VestaviaVoice.com
November 2013
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Volume 1 | Issue 7 | November 2013
Run for the Hills
Paying it forward Local businessman quietly honors his brothers in service
Meet up with hundreds of other Vestavia residents at this year’s Run for the Hills. Hosted by the Sunrise Rotary Club, the race is a great way to support Vestavia Hills City Schools.
Community page 18
National Night Out Sergeant Bradac (Mikos’ cousin) stands with Sergeant Mike Mikos, a third-generation soldier who played a key role in Operation Noble Eagle and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Photo courtesy of Mike Mikos.
By REBECCA WALDEN
National Night Out celebrated its 30th year of providing free family fun for the entire community. Find photos from this year’s event inside.
Community page 21
INSIDE Sponsors ........... 4 News ................... 5 Business ............ 6 Food ................... 8
Try to ask Staff Sergeant Mike Mikos about his military service, and he’ll look at you sideways. Thank him for his service? He’ll give you a polite nod, and then maneuver the conversation to
another topic — any other topic. A third-generation soldier, Mikos played an integral part of both Operation Noble Eagle and Operation Iraqi Freedom. While many of his friends were settling into their careers, Mikos was engaged with the 187th Fighter
Wing of the Air National Guard with the singular focus of targeting and isolating scud site activity. The unit quickly distinguished itself when, in the winter of 2003, they became the first Alabama Air National Guard unit to establish a bare base in areas of conflict.
See VETERAN | page 28
Opportunities abound for Cahaba Heights Community seen as prime target for new development Improvements shown in this rendering of Cahaba Heights Road and Dolly Ridge Road include the addition of sidewalks and crosswalks, intersection improvements, frontage landscaping, gateway signs and banners, ornamental lighting around intersections and the reuse of a vacant business on the southeast corner. Image from the 2008 Cahaba Heights Community Plan, courtesy of the City of Vestavia Hills.
Community ....... 11 School House .. 24 Sports ............... 29 Calendar ........... 30
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Still, the normally gregarious Mikos is reluctant to get into details. It’s not to be evasive, but rather out of solemn respect and regard for the vets who, in his view, accomplished more, endured
By KATIE TURPEN As a Cahaba Heights resident for 23 years, Starr Rogers can describe the value of her community in one word: convenience. “The proximity to The Summit, all the different grocery stores, the post office and all
the nice restaurants,” Rogers said. “It’s just close enough in to downtown to be convenient.” Despite the ideal location, she thinks Vestavia Hills needs to take a closer look at its hidden community across U.S. 280. “Cahaba Heights needs some spring cleaning,” Rogers said. “The infrastructure
seems poor. Vestavia Hills needs to put more money into this community and spruce it up.” Rogers, who lives in Wellington Park near Overton Road, recalls going to a friend’s house in central Vestavia Hills and noticing
See CAHABA HEIGHTS | page 28