280 Living
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Volume 5 | Issue2012 12 | August 2012 | August |
CHILI’S
VALLEYDALE ROAD
COMPASS BANK
CVS
T.J. MAXX
HO ME D
VALLEYDALE RD.RD. CAHABA BEACH
PET SMART
EP OT
HIGHWAY 280
neighborly news & entertainment
August Features
Character-first coaching By RICK WATSON
Football previews- Page 15 Editor’s note
4
Local runs and events
6
Trinity 280 appeal
7
People You Should Know
8
After school snacks
9
Rob’s Southern Sauce
10
Restaurant Showcase
11
Sports
14
School House
20
Tom Zobel
23
280 Business Happenings
24
Business Spotlight
25
Library Happenings
26
Rick Watson
27
Kari Kampakis
28
Paul Johnson
29
Calendar of Events
30
Live music schedule
30
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Oak Mountain High School football finished 2-8 the last two years. They haven’t had a winning season since 2007. This year, new Coach Cris Bell intends to change things for the program, but his philosophy doesn’t start with strategies and plays. It starts with character. “Athletics, and especially football, is a vehicle to teach young men how to become better husbands, fathers, workers, employers and citizens,” said Bell. “The scoreboard is the least important thing we have to worry about, but unfortunately, it’s the way we are judged more so than anything else.” Bell expects his players to put out a phenomenal effort. He expects them to act with class. He expects them to make decisions and be responsible. “If we can get them doing that in the football program, they can take it to math and biology class,” he said. “We expect them to sit in front of the classroom, and say ‘Yes sir’ and ‘No sir.’ We expect them to be leaders in the school. We want our kids to be the type of student that has the school administration saying, ‘That’s how an Oak Mountain student is,’ and be proud of it.” One of the biggest challenges coming into a struggling program is changing the mindset. When a team loses consistently,
See BELL | page 28
Coach Cris Bell is implementing a new vision for the football program at Oak Mountain High School. Photo by Rick Watson.
Walk like a woman By MADISON MILLER Steven Janorschke’s first experience wearing heels was painful. Two days later, his feet were so blistered that he had to wear flip-flops to an important business meeting. Still, Janoschke plans to sport his heels again at the second annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes. “Last year, this year and next year, I’ll be there,” Janorschke said. “Every day in the U.S., four women are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends. I’ll walk until that number is zero.” SafeHouse of Shelby County will host the international men’s march to stop rape, sexual assault and gender violence on August 18 at Veterans Park on Valleydale Road. The event encourages its male participants to take a stand against violent crimes towards women by wearing a pair of high heels as they walk one mile together.
See WALK | page 12
Road widenings and improvements planned for Valleydale Road, Highway 119 By KATHRYN ACREE The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) is pursuing several road construction projects affecting areas along the Highway 280 corridor, as they discussed at a June town hall meeting at Simmons Middle School.
Men walk in red high heels to raise awareness about violent crimes against women in last year’s Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, held by SafeHouse of Shelby County. Photo courtesy of SafeHouse.
Improvements to turn lane at Highway 119 and Highway 280 ALDOT is working to improve traffic flow in the southbound lane on Highway 119 that turns to go east onto Highway 280. “It backs up traffic forever,” said Brian Davis, Third Division Engineer representing Jefferson, Shelby and Walker Counties.
See 119 | page 12