November 2026 | Volume 15 | Issue 1
HOOVER’S COMMUNITY NEWS SOURCE HOOVERSUN.COM | STARNESMEDIA.COM
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CONTINUING TO SHOW UP The Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce gave its Freedom Award to Bennie Glenn Ellis for what he did in Vietnam and in the decades after
The 331-acre Collier Valley site (in brown) sits between Blackridge and South Shades Crest Road, with a proposed road (yellow) connecting to the planned I-459 Exit 9 interchange. Map courtesy of Nequette Architecture and Design; adjusted by Hoover Sun.
Zoning plan submitted for 331 acres in west Hoover By JON ANDERSON
Bennie Ellis, recipient of the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce’s 2026 Freedom Award, with his wife, Martha Ellis, a retired nurse. Photo by Karim Shamsi-Basha.
By KARIM SHAMSI-BASHA On a shelf near the window in his home office in Hoover, among the photographs and the models of trucks and the things people gave him over the years, there is a plaque. The room is crowded. A comfortable chair, shelves, books, tables, a desk, every surface holding something. A man does not decide to accumulate a room this way. It happens one year at a time, and then one day he is 79 and there is nowhere left to set anything down. The plaque is new. Bennie Glenn Ellis was named this year’s recipient of the Freedom Award by the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce. “The Freedom Award is given annually to a person who has served our country and promotes the ideals of freedom we have,” said Nan Baldwin, CEO of the Hoover Area Chamber of
Commerce. “They are also a great role model and are involved in our community.” For Ellis, it was a surprise. “I didn’t expect it,” Ellis said. “It feels good, but I look at it as representing other veterans. Vietnam veterans didn’t get much praise when we came home.” His father was a World War II veteran, a master sergeant with the 12th Armored Division in North Africa during the Patton era. His mother, Ethel Ellis, grew up on a small farm in Choctaw County and retired as a seamstress from the plant everybody in town called the silk mill. Tuition at Auburn University was $100 a quarter in 1964. His grades, by his own account, were not good. He dropped out one spring quarter and went to work as a lineman on a state survey team, and that is what he was doing in 1967 when the draft notice came.
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“I received my orders to go to Vietnam, January 1968,” he said. “When I arrived to get my assignment, they must have seen my college record, because they assigned me to the payroll department. A desk, a manual typewriter, payroll records. I was promoted from Private E-1 to Specialist E-5 in 10 months, same as sergeant.” He spent a full year in Cu Chi, Vietnam. There were rockets and mortars and 122 mm missiles, and Ellis did this so often it became routine: hit the ground, find a hole, wait. The ammunition dump went up in flames on its own once. Three times it came close. One time, he walked out of the mess hall, and the ground started popping up in front of him. Another night, rounds came in while the men were watching a movie. On a different day, a rocket hit a hut, and six sergeants were killed.
See ELLIS | page A16
Business...............A10 Schoolhouse........ A13
Sports......................B1 Events.....................B7
Signature Homes has presented the development plan for its next big community in western Hoover, and the proposal is slated to be considered by the Hoover Planning and Zoning Commission on Nov. 2. The community is being called Collier Valley and includes 331 acres between the Blackridge community and South Shades Crest Road. It touches several communities along South Shades Crest, including Southpointe, Shades Pointe, Rushing Park, Canyon Cove and Shades Run. Signature Homes is proposing to put up to 331 residential units on the land, including single-family homes, townhomes and multifamily units over retail businesses. The plan also includes up to 150,000 square feet of commercial buildings, plus potentially up to 135 hotel rooms.
See COLLIER VALLEY | page A18
Life........................ B12
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Family affair
Hoover’s eco-creative festival returns to the Hoover Met Nov. 7-8.
Punting for Hoover football has turned into family affair.
See page B8
See page B1
A2 • November 2026
Hoover Sun
HooverSun.com
November 2026 • A3
Healthcare You Can Count On What is healthcare you can count on? It’s comprehensive care backed by Grandview Medical Center, one of Birmingham’s largest hospitals. It’s medical expertise powered by over 550 physicians. It’s convenient primary and specialty care locations across the community. It’s a compassionate team who is always on your side. That’s why patients trusted Grandview over 700,000 times last year for emergency visits, life-saving heart care, surgical services, maternity care, and more. Ultimately, healthcare you can count on is really about hope for a better future. Count on our expertise. Count on kindness. Count on Grandview.
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A4 • November 2026
Hoover Sun
ABOUT US
Editor’s Note By Kyle Parmley When I think of November, two things come to mind: Thanksgiving and the Iron Bowl. For most of the country, Thanksgiving is the holiday, and everything else is just noise around it. Not here. The turkey still matters and the family time still matters, but that Saturday afternoon doesn’t take a back seat to anything. People build their whole weekend around both, and nobody thinks twice about it. It makes sense, really. Thanksgiving and the Iron Bowl both bring people together. Each year, family and friends rekindle the same old arguments. Around here, we don’t really get two holidays that week. We get one,
stretched across four days, with better food and worse arguments. Thanks for reading, and drop me an email with any story ideas at kparmley@ starnesmedia.com.
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November 2026 • A5
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A6 • November 2026
Hoover Sun
CITY
Novelty fireworks now allowed in Hoover By JON ANDERSON Selling and shooting fireworks in the city of Hoover without a permit has been illegal for decades, but the Hoover City Council recently made some slight adjustments to a city ordinance to allow for the sale and use of “novelty” fireworks and sparklers. Novelty fireworks that now will be allowed include items such as party poppers, snappers, toy snakes, glow worms, wire sparklers and dipped sticks. The ordinance defines sparkling devices as handheld or ground-based items that are nonexplosive and nonaerial and contain 75 grams or less of chemical compound per tube, or 500 grams or less total for multiple tubes. The definition also covers other devices that emit showers of sparks and sometimes a whistling, spinning or crackling effect when burning. However, they do not include aerial devices, audible ground devices or anything that will detonate or explode. Fireworks that still are illegal to sell or use in Hoover without a permit include firecrackers, skyrockets or bottle rockets, reloadable shell devices or Roman candles, single-tube devices with reports, aerials, aerial devices, audible ground devices, and anything that will detonate or explode. Permits for fireworks other than these novelty items typically are issued only for professional, public displays such as the Fourth of July celebrations at the Hoover Metropolitan Complex, Hoover Country Club and Greystone Golf and Country Club. Hoover Fire Chief Clay Bentley said the state insurance office and state fire marshal’s office in 2021 carved out an exception in state regulations to allow for the sale of novelty fireworks and sparklers.
The Hoover Fire Department has received requests about this as well over the years and, after discussions with Mayor Nick Derzis and city attorney, decided to bring Hoover’s regulations more in line with state requirements. The novelty fireworks can only be sold during the Fourth of July holiday season (June 20-July 10) and New Year’s the building where they were sold. holiday season (Dec. 15-Jan. 2). The novelty items must be sold only with a permit from the city and in a permanent building with an automatic sprinkler system, and the building has to be inspected by the fire marshal’s office both before and after the material is placed out for sale, Bentley said. Sales from temporary trailers will not be allowed in the city limits, he said. The novelty fireworks Sparklers can now be legally sold and used in Hoover. Adobe stock photo. cannot take up more than 400 square feet of floor space and cannot be near said. They must be picked up by the wholesaler There’s inherent danger in anything people a window where sunlight coming through glass or distributor, he said. do, whether owning a handgun or driving a car, could shine onto the fireworks and potentially Bentley said some other cities, including Bentley said. cause them to ignite. They also cannot be sold Huntsville, have already made this exception for “The end user is ultimately responsible for within 50 feet of any other type of ignition source novelty fireworks. There’s not enough data yet the use of these products — not only the dissuch as cigarettes, pipes or cigars. to know whether it’s a good or bad idea, he said. charge of these products, but also to clean up Also, after the holiday season is over, any “We’re in favor of this for now,” Bentley behind themselves and make sure that they disleftover novelty fireworks cannot be stored in said. “The mayor told us that if we see a prob- card these products appropriately so they don’t the building where they were sold, Bentley lem, we’ll rescind it.” start a fire,” he said.
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November 2026 • A7
CITY
Hoover council OKs $206 million in government spending By JON ANDERSON The city of Hoover’s 2027 budget is short on frills and instead focused on maintaining essential services in a period of slower revenue growth, rising operating costs, and a backlog of infrastructure and equipment needs, Mayor Nick Derzis said. The City Council approved spending $178 million from the city’s general fund in fiscal 2027, which started Oct. 1, and a total of $206 million from all government funds. The $178 million general fund budget represents a 4% increase from the original 2026 general fund budget. The council also approved $10.4 million for capital projects and $17.7 million in spending from special revenue accounts that include gas tax money and Municipal Court programs. “This is a responsible budget grounded in reality,” Derzis said. “Our revenues are essentially flat, while many of our costs continue to increase. We have significant capital needs that have accrued over many years, and we cannot address all of them in one or two budget cycles. We will be disciplined about what we spend and relentless about finding ways to operate more efficiently.” Derzis said that, earlier this year, he directed his staff to find ways to cut costs by operating more efficiently, and those efforts will save the city $1.5 million annually. The administration also retired some long-term debt, reducing interest costs and dropping annual debt service by about $2.6 million. That provides the flexibility needed to balance the 2027 budget
positions or personnel upgrades in his budget request, Lopez said. The city first wants to conduct a study of staffing and compensation levels to see how Hoover compares with other municipalities and to make sure compensation is fair across city departments. The goal is to complete that study sometime in fiscal 2027, and the timing of any recommended changes would depend on when that study is completed, she said.
2027 HOOVER CAPITAL PROJECTS
The Hoover City Council has budgeted $3.75 million for a partial roof replacement at the Hoover Public Safety Center in fiscal 2027. Photo by Jon Anderson.
while maintaining progress on key priorities, city officials said. Restructuring administration of the city’s health plan and discontinuing the employee health clinic, where costs were rising 50% or more, are expected to save about $1.2 million annually. “These were necessary decisions,” Derzis said. “These efficiencies let us keep funding essential services without simply adding expense. But we cannot cut our way to longterm prosperity while providing the police, fire,
roads, parks and other services our citizens expect.” Derzis said he was glad the city can provide a 2% cost-of-living adjustment for city employees in fiscal 2027 and not pass along increases in health care costs to employees. Department heads requested 31 new city employee positions for 2027, at a cost of $2.76 million, plus $635,000 worth of position upgrades and increased overtime, Chief Financial Officer Melinda Lopez said. However, Derzis did not include any new
• $3.75 million — Partial roof replacement for Hoover Public Safety Center • $3 million — Street resurfacing • $1.8 million — Stormwater drainage improvements • $1.65 million — Replacement fire engine and medical transport unit • $1.6 million — Replacement police vehicles • $1 million — Additional funding for Valleydale Road widening • $1 million — Police body-worn cameras and drone equipment • $1 million — Fire Department breathing equipment • $500,000 — Additional funding for new Hoover Lake House on Municipal Lane • $500,000 — Improvements at city parks and sports facilities “These are not luxury items,” Derzis said. “Fire engines have to be replaced, roofs repaired, roads resurfaced and drainage problems corrected. Deferring those needs does not make them disappear, and waiting usually makes them more expensive.”
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Hoover Sun
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November 2026 • A9
CITY
Nick’s Notes / By Nick Derzis Every household understands us manage recurring expenses the importance of making a and put taxpayer dollars to budget work. When costs rise better use. faster than income, you have Public safety remains a cento set priorities, make caretral priority. Our police officers, ful decisions and plan ahead. firefighters and emergency perCity government faces those sonnel provide services our same pressures, and we owe residents depend on every day. the citizens we serve that same Supporting their work is fundadiscipline. mental to protecting the quality Hoover’s approved fiscal year of life that makes Hoover such 2027 budget is the first full-year a desirable place to live, work Nick Derzis budget developed by my adminand raise a family. istration. It reflects our commitAt the same time, we must ment to protecting public safety, maintaining plan beyond the next fiscal year. Roads, essential services and strengthening our city’s drainage systems, city facilities, vehicles and financial future while addressing the needs of equipment require consistent investment. Posttoday. poning those needs only makes them more We approached this budget with a clear expensive. Our focus is on setting priorities, understanding of the challenges. General fund addressing deferred maintenance and building revenue is projected to grow just 0.4%, while a sustainable, multiyear approach to capital the costs of providing services, maintaining improvements. facilities and replacing equipment continue to Economic development remains essential rise. Hoover also faces a substantial backlog of to that effort. Supporting existing businesses, infrastructure and capital needs that cannot be attracting investment and encouraging redevelresolved in one or two budget cycles. opment will help strengthen the revenue base Our responsibility is to build a realistic plan that supports city services. and follow through on that plan. I appreciate the City Council and our city This balanced budget adds $500,000 to staff for their work on this budget. Together, reserves and projects a year-end general fund we are making responsible decisions grounded balance of more than $74 million — approx- in financial reality and focused on Hoover’s imately five months of operating expenses. future. Maintaining healthy reserves helps protect You deserve a city government that respects essential services when unexpected expenses your tax dollars, delivers dependable services or economic challenges arise. and plans ahead. That is the standard guiding We are also taking a hard look at how city this budget — and the work we will continue government operates. Our administration iden- every day. tified more than $1.5 million in annual savings Mayor Nick Derzis through operational efficiencies and cost controls. The prior-year retirement of some longterm debt also reduced annual debt service by approximately $2.6 million. These steps help
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A10 • November 2026
Hoover Sun
BUSINESS
Qdoba brings fresh flavors and community focus to Hoover By AMASICO RAINER More than a year before the first customer walked through the door, the work had already begun. Planning sessions, construction timelines, hiring rounds and staff training all quietly unfolded behind the scenes before Qdoba Mexican Eats officially opened its newest Alabama location at 1539 Montgomery Highway in Hoover. For General Manager Hari Vajaha, that long runway made the opening feel less like a ribbon-cutting ceremony and more like a culmination. “Opening in Hoover is an exciting milestone because it means we can now officially serve the community we’ve been preparing for over the past year,” Vajaha said. “We’re thrilled to be here and look forward to building lasting relationships with our customers and neighbors.” The location, situated along one of Hoover’s busiest commercial corridors, joins a U.S. 31 dining scene that continues to grow alongside the city itself. Qdoba, known for its build-yourown burritos, bowls, tacos and quesadillas, offers a customizable menu that puts guests in control of their meals. Vajaha believes that flexibility is what separates the chain from other fast-casual options in the area. “Guests can fully customize their meals and choose from a wide variety of flavors and ingredients to make it their own,” he said. “Our goal is to offer something that feels fresh, convenient and different each time guests visit.” The Hoover location brought several new team members on board across leadership, front-of-house and back-of-house roles, with the majority of those positions filled by residents from Hoover and surrounding communities in the greater Birmingham area. Vajaha said that local hiring was a deliberate priority, not simply a convenience.
Qdoba Mexican Eats’ new location at 1539 Montgomery Highway in Hoover. Photo courtesy of Chandler Fullman.
Beyond employment, the restaurant is setting its sights on deeper community ties through Qdoba’s Force for Good fundraising program, which allows schools, nonprofits and local organizations to host fundraiser nights and receive a portion of qualifying sales. Vajaha said the Hoover location plans to make that program fully available to area groups. “Community involvement is very important to us,” he said. “Organizations interested in participating can contact our restaurant team
or reach out through our local social media channels, and we’ll help coordinate the event and next steps.” The restaurant is also positioning itself as a catering partner for Hoover-area events, targeting schools, churches, youth sports leagues, businesses and nonprofits. Vajaha’s long-term vision for the location extends well beyond meal counts and foot traffic. “Success ultimately means building a sustainable business that not only performs well
operationally but also serves as a valued and engaged community partner,” he said. For a city that continues to attract new residents and businesses alike, the arrival of another dining option along U.S. 31 reflects the ongoing development that has defined Hoover for years. For Vajaha and his team, the goal now is simple: earn a regular spot at the table. Phone: 205-369-9999 Hours: Monday through Sunday, 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
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November 2026 • A11
BUSINESS
Recently sold homes in Hoover
► ADDRESS: 4315 Village Green Circle ► BED/BATH: 5/4.5 ► SQUARE FOOTAGE: 4,979 sq. ft. ► NEIGHBORHOOD: The Preserve ► LIST PRICE: $1,195,000 ► SALE PRICE: $1,225,000
► ADDRESS: 2516 Montauk Road ► BED/BATH: 4/3 ► SQUARE FOOTAGE: 3,483 sq. ft. ► NEIGHBORHOOD: The Hamptons at Ross Bridge ► LIST PRICE: $669,900 ► SALE PRICE: $665,000
► ADDRESS: 1721 Coburn St. ► BED/BATH: 3/3 ► SQUARE FOOTAGE: 2,077 sq. ft. ► NEIGHBORHOOD: Everlee ► LIST PRICE: $550,000 ► SALE PRICE: $550,000
► ADDRESS: 4404 Cahaba River Blvd. ► BED/BATH: 4/3 ► SQUARE FOOTAGE: 3,037 sq. ft. ► NEIGHBORHOOD: Water’s Edge at Bent River ► LIST PRICE: $489,000 ► SALE PRICE: $489,000
► ADDRESS: 1424 Chester St. ► BED/BATH: 2/2 ► SQUARE FOOTAGE: 1,723 sq. ft. ► NEIGHBORHOOD: Bluff Park ► LIST PRICE: $410,000 ► SALE PRICE: $400,000
► ADDRESS: 2201 Chapel Hill Road ► BED/BATH: 3/1 ► SQUARE FOOTAGE: 1,161 sq. ft. ► NEIGHBORHOOD: Chapel Hill ► LIST PRICE: $280,000 ► SALE PRICE: $281,500 SOURCE: GREATER ALABAMA MULTIPLE LISTING SERVICE
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Living well happens
Living with a chronic health condition doesn’t mean childhood has to stop. At Children’s of Alabama, we make sure kids can keep doing what they do best—laughing, playing, and simply being kids. With expert care, advanced treatments, and a team that never stops believing in brighter days, we help families navigate their healthcare journey with confidence, strength, and hope.
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We are here in your neighborhood at Greenvale Pediatrics Hoover. Call 205-987-4444 to schedule an appointment.
A12 • November 2026
Hoover Sun
BUSINESS
Business Happenings okra, coleslaw, peach cobbler and drinks like strawberry lemonade. Follow its social media accounts to find its current location and times, but it can often be found in the previous Jake’s Soul Food Café parking lot at 3075 John Hawkins Parkway in Hoover from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. jakessoulfoodcafe.com
Barking Bubbles
NOW OPEN Barking Bubbles, a dog grooming business, is now open at 3659 Lorna Road, Suite 145, in Hoover. With more than 20 years of professional grooming experience, Amy Custer provides one-on-one grooming for most breeds. They offer baths, blow drying, brush outs, nail trims, face trims, sanitary trims, body trims, full haircuts and ear cleaning services for dogs. Barking Bubbles is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday from noon to 8 p.m. 205-440-1678, clients.tryteddy.com/barking_bubbles
Bumble Roofing of Birmingham
Bumble Roofing of Birmingham opened at 200 Century Park South, Suite 113. The roofing company offers services including roof replacements, roof repair, storm damage assessment, 24/7 emergency roofing and warranties on their work. The company services the greater-Birmingham area, and there are also Bumble Roofing branches across the country. 205-963-7663, bumbleroofing.com/birmingham
Build Physical Therapy and Performance
Build Physical Therapy and Performance opened a clinic in Hoover at 2321 John Hawkins Parkway. Owner David Cameron, PT DPT, was born and raised in Tuscaloosa and graduated from the University of Alabama. He has more than a decade of orthopedic outpatient experience and offers evaluations and assessments for injuries and other PT matters. They provide post-operative rehabilitation, manual therapy, functional dry needling, joint manipulation, cupping, chronic pain management, concussion rehabilitation and headache/migraine treatment. They are open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. 205-795-3487, build-pt.com
After closing Jake’s Soul Food Café Hoover in August, Bonney Mack x Jake’s Food Truck and Catering opened in September to bring back its Caribbean and southern classics in a mobile format. The food truck offers dishes including jerk chicken, catfish, pork chops, cabbage, sweet potatoes, Caribbean rice, French fries,
Big Lots space at 1773 Montgomery Highway in Hoover. The two retailers will divide the space, with HomeSense occupying approximately 27,278 square feet and Shoe Dept. using 10,515 square feet. Part of the TJX family of brands, HomeSense offers home décor items like artwork, furniture, rugs and lighting. Shoe Dept. offers footwear and accessories for women, men and children. No opening date has been announced yet. shoeshowmega.com, homesense.com Sword & Crown Salon is opening soon at 2142 Tyler Road, Unit 104, in Bluff Park. They specialize in wigs, toppers and extensions for women navigating hair loss, wanting to reinvent their look and everything in between. They also offer nano brow, restorative extension and corrective tattooing services. swordandcrownsalon@ gmail.com
Alabama’s HomeSense
Sword & Crown Salon
Amethyst Mountain
Hoover resident Valerie Mars launched Amethyst Mountain, a boutique digital marketing consultancy, after supporting larger marketing teams for more than 20 years. She strives to distinguish brands through timeless, emotionally resonant advertising paired with modern marketing technology. The firm provides creative direction, strategy and campaign management with a concierge approach. 205-913-1263, amethystmtn.com
COMING SOON
Bonney Mack x Jake’s Food Truck and Catering
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Nekter Juice Bar, a California-based franchise, is set to open its first Alabama location at 4647 U.S. 280, Suite B, in the Riverhills Shopping Center in November. It will serve fresh juices, smoothies, acai bowls and seasonal specials. Created in 2010, Nekter focuses on providing ingredient transparency and eliminating artificial flavors, hidden fillers, Nekter Juice Bar unnecessary sugars, premade mixes, concentrates and overly processed ingredients. They have opened more than 220 locations across 26 states with several others in development. The juice bar is set to be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. during weekdays and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the weekends. 800-385-1650, nekterjuicebar.com Shoe Dept. and Alabama’s first HomeSense are coming to Riverchase Crossings Shopping Center in the former
June Coffee
June Coffee, located at 213 25th St. N., Suite C, in Birmingham, will be opening its second location at Knox Square in Hoover in 2027. Originally created as a specialty roaster supplying coffee to local restaurants and businesses, June opened its first café in 2022. They offer a variety of staple and seasonal drinks including lattes, cappuccinos, espressos, teas, spiced chai, matcha and more. The downtown location is open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. junecoffee.co
NEWS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS Capstone Building Corp., headquartered at 1200 Corporate Drive, Suite 350, in Hoover, began construction on Beaumont Mill, a $51 million multifamily development located in Spartanburg, S.C. The development will include 208,626 square feet of rentable space with 275 apartment homes, and it is set to be completed in 2028. The community will include elevators, a gym and a central courtyard with a pool and gathering area. Capstone Building Corp. has also started construction on The Emerald, a $45.1 million multifamily apartment development in Centerton, Ark. The Emerald will encompass 312,414 square feet and feature 256 units across nine residential buildings, along with a dedicated clubhouse. The development is expected to be completed by the summer of 2028, and it will feature a resort-style pool, pickleball courts, fire pits, gathering areas and retail areas. 205-803-5226, capstonebuilding.com
HooverSun.com
November 2026 • A13
SCHOOLHOUSE
Hoover, Spain Park students named National Merit semifinalists
Hoover High School National Merit semifinalists, back row, from left: Krish Nathan, Robert Ross, Adrien Lowe and Dang Khoi Nguyen. Front row, from left: Phoebe Beaukelman, Jingyi Su, Kylie Crosby, Nia Reese, Savannah Deakle, Serena Agrawal and Audrey Law. Photo courtesy of Hoover City Schools.
Spain Park High School National Merit semifinalists, back row, from left: Samuel Fishman, Auston Parks, William “Will” Rothman, Carter Flurry and Adarsh Vadlakonda. Front row, from left: Hillty Tran, Julie Parks, Margaret “Maggie” Parker, Dallas Lewis and Joseph “Nash” Dorion. Photo courtesy of Hoover City Schools.
By APRIL COFFEY
million students entered the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program, with only about 1% selected as semifinalists. For the students, becoming a semifinalist is an important milestone in the National Merit selection process. Those seeking to advance to Finalist standing must complete a detailed application that includes their academic record, extracurricular activities, leadership, employment, honors and awards. Students must also write an essay, receive a recommendation from a school
Twenty-one students at Hoover High School and Spain Park High School have earned one of the nation’s top academic distinctions, being named semifinalists in the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program. The local students are among more than 16,000 seniors nationwide to receive the honor. At Hoover High School, the semifinalists are Krish Nathan, Robert Ross, Adrien Lowe, Dang Khoi Nguyen, Phoebe Beaukelman,
Jingyi Su, Kylie Crosby, Nia Reese, Savannah Deakle, Serena Agrawal and Audrey Law. Spain Park High School’s semifinalists are Samuel Fishman, Auston Parks, William “Will” Rothman, Carter Flurry, Adarsh Vadlakonda, Hillty Tran, Julie Parks, Margaret “Maggie” Parker, Dallas Lewis and Joseph “Nash” Dorion. The students earned the distinction based on their performance on the 2025 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, or PSAT/NMSQT. More than 1.2
official and submit a confirming SAT or ACT score demonstrating continued academic performance. Approximately 95% of semifinalists are expected to advance to Finalist standing. From that group, about 6,700 students will ultimately be selected as National Merit Scholarship winners. The students will continue through the selection process during the 2026-27 school year, with National Merit Finalists expected to be announced in the spring of 2027.
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A14 • November 2026
Hoover Sun
SCHOOLHOUSE
What could be more caring than engineering? By APRIL COFFEY The assignment wasn’t in a textbook. The test wasn’t traditional, completed on paper and with a pencil. And the person waiting for the finished project wasn’t the teacher standing at the front of the classroom. She was a member of the community — a local woman named Emily who needed a lightweight prosthetic hand.] Senior students in the Spain Park Engineering Academy had designed and 3D-printed the device, and then had the opportunity to meet the person who would use it. For Elizabeth Browne, an engineering teacher and the academy’s director, that connection is exactly what engineering education should be about. “What could be more caring than engineering?” Browne said. Browne came to education by an unconventional route. An engineer by training, she spent years working as a consultant for small and midsize manufacturers, helping companies manage environmental and safety programs. After getting remarried and becoming a mother and stepmother to five children, Browne decided to take a break from her engineering career. It wasn’t long before she began looking for something new. She found her way to Spain Park High School, where she was hired as an engineering teacher just days before the start of the school year. She had engineering experience. She had experience teaching and training adults. But she had never been a traditional classroom teacher. “I didn’t even know what PowerSchool was,” Browne said. “I thought they would just give me the textbooks and I’d be on my way.” Instead, she found herself building a program — and eventually an approach to teaching — around a simple idea: If students can use what they learn to solve a real problem for a real person, the lesson becomes much more meaningful.
Nipun Mittal, left, and Eisuke Adachi completed a prosthetic hand for Emily Maish.
Browne said she wants students to have the kind of hands-on experiences she wishes she had been exposed to when she was in high school. “I want to be the teacher I feel like I needed when I was in high school,” she said. That philosophy has shaped the Engineering Academy’s capstone projects, which allow seniors to pursue projects that interest them while applying the skills they have learned. The prosthetics project began when one of Browne’s students, Fiona Selle, told her about E-Nable, a nonprofit organization that connects volunteers with people who need prosthetic devices. Browne had inherited 3D printers and other
Emily Maish receiving the prosthetic device from Nipun Mittal and Eisuke Adachi. Photos courtesy of Elizabeth Browne.
technology when she began teaching and was looking for meaningful ways for students to use them. The process of becoming an approved E-Nable club was extensive. Students had to demonstrate that they could produce and assemble the prosthetic devices properly, including submitting detailed photographs and videos demonstrating the function and quality of their work. Spain Park became the first approved E-Nable club in Alabama and one of the only high school clubs in America. The students then learned that engineering a prosthetic device isn’t simply a matter of printing a piece of plastic. The design depends on the type and amount of limb a person has and what the device needs to accomplish. For Emily, the need was especially practical. She and her mother, who is dependent upon a wheelchair, were preparing for a trip to Europe. Emily had a prosthetic arm provided through insurance, but it was expensive, heavy and cumbersome to travel with. The lighter device created by the Spain Park students gave her another option. The students were able to meet with Emily and hear firsthand how the device could affect her trip. “That really took it to another level,” Browne said. The project also changed the way the students approached their work. The two seniors began coming into Browne’s classroom during lunch and study periods to work on the project. One student even took the project home over spring break so they could continue working and make sure Emily received the device in time for her trip. Browne said that kind of commitment is one
of the most rewarding parts of teaching. “I think it’s really cool to see at the end of their senior year being passionate about something when they normally have senioritis,” she said. The prosthetics project is just one example of Browne’s approach to engineering education. Her students have built adaptive cars through the Go Baby Go program and delivered them to children through United Ability. Other students have pursued projects ranging
from robotics to biomedical engineering. One student created a robotic dog designed to help people with diabetes monitor their blood sugar. The student developed a website and app to control the dog and created an algorithm designed to predict blood sugar levels over the following 30 minutes. The dog also included a compartment for carrying snacks or juice. Another student became fascinated with aviation after designing a wearable aircraft. Browne encouraged the idea as far as she safely could before drawing a line when the student’s plan involved launching the device from the back of a moving truck. “I really try to say yes,” Browne laughed, “but safety has to be considered as well.” That willingness to let students explore their ideas is central to the academy. Browne wants students to understand that engineering is not simply about math and machines. It can be creative. It can be useful. And it can be deeply connected to other people. She also hopes those experiences will help broaden the students who see themselves as engineers. “I am a huge advocate for diversity in the field of engineering,” Browne said. She is particularly interested in encouraging more girls to consider engineering as a career path, noting that many students still associate careers for women with teaching, nursing and other traditional helping professions. Browne believes engineering belongs in that conversation, too. “I’m really trying to overcome this idea that the career of engineering isn’t one that’s creative,” she said. “And it isn’t one that’s caring.” For Browne, those ideas are not theoretical. They are playing out in her classroom. Students aren’t simply completing an assignment and receiving a grade. They are designing, testing, revising, communicating with community partners, and, in some cases, meeting the people who will ultimately benefit from their work. The result is an Engineering Academy where the projects don’t necessarily end when the school bell rings — and where the most important measure of success may be what happens after the project leaves the classroom. Browne’s students are learning to look at a problem, ask questions and figure out what they can build to help. And sometimes, they get to hand the finished product directly to the person who needed it.
Eisuke Adachi, left, and Nipun Mittal completed a prosthetic hand for Emily Maish.
HooverSun.com
November 2026 • A15
SCHOOLHOUSE
Setting the tone By KYLE PARMLEY Friday nights under the lights hit differently in Hoover, with the Hoover and Spain Park high school bands each bringing their own brand of pageantry to their home stadiums. Both programs field drum majors who set a precise, commanding tone well before kickoff, and by halftime, the formations, horns and drumlines turn the field into its own kind of show. Whether it’s the Buccaneers or the Jaguars on the home sideline, the sound carries the same way, filling the stadium firing up the crowd. Photos by Richard Force.
A16 • November 2026
Hoover Sun
ELLIS
CONTINUED from page 1 Here is how he describes that year: “Some scary moments with mortar fire and the shootings and missiles all around us. But I was just lucky. I was always close to being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but never in it.” That is how Ellis sums Vietnam up. Veterans of that war tend to talk about their own history in short sentences. Ellis’ wife, Martha Ellis, who would not meet him for another seven years, hears it differently. “Unfortunately, I know all about the Vietnam War,” she said. “I lost friends from high school in that war. I’m glad Bennie made it.” He returned to the States just before New Year’s Day, December 1968. After he was released, he went back to Auburn on the GI Bill. “First quarter accounting was payroll,” he said. “I aced it. Two A’s and a B that quarter.” The Army had handed him a career by accident. He graduated in business in 1972, and while visiting a cousin in Decatur, he met a certain girl. “I was set up on some blind dates,” Ellis said. “One of them was my wife, Martha.” They married Nov. 22, 1975. This November it will be 51 years. He spent his career at Southland International Trucks in Homewood, 20 years as chief financial officer and then vice president of operations, until he retired at 77. He still delivers trucks part-time on a commercial driver’s license he has held for decades. A Freedom Award is not given for service alone. It is given for the decades afterward. Ellis has been a Rotarian for more than 35 years. He belongs to American Legion Post 134 in Homewood, to VFW Post 12185 in Alabaster and to Vietnam Veterans Group 416, where he sits on the board. He is a member of the Hoover Senior Citizens Club, the Lakeshore Foundation, the Auburn Alumni Association and the IH Collectors Club. What the men in those rooms talk about is not what people assume. “We don’t talk about our history and service,” Ellis said. “We talk about friendship.” Veterans Day falls on Wednesday, Nov. 11, a holiday that started narrow — Armistice Day, one war’s ending — and was widened in 1954 to hold everyone who ever wore the uniform. The Freedom Award works the same way. It is given to one man and meant for more. Martha is a retired nurse. They have two children and one grandson, 16 years old, already taking college courses in the 10th grade — the youngest in the room, the way his grandfather was 74 years ago, too small for the desk and keeping up anyway. “I have made a lot of good friends over the years,” Ellis said, “and enjoy working with everyone.” And then the line he gives the young ones: “Where there is a will, there is a way.” There is a version of a man’s life that fits on a plaque, and there is the life itself, which does not. The plaque says Freedom Award. The room says the rest — the Rotary meetings and the Legion post, the 51 years of marriage, the year in Cu Chi that he describes in one sentence about luck. It will sit on that shelf among everything else, and in a year, it will look like it has always been there.
Bennie Ellis, recipient of the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce’s 2026 Freedom Award, with his wife, Martha Ellis, a retired nurse. Photos by Karim Shamsi-Basha.
Bennie Ellis at his home in Hoover, with his Freedom Award on the table beside him. Ellis has been a Rotarian for more than 35 years and belongs to American Legion Post 134 in Homewood, VFW Post 12185 in Alabaster and Vietnam Veterans Group 416, where he sits on the board.
Bennie Ellis holds the Freedom Award from the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce, given each year to someone who has served the country and is involved in the community.
HooverSun.com
November 2026 • A17
A18 • November 2026
Hoover Sun
This 331-acre site between Blackridge and South Shades Crest Road is proposed to be a multi-use development known as Collier Valley and would contain up to 331 homes and 150,000 square feet of commercial space, plus up to 135 hotel rooms. Master conceptual plan by Nequette Architecture and Design.
COLLIER VALLEY
CONTINUED from page 1 No mixed-use building would be allowed to have more than 40 multifamily units in it, according to the development plan submitted to the city. Each residential unit would be subject to a “special school fee” of $3,000 per lot, to be collected when the building permit is issued. At least 30% of the acreage would be maintained as permanent “open space,” but required tree areas per lot may be accommodated within the common areas or rights of way. There would be no minimum lot sizes, lot widths, frontages or setbacks required for any buildings in the property, but the maximum height on the property would be six stories. No greenbelts or buffers would be required for any of the property. There would have to be at least two parking spaces per residential unit, excluding age-restricted multifamily units and any assisted living buildings, which would have to have at least one parking space per unit. Hotels would have to have at least one parking space for each room or suite providing living accommodations, and commercial buildings would have to have at least four parking spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area.
LAND USES
While specific businesses or types of land uses are not delineated for particular parts of the property, there is a long list of potential uses that would be automatically allowed. Those include hotels, churches, libraries, outdoor recreation areas, public entertainment venues, public buildings, schools, restaurants, retail businesses, building supply stores, convenience stores, gas stations, live entertainment centers, offices, self-service storage facilities, movie theaters, shopping centers, veterinary clinics without outside kennels, breweries, bottling plants, department stores, pharmacies, fitness centers, grocery stores, garden centers, radio and TV stations, recreation/amusement businesses, car washes, farm machinery and supply sales, light industrial businesses associated with medical, technology, computer, chemical or drug research, and warehouses that are part of office or retail operations. Other types of land uses that would require conditional use approval (an extra vote by the City Council) would include golf courses, private entertainment venues, private clubs, building supply stores with outside storage, alcohol sales, drive-through or drive-up restaurants,
automotive repair shops, hospitals, contractor yards, heavy equipment sales and service, highway maintenance yards and buildings, other warehouses, liquid storage tanks, sewage treatment facilities, and other types of light industrial businesses.
SCHOOL SITE
The conceptual master plan reflects a 25-acre school site in the northern portion of the property. If the Hoover Board of Education determines a need for a school site, Signature Homes will prepare a graded 25-acre site within Collier Valley and convey it to the school board. The school site would be available to the Board of Education for four years from the approval date of the development plan. If the school board doesn’t take advantage of the land offer within four years, the developer’s obligation to prepare the land for a school will be eliminated. In conjunction with the Collier Valley plan, Signature Homes also has proposed an amendment to the development plan for the Everlee community off Alabama 150 that would remove the requirement for Signature Homes to provide a school site in Everlee. This is being done at the request of the Hoover school system because, as school officials further evaluated their options, it was determined that Everlee may not be the best location for an elementary school, Signature Homes co-founder and CEO Jonathan Belcher said. “They thought this location [Collier Valley] was much better suited,” Belcher said. “We’re trying to accommodate the school system.” School officials only have six more months to begin construction of a school in Everlee before losing a right to the land that was set aside there. The new plan for Collier Valley would give the school system four more years to begin work on a school if the school board decided for sure to build one there. As for the 25 acres in Everlee, Signature Homes would be able to develop it for other uses but would not be granted any additional residential housing units in Everlee.
ROAD PLANS
Another key element of the Collier Valley development is the road plan. Signature Homes is proposing to build a new road leading from Blackridge Parkway and connecting with South Shades Crest Road and leading to the new Exit 9 interchange on Interstate 459 near South Shades Crest Road. If completed, this “spine road” would provide a new way for traffic to get out of Blackridge that bypasses the rest of Trace Crossings.
This map shows the pedestrian circulation plan for the Collier Valley development between Blackridge and South Shades Crest Road, including streets, sidewalks, an existing paved trail, new multi-use paths and a pedestrian bridge. Map by Nequette Architecture & Design.
It also would provide an alternate route for some of the traffic going to and from Helena because Blackridge Parkway connects with Shelby County 52 (Morgan Road), which leads to Helena and Alabaster. Signature Homes also is prepared to build a “connector road” to Stadium Trace Parkway to help pull more traffic out of Trace Crossings so less traffic would go north on Stadium Trace Parkway to John Hawkins Parkway. The two-lane spine road, which would be an extension of Blackridge Parkway, would have an 80-foot-wide right of way and may have additional lanes as needed at the intersection with South Shades Crest Road, according to Signature Homes’ proposed development plan. The connector road to Stadium Trace Parkway would be called Collier Drive and would have a right of way at least 50 feet wide. One caveat is that Signature Homes already has constructed two bridges over CSX railroad tracks to get to the Blackridge development and is not willing to pay for another bridge to cross the railroad. Funding for that bridge crossing has not yet been identified, Hoover City Planner Mac Martin said. The total cost of the portion of the roads that Signature Homes plans to build is expected to be at least $20 million, and Signature Homes in recent weeks has secured the second of two mine reclamation grants to help cover some of that cost, Belcher said. Part of this property sits on an old coal
mine that dates back to the late 1800s, Belcher said. Signature Homes will be cleaning up and reshaping the remnants of the coal mine so that the land can safely support new development, he said. No sidewalk will be required on either side of the spine road as long as there is a 10-footwide or wider multiuse path on at least one side of the spine road that parallels the spine road or along South Shades Crest Road. Signature Homes is prepared to build that 10-foot-wide multiuse path, using an existing emergency road formerly known as the Brock’s Gap Gun Club road, Belcher has said. The new spine road is expected to cross the historic Brock’s Gap cut railbed, considered by history buffs to be a treasure worth saving, but Belcher has said the plan is to make the bypass road cross the cut at a point that minimizes the impact and saves the majority of the cut. About 162 acres of the Collier Valley development is being pulled out of the Blackridge development. The other 169 acres includes 102 acres that Signature Homes bought from the Brock’s Gap Gun Club in October 2023 for $6.5 million. Martin in mid-October said city staff were still reviewing the proposed Collier Valley development plan and would be making a recommendation to the zoning board on Nov. 2. If approved by the zoning board, the development plan would move forward to the Hoover City Council for consideration.
HooverSun.com
November 2026 • A19
A20 • November 2026
Hoover Sun
B SECTION
Sports B6 Events B7 Life B12
NOVEMBER 2026
Flipping the field By JOSHUA GLEASON Sitting in the press box at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium provides a pretty good vantage point for watching a football game. From his seat, Hoover’s public address announcer can see the entire field. He can track a long pass, see exactly where a running back is tackled and follow the action from one end zone to the other. But there is one play Jud Morrison watches a little differently, with a mix of excitement and nerves. A Hoover punt. For Morrison, a punt is one of the most important plays of the game. That’s because the person doing the punting is his son, Hoover senior Grant Morrison. Jud took over as Hoover’s varsity PA announcer this season, fittingly coinciding with his youngest son’s final year in the program. It is his 10th year doing public address announcing around the Hoover area, after a friend volunteered him for his first assignment. “A friend of mine who was resigning told me, ‘I told them you would do it next year,’” Jud said. “Sure enough, I got a call the next year and they were told I would be happy to do the announcing. I said sure, let’s give it a shot.” Jud played football in high school, while Grant’s two older brothers, Preston and William, also played football at Hoover. Preston eventually played linebacker for the Bucs. All three brothers also played lacrosse at Hoover, giving Grant the opportunity to join his brothers on the same varsity team when he made the squad as a freshman.
However, nobody in the family was a kicker or had any experience in soccer. Grant was drawn to kicking at a young age, saying he thought it was a “cool part of football.” “[Grant] had a fascination with it,” Jud said. “I would take him out to the football fields and he would try to kick field goals. He would miss it to the left and by the time I ran to get it and threw it back to him, he would kick it to the right. And eventually we would get bored with that and start punting it.” By middle school, Grant was telling his family he was going to kick for the football team. His father and brothers kept hearing him say it. When Grant was approaching his freshman year, they finally asked him a simple question: Was he actually going to do it? “My brothers and dad said I kept saying it, and asked if I was finally going to do it,” Grant said. “I finally went out and joined the team halfway through my freshman year, and then became the varsity starter my junior year.” Preston was there to help him along the way. He would wake Grant up in the morning so the two could get to early football practices and workouts. Their mother, Kim, who works at Hoover High School, said Grant had always been the adventurous one of the four children. “Of all four, [Grant] was always the most curious and fearless,” Kim said. “He took his scooter down a neighbor’s driveway at 3 years old that was a straight slope down, landed right on his face. No fear, and it has always been that way.”
See FIELD | page B3
Hoover punter Grant Morrison during a game between Hoover and Thompson on Oct. 2 at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson.
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B2 • November 2026
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PREPARED TO SUCCEED This fall, UA launched a three-year initiative to strengthen academic advising, adding 49 new advisors across the University to provide students with more personalized guidance throughout their time at UA. Students can also build toward their futures through the UA Career Center, connecting them with more than 300 employers at career fairs and interview days each year. The Office of Internships expands access to internships across disciplines, giving students meaningful, real-world experience.
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HooverSun.com
November 2026 • B3
FIELD
CONTINUED from page B1 That fearlessness has served Grant well. He has come a long way from having his first in-game punt blocked. Now, as a senior, he is drawing recruiting interest and trying to make the most of the handful of opportunities he gets each game. “A quarterback gets as many attempts to stand out in one game as a punter does all season,” Jud said. “I told him he has to be making the most of every single one of those attempts.” For Hoover, those opportunities have become increasingly important. Grant’s ability to flip the field has provided the Bucs with another weapon and helped a stout defense operate with better field position. “Field position is huge,” Hoover head coach Chip English said. “When you have a weapon in a true punter like Grant is, that can change the field position, it changes in regard to how we call special teams, and might even dictate what we call on offense. If we don’t get something, we know we still have a weapon in Grant to pin them inside the 20.” Grant is another in a long line of successful Buccaneers specialists. And while Hoover grads like Minnesota Vikings kicker Will Reichard and former Arkansas punter Dylan Breeding are notable inspirations. Grant said he likes to compare his stats to those of previous Hoover punters to see how he is doing, and he iis able to rely on another former college All-American. Gavin Hallford, Hoover’s director of football sports performance, was a standout kicker at Jacksonville State and remains the school’s career points leader. His experience as a collegiate specialist has allowed him to work closely with Grant as he continues to develop. “They [special teams players] are in there working with the rest of the team,” Hallford said. “On the kicker side of things, we take the approach of a relief pitcher. While he is great at what he does, nobody wants to see him go into
Hoover punter Grant Morrison during a game between Hoover and Thompson on Oct. 2, at the Hoover Met. Photo by Barry Stephenson.
the game. But he takes pride in his technique and his focus. Grant gets his mind to whatever the situation is and executes.” For Kim, there is still a little bit of irony in watching her youngest son punt. She wants to see Grant succeed, but she is still a Hoover parent first.
“I do want to watch my son play and punt, but I want to see Hoover win,” Kim said with a laugh. “If he only plays one or two times a game and Hoover wins, that is OK.” Grant has visited Samford and spoken with most of the other in-state schools and is working to schedule other visits. English thoroughly
believes his senior punter has the talent to compete at the next level, and that is Grant’s goal as well. “If I can even get a walk-on spot somewhere and be tested to really see where I am, all I want is an opportunity to be on the roster,” Grant said.
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B4 • November 2026
Hoover Sun
OUR KINDNESS JOURNEY VISION When we began the Sandlin Foundation for Kids & Kindness, we had a simple vision: bring good people together, support organizations already doing great work, and turn kindness into measur able IMPACT for children and families. What has happened in our first year has exceeded anything we could have accomplished alone. A STATEMENT FROM OUR FOUNDERS To our 17 Charity Partners - THANK YOU. Thank you for trusting us, showing us where the needs are greatest, and getting up every day to do the work that changes lives. This has never been about the Sandlin Foundation doing it alone. This is about a community working together. Sandy and Dwight Sandlin
HooverSun.com
November 2026 • B5
17
Charity Partners
100% 6,230 PassThrough Donations
Kids Impacted
1,300 +
SpecialNeeds Students
$3,054,900
TOTAL PROJECTED 2026 IMPACT $1,530,700 CASH INVESTED | $750,000 COMMITTED - REMAINDER OF 2026 $774,200 IN-KIND AND MATCHING IMPACT
A TIMELINE OF KINDNESS
Cookie of the Month - Cookie Fix launches a yearlong partnership connecting everyday purchases with charitable impact. Be Our Guest - AAHOA and charity partners begin connecting donated hotel stays with families needing rest and renewal. Sandlin Academy for Success - Sandlin Foundation and Hoover City Schools advance a student-centered model focused on leadership, life readiness, cares and needs. Hoover Heroes & Community Kindness A new tradition recognizes extraordinary service, volunteerism and humanitarian leadership. 300 Nights Out - Ady's BiG Army, Libby's Friends and Hoover Helps help provide 300 nights of respite and relief for families.
McGregor-Sandlin Playground - A new Hoover YMCA playground creates a lasting place where children can play, connect and belong. Magic Moments Day Out in Hoover Nearly 50 Hoover businesses create a special day of dining, shopping, activities and memories for local families. Sandlin Workshops - Free workshops launch to give Alabama nonprofits practical tools for fundraising, governance, operations and greater IMPACT. Kindness in Classrooms Goes National NASRO, Neighborhood Bridges and the Sandlin Foundation prepare a 25-site beta connecting school officers with community resources. Big Drip Washes for Kindness - Big Drip provides 100 free car washes and donates $2,500, turning a local promotion into direct community impact.
THANK YOU TO OUR 17 CHARITY PARTNERS HOOVER HELPS | MAGIC MOMENTS | NEIGHBORHOOD BRIDGES | DISABILITY RIGHTS AND RESOURCES | ADY’S BIG ARMY | SANDLIN ACADEMY FOR SUCCESS | HOPE FOR AUTUMN HOOVER YMCA | SMILE-A-MILE | JOYFUL NOISE | HEIDI’S KIDS | UNLESS U | HOOVER CITY SCHOOLS FOUNDATION | MANUFACTURE GOOD | FAMILY CONNECTION | DOWN SYNDROME ALABAMA | LIBBY’S FRIENDS
B6 • November 2026
SPORTS
Under the Lights By KYLE PARMLEY As the calendar turns to November, high school football’s regular season has come to an end. For some teams, it means the beginning of a playoff pursuit. For others, it signifies the end of a journey. Fortunately for Hoover and Spain Park, both teams are still alive heading into the playoffs and will look to make their mark as the weather cools and the holidays loom. Stay tuned to hooversun.com throughout the postseason for coverage of the playoffs. Photos by David Leong and Barry Stephenson.
Hoover Sun
HooverSun.com
November 2026 • B7
EVENTS
Market Noel coming to Finley Center in November By EMILY REED The Junior League of Birmingham is gearing up to host Market Noel Nov. 18-21 at the Finley Center in Hoover. “People may come to Market Noel because it gets them ready for the holidays,” said Shanika Gibson, president of the Junior League of Birmingham. “They may come because they are discovering new vendors. Maybe it is part of their holiday tradition with friends, and we love all of that. But every person who walks through those doors is also making an investment in Birmingham.” Gibson said every ticket purchased matters. “What makes Market Noel different is what happens because you came,” Gibson said. “That is what we mean when we say, ‘Shop the Magic.’ The magic isn’t just what happens inside the doors of Market Noel or during those 12 days of Shop, Save and Share [a JLB fundraiser], the magic happens because our community chooses to participate. Every time someone chooses to participate, the impact gets a little deeper, our reach gets a little wider, and Birmingham gets a little stronger. We are truly grateful to Regions Bank for being our 2026 Market Noel presenting sponsor.” Event organizers estimate about 5,000 people will attend this year’s event. The lineup includes: Preview Noel — Nov. 18, 6:30-9:30 p.m. An evening dedicated to community, celebration and the spirit of giving. This event features silent auction bidding alongside complimentary cocktails and heavy hors d’oeuvres. Festive cocktail attire is suggested.
spread and a personal visit from Santa Claus. A ticket to this event includes a full brunch and a professional digital photo with Santa. All proceeds from the various events with Market Noel go back into 20 community projects, sponsored by the Junior League of Birmingham. “We are passionate about building partnerships for a better Birmingham, and this event is one of the ways that keeps our mission going,” a representative with the event said. For more information about tickets or the event lineup, visit marketnoel.net.
Market Noel ► Where: Finley Center at the Hoover Met Complex, 5508 Stadium Trace Parkway, Hoover ► When: Nov. 18-21
Guests shop at the Junior League of Birmingham’s annual Market Noel event at the Finley Center in 2022. Staff photo.
Seasonal Social — Nov. 19, 5:30-7:30 p.m. This event features a curated evening of style, community and celebration. The highlight is a premier fashion show where members of the Junior League of Birmingham will take the runway showcasing items from the Market Noel vendors. Tickets include access to the runway show and a selection of light bites. A cash bar will be available for cocktails and refreshments. Festive cocktail attire suggested.
Sweat, Sip and Shop — Nov. 20, 5-7 p.m. This event features a workout that ends with a toast. A ticket to this event unlocks full access to the event, beginning with a dynamic 45-minute bodyweight workout led by a True40 instructor. After the workout, guests are invited to mingle and shop with a complimentary glass of “bubbles” to enjoy a shopping experience. Brunch with the Big Guy — Nov. 21, 9-11 a.m. This event allows guests to enjoy a brunch
Special events ► Preview Noel: Wednesday, Nov. 18, 6:30-9:30 p.m. ► Seasonal Social: Thursday, Nov. 19, 5:30-7:30 p.m. ► Sweat, Sip and Shop: Friday, Nov. 20, 5-7 p.m. ► Brunch with the Big Guy: Saturday, Nov. 21, 9-11 a.m. ► TICKETS: marketnoel.net ► CALL: 205-879-9861
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B8 • November 2026
Hoover Sun
EVENTS
Moss Rock Festival returns for 21st year at Hoover Met Complex, Nov. 7-8 By KYLE PARMLEY The Moss Rock Festival turns 21 this fall, and the eco-creative weekend that has become one of Hoover’s signature November traditions returns to the Hoover Metropolitan Complex on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 7-8. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at 5500 Stadium Trace Parkway. Parking at the Hoover Met is free. Chase Bank is the presenting sponsor for 2026, a partnership festival organizers announced in September. Since its founding, the festival has built its identity around three themes: nature, art and design, and “smart living,” the organizers’ term for sustainable products and ideas for everyday life. The event is run by the Foundation for Arts and Cultural Connections, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that also operates under the name Find Art Birmingham. Last year’s 20th anniversary edition drew more than 100 artists working in clay, fiber, painting, printmaking, jewelry, furniture, photography, wood, metal, glass and mixed media. This year’s featured artist, whose work anchors the 2026 poster, is Tuscaloosa mixed-media painter Penny Dobson. A retired art teacher, Dobson paints animals, birds and flowers in oils on repurposed vintage objects, from antique alarm clocks and dresser mirrors to a canvas built from the parts of a 19th-century reed organ. She layers in seed beads, gold leaf and handmade papers, and in place of a signature on the front of each piece, she affixes a penny minted in the 1970s, the decade she was born. Her poster piece,
A sign welcomes people to the 2025 Moss Rock Festival at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. Photo by Jon Anderson.
“Songbird,” is a goldfinch painted on a violin. “I just have never liked signing the front of my work,” Dobson said in an artist statement published on the festival’s website. A featured artist exhibition of Dobson’s work will be on display at the festival, alongside a design exhibition from bDot Architecture. New to Take Root: A Tree Legacy Project this year is a printmaking workshop and exhibition
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presented by Collin Williams, professor of art and director of new media at the University of Montevallo. Through a partnership with Cool Green Trees and the Jefferson County Greenways Commission, the public authority that operates Ruffner Mountain, Red Mountain Park and Turkey Creek Nature Preserve, visitors can enter to win a tree sapling and pick up pollinator seed packets at the Take Root booth.
The festival’s familiar features are scheduled to return: the Nature and Smart Living Market and the Sweetery, live music and dance on the Crescent Stage, food trucks at the Festival Cafe, and hands-on art workshops for children at WonderKid Studios. The Planet Project, the festival’s school outreach program in which students build largescale sculptures from recycled materials, has an insect theme in 2026. Organizers titled this year’s challenge “Small Wonders | Big Impact: Insects Above, Below and All Around,” and the finished pieces will be displayed on the festival grounds. The Moss Rock Beer Garden, a tented and open-air craft tasting event held from 12:30 to 3 p.m. both days, marks its 15th year. Admission includes a commemorative 13-ounce Belgian glass, samples from Alabama breweries and beyond, special brews from local homebrewers, wine, beer floats, snacks, and the day’s college football games on Mr. Mancave’s multiscreen display wall. Festival admission is $13 in advance and $15 at the gate, and a single ticket covers both days. Kids and students 18 and younger get in free. Beer garden tickets are $40 in advance, with orders due by Nov. 6, and $45 at the gate. Both include festival entry for the weekend. Advance buyers are guaranteed the 2026 glass design, while gate buyers receive it only while supplies last. For the full artist gallery, the Crescent Stage lineup and tickets, visit mossrockfestival.com.
HooverSun.com
November 2026 • B9 C U T
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B10 • November 2026
Hoover Sun
EVENTS
Save the Date
► For more events news, connect with the Hoover Sun online by scanning the QR code. ► Have an upcoming event to share? Email Kyle Parmley at kparmley@starnesmedia.com.
COMPLIMENTARY WINE TASTINGS
NATURE JOURNALING CLASS
YOUNG ARTIST RECEPTION
► Where: Hoover Steaks & Wines, 5868 Elsie Road ► When: Tuesdays and Fridays throughout November, 4:30-6:30 p.m. ► Cost: Free ► Details: Discover something new during Hoover Steaks & Wines’ complimentary twice-weekly tastings. Guests can stop by on Tuesday and Friday evenings to sample selections from rotating wineries, distributors and importers while learning more about different varietals, regions and producers. The casual tastings offer both experienced wine enthusiasts and curious newcomers a chance to expand their palates, ask questions and find new favorites in a relaxed setting. ► More Info: hooversteaksandwines.com
► Where: Aldridge Gardens, 3530 Lorna Road ► When: Nov. 7 and 11, 10-11:30 a.m. ► Cost: Free; registration required ► Details: Slow down and take inspiration from the natural world during the Nature Journaling Class at Aldridge Gardens. Instructor Amy Sides will guide participants through simple, stress-free prompts designed to encourage observation, curiosity and creativity. No previous art experience is needed, and pencils, paper and colored pencils will be provided. The class focuses less on creating a finished work of art and more on using drawing and writing as tools for noticing and appreciating the beauty found in everyday surroundings. ► More Info: aldridgegardens.com
► Where: Hoover Public Library, Youth Program Room, 200 Municipal Drive ► When: Nov. 8, 3-4 p.m. ► Details: Celebrate the creativity of young artists during Hoover Public Library’s monthly Young Artist Reception. The event honors the library’s featured young artists and gives families, friends and visitors a chance to view their work and recognize their accomplishments in a welcoming library setting. The reception is designed for children and families and offers a simple way to support young talent in the community. ► More Info: hooverlibrary.org
COFFEE & CONTACTS
BIRMINGHAM FALL CRAFT & VENDOR MARKET
HANDEL’S “MESSIAH”: 79TH ANNUAL PRESENTATION
► Where: Location to be announced ► When: Nov. 12, 8-9 a.m. ► Cost: Free ► Details: Start the morning making new business connections during the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce’s monthly Coffee & Contacts. The casual networking event gives chamber members, local professionals, entrepreneurs and guests an opportunity to meet, exchange ideas and build relationships over coffee before the workday begins. Each gathering is hosted at a different Hoover-area business, offering attendees a chance to discover local companies while expanding their professional network. ► More Info: hooverchamber.org
► Where: Riverchase Galleria, 2000 Galleria Circle ► When: Nov. 14, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Nov. 15, noon to 6 p.m. ► Details: Shop local and get a head start on holiday gift buying during the Birmingham Fall Craft & Vendor Market at Riverchase Galleria. The twoday indoor market will feature local makers, crafters and small businesses offering handmade goods, seasonal decor, apparel, self-care items, sweet treats, gifts and other unique finds. The family-friendly event offers shoppers a chance to support independent vendors while enjoying a festive fall weekend at the Galleria. ► More Info: hometownvendormarket.com
SALUTE TO SERVICE
► Where: Riverchase United Methodist Church, 1953 Old Montgomery Highway ► When: Nov. 22, 3 p.m. ► Cost: Free ► Details: Begin the holiday season with one of the Birmingham area’s longstanding musical traditions as the Alabama Civic Chorale presents its 79th annual performance of Handel’s “Messiah.” The chorale will be accompanied by members of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra for an afternoon featuring Handel’s beloved choral masterpiece. The performance is free and open to the public, and early arrival is recommended. ► More Info: alabamacivicchorale.com
► Where: Finley Center, 5508 Stadium Trace Parkway ► When: Nov. 10, 8:30-11 a.m. ► Details: Join the city of Hoover for its annual Salute to Service, a special program recognizing and honoring veterans in the community, including members of the city workforce. The event brings residents together to celebrate the service, sacrifice and dedication of those who have served in the U.S. armed forces while continuing Hoover’s longstanding tradition of honoring local veterans. ► More Info: hooveralabama.gov
HOOVER LIBRARY EVENTS ► Nov. 4: Story Sprouts. 10:30 a.m. Youth Program Room. Children ages 4 and younger can dance and play during an interactive movement storytime. ► Nov. 9: Crafting Kindness. 3 p.m. Friends Meeting Room and Plaza. Help create and sign holiday cards for members of the Hoover community who may be homebound during the holidays. ► Nov. 10: “Looking at Tattoos in Early America.” 6 p.m. Fitzgerald & Shakespeare Rooms. Mairin Odle explores the history and cultural significance of tattooing in early America. ► Nov. 10: Live on the Plaza featuring Bryce Mullins. 7 p.m. Plaza. Enjoy an evening performance by fingerstyle guitarist and songwriter Bryce Mullins.
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www.mossrockfestival.com
Hoover Met Complex
● SPONSORS ● Chase Bank • Kinetic Communications • Joe Piper, Inc. • bDot Architecture • City of Hoover • Hoover Metropolitan Complex • Quest Events ● MEDIA ● AL.com Bham Now • Birmingham Mountain Radio 107.3fm • Hoover’s Magazine • Starnes Media • WBHM 90.3fm ● FEATURED ARTIST ● Penny Dobson, “Songbird”
HooverSun.com
November 2026 • B11
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B12 • November 2026
Hoover Sun
LIFE
Bluff Park youth group is where everybody knows your name By KARIM SHAMSI-BASHA In the fall of 2025, seniors Matthew Pitts and Millie Burgess walked into a sixth grader’s birthday party, Burgess wearing her homecoming dress and Pitts, the senior class president, on his way to a Hoover football game. They made the stop to let the 12-year-old know that on the biggest night of their high school year, he was worth the detour. That’s Bluff Park United Methodist Church’s youth group in one image. About 70 students, sixth through 12th grade, fill the space on Sunday nights and Wednesday nights. Regan Sanders, 27, the youth director, arrived as an intern in 2022. When the youth director left that November, she accepted the position. “I had never done it before,” she said. “Overwhelming, to say the least. But I love those kids so much. When I see them, I cannot imagine anyone not loving them. It’s not the qualities. They’re joyful, kind, genuine, thoughtful. Teenage issues, conflict, frustration. I see the light in them. They just shine.” “I love them for who they are,” Sanders added. “They are worth the love at their best and their worst. I want them to know that they’re worth the love. I can’t make sure everywhere in the world would be uplifting and make them feel loved, but I want to do everything I can so they know that in this youth group, you are always loved. Wherever you go, that love goes with you.” Ask the students what makes it different and they don’t talk about programming. They talk about pressure — and the absence of it.
The Bluff Park United Methodist Church youth group. Photo by Karim Shamsi-Basha.
“So many kids come from activities and extracurriculars where life asks too much,” Sanders said. “Social media. Parents. Elevenand 12-year-olds already thinking about success. Here there’s no pressure to perform like everywhere else. They are invited just to be themselves.” Colin Keppley puts it more plainly: “Here, it’s not the smart people and the athletic people. It’s just people.” He said the environment builds connection deeper than what he has with friends at school. “It allows us to get along better. We grow better.” Declan Hennigan said it is a place comfortable enough to show who you actually are. “This place is my family away from my house. On Wednesday, I wait for Sunday. Then on Sunday, I wait for Wednesday.” London Edwards talked about letting her
guard down. “Everything else is crazy. Here, it’s just different, more relaxed.” Owen Chatterton said something the others echo in their own words: You can tell people here that they’re loved by God, and you see it land — in their face, in their smile. Bluff Park United Methodist Church sits in the shadow of Hoover’s enormous high schools, where it’s easy to be a number. Senior Pastor Ross Furio knows the importance of his youth group. “With the giant schools in the area, we provide something more intimate, where kids can be themselves — that’s the culture here and the kids love it.” He credits Sanders with stewarding and stretching it. “Regan is the heartbeat of the youth group. Her calling aligned with a culture already in place — giving kids a place to be who they were created to be. She’s done
a beautiful job of expanding that feeling and bringing more kids in.” The students name the same handful of things when asked for favorites. Fall retreat. Six Flags. Mission trips — Vacation Bible School, the Appalachia Service Project and the occasional beach retreat. And Discovery Weekend, where high schoolers lead the middle schoolers. One of the most popular events is the candlelight service at Discovery Weekend. Students sit while others pray over them. Letters get written and read aloud. “It made me feel loved,” London Edwards said. “It was one of the only times I have cried.” Sanders cherishes Discovery Weekend. “They write letters to me — personal letters that are very powerful,” Sanders said. “The middle schoolers get love poured into them, and then they become the high schoolers doing the pouring. Nobody teaches it as a curriculum. It just gets handed down.” Students who have been elsewhere notice. Some churches are too big. At some, you are mostly being preached at. “This group is uplifting and you never leave worse,” Lily Styes said. “You always leave better, and everyone cheers for you.” Which brings it back to two seniors in homecoming clothes, standing in a sixth grader’s living room. Nobody assigned it. They had just been on the receiving end once, and now it was their turn to pass it down. “I don’t think they did that out of obligation, or just because they are good people,” Sanders said. “I think they did that because they genuinely loved that kid and wanted to celebrate them. This group loves each other.” “This love makes this job worth it.”
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November 2026 • B13
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B14 • November 2026
Hoover Sun
LIFE
Hoover man named Birmingham Veteran of the Year By DREW TAYLOR Jim Langley was ready to go. A student at Jacksonville State University, he was already involved in the ROTC program at the height of the Vietnam War, and with little idea as to what he would do when he left college, he felt fighting for his country was a good backup plan. “I was really gung-ho to join the military,” Langley said. Everything was set. During the summer of 1971, Langley and others began training at Fort Bragg to eventually be sent to the action in Vietnam. However, as the U.S. drew down its troops in Vietnam and soldiers were needed elsewhere, Langley was instead sent to Alaska, where he served in a field artillery unit for three years. Initially, Langley was frustrated to have had his opportunity to prove his mettle in Vietnam taken from him. However, after seeing all the soldiers coming back home and how the trauma of the conflict had stayed with them, he realized he had been fortunate. “I was a little disappointed to not have my combat ribbons, but after seeing everyone and how the war had affected them, I felt blessed,” Langley said. Langley never saw combat, but his passion for the military remained a guiding force for him, even after he had retired from the reserves in 1994. Now, the Hoover resident has been named the Birmingham Veteran of the Year by the Military Officers Association of America.
“I was surprised, to tell you the truth,” he said. Langley’s career took him all over the world. After his time in Alaska, Langley went to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where he was an instructor from 1974 to 1978. Before coming back to Birmingham in 1979, he spent a year at Camp Stanley in South Korea. Despite being retired, Langley keeps a pretty busy schedule, a lot of which is based around military service. One of his biggest jobs is writing a newsletter for the MOAA, in which he shares news about veterans’ health care and benefits. “Being in the military is not a glamorous thing,” he said. “They do take care of you, but nowadays, it can be a struggle to live on what they pay you.” Nonetheless, Langley still feels a need to support those in the military and the country as a whole. “It gave me the structure and discipline to succeed,” he said. However, he said he is saddened by how many service members have been torn apart by wars he considers senseless. “I’m still a patriot, but wars that get people killed for no reason other than politics really frustrates me,” he said. Over the years, Langley has worn many hats. After coming back to Alabama, he spent 15 years at BellSouth and later worked with organizations including AIDS Alabama, which he considers the work he is most proud of. “Everyone in the Army and business world
Jim Langley was named Birmingham Veteran of the Year. Photo courtesy of Jim Langley.
were always upwardly mobile, wanting to step over one another for positions,” he said. “At AIDS Alabama, I got to know a lot of these clients and see what these social workers did
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HooverSun.com
November 2026 • B15
B16 • November 2026
Hoover Sun