August 2013 • 1
VillageLivingOnline.com
Village Living Volume 4 | Issue 5 | August 2013
Friday night
neighborly news & entertainment for Mountain Brook
Ready to rock
fever
By WILL HIGHTOWER Crestline Village’s shops and restaurants have always been active, but on Sept. 7 the village looks to welcome a few more than normal. In fact, it should be rockin’. Crestline Rocks, an all-day event that features live music and special deals from Crestline vendors, is bringing together residents of all ages to showcase Crestline and benefit PreSchool Partners, a non-profit organization that prepares 3- and 4-yearold at-risk children and their families for kindergarten in the Birmingham City School System. The event is focused around live concerts on Church Street and special promotions at local stores. The Mountain Brook Police Department will block off streets in anticipation of a crowd of more than 3,000 people. “I’m excited about Crestline having a signature event,” PreSchool Partners Director of Development Allene Neighbors said. “Crestline doesn’t have a big event to drive traffic to our local shops and restaurants, so I’m looking forward to having a big crowd come out and enjoy our village.” Will Haver, owner of Otey’s Tavern and Taco Mama, originally had the idea for the event. After putting on similar events on a smaller scale like Otey’s
Does senior leadership put the Spartans in place for a run at the title? Will region changes have an effect on the season’s outcome? Village Living takes a look at these questions and more with our Season Preview inside.
Sports page 24
Open house
Join members of the City Council and City administration, as well as Mountain Brook’s police and fire departments for a rare look inside the new Mountain Brook Municipal Complex this month.
City page 7
INSIDe Sponsors ......... 4 City ................... 6 Business .......... 10 Food ................. 13 Community ..... 14 School House.. 19 Sports ............. 23 Opinion ........... 28 Celebrations .. 29 Calendar ......... 30
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New event to highlight Crestline, assist nonprofit PreSchool Partners
Parker Wright, Anne Neal Moore, Lilley Wright and Ryan Pugh join Crestline Rocks event organizers Allene Neighbors and Will Haver for an air guitar concert in the village. Photo by Jeff Thompson.
See CRESTLINE | page 27
Officials push safety as U.S. 280 changes take shape By JEFF THOMPSON “Right-turn only.” Over the last 10 months, these words have rung like sirens in the ears of Mountain Brook residents who drive on U.S. 280. Now, they’re a reality. Officials said by Aug. 5 work on the Alabama Department of Transportation’s (ALDOT’s) Intersection Improvement Plan from Mountain Brook Plaza to Green Valley Road could be complete. These changes mean relearning a road many have driven for years. Moreover, it means adjusting routines in the safest way possible. “I know Mountain Brook police will be watching the road carefully,” Mountain Brook City Council President Virginia Smith said. “I want everybody to be very cautious, and I want the main commuters on 280 who are
driving by these intersections – presumably at faster speeds now – to be very aware that a lot more traffic will be moving in.” Smith said the Council, which openly opposed ALDOT’s proposed changes to intersections at Mountain Brook Plaza and Cherokee Road, still has concerns for its residents in the wake of the changes. Drivers approaching U.S. 280 from the south side of Cherokee Road who wish to travel directly across or make left turns are a particular worry. These drivers are now required to merge into highway traffic and make U-turns at the Overton Road intersection. Officials said work is progressing ahead of schedule but referred to Overton Road as one of the more complicated pieces of the project.
See SAFETY | page 27
The traffic signal at the intersection of U.S. 280 and Mountain Brook Plaza was removed in July as a sign of many changes coming to the corridor. Photo by Keith McCoy.
See breakdowns for each U.S. 280 intersection More on page 27