Hoover Sun September 2026

September 2026 | Volume 14 | Issue 12

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From the cockpit to the bandstand Hoover Mayor Nick Derzis. Photo by Jon Anderson.

Hoover gains $16 million more for new I-459 interchange

By JON ANDERSON A new influx of federal money has lowered the burden on Hoover taxpayers for the cost of the planned Interstate 459 Exit 9 interchange, Hoover Mayor Nick Derzis said.

The city successfully secured an additional $16 million of federal money for the project through the Birmingham Metropolitan Planning Organization.

The group recently amended its 202427 Transportation Improvement Program to provide extra money for Exit 9, which will be between Exit 10 at John Hawkins Parkway and Exit 6 at Morgan Road.

Projects like interstate exits typically are structured so that 80% of the funds come from federal and state money and 20% comes from local jurisdictions such as cities or counties. But to help get the project moving more quickly, the Hoover City Council in 2023 agreed to essentially split the cost.

The estimated cost for building Exit 9 and connecting roads then was put at $120 million, and Hoover agreed to pay

See I-459 | page A20

Rob Hawk’s Magic City Big Band brings swing back to Birmingham

By KARIM SHAMSI-BASHA For 31 years, Rob Hawk’s office was the cockpit of a Delta Air Lines jet. The Hoover resident flew through lightning strikes and at least one engine fire indication over the course of his career, the kind of moments most people would call harrowing. Hawk, ever understated, waves them off as simply part of the job. These days, at 71, his stage is considerably smaller and a good deal louder in a different way: he sits behind a drum kit, keeping time for the 24 musicians of the Magic City Big Band, a swing ensemble he started from scratch two years ago.

Hawk grew up playing drums, picking the instrument up in school and carrying it with him through decades of adult life, including years spent playing in a community band back in Atlanta. When he retired from Delta and relocated to the Birmingham area five years ago, settling near Valleydale, he expected to find a big band scene similar to the one he had enjoyed in Atlanta.

He did not find one.

“I enjoyed playing big band music in Atlanta, and when I got here, I couldn’t find anything like it,” Hawk said. So instead of giving up on the idea, he started talking to people, including bassist Joey Hall, and the two began building a band from the ground up.

See HAWK | page A18 Rob Hawk founded The Magic City Big Band in Birmingham two years ago. Photo by Karim Shamsi-Basha.

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A2 • September 2026

Hoover Sun

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September 2026 • A3

A4 • September 2026

Hoover Sun

ABOUT US

Editor’s Note By Kyle Parmley There is something particularly serene about both the before and after of a football game.

Now that football season has arrived, it takes me back to that place of anticipation, walking up to a football stadium before the big game. The band is playing, the players warming up, the energy building. No one knows what is about to unfold on that field.

The game itself is great — it’s what we all truly came to see and witness ourselves. But I also find such peace in the aftermath. The bleachers cleared, the dust settled, the quiet of night descending upon the gridiron.

I call it a happy place.

And it’s that time of year.

I hope you were able to find this year’s Under the Lights magazine around town. If not, and you would like one, send me an email at kparmley@starnesmedia. com. Enjoy this month’s edition of the paper as well!

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September 2026 • A5

A6 • September 2026

Hoover Sun

CITY

City Council OKs tax breaks

By JON ANDERSON The revitalization of the Riverchase Crossing shopping center got a boost from the Hoover City Council in August with approval of another tax rebate incentive agreement.

The council on Aug. 10 agreed to give a development company from Tennessee 50% of the sales tax proceeds from two stores slated to go in the former Big Lots space over a period of 10 years, up to a maximum rebate of $1.9 million.

The tax rebate is designed to help the developer make the project more feasible.

The development company, NRE Riverchase, plans to invest almost $10.5 million to redevelop a 5.1-acre parcel at the east end of the shopping center, including $8.8 million to buy the land and renovate the building and $1.7 million for “soft costs” such as professional services, taxes, permits and fees, said Ken Grimes, Hoover’s economic development director.

The plan is to convert the 37,793-squarefoot space that formerly was home to Big Lots into two stores — a 27,278-square-foot HomeSense store and a 10,515-square-foot Shoe Dept store, Grimes said.

It will be the first HomeSense store in Alabama and the first Shoe Dept in Hoover, he said. HomeSense is affiliated with T.J. Maxx and sells discounted home furnishings and eclectic decor, including rugs and lighting options.

The tax rebate agreement is a good deal for the city because it will help Hoover fill one of its oldest shopping centers and bring in some new brands, Grimes said.

Big Lots, after being open at that location for 7½ years, closed in February 2025, and

The former Big Lots store in the Riverchase Crossing shopping center is slated to be divided into two stores — a HomeSense store and a Shoe Dept store. Photo by Jon Anderson.

the space has been vacant ever since and has not generated any tax revenue for the city, Grimes said.

While the tax breaks officially were extended over 10 years, the developer expects to reach the $1.9 million cap by year seven, Grimes said. The tax rebate would apply only to HomeSense and Shoe Dept, not the existing stores and other spaces on that end of the shopping center, such as the Napa Auto Parts store, Grimes said.

These new stores continue a trend of dividing large retail spaces into smaller ones.

The former 38,000-square-foot Bed, Bath & Beyond store in Riverchase Crossing also was broken up into two stores. Trader Joe’s opened in 16,000 square feet of that space in May 2025, and Sierra (a retail store owned by T.J. Maxx that sells discounted outdoor apparel, equipment and home goods) opened in the other 22,000 square feet in March of this year.

The previous Hoover City Council gave a

Georgia developer up to $1.7 million in tax rebates to help spur redevelopment of the Bed, Bath & Beyond site. That developer, Bill Livingston of Warner Robins, Georgia, said then he was investing more than $11 million in renovations there, including creating another outparcel that has yet to be developed.

Grimes said visitor traffic at the shopping center picked up from 812,778 people in 2024 to 1.2 million in 2025. Over the last 12 months, it has exceeded 1.5 million, he said.

HooverSun.com

September 2026 • A7

CITY

City clamps down on food truck operators

By JON ANDERSON If you’ve noticed a dramatic reduction in the number of food trucks lining the roads or set up in parking lots in Hoover, there’s a reason for that.

The Hoover City Council recently revamped the city’s food truck regulations after the city started getting complaints about food trucks operating illegally.

Previously, people were allowed to set up food trucks in nonresidential districts as long as they met certain criteria, City Planner Mac Martin said. They had to have permission from the property owner. They could stay there no more than three consecutive days. They could not have seating, signage or tents, and they could not be within 200 feet of a restaurant, Martin said.

But as city code enforcers began checking out complaints, “every location we came across was violating at least one of those provisions, if not multiple provisions,” he said.

Essentially, the food trucks in many cases were setting up as permanent additions to the property, he said. Some of them may have taken the food trucks away at night, but they were back the next day in the same spot, over and over again, he said. Many of them also had seating, signs and tents.

“We were to the point where those operations were setting up all over town,” Martin said.

There was concern from some food truck operators who expressed an interest in following city regulations but found their competitors were not being made to follow the same rules, and there also was concern with having food trucks set up in close proximity to restaurants that had made a more significant capital investment to be in the city, Martin said.

There also were some food trucks that were setting up in locations that were not good for

Taqueria Juarez at the 2025 Bluff Park Art Show. The food truck was regularly in the 3400 block of Lorna Road until mid-August when the owner, Jorge Juarez, stopped operating there after the city revised its food truck regulations and began enforcing them. Photo by Jon Anderson.

public safety, such as being in a public right of way or another location that was interfering with traffic visibility. Food trucks and their customers also were taking up parking that was designated for other businesses in shopping centers, and in some cases customers were parking on public right of way, he said.

Additionally, there was some concern about the aesthetics of having so many food trucks popping up all over town in a haphazard manner, Martin said. “It may not have been giving off the best impression of Hoover along our highway corridors,” he said.

Instead of issuing a lot of violations and tying

up Municipal Court, city leaders decided to rework their food truck regulations and create a new food truck court zoning designation that would allow developers to create a spot for food trucks in commercial districts with some better planning for them.

The new regulations still allow for food trucks at special events with designated time frames and allow for them in planned office and planned industrial districts, but only with certain conditions. The trucks can only be set up during the time of operation of the businesses on the property and be designed for employees and patrons of those businesses. They also must

not be set up in accordance with the fire code and have a place on the property for customers to use the bathroom.

Finally, the new food court truck zoning would require developers of such courts to have utility access for the trucks and to meet minimum standards for parking, landscaping, bathroom access and covered seating.

“It would actually function more like a permanent business,” Martin said. “[But] the roadside setup that some of our food trucks have been operating as — that is no longer permitted.”

The new regulations took effect June 22.

New Christian school hits zoning roadblock

By JON ANDERSON The plan was to open a new Christian school with preschool to eighth grade classes on Aug. 11 on the campus of Trinity Presbyterian Church off Alabama 119, just across from Tattersall Park.

The vision was cast for Trinity Classical Academy. More than 40 students from 22 families were enrolled. Teachers were hired. School choice money from the state was accepted. But there was one big problem — the church never got permission from the city of Hoover to operate a school on the property.

The 7-acre property is zoned as a C-2 commercial district in Hoover, but the church is allowed to operate with “conditional use” approval. But there was no approval for a school, and opening a school there requires a new application and approval by the Hoover City Council.

Church officials said they didn’t know they needed additional approval until they came to the city with questions about potentially altering a traffic light on Alabama 119. By the time they learned about the zoning requirement, there was not enough time to go through the zoning process before the planned start of school on Aug. 11.

Hoover City Planner Mac Martin said that, because of all the required legal notifications for surrounding property owners, it usually takes about three months to go through the zoning process.

As an alternative, the church asked the Hoover City Council to deannex the property from the Hoover city limits. The church still would need “conditional use” approval from the Shelby County Planning Commission to operate a school there, but Shelby County officials said they would allow the school to operate on a temporary basis as long as the church filed a zoning application with the county.

That put the deannexation question to the Hoover City Council, and the council — the

Church members at Trinity Presbyterian Church off Alabama 119 load up furniture and school supplies to move to a temporary school location until the church can get zoning approval for a new private school. Photo by Jon Anderson.

day before the scheduled start of school — said no with a 5-1 vote.

Councilman Robin Schultz said he received more input on this issue than anything else since he was elected last year and said residents were adamantly opposed to allowing the church to deannex.

Most people were not really opposed to the school, but they were concerned that if the property were deannexed, the city of Hoover would lose control over what could go there, Schultz said.

Trinity’s pastor, Rich Lusk, said the church had no intention of using the property for anything else but a church and school and had no plans to sell the land. In fact, the church plans

to build a new $13 million sanctuary there and already has raised $5 million to $6 million, Lusk said. “We are committed to that location,” he said.

Hoover City Attorney Charlie Waldrep offered the council the option of deannexing the property with a restrictive covenant that says the property could only be used for a church or school and that gave the city the first option to buy the property if the church decided to sell.

But the council said no.

Because the deannexation effort failed, Lusk said the church is proceeding with a “conditional use” application in Hoover. But the procedural delay forced the church to figure out another course of action to begin school.

Jonathan Griffith, a church member, told the City Council on Aug. 10 that church officials had reached out to seven or eight local churches about hosting their school temporarily and as of that time had been told no. By the following weekend, the church had found another educational institution about a mile away in Shelby County zoned for school use. Church members packed up school supplies and furniture and moved them to the temporary location until the church can get “conditional use” approval for the school.

“We’re confident everything will work out, and we look forward to working with the city of Hoover,” Lusk said. “It was not about leaving Hoover. We just ran into this issue.”

A8 • September 2026

CITY

Hoover Sun

WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR HEALTH

Nick’s Notes

By Nick Derzis

million to about $130.8 million, Hoover’s obligation was approaching $72 million.

Rather than simply accept that increase, we went looking for partners. We engaged the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham and pursued federal For nearly 14,000 Hoover famsurface transportation funding ilies, the start of the 2026–2027 available through the Birmingschool year means life is getting ham Metropolitan Planning back into its familiar rhythm.

Organization — a regional fundSummer is always a welcome ing source that had not previbreak from the routine, but once ously been pursued for Exit 9. again, alarm clocks are ringing Securing it was a collaboraa little earlier, backpacks are tive effort requiring months of packed, practices and activities coordination and the support and are filling calendars, and families buy-in of our regional partners are settling back into the schedin Jefferson and Shelby counties ules that define most of our year. and municipalities throughout Nick Derzis To our Hoover students, teachthe Birmingham region. ers, faculty, coaches and administrators, I hope The result is $16 million in new funding that this is a year filled with learning, growth, new reduces Hoover’s estimated obligation to approxiexperiences, lasting friendships and achieve- mately $55.9 million — about $5 million less than ments that make you proud. The first few weeks the $61 million the city borrowed for the project in are always busy, but I know it is going to be a 2023, despite the project’s overall cost increasing. great year.

More than 70,000 vehicles travel this portion of The return to school also means busier roads I-459 each day. Exit 9 will help relieve congestion during the morning and afternoon rush hours. on Highway 150 and at Exit 10, improve travel School buses are back out in force, making fre- times and provide an important new connection quent stops throughout our neighborhoods and through our community and region. along some of our busiest roads. Please slow I want to publicly thank the Regional Plandown, stay alert and be mindful of buses stop- ning Commission staff, our regional partners, ping to pick up and drop off our children.

MPO committee members, our City Council and It is a timely reminder that safe, efficient roads Hoover employees who worked hard to make are about more than convenience. Our transporta- this happen. tion infrastructure affects how safely and reliably Exit 9 is a Hoover project, but it is also we get to school, work and home to our families. an investment in regional infrastructure.

That brings me to some very good news. We approached it that way, and our partners Hoover recently secured $16 million in new responded. That is what government should federal funding for the Exit 9 interchange on constantly strive to do: build partnerships, find Interstate 459. solutions and deliver positive results for the When our administration took office, we began people we serve. looking for additional partners and funding opportunities to reduce Hoover taxpayers’ financial exposure on this project. The agreement signed in 2023 capped the state’s contribution, leaving Hoover responsible for costs above that amount.

As the estimated project cost increased from $120

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HooverSun.com

September 2026 • A9

BUSINESS

AK & M Cleaning Services: A clean reputation

By AMASICO RAINER Karim Leon didn’t set out to build a cleaning company. She set out to build something that would last: something that carried her family’s name and stood behind every job it touched.

The business that followed just happened to be built on a mop, a work ethic and a level of personal accountability that’s harder to find than most people realize.

AK & M Cleaning Services launched in Hoover as a family-owned residential and commercial cleaning operation, and it has grown steadily by doing what small businesses live or die by: showing up, doing the work right and making sure the client notices the difference.

The company also offers general landscaping and lawn care, rounding out a service menu designed for homeowners and businesses that want one reliable team they can call for more than one thing.

The name itself tells you something about how Leon operates. AK & M isn’t a catchy acronym pulled from thin air; it’s personal.

“AK & M is more than just a business to me,” Leon said. “It’s a reflection of my family’s legacy and the reputation we’re building in our community. When clients choose AK & M, they’re not working with a large corporation; they’re working with someone who takes every job personally and genuinely cares about the results we deliver.”

That personal approach has found a natural home in Hoover, a city where residents tend to have high standards for the people they invite into their homes and businesses. Leon has leaned into that rather than around it. She joined the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce and has shown up at community events like the Senior and Veteran Educational Expo — not as

Karim Leon represents AK & M Cleaning Services at the Senior and Veteran Educational Expo in Hoover. Photo courtesy of Karim Leon.

a marketing exercise but as a neighbor.

“Being active in the community means building relationships, not just building a customer base,” she said. “We live and work here, so being involved is about giving back and helping make our community stronger.”

It’s a philosophy that shapes how her team approaches the work itself. In a city where people pour real pride into their properties, Leon sees the community’s standards as a benchmark, not a burden.

“Hoover residents care about their homes,

businesses and neighborhoods, and that sets a high standard for everyone who serves this community,” she said. “When people hire a local company, they expect professionalism, reliability and honesty. We take that responsibility seriously.”

In an industry where trust is everything — clients are, after all, handing over keys and access to their most personal spaces — that kind of accountability matters. Leon has built AK & M on the idea that a cleaning company’s reputation lives in the details left behind after

the crew is gone. A spotless floor. A tidy edge.

A space that feels noticeably better than it did before.

For Hoover homeowners and business owners looking for a local company that treats every job like it has their name on it, AK & M is worth the call.

AK & M Cleaning Services is based in Hoover. Find them on Facebook at AK & M Cleaning Service, LLC. Contact owner Karim Leon directly through their Facebook page for a quote or call 205-222-0763.

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A10 • September 2026

Hoover Sun

BUSINESS

Business Happenings NOW OPEN The Park Nutrition, a community-focused tea and shake shop, recently opened at 585 Shades Crest Road in Bluff Park. Located in the former Wild Roast Cafe location near Bluff Park Diner, The Park Nutrition offers a variety of protein-packed shakes and energy teas to make healthy eating quick, convenient and enjoyable.

Whether someone is looking for a nutritious meal replacement, post-workout drink or a place to meet up with friends, The Park Nutrition offers a local hangout for great company and drinks.

205-540-4699, theparknutrition.com

clothing, athletic wear, denim, T-shirts and more. Urban Planet is at 2000 Riverchase Galleria and open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday noon to 6 p.m.

201-868-6220, urbanplanet.us

Do you have business news to share? Let us know at starnesmedia.com/ business-happenings

Dobbins Group, a multifamily real estate investment firm, and general contractor, Capstone Building Corp., have completed Colina Hillside, which is a 475-unit multifamily apartment development. Colina Hillside features one-, two and three-bedroom apartment homes in fourand five-story buildings. The development offers amenities including two saltwater pools, private pool cabanas, professional fitness center, pet spa and parks, open-concept clubhouse, co-working areas, outdoor greenspace, garages and more. Colina Hillside is at 1121 Colina Street in unincorporated Jefferson County near Hoover.

205-557-3158, colina-hillside.com

COMING SOON Dogtopia is planning to open a location at 5361 U.S. 280 in the Bazaar 280 shopping center. The dog daycare, boarding and spa franchise will be operated by Henson and Carlton Millsap, who also own Dogtopia locations in Birmingham and Homewood. The indoor facility will

Inverness Country Club

The Park Nutrition

Urban Planet opened its first Alabama location at the Riverchase Galleria in the former Forever 21 location.

Affiliated with Charlotte Russe, Urban Planet is an affordable Canadian fashion chain that carries a variety of clothing including dresses, shoes, bags, men’s

Inverness Country Club completed a multi-million-dollar renovation of its tennis and pickleball complex. They added a fully renovated racquet sports clubhouse, six new pickleball courts and expanded spaces designed for play and connection among members. The clubhouse includes updated locker rooms, an expanded outdoor patio and improved spaces for the racquet sports programming. At 1 Country Club Drive, the club celebrated the project completion Aug. 13. The renovation is part of Heritage Golf Group’s ongoing reinvestment in Inverness Country Club.

205-991-8608, iccalabama.com

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September 2026 • A11

BUSINESS offer overnight boarding, spa services and daycare.

Dogtopia has more than 285 locations across the country. An opening date has not been set yet. dogtopia.com

Collins Group is a family-operated real estate team that helps families buy and sell real estate.

205-919-1861, youmaylikeithere.com Capstone Building Corp., a general contractor headquartered at 1200 Corporate Drive, Suite 350, has projects in both Orlando and Atlanta. They recently began construction on The Gateway, a luxury multifamily apartment development minutes from Orlando International Airport. The Gateway will encompass more than 417,000 square feet and feature 270 luxury apartment homes. The anticipated completion is in late 2027.

Capstone also recently completed Herndon Square Phase II, a $57 million multifamily housing development in Atlanta. The project spans 335,348 square feet and includes a six-story residential building with 201 apartment homes. The project represents the second phase of the transformative Herndon Square redevelopment on Atlanta’s Westside.

205-803-5226, capstonebuilding.com

Churro Station

Churro Station will be opening at 4730 Chace Circle, Suite 108, in Hoover this fall near Ashley Mac’s Kitchen and Five Guys. They were previously located at The Summit until closing in February. Owners Aaron and Jazmin Diaz opened the first “churreria” in Alabama after moving from Mexico to Birmingham. They offer churros with different fillings and toppings like Nutella, dulce de leche, cream cheese, crushed Oreo, sprinkles, marshmallow and more. Churro Station also offers a variety of drinks including lattes, milkshakes, mocha frappes, mochas, sodas and more. The shop also serves ice cream. thechurrostation.com

Hoover-based Apex Roofing and Restoration recently installed its 1,500th fortified roof, making it the largest installer of this type of roof in the United States. The fortified program is a building standard created by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety in 2010. Since adopting the fortified approach, Apex

PERSONNEL MOVES OS1 Orthopedic and Sports Injury Clinic has named Joshua Smithey as its CEO. Smithey has experience with business development, growth and the patient experience. OS1 is a walk-in sports medicine and orthopedic clinic that offers services including arthritis and joint care, digital X-rays, post-injury rehabilitation, fracture treatment, MRIs, sprains and joint injuries, injections and more. Headquartered in Birmingham, OS1 has locations in Alabama and Georgia. The Hoover location is at 1031 Brocks Gap Parkway, Suite 185.

205-352-2911, bettersooner.com

CLOSINGS Jake’s Soul Food Café Hoover closed in August after 10 years of serving Caribbean and Southern classics. At 3075 John Hawkins Parkway, the restaurant was known for dishes like its Jamaican beef patty, slow-cooked collards, Caribbean rice, coco bread, fried sweet plantains, Jake’s pasta bowl and more. The café served more than 1 million meals during the past decade.

205-438-6340, jakessoulfoodcafe.com Applebee’s at 2933 John Hawkins Parkway in Hoover next to Saltgrass Steak House permanently closed this summer. The restaurant chain has more than 20 locations across the state and is known for its American dishes like burgers, salads, chicken and riblets. There are Applebee’s locations in areas like Pelham, Bessemer, Birmingham, Fultondale and Trussville. applebees.com

NEWS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS Harold Collins II from Collins Group Real Estate is now the No. 1 solo eXp Realty agent in the state. With more than $20 million in sales so far this year, Collins has shown his dedication, expertise and commitment to serving his clients at the highest level. Collins lives in Bluff Park and attended Hoover High School. The

Roofing and Restoration’s business margins have grown by 10% to 20%. The firm operates in states including Florida, Colorado, Illinois and Tennessee. Apex Roofing and Restoration is at 4601 Southlake Parkway in Hoover.

855-972-0256, apexroofs.com

Harold Collins II

Krystal, a fast-food chain known for its small square burgers, permanently closed its location at 1576 Montgomery Highway in Hoover. There are also Krystal locations in places like Hueytown, Birmingham, Calera, Gardendale, Center Point and Trussville. krystal.com

A12 • September 2026

Hoover Sun

BUSINESS

Recently sold homes in Hoover

► ADDRESS: 4575 Lynton Drive ► BED/BATH: 4/4.5 ► SQUARE FOOTAGE: 3,830 sq. ft. ► NEIGHBORHOOD: Sage Park ► LIST PRICE: $846,000 ► SALE PRICE: $836,920

► ADDRESS: 1036 Clifton Road ► BED/BATH: 5/4 ► SQUARE FOOTAGE: 3,425 sq. ft. ► NEIGHBORHOOD: Bradbury at Blackridge ► LIST PRICE: $707,000 ► SALE PRICE: $680,000

► ADDRESS: 1062 Danberry Lane ► BED/BATH: 3/2.5 ► SQUARE FOOTAGE: 3,483 sq. ft. ► NEIGHBORHOOD: Danberry ► LIST PRICE: $749,900 ► SALE PRICE: $660,000

► ADDRESS: 1208 Braemer Court ► BED/BATH: 5/3 ► SQUARE FOOTAGE: 3,188 sq. ft. ► NEIGHBORHOOD: Greystone ► LIST PRICE: $640,000 ► SALE PRICE: $627,500

► ADDRESS: 2245 McGwier Drive ► BED/BATH: 3/2 ► SQUARE FOOTAGE: 2,306 sq. ft. ► NEIGHBORHOOD: Bluff Park ► LIST PRICE: $385,000 ► SALE PRICE: $385,000

► ADDRESS: 4608 Guilford Cove ► BED/BATH: 2/2 ► SQUARE FOOTAGE: 1,581 sq. ft. ► NEIGHBORHOOD: Greystone Farms ► LIST PRICE: $345,000 ► SALE PRICE: $345,000 SOURCE: GREATER ALABAMA MULTIPLE LISTING SERVICE

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HooverSun.com

September 2026 • A13

SCHOOLHOUSE

More than a badge: Brock Hardy builds trust one student at a time

By APRIL COFFEY For many students, encounters with police officers in the school, like a visit to the principal’s office, often signaled trouble and negativity.

Sgt. Brock Hardy has made it his mission to change that in Hoover City Schools.

"What we don't want is the movie version where if you see us, it's not a good day," said Hardy, the newly promoted sergeant over the Hoover Police Department's school resource officer unit.

"We're there every day, good or bad. We're there to help."

Hardy believes that philosophy has the power to change how an entire generation views law enforcement.

As the newly promoted sergeant over the Hoover Police Department's school resource officer unit, Hardy isn't trying to create a culture where students fear police officers. He's working to build one where they trust them — where a student who is struggling, scared or simply has a question knows exactly which adult to approach.

"We're there as a resource for Brock Hardy with his father, Mac Hardy, the former head of SROs for Hoover City Schools. Photo courtesy each student that comes through those doors," Hardy said. "To of Brock Hardy. make sure they're safe, that they have a quality learning environment and that they can go home mentally and Students need to see officers helping with physically the same as they arrived." school events, greeting families at open houses, For Hardy, safety begins with relationships. attending athletic competitions and partnering "It's being that constant presence with a with counselors and administrators — not just smile on your face," he said. "Whether it's a responding when something goes wrong. fist bump or giving them a piece of candy or For Hardy, those everyday interactions are just giving them an open space that they can just as important as any emergency response come and vent. Maybe that's all they need." plan.

That perspective has become increasingly His own path to that philosophy began long important as school resource officers con- before he pinned on a badge. tinue to redefine their role in education. While Hardy grew up in Hoover City Schools emergency preparedness and campus security before earning a degree in public administraremain critical responsibilities, Hardy sees the tion from Auburn University. He began his greatest opportunity in the conversations that law enforcement career with the Auburn Police happen between drills, classroom visits and Department before returning home to Hoover, lunch periods. where he later transferred into the school "We're a constant presence," Hardy said, and resource officer unit. that approach shapes everything from greeting Law enforcement always seemed like a posstudents during morning arrival to teaching les- sibility. His father, Mac Hardy, served with the sons on digital citizenship, constitutional rights Hoover Police Department and retired in 2016 and conflict resolution. At the elementary level, as sergeant over the SRO unit. His grandfaHoover's SROs also teach Rocket Rules, help- ther was one of the founding members of the ing kindergarten and first-grade students learn Hoover City Schools Board of Education. about bullying prevention, bicycle safety and Still, Hardy said becoming an officer wasn't when to call 911. simply about continuing a family tradition.

"We start building that foundation at a very "I had a lot of time and prayer," he said. young age," Hardy said.

"God showed me that I needed to be outside The lessons are practical, but the larger pur- and use my gift of talking with people. That's pose is relational. kind of where it led me to this route, and I'm Every classroom visit, every conversation very thankful for that." and every familiar face in the hallway reinToday, that gift is evident as much in converforces a message Hardy hopes students carry sation as in command. long after graduation — that law enforcement Hardy describes school resource officers as is not something to fear, but a resource they mentors, informal counselors, educators and can trust. problem-solvers. Much of their work happens "If you have a question, just come ask us," he quietly alongside school counselors and adminsaid. "We're never going to think your question istrators, helping students navigate conflict isn't important. If we don't know the answer, we before situations escalate. can get to somebody who does."

"Our hands are in a lot," Hardy said. "ConThat trust becomes especially important flict resolution ... being an informal counselor, when students are faced with difficult decisions. mentor, somebody that the students can come Hardy acknowledges that many young to. Somebody they can trust. A positive role people still wrestle with the idea that reporting model." concerning behavior somehow makes them a While students often see the relation"snitch." Changing that mindset, he believes, ship-building side of the job, Hardy and his starts long before a crisis. team are equally involved behind the scenes.

"There are certain things that they can't keep SROs regularly inspect campus security, to themselves," Hardy said. "'See something, check exterior doors and gates, coordinate say something.' Getting to know their SRO and lockdown drills, assist with tornado and fire having that trust is so big. They can trust that preparedness, and work alongside local emerthey can come to us with anything. They're not gency management officials to ensure schools just going to get in trouble. We're going to solve are prepared for a wide range of situations. that problem."

When asked to identify his primary goal, Creating that environment requires Hardy did not hesitate. "The main one is consistency. safety," he said.

Brock with wife, Emily, and sons, Rhett and Hayes. Photo by Kate Zills, courtesy of Brock Hardy.

But even those responsibilities point back to the same mission.

"We're here to help your student have that safe learning environment," he said. "But we're also here as a community resource for you."

That philosophy extends beyond students.

Hardy and Hoover's SROs frequently speak with parents during back-to-school events, PTO meetings and community gatherings, offering guidance on issues ranging from social media trends to online safety and emerging concerns affecting students.

For Hardy, building trust with families strengthens trust with children.

It's one reason he believes Hoover remains such a unique place to serve.

"You get all walks of life," he said. "We all can come together and find some common thing that brings us together. Even though it's a bigger city, we still have a small-town-type feel, especially in the schools."

He credits Hoover City Schools with creating opportunities that allow students to find where they belong, whether through career academies, extracurricular activities, peer-helping programs or the International Baccalaureate program.

"There's always somewhere that they feel special," Hardy said. "You can kind of fit in and find a place — a home."

Now, as sergeant, Hardy is helping shape the next generation of school resource officers while also serving as an instructor with the National Association of School Resource Officers. Hoover's SROs have been leading Camp Legacy, introducing rising sixth graders to leadership while giving them an opportunity to

build relationships with officers before middle school begins.

Additionally, this summer, Captain Lowe, Hoover Police Department's patrol captain and public information officer, has watched Hardy grow into that leadership role.

"I was one of Mac Hardy's students when he was an SRO at Hoover High School," Lowe said. "I got to know Brock and just see him grow in his career here and do the same thing.

It's just an amazing thing to watch him grow in his career."

Lowe said Hoover has long been committed to placing officers in every school within the district and fostering a strong partnership between the police department and Hoover City Schools.

"We're very fortunate to have somebody like Brock who gets to lead that unit," he said.

Hardy is quick to redirect the praise to the partnership itself, crediting Superintendent Kevin Maddox, Hoover City Schools administrators and Hoover Police Chief Clay Morris with sharing the same commitment.

"We're in this together," Hardy said. "We want our community to be the best, and to be the best, us working together is the way to strengthen it. We want everybody to come to school safe and leave safe."

For Hardy, that work will never be measured solely by emergency plans, safety drills or locked doors.

It will be measured in something less visible but far more lasting: whether the next generation grows up seeing a police officer not as someone to avoid, but as someone they already know by name.

A14 • September 2026

Hoover Sun

SCHOOLHOUSE

Shades Mountain Elementary nurse named Alabama School Nurse of the Year

By APRIL COFFEY For Elisabeth Goodman, caring for students means much more than just handing out bandages or checking temperatures.

The Shades Mountain Elementary School nurse has built a reputation for promoting health and wellness throughout Hoover schools and the community, efforts that recently earned her the title of 2026 Alabama Registered School Nurse of the Year.

Goodman, BSN, RN, received the honor from the Alabama Association of School Nurses during the organization's annual conference in June, which was held in Fairhope. The award recognizes school nurses who demonstrate excellence in clinical practice, student advocacy, health education, leadership, collaboration and service to their school communities.

Since joining Hoover City Schools in 2022, Goodman has become known for expanding the role of school nursing beyond the health room. Before coming to Hoover, she worked in the hematology/oncology department at UAB. One of her signature accomplishments has been creating Hoover City Schools' first nurseled Community Health & Wellness Fair. What started as a single-school event has grown into a citywide resource featuring more than 70 vendors and participation from multiple school nurses. The annual fair connects families with health information, community organizations and wellness resources available throughout the Hoover area.

Goodman also has led wellness initiatives for teachers and staff, organizing exercise groups and health challenges designed to encourage

healthy lifestyles across the campus. Those efforts helped Shades Mountain Elementary earn the America's Healthiest School Award from the Alliance for a Healthier Generation.

Former Hoover City Schools Lead Nurse Julie Kent said Goodman's influence extends well beyond providing medical care.

"The depth of Nurse Goodman's heart and compassion for her students is evident to all who visit her health room," Kent said.

"Recently, the entire second-grade class of Shades Mountain Elementary voted their beloved Nurse Goodman as their school hero for the Liberty Learning Program. Her unconditional love and support, demonstrated daily, have clearly made a lasting impression on her students. She exemplifies the heart of a true servant leader."

Hoover City Schools Superintendent Dr. Kevin Maddox said Goodman's work exemplifies the important role school nurses play in student success.

"School nurses play a vital role in supporting student success, and Nurse Goodman consistently goes above and beyond to care for our students, families and community," Maddox said. "Her commitment to promoting health and wellness and serving others makes a difference every day. This recognition reflects the big impact she has on countless students and families across the Hoover community."

As Alabama's School Nurse of the Year, Goodman also will be recognized during the National Association of School Nurses Conference in 2027.

Residents will have an opportunity to see one of Goodman's biggest community initiatives

Elisabeth Goodman, recipient of the Alabama School Nurse of the Year Award. Photo courtesy of Hoover City Schools.

this fall. The Hoover City Schools Community Health & Wellness Fair is scheduled for Oct. 3 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Hunter Street Baptist Church parking lot. The free event will

include food trucks, games, health resources, giveaways and community vendors, continuing Goodman's mission of connecting Hoover families with resources that support healthy living.

HooverSun.com

September 2026 • A15

A16 • September 2026

Education Guide

Special Advertising Section

2026 Education Guide special advertising section

ASFA is public school offering worldclass academic and arts education The Alabama School of Fine Arts, located in downtown Birmingham, inspires students in grades 7-12 to develop their creative abilities to the utmost. ASFA also provides them with both a solid academic foundation and a deep-dive specialty education in the arts.

ASFA takes great pride in being a state-funded, tuition-free public magnet school that offers a world-class, conservatory-style, college-preparatory education to talented students in Alabama regardless of their financial background. The school is open to all qualified students through an application and audition process.

Students choose from one of six specialties: creative writing, dance, music, theater arts and visual arts, as well as math-science.

ASFA offers a rigorous curriculum, including AP and honors classes, and distinguished faculty who are accomplished practitioners in their fields.

ALABAMA SCHOOL OF FINE ARTS ► Grades: 7-12 ► Where: 1800 Reverend Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd. ► Call: 205-252-9241 ► Web: asfaschool.org

ASFA is “a next-level school,” and more than 90% of its graduates receive merit scholarships annually, said Tim Mitchell, school president.

ASFA will host its annual Open House for prospective students on Sat., Oct. 17, with sessions at 9 a.m., 10 a.m. or 11 a.m.

Families can tour the campus at 1800 Rev. Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd., learn about the admission and application process and meet department chairs, administrators and current students.

For information, call 205-252-9241 or go to asfaschool.org.

Hoover Sun

HooverSun.com

Education Guide

Special Advertising Section

September 2026 • A17

Red Mountain Theatre offers fun, low-cost classes for kids and adults

Scholars shine and faith leads at Prince of Peace Catholic School

Enjoy yourself at any age with Red Mountain Theatre classes. Studies show that arts education enhances children’s development and academic success — and it’s not just singing or dancing. The arts teach teamwork, focus, discipline and collaboration.

At RMT, our after-school classes allow kids to try out a new skill or pursue their love of theatre. Beginning Sept. 15, RMT will offer acting and dance classes for grades 2-12.

Most classes are just $10 per hour when purchased as a bundle, and financial aid is available for any child who qualifies.

“In this past year, we’ve had over 1,000 students in our theatre camps and classes,” says Anna Lynn Starr, RMT Academy Manager. “From our little ones conquering their stage fright, to our teens developing their craft, to our adults rediscovering their passions, we’re giving students the tools to take ownership of their art. Our returning students are growing in their talent, confidence and skillset with every class.”

This year, RMT is also launching the YAP Tech Crew program, enabling students in grades 8-12 to get hands-on experience in props, scenic, lighting, sound and costuming. The students will join the professional crew for the run of “Chicago: Teen Edition,” Oct. 23-25.

Adults can join the fun, too, with fall classes beginning Sept. 14. These classes are also $10 per hour when bundled, and drop-ins are welcome for those who can’t commit to the full session.

For 27 years, Prince of Peace Catholic School has partnered with parents to educate the whole child—mind, body, and spirit. Serving students from preschool through eighth grade, we strive to cultivate compassionate leaders, curious learners, faithful disciples, and confident young people who understand their purpose in the world.

As a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence Lighthouse Award recipient, our students benefit from a rigorous curriculum that fosters critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and a lifelong love of learning.

Through STEM, fine arts, athletics, leadership, and service, every child is encouraged to discover their unique Godgiven gifts.

But what families often remember most isn’t a test score or a trophy. It’s the feeling.

It’s teachers greeting students by name every morning. It’s children eager to begin the school day. It’s celebrating Mass together as one family. It’s knowing that during life’s greatest joys and its hardest moments you belong to a community that genuinely cares.

Prospective families are encouraged to schedule a tour during any of our Welcome Wednesdays, where you can visit classrooms, meet members of our faculty, and experience the welcoming community that makes our school

RED MOUNTAIN THEATRE ► Grades: All ages ► Where: 1600 3rd Ave. S., Birmingham ► Call: 205-324-2424 ► Web: redmountaintheatre.org/ education

so special. Applications are accepted throughout the year as space permits, with enrollment for the following school year typically beginning each fall.

One of the highlights of our admissions season is POPapalooza, our interactive open house. It’s an opportunity to step inside our classrooms, participate in engaging activities, and experience the welcoming spirit of Prince of Peace firsthand.

PRINCE OF PEACE CATHOLIC SCHOOL ► Grades: pre-k through 8th grade ► Where: 4650 Preserve Parkway ► Call: 205-824-7886 ► Web: popcatholic.net

A18 • September 2026

HAWK

CONTINUED from page A1 What started as a handful of musicians who found each other in different ways has grown, in just two years, into a 24-piece big band.

“The drummer and the bass player are the foundation of a band like this,” Hawk said.

“Everything else is built on top of that.”

That foundation includes Hall, 61, who brings his own long and winding musical history to the group. A graduate of Huffman High School, Hall started playing music in the fifth grade and stuck with the tuba until he was 30 years old, when he shifted to guitar through his church. Today he anchors the Magic City Big Band on bass guitar. By day, Hall works as the manager of simulation operations at a school of nursing, overseeing the kind of hands-on training simulations that prepare future nurses for real-world scenarios. By night and on weekends, he is laying down the low end for a band built on 1940s-style swing.

The Magic City Big Band’s sound draws directly from the Glenn Miller era: full horn sections, a driving rhythm section and the triplet-based swing feel that defines the genre. It is music built for dancing, built for joy, and built, the members said, to be shared.

“We play for people, and we want to bring them joy,” Hawk said. “We want the band to have a good time doing it too.”

That philosophy extends to how Hawk leads. Rehearsals are held weekly, most weeks, at Wilson Chapel United Methodist Church in Roebuck, and Hawk said the culture he has tried to build is one of encouragement rather than pressure.

“There’s no pressure if you mess up,” he said. “We don’t single out players. We don’t beat anybody over the head about it. People show up ready to play, and they rehearse on their own time. That’s enough.”

The result, Hawk said, is a band that has come together faster and sounded better than he expected this early in its life.

“What pleases me is how good the band sounds already, and how quickly we got there,” he said.

The Magic City Big Band has already played a variety of venues around the Birmingham area since its founding, including the Inverness Country Club and a benefit concert for the Rosedale Food Pantry, along with performances at senior living communities near Valleydale. The band keeps a steady stream of gigs on the calendar, booking roughly one performance a month, and has a busy stretch of dates coming up. The band is scheduled to play a Family Fun Day event at the Hoover Met on Sept. 12, a benefit concert for spina bifida on Nov. 15, and the SoHo Plaza Christmas concert in Homewood on Dec. 12.

Last year’s November benefit concert

Hoover Sun

nearly did not happen for everyone on time.

According to Hall, at least one member of the band was at an Alabama football game last November and had to leave before the final whistle in order to make it back in time to perform at the spina bifida benefit. It is the kind of commitment, Hall said, that says as much about the band’s culture as any rehearsal could.

Hall also pointed to bandmate Ephraim Nunnelly, who plays trombone and bass for the group, as an example of the range of musicianship the band has attracted as word has spread.

For Hawk, the band’s rapid growth, from a conversation with one friend to two dozen musicians in two years, has as much to do with hunger for this kind of music as it does with any one person’s effort.

“We’re going great,” Hall said. “We’re gigging a bit every month, and it keeps growing.”

Both men said the band is always looking for new players, particularly as its calendar of public performances continues to fill up through the end of the year. For Hawk, who spent three decades keeping passengers safe at 35,000 feet, the Magic City Big Band represents a different kind of steady hand: one that keeps a room full of dancers and a horn section full of musicians, moving together in time.

“Making music with all my friends,” Hawk said. “And we do get down!”

The Magic City Big Band is composed of dedicated volunteers. Photos courtesy of Rob Hawk.

Rob Hawk and his wife, Alison, live in Hoover. Photo by Karim Shamsi-Basha.

HooverSun.com

September 2026 • A19

A20 • September 2026

I-459

CONTINUED from page A1 about $61 million and cap the state’s portion at $58.95 million, or 49% of the estimated cost.

Any cost overruns were to be the responsibility of the city of Hoover, per the agreement.

The Hoover City Council in March 2023 borrowed $61 million to build Exit 9, but now the estimated cost has ballooned to $130.8 million, an increase that would have raised Hoover’s total financial obligation to nearly $72 million.

This new federal funding will reduce the cost burden for Hoover residents and substantially help offset the increase in project costs. The city’s cost exposure for Exit 9 is now lowered to about $56 million, roughly $5 million below the initial $61 million Hoover committed to the project in 2023, city officials said.

Derzis said he is 100% committed to the Exit 9 project but he has been critical of the financial

Hoover Sun

terms to which the previous administration and City Council agreed.

“I am pleased that through proper planning and communication with our regional partners and the MPO, we have lowered the burden on Hoover taxpayers,” Derzis said. “My administration is committed to disciplined fiscal management and to smart, planned growth.”

Hoover officials first engaged staff at the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham in early 2026 to advance their request for federal funding for Exit 9.

“We began this effort shortly after taking office,” Derzis said. “It required months of persistent engagement with our regional partners, and we are grateful for their support.”

Exit 9 was never just a Hoover project, Derzis said.

“It’s a regional one that will improve traffic flow in several portions of Jefferson and Shelby counties,” the mayor said. “I am grateful to the Regional Planning Commission staff and to

every MPO committee member who saw the value in this investment.”

Exit 9 will reduce traffic congestion and improve the quality of life for people in the region, Derzis said.

“Any resident who travels Highway 150 or Interstate 459 during the afternoon commute understands why it was worth pursuing,” he said.

The new interchange will be built immediately south of the South Shades Crest Road overpass.

Exit 9 will feature a diverging diamond design, auxiliary lanes extending to Exit 10, bridges over I-459 and ramp bridges spanning the CSX railroad. Connector roads will tie into Ross Bridge Parkway at Alabama 150 and into South Shades Crest Road at or near Brock’s Gap Parkway.

Hundreds of thousands of vehicles travel this segment of I-459 each day. The interchange is designed to divert traffic, including commercial

truck traffic, from Alabama 150 and relieve the heavily used Exit 10 interchange.

Nearly 1,000 collisions occurred in the area over a four-year span, averaging more than 230 annually, city officials said. Reducing congestion on Alabama 150 and at Exit 10 is expected to improve motorist safety, officials said.

Federal Highway Administration research shows that diverging diamond interchanges are more cost-effective, efficient and safe than traditional interchanges. They reduce construction costs by up to 75%, lower vehicle conflict points by up to 50% and increase traffic flow efficiency by as much as 30%, according to the Alabama Department of Transportation.

Additional diverging diamond interchanges are under construction at McAshan Drive and I-459 in the McCalla community and Lakeshore Drive and I-65 in Homewood.

The state currently is scheduled to begin seeking bids for the Exit 9 construction work in Hoover late this year.

This sketch shows the planned design for the new Interstate 459 Exit 9, just southwest of the South Shades Crest Road overpass. The view is looking south on I-459, with traffic exiting right going toward Ross Bridge Parkway and traffic on the left heading toward South Shades Crest Road. Rendering courtesy of Alabama Department of Transportation.

NOTICE

According to the Alabama Administrative Code r.290-080-090-10(2)(g), an education agency must retain a copy of education records for five (5) years after a student with disabilities graduates with a diploma, reaches age 21, or exits high school.

At the end on the five (5) year retention period, the education agency shall provide written notice to parents to inform them that the special education records are no longer needed and will be destroyed. This serves as notice that special education records for students who graduated with a diploma, reached age 21, or exited high school on or before May 2021, will be destroyed after October 2, 2026, unless the parents pick up the records or notify the Director of Instructional Support Services at the following address prior to that date to arrange a time to receive the records:

Claire Jones-Moore - Executive Director of Exceptional Education Hoover City Schools 2810 Metropolitan Way Hoover, Alabama 35243

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Sun B SECTION

Sports B3 Events B8 Life B14

SEPTEMBER 2026

Jaguars chase what got away in last year's state tournament run

By KYLE PARMLEY The Spain Park High School volleyball team is chasing something it came within one match of reaching a year ago: an appearance in the state championship.

The Jaguars finished as South Regional runner-up, beat Hartselle in the first round of the state tournament, then fell to Hazel Green in the semifinals.

That near miss still fuels this year's group, according to sophomore libero Camdyn Kyes.

"I feel like that gives us more motivation because we didn't make it to where we wanted to make it," Kyes said. "But also, we are such a young team with so many great, amazing girls, and our team chemistry is unmatched. It's something that's really special."

Four players who lived through that run make up the core of this year's team, and Madden Scott is the only senior among them.

"It's kind of crazy because I started with so many girls my freshman year, and now it's just me," Scott said. "But it's just been a great opportunity to be a part of this team."

Junior Peyton Harrington said the sting of last year's semifinal loss has carried directly into how the team practices.

"Especially in practices, we work our butt off the whole time," she said. "Last year, we made it so close, and that disappointment sucked. But we have another year to do it."

Junior Chloe Shumate, who transferred in during head coach Justin Kisor's first year at Spain Park, said the same idea has stuck with

the group heading into the season.

"I think we need to just keep continuing to work as hard as we do every single day just to jump on the goal, which is definitely the state championship," Shumate said.

Spain Park also moves up in classification this fall, a change Kisor welcomed. The Jags are still considered Class 6A, but that is now the state's largest classification after the AHSAA split public and private schools.

"I just want to play the best, wherever, whenever," Kisor said. "It doesn't matter if I was a 1A, I'd want to play a 6A. I don't care."

Beyond the four, Kisor pointed to a junior class that includes Abbi Jones, Anna Kate Sheffield, Emilie Taylor and Peyton Bohan, along with sophomores Maggie Cline, Mary Alice Dunn, Bailey Hubbard, Kenley Earls, Lynlee Franks, Sarah Latham and Kendall Hyde rounding out the varsity roster.

Spain Park opened the season Aug. 20 against Oxford and James Clemens before the Juanita Boddie Tournament and an outdoor match against Mountain Brook at Vestavia Hills.

The Jaguars also faced Northridge, Bob Jones and Mountain Brook before hosting the Baylor Tournament and a trip to Vestavia Hills. September closes with matches against Jasper, Thompson, Prattville on senior night, and Enterprise at the University of Montevallo. The Jaguars round out the regular season at Oak Mountain before the Blalock Tournament, a rivalry match against Auburn and Hewitt-Trussville, a trip to McGill-Toolen, and the Shrimp Fest Tournament Oct. 9-10 before the postseason.

Spain Park’s Chloe Shumate (7) celebrates during the state tournament. Photo by Kyle Parmley.

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B2 • September 2026

Hoover Sun

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September 2026 • B3

SPORTS

Bucs lean on close-knit senior class in new roles

By KYLE PARMLEY The Hoover High School volleyball team enters this season with six seniors who are, in coach Amanda Wood's estimation, unlike any group she's had before, not for their talent but for how much they genuinely like each other.

"This is probably the first group where they all seem to genuinely like each other," Wood said at the preseason OTM Media Day. "There's been a couple drills that have been tough that we've really had to band together, but for the most part, these are thick as thieves. I mean, they genuinely like each other. And I think that may be an X factor that we've never had."

Most of those six seniors are settling into new roles this fall. Abby Tingle has shifted from right side to a six-rotation outside hitter, and Emory Congleton has moved from right side to middle. Jenna Washington returns at libero, Lydia Moseley at outside, and Ava Shofner as a defensive specialist and setter. Natalie Caine rounds out the senior class.

Brynn Toenes is the only returner playing the same position she did a year ago, running the offense at setter.

"I think that we've all definitely stepped up in our role as a senior. Now that we're the older girls, I feel like we've taken in the younger girls and made them feel more comfortable at practices and things that they haven't done before in person," Congleton said.

"We're going to figure it out as we go," Wood said. "And I feel like we've got a great foothold.

We're not as near as good as we're going to be in a month or two. So that's positive."

Hoover is looking to move past a five-set loss to Hewitt-Trussville in last season's regional tournament, a result Wood said still lingers with the group.

"We did not play our best on the day that it mattered, and we were eliminated much earlier

Hoover head coach Amanda Wood celebrates during the North Super Regional. Photo by Kyle Parmley.

than we anticipated," Wood said. "We did not handle the area tournament like we needed to.

We had too many distractions."

Wood said fixing that starts with an emphasis most programs overlook: out of system moments.

"It's been a 90% of the game is played out of system and I don't think that we as a program have focused on it enough," Wood said. "It has become the starting point of every practice."

The Bucs will lean on that senior class to set the tone as the season builds toward the postseason. Wood said the group's chemistry

has carried over from a preseason built on team bonding, including an annual trip to the Shrimp Festival tournament in Gulf Shores each fall, where the team stays together and closes the season with a team talent show.

Wood said fans should expect an energetic team on the court this fall.

"You're going to see a lot of energy from this group," Wood said.

Kendall Wilkins, Ciane Moore, Corrie Bennett, Finley Toenes, Makenzie McAlister, Lizeth Galvan and Rian Kinlaw round out the varsity roster.

Hoover opened the season Aug. 20 with a tri-match against Gulf Shores and Homewood before the Juanita Boddie Tournament. The Bucs also host Thompson, Spain Park and Homewood again in a rematch, along with road trips to Gardendale, Helena and Oak Mountain, and area matchups against Hewitt-Trussville, Tuscaloosa County and Vestavia Hills determine area tournament seeding.

The area tournament is set for Oct. 15, followed by super regionals at the Finley Center Oct. 21-23 and the state tournament at the Birmingham CrossPlex Oct. 28-30.

B4 • September 2026

Hoover Sun

SPORTS

Bucs, Jaguars open region slate against familiar foes in September

By KYLE PARMLEY Hoover High School's football team opened the season at home against Muscle Shoals and on the road at Opelika, while Spain Park opened at Sparkman and hosted Bessemer City.

Both teams now turn to region play in September, as both are competing in Class 6A, Region 3.

Hoover senior quarterback Kaleb Freeman, who recently committed to Charleston Southern, returns after a full season as the starter, and senior defensive end Jovon Pulliam returns off an all-state season up front.

Spain Park enters the year off back-to-back playoff appearances under coach Tim Vakakes, who has the Jags in the state's largest classification for the first time in his tenure.

SEPT. 4

Hoover opens region play on the road against Hewitt-Trussville. Hoover holds a 23-7 edge in the all-time series, but Hewitt-Trussville has won two of the last three regular-season meetings, including a 17-14 win last September. Spain Park hosts Oak Mountain, a series the Jags lead 15-7. The two programs have not met since 2023, when Spain Park won 42-17.

SEPT. 11

Hoover hosts Prattville, a series the Bucs lead 7-3 and have won five straight, including a 48-23 win last season. Spain Park hosts Thompson, with the all-time series tied at 9-9.

Thompson has won the last seven meetings, including a 55-14 win in 2023, the last time the two teams played.

SEPT. 18

Hoover travels to Oak Mountain, a series the Bucs have swept 24-0, including a 48-21 win last season. Spain Park travels to Vestavia Hills, which holds a 15-6 edge in the all-time series and has won the last six meetings.

SEPT. 25

Hoover hosts Knoxville Catholic of Tennessee in a non-region matchup, the first meeting between the two programs. The Fighting Irish are playing under a self-imposed playoff ban this season following recruiting violations.

Spain Park is open.

LOOKING AHEAD

Hoover finished 6-5 last season and reached the first round of the playoffs under coach Chip English, who has gone 16-8 at the school entering the season. Hoover hosts Thompson on Oct. 2, travels to Vestavia Hills on Oct. 9, hosts Spain Park on Oct. 16, travels to Tuscaloosa County on Oct. 23, and closes the regular season with an open date on Oct. 30.

Spain Park finished 9-3 last season and reached the second round of the 6A playoffs.

Spain Park travels to Prattville on Oct. 2, hosts Tuscaloosa County on Oct. 8, travels to Hoover on Oct. 16, travels to Hewitt-Trussville on Oct. 23, and closes the regular season at home against James Clemens on Oct. 29.

Spain Park WR Connor Greb catches a touchdown pass in a game last season. Photo by Todd Lester.

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September 2026 • B5

B6 • September 2026

Hoover Sun

SPORTS

Hoover grad Lepkowski named to Wuerffel, Rimington trophy watch lists

By KYLE PARMLEY Hoover High School graduate Adam Lepkowski has landed on two prestigious national watch lists ahead of his final season as UAB's starting center: the Wuerffel Trophy and the Rimington Trophy.

Lepkowski walked on at UAB in 2021 after his high school career at Hoover, where he started at left tackle for the Bucs. He earned a scholarship before the 2023 season and started six games at guard that year, helping UAB set a single-season school record with 450 yards per game. A training-camp injury cost him the entire 2024 season, but he returned last fall to start all 12 games at center, earning recognition as PFSN College's highest-graded center in the American Conference.

Lepkowski was named to the 2026 Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List, an honor recognizing college football players who combine on-field achievement with community service and leadership. Established in 2005 and named for 1996 Heisman Trophy winner and humanitarian Danny Wuerffel, it was the first major college football honor created specifically to recognize character and service. Past honorees include Tim Tebow, Sam Acho, Barrett Jones, Matt Barkley and Ladd McConkey. LSU's Rudy Niswanger was the inaugural winner in 2005, and Texas' Michael Taaffe received the honor in 2025.

He also earned a spot on the 2026 Rimington Trophy Watch List, given annually to the nation's top center. Lepkowski is one of 40 players selected nationally and one of four American Conference representatives, joining Army's Brady Small, Navy's Cam Nichols and FAU's Vincent Fiacable. This year's watch list

Adam Lepkowski entering the field. Photo courtesy of UAB Athletics.

was compiled using a combination of school nominations and Pro Football Focus grading data, with additional players eligible for later addition based on in-season performance.

The Rimington Trophy is named for former Nebraska center Dave Rimington and has raised more than $5 million for the Boomer Esiason Foundation since its inception. The winner is ultimately determined using All-America selections from the Walter Camp Football Foundation, the Football Writers Association of America and Sporting News.

Lepkowski told The Birmingham Banner he was emotional when he learned of the Rimington nod.

"That's pretty cool," Lepkowski said. "I don't know, I mean, yeah, it's just like a good feeling. I saw [former teammate Brady Wilson] get on that list. I was like, 'Man, maybe one day I'll be good enough to even be on that.' It's pretty awesome."

A graduate student, Lepkowski enters his sixth season in the program and is one of the top returning offensive linemen in the American Conference, having already been named First

Team All-Conference by Athlon Sports and Second Team All-Conference by Phil Steele.

"I saw it from the beginning, of just how much he wanted to be the best player he could be," UAB offensive line coach Matt McCants told The Birmingham Banner.

Both watch lists are part of the National College Football Awards Association, which oversees 24 major college football honors.

UAB begins the season Sept. 3 at Illinois.

The Blazers play their first home game the following week, against ULM on Sept. 12.

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September 2026 • B7

B8 • September 2026

Hoover Sun

EVENTS

Save the Date

TOGETHER WITH TOTS ► Where: Hoover Public Library, Youth Program Room, 200 Municipal Drive ► When: Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m. ► Cost: Free; registration required. ► Details: Little ones can enjoy stories, songs and time together during Together with Tots at Hoover Public Library. Designed especially for children ages 18–36 months, this interactive storytime gives toddlers and their caregivers a fun introduction to books, music and early learning in a welcoming setting. Space is limited, and registration is required for each session. ► More Info: hooverlibrary.org

7TH ANNUAL CELEBRATE THE FAMILY EXPO ► Where: Finley Center at the Hoover Met Complex, 5508 Stadium Trace Parkway ► When: Sept. 12, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. ► Cost: Free. ► Details: Bring the whole family to the 7th Annual Celebrate the Family Expo for a day of activities, giveaways and community connections.

Hosted by Birmingham Christian Family, the free event features a Kids Zone along with exhibitors and organizations sharing resources focused on the physical, emotional and spiritual well-being of families.

Guests can explore helpful services, enjoy family-friendly fun and connect with local businesses and community organizations all under one roof. ► More Info: birminghamchristian.com

► For more events news, connect with the Hoover Sun online by scanning the QR code. ► Have an upcoming event to share? Email Jon Anderson at janderson@starnesmedia.com.

IMMERSIVE YOGA AT ALDRIDGE GARDENS

BRUNCH & BUBBLY AT BOARD IN BIRMINGHAM

ROSS BRIDGE 8K AND HEALTH EXPO

► Where: Aldridge Gardens, 3530 Lorna Road ► When: Thursdays in September, 10–11 a.m. ► Cost: Registration required; see event website for details. ► Details: Find a little calm surrounded by the natural beauty of Aldridge Gardens during Immersive Yoga. Led

by Erin Tate, this beginner-friendly, restorative class welcomes participants of all experience levels for a peaceful morning practice. The weekly sessions offer an opportunity to slow down, stretch and recharge while enjoying the serene garden setting. ► More Info: aldridgegardens.com

► Where: Board In Birmingham, 5426 U.S. 280, Suite 6 ► When: Saturdays, 9 a.m. to noon ► Cost: $29.95 plus tax. ► Details: Start your Saturday with a creative take on brunch during Brunch & Bubbly at Board In Birmingham. Known as Alabama’s first charcuterie restaurant, Board pairs its signature approach to meats, cheeses and accompaniments with a special brunch experience each weekend. Guests can settle into the cozy Greystone-area restaurant for a leisurely morning of food, drinks and conversation. Reservations are encouraged because seating is limited. ► More Info: boardbham.com

► Where: Ross Bridge Village Center, 2101 Grand Ave. ► When: Sept. 5, 8 a.m. to noon ► Cost: 8K registration $75 in advance; 1-mile Fun Run $50. Race-day pricing may vary. ► Details: Lace up for a scenic morning at the Ross Bridge 8K and Health Expo. The 8K course begins in Ross Bridge Village Center and winds through six distinctive neighborhoods, offering runners and walkers a beautiful route through the community. A one-mile Fun Run begins at 9 a.m., and the accompanying Health Expo features vendors, prizes and activities for children. ► More Info: runsignup.com/Race/ AL/Hoover/RossBridge8Kand HealthExpo

SDEA GOLF CLASSIC

VINTAGE MARKET DAYS OF BIRMINGHAM: COZY AND COLLECTED

MARLON WAYANS AT THE STARDOME

► Where: Greystone Golf & Country Club, Founders Course ► When: Sept. 15 ► Cost: Registration required; see event website for team and sponsorship information. ► Details: Hit the links for a good cause during the 2026 SDEA Golf Classic benefiting the Scott Dawson Evangelistic Association. Golfers will enjoy an afternoon of competition at Greystone's Founders Course, along with special contests, prizes and drawings. Lunch will be served following registration and practice time, with dinner and an awards gathering after the round. Proceeds from this year's tournament will help provide scholarships for students attending the STS Institute, SDEA's ministry training school. ► More Info: sdeagolf.com

► Where: Finley Center, 5508 Stadium Trace Parkway ► When: Sept. 24, 3–8 p.m.; Sept.

25–26, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. ► Cost: Tickets required; children 12 and younger are free. ► Details: Spend a day treasure hunting during Vintage Market Days of Birmingham's fall event, Cozy and Collected. More than 125 dealers will fill the Finley Center with vintage and antique finds, handmade treasures, clothing and jewelry, architectural salvage, fall décor, holiday gifts and more. Shoppers can also enjoy food trucks, sweet treats, DIY activities and giveaways. The entire market is indoors, and parking is free throughout the weekend. ► More Info: vintagemarketdays.com/ market/birmingham

► Where: Stardome Comedy Club, 1818 Data Drive ► When: Sept. 25, 6 & 8:15 p.m.; Sept.

26, 6 & 8:30 p.m.; Sept. 27, 6 p.m. ► Cost: Tickets required; prices vary by show. ► Details: Get ready for a weekend of laughs when actor, writer, producer and comedian Marlon Wayans takes the stage at the Stardome. Known for his work in film and television as well as his high-energy stand-up, Wayans brings his latest material to Hoover for five performances over three nights. His recent comedy special, Good Grief, reached No. 1 on Prime Video during its first week, and his live shows continue to draw audiences across the country. ► More Info: stardome.com

HOOVER LIBRARY: Sept. 13: NovelTea Book Club – The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben, 3–4 p.m., Friends Meeting Room.

Sept. 29: Bare Hands Inc. Memorial Altar Box Workshop, 6–8:30 p.m., Fitzgerald & Shakespeare For a complete list of September events, visit hooverlibrary.org.

Sept. 14: Now Showing – Indian Summer, 2–4 p.m., Library Theatre.

Sept. 23: Mamma Mia!, 6:30–8:30 p.m., Library Theatre.

Sept. 26: Stories Unbound, 10:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m., Friends Meeting Room, Plaza Reading Room and Plaza.

Sept. 28: The Monthly Assembly with Red Mountain Regency Dance Society, 6:30–8:30 p.m., Fitzgerald & Shakespeare Rooms.

HOOVER GOVERNMENT MEETINGS: For information about Hoover boards, committees and public meetings, visit hooveralabama.gov/27/Government.

HooverSun.com

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Hoover Sun

EVENTS

Chubby Checker to kick off Hoover Library Theatre season

By JON ANDERSON Chubby Checker has been doing “The Twist” for 67 years, but he’s never done it in Hoover, Alabama.

That’s about to change. Checker, an icon in the music industry who was just inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in November, is bringing his dancing and singing act to Hoover on Sept. 20 to kick off the Hoover Library Theatre’s 2026-27 season. He’ll be performing two shows at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.

“He’s just really an amazing artist. I’m so glad we’re able to bring him to Hoover,” said Matina Johnson, fine arts manager for the Hoover Public Library. “It’s maybe a oncein-a-lifetime experience for a lot of people. …

He’s quite an icon. We’re really glad to open up with him.”

The Library Theatre’s 2026-27 season features five other Grammy Award winners, including country songwriters Marcus Hummon and Tommy Sims, The Swingles vocal ensemble, the jazzy Count Basie Orchestra and bluegrass singer and banjo player Alison Brown.

Other acts in the new season include Dove Award winner Cindy Morgan, pianist Jon McLaughlin, The High Kings Irish folk group, an unscripted musical comedy awards show called The Phony Awards by the Broadway’s Next Hit Musical group, and the Twitty & Lynn show, a country tribute show featuring Tre Twitty and Tayla Lynn, the grandchildren of Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn.

Tickets are $40 per show and went on sale in mid-August at thelibrarytheatre.com.

Here’s more about each act and when they are scheduled to perform:

THE HEART BEHIND THE MUSIC (MARCUS HUMMON, CINDY MORGAN AND TOMMY SIMS)

Oct. 4, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.

This songwriters’ showcase features Grammy Award winners Marcus Hummon and Tommy Sims and Grammy-nominated and Dove Award winner Cindy Morgan.

Hummon, who was inducted into the Nashville Songwriter’s Hall of Fame in 2019, has received seven Broadcast Music Inc. awards for songs such as Rascal Flatts’ “Bless the Broken Road,” The Dixie Chicks’ “Cowboy Take Me Away,” Sara Evans’ “Born to Fly,” Tim McGraw’s “One of These Days” and Wynonna Judd’s “Only Love.”

Sims, an eight-time Grammy Award winner and 2023 Songwriter Hall of Fame inductee, has more than 170 gold and platinum records and produced hit singles such as “Change the World” for Eric Clapton and “Streets of Philadelphia” for Bruce Springsteen.

Morgan has been nominated for two Grammy Awards and won 14 Dove Awards.

She has written 21 No. 1 singles for artists that include Amy Grant, Vince Gill, Rascal Flatts, Point of Grace and Ricky Skaggs. She won the Dove Award for Songwriter of the Year in 2008 and received the 2024 Hollywood Independent Music Award for her single “Jubilee.”

Morgan and Sims have performed together before and have a great synergy on stage, Johnson said. Having these three artists together will be a unique experience, she said.

“This is something to see.”

CHUBBY CHECKER

Sept. 20, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Checker has sold more than 250 million records and has been wowing audiences since the 1950s. He scored his first hit, “The Class,” in 1959, and “The Twist” was the No. 1 single for the decade of the 1960s and for 59 years was the only non-holiday song to hit No. 1 in the charts in non-consecutive years (1960 and 1962).

Checker added feature films to his portfolio with the release of movies such as “Teenage Millionaire,” “Don’t Knock the Twist” and

“Twist Around the Clock” in the early 1960s.

He continued releasing multiple dance records and won a Grammy for best rock and roll recording with “Let’s Twist Again” in 1962.

He remains the only artist to have had five albums in the top 12 albums at the same time (in 1962).

Checker has reappeared multiple times in the top music charts throughout the decades, including with songs such as “Yo Twist” in 1988 and “The Limbo Rock Remix” and “The Original Master of the Dance Hall Beat” in 2004. In 2007, he scored Billboard’s No. 1 dance track with “Knock Down the Walls.”

Checker has continued touring and still spends an average of 300 days per year on the road, according to information provided by the Hoover Library Theatre.

The Swingles

THE SWINGLES Dec. 6, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.

This British-based a cappella group was first created in 1962 by founder Ward Swingle and has evolved over the years with a rotating group of seven to eight singers that collectively have won five Grammy Awards.

The Swingles tackle jazz, folk, pop and classical music with a combination of close-microphone amplification, wide ranges and vocal dexterity. The ensemble layers vocals using live-looping to create a mesmeric signature sound.

The group has released more than 50 albums and appeared on film and TV soundtracks for shows that include “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Sex and the City,” “Wedding Crashers” and “Glee.” The Swingles’ latest album, “Theatreland,” was released in 2024.

At the Hoover Library Theatre, the group is scheduled to perform a Christmas repertoire of traditional a capella holiday favorites and jazz-inspired originals.

COUNT BASIE ORCHESTRA

Cindy Morgan, Marcus Hummon, Tommy Sims

JON MCLAUGHLIN

Chubby Checker

THE HIGH KINGS

Nov. 19-20, 7 p.m.

McLaughlin, a contemporary pop pianist who currently is co-headlining the Symphonies Across America tour with Ben Rector, released his debut album, “Indiana,” in 2007 on the Island Def Jam record label.

Since performing at the Academy Awards in 2008, he has released eight albums, including his latest, “Scenarios,” in 2025.

McLaughlin has performed shows with Billy Joel, Kelly Clarkson and Adele and collaborated with longtime friend Sara Bareilles and co-written with Demi Lovato.

He has provided music for TV shows such as “Scrubs,” “Ghost Whisperer” and “A Little Thing Called Life,” as well as had songs in movies such as “Bridge to Terabithia,” “Georgia Rule” and “Enchanted.”

Jon McLaughlin

Jan. 10, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.

The Count Basie Orchestra, founded by the late pianist and bandleader William James “Count” Basie, has won 20 Grammy Awards and left quite a mark in the swing, blues and jazz world, from the silver screen to Carnegie Hall.

The orchestra received a 2018 Grammy nomination for “All About That Basie,” which featured special guest Stevie Wonder, a 2022 Grammy nomination for “Live at Birdland,” a 2024 Grammy win for best large jazz ensemble for “Basie Swings the Blues!” and a 2026 Grammy nomination for best large jazz ensemble for “Basie Rocks!”

“They’re very current and relevant,” Johnson said. “They’re hot, hot, hot right now.”

Carmen Bradford has been added as a guest vocalist for the Hoover Library Theatre show.

March 21, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.

A leading folk group from Ireland, The High Kings are global ambassadors of Irish heritage and storytelling, earning them chart-topping success and widespread acclaim. With their signature blend of classic tradition and modern edge, the band plays 13 instruments between them in a showcase of Irish culture, energy and musicality.

A record-breaking 2024 included a soldout world tour, a feature on Hulu’s critically acclaimed series “Only Murders in the Building” and more than 5 million weekly streams.

Then the band was included on the soundtrack of the movie “Sinners” and had two songs — “The Rocky Road to Dublin” and “Go Lassie Go” — featured prominently in the film’s score.

Their live appearances have spanned the United States, with performances on “Good Morning America” and “The Today Show,” and the band is selling out venues across the globe.

Their performance at the Hoover Library Theatre is timed to be near St. Patrick’s Day.

BROADWAY’S NEXT: THE PHONY AWARDS

April 15-16, 7 p.m.

This unscripted musical comedy awards show is a combination of “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” and The Tony Awards.

The Broadway’s Next Hit Musical group asks audience members to write down made-up hit song titles as they enter the show, and cast members then improvise songs and present them as “nominated songs” for the coveted Phony Award.

The cast creates spontaneous scenes and songs, filled with catchy melodies, clever lyrics and creative choreography. The audience then votes for their favorite song and watches as the cast turns the song into a fullblown improvised musical comedy, complete with memorable characters, witty dialogue and plot twists.

“By the end of it, all these songs have to make sense with the storyline,” Johnson said.

“It’s a great, great time. Usually the audience is rolling hysterically laughing the whole time. … It’s a lot of fun.”

ALISON BROWN QUINTET

Feb. 24-25, 7 p.m.

Grammy Award-winning banjo player Alison Brown blends bluegrass with jazz.

She toured as a banjoist for Alison Krauss and Union Station before forming her own group, The Alison Brown Quartet, in 1993. A Harvard graduate and co-founder of Compass Records, she has recorded 12 solo albums and been featured on “CBS News Sunday Morning” and National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered” and in the pages of The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.

Her latest collaborative album with fellow Grammy Award winner Steve Martin, “Safe, Sensible and Sane,” debuted in October 2025 at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Bluegrass Album chart.

“We’re so excited about her,” Johnson said. “Our patrons tend to love this type of music. Bluegrass has always sold incredibly well here. She is incredible — so prolific.

Grammy winner, just an ingenious artist and songwriter.”

Brown’s performance will be part of the 2027 Southern Voices Festival.

Twitty & Lynn

TWITTY & LYNN

May 6-7, 7 p.m.

This show brings together Tre Twitty and Tayla Lynn, the grandchildren of country stars Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn, to take the audience back in time to the hits of yesterday.

Songs such as “Hello, Darlin’,” “Coal Miner’s Daughter” and “Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man” come to life again as the offspring of legends keep their legacy alive.

Tayla Lynn first had the idea for the show when she saw Tre Conway perform his grandfather’s songs during a concert at her grandmother’s Tennessee ranch. After a few test shows, they launched on a tour in Canada in 2018 and have been performing together since.

Twitty & Lynn caught the attention of Nashville, and in 2022, the duo made their debut on the world-famous Grand Ole Opry stage on the same circle of wood where Conway and Loretta once stood.

HooverSun.com

September 2026 • B11

B12 • September 2026

Hoover Sun

2026 FALL

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A hearing-impaired audiologist who wears hearing aids, Dr. Burnett understands what it’s like to live with hearing loss. “I have empathy,” she says.

A Pelham resident, Dr. Burnett worked at a Hoover clinic for 35 years before starting Oak Mountain Hearing in August 2025. She works hard to educate people about hearing loss, which is linked to fatigue, headaches, depression and social isolation, as well as cognitive functioning and dementia.

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FALL MEDICAL GUIDE

September 2026 • B13

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Two decades of hands-on care, one founding idea Steve Foster had practiced physical therapy for 26 years when he decided the profession was drifting from what made it work. Care was consolidating into larger operations with busier schedules, and the therapist who evaluated a patient was not always the one who treated them. So in the summer of 2006, Foster opened a clinic of his own and built it around a single promise: hands-on care, close to a patient’s home or work.

Twenty years later, TherapySouth operates more than 50 clinics across Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi, with a clinical staff numbering in the hundreds and a footprint that runs from the Shoals to the Gulf Coast. It has grown into one of the largest physical therapy practices in the region while remaining what it was on day one, a private practice owned by the therapists who work in it. Foster, a 1980 graduate of UAB’s physical therapy program, continues to lead the company as chairman and chief executive, alongside Doug Cole, president and chief operating officer; Nathan Click, chief clinical officer; and board partners Josh Steed, Allison Fowlkes, and Alan Spooner.

The company that now spans three states began as a single clinic and a conviction. Foster’s model asked therapists to build careers in the communities where they practiced, treating the same neighbors through injuries, surgeries and the long project of staying active. Twenty years is long enough that some patients have come back with their parents or their kids in tow.

The growth strategy reads like a contradiction. TherapySouth got big

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CHRIS ALLISON, PT, DPT CLINIC DIRECTOR, RIVERCHASE

by staying small, multiplying modest neighborhood clinics instead of building regional hubs. The reasoning is clinical rather than commercial. Physical therapy typically requires two or three visits a week, and outcomes depend on patients showing up. A clinic five minutes from home tends to see completed treatment plans. A clinic 40 minutes away sees cancellations. In this model, convenience is a medical outcome, and location is part of the prescription.

Patients tend to notice the difference before they can explain it. The clinics are deliberately informal, closer in feel to a neighborhood gym than a medical office, and new patients are welcome to walk in and look around before booking an appointment. The front desk greets returning patients by name.

The therapist who performs the initial evaluation stays with the case, pairing skilled manual treatment with a home exercise program and coordinating with

physicians along the way. No referral is required to schedule a first visit. And the specialty menu runs deeper than many expect, from dry needling and sports rehabilitation to certified hand therapy, pelvic health, balance training and postsurgical recovery.

Every clinic hangs the same sign, listing eight core values with faith at the top, followed by family, integrity, service, compassion, fitness, perseverance and giving. The company backs the words with TherapySouth Gives Back, a nonprofit that provides therapy equipment to people who cannot otherwise obtain it and lends support after natural disasters, and with mission work that has reached Guatemala, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Honduras and China.

Closer to home, it funds scholarships at UAB and Samford and partners with groups like the Birmingham Track Club.

The anniversary story in these pages promises 20 years of getting

you back to what you love, and the company can point to two decades of first steps after surgery, finish lines and everyday victories behind the claim. The founding test remains the simpler one.

TherapySouth enters its third decade the way it entered its first, with a therapist at the top of the organization and a standard anyone can check at the front door: when a patient walks in, somebody knows their name.

Hoover holds more of those doors than any other suburb. Clinics on South Shades Crest Road at Highway 150, on Montgomery Highway near Interstate 65 and on Valleydale Road in Riverchase put every Hoover household within a short drive of a location. The community ties run just as local, with partnerships like the Hoover Soccer Club. Appointments are available at 205-987-6503 for Highway 150, 205855-5800 for Highway 31 and 205-8749525 for Riverchase.

B14 • September 2026

Hoover Sun

LIFE

A pandemic dream becomes a Hoover gathering place

By KARIM SHAMSI-BASHA Just like Norm on “Cheers,” when Hoover resident Will Mayhall enters Brock’s Gap Brewing Company, everyone inside yells, “Will!”

Mayhall and his wife, Erin Shonsey, are regulars at the brewery, and the staff and other regulars know them well. They frequent the brewery with their children, ages 13 and 10.

“It’s a great family place,” Shonsey said. “The staff is friendly, and the kids can play outside.

There are games and fun things for them to do.

It feels like a getaway without leaving Hoover.”

Mayhall nodded while sipping on his IPA. “It’s become our ‘Cheers,’” he said. “Not because everybody knows your name but because you feel like you’re one of many people who belong here.”

Becoming a “Cheers” for many Hoover residents was unexpected.

Two weeks after the pandemic started, Hoover resident Jamie Cato was teaching his son how to ride a bicycle near the Hoover Metropolitan Stadium when something caught his eye.

A vacant piece of land sat beside the road, marked by a “For Sale” sign.

Up to that point, Cato had never worked in the beer industry or seriously considered opening a brewery. Yet as he stood watching his son Carter pedal nearby, he suddenly saw something others did not.

“I saw a brewery sitting on that piece of land,” Cato said. “I called my business partner and told him we were buying a piece of land.”

Today, that vision has become Brock’s Gap Brewing Company, a family-friendly brewery.

“We make beer — really good beer,” Cato said. “But what we really create is an experience.

brewery’s most distinctive fixtures is a light crafted from a locomotive artifact connected to that era.

“We love Hoover, and we wanted every part of the brewery to reflect the history and community around us,” Cato said. “We want people to leave knowing a little more about the area.”

The result is a brewery that feels distinctly tied to Hoover rather than a concept that could exist anywhere.

Since opening, Brock’s Gap Brewing Company has brewed more than 50 types of beer, with favorites including Going, Going Jamie Cato invites you to try his family-friendly brewery at Blonde; Derailed IPA; Rock Brock’s Gap Brewing Co. Photo by Karim Shamsi-Basha. & Roll All Lite and the popWe want people to leave here planning to come ular Pitch Black IPA. You back.” can also sample foods ranging from pizza and Even the brewery’s name reflects Hoover’s burgers to chicken wings and a host of other past. delicious bites.

Brock’s Gap Brewing Company traces its Seasonal and experimental offerings rotate roots to the historic railroad cut through Shades regularly, giving customers a reason to return.

Mountain in the 1870s. The gap helped connect The staff has hosted cooking classes, charcoal from the Cahaba coalfields to the furnaces cuterie workshops, sushi demonstrations, confueling Birmingham’s industrial boom. certs, private events and nonprofit fundraisers.

Just like Brock’s Gap transformed Birming- They regularly partner with local organizations ham’s industry, Brock’s Gap Brewing Company and community groups. More than 50 private is transforming Hoover’s social scene. Through- events have been held at the brewery. out the brewery, subtle nods to local history Although the brewery continues to grow, Cato appear along the walls. said the goal is not rapid expansion.

You can see the history of the gap reflected “We’re not trying to become the biggest brewin clever posters and decor items. One of the ery in the Southeast,” he said. “We just want to

be a great community hub that people love and visit often.”

That philosophy mirrors his broader vision for Brock’s Gap Brewing Company: success isn’t measured solely by barrels produced or beer sold. It is measured by the people who gather there.

Cato believes Hoover’s diversity plays a major role in the brewery’s success. Having grown up around the world in an Army family, he developed an appreciation for different cultures and perspectives. He sees those same qualities reflected in Hoover today.

“Hoover is one of the most diverse communities I have ever lived in,” he said. “That is one of the things I love about running this brewery. Our customers come from all walks of life.”

For Cato, Brock’s Gap Brewing Company reflects the city itself — a place where neighbors gather, friendships are formed and community happens naturally. He said that sense of connection has been strengthened by the support of city leaders.

“The support from the city of Hoover has been incredible,” he said. “City officials have collaborated with us on hosting events and helping us become a venue for local commerce and community gatherings.”

A pandemic bicycle lesson. A “For Sale” sign.

An unexpected vision.

Today, Brock’s Gap Brewing Company stands where an empty field once sat, serving beer and food, hosting community events and becoming a home to people from Hoover and all over Birmingham.

After all, every great neighborhood gathering place needs its Norm. On your next visit, you may just meet Hoover’s.

HooverSun.com

September 2026 • B15

LIFE

Hoover mom, business owner to compete for Mrs. America Left: Katie Guerin celebrated her win as Mrs. Alabama America with her husband, Clay, and oldest daughter, Minnie.

Photo courtesy of Katie Guerin.

By LAUREN H. DOWDLE Not only does Katie Guerin wear many hats — from mother and wife to business owner and community volunteer — but she also dons a variety of tiaras.

A Hoover resident, Guerin has been competing in pageant scholarship programs across Alabama, Georgia and Florida since she was 12 years old. After aging out of teen pageants, she moved into the adult category and won titles like Ms. Alabama United States and Ms. Woman Florida United States.

When she reached 30, she decided to hang up her crown and focus on getting married, starting a family and growing her career as a hair stylist. She’s now married with two daughters — Minnie, 4, and Rosie, 2 — and owns Foil Salon at 260 Old Town Road in Vestavia Hills behind the bowling alley.

Opened in 2022, the salon offers a variety of hair services and has a nail technician and massage therapist.

But a decade after her last pageant, she decided to slip back into an evening gown and compete for Mrs. Alabama America. She came in as the second alternate in 2025 and said she wanted to work even harder this year. In June, Guerin took home the title of Mrs. Alabama America 2026.

“When I won, Minnie could hardly stand it and jumped on the stage and gave me a big kiss. That was the best feeling,” she said. “I want to show my girls that dreams don’t have an expiration date. Just because I’m a mommy and married doesn’t mean I have to stop my dreams and plans.”

During her reign as Mrs. Alabama America,

Right: Katie Guerin won Mrs. Alabama America in June and will now participate in Mrs. America in Las Vegas.

Photo courtesy of Rhonda Gilliam.

Guerin will continue her work in the community with nonprofits like The Lovelady Center, Ronald McDonald House, Go Red for Women, Breast Cancer Research Foundation, and her organization, The Umbrella Foundation.

Under her foundation, she’s working to create a scholarship program for girls ages 4 to 18 called Little Miss Birmingham. She hopes to start the program in early 2027.

Throughout this experience, she said the best part has been doing it with her daughters.

“I want them to see the importance of giving back and that the smallest hands can make

the biggest difference,” Guerin said. “Philanthropy is literally my passion. It’s what God sent me here to do.”

With the support of her daughters and husband, Clay, Guerin was set to compete for the title of Mrs. America during the program’s 50th anniversary Aug. 25 through Sept. 3 in Las Vegas. The event will also include Miss for America Strong and Mrs. American.

Having previously helped with the hair and makeup at Mrs. America, Guerin has come full circle now that she will be the one taking the stage. While she’s preparing to compete,

YOUR WINDOWS

Guerin said she remembers the event is about more than bringing home the crown.

“If you focus too much on winning, you miss out on the experience as a whole. I’m looking forward to being with the other women and enjoying the shows, dinners and new friendships,” she said. “Every single woman is significantly different, incredibly talented and has achievements on another level.”

The Mrs. America competition will be broadcast by the Mrs. America Presents social media accounts.

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B16 • September 2026

Hoover Sun