OTMJ July 23, 2026

Celebrating our over the mountain communities.

OTMJ

INSIDE

| OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL • OTMJ.COM | Thursday, July 23, 2026

Revisiting John Evans PAGE 8

Boomerangs Come Back PAGE 14

Busy Bees PAGE 16

MOUNTAIN BROOK’S

MAE DAPKUS & OLIVIA SELF ARE ASKING ALL THE RIGHT QUESTIONS

STORY PAGE 10 »

Imagine your home, totally organized!

Custom Closets, Garage Cabinets, Home Office, Pantries, Laundries Wall Beds, Wall Units, Hobby Rooms, Garage Flooring and more...

40%FreeOff

2026 © All Rights Reserved. Closets by Design, Inc.

Plus

Installation 15% Off

PLUS TAKE AN EXTRA

Terms and Conditions: 40% off any order of $980 or more, 30% off any order of $680 or more, on any Closets, Garages, Home offices, or other products with any complete unit purchase. Take an additional 15% off any order of $980 or more. Free installation with any complete unit order of $850 or more. Not valid with any other offer.

Offers and prices are subject to change without notice. With incoming order, at time of purchase only. Offer Expires on 9/11/26. Offer not valid in all regions.

SPECIAL FINANCING for 18 Months!

With approved credit. Call or ask your Designer for details. Not available in all areas.

Call for a free in home design consultation and estimate

205-551-9061 OTMJ

www.closetsbydesign.com Locally Owned and Operated! Licensed and Insured.

2 • Thursday, July 23, 2026

IN THIS

ISSUE SOCIAL

4 | Homewood Fourth of July Festival 6 | Our Lady of Sorrows 77th annual Fourth of July Festival 6 | Shelby Humane Grand Reopening

BUSINESS

8 | Lane Parke’s John Evans looks back. And ahead.

EDUCATION

10 | Mountain Brook’s Mae Dapkus and Olivia Self are asking all the right questions.

COMMUNITY

12 | Antiques at the Gardens introduces its 2026 Honorees.

13 | George Elliott introduces new book Two Angels: Eight Lessons Learned on Earth.

13 | Jim Pool releases a new instrumental album called Morning Prayers.

13 | Vestavia Hills graduate Olivia Carroll enters class of 2030 at the U.S. Naval Academy.

OPINION

OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL

Two Peas On A Pod…

I

’m a big fan of podcasts. I listen to them while I exercise and find them much more interesting than just listening to music. Smartless, Good Hang and Family Trips with the Meyers Brothers are some of my faves—I’m definitely not a true-crime girl. These days it seems like everyone who’s anyone has a podcast. But in Mountain Brook, two unlikely podcast hosts

are making their mark. Mountain Brook High School students Mae Dapkus and Olivia Self were motivated to start their politically focused pod, In The Running, when they saw campaign signs in their neighborhoods but realized they didn’t really know much about the people whose names were on those signs. The friends, who are both active in leadership activities, sketched out a plan for a student-run civics podcast. Since starting the pod, Dapkus and Self have interviewed a number of municipal candidates, including Mountain Brook mayor Graham Smith, and recently they had the opportunity to interview gubernatorial candidate and former U.S. Senator Doug Jones. Through their in-depth interviews, Dapkus and Self try to educate voters on who their candidates are and what they believe in. You can find full episodes of In The Running on Spotify. So, pop in those earbuds and get podding!

–BARRY WISE SMITH

TRAVEL

14 | Australia, a Miata and the need to explore.

FOOD

| OVER THE MOUNTAIN VIEWS |

16 | How Foxhound Bee Company turned a hobby into a growing community.

ABOUT TOWN

18 | Things to do, people to see, music to hear

SPORTS

20 | Mountain Brook athletics marks a milestone six decades in the making.

OVER THE MOUNTAIN

JOU RNAL Thursday, July 23, 2026

Publisher & Executive Editor: Lee Hurley Editor: Barry Wise Smith Design Director: Claire Cormany Photographer: Jordan Wald Contributors: DT Carmichael, Andrew Cotton, Francis Hare, Loyd McIntosh, Sarah Owens Account Executives: Julie Trammell Edwards We would love to hear from you on any subject: lhurley@otmj.com

Vol. 35, No. 20

Over The Mountain Journal is a suburban bi-weekly newspaper celebrating the communities of Mountain Brook, Homewood, Vestavia Hills, Hoover and North Shelby County areas.

Mail to: Over the Mountain Journal, P.O. Box 660502, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216. E-mail the editorial department at editorial@otmj.com. E-mail our advertising department at lhurley@otmj.com. Find us on the Web at otmj.com.

Copyright 2024 Over The Mountain Journal, Inc. All rights reserved.

Former Mountain Brook basketball coach Bucky McMillan having lunch with players Lior Berman and Paulie Stramaglia in 2018.

Thursday, July 23, 2026 • 3

OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL

With 15 hospitals, 135+ care sites and 4,500+ physicians, Joseph has our entire system behind him.

UAB MEDICINE. ONE SYSTEM FOR ALL ALABAMIANS.

UAB Medicine is the state leader in health care, offering the most advanced treatments and technologies to everyone in Alabama.

uabmedicineconnected.com

SOCIAL

4 • Thursday, July 23, 2026

OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL

| SOCIAL |

Homewood Fourth of July Festival

Homewood celebrated America’s 250th birthday and the city’s centennial during its annual Fourth of July Festival on July 4 in downtown Homewood. Hosted by the City of Homewood and the Homewood Parks & Recreation Board, the free event turned two blocks of downtown Homewood into a pedestrian-friendly festival zone filled with attractions, rides, inflatables and entertainment for families. Music from a live DJ kept festivalgoers dancing until 9 p.m. when the annual Thunder on the Mountain fireworks display took center stage. Downtown Homewood is one of the premier viewing locations for Vulcan Park’s fireworks spectacular, making the festival a popular destination for families looking to enjoy both events in one evening. OTMJ

Allie and Matt Taylor and Courtney Brewer

Billy, Porter and Miles Nelson and Jack and Tom Bridges

Nate, Ann Henry, Lindsay and Nate Cartmell

Julia, Benjamin, Mariah, Evan and Liam Salter

Turner and Jamie Tinlsey and Keely and Mason Fischer

Lydia Lopez and Ally Mondrajon

Wyatt Jane, Carrie and Tim Sullivan

Enroll today!

Creative Movement with live piano accompaniment Ballet | Modern | Jazz | Hip Hop | Musical Theatre | Tap Classes for homeschool students, adults, and students with disabilities

For 50 years and counting, The Dance Foundation is a not-for-profit organization bringing the joy of dance to students throughout the Greater Birmingham area. Our creative and welcoming approach to teaching dance honors the art form as well as the individual - inspiring joy, confidence, and community. Our state-of-the-art facility is located in downtown Homewood and includes five studios, each with two-way glass observation areas. Spring performances for students age three to eighteen are held at the Alabama Theatre. Live music is an essential component to classes for young children.

Classes start September 8 a nonprofit since 1975 205.870.0073 | Downtown Homewood | thedancefoundation.org

Thursday, July 23, 2026 • 5

OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL

Trust your property to the experts in landscaping, drainage, hardscape, irrigation and maintenance

CALL US FOR THE BEST PRICES ON LARGE PRIVACY HEDGES AND SHADE TREES!

SERVING LAKE MART IN, LAY LAKE, LOGAN MAR TIN SMITH LAKE &

205-401-3347

gardnerlandscaping@gmail.com ||| gardnerlandscapingllc.com

6 • Thursday, July 23, 2026

OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL

| SOCIAL |

Our Lady of Sorrows 77th annual Fourth of July Festival FOR THE 77TH YEAR, Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church hosted their popular Fourth of July Festival and Trash and Treasure rummage sale on July 4 at the church campus.

Festivalgoers enjoyed food, games, bingo, bargain shopping and a raffle. Hot plate barbecue lunches—pork, ribs or half-chicken plates—were served in Parish Hall, along with pork sandwiches, hot dogs, cake slices, cupcakes and cookies available for purchase. Bulk barbecue orders were filled in the school cafeteria, including Boston butts, turkey breasts, chopped pork, ribs, smoked half-chickens, beans, slaw and whole cakes. Children enjoyed fun games, and bingo was a hit as always. A raffle drawing was held for 11 prizes, including a $10,000 grand prize, and the popular Trash and Treasure rummage sale drew hundreds of bargain shoppers searching for the deals of the century. OTMJ

David and Juanita Tombrello

Georgia Tornton, Addie Mueller and Ruby Thornton

Jill and Melvin Upchurch

Madeline, Alice, Peter and Mark Gibson

Marie Cooper, Elizabeth and Annmarie Stephens and Marygrace Thompson

Pam DiPiazza, Bettie Morales and Marie Garner

SHELBY HUMANE GRAND REOPENING

SHELBY HUMANE held a Grand Reopening event at their facility in Columbiana after being closed for renovations. Visitors and volunteers toured the renovated shelter facilities and enjoyed a Name-a-Pet station, a Paw Print Keepsake Station, a foster orientation session and baby shower booth, a balloon artist, hotdogs, ice cream, a dirty soda truck and more! There were also presentations about volunteer opportunities, a fundraising tent for Best Friends of Shelby Humane and information booths on fostering and transporting animals. OTMJ

Addison Lee and Kendall and Ellis Cash

Desiree Maples, Julie Shirley and Peggy Cropp

Madison and Belle Elizabeth Hoffman

Nelson and Elizabeth McCrea

Thursday, July 23, 2026 • 7

OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL

SELL YOUR VALUABL ES T O T H E N A T I O N ’ S L E A D I N G E S TAT E B U Y E R S We buy gold, silver, diamonds, coins & more!

3 D A Y S O N LY | J U LY 2 8 - 3 0 Tuesday - Wednesday 9:30am - 5pm | Thursday 9:30am - 4pm 330 Rele Street, Mountain Brook, AL 35223 Call for directions: (205) 871-7060

W H AT W E BU Y Fine Jewelry

Coins & Currency

Rarities

Diamonds

Watches

Fine Art & Luxury Goods

Scrap Gold & Silver

Sterling Silver

& Much More

RE CE IVE A 20 % BO N US When you trade for store credit * Receive immediate payment! No appointment necessary.

Ready to Sell?

SCAN QR CODE HERE for full buying event details.

Call (888) 787-1112 or visit NationalRarities.com for any item-related questions.

*A free evaluation will be provided, but there is no obligation to purchase your items. Exclusions Apply. **We are not an authorized Rolex dealer nor are we affiliated or endorsed by Rolex, Rolex USA, or any of its subsidiaries.

8 • Thursday, July 23, 2026

BUSINESS | SOCIAL |

OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL

left: John Evans in his refurbished Jeepster Commando. below: A view of Rele Street, Lane Parke.

The Long Road To (Almost) Easy Street

Lane Parke’s John Evans looks back.

And ahead.

I

STORY AND PHOTOS BY FRANCIS HARE

t’s early 2005. John Evans and his father, Rele Evans, are co-managing the family business—Evson, Inc.—which owns Park Lane Apartments and the Mountain Brook Shopping Center.

Their apartments enjoy 100-percent occupancy, with a months-long waiting list, and their shopping center (with its supermarket, post office, pharmacy, ABC store and several other popular retailers) is a daily destination for a significant percentage of the nearby residents.

Evson Inc. has very little debt and pays virtually all its expenses with cash. Life is good.

“And then one day,” John remembers, “Tom Clark [then-City Council Head of Finance] came to me and asked if we would consider re-developing the shopping center and apartments.”

The school system’s budget was beyond stretched, Clark explained, leaving Mountain Brook with two options to prevent shortfalls: Either a significant new retail redevelopment or a property tax increase. “He knew there was no way a tax increase would pass, so he came to me,” Evans recalls.

Fast forward to Fall 2019. Lane Parke has 10 nice shops and restaurants but no ABC store, no pharmacy and no post office. Two miles up the street, gathered outside City Hall, there’s a crowd so viscerally hostile that the Mountain Brook Police Department insists on escorting the Mayor, Council— and especially Evans—after their monthly meeting. right: Lynn Ritchie’s A’mano was one of the first tenants in Lane Parke.

Evans averages four hours of sleep a night.

By some accounts, he’s the most disliked man in Mountain Brook. And the development he built because the city asked him is hemorrhaging cash. Life could be better.

After the Council meeting, Evans called then-Director of the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce Suzan Doidge for reassurance.

“That meeting was so upsetting for him,” she remembers, “and unfair to John and his father.

Some of the things people said to him, honestly, embarrassed me. These were people who had no idea what sacrifice the Evans family had made, particularly since they could have sold that property to a developer with absolutely no concern for Mountain Brook. “Hard to believe,” Evans now says with a smile, “that it’s been more than 20 years since we broke ground.”

Looking back, it’s harder still to believe that

the number one complaint about Lane Parke today is lack of parking.

While Evans still refuses to criticize his then-leasing agent, Evson VP Bill McReynolds had to drive from Birmingham to Fairhope and back in a single day because said agent refused to make the 50-minute round trip from Mobile to sign up The Happy Olive as a tenant.

And yet, for all the pressure on him at the time, remembers former Mayor Stewart Welch, “John always remained positive, optimistic and resolute about doing what was best for Mountain Brook.”

It’s a comment Evans appreciates. “From the very beginning, my father wanted to make Lane Parke a true legacy for Mountain Brook, which had been so good to our family over the years.”

Speaking to OTMJ in 2013, the elder Evans said, “This land has been in our family for years, and we’ve always been mindful both of the special nature of Mountain Brook and the need to ensure that whatever is done here honor the best traditions of the city and of Mountain Brook Village.”

“Things really started turning-around,” says City Council President Billy Pritchard, “when John replaced that leasing agent with someone who knows the local market and knows how to get things done.” Speaking of the contributions Crawford Square has made to Lane Parke’s fortunes; Evans points out the firm’s remarkably

deft management of his tenants throughout the Covid shutdown.

The turnaround Lane Parke has enjoyed since then could not be more dramatic. There are now 34 tenants (including a post office, an ABC store and a Publix supermarket/pharmacy) all of whom are thriving. Aside from the aforementioned parking issues, Evans’ only real concern is the maintaining of a retail and restaurant mix that is genuinely attractive to Lane Parke’s patrons.

As for the development’s ongoing contribution to the Mountain Brook’s overall quality of life, Pritchard reports that the development now generates, annually, $3.5 million in tax revenues—$1.5 million of which goes directly to the school system.

Life is good again. “One of the things I love nowadays,” says Evans, “is being in social occasions and hearing about Lane Parke from people who don’t know who I am. I was recently talking with a woman who was a seasoned world traveler, and she told me she thought Sea Bar was as good as any restaurant she’d been-to in New York City. That meant so much to me.

He continues, “At the same time, I couldn’t be happier with all our restaurants,” including the latest addition, Locanda Brasato—which opened September 2025. “And I would be sorely remiss if I didn’t mention my profound gratitude for the good people at A’mano, B-Prince and Char Bar—my first three tenants—who stood by us through our darkest days.”

Mayor Graham Smith says, “John has turned Lane Parke into a real community center—one with a heart, a soul and a pulse. He’s done things there, like Movie Night, that have added a real vibrancy to the development. And that’s in addition to being a retail center that complements the beauty of Mountain Brook Village.

In a way, it’s become a village all its own.”

Looking ahead, Evans says, “This development has consumed me for more than 20 years now, and we’re finally in a place where Louisa [his wife] and I can start spending some real time enjoying life.”

Doubtful anyone in Mountain Brook today would disagree that they’ve earned the right to do just that. OTMJ Francis Hare is the owner of Hare Communications. harecommunications.com

Thursday, July 23, 2026 • 9

OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL

Back-to-School Wellness Checklist Six Health Tasks to Tackle Before the First Bell

By Elizabeth Fuller, CRNP, Senior Nurse Practitioner at Medical House Calls

It’s hard to believe that in a few short weeks, children will once again trade bathing suits for backpacks as they enter a new school year.

Every year, the season seems to arrive more quickly, replacing the slower pace of summer with busy schedules and endless to-do lists.

Between shopping for school supplies, preparing for sports seasons and tackling annual health screenings, it can feel almost impossible to get everything accomplished.

With a variety of medical services delivered straight to your doorstep, Medical House Calls offers convenient solutions to tackle your backto-school wellness needs and make sure everyone feels their best on that first day.

Schedule Sports Physicals Before Practice Begins

Many schools and sports teams require yearly sports physicals before student-athletes can participate. Too often, families are caught off guard, and availability is limited by the time they schedule an appointment. Instead of risking time on the bench, consider scheduling a sameday sports physical with Medical House Calls in the comfort of your home.

From helping to prevent injuries to identifying underlying health concerns and optimizing performance, these exams do more than just check a box for your team requirements. They ensure student-athletes are prepared for the season ahead, giving parents and coaches added peace of mind.

Choose IV Therapy Recovery for StudentAthletes

As the school year begins, returning to practices and getting back into peak condition can take a toll on student-athletes. At the same time, homework, studying and other school responsibilities become even more challenging when you aren’t feeling your best. Advanced recovery methods like IV therapy can be the key to getting back in the game faster.

By delivering fluids, essential nutrients and vitamins intravenously, IV therapy can help replenish what your body needs, boost energy levels and support recovery. With a full menu of IV therapy cocktails, Medical House Calls brings treatment from knowledgeable providers to your home, allowing students to recover and hydrate comfortably while multitasking and checking other back-to-school to-dos off your list.

Get Ahead of Fall Allergy Season

Ragweed and other allergens often peak just as school starts, making fall a challenging time for seasonal allergy sufferers. Symptoms like sneezing, coughing, headaches and congestion can interfere with sleep, concentration and classroom participation. Medical House Calls’ trusted providers can evaluate allergy symptoms, review medications and discuss treatment plans—all from the comfort of your home and on your schedule. If additional care is needed, our providers can also guide you to the appropriate specialist using Medical House Calls’ extensive referral network.

Avoid Crowded Waiting Rooms During Back-to-School Season

When you choose concierge medical care from home, you not only receive personalized care from experienced medical providers, but also avoid crowded waiting rooms where healthy patients may be exposed to illnesses.

Many viruses and respiratory illnesses are easily spread during back-to-school season, making athome visits a convenient way to reduce unnecessary exposure while receiving the care you need.

Consider Concierge Primary Care for the Whole Family

‘Back-to-school season isn’t just busy for kids; schedules quickly fill up for the whole family.’

ELIZABETH FULLER Don’t Skip Annual Teen Wellness Visits

Beyond sports physicals, annual wellness exams help monitor children’s growth, development, mental health and preventive care while ensuring medical records stay updated should an emergency arise at school. Establishing a relationship with a trusted provider allows children to feel comfortable discussing sleep, nutrition, stress and screen time —all while getting the support they need to develop lasting healthy habits.

Back-to-school season isn’t just busy for kids; schedules quickly fill up for the whole family. Switching to concierge medicine, like Medical House Calls, allows for convenient care without disrupting your routine. From urgent care and primary care to lab testing, IV therapy and even medical weight loss support, Medical House Calls offers a different approach to medicine: one that fits your lifestyle and needs with options like same-day appointments, in-home visits, telehealth access and direct communication with providers.

This school year, let Medical House Calls help you tackle your to-do list early and set you and your family up for success all year long.

Call or text Medical House Calls at 205.793.6003 or visit MedicalHouseCalls.com to get better prepared for the school year.

EDUCATION

10 • Thursday, July 23, 2026

| SOCIAL |

In the Running

Mountain Brook’s Mae Dapkus and Olivia Self are asking all the right questions.

W

BY ANDREW COTTEN

e had agreed to meet at 7 a.m., because it was the only hour all three of us could make the interview work. I arrived a few minutes early, but Mae Dapkus and Olivia Self were already in the parking lot, already catching up with familiar faces, already making use of a morning most people would have spent half asleep. Between AP classes, ACTs, varsity sports, volunteer work, and the fact that teenagers do need sleep, finding an hour to sit down and talk felt like a small miracle.

We shuffled inside and up the stairs toward my classroom, all the while nerding out over their upcoming interview with former Senator Doug Jones. Not the politics so much as the fact that, later that week, two Mountain Brook High School students with physics flashcards in their pockets would be sitting down for an in-depth political interview with a candidate for governor.

It was not that long ago that Dapkus and Self sat in that same room as freshmen. Back then, they were working on TED-style talks and trying to shape ideas that might matter to somebody beyond themselves. Two years later, they are doing public-minded work that already does.

That work is In the Running (ITR), the political interview podcast Dapkus and Self created to help Birmingham-area voters better understand the people running for office around them. The most obvious description of ITR also happens to be the weakest one: two high school students started a podcast; true, but it reduces its value and relevance.

In a small but serious way, ITR has become a civic platform. As of May, they had released 18 episodes in less than a year. The range had already stretched from Mountain Brook and Homewood races to Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, and Doug Jones was next on the calendar.

One day, while Self was walking her dogs and dodging dozens of campaign signs lining the sidewalks, she found herself wondering how her neighbors “really know who to vote for?

Is it policy, or is it popularity?” The priorities and issues appeared interchangeable, so much so that they blurred together. Yet the way those issues were presented made the differences feel as divided and fierce as the rivalry surrounding the Iron Bowl. One of Self’s best friends, Mae Dapkus, noticed the same thing in her neighborhood, and like Self, Dapkus wondered what anybody really knew about these candidates besides the version planted in a yard.

Naturally curious and eager to contribute, their answer was to build something opposite the yard sign: they set out to build a platform where candidates could speak at length, where the room was not hostile, and where voters might come away with insight rather than incensed. In a time when information is often watered down for simplicity or complicated for confusion, that kind of space and purpose is a genuine service to the community.

The political process works to reduce people to candidates quickly. Complex policies shrink into one-line slogans, and complicated issues get parsed into party-loyal attack ads. ITR works against that reduction.

Its hosts want to get past what Dapkus called “the packaging used to market a person.”

As Self puts it, they want to “showcase the person themselves, not just the color of the

OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL

Mae Dapkus and Olivia Self with Doug Jones , candidate for governor.

yard sign.” To do this, Dapkus says, they make a point of staying “nonpartisan and non-controversial.” Their questions come from curiosity rather than suspicion, and their tone is kind in a way that changes what the room expects.

Unlike many other political media, ITR is meant for reference, not spectacle. The goal is not to clip somebody into internet fodder or to win the interview; it is to foster a friendly yet informative interview. One of its strengths, Self believes, is that it “humanizes the politicians” and helps the candidate sound less like a brochure and more like a neighbor.

Dapkus described former U.S. Senator Doug Jones arriving with prepared points he wanted to hit. That is normal enough for someone at his level and in his field, but what is less ordinary is what had developed by the end of the interview, which, according to Dapkus, no longer felt managed. It felt like “communication...between humans. Not a performance.” Self noticed something similar with Dakarai Larriett, who seemed formal at first but then relaxed enough to tell parts of his story that, she said, “took a lot of bravery.”

Originally, they had expected, or at least hoped, to be helping younger voters. Instead, they found it was mostly adults from in and around their neighborhoods. One friend’s father told Self that hearing one of the interviews “changed my mind on one of the candidates.”

Without the podcast, she says, he likely would have gone with what he had picked up from word of mouth or yard signs. Instead, he listened and heard what they had to say. And left: Mountain Brook Mayor Graham Smith with Olivia Self and Mae Dapkus.

OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL

Thursday, July 23, 2026 • 11

| EDUCATION |

Mae Dapkus and Olivia Self with Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin.

“The goal is not to clip somebody into internet fodder or to win the interview; it is to foster a friendly yet informative interview.”

–olivia self

he’s not alone. According to ITR’s 2025 Spotify Wrapped numbers, the podcast drew more than 1,000 viewers across Spotify and YouTube and ranked in the top 25 percent of Spotify video podcasts. That performance data suggests what Dapkus and Self are offering is not simply access, but a real change in how some people arrive at a vote.

Even candidates are beginning to recognize the podcast’s value. As Dapkus remembers it, one candidate reached out and said a former guest of the show “recommended that [she] go on.” Recognizing that what they offered to listeners was also needed by candidates, they widened their scope. What began with municipal races and mayoral interviews, grew into larger statewide conversations about who’d take office in Montgomery, including the interview with Doug Jones.

Their age has not turned out to be the disadvantage they once feared it might be.

Dapkus is quick to point out that, if anything, it has helped. She finds that it is “disarming” and that guests feel less guarded. That matters because candidates have a tendency to come in half-ready to defend themselves before there is even anything to defend. Something about Dapkus and Self seems to interrupt that reflex.

At first, they worried their “inexperience in the field” would mean “candidates would [not] want to talk” with them. But they quickly

learned that their “edge, in a lot of ways, is us being young.” The partnership matters too, though not for sentimental reasons. Self calls Dapkus “the brains behind everything,” the one who handles scheduling, outreach, and the practical work that keeps the show moving.

Dapkus on the other hand says Self can make an interview feel “less like an interview and more like a conversation.” One builds the frame. The other helps it breathe.

The abrupt ringing of the five-minute bell announced that we had gone past the hour we had allocated. I had not covered everything I wanted to cover, but they agreed to a follow-up. Right as I was wishing them luck on their upcoming interview, I remembered some advice I’d pocketed: If Doug Jones came in stiff, they could always ask for a funny story about his late mentor Howell Heflin. Even though I shared it, I knew they wouldn’t need it: they were the right pair to get the best version of that interview; they didn’t need tricks because they already knew how to create the kind of room in which a person might answer honestly.

In a place where party politics and slogans on signs can too easily stand in for knowledge, Dapkus and Self have made something useful to their community. In the Running is not just another political podcast but a better chance to know the person asking for its trust. OTMJ

OCTOBER 1– 4, 2026 Presenting Sponsors

1919 INVESTMENT COUNSEL AND FIDELITY BROKERAGE SERVICES, LLC

Design Sponsor GRACIE

Benefiting

FRIENDS OF BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS

BBGARDENS.ORG/ANTIQUES @ANTIQUESGARDENSBHAM

Mae Dapkus and Olivia Self with Homewood Mayor Jennifer Andress.

12 • Thursday, July 23, 2026

COMMUNITY | SOCIAL |

Honoree Margot Shaw, founder and editor-in-chief of FLOWER magazine.

Honoree Richard Keith Langham, renowned designer and 2026 show ambassador for Antiques at the Gardens.

Honoree Bart McCorquodale, chief executive officer of McCorquodale Transfer.

Gathering in the gardens.

Antiques at the Gardens introduces its 2026 Honorees

T

BY WENDY WALLACE JOHNSON

his year’s anniversary, celebrating two decades of Antiques at the Gardens, recognizes three honorees whose involvement dates to its earliest days. Margot Shaw, Richard Keith Langham and Bart McCorquodale have all left indelible marks on the event, while continuing to contribute to the weekend’s evolution into the buzz-worthy, vibrant and multi-dimensional occasion that it is today.

Margot Shaw, founder and editor-in-chief of FLOWER magazine, was involved with the show’s precursor as far back as 1991, when she chaired the Junior League of Birmingham Antiques Show’s preview party at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex.

“I have been somehow attached ever since,” Margot says.

“When we moved to the Gardens (in 2006), I thought this was a masterstroke. The Gardens taking on the antiques show was a boon and a blessing. It’s a better fit. It is a gem of a show.”

Shaw launched Birmingham-headquartered FLOWER magazine in 2007, which has expanded to a bi-monthly publication available in all 50 states and 17 countries, making her well-positioned to identify valuable partnerships.

In 2008, she suggested inviting Manhattan-based, Alabamaraised Richard Keith Langham to deliver a Friday lecture. His popularity was such that he was invited back the following year.

“It was around that time Margot decided the show needed an ambassador, so she called me up at my office in New York and anointed me!” says Keith. “In those days, the show was pretty small. It was hard to get big names in our industry to come down to Birmingham, so I was enlisted to woo them.”

A tour de force in the decorating world with two books and countless remarkable rooms installed for A-list clients across the U.S., Langham retains the easy charm and infectious wit from his formative years in the Deep South. His Southern roots remain at center stage despite decades spent based in New York City, making him a perennial favorite at Antiques at the Gardens.

Beyond being the show’s ambassador, many guests to Antiques at the Gardens have knighted him “Alabama’s ambassador.”

The frequent sellout of lectures in recent years speaks to the success of their efforts, along with those of the show chairs and Friends of the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. “Once we get our speakers here, our guests are so duly impressed, they are dying to come back,” Langham explains. Bart McCorquodale, Chief Executive Officer of McCorquodale Transfer, concurs. “We work in different geographies, so when I tell people that I’m from Birmingham, they ask me about the show. If they’re in the design world, it’s on their radar.”

McCorquodale was also present at the first show in 2006. For his company, which specializes in white-glove receiving and moving services for high-end homeowners and designers, involvement in the show was a natural fit. “We helped with the live auction and all of the moving for the show,” he says. “It was very, very small then, so it’s amazing to bear witness to its evolution. Moving the installation elements and items for our dealers in and out of the building today looks much different than it did 20 years ago.”

Continuing to sponsor the event is important, McCorquodale says. “Not only is the show the biggest fundraiser for the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens, but it also has a significant

OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL

economic impact. The money being spent, not only at the show, but for hotels, shops, restaurants and bars is meaningful for our communities and businesses.”

Langham also contributes to the event by shopping for himself, saying he buys himself a “treat” at the show every year.

“We have the best vendors, and I want to support them,” he says.

“But what is really nice is for me to have those memories.”

Shaw agrees, reminiscing on her favorite purchase made in tandem with her friend, the author, journalist and socialite Julia Evans Reed, who was speaking at the show. “It’s a beautiful antique green glass carafe, with a stopper and a set of six short glasses,” Shaw says. “Julia and I spotted them at the same time.

Rather than fight over them, we agreed to split them. I got the bottle, and she got the glasses. That’s the sort of romantic, intrinsic value of a piece, the memory. Now that Julia is no longer with us, it will forever be my favorite purchase.”

McCorquodale has seen firsthand the popularity of soughtafter items, with new owners chomping at the bit to bring them home. He offers a friendly warning for attendees, “If you see something you like, don’t wait. That item you fall in love with on Thursday night or Friday likely won’t be there on Sunday.”

While antiques have always been the cornerstone of Antiques at the Gardens, the weekend’s evolution is largely due to the visionary guidance, creative energy and continued dedication of this year’s honorees. “In recent years, I started noticing the increased number of young people at the show and the gala, which is so gratifying, because years ago we identified the need to bring young people in,” says Shaw. “In 2013, I came up with an event we called ‘Tastebuds’ for the under-40 set because I really sensed a lack of younger involvement. FLOWER sponsored this for about six years, educating the next generation. And we’re seeing this realized now as a multi-generational weekend.”

Langham appreciates this expansion. “It warms my heart to see how the show has blossomed into the fantastic event it is today,” he says. “The ever-growing roster of talent—and new talent—on our stage is impressive.”

“What has remained constant is an intention to celebrate timeless beauty...in interiors, entertaining and of course, the natural beauty of the Gardens,” says Shaw. “We are all pouring this passion back into Birmingham, back into the show, and ultimately through its success, back into the Gardens.” OTMJ Mark your calendar for this special anniversary celebration, October 1-4, at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. For tickets, show schedule, speaker bios and dealer information, visit bbgardens.org/antiques, follow show announcements and reveals on Facebook and Instagram @antiquesgardensbham, and sign up for updates and alerts at bbgardens.org/anitques-email. We look forward to celebrating 20 years at Antiques at the Gardens!

left: Antiques from Relic Interiors Limited of Sudbury, United Kingdom, on display at Antiques at the Gardens. Celebrating its 20th year, Antiques at the Gardens will offer furniture, art, porcelain, fine jewelry, silver and rugs during shopping hours Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL

| COMMUNITY | things our two angels felt were important for children and young people to learn if they wanted to have happy lives.”

Elliott describes the book saying, “It’s a whimsical book that begins with Tyson trying to hold on to Heaven’s clouds and yelling ‘HELP. HELP...I’m falling.’ A young Angel Amelia is floating by and hears his plea and runs over to give him her hand.

She then touches his shoulders and gives him the wings he’ll need to get around in Heaven.”

Angel Amelia says she’d been wanting to write down some things that children and young people should learn and practice while they are on earth.

Angel T agrees to help her. “Here are the eight lessons that they think children and young people (adults, too) should find important:

GEORGE ELLIOTT’S NEW BOOK

Two Angels: Eight Lessons Learned on Earth George Elliott, a former member of the Vestavia Hills Board of Education and a graduate of Leadership Vestavia’s first class, has self-published his first children’s book, Two Angels: Eight Lessons Learned On Earth. The book tells the story of two angels, Angel Amelia and Angel T, who have something to say to children everywhere.

“My book is an act of remembrance for our 17-year-old daughter, Amelia Elliott, who died in 1995 and our 20-year-old grandson, Tyson Stewart, who died in 2020,” Elliott says.

“Remembering is always important. It is a special way of acknowledging that a person spent time on this earth and made a difference in the lives they touched. Speaking the name of a remembered one makes them live again. We hear their voices, bask in their smiles and laughter, hold their hands once again and cherish the times spent together. I wanted to tell others about the

*SMILE *BE KIND *LAUGH A LOT *THINK BEFORE SPEAKING OR ACTING *FIND OUT WHAT EXCITES YOU *GIVE YOUR FAMILY AND LOVED ONES HUGS *GIVE HOPE TO PEOPLE *TELL PEOPLE YOU LOVE THEM Two Angels: Eight Lessons Learned On Earth is illustrated by Sandy Bishop, who lives in Alexander City. To purchase a book, contact Elliott at gbephotos@yahoo.com. The cost is $12, plus shipping, and a portion of each sale goes to The Amelia Center which offers grief assistance and brings hope to parents who have lost children and children who have lost siblings or other loved ones.

“Moments of tragedy bring tears, but they also give us opportunities to share what’s really important,” Elliott says. “This book is an act of remembrance. It’s my way of sharing what, I believe Amelia and Tyson would encourage all of us to do. I think your children or grandchildren will enjoy it and learn from it, too.” OTMJ

MAKING MUSIC Affable Maynard Nexsen lawyer Jim Pool, a lifelong musician, releases a new instrumental album called Morning Prayers.

You titled your album Morning Prayers. Why? Years ago, I started waking up early for journaling/prayer time. That has morphed into me sitting down with the guitar each morning and seeing what happens. All these tunes came that way, so it feels like morning prayers to me.

Where was this recorded, and what guitars do you play? Unlike my first two albums, I recorded all these songs at my house. Most are played on Taylor guitars, with a couple played on a Lowden. All are fabulous guitars but with a very low tech set up.

How long does it take you to write a song? Occasionally, a tune will compose itself in one sitting. Usually, though, a riff or motif appears, and I will play around with it for a month or two as a song grows from it. It takes longer overall when several of those riffs occur during the same time frame because they each need space and time to develop. It’s so much fun!

This is your third album. Are you thinking of going full-time and hitting the road? Nope.

Just enjoying playing.

Who are your main inspirations? I have listened to Leo Kottke since I was young, and David Walbert taught me classical and flamenco guitar (and David writes and arranges beautiful music).

I don’t think my music sounds like the tunes played by either of those guys, but I would certainly be happy if it did. OTMJ Morning Prayers is available on Apple Music or Spotify. https://music.apple.com/us/album/morning-prayers/6783016991 https://open.spotify.com/album/2f5EnQkso889vCpAgmppTm

Thursday, July 23, 2026 • 13

VESTAVIA HILLS GRADUATE OLIVIA CARROLL ENTERS CLASS OF 2030 AT THE U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY Olivia Carroll, a graduate of Vestavia Hills High School, was inducted into the Naval Academy Class of 2030 on June 25, marking the beginning of six challenging weeks of basic midshipman training during Plebe Summer.

Approximately 1,200 candidates are selected each year for the Academy’s “plebe” or freshman class, and each student is required to participate in Plebe Summer. During this time, plebes have no access to television, movies, the internet or music and restricted access to cell phones. They are only permitted to make two calls during the six weeks of Plebe Summer.

The pressure and rigor of Plebe Summer is carefully designed to help plebes prepare for their first academic year at the Naval Academy and the four years of challenge that awaits them. As the summer progresses, the new midshipmen rapidly assimilate basic skills in seamanship, navigation, damage control, sailing and handling yard patrol craft. Plebes also learn infantry drill and how to shoot 9 mm pistols and M-16 rifles.

Other daily training sessions involve moral, mental, physical and professional development and team-building skills. Activities include swimming, martial arts, basic rock climbing and obstacle, endurance and confidence courses designed to develop physical, mental and team-building skills.

Founded in 1845, the U.S. Naval Academy is a prestigious four-year service academy that prepares midshipmen morally, mentally and physically to be professional officers in the U.S. Navy.

The Naval Academy received approximately 17,000 applications for the Class of 2030. OTMJ

14 • Thursday, July 23, 2026

TRAVEL | SOCIAL |

OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL

left to right: D.T. Carmichael II and Grant Blackwell with the Boomerang Miata.

Daniel Carmichael’s book on travel is titled Field Notes & Meditations: Writings of a Young Adventurer. It is available on Amazon.com.

Boomerangs Come Back

T

he inspiration for adventure can be subtle, but it can grow throughout the life of a young man. When I was a boy, my grandmother, Cheech, brought me to Australia. As was her tradition, when her grandchildren turned 10, it was time for them to step out on an adventure. I remember spending the night in the bush. Our guide gave us boomerangs. I was very proud of my boomerang. I kept it on my wall, and even as late as college, I would go and throw it in the large intramural field with my dog. I loved watching it spin through the sky and glide gracefully back at my feet. It was a spark that lit the pursuit. Since going to Australia, I have been involved in a multitude of domestic and foreign adventures that all, in one form or another, can be traced back to the inspiration of those 30 days abroad with my grandmother.

What compels a young man to explore? I will tell you: The desire to see things not yet seen, places not yet known, and vessels not yet mastered. As the years passed and the need for exploration continued, eventually my best friend and I would get it into our heads that we needed to drive everywhere and in something at least twice as old as we are. We needed cars. We had had our own cars as teenagers for only a year when the world inexplicably closed. It was March 2020, and we were told to go home and stay there.

We weren’t great at following the rules, so we took our toys and went outside. Gas was under $2.00 a gallon, and the roads were empty. The

BY D.T CARMICHAEL II

toy that made its place in our hall of fame was a 1999 Mazda Miata. A small, black convertible that is one step above a go-kart. It was offroaded, road tripped, lived out of, and pedaled to the metal for five straight months.

The core memories of our extended summer involved this car. It was small enough to fit under the gate at the Bass Pro Shop, using their wonderful scenic entrance as a track in the late hours of the night. It was fast enough to take rolling hills around the lake, and quick enough to evade speed radars as long as you got off the interstate fast enough. It was used to teach many a young man how to operate a manual transmission, and it took on many storms with the top open, gliding down the interstate at 88 miles per hour.

Though the car left a lasting memory on us, its journey was short-lived. In the late

What compels a young man to explore? I will tell you: The desire to see things not yet seen, places not yet known, and vessels not yet mastered.

summer of 2020, it was totaled after a Toyota ran into the back left panel. The event was a prodigal fate at best, but its memory would not be in vain. The passion for the road, inspired trips to South America, where we purchased a 1975 Volkswagen Beetle, and a transcontinental road trip across North America in a 1986 Isuzu Trooper.

Though I contend earnestly that no place in the world will replace the longing in my heart to drive through the Talladega National forest with my dog, a revolver on my side, and a PB&J in my glove box, I also contend that seeing new, authentic places expands curiosity and promotes general well-roundedness.

The Miata was more than a spark, and our Isuzu Troopers and Volkswagen Beetles were more than cars. They were stories that wore words as tin and framed with steel. They beckoned the challenge, calling upon their young riders to bring them into the unknown.

The cars were a commission for a quest. Six years after the Miata’s early departure, my friend Grant wanted to purchase one for a commuter car. He patiently waited for the right time to buy the right car, and he texted me to announce that he had found the right time and proudly bought himself the right Miata. Curious and painfully nostalgic, I went to see his new purchase. He pulled into the driveway at 5 p.m. and gave me a quick honk and a smile. I looked at him with a smile and said, “Grant, that’s the same car.” His reply: “I know! I got the same year and model.”

My reply: “I don’t mean that…I mean, that’s the same car.” And I did mean it. But surely I was wrong? I stood there and thought, “The car was salvaged six years ago. It is gone. What’s the probability someone bought it, restored it, and the same week Grant decided to buy a car, it got put on the market?”

My gut said it was the same car. My rational brain challenged the proposition. Grant went inside while I stood behind it. I looked at it, scrutinized it, and evaluated the possibility.

Silently, I concluded, it’s the same car. When I finally stopped theorizing and checked the VIN, an astronomical improbability had become a reality. With no reason for Grant to believe it was true, I kept it to myself long enough to enjoy the news no one else knew.

And when the time was right, I looked Grant dead in the eye and said, “Yes, it is the same car. THE SAME CAR.” I showed him the VIN. His astonishment immediately went to concern. “Oh gosh...

Now I know what we did with this thing. This is either fate or karma.” So, the car that had sparked so many adventures had returned.

Its name? ...The Boomerang. OTMJ

Thursday, July 23, 2026 • 15

OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL

QUICK. ACCESSIBLE. ATTENTIVE. Business Banking at West Alabama Bank Businesses that tackle opportunity quickly often succeed quickly too. It’s why, at West Alabama Bank, we make decisions promptly, are attentive to your needs, and easily reachable. We know what’s at stake—and we’ll do whatever it takes to help you get to the finish line. Being your bank matters to us; helping you succeed is our priority.

wab.bank

Milk tastes

BETTER — in the — yellow jug!

TM

�

light Blocking container

$2.00 OFF ANY MAYFIELD MILK GALLON

MANUFACTURER’S COUPON COUPON EXPIRES 12/31/26

RETAILER: We will reimburse the face value of coupon plus 8¢ if submitted in compliance with our redemption policy. Copies available upon request. Void where regulated, prohibited, altered. Void if sold, purchased, transferred or exchanged. Any other use constitutes fraud.

Cash value 1/100¢. Send to DFA Dairy Brands, LLC, Inmar Brand Solutions Dept #76197, MfrRcvOffice, 801 Union Pacific Blvd Ste 5, Laredo, TX 78045-9475. ONE COUPON PER PURCHASE – DFA Dairy Brands, LLC, Dallas, TX 75204. All varieties may not be available at all locations. DO NOT DOUBLE — DO NOT COPY

FOOD

16 • Thursday, July 23, 2026

| SOCIAL |

OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL

left: Adam Hickman with his mini golden doodle. below: A peek inside a busy bee colony.

On Honey Lane

How Foxhound Bee Company turned a hobby into a growing community.

J

ust off Interstate 20 in Irondale, tucked beside youth baseball fields and family traffic, sits a storefront unlike any other in the Birmingham area.

Inside, visitors can sample different honeys, peek inside a bee colony, browse shelves of beekeeping equipment and candles made from local beeswax or sign up for classes on everything from beekeeping to pollinator education.

For owner Adam Hickman, that kind of space once felt far out of reach. “This was originally a hobby,” Hickman says. “I am my customer. I built the business out of a need for good teaching and good equipment available locally.”

What began as a small side business selling extra beekeeping supplies has steadily evolved into one of the Southeast’s more recognizable beekeeping brands. Over the past few years, the company has expanded from a garage operation to a downtown Birmingham warehouse storefront and, most recently, into a new 5,000-square-foot retail and education center in Irondale.

The company’s new location, which opened last November on appropriately named Honey Lane, reflects not only the business’ physical growth, but also its evolving mission. “We are right: Honey for sale is shipped all over the country.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY SARAH OWENS a beekeeping store, but we are unique in that we serve beekeepers and also not beekeepers,” Hickman says. “If you know nothing about bees, you can come into our store, have a great experience, taste a bunch of honey, see some live bees, take some classes.”

That accessibility has become central to the company’s identity. While Foxhound still sells traditional beekeeping equipment—including hive boxes, bees and queens—the Irondale space was intentionally designed to create a broader community experience centered around education, curiosity and hands-on interaction.

For Amy Seiber, who joined the company

in 2021 after retiring from a 26-year career as a high school art teacher, the new store has opened doors that simply were not possible in the company’s previous warehouse space. “The previous location was in a warehouse with no heat, air conditioning or running water,” Seiber says. “If we wanted to have a class, we had to borrow space.”

Now, Foxhound hosts homeschool groups, school field trips and educational workshops inside a dedicated classroom space. The company recently launched a women-focused beekeeping group and plans to host summer camps for children focused on pollination and pollinators. “We really do a lot of education,”

Seiber says. “We teach classes both for people who want to be beekeepers and for kids who need to learn about pollination.”

That educational focus stems from personal experience. Seiber says she first became interested in beekeeping after reading The Secret Life of Bees and eventually found herself caring for bees with little guidance or mentorship. Years later, she now helps mentor newer beekeepers through Foxhound’s classes and hive consultation services. “That’s what we are trying to be for beekeepers in the area,” she says. “Supplies or questions or getting started.”

Behind the retail storefront, the company’s warehouse operation continues to grow as well.

Hickman says Foxhound now ships more than 100 orders per day and already serves international customers, though the company plans to further expand its global shipping reach moving forward.

Seiber adds that the company hopes to bring on additional team members as demand continues to increase. Even with the company’s rapid growth, both Hickman and Seiber repeatedly return to the same idea: curiosity.

Foxhound’s customer base ranges from serious beekeepers to families stopping in after nearby ball practices. Some visitors come only for honey or candles. Others walk in simply because they are intrigued by the storefront.

“You don’t have to be a beekeeper to come here,” Seiber says. “You can just be curious.”

That curiosity is something Hickman understands well. After all, it was curiosity that started the business in the first place. OTMJ Foxhound Bee Company is located at 300 Honey Lane in Irondale and open Tuesday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Learn more at foxhoundbeecompany.com.

OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL

Looking for an enriching experience and community? The Greater Birmingham chapter of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UA is for adults 50+ who love learning, connecting with others and exploring. From unforgettable travel experiences to engaging courses and fun social events, OLLI is for Scan to Everyone! learn more olli.ua.edu | 205-348-6482 | olli@ua.edu

Thursday, July 23, 2026 • 17

New Membership Year: Aug. 1 Classes Start: Sept. 14 Join us for a Fall Semester Showcase!

Riverchase United Methodist Church Tuesday, August 11, 1 p.m.

ABOUT TOWN

18 • Thursday, July 23, 2026

Sat., Aug. 1

ISLAND HAPPY HOUR AT VULCAN

Ignite the fight for Esophageal Cancer Awareness and have a great time doing it.

Let your cares float away! Enjoy the taste and sounds of the islands including a complimentary welcome drink and hors d’oeuvres, music and try your luck at the raffle and hunt for treasure.

Proceeds benefit the John Michael Pierce Foundation for Esophageal Cancer Awareness.Tickets $50 • jmpfoundation.org WHEN: 7-9 p.m. • WHERE: Vulcan Park

Thurs., July 23 ARTCHELLA

Art After 5 returns this summer with Artchella, a festival-inspired evening at the Birmingham Museum of Art. Enjoy a lineup of music, style and creative energy with themed cocktails, a photo booth moment for your best fit check and hands-on art activations throughout the evening. Come for the atmosphere, and gather for the magic!

WHEN: 5-8 p.m.

WHERE: Birmingham Museum of Art

on the Railroad Cooking Classes sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama. The first 100 attendees will receive a bag of fresh produce from Piggly Wiggly to replicate ta recipe at home.

Class starts at 3:30 p.m.

WHEN: 3:30-5 p.m.

WHERE: 17th Street Plaza B

Sat., July 25

Sat., July 25

TRAK SHAK RETRO RUN 5K

Dress in your best retro get-up, and get ready for a night of fun and excitement at the Trak Shak Retro Run 5K! This year’s event promises a fresh and thrilling experience with a Retro Country Music and Southern Rock theme, featuring live music by the talented local band, Redwood. Runners also showcase their creativity in the infamous costume contest.

WHEN: 7-9 p.m.

WHERE: The Trak Shak Homewood

Fri., July 31

CAN’T FEEL MY FACE: 2010S DANCE PARTY

Can’t Feel My Face features fire DJs and 2010s visuals that will transport you back to the decade defined by memes and selfies...a time only four to 14 years gone but feels like 40 years ago. At Can’t Feel My Face, expect to dance all night to the biggest bangers from artists like The Weeknd (duh), Beyoncé, Kesha, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Katy Perry and more.

WHEN: Doors open at 9 p.m.

WHERE: Saturn Birmingham

Sun., Aug. 2

TOUR DE CAHABA 2026

SCI-FI/FANTASY FAIRE

Calling all knights, dragons and fandoms to the Hoover Public Library’s SciFi/Fantasy Renaissance Festival!

Enjoy discussion panels on fandom favorites, a costume contest, fabulous nerdy vendors, open gaming and geeky crafts! PLUS bring the kiddos for a KidCon worthy of a knight of the round table!

WHEN: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

WHERE: Hoover Public Library

OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL

Sat., July 25

OTEY’S FEST 2026

Enjoy this fun annual event featuring live music from Panic Stricken, T.U.B. and Gri Cashio; beer; cocktails and Rodney’s award-winning cheeseburgers. Proceeds will benefit the Phoenix Club of Alabama, an organization that supports young professional men.

Tickets are available at oteysfest.com.

WHEN: Starts at 6 p.m.

WHERE: Otey’s Tavern in Crestline

Sun., July 26

GET HEALTHY ON THE RAILROAD COOKING CLASS

Local expert chefs will provide cooking demonstrations, food tastings, healthy eating tips and take-home recipe cards at the FREE Get Healthy

Tues., July 28

CUT FLOWER ARRANGING

Allison Creel of Blue Rooster Farms will bring her best seasonal blooms and present a hands-on cut flower workshop. Learn how to harvest, condition and arrange flowers straight from the field. All materials are provided, and participants will leave with a beautiful arrangement.

WHEN: 10-11:30 a.m.

WHERE: Birmingham Botanical Gardens

Tues., July 28

BACK TO SCHOOL BONANZA!

Before school’s back in session, celebrate the conclusion of summer reading with a petting zoo party, snake show, face painting and balloons!

For children aged 0-12.

WHEN: 10:30 a.m.-noon WHERE: Homewood Public Library

Thurs., July 30-Sun., August 2 GREASE

Get out your leather jackets and poodle skirts— Grease is back and as electrifying as ever! This rock ‘n’ roll favorite follows the summer romance of Danny and Sandy as they reunite at Rydell High.

With unforgettable hits, this high-octane musical delivers nostalgia, teen drama and all the retro charm of the 1950s.

WHEN: Various showtimes WHERE: Virginia Samford Theater

TDC is BACK! Join the Birmingham cycling community for this exciting cycling event hosted by Cahaba Cycles Homewood. TDC is open to riders of all ages and ability levels with six route options (65, 45, 35, 20 and 10 miles, plus a five-mile slow roll) to choose from. Enjoy a post-ride cookout, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting Bicycle Urban Mountain Pedalers (BUMP). With 700+ riders last year, the event is expected to be bigger and better for 2026.

WHEN: 7 a.m.-1 p.m.

WHERE: Cahaba Cycles Homewood

Mon., Aug. 3

2026 JMP GOLF CLASSIC

Play golf and support a great cause at the 5th annual JMP Golf Classic. Enjoy a Full Moon BBQ box lunch and a fun day playing golf, with all proceeds going to the support the John Michael Peierce Foundation and raising awareness about esophageal cancer. The event will also include great prizes, music, food and drinks.

WHEN: Box lunches at noon; golf tees off at 1 p.m.

WHERE: Highland Park Golf Course

Tues., Aug. 4

ICE AGE IN ALABAMA

McWane Center’s Jun Ebersole shares how Alabama is one of the states with the most diverse Ice Age history.

WHEN: 6-8 p.m.

WHERE: Hoover Public Library

Sat., Aug. 8

TOTALLY RAD VINTAGE FEST

Step into a time warp of style and nostalgia at Totally Rad Vintage Fest! Vendors specialize in clothing and accessories from the ‘80s, ‘90s and Y2K eras, while also offering a selection of toys, home goods and more to complete your nostalgic shopping experience!

WHEN: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

WHERE: BJCC North Exhibit Hall

Sat., Aug. 8

OTEY’S TO OTEY’S RUN—FINISH THE FIGHT AGAINST GI CANCER

Thurs., July 30-Sat., August 8

BIRMINGHAM RESTAURANT WEEK

Birmingham’s best culinary event of the year is BACK! More than 60 restaurants, food trucks and bars offer adventurous foodies and drink enthusiasts special prix-fixe breakfast, lunch and/or dinner offerings, along with beer, wine and cocktail specials. Visit bhamrestaurantweek.com for full list of participating businesses.

WHEN: Various business hours WHERE: Participating businesses

Fri., July 31

MARIO KART WORLD TOURNAMENT

5299 Valleydale Road, Suite 111 205-980-9030 southeasternjewelers.net (1/4 mile off 280)

Test your racing skills, and seek to finish first in the Mario Kart World tournament at Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest! Dominate the competition, and win an Amazon gift card! Snacks served.

For teens in grades 6-12.

WHEN: 4-5:30 p.m.

WHERE: Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest

Finish the fight, and help The Reed GI Cancer Research Foundation Junior Board raise money and awareness for some of the deadliest cancers.

The 5.46-mile course will start at Otey’s in Homewood and finish at Otey’s in Crestline Village.

Enjoy an afterparty in the green space near Otey’s Crestline after the race featuring awards, refreshments and more.

WHEN: 8-9:30 a.m.

WHERE: Otey’s Tavern in Edgewood

Sat., Aug. 15

2026 CRESTLINE TENT SALE

Enjoy sidewalk sales, outdoor tents and special promotions at the Crestline Tent Sale in Crestline Village on August 15. Stock up for the new school year while exploring your favorite local businesses at this all-day shopping event.

WHEN: 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

WHERE: Crestline Village OTMJ

Thursday, July 23, 2026 • 19

OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL

F A L L 2 0 2 6 R E C R E A T I ONA L S OC C E R

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!

SPOTS ARE LIMITED! REGISTER TODAY! TAKE YOUR FUN FACTOR TO THE NEXT LEVEL!

AGES 3-19 BOYS & GIRLS GREAT LOCATIONS CLOSE TO HWY 280 & 31 LIBERTY PARK & HIGHWAY 31 IN VESTAVIA

W W W . V E S T A V I A S O C C E R . C O M

SALE

Saturday July 25 one day only!

25%-80% OFF

John Michael Pierce loved the islands and any reason to bring the people he loved together.

Make plans now to attend this year's epic, island themed party at Vulcan Park! jmpfoundation.org

Instagram _secondhandrose_ Facebook secondhandroseal.com

205-970-7997

Mon. - Sat., 11am - 4pm

SPORTS | OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL • OTMJ.COM | Thursday, July 23, 2026

200 AND COUNTING: Mountain Brook Athletics Marks a Milestone Six Decades in the Making

BY LOYD MCINTOSH

1

M

ountain Brook High School has plenty to be proud of over its 60-year history, but the 2025-26 school year added a landmark achievement: 200 state championships. The Spartans won seven titles that season, pushing their total to 203—128 girls championships and 75 boys—making Mountain Brook the winningest program in Alabama High School Athletic Association history. We caught up with players, coaches, administrators and behind-the-scenes figures to get their thoughts on this remarkable milestone.

Robert Higginbotham coached football for the Spartans for three years, culminating in the program’s first state championship in 1975.

Despite a rough start with a young team and loads of key injuries, Higginbotham was confident the program was making progress. “We felt like we were going to be really good that year,” Higginbotham recalls “We had played a lot of young kids prior to that year, and so they were going to be seniors. Then, of course, we had Major (Ogilvy) move in, which kind of put us over the hump. That was a special year.”

Looking back, Higginbotham says the run still means as much to him now as it did then.

“I don’t think you can say enough about that team,” he continues “It’s very special, and we get together from time to time and relive some of those days. It’s a great legacy for those kids to leave behind.”

Rick Rhodes replaced Higginbotham the following season and led the Spartans to their second state football title in a row. Rhodes credits the community itself for the program’s sustained success. “There’s an expectation to do well in just about everything they do, and I think that carries over to their athletics,” Rhodes says. “The second thing is that there’s a toughness those kids have that’s a little bit different. Everybody talks about the money and how rich that area is, but those people have been successful in life because they have a toughness that they pass on to their children, in my opinion.”

Rhodes also has high praise for the star of

2

that back-to-back run. “I still say Major is the greatest high school football player in the history of the state of Alabama. He knew how to win better than anybody I’ve ever seen.”

Current Athletic Director Andy Urban says that the same standard applies across every sport at Mountain Brook today. “We have kids who play super hard and are super tough, mentally and physically,” he says. “We may not be the biggest, the fastest or the strongest, but our kids play extremely hard and hold themselves to a high level.”

Urban says that commitment is a two-way street between the coaching staff and the community that surrounds it. “Our kids want to be part of Mountain Brook football, baseball and basketball from a young age, and our parents want their kids coached hard.”

Michael McGovern, a 1991 Mountain Brook graduate now heading the track and field and cross-country programs, where the combined total of state titles is a whopping 90, has seen that culture from both sides, as an athlete and now as a coach. McGovern also says the swiftness with which Mountain Brook reached 200 titles is impressive. “There is an emphasis on excellence in everything we do; a desire to succeed. We cultivate that in the classroom, on the athletic field, in fine arts, in our clubs, in everything we do at Mountain Brook,” McGovern says. “The school opened in ‘66, and it took us 30-something years to get to 100. But now, roughly 10 to 15 years later, we’ve gotten another 100. That’s pretty amazing.”

Long before girls’ sports carried the same weight they do today, Lori Higginbotham built the girls soccer program from scratch, starting in 1979. “I actually started the girls soccer team at Mountain Brook. They didn’t have one before,” Higginbotham says. “Knowing nothing about soccer, I called Ray Woodard at Indian Springs and said, ‘Ray, I’m in trouble. I’ve got to coach a soccer team, and I don’t know Jack about soccer.’ He gave his own girls three days right: Number 11 Quarterback Richard Berg, along with Major Ogilvie, led the teams to 1975 and 1976 back-to-back state championships.

3

1. Legendary coach Bucky McMillan won five state basketball titles at Mountain Brook. The school has a total of six. 2. Mac Scott in the 2018 golf state championship win. The boys and girls have a combined 21 state championships. 3. 2025 girls and boys state tennis champs. Carlee Petro Schaper (second row, far left) is one of the most accomplished players in Mountain Brook tennis history, winning three state titles. As Mountain Brook’s head coach, she has won two boys and two girls state titles. The girls and boys hold a total of 53 state titles. 4. The girls’ volleyball teams hold seven state titles.

off and came to Mountain Brook to help me run tryouts himself. He gave me a videotape of Pelé, and on our first rainy day, I showed it to the girls. They were just mesmerized.”

Two decades later, Higginbotham led the girls soccer team to back-to-back state titles. “Those championships came toward the end of my career,” she recalls “By the time we got to that level, all the teams around us were very good.

It was a lot more of a struggle to get a win than it was early on, when there were so few teams that played. But that was a big impetus, and it was thrilling to get that done.”

Britton Johnson, who played on the 2017 and 2019 basketball championship teams, says being a part of one of the state’s most successful basketball teams was an amazing experience, and one that he is still learning to appreciate.

“It’s kind of crazy to look back on it now. Growing up in Mountain Brook, you never envisioned playing in the BJCC as a possibility for basketball; it just didn’t feel like a realistic thing,” he says. “So for me, getting to see what Bucky (McMillan) was able to develop there, and then getting to be part of it, was a huge thing.”

4

He also says that Mountain Brook provides a supportive environment that encourages athletes across all sports to succeed. “I feel like at our school, there’s a performance culture; high-performing students and high-performing athletes, people who are really committed to working hard and doing it the right way,” Johnson says.

Trent Wright, President of the Spartan Athletic Foundation, says the organic nature in which the school’s programs are built is a source of pride for everyone involved in Mountain Brook athletics.

“We don’t have a lot of kids being recruited or hopping schools every year or two like you see in other communities,” Wright says. “That’s a hot-button topic elsewhere, but not really an issue here. So, you see these kids competing at the highest level, and even when they fall a little short, it says a lot about the integrity of the kids and the level of coaches we have.”

Wright also says that the culture at Mountain Brook has evolved to include every athlete in the community, not just the boys on the football field. “Gone are the days when all the focus is just on male athletes,” he says “You can turn on a television and tell those days are gone. It’s important in our community to evolve just like the rest of the world is evolving and make sure our young women are put on that same pedestal as our boys.”

Mac Scott, a 2020 graduate, says being a member of three straight golf championship teams, was “a lot of fun” and were defining moments of his life in high school. He also said the number 200 speaks for itself. “Some of my closest friends to this day are guys from that team,” Scott says “Looking back, I just feel like we had a really good culture, and that’s something you don’t always get on a high school sports team. I’m not sure if any other high school in the state has gotten that many state titles, and to do it at the highest classification, 7A, definitely speaks volumes about the culture around Mountain Brook athletics, and also the quality of coaching and facilities that have been ingrained in our culture for decades at this point. Overall, it’s impressive, and I’m proud to be a part of it.” OTMJ