2 • THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 2011
CONTENTS/OPINION
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
MURPHY’S LAW
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Back to School: Highlands School ready to welcome students back Aug. 12 for open house. See schools, page 23.
C B P S
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heck out more before and after pictures from our home renovations features on pages 21-22. rowse through more photos from the area’s biggest and best social events.
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In our next issue, get ready for some high school football with our Football Preview, plus see the hottest looks in fall fashions.
F E AT U R E S ABOUT TOWN PEOPLE LIFE SOCIAL
3 7 8 10
WEDDINGS HOME SCHOOLS SPORTS
OVER THE MOUNTAIN
JOU RNAL
18 20 23 28
August 11, 2011
Publisher: Maury Wald Editor: Laura McAlister Features Writer: Donna Cornelius Office Manager: Christy Wald Editorial Assistant: Stacie Galbraith Sports: Lee Davis Contributors: Susan Murphy, Bones Long, Cary Estes, June Mathews, Emil Wald, Marvin Gentry Advertising Sales: Suzanne Wald, Julie Trammell Edwards, Tommy Wald Editorial Intern: Matthew Terwilliger Vol. 20, No. 15
Over The Mountain Journal is a suburban bi-weekly newspaper delivered to more than 40,000 households in the Mountain Brook, Homewood, Vestavia Hills, Hoover and North Shelby County areas. Hot Property is a paid advertisement. Subscriptions for The Journal are available for $24 yearly. Mail to: Over the Mountain Journal, P.O. Box 660502, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216. Phone: (205) 823-9646. E-mail the editorial department at editorial@otmj.com. E-mail our advertising department at ads@otmj.com. Find us on the Web at otmj.com. Copyright 2010 Over The Mountain Journal, Inc. All rights reserved. The Journal is not responsible for return of photos, copy and other unsolicited materials submitted. To have materials returned, please specify when submitting and provide a stamped, self-addressed envelope. All materials submitted are subject to editorial review and may be edited or declined without notification.
Bat’ter Up
no idea where they put it all. They’re no bigger than need a bat. Not a really annoying minute. a baseball bat, I try to be a live-and-let-live kind of person, circle although from the of life and all that, but my patience is wearing thin. size of this season’s I could tolerate the occasional itching, but when mosquitoes I might be you’re toting around malaria or West Nile virus, it able to belt a few of them over the fence line. puts a strain on my hospitality. Other than being food for really fast frogs and No, what I really need is bats, I can’t figure what mosquitoes bring to the a furry, bug-eating critcircle anyway. I realize I’m not in charge of all ter. that, but I’m truly drawing a blank. Maybe I’m just The mosquitoes in my cranky because I have very little experience being on yard have been particuSusan Murphy this end of the food chain. I’ll bet wildebeest feel the larly thick this year. Great same way about lions. clouds of the winged pests So how do I get rid of the mosquito menace? I dive bomb me whenever I go out the front door. I don’t want to spray a blanket strap on one of those whirring of insecticide in the backyard bug repellers every time I run I hate to speak ill of any spe- because that’s where I breathe, out to check the mailbox or fill the bird feeder and still cies, but doggone it, mosqui- as well. I don’t want to rouend up with welts on my legs. tinely douse myself in bug toes are relentless, insidious Maybe it’s just me. I’ve repellant, either, lest I kill off always been a mosquito magmy brain cells along with the creatures, searching out the net. In an otherwise similar hovering hordes. There has to most tender bits to bite, the crowd, bugs choose to bite be a more natural way to cull me. A friend once said it must the mosquito herd. backs of my knees, the skin be because I’m so sweet, like The frogs in my fake pond between my fingers, like I’m are doing all they can, slurpit’s a compliment, like the mosquitoes are 8-year-old and snapping at all hours, the mosquito version of an all- ing boys trying to get my attenand still the little devils are you-can-eat buffet. tion by pulling my pigtails. swarming around their slipIt’s nice to be noticed, of pery little heads. My frogs course, but I don’t need to be need reinforcements, a crew to that kind of popular. take over the night shift. They need a bat. Other summers, I’ve been able to hold off the flyBats bring their own problems, of course, not the ing squadrons with candlelight and bug repellant, but least of which is the fear that they’ll inadvertently fly this season the mosquitoes are offhandedly rejectinto my hair. But if we each stick to our respective ing my Off and sneering at my citronella. They’re sleep schedules, I might not see my bat at all. coming up through the floor slats in my screened-in I’ll buy him a cozy little bat house, with a comporch. They’re sneaking in over the transom when I fortable perch where he can put his feet up (literally) open the door the least little crack, waiting to pounce at the end of a hard night’s work. He’ll have a plentiwhile I’m sleeping or folding the laundry. ful food source. I won’t have to brush him or cut his I hate to speak ill of any species, but doggone it, toenails or take him to the vet. It could all work out mosquitoes are relentless, insidious creatures, search- just fine. ing out the most tender bits to bite, the backs of my I need a bat, a furry little night-flying helper. knees, the skin between my fingers, like I’m the But if that doesn’t work, I’ll haul out the Louisville mosquito version of an all-you-can-eat buffet. I have Slugger. ❖
OVER THE MOUNTAIN VIEWS
What do you think about the Barons proposed move to downtown?
“If they do decide to build a new ball park our skate park on First Avenue South would be lost so I can’t say I’m for the change.”
“Moving to Birmingham would be a more natural fit considering they are the Birmingham Barons, so I’m for it.”
“I have a lot of great memories at Regions Park, but I’m sure moving would help both the Barons and the city of Birmingham.”
Ben Gazzini Hoover
Austin Dennis Vestavia Hills
Stephen Dennis Vestavia Hills
“(If the Barons move) we would have to move out of our current business location, but at the end of the day it’s a good choice and I’m happy for the Barons.” Lori Harris Hoover