Cahaba Sun December 2023

BASKETBALL PREVIEW Huskies boys, girls aim for growth, improvement. 12

Vol 9 | Issue 1 | December 2023 As Trussville As It Gets

STATE

OF THE

CITY

Mayor Buddy Choat highlights Trussville’s 2040 plan. 10 BROUGHT TO YOU BY

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December 2023

EDITOR’S NOTE | KYLE PARMLEY What’s the best Christmas gift you’ve ever received?

When we’re younger, we cannot wait to see what toys Santa Claus brought us. Then, as we get a little older, we become fixated on the next gadget that we can get to keep up with our friends.

Perhaps there are some big gifts, like a vehicle, that you received at one point that were a significant deal in your life.

But then, as we become adults, I’ve found the holidays to have completely shifted from an opportunity to get things into an opportunity to share time with the people I love. Getting a little down time to spend with family and friends and other important people in my life — that’s the best thing to do around this time of year.

On a lighter note, I’m not the best decorator for the holidays, but I will make an effort to have a tree up and a few outdoor lights this year! If you have any suggestions for me on that front, I’m all ears.

Thanks for reading! I hope you all have a great holiday season.

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PHOTO OF THE MONTH

Hewitt-Trussville’s 2023 Class 7A state softball champions receive their championship rings during a football game between Hewitt-Trussville and Spain Park on Oct. 20 at Hewitt-Trussville Stadium. Photo by Shawn Bowles.

Please Support Our Community Partners Bedzzz Express (20) Birmingham Orthodontics (1) Birmingham Zoo (15) Bromberg’s (9) Children’s of Alabama (9) Deerfoot Church of Christ (6) First Baptist Church Trussville (2) Grandview Medical (3) Lee Marlow RealtySouth (8) Legacy Ridge Assisted Living (19) Proveer at Grayson Valley (7)

Renew Dermatology (5) Southern Home Structural Repair Specialists (8) Trussville Chamber of Commerce (13) Trussville Gas and Water (13) Vapor Ministries/Thrift Store (11) Virginia Samford Theatre (15) Viva Health Care (18) Window World of Central Alabama (11)

Find Us Pick up the latest issue of Cahaba Sun at the following locations: ► Edgar’s Bakery ► Trussville Area Chamber of Commerce ► Trussville Civic Center ► Trussville Gas and Water ► Trussville Police Department ► Trussville Public Library Want to join this list or get Cahaba Sun mailed to your home?

Contact Dan at dan@starnesmedia.com.

Publisher: Dan Starnes Community Editors: Kyle Parmley Jon Anderson Leah Ingram Eagle Sports Editor: Kyle Parmley Photo Editor: Erin Nelson Sweeney Design Editor: Melanie Viering Page Designer: Ted Perry Production Assistant: Simeon Delante Contributing Writers: Sean Dietrich Gary Lloyd Loyd McIntosh Graphic Designer: Emily VanderMey Client Success Specialist: Warren Caldwell Business Development Exec: Don Harris Operations Specialist: Sarah Villar

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Information in Cahaba Sun is gathered from sources considered reliable but the accuracy cannot be guaranteed. All articles/photos submitted become the property of Cahaba Sun. We reserve the right to edit articles/photos as deemed necessary and are under no obligation to publish or return photos submitted. Inaccuracies or errors should be brought to the attention of the publisher at (205) 313-1780 or by email.

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ON THE COVER: Trussville’s Entertainment District on Nov. 6. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.

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December 2023

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BUSINESS

Business Happenings NOW OPEN

Melissa Montgomery and Spivey Woods Wilson have opened Trussville Yoga at 1800 Tin Valley Circle, Suite A. The business offers various types of yoga classes, including beginner, chair, restorative, hot yoga, vinyasa, meditation and sound healing. There are classes available both in the daytime and evening for men and women of all levels of experience.

Instructors include Deborah West, Heidi Lee, Helen Lee and Frannie James. trussvilleyoga.com

ANNIVERSARIES Con Huevos, a traditional Mexican restaurant, opened its doors Oct. 24 at 201 Main St. in Trussville’s Entertainment District. The restaurant is open Tuesday-Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. serving a variety of breakfast and brunch options. conhuevos.us

Water Mountain Trail is celebrating its first anniversary in the Pinnacle Shopping Center in Trussville.

The shop offers hiking and camping gear and apparel, swimsuits, sunglasses and more.

205-508-3681 Jiffy Lube is celebrating one year since opening its North Chalkville Road location. Jiffy Lube offers anything from oil changes to brakes, tires, filters and

more, with fast, convenient expanded services.

659-287-0220, jiffylube.com Eighteen South, a premium men’s clothing store, recently celebrated its first business anniversary. Located next to Serendipity at 5457 Patrick Way, Suite 109, the store offers clothes for all occasions and its signature Huskies Spirit Collection apparel for men and women. eighteen-south.com

BUSINESS NEWS TO SHARE? If you have news to share with the community about a brick-and-mortar business in Trussville or the greater Birmingham area, let us know at starnesmedia.com/business-happenings

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Second Capella Pizzeria location coming to Trussville

By LOYD McINTOSH Trussville is getting a new addition to its restaurant community this year.

Capella Pizzeria, a restaurant offering traditional Neapolitan-style pizzas baked in 900-degree, wood-burning ovens, is opening its second Birmingham-area location in the former location of Ironstone Pizza in Homestead Village.

Owner Ahmet Ozbey opened his first Capella Pizzeria in Greystone in January, and his restaurant has quickly established a loyal following and a solid reputation for its pizza menu.

Ozbey, who immigrated to the U.S. from Turkey in 2016 at the age of 17, learned the restaurant business and the art of Neapolitan-style pizza while working in his uncle’s pizzeria in North Carolina.

His uncle learned his skills after traveling to Italy, bringing the techniques and ingredients back to North Carolina.

“I tried this pizza, the Neapolitan-style pizza, way before, and once I tried, I said, ‘OK, this is the best I have ever had.

I don't think I'll try anything else anymore,’” Ozbey said.

Ozbey grew up in northern Turkey near the

A fresh Siena pizza is pulled from a wood-fired oven during the grand opening at Capella Pizzeria in Inverness Village.

Capella Pizzeria plans to open a second location in Trussville in December. Photo

by Erin Nelson Sweeney.

coast of the Mediterranean Sea, where he was exposed to the culinary and cultural traditions of countries like Spain, Morocco, France and Greece. However, Capella Pizzeria is a celebration of all things Italiana.

“I lived in the Mediterranean coast part of Turkey, and the people and the culture is very similar to Italy because the weather and climate are similar,” he said.

The restaurant is decked out with the colors of the Italian flag — red, green and white — and posters displaying scenes from Italian cities and coastlines, while jerseys from Italian soccer clubs like Internazionale Milan, Juventus and Napoli, hang

from the ceiling.

Each pizza is handmade using ingredients imported from Italy, including Caputo flour, meats like pepperoni and salami and Fresh Italian cheeses such as ricotta and buffalo mozzarella. They are then baked in wood-burning ovens, producing the thin, crispy crust with charred edges that are emblematic of Neapolitan-style pizza.

“These are 100% wood-fired ovens, and they are going up to 900 degrees Fahrenheit,” Ozbey said, while demonstrating the ovens at the restaurant in Greystone. Using a mix of white oak and hickory, the ovens are capable of baking a pizza in a flash.

“It cooks pizza in like 90 seconds. That's what makes it so quick,” he said. “Sometimes people are ordering their pizza, and by the time they are sitting down, their pizza is ready.”

The Capella menu includes pizzas like the Margherita, with tomato sauce, basil and mozzarella; the Siena, with pepperoni, tomato sauce, buffalo mozzarella, basil and garlic; and the Diavola, which features spicy salami, Calabrian pepper, mozzarella and tomato sauce.

Capella also offers delicacies like gelato, hand-made cannoli and other Italian treats.

Ozbey has also curated a small collection of Italian wines available by the glass. One brand he highlighted is Milli Gradi — which means “1,000 degrees” in English — that he says are the perfect complement to Capella’s pizzas.

“It’s made for this kind of pizza,” Ozbey said. “My favorite is the Pinot Grigio.”

The Trussville location of Capella Pizzeria is scheduled to open in mid-December in the former location of Ironstone Pizza at 5445 Patrick Way in the Homestead Village shopping center. The original location in Greystone is located at 4700 U.S. 280, Suite 13, and is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Saturday.

Learn more at capellapizzeria.com.

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DECEMBER 2023

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COMMUNITY Have a community announcement? Email Kyle Parmley at kparmley@starnesmedia.com to be considered for inclusion in an upcoming issue.

‘Reminds you why you do it’ Christmas for Kids gears up for 44th year in Trussville

By GARY LLOYD The toy aisles at Wal-Mart and Target have nothing on the single room at the Trussville Fire & Rescue’s administration building.

The “toy shop,” as it is called, is hardly cliché. It may appear as more of a woodshop on the surface, due to the rows of three-tiered wooden shelves, two-by-four after two-byfour forming the room’s perimeter from floor to ceiling. It’s what is on those shelves — overflowing those shelves, even , that truly makes it a toy shop.

There are enough remote-controlled cars to recreate the car scramble scene from “2 Fast 2 Furious,” enough scooters to field a 25-child race. There are one million puzzle pieces and enough board games to stave off boredom for a year. There is a huge

cardboard box labeled “More Nerf Guns” and enough miniature dump trucks, excavators and cement mixers to take over the litany of construction projects ongoing in Trussville.

It may be just one room, but there’s a whole lot to it. It’s the hub for the Trussville Fire & Rescue’s Christmas for Kids program, an endeavor that started in 1979. The program aims to collect new, unwrapped toys and other gifts to donate to underprivileged children in Trussville.

“It’s completely run by firefighters and firefighter spouses, mostly the spouses,” said Trussville Fire Chief Tim Shotts. “And it's all volunteer; there's very little overhead other than just our postage to send out letters. So, nobody takes a salary. Nobody takes anything. It's all done by volunteers.”

Trussville firefighters pick up gift donations from a local company in December 2022 during the annual Christmas for Kids project. Photos courtesy of Christmas for Kids.

One of those volunteers is Nikki Franklin, wife of Trussville Fire & Rescue training officer Chris Franklin. The couple has been married 21 years. Guess how many years

Nikki Franklin has volunteered with Christmas for Kids? She’s on the program’s board of directors.

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The toys, bikes and other gifts that the Trussville Fire & Rescue Department gathers for Christmas for Kids are distributed to elementary and middle school students in the Trussville school system.

give-out day when these mamas and daddies and grandmas come to pick up their toys for those babies. And they're in tears. It makes everything you do, makes all of that work, worth it. And that reminds you why you do it.”

The work is not light. Each October,

the Christmas for Kids board of directors sends letters to all three Trussville elementary schools and Hewitt-Trussville Middle School. Potential recipients are cut off at eighth grade, but a high school student wouldn’t be turned down if a circumstance meant need. That letter includes a

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pre-registration form that parents or guardians fill out.

In early November, volunteers meet to review the returned forms. Families are called to come in to fill out applications.

Then comes the list. You know the one.

“We go down the list and make sure we understand everything that’s written on it,” Franklin said. “Then we do the best we can to fill that list.”

In November, letters are sent to Trussville businesses asking for assistance and donations. By the time mid-December comes, give-out day happens.

“We also have been thankful the last couple of years to work with the schools and receive some of their canned food drive donations, because we try to give each family, in addition to their toy bags, we try to give them a bag or a box of food for at least one meal,” Franklin said. “That's our goal, to give them enough for at least one meal. We usually go buy a turkey to go in there. So, they get a turkey and then they get canned food items. And we give them all that during pickup.”

There are 75 to 100 children helped

by Christmas for Kids annually, Franklin estimated. While the approval process has already been completed for this year, with give-out day fast approaching, there is always next year. Shotts said the Trussville Fire & Rescue Christmas For Kids

Facebook page is a helpful resource, as is the program’s Venmo page. Donations via check are acceptable as well. Donations of new, unwrapped toys can be made at any of the three fire departments in Trussville or the administration building on Cherokee Drive.

“I really just enjoy doing it all,” Franklin said. “I love watching the moms’ faces when they pick up the toys. You know, the grandmoms’ faces, the grandmothers who thought they were finished raising kids, and somehow, they ended up raising more kids than they planned. And they are the true angels.”

There are true angels year after year in this program. Shotts remembered five or six years ago, he was picking up some lastminute gift items for Christmas for Kids at a local guitar shop. Shotts isn’t exactly a six-string prodigy, so he was asking what all he needed. A customer approached him and asked what he was doing. That customer paid for all the accessories.

Another year, last-minute bicycles needed purchasing at Academy Sports & Outdoors.

A man walked up to Shotts and handed him $100.

“So yeah, it's a neat program,” he said.

“And we don't get to see the result because, you know, families spend time together on Christmas, and we don't get to see that. But we have the luxury of knowing that [these] kids had a good Christmas because of what we did. And that's a big deal for us.”

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COVER STORY: Mayor Buddy Choat highlights Trussville’s 2040 plan

STATE

By LOYD McINTOSH

OF THE

CITY

T

he City of Trussville’s fiscal 2024 budget and the Trussville 2040 strategic plan were the primary focus of Mayor Buddy Choat’s annual state-ofthe-city address on Oct. 18.

The keynote speaker of the Trussville Area Chamber of Commerce’s monthly meeting, Choat spoke to a packed room at the Trussville Civic Center and highlighted various aspects of the Trussville 2040 plan, which features an array of projects this city is working to bring to life.

For the projects on tap in fiscal 2024, Choat said that the City Council and key leaders have worked diligently to develop a budget that will address city needs. He added that the current state of the economy, with persistent supply chain holdups and other issues, made developing a budget problematic; however, he believes the city is positioned to provide the services and amenities its residents desire.

“Looking at the budget this year, it was very obvious there were some unknowns on the economy that we didn’t know.

So it took a lot of work, a lot of hours, and we’ve come up with a budget that really is supporting what we need as a city,” Choat said.

The pieces of the 2024 budget can essentially be placed into two broad categories: expanded city services and quality-of-life enhancements. The $52 million budget is the largest in the city’s history.

“That’s because things are growing,” Choat said. “We’re close to $52 million this year, but that includes a lot of things that we had to get done, none more important than [that] we’re building fire station number 4.”

Currently under construction, Choat said the new fire station will be located on Trussville Clay Road. The 2024 budget includes the cost of construction, salaries and new equipment for the station.

Other items in the budget include a new A/V system for the Community Center; new floors and bleachers for the gymnasiums at the old Cherokee Road elementary school and the “blue gym;” and a contract with a professional arborist to monitor and care for the hundreds of oak trees in historic sections of the city.

“We have a lot of old trees, hundred-year-old trees, down there, and honest-to-goodness the hardest thing to do is those trees that are on the right-of-way, to know if that tree is healthy,” Choat said.

The business community is also a priority for Choat and city leadership. At the beginning of his address, Choat awarded the Trussville Area Chamber of Commerce a check for $60,000.

“We just appreciate so much, how much they do for our city,” Choat said as he presented the check to David Moore, president of the Trussville Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

The Trussville 2040 plan, much like this year’s city budget, will also revolve around city services and quality of life.

One key element is a new marketing campaign promoting the city’s businesses, particularly downtown. Titled “The

Construction on the new Trussville Fire Station No. 4 is underway on Trussville Clay Road near Hewitt-Trussville Football Stadium on Nov. 6. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.

Gateway,” Choat said the campaign is designed to market the city as a destination, encouraging people from outside Trussville to spend their entertainment dollars in the city. The campaign has already launched with a feature in Business Alabama magazine and commercials on WIAT CBS 42.

“We know that you all know what we have here, but we have so many people that come in from outside of Trussville to visit,” Choat said. “What we want to do is let those other people that don’t know what we have here, to come and shop and eat and dine here in Trussville.”

While the Trussville Entertainment District will be a highlight of the campaign, the Gateway campaign will highlight the diversity and quality of the entire city’s business community, he said. He also pointed to the campaign’s website, trussvillegateway.org.

“We’re featuring a lot of businesses, not just in the Entertainment District, but downtown businesses and those businesses around downtown, again that we show people outside of Trussville of the opportunities they have here,” Choat said.

“I realize how fortunate we are, how blessed we are to have what we have here, but I want other people to know.”

Choat then pivoted to the city’s plans for the Glendale Farms property, which was purchased last year and is another element of Trussville 2040. While final plans and drawings are still under development, Choat showed a handful of conceptual drawings of the 230 acres that will include an array of amenities and, most importantly, a new elementary school.

Choat said the city purchased the property after an earlier development plan under two owners was rejected by the city.

He added that the property will include several multi-purpose athletic fields and a town center with new shops and restaurants, all surrounding a new elementary school to serve the quickly growing communities in the northeast section of Trussville. It should take approximately three years to complete.

Choat said the growth Trussville has experienced in recent years is largely driven by the quality of the city’s schools, as well as its public services.

“We have got to have this fourth elementary school,” Choat said. “Our number one priority is to get that school built, and it is in the works now that we have a site that we feel like it’s going to work.”

One of the final Trussville 2040 projects Choat highlighted is a partnership between the city and school system for a new softball complex near Hewitt-Trussville High School. Under the leadership of head coach Taylor Burt, the girls softball team has won three Class 7A state championships since 2019, and the new complex, Choat said, not only will provide a new place for the team to practice and compete but also will be a jewel for the entire community.

“This is a first-class, state-of-the-art softball facility. We want to showcase not only the City of Trussville, but our softball program,” he said. “We want to show the state championships that these young ladies and Coach Burt have won, and we want to send a message to those teams that come in here.”

“Coach Burt has established our softball program as the gold standard in the state. I am excited that our team will be able to compete in a first-class facility. It will be exciting to watch our younger softball athletes learn the game and grow as well,” said Hewitt-Trussville High School Athletic Director Lance Walker, who attended the State of the City address.

Patrick Martin, superintendent of Trussville City Schools, also was part of the audience at the address and expressed gratitude to Choat and the Trussville City Council for how they support the schools and the city’s students.

“This is a very exciting time for the city of Trussville, as well as Trussville City Schools,” Martin said. “We are very fortunate to be able to partner with such a supportive city leadership team. Mayor Choat, City Council President Lisa Bright and the entire City Council have a clear vision for education in Trussville through their 2040 Plan.

“We have been working over the course of the last several months to align to this vision and look forward to our continued partnership in seeing this plan come to fruition,” he added.

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SPORTS Hewitt-Trussville’s Jordan Hunter (2) drives toward the goal guarded by Sparkman’s Jamya Griffin (10) during the girls Class 7A Northeast Regional final between the Huskies and Senators at Pete Mathews Coliseum at Jacksonville State University on Feb. 21. Photo

by Erin Nelson Sweeney.

HewittTrussville’s Reid Stodghill (13) shoots the ball in a game against Hoover in December 2022. Photo

by Erin Nelson Sweeney.

Steady improvement the goal for Lady Huskies

By KYLE PARMLEY This year’s Hewitt-Trussville High School girls basketball team will have a significantly different makeup than the one that took the floor last year.

But head coach Tonya Hunter has a feeling this winter’s team will feature a similar progression arc throughout the season.

Last season, the Lady Huskies had their fair share of ups and downs in the first five weeks of the campaign. There was a pair of four-game winning streaks separated by a two-game skid. Then, Hewitt dropped three straight in mid-December.

After the stops and starts, though, the Lady Huskies took off. They won 16 consecutive games, including blowing through the area tournament all the way to the regional final.

There are plenty of familiar faces on the squad this year, but not many possess a wealth of varsity experience. Add a handful of newcomers to that mix and it’s a largely inexperienced team.

“That’s going to be interesting to me at the beginning of the season,” Hunter said.

“I’m projecting that it will take us a while to know what Hewitt-Trussville basketball is asking for, but we’ll be playing really good at the end.”

Hunter is encouraged by what she’s seen in terms of the team searching for and settling into their individual roles.

The Lady Huskies have five seniors this season. Jordan Hunter and Mia Ada possess the most experience of those, with Jordan Hunter entering her sixth year on the varsity team and Ada returning after recovering from a knee injury.

Sara Phillips, Amber Newman and Jasia Reedy will also take larger roles with the program in their final year.

Tonya Hunter has coached her daughter Jordan for many years now, and the two will look to make the most of their final season together.

“Playing six years for a coach that’s your mom is tough. She could finish my sentences.

I’m more quiet now because she knows exactly what I want,” Tonya Hunter said.

Jordan, who is committed to play at Auburn University, has improved each season to become one of the top leaders and players in the state.

“Seeing her grow as a player over these six years is really cool,” Tonya Hunter said.

Hunter said she is approaching coaching this team differently than with teams in years past. But that is not necessarily a negative thing. She prefers to call it evolving as a coach. The Lady Huskies have had much of the same core group for the last few years, but now there is more of a back-to-basics approach.

“I’m back to teaching and I kind of like it, because I haven’t done it in a while,” she said.

Hunter knows her team will play vigorous defense and believes the shooting percentage will be a strong number for the team. She noted the lineup will be “guard heavy,” but post player Ashlyn Howard has been a standout in the preseason.

Ryleigh Martin and Lauryn Holley are freshmen who will contribute immediately, while Olivia Burton is one of the top defenders on the roster. Kennedy Gill is also a junior on the team.

Ahead of the season, Hunter sees a team that enjoys being together and working toward continual improvements.

The Lady Huskies have a challenging schedule and will compete in Class 7A, Area 6, against the likes of Chelsea, Oak Mountain and Spain Park.

Huskies aiming for continued growth

By KYLE PARMLEY Jeremy Monceaux isn’t necessarily satisfied with seasons ending in the area tournament, like the last one did for the Hewitt-Trussville High School boys basketball program, but much progress was made in his first year leading the program.

Sometimes it is tough for a first-year coach to establish expectations of how he wants things to work. But that hasn’t been the case for Monceaux. He sees a strong work ethic and desire to succeed from the players in the program.

“I think it has a lot to do with the kids and their hunger for wanting to be successful,” Monceaux said.

Last season’s team improved from eight wins the year before to an 18-win season.

Even with that impressive growth, Monceaux thought the team could easily have won 20 games if a few plays had gone differently in key moments.

The most significant returner for the Huskies is Reid Stodghill, a 6-foot-8 forward who played in the AHSAA North-South AllStar Game over the summer.

“He’s been able to expand his game a little bit on the floor. He’s going to be our anchor for us,” Monceaux said.

Lake Williams is another senior who played last season. He was a key defender for the Huskies but will be expected to produce plenty on the offensive side of the floor as well.

“It’s a little different for him. He’s always been that hard-working, good defender type.

Now, he’s got to produce for us,” Monceaux said.

Jathan Fulmer, Larry Eddleman, Jaqson Melton, Caleb Hooper, Sam Jordan, Jake Cochran and Grayson Williams make up the rest of a large senior class.

Ben Warren, a junior, is making the jump from the junior varsity squad, but Monceaux expects him to be a key part of the offense.

Dave Carter will be a post player to support Stodghill in the paint and may give the Huskies the option to have both players on the court at the same time.

Rashad Rolley and Colt Wells are sophomores expected to play plenty as well.

Despite their youth, the Huskies need them to progress rather quickly.

“Those two are going to have to grow up really quick if we’re going to compete and win some games. We’re expecting big years from them,” Monceaux said.

The hallmark of a Monceaux team is to possess a “defense first” mentality. This year’s team will be no different in that regard. The offense will be a work in progress as the season gets going.

“There’s some question marks going into the season about what’s going to happen on the floor. Hopefully, as we continue to establish the program, it’ll get a little bit more consistent,” he said.

Hewitt-Trussville will play in Class 7A, Area 6, against Chelsea, Oak Mountain and Spain Park. The Huskies will also play teams like Douglas, Vestavia Hills, McGillToolen, Pelham, Huffman and others that will challenge them sufficiently.

“We have some of the best coaching in our state inside of our area,” he said.

A playoff run for the first time in many years would be nice for the Huskies, but Monceaux simply wants to see his team continue to rise in his second year leading the charge.

“More than a postseason run is probably setting a standard for our ability to win games and be competitive. If we focus on those things, that run will eventually happen,” he said.

December 2023

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| CAHABASUN.COM

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Sports Editor’s Note By Kyle Parmley

Let them celebrate moment and then moved out of the way for the As someone who covers plenty of high school next title game. sports throughout the year, I get the great opportunity to see many, many teams be crowned What gets lost so often is the context each team champions. carries at the end of a season. The teams fortuArea champions, regional champions, state nate enough to win a state championship have champions. There are so many trophies handed logged countless hours, days and months with out during the course of all the seasons. each other, achieving triumphs and persevering For example, if you go to the Super 7 high through struggles along the way. They didn’t just school football state championships, you’ll see show up at the end ready to win it all. eight state titles awarded over a three-day period.

These coaches and athletes have dedicated I can easily see how you become numb to their lives for a portion of time to ensure that their that, if you work a large number of championparticular team has a chance at glory. ship events. You see the same movie unfold over While those of us who are fortunate enough Parmley and over. Team A wins and rushes the field in to cover these events regularly can always come a bundle of elation and claims a trophy for its back next year, many of the players and coaches efforts. Rinse, repeat. get one shot at claiming a state title. The least I’m often frustrated at how the teams that win these champion- we can do is allow them to bask in the moment of reaching the ship events are stifled in the immediate aftermath of victory. After mountaintop of their sport. a very brief explosion of joy, players and coaches are shuffled back It’ll be OK if the next game starts a few minutes later than to their places so that the mundane and repetitive awards ceremony planned. The teams deserve at least a minute or two to soak up a can commence. championship moment.

For the high school athletic teams in this state, they are told that Let them enjoy it! reaching these championship events is the pinnacle of their seasons. But too often, they are only allowed to celebrate for a single Kyle Parmley is the sports editor at Starnes Media.

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December 2023

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CAHABA SUN

| CAHABASUN.COM

UNDER THE LIGHTS

By KYLE PARMLEY The regular season has come to a close, with the HewittTrussville High School football team posting a 7-3 record and clinching the No. 2 seed from Class 7A, Region 3. At press time, the playoffs were beginning, so stay tuned to cahabasun.com for coverage of the postseason.

Here are some highlights from the end of the regular season.

Photos by Shawn Bowles and David Leong.

Riggs Dunn (12): Notched 2 interceptions vs. Vestavia Hills.

Deuce Alston (2): Ran for 119 yards and a TD vs. Chelsea.

Peyton Floyd (7): Scored 6 TDs in key win vs.

Vestavia Hills, rushing for 257 yards and throwing for 170 yards.

Donovan Price (33): Caught a TD vs. Spain Park.

December 2023

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CAHABA SUN

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Varsity Sports Calendar BASKETBALL Dec. 1: @ Ramsay. Girls at 6 p.m., boys at 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 7: vs. Center Point. SpareTime Trussville. 4 p.m.

Dec. 11: @ Vestavia Hills. Vestavia Bowl.

3 p.m.

Dec. 5: vs. Oxford. Girls at 5:30 p.m., boys at 7 p.m.

Dec. 13: vs. Pinson Valley. SpareTime Trussville. 3:30 p.m.

Dec. 8: @ Fairview. Girls at 6 p.m., boys at 7:30 p.m.

INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

Dec. 12: Girls vs. Mortimer Jordan.

5:30 p.m.

Dec. 12: Boys vs. HillcrestTuscaloosa. 7 p.m.

Dec. 15: Boys vs. Vestavia Hills. 7 p.m.

Dec. 18: Girls vs. Lauderdale County.

Wallace State Community College. 1:30 p.m.

Dec. 9: Holiday Invitational. Birmingham CrossPlex.

WRESTLING Dec. 1-2: Husky Individual Pools.

Bryant Bank Arena.

Dec. 5: @ Spain Park. 6 p.m.

Dec. 19-21: Boys at Holiday Hoops Classic. Daphne High School.

Dec. 7: Smiths Station Quad Match.

Smiths Station High School. 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 20-21: Girls at Kerry Malone Super Games. Lebanon, Tennessee.

Dec. 8-9: Swede Umbach Invitational.

Auburn High School.

Dec. 27-28: Girls at Sand Mountain Park Holiday Classic. Albertville.

Dec. 12: @ Chelsea. 6 p.m.

Dec. 28-29: Boys at New Year’s Shootout. Moody High School.

BOWLING

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Dec. 21: Father Ryan Tri-Match. Nashville, Tennessee. Noon.

Dec. 5: Panther Classic. The Alley.

Dec. 27: Arab Tri-Match. Arab High School. 1 p.m.

Dec. 6: vs. Center Point. SpareTime Trussville. 4 p.m.

Dec. 29-30: Jefferson Invitational.

Jefferson, Georgia.

Purchase tickets in advance at birminghamzoo.com

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December 2023

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CAHABA SUN

| CAHABASUN.COM

REAL ESTATE 11

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DECEMBER 2023

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CAHABASUN.COM

OPINION Southern Musings By Gary Lloyd

Sean of the South By Sean Dietrich

My mind travels a path to Massachusetts

The Soloist

On a Saturday in May, my iPhone buzzed with a text message from a former teacher.

“Will you be in church tomorrow 9:30– 10:00ish?” it read. I said yes, wondering if this former teacher wanted to tag along to the morning service, had an idea for a story to cover during that time or something else.

“I was going to FaceTime you from Walden Pond,” was what he sent back to me.

Lloyd Wait. What?

Walden Pond in Massachusetts has long been a bucket-list destination for me, the place where Henry David Thoreau spent two years, two months and two days, and the digital postcard that is FaceTime would have been the next-best option until I can fly north someday.

I joked that this teacher should spend part of his vacation sending me photos and videos. I even sent that laughing emoji. But the next day at 4 p.m., my iPhone again vibrated. It was a video from the teacher, 30 seconds of showing me inside the replica of Thoreau’s cabin.

Next came a hilarious 34-second video from Walden Pond, narrated by the teacher who, in part, quipped, “It’s very crowded today. This is like a day-use beach. I’m not sure what Thoreau would think, but I do not think that he would say these people are living deliberately. Wish you were here.

Come at a different time other than Memorial Day weekend.”

Eight photos followed, and several more from his wife, of Thoreau’s home site and inside the nearby museum.

Imagine traversing the country bound for Canada and ensuring that a former student sees as much as he can of a place that has long inspired him.

What a teacher. What a friend. What a selling point to make that trip myself.

A month later, literally to the day, another text message came through.

“Are you around this morning? We come bearing gifts.”

The teacher and his wife showed up to my front porch with a T-shirt from Walden Pond, a guidebook and more booklets all about this historic place. We stood there for an hour, talking about their trip to Walden Pond and Canada.

Their storytelling made me feel as if I was there with them, despite standing on a Trussville porch in June. But I will travel there one day, no doubt. Their stories only intensified that desire.

I was scrolling through the photos the teacher sent to me for this column, and one from inside the library or museum on-site, with a passage from “Walden,” caught my eye.

“I had not lived there a week before my feet wore a path from my door to the pond-side … and so with the paths which the mind travels. How worn and dusty, then, must be the highways of the world, how deep the ruts of tradition and conformity!”

That’s a shortened version of a long conclusion to “Walden,” so I read the conclusion again. Two sentences after that passage came this: “I learned this, at least, by my experiment; that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”

Words first published about a place in 1854, still inspiring and leading today. I can’t wait to see it myself.

Gary Lloyd is the author of six books and a contributing writer to the Cahaba Sun.

“But what if I mess up?”

I was 11. I was invited to try out “You won’t.” for the Christmas community choir.

“I gotta puke.”

A lady visited our church to conduct “Listen to me,” he said. “Singing the auditions. is just like baseball, you stand at the I had been practicing for three weeks, learning the lyrics to “O Little plate, you relax, you hit the ball.

Town of Bethlehem.”

Now you’re gonna go knock that My father, the welder, took me ball outta the park, got it?” to the audition after work. Before it I almost lost my lunch on his was my turn to sing, he gave me a boots. pep talk.

The chapel was ornate. I have Dietrich never seen so many people crammed “Knock it outta the park,” he said. into one place — there must’ve been “Like Mickey Mantle, you hear?”

I sang for the lady in the wire-rimmed glasses three counties in attendance. A small community who held the clipboard. She was less than impressed orchestra played. The choir sang. Then came my solo. with me.

And …

“Stop singing!” she shouted, interrupting my I choked. song. “We’re looking for something else, I’m sorry.

I missed my cue. Maybe it was because of the Next please?” large audience, or the three-story stained glass, or My father stormed forward from the back of the the beautiful choir. I opened my mouth, but nothing church. He looked like he was on his way to pick a came out. fight with an umpire.

The music came to a screeching halt. The choir “Now wait a minute, lady,” he said. “I demand director almost passed a kidney stone. Everyone you let my boy finish his song. He’s been working on knew something was wrong. The silence of the hall it for weeks. What kind of heartless woman doesn’t was deafening. let a kid finish his song?”

This is how I would die, I thought. On a stage, The woman’s mouth dropped open. She looked at wearing a starched robe.

Then, I saw him. my father like he’d lost his mind.

She sat down and asked me to sing it again. I He was in the back of the room, a mile away. The cleared my throat. I sang. I did much better than sooty man, sitting in a pew surrounded by people in before. It wasn’t a home run, per se, but more like fancy clothes. People who had scooted away from an outfield triple. him.

I got the part.

And that look he wore. It was pride. His boy was I was 15 feet tall. Until that day, I’d never done on the platform. anything special with my life — unless you counted Suddenly, I was less worried. I forgot where I was. the noises I could make with my armpits. I was a The audience disappeared. The next thing I knew, chubby kid with awkward features. I was neither I was singing. handsome, nor athletic.

By the second verse, every voice in the audience But now, I was a soloist. had joined me. Hundreds of voices, following mine.

It took months of preparation to get it right. Each And from the back of the chapel, candles were being day after school, I would rehearse for my mother in lit, one by one, until the place was illuminated with the kitchen while she made supper. a million lights.

On the night of the performance, my father arrived When the concert finished, my father met me home an hour late. He wheeled into our driveway, backstage. His eyes were raw and red. There were kicking gravel behind his tires. tear-trails on his dirty cheeks.

My mother flew off the porch, carrying my choir The choir director congratulated me. Then, she robe on a hanger. “You’re late!” she shouted at him. shook my father’s filthy hand.

“Merry Christmas,” she said.

My mother gasped when she saw my father.

“You’re filthy!” she said. “You can’t go like that!”

But he couldn’t seem to speak. All he could His denim clothes were stained, he smelled like manage to say was, “That’s my boy.” Then he said diesel, his skin was painted with soot. it again.

“The boss made me work late,” he said. “Ain’t got He took me into town to eat a chili dog. We ate on time to change.” the tailgate. We stayed up late. We laughed.

That was our last Christmas together.

My mother wished me luck with a kiss on the forehead and stayed behind. My father sped through If you get a chance today, tell your kids how proud the night. they make you.

We arrived at a Presbyterian church with lots of cars in the parking area. Families were walking into Sean Dietrich is a columnist and novelist known the chapel dressed in Christmas finery. for his commentary on life in the American South.

“I think I’m gonna be sick,” I told Daddy.

He has authored nine books and is the creator of the “You’re gonna be fine.”

“Sean of the South” blog and podcast.

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