.
Participants will compete in categories of talent, fitness and self expression with the theme of a “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile.” All tickets are for reserved seating and are $15 each for July 17 at 7 p.m. and July 18 at 1 p.m. preliminaries, and $25 each for the July 19 at 7 p.m. finals. Tickets may be purchased through any participant, at the Samford University Wright Center box office each evening one hour prior to each performance, or by calling 907-0210. For more information about the program, visit distinguishedyw.org.
Former Spain Park student competes for Miss USA By MADISON MILLER Hoover resident Madison Guthrie is currently preparing to compete at the Miss USA pageant in Baton Rouge, La. on July 12. As Miss Alabama, she will join fellow contestants from each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia for the two-week event. Guthrie always had interests in modeling, travel, fashion, makeup, photography and spreading the word of Christ, she said. Pageantry gave her an opportunity to combine her interests. She has focuses on many platforms with her title, including breast cancer, ovarian cancer and suicide prevention. Miss USA will air live on NBC at 7 p.m. For more information, visit missuniverse.com.
Photo courtesy of Rubenstein PR.
A18 • July 2015
Hoover Sun
HSC hosts membership tea
Prince of Peace helps build a Pope Francis Habitat House
PoP parishioner Bruce Grasso, right, stands with Gabby Coleman and daughter Tremayah Sanders in front of their new home. Photo courtesy of Laura Skellie. Linda Corliss and Nancy Richard at the annual Hoover Service Club membership coffee.
The Hoover Service Club hosted their annual Membership Coffee in April at Aldridge Gardens. During the tea, 63 members welcomed 22 guests as potential members in the organization. Outgoing President Treva Medbery and incoming President Betty Daigle welcomed members and guests and shared briefly the mission and goals of Hoover Service Club. Organized on May 5, 1975, the Hoover Service
Club contributes more than $20,000 to community charities and awards more then $15,000 in scholarships to Hoover and Spain Park High School graduates. The club meets the second Thursday September through May at the Hoover Country Club at 11 a.m. For further information, visit hooverserviceclub.com or email Betty Daigle at bettyd4768@yahoo.com. -Submitted by Rhonda Boyd
Prince of Peace Catholic Church is one of 15 Catholic churches, schools and organizations that came together during Lent to build the first Pope Francis Habitat for Humanity House in the Birmingham area. These Pope Francis Habitat homes are springing up across the country to honor Pope Francis for his commitment to social justice and reinvigorating the Catholic Church. An anonymous donor inspired the Birmingham project with a large donation of seed money. When PoP parishioner and Habitat for Humanity veteran volunteer Bruce Grasso brought the project to the attention of Prince of Peace Church, Pastor John Fallon was supportive of it and eager for the parish to participate. Grasso organized the PoP effort, signing up many PoP
volunteers and working as the liaison between Habitat for Humanity and the parish. “Prince of Peace is a community-minded parish,” Grasso said. “All skill levels were represented, from folks with construction experience to beginners. This level of involvement speaks to a real concern for others’ well-being, and we look forward to projects of this nature in the future.” Habitat for Humanity dedicated the home on April 1, and Grasso handed the keys to the home’s new owner, Gabby Coleman, and her daughter Tremayah Sanders. According to Habitat Birmingham, over 300 volunteers gave more than 2,100 hours of service, and local financial support totaled $43,500.
HooverSun.com
July 2015 • A19
Miss Hoover scholarship pageant returns By ERICA TECHO After a two-year hiatus, the Miss Hoover Scholarship Pageant is returning to the stage. Executive directors Bragg Scroggins and Keith Brashier used to run the Miss Patriot Scholarship Pageant, which also included sections of Homewood. But after talking with the Hoover Area Chamber Commerce and other community members, the directors decided to bring the pageant back and rename it. In addition to the Miss Hoover pageant, this year there will also be the debut of the Miss Hoover’s Outstanding Teen pageant. Both will take place July 11 at Hoover High School, with the Outstanding Teen Pageant at 1 p.m. and the Miss Hoover Pageant at 6 p.m. Miss Hoover’s Outstanding Teen serves as a feeder pageant for the Miss Hoover Pageant and helps younger participants, between the ages of 13 and 17, to prepare for the Miss pageant. Miss Hoover contestants must be between 17 and 24 years old. Both pageants, however, help prepare participants for their futures, Scroggins said. The interview portion of the pageant provides practice for future jobs, and participants also have the opportunity to gain scholarships and sponsorships. Scroggins said former contestants have told him they felt more prepared for interviews and job applications as a result of their pageant participation. “This organization prepares them not just for a crown, but for their future as well,” Scroggins said. Two former Miss Hoovers have won the Miss Alabama title, and the most recent Miss Hoover was a Top-12 semi-finalist at Miss Alabama and Quality of Life winner. All applications must be submitted by July
Former Miss America Nicole Johnson will be one of the judges at this year’s Miss Hoover Scholarship Pageant. Photo courtesy of Nicole Johnson.
6, and the required paperwork is available on the Miss Hoover website, misshoover.com. The pageant includes an interview, opening dance number, onstage question, swimsuit, talent and evening gown portions. The Outstanding Teen pageant includes an interview, opening number, fitness competition, talent and evening gown/onstage question portions. Former Miss America Nicole Johnson, who won the pageant in 1999, is one of the judges of this year’s pageant, which Scroggins hopes will get community members excited for the competition. “We’re expecting a great turnout,” he said. Tickets for the Miss Hoover’s Outstanding Teen and Miss Hoover pageants are $15 for adults and $10 for children under the age of 12.
MASTERS Trial Metformin to Augment Strength Training Effective Response in Seniors Are you 65 years old or older, feeling weak or fatigued, and finding it more difficult to be physically active? If so, you may be interested in the MASTERS Trial, a randomized, placebo-controlled trial at UAB to determine if the addition of a medication (metformin) will improve the effectiveness of strength training in older adults. Participants receive supervised exercise training 3 days per week for 14 weeks with certified trainers in the UAB Center for Exercise Medicine, and free assessments of health and functional status, body composition, and fitness. Funding: National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging (Grant #1R01AG046920) Principal Investigators: Marcas Bamman, PhD, University of Alabama at Birmingham Charlotte Peterson, PhD, and Phil Kern, MD, University of Kentucky To learn more: Complete the questionnaire at www.uab.edu/masters-trial (preferred) or call 205-934-6231
Moving Research into Medicine
uab.edu/exercise
A20 • July 2015
Hoover Sun
RESEARCH
CONTINUED from page A1 neuroblastoma, a pediatric cancer. After more than a year of treatment, doctors told her the cancer progressed. Instead of eradicating her cancer, the plan shifted to controlling it – and her own plan shifted to help bring answers to others. “The biggest trial that I’ve had since being diagnosed is research,” Kayla said. “There have been so many times, including this week, where my doctors are going, ‘I don’t know. There’s not a best answer,’ because there’s just not enough research to show what does and doesn’t work.” Trials often have difficulty even getting enough funding to start. A lot of the time, funders are waiting for someone else to support research before giving their own money. Even then, funding can fall away and stop any progress. “There are people out there trying to find more effective treatments. We need more people to get on board to help them do that,” Christen said. “When these studies aren’t funded or can’t get enough funding for them, they just stop. They can’t go any further.” To help raise money, Kayla started Open Hands, Overflowing Hearts, a nonprofit dedicated to raising money for childhood cancer research. She has worked with the nonprofit while attending Auburn University, where she just finished her freshman year. Kayla balanced her college classes, final exams and cancer treatments while still holding a big role in the nonprofit. She admits it was difficult but also attributes the success of Open Hands, Overflowing Hearts to a great team.
Despite ongoing cancer treatments, Kayla Perry has been able to successfully finish her freshman year at Auburn University and raise money for cancer research through her foundation, Open Hands, Overflowing Hearts. Photo by Ron Burkett.
“I’ve not had to do any of it on my own,” she said. “We have a great board, we have a wonderful director of development who saves my life half the time, and it can be stressful at times, but overall it has been really cool.” Since her diagnosis, Kayla has learned to value the time she has and
work to make the most of it. “I’ve learned a lot. And while I always say I’d wish it on nobody, I do think that I’ve grown a lot in the time since I’ve been diagnosed. And it has changed the way I look at a lot of things,” Kayla said. “Specifically with time, I realize that every second is important. That’s not to say I never
get lazy [or] I never procrastinate, but I do value every minute I have.” Her family also faces the importance of time and the moments they share. “The five of us together, it’s just really changed our perspective on life,” Christen said. “We’re doing things that are special, making
memories, focusing on other people and things that will help other people.” When it comes to treatment options, each decision influences the time they have as a family. By raising money for research, they hope future families in a similar situation will have fewer questions and more answers. “Our decisions that we make about our next type of treatment could mean the difference between three months or seven months or a year,” Christen said. “Every minute matters, every month matters.” Open Hands, Overflowing Hearts has fundraising and awareness events throughout the year, including its biggest event, Answer to Cancer. The December 2014 event attracted almost 1,000 attendees and raised $125,000. The event marks the culmination of 100 Ways, 100 Days, a campaign that asks teams, individuals, companies and communities to find their own ways to raise funds . While last year’s events attracted a lot of support, Kayla hopes this year will go even better thanks to more planning and awareness. So far, Kayla said support from the community has been overwhelming and raised large amounts to donate to research. But Kayla’s goal doesn’t stop at awareness and events. She wants everyone to understand the need for backing, but also the need for action. “I want people to know how much pediatric cancer research needs to be funded,” Kayla said. “In the past few years, I think there’s been an increase in awareness of pediatric cancers, which I think has been very good. But at the same time, awareness on its own does not fix anything.” To donate, visit openhandsoverflowinghearts.org/donate or like them on Facebook to stay up to date on events.
HooverSun.com
July 2015 • A21
Speaker shares message of ‘vision without sight’ By ERICA TECHO Hoover Rotary Club welcomed Brian Oglesbee to share his message of “vision without sight” at its Wednesday, June 3 meeting. Oglesbee had vision issues for most of his life, starting when he was diagnosed with retinoblastoma in both eyes at the age of two. Even after his right eye was removed and he developed a cataract on his left eye, Oglesbee’s parents would not let these difficulties stop him. “My parents did a great job of playing up the fact that I could ride a bike to school or ride a bike to work,” Oglesbee said. “Anytime we saw someone riding a bike uptown somewhere, they’d make sure to point that person out to me.” Although he continued to play sports and ride his bike like an average young boy, Oglesbee struggled in school. The cataract on his left eye made reading textbooks difficult and frustrating, and he grew to hate reading. His parents continued to encourage perseverance. In sixth grade, Oglesbee had to take on a research paper on the American Revolution. Without large-print encyclopedias or any modern technology, this meant using a magnifying glass to try to extract information. As he struggled with his paper, Oglesbee said, his mother didn’t choose to do
Brian Oglesbee speaks to the Hoover Rotary Club at its June meeting. Photo by Erica Techo.
the work for him or yell at the teacher for making him write it. Instead, she hand-copied the 10-page encyclopedia entry in large print so that he could do his own research and write his own
paper. He got an A on the paper. “That was my first introduction to the philosophy of my mom’s that I like to call the Philippians 4:13
philosophy,” Oglesbee said. “All things are truly possible, if you just believe.” Oglesbee has since carried on that philosophy, even though his mother
had to remind him a few times. At 16, Oglesbee underwent cataract surgery with the hope that it would improve his vision and he would be able to drive. Instead, he lost vision in his left eye. He thought his life and dreams were over, he said. “Fortunate for me, my mom had other thoughts,” Oglesbee said. “Remember, she was the one that had always said ‘all things are truly possible.’ She started almost immediately saying that to me again – ‘You’ve never let it stop you before, why should you let it stop you now?’” Instead of allowing him to make excuses, his mom pushed him to start golfing again. After picking up a golf club for the first time in six months, Oglesbee hit the ball straight and realized blindness wouldn’t keep him from a sport he loved. When he returned to school, teachers helped him learn linear equations with blocks. “I had no idea that those blocks were not only going to be a tool to teach me math, but those blocks were going to be the building blocks for the cornerstone of my mantra as an educator today, and that is it does not matter how you do something – it’s that you do something. All you need is a vision,” he said. The Hoover Rotary Club meets on Wednesdays at noon at the Hoover Country Club, 3140 Club Drive.
A22 • July 2015
Hoover Sun
Summer
FUN Photo Contest
at tos in a jpeg form o h p r u yo l ai m e To enter, rsun.com. to photos@hoove d per person. e w lo al e ar s to o h Only four p
un F r e m m u S r e v o o #H
high quality e b st u m s to o h p Winning edit tion and photo cr p ca a e d u cl in d an
Winners will be announced in the September issue.
Category 1: Any summer fun photo Category 2: A summer fun photo displaying a copy of Hoover Sun wherever you are
Deadline is August 9, 2015
HooverSun.com ROSS BRIDGE
CONTINUED from page A1 10-year lease expired. Jeff Boyd, vice president of residential development for Daniel Corporation, said the lease expiration was intentional from the start. “The time has passed where we need a welcome center to operate,” Boyd said. “We always intended to find a follow-on commercial use to better serve the community once we no longer had a need for a welcome center.” Nothing official has been decided, but Boyd said a neighborhood market or restaurant is a possibility. Signature Homes, which has built most of the homes in the development, will maintain its office next door. Since Ross Bridge Parkway and the welcome center opened in June 2005, Ross Bridge has grown to 1,350 homeowners and a goal of 1,778 homes when complete, Boyd said. Ross Bridge’s 12th neighborhood, Sawyer Trail, is currently under development and will have some homes started later this year. Boyd said only three other neighborhoods still have homes and lots available for sale: Haddon, The Hamptons and Glasscott. Sales offices still operate in these neighborhoods. “Ross Bridge is a great community,” said Boyd, who has lived in the community since shortly after it opened. “We have fantastic public parks, just
July 2015 • A23 opened our third community swimming pool and, of course, great Hoover schools.” Derrick Murphy, president of the Hoover school board, said getting his children in the Hoover school system was the deciding factor to move into Ross Bridge’s Abbeyglen neighborhood nine years ago. He also was enticed by the amenities and the diversity of its neighborhoods. “Ross Bridge is a wonderful, family-focused community,” Murphy said. “My neighbors are like an extension of my family.” Murphy said he was glad to know the facility will still be available for residents’ use for family outings or reunions, as well as the possibility of a restaurant or neighborhood market tenant. “I am curious what the future plans are for the building, but I feel confident in the developer leadership in planning for the area,” Murphy said. “Ross Bridge continues to see residential growth but I see a need for a small commercial grocery store, drug store, etc.” Max Harbuck, a resident and charter member of the Ross Bridge advisory committee, also hopes the empty space can attract a commercial tenant. “The residents would welcome having similar retail business establishments like the ones in The Preserve,” Harbuck said. “However, the main thing we would like and need is a grocery store, in my opinion.” Boyd said no timeline has been set for making a decision on the building’s future.
A timeline of Ross Bridge Source: Jeff Boyd, Daniel Corporation 2002 June 2005 City of Hoover annexes 1,700 acres containing Ross Bridge community into the city
Ross Bridge sales office, welcome center and Ross Bridge Parkway opens
September 2005
November 2005
Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa open
First residents of Ross Bridge move in
December 2008
June 30, 2015
First apartment project, Birchall, opens
Ross Bridge Sales Office and Welcome Center closes
A24 • July 2015
Hoover Sun
Sun
SECTION B Sports B12 School House B15 Real Estate B17 Calendar B18
A lasting legacy Hoover’s first fire marshal reflects on 42 years of service By KATIE TURPEN In 1976, Hoover Fire Marshal Frank Brocato received an emergency call from a local department store. When he and fellow firemen arrived on the scene, they found a woman lying on gas pumps, about to deliver a baby. The child would be the first baby any of the men ever delivered. “There was this huge crowd when we picked the baby up,” Brocato said. “I felt like I just had scored the winning touchdown in an Auburn football game.” It is this memory along with countless others that stand out vividly in Brocato’s mind. He retired in February after 42 years of service to the Hoover Fire Department. He is one of the department’s longest serving members and the city’s first-ever paramedic and fire marshal. Brocato was hired as a full-time member of the Hoover Fire Department in 1975. “The city was really starting to grow,” he said. “There was a core of young and energetic people that were the pioneers.” In 1979, Chief Tom Bradley named Brocato the city’s first fire marshal. He served in that role
for three years until being promoted and named captain over a new fire station in the Riverchase area. In the 1980s, Brocato recalls how firemen only wore helmets, gloves and a coat and no air packs. “We’ve had a tremendous turnaround,” Brocato said. “Today, you don’t fight a fire without those things.” In 1985, Brocato was named a battalion chief and made head of the department’s emergency medical services. It was during this time that the Riverchase Galleria was being built and Brocato saw the small fledging suburban fire department truly take off. He recalls the one day the fire department “really grew up.” A call came in during a shift change for a fire that required the men to take a construction elevator to the top of an extremely tall building. Throughout the 1980s, the Hoover EMS began to flourish, with an emphasis being placed on hiring only paramedics. Growth continued into the 1990s with stations being added along Highway 150 and in the Lake Cyrus area.
Fire Marshal Frank Brocato recently retired after 42 years of service to the Hoover Fire Department. Photo by Karim Shamsi-Basha.
Brocato said the city of Hoover is a special place to be a firefighter. “Fire service is all about being a team. Working in Hoover has allowed us as firefighters to be associated with some great events,” he said, citing events such as the SEC tournament. “It’s really given us the chance to showcase our department.” Brocato said he always shot for 62 as the age he would retire. In March, he was one of 12 retirees honored at a Hoover Fire Department promotions ceremony held at the Hoover Public Library. “These retirees have a combined 320 years of service between them,” said Fire Chief John
Wingate. “They understood their mission and have done a fantastic job with their work, command, and leadership.” Brocato looks forward to spending more time with his wife, children and grandchildren. He also teaches classes to firefighers in Tuscaloosa. Brocato is impressed with the Hoover Fire Department and confident in its future. “It gives me a lot of gratification to see where we were, where we came from and where we are now,” he said. “God has just blessed me richly to allow me to be here. I wish I could do it 42 more years.”
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B4 • July 2015
Hoover Sun
Firefighters to face off in
Iron City Chef By MARIENNE THOMAS OGLE As part of the 2015 Iron City Chef challenge, one Hoover firefighter will temporarily trade his firefighting gear for an apron and a chef’s hat. The Vestavia Hills Rotary Club, which hosts the Iron City Chef, has decided to make the seventh annual fundraiser the Firehouse Edition. Representatives from Mountain Brook, Homewood, Hoover and Vestavia fire departments will be competing. “For the last six years, this signature event has had the Iron City format, bringing in four Birmingham area chefs to cook a meal that is judged by those in attendance,” Howard said. “But club members
started talking last year about mixing it up and we decided to reach out to surrounding fire departments because, after all, they’re known for their great meals.” Edward Pegues, an apparatus operator and medic at Station 4, will be representing Hoover’s firefighters. The Hoover resident said he really doesn’t remember when and why he began cooking. “I guess I just picked it up all along,” Pegues said. “Both my parents worked, so when I got home my mom would ask me to put the chicken in the oven and things like that.” A 20-year firefighter, Pegues has worked with the Hoover department for the last 10. Being at the largest station in the city, he is lucky to have
access to a commercial kitchen. “We have three dedicated chefs and I cook for nine guys every other day,” he said. “There’s a lot of trial and error cooking for nine men because you’ve got eight other palates you’re trying to please.” Pegues, who said his three-yearold son is “a next generation griller” complete with his own miniature plastic grill, admits that while he’s looking forward to the Iron City Chef event, he is a bit anxious, too. “Cooking for 300 people – this is unchartered waters for me because I’ve never competed as a chef,” he said. “And if you make it to the final stage where you have to produce a meal really quickly – well, you just have to adapt to what comes.” Pegues said his competition meal
Edward Pegues will be representing the Hoover Fire Department at the 2015 Iron City Chef challenge. Photo by Ron Burkett.
will be shrimp and grits, with banana pudding for dessert. The Iron City Chef Firehouse Edition will be held July 18 at 6 p.m. at the Jefferson State Community College Culinary and Hospitality Institute. Tickets are $55 per person with corporate tables available for $400 and $800. For more information, visit rotarytoast.org.
Hoover Competitor Edward Pegues Time with HFD: 10 years Dish for Iron City Chef: Shrimp and grits. Banana pudding for dessert.
July 2015 • B5
HooverSun.com
July Fourth festival to feature music by Native Run and Jessie Pitts Freedom Fest
By MARIENNE THOMAS OGLE It won’t be long until it’s time to get your red, white and blue gear and join Hoover’s Freedom Fest, the city’s bang-up celebration of Independence Day. City events coordinator Erin Colbaugh said more than 13,000 folks of all ages are expected to join in the free, July 4 festival at the Hoover Met. “But don’t be concerned with the crowd,” Colbaugh said. “There will be plenty of excellent seating with vendors featuring food with a barbecue flare, plus restrooms convenient for all.” Gates open at 5 p.m. and, as festival goers make their way to the entrance, they’ll have the opportunity to peruse a display of privately owned vehicles of various makes, models and years. Auto owners don’t have to pay a fee or pre-register to take part in the car show but must arrive by 4:30 p.m., Colbaugh said. For this, the third year for Freedom Fest, children’s activities will be doubled, stretching along both the stadium’s first and third baselines. Fun for the kids will include inflatable, face painting and balloon twisting, plus Home Depot representatives will be on hand to lead participants in special hands-on projects,” Colbaugh said. “The ZOOperstars will make a return appearance. They’re inflatable characters that perform all kinds of
July 4 5 p.m. Gates Open 6:30 p.m. Music by Jessie Pitts 7:30 p.m. Music by Native Run 9 p.m. Fireworks Hoover Met Hooveral.org
This year’s Freedom Fest fireworks display “will surpass that of last year’s,” according to Hoover city officials. The Hoover Met gates open at 5 p.m. with live music beginning at 6:30 p.m. and the fireworks at 9 p.m. sharp. Photo courtesy of the City of Hoover.
crazy dance routines and skits,” she said. “We had such an overwhelming response to their antics last year, we couldn’t wait to bring them back.” The country music duo Native Run will perform a 75-minute set beginning at 7:30 p.m. Native Run can be seen at the Austin City Limits Music Festival,
and Paste Magazine has called them “The Best of What’s Next.” Spain Park High School graduate Jessie Pitts, who competed on The Voice, will open for Native Run at 6:30 p.m., Colbaugh said. At precisely 9 p.m. the big booms will begin with a fireworks display “that will surpass that of last year’s,”
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Former The Voice contestant Jessie Pitts, a Spain Park High School graduate, will perform at Freedom Fest. Photo by Tyler Golden/NBC.
Colbaugh said. The accompanying music will be available on WDJC radio, 93.7 FM. Hoover Mayor Gary Ivey said this year’s in-stadium attendance is expected to be a record, but “there will probably be at least 5,000 more observing from various surrounding areas and parking lots.”
“It’s the perfect time to get the entire family out to join in the fun,” Ivey said. “In addition to all the activities and entertainment, ours will be the biggest fireworks show in the state as far as we know, and you don’t want to miss it.”
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B6 • July 2015
Hoover Sun
National Night Out to bring public and emergency responders together By MARIENNE THOMAS OGLE Area residents will have a chance to get up close and personal with those charged with the city’s safety at Hoover National Night Out on Aug. 4. The annual event, held in The Grove’s Super Target parking lot from 6 to 8 p.m., is part of a national celebration, bringing together the community and representatives of local law enforcement and public safety to promote a safe environment. Hoover Police Capt. Gregg Rector said his department looks forward to the annual opportunity to interact with the public, which “has exploded into one of the city’s major events.” “The attendance is unbelievable and it gives us the chance to showcase and display equipment we use in our job,” Rector said. “It might be the tools we use daily or others we may call on only two or three times a year.” Some of those “tools” on display will include a helicopter from the Hoover/Jefferson County Air Support Unit, and the department’s Command Bus, a mobile command center, Rector said. “Hoover Police Lt. Paul Bonnecarrere is a helicopter pilot, so when there are needs for air support, traffic patrols or search assistance, we are ready to go,” he said. “And the Command Bus allows us to set up a post and dispatch center from anywhere, including very remote areas.” Visitors to National Night Out can also expect to see demonstrations from Hoover’s six-man Harley-Davidson
Sgt. Clint Blackmon of the Hoover Police Department’s special response team explains the use of a lesslethal weapon, which fires bean bags and rubber bullets, to a 2014 Hoover National Night Out participant. Photo courtesy of Hoover Police Department.
motor unit and representatives of the department’s K-9 unit. “Our motor unit guys have phenomenal riding skills and will show them on a mini course,” Gregg said. “And our K-9s, which include narcotics, patrol and bomb dogs, will
be interacting with the public. Let’s face it – everybody loves the police puppies.” A fingerprinting booth, high performance and antique car show and various children’s activities will also be featured.
Hoover Fire Department Executive Officer Rusty Lowe said his department will be showing off some its largest apparatus, including a ladder truck and heavy rescue unit. “Everyone pretty much understands what a regular fire engine does, but
most don’t see these two pieces of equipment up close or know how they work,” Lowe said. The department’s Fire Prevention Bureau will also set up its “smoke house,” a mobile structure that simulates a house fire, complete with a smoke machine, Lowe said. “Kids learn what it’s like to be in a house fire, how to check for hot doorknobs and then to crawl out,” he said. “We’ll also have a large inflatable with a fire prevention theme that helps teach “stop, drop and roll” to escape a fire.” National Night Out is a great stage for the Hoover Fire Department to emphasize the Alabama initiative, “Turn your attention to fire prevention,” Lowe said. “Last year, Alabama led the nation in fire deaths per capita, so we want to get back to the basics, really pushing the use of smoke detectors, home escape plans and other safety precautions that should be part of everyday living,” Lowe said. “This event is the perfect opportunity to have the public’s eyes and ears to do something about it.” Hoover Mayor Gary Ivey said he couldn’t agree more and plans to be one of the approximately 8,000 participants expected at this year’s National Night Out. “It’s a great night for our citizens to see what our public safety, police and fire departments do on a daily basis, plus some of the impressive equipment they use,” Ivey said.
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July 2015 • B7
Senior center celebrating early Independence Day All American Indoor Picnic Hoover Senior Center 400 Municipal Drive July 1, 12:30 p.m. 739-6700
By MARIENNE THOMAS OGLE Members of The City of Hoover’s Senior Center will get a jump on Independence Day with the facility’s own July 4th celebration. The All American Indoor Picnic will be July 1 at 12:30 p.m. and include hamburgers, hot dogs, side items and drinks, plus live musical entertainment, center event coordinator Tracy Vinzant said. “We will also recognize all five branches of the military and the veterans who attend that day and a display of military memorabilia is planned,” Vinzant said. “It’s a fun, casual opportunity for our seniors to gather for good food and music to celebrate Independence Day.” The indoor picnic is open to members of the Hoover Senior Center and those 55 and older who wish to join. Paid reservations are $5 and must be made by noon, June 29, she said. “But all the veterans in attendance will be admitted free,” Vinzant added.
Hoover Senior Center members Judy and Ed Auslander, left, and Betty and Dick Baumgartner, plan to be on hand for the center’s All American Indoor Picnic on July 1. The event will celebrate veterans and the five branches of the U.S. military. Photo courtesy of Hoover Senior Center.
Jim Langley, who served in the U.S. Army Artillery and is a past president of the Senior Center, said that the yearly July 4 celebration is both lively and memorable. “You can expect a spirit of loyalty to God and country and a lot of songs and music commemorating the
holiday and those who have protected our freedom,” Langley said. “There’s a great deal of pride when a veteran can stand and say he or she fought for our country.” And, Langley said, the Hoover Senior Center boasts a good number of military veterans as members.
“While we are losing them every day, we still have a significant number of World War II and Korean War vets that normally attend this event,” he said. “Because today’s wars seem so separated from our society and people aren’t confronted by them as were past generations, I think it’s good for those
not veterans to be in the midst of those who have served.” For more information about the Hoover Senior Center, go to hooveralabama.gov or call 739-6700.
B8 • July 2015
Hoover Sun
Get ‘grossed out’ at camp By MARIENNE THOMAS OGLE It’s an icky, yucky adventure into nature and, for the first time, Gross Out Camp is coming to the Hoover area. Described as “it’s science but please don’t tell the kids,” the day camp is July 27-31 and for children entering grades one through seven. Campers are guaranteed to go home “tired, dirty, but having learned something,” according to Verna Gates, founder and executive director of Fresh Air Family, the host organization. The camp offers another aspect that makes it even more meaningful for those taking part in the experience – it is intergenerational. Set at The Oaks at Parkwood retirement community, it promotes the blending of youngsters and seniors that creates an environment beneficial to both, Gates said. “Too few children today live near their grandparents, while too many seniors live in retirement homes where they rarely see children,” she said. “Grandparents and kids are natural allies and this summer camp offers the opportunity for kids to get a ‘grandparent’ experience and for seniors to hear that golden laughter of children playing in the sun.” Created by Gates eight years ago, the award-winning Gross Out Camp uses science and a nature setting to stimulate critical thinking. “We wanted something fun but at a high level of education, and this is basically field biology and self-directed learning,” Gates said. “We had some kids out walking and one little boy stuck his hand in compost and
Whether hiking in woods, wading in the creek or learning to tend a garden, Gross Out Camp campers use nature as a laboratory to learn about their environment.
was surprised it was hot. So we spent the rest of the afternoon discussing biothermals because it caught their interest.” Gross Out Camp is held at several locations in Alabama, but individual camp sessions are kept to about 20 participants “because learning is so much better,” Gates said. “And we have kids who come over and over until they age out of
the camp, but then return to train and move up to counselors,” she said. Caroline Belrose, 13, is one of those campers-turned-counselors who just can’t get enough of Gross Out Camp. The Saint Rose Academy eighthgrader, who lives in Hoover, said she first got hooked on the camp in 2014 because “I love science and love having fun.” Caroline said she enjoyed learning about polymers and ratios by
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making slime with glue, Borax and food coloring and also making compost buckets for the gardens. “But my favorite was wading in the creek where we learn the proper way to flip rocks,” she said. “Then we look for the macroinvertebrates, which have no backbone – like flatworms, crayfish, snails, and dragonflies – and we can see them with the naked eye but make sure they’re back safe so
they can live.” While she outgrew the camper age range, Caroline is a counselor this summer and earning community hours for school while helping others in their own camp experience. “It’s great watching the kids’ faces, whether they’re in the creek, doing experiments, or looking at snakes and turtles, birds or even a hedgehog,” she said. “And being outdoors, it’s just so beautiful.” Beautiful is the word Carol Knight uses to describe The Oaks at Parkwood and the experience campers and the retirement community’s residents will have at Gross Out Camp. “Our campuses are large with plenty of acreage, woods and streams that allow everyone to become part of nature,” said Knight, vice president of senior living at Nolan Health Services. “There’s such a special connection between the children and the older adults whether they’re fishing together, exploring the creek or just telling stories about their own adventures. The seniors didn’t grow up with cell phones or video games, but the knowledge that’s imparted is amazing.” While electronics play no part in Gross Out Camp either, campers will be engrossed in what’s happening around them, Gates said. “We think our kids are so sophisticated but they still love to get into the creek bed or dig for worms,” she said. “Biology is kind of gross but kids love that.” For more information and registration information about Gross Out Camp, go to freshairfamily.org.
HooverSun.com
‘Garden of Destiny’
Founder Eddie Aldridge installed this fountain outside the Aldridge Gardens visitor center in June. Photo by Roy L. Williams.
By ROY L. WILLIAMS Tynette Lynch has spent three decades in the hospitality industry, including a stint as former general manager of the Wynfrey Hotel at the Riverchase Galleria. An avid lover of nature, Lynch’s appreciation of the outdoors has grown even more since she became CEO of Aldridge Gardens at 3530 Lorna Road in September 2013. She supervises a 30-acre garden that has more than 80,000 visitors a year, ranking among the top 10 most visited free attractions in Alabama. In early June, Aldridge Gardens installed a new fountain on the grounds outside its visitor center/administration office. The new fountain was paid for by founder Eddie Aldridge and is similar to one he has outside his home. A new Aldridge Gardens sign was also erected on Lorna Road, thanks to a grant from the Alabama Tourism Department. The tourism department established an Alabama Gardens Trail this spring, which includes Aldridge Gardens, Birmingham Botanical Gardens and others in Huntsville and Montgomery. In 2009, Eddie Aldridge wrote a book, titled Garden of Destiny, about the garden’s history and the legacy of his parents, Loren L. and Zeta Aldridge. On a recent sunny day, Lynch sat down with the Hoover Sun and shared some interesting tidbits about Hoover’s own Garden of Destiny.
Q A
Describe the amenities at Aldridge Gardens.
Aldridge Gardens is a beautiful example of art and nature in balance. We are surrounded by nature in its purest form with the gardens, and we have added the beautiful collections of local artists, including the largest collection of Frank Fleming Bronze sculptures available for viewing in one area.
Q
How does Aldridge Gardens compare to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens?
A
We are a public garden, just as Birmingham Botanical Gardens is, only on a smaller scale. Our historical value, due to Eddie Aldridge, is something no one else can ever capture. We are famous for our Snowflake Hydrangea, which Eddie patented, and we have hundreds of those, along with other native American plants growing here.
Q A
What makes Aldridge Gardens such a special place?
We are a one-of-a-kind venue for weddings and special events, located in the heart of Hoover, Alabama. We offer over seven outdoor wedding venues throughout the gardens with an outdoor pavilion and beautiful home to host events in. What makes us special is that we are Aldridge Gardens. That name is internationally renowned.
Q A
Do you have visitors from beyond Alabama and surrounding states?
We had over 80,000 visitors to Aldridge Gardens in 2014, with people coming from Japan, India, Korea and other countries. We learn about these visitors from Eddie Aldridge, who sits on a bench in front of the home every Saturday and visits with our visitors. He is the best salesperson for Aldridge Gardens we could have.
Q A
How can people support Aldridge Gardens?
We are owned by the city of Hoover, and thankful for the contributions they make to us, and are managed by a nonprofit board of directors. We are a 501(c)(3) organization,and rely on fundraising, personal donations, corporate contributions and memberships as well as in-kind contributions to run beautiful Aldridge Gardens.
July 2015 • B9
B10 • July 2015
Hoover Sun
Celebrate summer the Scottish way By SYDNEY CROMWELL Enjoy a summer sunset with a side of bagpipes at the Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort and Spa. The resort’s annual “Summer at the Castle” program will offer daily activities with a Scottish twist through Labor Day. Paul Sharp, the resort director of sales and marketing, said Summer at the Castle is part of Renaissance’s efforts to maintain the Scottish heritage of Ross Bridge. The Ross family immigrated to Alabama from Scotland prior to the Civil War and involved themselves in the local steel industry. They built the actual Ross Bridge to help Confederate troops advance on the Union army. “With the amount of steel trade that you had here in Birmingham, the Scottish contingent had a real interest in watching the steel industry grow,” Sharp said. “[The Ross family] brought with them a great sense of culture.” This heritage is carried on in several ways, including the daily bagpipe performance of Jim McRae. Since the resort was built in 2005, McRae has spent every evening playing the pipes as he walks from the golf course’s mill around the resort to the front of the property. “People really enjoy it,” Sharp said. “It’s a really great thing and rich tradition.” Kids will be able to follow McRae on his daily journey as part of Summer at the Castle, which is now in its sixth year. There will also be daily Highland games on the Grassy Knoll, which Sharp said will include three to four
Jim McRae has played the bagpipes every evening at Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort and Spa for 10 years to celebrate the area’s Scottish heritage. Photo courtesy of Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort and Spa.
traditional games with a modern twist, such as Scottish cornhole. Resort staff, neighborhood residents and community partners will be able to participate in games along with the guests. “It’s going to be very interactive,” Sharp said. For resort guests who want to stay active, Summer at the Castle will feature organized runs, night putting on the golf green, dive-in movies at the
indoor pool and bike trips to the Ross Bridge. There will also be music at the pool and JT’s bar on certain days. The summer program will also include the chance to taste and create a variety of dishes and drinks. Sharp said a new castle beverage ritual will feature different cocktails in the afternoon and show people how to make them. There will be cooking classes, food tastings and the chance to roast
marshmallows and s’mores. High Iced Tea will be a new feature to show off “interesting flavors in terms of iced tea, and with iced tea being so popular here in the South, we’ve taken full advantage of that.” Children can make cupcakes with pastry chef Meredith Paddock, who has been at the resort for four years and “does phenomenal work,” Sharp said.
“We’re one of the few resorts in the Southeast that still retains a fulltime pastry chef,” Sharp said. “She’s got a huge heart, puts a huge amount of time into everything she creates.” To learn more about these and other Summer at the Castle activities, visit rossbridgeresort.com or call 916-7677.
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July 2015 • B11
A chat with
John Mattioli owner of 5 Star Cleaners By ROY L. WILLIAMS When John Mattioli learned of Belk’s Parisian takeover and his subsequent layoff in August 2006, he decided to move forward in a totally new career field: discount dry cleaning services. Partnering with his wife, Holly, Mattioli bought Dry Clean City of Vestavia Hills in May 2007 from outof-state owners. Within the first three months of their ownership, the couple reorganized all of the systems and developed an efficient dry cleaning process with an emphasis on a Parisian-like customer service strategy. In November 2012, they opened a second business —5 Star Cleaners in the Valleydale Village Shopping Center in Hoover. The Mattiolis also operate a corporate dry cleaning pickup and delivery service called 5stardryclean.com. In a Five Questions interview, Mattioli talked of how he says their discount dry cleaning service benefits individual and business customers and shared insight of what the dry cleaning process is like.
Q
Tell me why you decided to get into the dry cleaning business.
A
When Saks announced they had struck a deal with Belk in August
2006 to sell them the Parisian division, my initial reaction was to start looking for work with another retail company. After the initial shock started to subside a few weeks later, my wife and I decided that this was our opportunity to do something we had dreamed about—own our own business. My initial step was to start looking for a franchise opportunity, since my perception was that this was safer than starting your own business from scratch. I looked at various franchises but could not find an opportunity I felt comfortable with. After ruling out franchises, I met with the various business brokers in town and reviewed businesses that were for sale. In December 2006 I saw a newspaper ad for a dry cleaning business for sale in Vestavia Hills. I called and spoke to the owner and after a month of doing due diligence and making an offer, we were able to acquire the business and close the sale in May 2007.
Q
What are some of the differences between running a small business and working for a large corporation?
A
As a small business owner, you are responsible for everything. You don’t have a boss setting your agenda and giving you direction and feedback. You have to be focused on the big
picture and what it takes to run a profitable business or you will not succeed. You don’t have support departments such as human resources, information technology, marketing, accounting, etc. As owners, my wife and I have to wear those hats. Sometimes we have to outsource projects or repairs we can’t do ourselves. Being business owners, we get paid after all of our employees and suppliers get paid. We can’t just wander around hoping for business, we have to create it. We decide how good our customer service is. We decide how good our quality is. We decide how we will get customers. We decide everything. Our business doesn’t just happen, we make it happen. That’s pressure, but we love it because we have total control.
Q
What sets 5 Star Cleaners and Dry Clean City apart from your competitors?
A
Our strategy of everyday value pricing drives our model because we will dry clean and finish three times as many garments as any typical full price dry cleaners will. The higher the volume of the garments we process is the lower our cost is to process each garment. The key for us is to keep costs down so we can pass the savings on to our customers in the form of everyday low pricing.
John Mattioli operates Dry Clean City on U.S. 31 in Vestavia Hills and 5 Star Cleaners just off Valleydale Road in Hoover. Photo by Roy L. Williams.
A
Q A
What exactly is dry cleaning?
Q
How often should I dry clean or launder my clothes?
Even though the name dry cleaning implies “dry,” dry cleaning is actually “wet.” The reason it’s called dry cleaning is the process is done with dry solvent as opposed to water. All dry cleaners have similar cleaning machines and the process is the same regardless of who the dry cleaner may be. The only significant difference is that there are different types of dry cleaning solvents being used in the industry. The solvent we use is called Hydrocarbon and it is environmentally friendly. This solvent is so safe that it is not even regulated by the EPA.
I would recommend laying your clothes out and letting them air out when you change them. Once they are dry, hang them up and brush any wool blend or wool garments with a horse hair clothing brush to remove any dust or dirt on the surface and restore the nap to the fabric. If you do this you should be able to wear them two or three times before you have them dry cleaned. Dirt acts as an abrasive, much like sandpaper, that can cause your clothes to wear out prematurely. Also, perspiration, antiperspirants and cosmetics can cause the dye in your clothes to discolor or dry rot, so the more often you have your clothes dry cleaned or laundered the better. Always have your clothes cleaned at the end of each season to remove any stains or body oils that may attract clothing moths.
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Hoover Sun
B12 • July 2015
Sports
Royal treatment Former Jaguar star drafted by Kansas City for second time By DAVID KNOX Alex Close was almost a member of the Kansas City Royals organization after his junior season at Liberty University. He decided to go back to school, get his degree and take his chances. But the Royals liked him – really, really liked him. So much so that a year later the Royals drafted him again, selecting him in the 26th round of Wednesday’s Major League Baseball first-year player draft. The former Spain Park High star was releasing some draft-day jitters, taking hitting practice at his old high school when he got the news. Moments later, his fiancée, sister and parents pulled up in their car. Fiancée and sis had donned Royals shirts he’d had in his closet from last year. Hugs and tears all around, a few pictures, then back to hitting before a celebratory dinner. “I knew after last year when I didn’t sign, it wasn’t like we were on bad terms,” Close said. “It was the best thing for both sides. They had told me last year they were going to follow me again and hopefully have another chance. Honestly, they were the team I’d heard from the most so I thought it was going to be them.” Close had just put the finishing touches on an outstanding career at Liberty in Lynchburg, Va., a Division I school in the Big South Conference.
Former Spain Park baseball player Alex Close has been drafted by the Kansas City Royals after graduating from Liberty University. Photo courtesy of Liberty University.
A four-year starter, Close was named all-Big South first team after both his junior and senior years. He also was named to the Eastern College Athletic Conference All-Star team. As a senior, the 6-foot-4, 225-pound first baseman/catcher/pitcher batted .342 with seven home runs, 46 RBIs and was 2-2 with a 2.21 ERA and a team-best six saves as a pitcher. He led the Flames in batting average, hits, doubles, slugging percentage and on-base percentage. In addition, he led the Flames with 25 multi-hit games and 13 multi-RBI
contests, while reaching base in a teamhigh 39 consecutive games. Close, who graduated in May with a degree in financial planning, was a two-time Capital One Academic All-American – the first such player in Liberty history. He was also picked as the top graduating senior student-athlete. He rang up a 3.81 GPA. When you lead the team in batting, yet your GPA is still higher than your BA – and your ERA is lower than your GPA – you’ve earned the scholar-athlete tag.
With brains like that – and that big bat – it’s no wonder the Royals project him to be a catcher. Catching is the position at which he’s had the least experience, but he’s just thrilled to get his shot. “It don’t matter, man,” he said. “I just want to get on the field, whether it be pitching or getting in the box and hitting, I don’t care where I play. “Definitely, I have to work on the catching. I’m just so raw back there. I’ve never really been able to focus on it because I’ve pitched as well. I think
defense is a huge area I need to spend some time on.” Hitting is his strength, and he gives credit to several coaches for helping him develop, but especially Liberty coach Matt Hagen, who schooled him his freshman year before taking another job. There’s a big difference in being a great high school hitter and a great college hitter. Adjustments must be made, and some of that is done upstairs. “Even to this day there’s stuff I think about he taught me,” Close said. “But really you just almost have to grow up,” he added. “The fastballs are coming in harder, the sliders are tighter. It’s not like high school where you can go up there in any given game and get three hits – there’s definitely approaches and changing with situations that comes with playing in college. I could talk to you all night about specifics, but it’s really about having to mature and deal with pitching.” He played just one season at Spain Park for coach Will Smith after moving from Atlanta, but he made his presence felt, being named the Hoover area player of the year. He picked Liberty after attending a camp and falling in love with the school. “It’s always going to be home now. I’m kind of sad I’m done playing there, but I’m excited for the next chapter. Coach (Jim) Toman gave me a chance and I couldn’t be more grateful to him and the coaches,” Close said.
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HooverSun.com
July 2015 • B13
Mikey White drafted by Athletics in MLB Draft By DAVID KNOX Former Spain Park star and University of Alabama shortstop Mikey White was drafted on June 8 by the Oakland Athletics in Major League Baseball’s first-year player draft. White was the 62nd pick of the draft, a second-round choice by the A’s. White, a junior, was draft-eligible. Going as high as the second round, he is likely to sign with the A’s. Analysts believe he may move from shortstop to third base or another position. The A’s drafted Florida shortstop Richie Martin in the first round with the 20th pick. Coming out of Spain Park, White had been drafted by the New York Mets in the 34th round. White started all 60 games of his junior season at UA and closed out the year as the team’s overall leader in average (.339), triples (six), runs scored
(48), walks (31), hit-by-pitch (13), slugging (.537) and on-base percentage (.444), and multi-hit games (24). In the field, White topped the squad with 177 assists from the shortstop position. White started all 184 games at shortstop during his three-year career with the Tide. He finished his career at Alabama with a .308 (211-685) average, while adding 132 runs and 98 RBIs. He was named a 2013 All-SEC Second Team member while also being honored as a 2013 Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American. The only other Alabama-connected player drafted on June 8 was West Alabama’s Tanner Rainey, a Louisiana native who dominated the Gulf South Conference both as a hitter and a pitcher and is projected as a closer. UA shortstop Mikey White. Photo courtesy of UA Athletics.
Cannon repeats as State Amateur champ, Lady Bucs win golf championship By DAVID KNOX Former Hoover High standout and current UAB golfer Will Cannon successfully defended his Alabama State Amateur title by topping Spain Park graduate Patrick Martin by four strokes in the 99th playing of the tournament, which was held at Mountain Brook Club on June 11-14. Cannon, who just completed his junior year at UAB, had rounds of 65-68-72-68 for a four-day total of 272, 12 under par. Cannon is a member at Hoover Country
Club.Martin, who won the Class 7A high school individual championship and has signed with Vanderbilt, shot a four-day total of 276. Next year’s 100th State Am will be held at The Country Club of Birmingham. The Hoover Lady Buccaneers golf team also defended their title by winning its second straight state golf championship, the Class 7A/6A division at Magnolia Grove Golf Course in Mobile. The Lady Bucs’ two-day total of 445 was six strokes better than second-place
Huntsville. Muscle Shoals finished third with 466 and Auburn fourth with a 475. “It is very difficult to repeat but this team got it done,” coach Lori Elgin said. “It was a total team effort by a special group of young ladies, especially our seniors.” Hoover Individuals Mychael O’Berry 144 (69-75) Julie Baker 145 (72-73) Elizabeth Moultrie 156 (78-78) Carson McKie 165 (79-86)
Will Cannon won his second State Amateur title in June. Photo courtesy of UAB Athletic Media Relations.
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situation. A complete neuromuscular and skeletal examination of the head and neck so we can find the problem. A thorough analysis of your exam findings where we’ll map out how you can get rid of your headaches once and for all. A special report complimenting your recommendations that reveals the foods you should never, ever eat when suffering from chronic headaches. Imagine being able to live life like a normal person again, pain free and without headaches -- being able to play with your kids, enjoy time with friends, and not have to worry that your headache will hit you at just the wrong time. Call today. I may be able to help you live a normal, pain-free life again. Call 205-874-9790
B14 • July 2015
Hoover Sun
School House Spain Park, Berry Middle to receive transportation improvements Jaguar Drive
By SYDNEY CROMWELL
Local student shadows state representative
Zevin Fowler, an eighth-grader at Simmons Middle School, recently shadowed Representative David Faulkner at the Alabama State House. He is the son of Rob and Anna Fowler. Photo courtesy of David Faulkner.
New Road Caldwell Mill Road
Students at two Hoover schools will soon have more options to relieve traffic congestion. In a May 19 meeting, the Board of Education approved a request from Signature Homes to construct a private road at Spain Park High School and a new sidewalk at Berry Middle School. A private road will connect Kirkman Preserve and Jaguar Drive near Caldwell Mill Road. The road will have a steel pipe gate that Hoover City Schools can
choose to close at any time. A four feet wide concrete sidewalk will also be constructed along Jaguar Drive to connect Caldwell Mill Road and Berry Middle School. “The new sidewalk will be a great attribute for providing a safe pathway to our students walking and riding bikes to school,” Board of Education President Derrick Murphy said. Murphy said the roadwork is scheduled to be complete before Hoover students return to classes on Aug. 13.
Crosswalk
Kirkman Preservy Sidewalk Exhibit
Signature Homes will be constructing a road connecting Jaguar Drive and Kirkman Preserve, as well as a sidewalk along Jaguar Drive from Berry Middle School to Caldwell Mill Road. Map courtesy of Derrick Murphy.
Bumpus students selected for youth leadership program Several R.F. Bumpus Middle School students were recently selected for a National Youth Leadership Program. This program is designed to challenge students in the fields of math and science. Students must possess a high grade point average, show leadership skills in the school setting and perform community service hours in order to be nominated. Students have their choice of studying critical thinking skills in math and science in the following cities: Los Angeles; New York; Chicago; Houston, Boston; Miami or Atlanta.
Ronald Yuan, Vijay Krishnamoorthy, Emma Langley, Ryan Kamm, Ravikiran Nataraj and Stan Doran. Photo courtesy of Bo Doss.
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HooverSun.com
July 2015 • B15
By ROY L. WILLIAMS
“I was always the best artist in class,” Martin said. “I could just look at something and be able to draw it.” Martin’s artwork has gotten national notice. Earlier this year, he won a Golden Key award, placing in the Top 4 percent out of 300,000 entries in a national painting contest. He has won a Bluff Park art scholarship, Art Alliance scholarship and two Alabama Blue Ribbon District Awards for his work. The Martin home is filled with various portraits and still pieces he has drawn over the years. Several of his artwork are on display on his Instagram accounts at Jeremy_Martin45 and JMart_Supreme_Arts. Martin said his favorite current artist is Kehinde Wiley of Brooklyn, who is known for portraits of people of color in heroic poses. “He did one portrait of the rapper Kaheem from the hit Fox series ‘Empire,’” Martin said. “He uses vibrant patterns in the background.” Martin has lofty dreams, envisioning one day designing and selling his own clothing line. He already has a style for fashion, painting his own design on sneakers and wearing handcrafted bead bracelets. His advice for other young artists: Don’t give up on your dreams. “If you love art, keep working on it and you will get better,” Martin said. “Don’t let criticism stop you. Move on to the next piece. Eventually, you will find people who like your art.”
Hoover High grad dreams of own art studio, clothing line
Carolyn Martin first noticed her son Jeremy’s talent for art when he began drawing using a set of art pencils and paper his grandmother gave him at age 5. “Jeremy had a God-given talent that just got better the older he got,” Martin recalled. In May, Jeremy Martin’s talent was on public display when a portrait he drew of Hoover Board of Education President Donna Frazier drew rave reviews from attendees of her last board meeting. Martin, who graduated from Hoover High on May 21, feels honored to receive accolades for doing something he loves. A self-taught artist who has never taken any lessons, Martin is now making plans now to attend art school, most likely at the Savannah College of Art and Design. It’s the first step in a process he hopes will lead to opening an art studio of his own. The portrait of Frazier is typical of the originality he puts into his works. Using a photo as a guide, Martin used acrylic and graphite to paint a smiling Frazier, wearing a blouse that incorporated the images of Spain Park High School and Hoover High School. The portrait included the Hoover school crest and was bordered by the names of all 16 schools in the city school system. New Board of Education President Derrick Murphy knew Martin was the
Former Board of Education President Donna Frazier stands with Hoover High graduate Jeremy Martin, who drew a portrait of her to celebrate her 10 years of service. The portrait includes images of Spain Park High and Hoover High below her face and names of all 16 Hoover schools surrounding the picture. Photo by Roy L. Williams.
perfect person to paint Frazier’s portrait when he came up with the idea. He had seen the talent first-hand when Martin painted a portrait of him a few years ago. “Jeremy is incredibly gifted,”
Murphy said. Frazier, an avid art collector, said Martin’s painting has a special place in her home. “It’s the best gift my fellow board members could have gotten me,” she
said. “Having served on the school board for 10 years, to have something so beautiful done by one of our students makes it even better.” Martin said he grew up with a fascination for drawing.
B16 • July 2015
Hoover Sun
Hoover City Schools to offer Mandarin Chinese beginning August By ROY L. WILLIAMS Mandarin Chinese will join Spanish, French and Latin as a foreign language opportunity for high school students in Hoover beginning with the 2015-16 school year this August. The elective will be taught at both Hoover High School and Spain Park High School by Steven Frost, a renowned educator who comes to Hoover from the Loveless Academic Magnet Program High School in Montgomery. Students will soon be able to revise schedules and choose “Chinese 1” as an elective. The course will establish a solid conceptual framework for understanding the principles of both the spoken and written Chinese language. “What excites me most about starting a Mandarin program in Hoover is the opportunity to serve in the community I call home,” said Frost who lives in Hoover. “The potential for growth in a school community the size of Hoover is a strong
motivating force.” Frost lived and worked in China for a number of years and used his experience to engage in extensive language learning opportunities. He has participated in the prestigious Confucius Classroom here in the United States. Students will be introduced to the etymology of Mandarin Chinese characters and the historic development of Chinese script. “With Chinese, the question of difficulty is more nuanced than with an alphabet-based language,” Frost said. “Speaking is not particularly hard as long as there is an environment where you can practice. Learning Chinese characters in order to read requires a serious time commitment, but there is evidence suggesting doing so can pay significant cognitive dividends.” Frost said nothing of lasting value in life comes without sacrifice and Chinese is no exception. “My job as a teacher is to make the language accessible for students by
teaching the logic behind it,” he said. “With Chinese, there is no conjugation of verbs. This little known fact should win it many new fans.” Dr. Ron Dodson, Hoover Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, said he recognizes the value of Mandarin, a widely-spoken language in the global business community. China has the world’s largest population. Dodson said bringing Frost on board is a huge win for Hoover City Schools, which will be joining a small number of public schools across the state that are able to offer a Chinese language option. “We’ve been searching for the right time and the right person to create and grow a Mandarin program here in Hoover, and it’s exciting to find someone who has already done this successfully and can bring that knowledge and experience to our school district,” Dodson said. Dodson points out that China has been making substantial investments
Steven Frost will be teaching Mandarin Chinese as an elective at Hoover High and Spain Park High beginning this August. Photo courtesy of Hoover City Schools.
in English language learning as almost all students are required to study English. This could give China’s students a competitive global advantage, positioning them to emerge as business leaders poised to capitalize on the global trade gap. “Due to the large population, there are almost as many English language learners in China as there are Americans in the entire United States,” Dodson said. “It’s the scarcity of
Mandarin in America that gives it special prominence right now. Chinese is the third most spoken language in the U.S. today, but less than 1 percent of Americans can read and speak in the language.” Students in grades 9-12 at Hoover High School and Spain Park High School will be eligible for this course in the 2015-2016 school year. Space will be limited and schedule change fees will be waived.
HooverSun.com
July 2015 • B17
Hoover
4426 Tuckahoe Lane
Real Estate Listings MLS #
Zip
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Price
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35226
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$244,900
635301
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$399,900
635244
35226
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35226
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New
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35226
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New
$317,900
635092
35226
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New
$329,900
635045
35226
500 Lacey Lane
New
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35242
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New
$384,900
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35242
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New
$549,000
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35226
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35226
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B18 • July 2015
Moonlight on the Mountain
Hoover Sun
Calendar Hoover Events
585 Shades Crest Road moonlightonthemtn.com July 10: Steve Forest Trio featuring Anthony and Savannah Crawford of Sugarcane Jane. $20. July 12: Phil Lee. $12.
July 1: All American Indoor Picnic. 12:30 p.m. Hoover Senior Center. Call 739-6700.
July 10: Friday Night Flicks: Home. Film starts at sundown. Visit hooveral.org.
July 16-18: Select 7on7 Tournament. Hoover High School. Visit select7on7.com.
July 24: Friday Night Flicks: Dolphin Tale 2. Film starts at sundown. Visit hooveral.org.
July 4: Freedom Fest. 6-9 p.m. Hoover Met. Visit hooveral.org.
July 13-16: SEC Football Media Days. Hyatt Regency – Wynfrey Hotel. Visit secsports.com.
July 17: Friday Night Flicks: Maleficent. Film starts at sundown. Visit hooveral.org.
July 31: Friday Night Flicks: Rain Date. Film starts at sundown. Visit hooveral.org.
July 13: Open Mic Grand Playoff. $5.
Hoover City Council
July 16: Miss Shevaughn & Yuma Wray. $12. July 17: Underhill Rose. $12.
100 Municipal Lane 444-7557
July 18: Playing on the Planet.
July 2: City Council Work Session. 5 p.m. Council chambers, Hoover City Hall.
July 25: The Old Fashioned Rhythm Method, a CD Release. $12.
July 2: Board of Zoning Adjustments. 7:30 p.m. Council chambers, Hoover City Hall. July 6: City Council Meeting.
6 p.m. Council chambers, Hoover City Hall. July 9: Planning and Zoning Work Session. 5 p.m. Council chambers, Hoover City Hall. July 13: Planning and Zoning Work Session. 5:30 p.m. Council
chambers, Hoover City Hall. July 16: City Council Work Session. 5 p.m. Council chambers, Hoover City Hall. July 20: City Council Meeting. 6 p.m. Council chambers, Hoover City Hall.
July 26: Board of Zoning Adjustments Work Session. 5:30 p.m. Council chambers, Hoover City Hall. July 30: City Council Work Session. 5 p.m. Council chambers, Hoover City Hall.
July 26: Elnora Spencer Band with Special Guest Art Grayson. $15. July 27: Open Mic Night. $5. July 30: Ashton Shepherd. $15. July 31: Emi Sunshine. $15.
All shows start at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise stated.
Hoover Chamber of Commerce Events 1694 Montgomery Highway, Suite 108 988-5672 July 9: Coffee & Contacts. 7:30-9:30 a.m. Samaritan Counseling Centers, 100 Missionary Ridge. Visit samaritancc.org. July 15: Ambassadors Meeting. 4:30 p.m. Chamber of
Commerce Office.
hooverchamber.org.
July 16: Hoover Chamber of Commerce Luncheon. 11:15 a.m. Hoover Country Club. Make reservations by Monday, July 13. Call 988-5672 or email lisa@
July 28: Minority Business Council Meeting Brown Bag Luncheon. Noon. Chamber of Commerce Office.
July 30: Open House & Business After Hours. 5:30-7 p.m. Plan Ahead EventsBirmingham. Call 470-2036 or visit planaheadevents.com.
July 2015 • B19
HooverSun.com
Calendar Hoover Library Events 200 Municipal Lane 444-7800
Adults July 2: First Thursday Fiction Book Group. 10 a.m. Adult Programming Room. The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion. Call 444-7820. July 5: Global Cuisine @ the Plaza: America. 2:30 p.m. Library Plaza. Program presented by Coffee-ol-ogy Café with complimentary samples provided. Call 444-7821. July 9: Second Thursday Fiction Book Group. 10 a.m. Adult Programming Room. The Aviator’s Wife by Melanie Benjamin. Call 444-7820. July 11: Purl @ the Plaza. 1 - 5 p.m. Library Plaza. Let your inner geek out to play by bringing your nerdy knits to share! Call 444-7821. July 12: How to Find Grants. 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Training Center. Learn to use the Foundation Center Cooperative database to find grants for nonprofits and individuals. Reservations required. Call 444-7816. July 12: Art Histories and Mysteries: Intrigue at the MoMA. 3 p.m. Theatre Level Meeting Rooms. Learn about the women who founded the Museum of Modern Art and how their legacies are in jeopardy. Free. Call 444-7840. July 13: Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle. 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The Library Theatre. Part 3: A Hero Can Be Anyone (1978-present) Plus, Pioneers of Television: Superheroes. Free admission and refreshments. (Not Rated, 60 minutes each). Call 444-7840. July 13: Helping Hands. 3 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Adult Programming Room. Drop in to make newspaper rolls for a local humane society. Teens and adults. Call 444-7840. July 13: Trivia Night. 7 p.m. Beef ‘O’ Brady’s - The Grove. Round up your friends and compete for great prizes at local Hoover restaurant, Beef ‘O’ Brady’s (5519 Grove Blvd.). Call 444-7820. July 14: Daytime Nonfiction Book Group. 10:30 a.m. Adult Programming Room. Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy by Karen Abbott. Call 444-7816. July 14: Glue Gun Gang: Terracotta Turtles. 6:30 p.m. Adult Programming Room. Use flower pots to create cute turtle decor for your patio. Adults only. Free. Reservations required. Sign up begins July 1. Call 444-7840. July 15: No Jacket Required Nonfiction Book Group. 10:30 a.m. Adult Programming Room. This month’s genre: Myths and Legends. Call 444-7840. July 16: Glue Gun Gang: Terracotta Turtles. 10:30 a.m. Adult Programming Room. Use flower pots to create cute turtle decor for your patio. Adults only. Free. Reservations required. Sign up begins July 1. Call 444-7840. July 16: The Birmingham Seven. 6:30 p.m. Library Plaza. B7 is a straight-ahead jazz septet patterned after the small groups of the hard bop era. Call 444-7821. July 18: Superhero Double Feature. 10:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. The Library Theatre. Free admission and refreshments. Call 444-7820. July 23: Nighttime Nonfiction Book Group. 7 p.m. Allen Board Room. The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. Call 444-7816. July 24: After Hours @ the Plaza: Game Nite. 7 p.m. -10 p.m. Library Plaza. Put
your game face on and meet up with your fellow gamers. Call 444-7821. July 25: Write Club. 10:30 a.m. Theatre Level Meeting Rooms. Share your literary works and network with other aspiring writers. Call 444-7820. July 26: The Matchcoats. 2:30 p.m. Library Plaza. Country-blues and folk duo combines vocal harmonies with guitar playing reminiscent of Mississippi John Hurt. Call 444-7821. July 27: Monday at the Movies. 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The Library Theatre. Eight-year-old Willie loses his only friend in the world to the draft until his mother gives him a puppy for his birthday. Set in Mississippi in the late 1940s and based on Willie Morris’ boyhood memoirs (PG, 95 minutes). Free admission and refreshments. Call 444-7820.
Teens July 7: Movie Night: Guardians of the Galaxy. 6 p.m. Snacks provided July 13: Helping Hands. 3 p.m. Drop in to make newspaper rolls for a local humane society. July 14: Friendship Bracelets. 6:30 p.m. Make bracelets to give or trade with your friends. July 21: Heroes and Villains Finale Party. 6:30 p.m. Dress like your favorite villain or hero and dance, eat and party. Prizes go to the best costume.
Kids July 1-2: Madcap Puppets presents Aladdin and Friends. 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Amazing puppets bring classic tales to life. July 2: I Survived. 6:30 p.m. Put survival skills to the test with games, crafts and more. Grades 4-6. July 6: Dynamic Duo Storytime: Firefighters & Police Officers. 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. Children under 4. July 6: Barbie: Princess Power. 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Play with a Barbie. Ages 3-10. July 7-9: Bubblemania. 10:30 a.m., 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. High energy comedy and unbelievable bubbles. July 9: Be a Big Hero. 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Train with Hiro, Baymax and the crew to battle the forces of evil. Grades 1-3. July 13: Dynamic Duo Storytime: Cowboys & Pirates. 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. For children under 4. July 14-16: The Story Ship presents Pirate Goodie & The Magic Chest. 10:30 a.m., 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. An amazing undersea adventure filled with magic, puppets and laughs. July 16: Pokemon Adventure. 6:30 p.m. Collect, train and battle your favorite Pokemon creatures to become a Pokemon master. Grades 4-6. July 18: Jedi Training. 10:30 a.m. Hone your skills, use the force and aid the rebellion. Crafts and games for padawans of all ages. July 21-23: Roger Day. 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. 6:30 p.m. on July 21. Sing loud, jump high and dream big.
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IN TW TS AT S SE TING ET T S A AR ST EN NG I E T QUTAR S