280 Living OFFERING AN EARLY WARNING
July 2017 | Volume 10 | Issue 11
neighborly news & entertainment
Compact 2020 shifts focus of interventions with teens B y ER I C A TEC H O
A
voicemail from the Shelby County istrict ttorney s office isn t something most parents expect. And for two Oak Mountain area parents, the message left by Assistant D A Alan Miller was even more of a shock. “He said he had some information that he needed to share with me. When I called him back, he said that our son had been in contact with a drug dealer, and that’s all he would share over the phone,” said John Smith, whose name has been changed to protect the identity of a minor. “When he made that statement, I still didn’t think there was anything going on as far as drug use. We didn’t see any signs or symptoms at all.” The phone call was the Smith family’s introduction to Compact 2 02 0, a Shelby County
See COMPACT 2020 | page A28
Com a t 2020 mem ers in their elham ased of e from left: Hoo er f er Eri e ers gt. eon ill la aster f er a id Carlington n estigator Christine e ut ire tor shle Crum ton elham f er dam hni er re ention ire tor Carol illiams and E e uti e ire tor lan iller. Photo by Sarah Finnegan.
INSIDE Sponsors ......... A4 280 News ........ A6 Business .........A12 Chamber ........A18 Events ............A20
A Burning Passion
School House..A26 Sports ............... B4 Community .....B16 Faith ................ B23 Calendar ......... B25
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Soccer springboard: Oak Mountain High program a pipeline to semi-pro ranks
Pre-Sort Standard U .S. Postage PAID Tupelo, MS Permit # 54
B yS A M
Chelsea resident Robbie Lewis has found multiple ways to entertain a ro d ust la ing ith re as a co-founder of the Luminarts troupe.
See page B21
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C H A N D LER
The public address announcer’s voice resonated across the soccer field as he introduced the starting lineups on a picturesque June evening in V estavia Hills. U nderneath marshmallow-like clouds and a light blue sky, players from the Birmingham Hammers and Chattanooga Football Club waved to a crowd of spectators as they heard their names called at midfield. The voice arrived at No. 15, K eegan McQ ueen, a Hammers defender whom the announcer introduced affectionately as “The Man Himself.”
enned a is a 2017 a ountain High hool graduate as alled u to the irmingham Hammers’ a ti e roster in une. Photo by Sarah Finnegan.
McQ ueen gave a slight nod and acknowledged the fans before the start of the national anthem. It was almost game time. c ueen and his team huddled for one final chat, and then he ran to his position on the left side of the backline. He jumped in the air, pulling his knees to his chest.
See HAMMERS | page A30