LEEDS TRIBUNE YOUR ONLY SOURCE FOR LEEDS AREA NEWS www.LeedsTribune.com
May 30, 2019 | Volume 4, Issue 18
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Leeds City Schools land Jerry Hood as head football coach BY CINDY FISHER Leeds Tribune Staff Leeds City Schools have selected a new head football coach to lead the Greenwave. Jerry Hood, former state championship-winning coach at Clay-Chalkville High School, is the choice to replace former Coach Lee Gibson. Superintendent John J. Moore said the Board of Education will make the hire official in a special-called board meeting at 9 a.m.
Friday at Leeds High School Library. “I am recommending for approval Coach Jerry Hood, a highly-respected coach and a great person,” Moore said. “Coach Hood, while head football coach at Clay-Chalkville High School, won the 6A State Championship in 2015. He retired shortly after winning the Blue Map.” Hood retired from ClayChalkville in May 2017 citing family reasons, then later served as an offensive coach at Briarwood Christian.
Moore said Hood is returning to full-time work in Leeds, “and we have great optimism that he will lead our program to the pinnacle of prep football which our fans and students desire. We are thrilled to be in a position to hire a person and coach of Jerry Hood’s caliber.” Hood began coaching at McAdory in 1993 as assistant coach for three seasons. In 1996, he moved to Oak Mountain as defensive coordinator until 2003. He became head coach in 2004 and served
five years with a 28-26 record, according to Alabama High School Football Head Coaches website. Hood found success at ClayChalkville High School, where he took over as head coach in 2009. He took the Cougars to a state championship in 2015. Hood was named USA Today Alabama Coach of the year and Alabama Football Coaches Association Coach of the Year in 2014. His all-time record stands at 103-52 in 13 seasons as head coach.
Peggy’s Barbershop downtown has a new owner BY BLAKE ELLS Leeds Tribune Staff A landmark in downtown Leeds has a new owner and will soon have a new name. But it will still operate toward the same purpose: a good haircut. Peggy Blankenship, owner of Peggy’s Barbershop, retired recently and sold her shop to Meagan Quick, a Leeds resident and hairstylist who was looking for a job close to home – and she found it. Quick moved to Leeds about four years ago, in search of a good school for her 13-yearold and 10-year-old daughters. Since then, she commuted to Homewood to work at Sports Clips. Hoping to get the phone call that could make life a little easier, she unexpectedly received it one day from Gary Franklin of Franklin Insurance Group. Franklin had long been a client of Peggy Blankenship’s, and she had suggested her possible retirement to him. He connected the two ladies, and the transition has been seamless. “I thought I’d be crazy to not at least check it out,” Quick said. “I did. We spoke on the phone. We met in person. [Peggy and I] worked together for a few days while I transitioned and here I am.” Quick is in her third week in the new role. She hopes to main-
tain much of Blankenship’s clientele. She’s even been seeing some of her regulars from Homewood make the trip to see her in Leeds. “It’s perfect,” she said. “I had this amazing blessing and opportunity fall out of the sky into my lap and would have been crazy not to take it. It’s been wonderful. Everyone is super supportive and has been very willing to give me a chance.” Nothing will change at Peggy’s Barbershop; same prices, same hours and same name. Quick says that she will eventually change the name, but she’s in no rush to do so. The space last changed names when Blankenship took over for the former Dennis’s Barbershop. It was there that Blankenship cut hair for the first time before leaving to open her own shop across town. She was at that location for 20 years before returning to take over at the current space. Between the time that it served as the previous barbershop and as Peggy’s, the space was briefly a gift shop. Peggy’s Barbershop offers no chemical services and no roller sets; just haircuts. Men’s cuts are $12, while women’s cuts are $14. No appointments are necessary; only walk-ins. The shop is open TuesdayFriday from 8-4:30 p.m. and on Saturday from 8-noon.
Peggy’s Barbershop on Parkway Drive has a new owner, Meagan Quick.
Ready to fly The Leeds High School Class of 2019 said goodbye to their now-alma mater in a ceremony Thursday night at Church of the Highlands.
SEE A FULL REPORT OF GRADUATION ON PAGES 7 & 8.
The Class of 2019 tosses their mortar boards at the end of graduation ceremony at Church of the Highland on May 23.
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