Sun Neighborly news & entertainment for Hoover
Countdown to camp
Volume 3 | Issue 6 | March 2015
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Shopping shake-up
Inside, find the Hoover Sun’s guide to the best summer camps for kids. From cooking to sports to outdoor adventures, we break down the basics of area programs.
See page B2
BEST OF HOOVER See page A20
Signing Day recap
New retail options coming to Riverchase Galleria By SYDNEY CROMWELL
More than 40 Hoover athletes signed with colleges and universities on Signing Day in February. Read more inside this issue.
Between the Galleria and all its neighboring shopping centers, the Riverchase area is the center of Hoover’s retail industry. Shoppers should expect some brand-new options in the coming months as new retailers begin to put up their signs and open their doors. Riverchase Galleria The Galleria’s new openings actually begin
While several stores have closed their doors, Galleria shoppers can expect new businesses to fill the vacant slots in the coming months. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.
with its closings. Wet Seal and Body Central closed in early January due to national bankruptcies. The Delia’s and Radio Shack locations have announced future closings for the same reason, and Banana Republic, White House Black Market and Sbarro Pizza have shut their doors as well. Galleria Marketing Manager Angela Jacks, however, said these shops won’t be empty for long. “You hate seeing stores close, but there’s
high demand for our retail space,” Jacks said. “With the closing comes the opportunity to bring in new retailers.” Some of the new retailers have already been announced. Molly Green, a boutique already within the mall, will be relocating to the White House Black Market space. A Villa Pizza will replace the Sbarro location, and the former Bakers Shoes is being renovated for Jolie Grace
See SHOPPING | page A23
See page B17
INSIDE City .........................A5 Business ..............A10 Community .........A14
School House ....B10 Sports ...................B16 Calendar ..............B21
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Education 2.0 Hoover City Schools Foundation brings unique programs to local classrooms By KATIE TURPEN A fourth-grade student presses his hand on a green apple hooked up to a laptop with an alligator clip. Music begins to play on the screen. A few minutes later, he and a fellow classmate are using the same apples as controllers for a video game called Minecraft. These Trace Crossings Elementary students are using a device called “MaKey MaKey,” which fourth-grade
The new 2016 ilx
teacher Dana Joyner found through research. The students also played music on the computer using play dough and graphite. The children were encouraged to document their work through Twitter, which allowed them to learn grammar and social media skills as well. This unique project was made possible by the grant writing of Joyner and Assistant Principal Amanda Stone. The
See EDUCATION | page A22
Trace Crossings Elementary School students participate in a variety of innovative projects made possible by grants from the Hoover City Schools Foundation. Photo by Katie Turpen.
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