Sun Neighborly news & entertainment for Hoover
Volume 3 | Issue 4 | January 2015
A place for all
New interim school superintendent named By JESSA PEASE Dr. Jim Reese was named Hoover City Schools’ interim superintendent at a called board meeting on Dec. 19. Reese served for nine Dr. Jim Reese years as the superintendent for Enterprise City Schools until his retirement three years ago and was recommended for the interim position by board member Earl Cooper. He was unanimously voted in to serve in Hoover starting Jan. 1. Current superintendent Andy Craig announced his official resignation at the Dec. 8 Board of Education meeting, prompting the search for his replacement. “It’s been a fairly exhausting process, but I can truthfully say we actually contacted, met with or touched base with every person who was available for the position,” Cooper said. “The results of these efforts came up with an education leader who, after he got done busing tables at his father’s restaurant
See SUPERINTENDENT | page A23
The city budget at a glance
Local resident planning all-inclusive playground to honor his daughter By KATIE TURPEN Three-year-old Carly Chandler will never be able to walk, talk or feed herself. But thanks to her father, Dustin Chandler, she will soon enjoy an all-accessible playground
By SYDNEY CROMWELL
Hoover resident and Pelham police officer Dustin Chandler holds his daughter, Carly, who has been diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder. An allinclusive playground called Carly’s Clubhouse is being built in Pelham in her name. Photo by Karim Shamsi-Basha.
where she can play with children of all abilities. Dustin, a Hoover resident and Pelham police officer, is currently planning and raising funds for an all-inclusive playground called Carly’s Clubhouse. Carly
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was born with a very rare disorder called CDKL5. There is no cure for CDKL5, and it causes severe developmental delays. After Carly was diagnosed, Dustin met
Hoover’s budget for the 2014-2015 fiscal year is not just a bunch of numbers; it’s a chance to glimpse the projects to come. Mayor Gary Ivey said that many projects are still early in the planning process, but the city has “ a lot of good stuff on the drawing board.” From the full budget of $146.3 million, here are some of the highlights of what to look forward to: Personnel This year’s personnel budget increased by $1.8
See CLUBHOUSE | page A22
Sponsors .......... A4 City...................... A5
Business........... A8 Food .................A10
See BUDGET | page A23
Community ...... A12 School House .....B7
Sports ................ B10 Calendar .............B17
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Threepeat for Bucs
Phenomenal women
The Hoover Buccaneers won the first Class 7A state crown and their third straight state championship by beating Prattville. Details inside.
Hoover is filled with hardworking women. In this issue, read about the area’s female business owners and the services they provide.
See page B1
See page B10
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