Tuscmag spring 2015 by tnewsbob

ALSO INSIDE: SWEET TEA TRIO BRUNCH RECIPES CANOE THE CAHABA THE SIDE BY SIDE LOOSA BREWS + MUCH MORE!

the

www.tuscaloosamag.com $3.95

TM_041015_001.indd 1

BRONZE BOMBER FROM LOCAL LEGEND TO WORLD CHAMPION, DEONTAY WILDER IS JUST GETTING STARTED

3/30/2015 6:56:55 PM

Barkley A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW

OR PASS

ALL NEW

2015

SRX

2 7 2 H P 2 . 0 L Tu r b o w i t h 2 9 5 l b - f t t o r q u e Magnesium paddle-shifters Magnetic Ride Control available b a r k l e y c a d i l l a c. c o m

3575 SKYLAND BLVD. E TUSCALOOSA, AL 205.556.6600 • 1.800.226.4621 www.BarkleyCadillac.com

TM_041015_002.indd 2

3/30/15 3:44 PM

TM_041015_003.indd 3

3/30/15 3:46 PM

Publisher James W. Rainey

editor’s letter

Editor Robert Sutton Design Editor Janet Sudnik Director of Photography Robert Sutton Photographers Michelle Lepianka Carter Erin Nelson Copy Editors Amy Robinson Edwin Stanton Ernie Shipe Laura Chramer Ashlie Bowman Reina Kempt

ABOVE: Robert Sutton with members of the local country music group Sweet Tea Trio (Page 88). RIGHT: Deontay Wilder was on the cover of the magazine in 2008. Catch up with him on Page 36.

Operations Director Paul Hass Advertising Director Lynnie Guzman Marketing Director Sam Kirkwood Prepress Manager Chuck Jones Published by The Tuscaloosa News 315 28th Avenue Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 Executive Editor Michael James Controller Steve Hopper Magazine 205-722-0234 To advertise 205-722-0173 To subscribe 205-722-0102

Halifa M E D I A

n May 2007, I traveled to Chattanooga, Tenn., to cover the National Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions for The Tuscaloosa News. A young Tuscaloosa native, making only his 17th appearance in the boxing ring, was taking on a heavyweight champion from the New York Metro Golden Gloves. Deontay Wilder’s victory that night qualified him to participate in the 2008 Olympic box-off. Wilder would go on to win a bronze medal in the Beijing games, garnering the nickname the Bronze Bomber. Wilder didn’t stop there. He trained relentlessly for years, and on Jan. 17, 2015, the hard work and dedication paid off. Wilder beat Bermane Stiverne by unanimous decision at the MGM Garden Arena in Las Vegas for the World Boxing Council heavyweight championship. Deontay Wilder is the first person to appear on the cover of Tuscaloosa magazine for a second time. He graced the cover of the 2008 winter issue shortly after winning his bronze medal, and here he is again, the WBC heavyweight champ (Page 36). We had such a great response from our 2014 winter issue feature on Homemade Holidays that we asked Kelly Pridgen for more ideas for spring. Her Amaretto Pound Cake (Page 20) was so good that it sparked a small-scale war in the Sutton household that night. There were no casualties, except for the cake. In other news, we have a feature on Chris Hastings’ newest venture, the The Side by Side restaurant, located in the recently completed Embassy Suites (Page 8). We have craft beers from Loosa Brews (Page 14), Foodie News with Donna Cornelius (Page 26) and gourmet teas from Tea Town (Page 17). Speaking of tea, we want to introduce you to an all-girl country music trio exploding onto the music scene. Tuscaloosa’s very own Victoria Camp has partnered with two other talented young women, Kate Falcon of Southside and Savannah Coker of Chelsea, to form the band Sweet Tea Trio. (Page 88). We also step behind the camera shutter to visit with Tuscaloosa’s premier portrait photographer, Crosby Thomley (Page 82). We’ll canoe the Cahaba with David Butler (Page 52), visit the Highland Games with Myles Wetzel (Page 72) and take you to the greenhouse for some floral fashions (Page 58). Do you believe in angels? If you don’t, then you haven’t met Martha Cook. Cook, who recently retired as the director of Rise, has dedicated her life to children with special needs. Her impact on the lives of families in Tuscaloosa is immeasurable (Page 48). The Tuscaloosa community is made up of thousands of wonderful people who spend their time helping us all to live better lives. Whether they are teaching our children, protecting nature, printing our paper, preserving memories or just making us laugh, these people make Tuscaloosa a better place. We at Tuscaloosa magazine are proud to tell their stories.

Reach Robert Sutton at Robert.Sutton@ tuscaloosanews. com.

G R O U P

4 172

TM_041015_004.indd 4

3/31/2015 6:14:57 PM

NA5656693

TM_041015_005.indd 5

3/30/15 3:48 PM

SPRING 2015

VOLUME 13, NO. 1

CONTENTS

08 DINING OUT

20 DINING IN

48 GOOD DEEDS

14 SPIRITS

26 FOODIE NEWS

52 OUTDOORS

17 NEW IN TOWN

36 COVER STORY

58 FASHION

Chef Chris Hastings brings his award-winning menu to T-Town.

Loosa Brews carries everything a craft beer enthusiast could want.

Tea Town: Local couple brews up a fresh new food truck idea.

Brunch recipes and ideas to make you forget about wanting dinner.

The latest in local food, trends, recipes and epicurean events.

Champion boxer Deontay Wilder talks about life since his big win.

Martha Cook has dedicated her entire life to helping children.

David Butler is up a creek with a paddle at Canoe the Cahaba.

Spring fashions are in full bloom with colorful floral prints.

ON THE COVER Our own Deontay Wilder made the cover of the 2008 winter issue of Tuscaloosa magazine, and he was on the path to superstardom. Already a bronze Olympic medalist, he is now the reigning World Boxing Council heavyweight champion. Inside, he talks about what life is like since winning the title and what the future holds. Photo by: Robert Sutton See story: Page 36

TM_041015_006.indd 6

3/29/2015 8:30:20 PM

LET’S DO BRUNCH!

Not quite breakfast and not quite lunch, brunch is the perfect meal to test some decadent recipes, like these waffles with Maple Spiced Whipped Cream and Praline Bacon. Treat yourself! Page 20.

72 ROADS LESS TRAVELED

95 6 INTRIGUING PEOPLE

It takes strength and iron will to win the Highland Games. Twice.

Meet six fol folks who are making a difference in our com community.

76 FEELING GOOD

82 ART

108 ON THE SCENE

79 PERSONALITY

88 MUSIC

122 LAST LOOK

Tuscaloosa’s newest workout craze Meet Crosby Thomley, Tuscaloosa’s is 9 Rounds of fun and fitness. premier portrait photographer.

Remembering the life and heroic acts of UA student John Servati.

Sweet Tea Trio: Country music never sounded this sweet.

The best bashe bashes, parties and charity events of the season.

A photographic collection of moments in our community.

TM_041015_007.indd 7

3/31/2015 6:15:40 PM

DINING OUT

SOUTHERN gourmet FROM ‘IRON CHEF’ TO T-TOWN, JAMES BEARD AWARD-WINNING CHEF CHRIS HASTINGS IS IN THE KITCHEN AT THE SIDE BY SIDE BY DONNA CORNELIUS PHOTOS BY ROBERT SUTTON AND MICHELLE LEPIANKA CARTER

The Southern Bouillabaisse at The Side By Side features a selection of fresh seafood.

TM_041015_008.indd 8

3/30/2015 6:15:48 PM

DINING OUT

hris Hastings knows what it’s like to wait in a tunnel before running into a stadium for a big game. But instead of crimson jerseys, Hastings and his team wore chef’s jackets. And instead of facing an SEC opponent, they were about to square off against Bobby Flay, one of the best-known celebrity chefs in the United States. Hastings, the consulting chef for the Tuscaloosa Embassy Suites’ The Side by Side restaurant, was in the national culinary spotlight in 2012 when he and his team competed on “Iron Chef America.” The Food Network TV show pits a prominent challenger like Hastings against one of the show’s stable of high-profile food stars. Hastings won that battle. He’s also won a James Beard Award. And his Birmingham restaurant, Hot and Hot Fish Club, consistently has drawn praise from food critics and everyday diners alike. That’s why the news that he would be involved with the Embassy Suites eatery had many Tuscaloosa foodies salivating. Hired by Culinaire International, a Dallasbased food and beverage management company, Hastings has been involved with all aspects of The Side by Side, he said. “They hired me to create the restaurant,” he said. “My job has been to establish all protocols, systems and best practices for our culinary team — how flavors are supposed to taste, every single detail.” He’s not kidding about the details. The week before The Side by Side’s opening day, March 3, Hastings was in the restaurant talking with

TOP: Chris Hastings is a James Beard Awardwinning Top Chef of the South. ABOVE: Coconut cake with roasted pineapple sauce.

staff members, walking briskly in and out of the kitchen, and dealing with suppliers. But when he spotted a tiny piece of paper on the floor, he stopped what he was doing to walk over and pick it up. That likely wouldn’t surprise George McMillan III, owner and executive chef of FoodBar in Vestavia Hills, who worked for Hastings from 1996 to 1998. “I learned that you have to keep focus on

>> 9

TM_041015_009.indd 9

3/29/2015 7:14:35 PM

TM_041015_010.indd 10

Alabama Power is here to help you feel good about your home. That’s why we created our Superior Solutions Dealer Program, to connect you with the heating and cooling company that’s a perfect fit. These dealers have excellent training, products and customer service so you can have confidence that they’re the best in the business. To make sure you have a Superior Solutions Dealer, call 1.800.990.APCO (2726).

3/30/15 3:49 PM

DINING OUT

every detail, no matter how large or small it may seem,” McMillan said. Hastings said he’ll oversee The Side by Side for a while. “Our head chef is Patrick Brawley, and I’ll be handing things over to him,” Hastings said. “But I’ll be here as often as I can until I know that everything is exactly perfect.”

fter graduating from Johnson & Wales Culinary School in Providence, R.I., Hastings moved to Birmingham to work as chef de cuisine for Frank Stitt at Highlands Bar and Grill. He also helped open Bottega, Stitt’s second Birmingham restaurant. He and his wife, accomplished pastry chef Idie Hastings, met in Birmingham. After a stint in California, the couple returned to Birmingham in 1995 to open Hot and Hot Fish Club, one of the first farm-to-table restaurants east of the Mississippi River. Hastings is a restaurant consultant as well as owner, so The Side by Side isn’t his first consulting project. But he’s happy about being involved in a Tuscaloosa venture for the first time, he said. “Both our sons are at the University of

Alabama,” he said. “We’ve always loved coming to Tuscaloosa and watching the Tide play.” The restaurant’s menu has its roots in Hot and Hot’s food but won’t duplicate the Birmingham restaurant’s current offerings. Every recipe is right out of the “Hot and Hot Fish Club Cookbook,” Hastings said. “It will be a great way to introduce Tuscaloosa to what we do at Hot and Hot,” he said. “It’s the way we cooked when we first opened, and we wanted to preserve things like our tamale and Southern bouillabaisse. These are recipes that have a very warm place in everyone in Birmingham’s heart.” Hastings said Side by Side will “have a healthy, delicious approach to our menu.” “Technically, the food will be very solid, but it won’t be heavy,” he said. Some dishes are foodie-driven, Hastings said. “For example, the rabbit tamale is a very ‘cheffy’ tamale,” he said. The grilled duck is another dish that might tempt adventurous eaters. It has a hunter-style risotto that uses offal — parts like hearts and livers — and fried sage

ABOVE: The Chatelaine is a strawberry lemonade signature drink at The Side by Side. TOP: Diners try out lunch at the restaurant located inside the new Embassy Suites on the corner of Greensboro Avenue and University Boulevard.

TM_041015_011.indd 11

3/30/2015 6:16:26 PM

DINING OUT BELOW AND CENTER: Executive Pastry Chef Edward Gee shows off pieces of chocolate decor used with some of his desserts. BOTTOM: The Rabbit Tamale is a unique dish you’ll only find at The Side By Side. Hastings calls it a very “cheffy” dish, invented with the foodie in mind.

leaves. But not-so-daring diners won’t go hungry. They can choose options such as the Side by Side Burger, which comes with grilled Vidalia onions and smoked bacon, or Shrimp and Grits with Benton’s Country Ham. “Our menu needs to reflect where your boots are: Alabama,” Hastings said. While creating a new restaurant from the ground up can be an extensive task, the chef isn’t one to shy away from a challenge — like appearing on “Iron Chef America.” “They called and asked which chef I wanted to compete against,” he said. “I told them I wanted to go up against the chef with the highest winning percentage at that time. It was Bobby Flay.” When the show starts, the show’s Chairman, Mark Dacascos, reveals a secret ingredient that the two chefs must use in all their dishes. “You know there will be one of three different ingredients, and you submit menus for each,” Hastings said. “We had parmesan, octopus and sausage. We were good with all of them, but sausage was the one we felt like we’d fine-tuned the best.” Each challenger can bring two sous chefs. Hastings chose Rob McDaniel, who had worked for him at Hot and Hot and is now executive chef at the highly regarded Spring-

House at Lake Martin, and Sadesh Bookram, Hot and Hot’s chef de cuisine. Before they enter Kitchen Stadium, a vast arena with cooking spaces for each chef, those involved in the show wait it out together, Hastings said. “It was like in the tunnel at Bryant-Denny Stadium,” he said. “Two things can happen in that moment. You can completely lose your mind or — well, you hear athletes talk about being in the zone. The game slows down and becomes rhythmic versus tense. “I looked at Rob and Sadesh and said, ‘Are you guys ready to do this?’ They said, ‘We’re ready.’ It was real, and it was awesome.” While winning on “Iron Chef” was fun, Hastings said earning another honor later that year meant more to him. He was named Best Chef: South by the James Beard Foundation, which annually recognizes the top American chefs and restaurants. “Lots of people see ‘Iron Chef,’ and that was great,” Hastings said. “But the James Beard Award was given by my contemporaries, by people who have eaten my food. It was a personal goal of mine since I opened my own restaurant.” Both Chris and Idie Hastings are involved with charitable organizations and events close to home and nationally with the James Beard

TM_041015_012.indd 12

3/29/2015 7:17:06 PM

DINING OUT

Foundation. That willingness to give back is one of Chris Hastings’ greatest strengths, said Matt Russell, a former employee who now has a successful business of his own. Russell co-owns Shindigs Catering, a Birminghambased food truck business, with Chad Schofield. Both worked for Hastings at Hot and Hot when they started out. “Chris was the biggest blessing in both our culinary careers,” Russell said. “He gave me my first job in the fine dining industry. I was plating tomato salads for him about 10 years ago. “The greatest thing about him is that he has a servant’s heart. For him, it’s not about trying to be rich and famous. It’s about treating people who come into your restaurant like your family.”

TOP: The Side by Side is located in the recently built Embassy Suites in downtown Tuscaloosa. ABOVE: The Lemon Buttermilk Tart with Fresh Raspberries is a perfect summer dessert. TOP RIGHT: The Southern Cheese and Ham Plate makes a great appetizer or light snack to pair with a signature cocktail. BOTTOM RIGHT: Executive Pastry Chef Edward Gee is responsible for finishing off diners’ experiences with decadent, inventive desserts.

Hours: Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.11 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Dress: Business casual Phone: 205-561-2500 Web: thesidebysiderestaurant.com 13

TM_041015_013.indd 13

3/31/2015 6:16:20 PM

SPIRITS

Loosa Brews

... the cure for what ales you

BY DONNA CORNELIUS PHOTOS BY ROBERT SUTTON

oosa Brews doesn’t claim to be all things to all beer lovers. But it comes pretty close. The downtown Tuscaloosa establishment sells and serves suds. “A unique twist on our business model is that you can consume beer on the premises or get it to go,” said Chad Smith, who owns Loosa Brews with Brad Lee. “You can have a beer while you’re shopping.” The place also stocks supplies for what Smith said is a growing hobby: home beer brewing. The partners knew each other when they were students at Tuscaloosa County High

School, Smith said. Both had worked with startup companies in other cities after college. “Once we both ended up back here, we ran into each other and started hanging out,” Smith said. “We both thought Tuscaloosa needed a growler store.” Growlers are glass containers that customers buy, have filled with beer and sealed, and then take home. Smith said beer aficionados like growlers for two reasons: variety and freshness. “We have a lot of staple beers but also a lot you can’t get in packages here,” he said. “Small craft breweries often don’t have their

TOP: Chad Smith, left, and Brad Lee are co-owners of Loosa Brews. ABOVE: Shelves are stocked with craft brews made in Tuscaloosa, the South and everywhere.

TM_041015_014.indd 14

3/30/2015 6:16:43 PM

SPIRITS own packaging lines.” Another thing to like about growlers is that since they’re filled with tapped beer, “You’re drinking the freshest beer you can get,” Smith said. There’s a style factor, too, since Loosa Brews’ growler containers are specially designed. Jugs have Loosa Brews logos in a variety of combinations with logos from Tuscaloosa’s Black Warrior Brewing Co. and Druid City Brewing Co. and Birmingham’s Good People Brewing Co., one of the first and best-known Alabama breweries. In the works are new designs featuring logos from Louisiana-based Abita Brewing Co. and Trim Tab Brewing Co. in Birmingham, Smith said. “We also have official SEC-logoed growlers that come with a second cap so you can transform them into a penny jar,” he said. Growlers come in 32-ounce and 64-ounce sizes. Most bottles and jugs are $5 and $6; the SEC logo jugs are a little more expensive, Smith said. “The total cost typically ranges from $8 to $25, depending on how rare the beer is and its alcohol content,” he said. Among the long line of taps behind the bar are four taps of each of Druid City and Black Warrior beers. “We have a niche with the Alabama beers but also have national and international beers,” Smith said. “We’re trying to focus on beers that are harder to find.” For designated drivers or nondrinkers, Loosa Brews has Abita root beer on tap and just added an espresso machine with Octane Coffee. More than 80 varieties of wine are displayed on one wall of the establishment. A $5 corkage fee allows customers to buy wine at the store and drink it there, too. Having a place to sell growlers was a main reason for starting Loosa Brews, Smith said. Another reason was to give home brewers a place in Tuscaloosa to buy supplies, including beer-making ingredients and equipment. “This is a fun hobby for a lot of folks,” Smith said. In the home brew room is a mill for milling grain ingredients as well as brewing pots and sanitizing solutions. Plus, there’s a pingpong table. “We’re having Home Brew Sunday Fun Days, which are live workshops for home brewers,” Smith said. “There’s a collaboration station to check out recipes and bounce recipes off each other and to learn new things about the process. They can learn to carbonate, to test for alcohol content. It’s very hands-on.”

Some home brew societies meet at Loosa Brews, he said. Smith first got into the craft beer market five years ago when he opened Alcove International Tavern in Tuscaloosa. “I was already selling a wide selection of craft beers at Alcove,” he said. “I use seven different suppliers, but there, I couldn’t carry all the beers I wanted to at the same time because the place is too small.” That’s not a problem at Loosa Brews. The building at 412 20th Ave. has room for seating and selling areas, the long bar, the home brew room and a walk-in cooler. “We wanted a downtown location,” Smith

TOP: Rows of beer taps offer patrons a huge variety to choose from, including local beers. ABOVE: Glass growler containers allow shoppers to take home a fresh sampling of any beer they’d like, and bring it back for refills.

Loosa Brews is open Tuesday-Thursday from noon to 10 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 11 p.m. and on Sundays from 2-8 p.m.

>> 15

TM_041015_015.indd 15

3/29/2015 7:23:53 PM

SPIRITS said. “Being centrally located was part of the strategy.” Smith said he and Lee intended Loosa Brews to be a place for hanging out. “Our slogan is ‘Hang Loose, Drink Loosa,’ ” Smith said. To encourage folks to stick around, he and Lee put careful thought into the building’s interior look. Near the front door is a sitting area with a velvet couch, wing chairs and tables made from wooden cable spools. An old drink cooler, 1846 pipe organ and a cruiser bike that Smith hung on the wall add to the vintage vibe. Display shelves for the packaged beers are made from hardwood and 80-year-old shutters imported from India. The result is a place where even grandma might feel at home — if grandma’s pretty cool and really, really likes beer. But Loosa Brews has plenty of contemporary elements, too. Two digital menu screens behind the bar show what’s on tap. Between the screens is a large TV often tuned to athletic events. “We wanted the place to be cozy and welcoming with both an antique and a modern feel,” Smith said. Smith said the craft beer industry is big in Alabama. “Over the last five years, we’ve had 20-something breweries pop up in Alabama, and the total now may be close to 30,” he said. “Alabama’s really embraced the craft beer movement. But you do wonder, how many breweries can we handle?”

Customers now are more demanding when it comes to a beer’s quality, he said. “You can’t just rely on the novelty of being a new brewery, and I think that’s a good thing,” he said. As the business grows, Loosa Brews will host beer and wine tastings and team up with local restaurants for food and beer pairing events, Smith said. “We have a patio area out back that we plan to fix up this summer,” he said. “We have tin signs, posters and T-shirts from Alabama breweries. I foresee us having a boutique brewery clothing section.”

A Community Bank built by Alabamians, for

If beer isn’t your beverage of choice, Loosa Brews carries a large selection of wines, and also has an espresso machine serving up Octane coffee.

Alabamians. Because Bryant Bank offices are located only in Alabama, your deposits help provide growth for your very own community. Join the Bryant Bank Family today, so you can spend more time focusing on growing your family and business, while Bryant Bankers focus on helping you attain your financial goals.

Patty Owens Northport

Patrick Hamner Tuscaloosa

Regina Sharp North River

Tuscaloosa | North River | Northport (205) 464-4646 | BryantBank.com 16

TM_041015_016.indd 16

3/29/2015 7:24:47 PM

NEW IN TOWN

Have tea, will travel: Tuscaloosa couple brews up a fresh new food truck idea

WELCOME TO

ea for two? Jonathan Gardner is thinking more along the line of tea for thousands — or hundreds, at least. Gardner and his wife, Becca, have brewed up a fresh idea for a mobile food business. They’ve started Tea Town Alabama to sell hot and cold teas by the cup. “We had this idea last August,” Gardner said. “We were ready to roll at the beginning of October.” Don’t visit their truck — which started life as a horse trailer — expecting plain old Lipton. “We buy some of our ingredients from local farms, like Snow’s Bend and Belle Meadow, and order others from an organic fair trade market,” Jonathan Gardner said. While the menu changes, customers might expect to find teas made with fresh ingredients like ginger, fennel, nettle, rosemary, basil and sage. While a tea truck is a little unusual, starting their own food business wasn’t a big stretch for the couple. Gardner, a Gadsden native, worked in kitchens while he was in college, he said, and he and his wife ran a Young Life ranch in California for several years.

tea town

TM_041015_017.indd 17

BY DONNA CORNELIUS PHOTOS BY ERIN NELSON

3/30/2015 6:17:26 PM

NEW IN TOWN

Jonathan and Becca Gardner converted an old horse trailer to sell their own organic, handcrafted herbal teas in Tuscaloosa.

“We lived in the Sierra Nevada mountains and had chickens, goats and a garden,” he said. “It was like ‘Little House on the Prairie.’ ” With four young children, the couple wanted to move closer to their families, Gardner said. They moved to Tuscaloosa two and a half years ago into a house his grandparents built in the 1940s. He worked at Snow’s Bend Farm in Coker for a while, he said. “My wife was a stay-at-home mom while our kids were little,” Gardner said. “Now she’s a math teacher at Northridge High School.” The Gardners are “big tea drinkers,” he said. “Becca has made our

own blends.” Fully equipped food trucks can be expensive, and the couple didn’t need a full-blown kitchen in their vehicle. Instead, they opted for a do-it-yourself project. “We did some research and saw this horse trailer that had been made into a bar,” Gardner said. They used recycled metal roofing and wooden pallets to transform the trailer’s interior into a service area. Inside and out, Becca Gardner used her artistic skills to pretty it up. “Our first time out, we were very nervous,” Gardner said. “We made our chai, and it tasted horrible — and we had about an hour to go before we opened. But it turned out really good.” Tea Town Alabama is at the Tuscaloosa Farmers Market at the River Market on Jack Warner Parkway on Saturdays and often at downtown Northport’s Art Night on the first Thursday of every month. They also take the truck to some special events. “This isn’t an everyday thing for us,” Gardner said. There are usually about 10 to 15 tea choices on the menu, he said. “We’ll list the teas and their ingredients on our board,” he said. If Tea Town’s flavor combinations are intriguing, the list of what’s in them might prompt a botany lesson. Happy Man, for example, has dandelion (and you thought that was just a nuisance), eleuthero (a kind of ginseng), burdock (a root vegetable), hawthorn (related to the rose and a time-tested tea ingredient) and saw palmetto berries (from a palm tree that grows in the southeastern United States). But those who want more traditional flavors needn’t worry. “We almost always have lavender Earl Grey,” Gardner said. “Our Green Sunrise Tea is popular. We’re trying out non-sweetened chai.” Most of Tea Town’s herbal teas don’t have caffeine.

2625 U i it B l 2625 University Boulevard 205.342.0055

TM_041015_018.indd 18

3/29/2015 7:25:11 PM

NEW IN TOWN

Just as customers shouldn’t expect pedestrian tea flavors, neither should they anticipate being served tea in fine china, “Downton Abbey” style. The tea comes in 16-ounce biodegradable cups and costs $4. Like many food truck vendors, Tea Town uses a commissary — an established commercial kitchen that already meets health department standards for food service. Tea Town uses Mary’s Cakes and Pastries in Northport as its commissary, Gardner said. “We buy milk from Manna Grocery and local honey from Ben’s Bees,” he said. “We also have organic sugar.” The Gardners take the weather into account when deciding how many hot and cold teas to offer. When the truck was at Tuscaloosa’s Holidays on the River event, hot chocolate was added. Abby Gardner, the couple’s 13-year-old daughter, helped out at the holiday event, Gardner said. The family also includes 10-year-old Joe, 7-year-old Trek and 5-year-old Dylan. Jonathan Gardner said Tea Town is attracting a “good mix of customers.” Some, he said, are more willing to try something new than others. “Women tend to be more open than men,” he said. The family is having a good time with its new venture, Gardner said — and that sense of fun often shows up on the menu board. A recent Tea Town listing was Memory Zest, billed as a “brain boost.” The ingredients were “gingko and something I forgot.”

TOP: Jonathan and Becca Gardner stand in front of the Tea Town trailer, which is at the Tuscaloosa Farmers Market every Saturday at the River Market on Jack Warner Parkway. ABOVE: Becca talks with a customer at the truck this past winter. The Gardners tailor their menu to the weather, offering more hot or cold beverages depending on the temperature and demand.

TM_041015_019.indd 19

3/29/2015 7:25:49 PM

DINING IN

LETâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S DO

BRUNCH!

Incredible Waffles are topped with Maple Spiced Whipped Cream and fresh strawberries and served with a side of Praline Bacon.

TM_041015_020.indd 20

3/29/2015 7:26:39 PM

DINING IN

IT’S NOT BREAKFAST AND IT’S NOT LUNCH, BUT IT IS A GREAT WAY TO TREAT MOMS, BRIDES – OR JUST YOURSELF! BY DONNA CORNELIUS PHOTOS BY ROBERT SUTTON

he early bird may get the worm, but the early-rising cook can offer guests something far more delicious. Brunch can be the perfect vehicle for celebrating special springtime events. Sure, mom’s not going to ruin Mother’s Day by saying she’s not wild about toaster pancakes. But treat her to Belgian waffles and praline bacon, and you’ve bought yourself that Favorite Child designation for at least another year. Bridal showers and even birthday parties can go the brunch route, too. In our last issue, Kelly Pridgen shared her favorite edible Christmas gifts with Tuscaloosa magazine. This time around, she’s put together a delicious lineup of brunch dishes. With these recipes, you needn’t get up at 3 a.m. to start cooking. “You can do a lot ahead of time,” Pridgen said. “You can make the grits ahead the night before and bring them to room temperature before you cook them, and you can mix up the quiche filling ahead of time.” The champagne granita is an especially smart choice, Pridgen said, because it can be made as long as a week in advance. Add to these dishes some good coffee, pretty dishes and fresh spring flowers, and you’ve got yourself an event that’s a real treat. Then you can take the rest of the day off and bask in the glory of your successful brunch.

Glittery Champagne Granita This needs to be mixed up and put in the freezer at least 24 hours before you plan to serve it, Pridgen said. For more information about edible gold leaf, see our Foodie News section. The recipe is from Dominique Ansel, who created the “cronut.” Ingredients: 350 grams of water (about 1½ cups) 350 grams of granulated sugar (about 1½ cups plus one teaspoon) 1 bottle of Brut Rose champagne (or any pink champagne or sparkling wine) 2 sheets of 24-karat edible gold leaf Heavy cream, for serving, (optional) Directions: Combine the water and sugar. Whisk

until all the sugar melts. Cook over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Add one bottle of champagne to this mixture. Carefully remove two sheets of the gold leaf and mix into the champagne mixture until it breaks up into tiny flecks. Pour the mixture into a shallow casserole dish and place it over ice briefly before putting it in the freezer. Scrape the top of the granita with a fork occasionally during freezing process. To serve, whip the heavy cream. For every cup of heavy cream, add about 2 tablespoons of sugar. Fluff up the granita by scraping it with a fork again. Scoop into champagne flutes and top with a dollop of whipped cream. Serves 10-12.

>> 21

TM_041015_021.indd 21

3/29/2015 7:27:20 PM

Finding a gorgeous, hilly lot close ose to town but with enough ACREAGE used to be like finding a needle in a haystack. Then along came Martin Farms. Twenty enty- plus acres only two miles from your favorite grocery store? IT’S S LIKE FOR A FARM

Munny Sokol Park

A DREAM COME TRUE. 62 Tuscaloosa Academy

You’ve got the best of both worlds: rlds: a rural hideaway with a vibrant city JUST A STONE’S THROW W AWAY.

North N orth of the River

Paradise Found.

Homesites from $26,000 to $86,000.

Lake Crest • NorthRiver® Neptune’s Cove • The Lakes at NorthRiver® Quiet | Peaceful | Spacious | Private | Scenic FOR MORE INFO CONTACT:

advantagerealtygroup.com

TM_041015_022.indd 22

Yo u m a y n e v e r w a n t t o l e a v e h o m e .

westervelthomesites.com

3/30/15 3:59 PM

DINING IN

Marinated Asparagus with Pecans Pridgen toasts the pecans in this recipe before using them. She also steams fresh asparagus for 3-6 minutes and then plunges it into ice water to keep it bright green. This recipe is from the Junior League of Memphis’ “Heart and Soul” cookbook.

Seafood Quiche This dish will be a star at your brunch, but there’s no reason you can’t whip one up for dinner, too. Ingredients: 1 9-inch pie crust ½ cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons ﬂour ½ cup milk 8 ounces lump crabmeat, shrimp, lobster or any combination 5 ounces shredded Swiss cheese (you can use up to 8 ounces) 1 ⁄3 cup chopped green onions ½ teaspoon salt Chopped Italian parsley and paprika to garnish, if desired Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pie crust until slightly browned. Combine all ingredients except garnishes. Pour ﬁlling into crust and bake for 45 minutes or until top is golden brown. Cover the crust edges if they get too brown. Remove from oven and let stand for 5-10 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and paprika before serving.

Ingredients: 2 pounds fresh asparagus or 3 10-ounce packages frozen asparagus ¼ cup sugar ¼ cup white vinegar ¼ cup soy sauce 2 tablespoons cooking oil ¼ cup ﬁnely chopped pecans Lettuce leaves Directions: If you’re using fresh asparagus: Snap off and discard tough ends. If desired, scrape off scales. Place in a 13x9x2inch baking dish with 2 tablespoons water. Microwave on high power for 5-7 minutes, or until crisp-tender and bright green, rearranging once. You can also cook, covered, in a small amount of boiling water for 6-8 minutes or until crisptender. If you’re using frozen asparagus: Cook according to package directions. Drain and rinse in cold water. Arrange cooked asparagus in the same baking dish. For the marinade, combine in a small bowl sugar, vinegar, soy sauce and oil. Stir in pecans. Pour over asparagus. Cover and chill at least 8 hours. To serve, drain asparagus, reserving the marinade, and place on a lettuce-lined platter, drizzling with additional marinade. Makes 6-8 servings.

Gruyere Cheese Grits Pridgen said she likes to use stone-ground grits in this recipe. If you can’t ﬁnd them, the grocery store variety will work — but not, God forbid, the instant version. This is another recipe from “Southern Scrumptious” by Betty Sims. Ingredients: 4 cups milk 1 cup grits

½ cup butter 1 egg, beaten 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground white pepper 1 ⁄3 cup butter 4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese Directions: Bring the milk to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently. Add the grits

and ½ cup butter and mix well. Cook for 5 minutes or until mixture is the consistency of oatmeal, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Add a small amount of the hot mixture to the egg; add the egg to the hot mixture. Stir in the salt and white pepper. Add 1⁄3 cup butter and the Gruyere cheese and mix well. Spoon into a 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

TM_041015_023.indd 23

3/29/2015 7:27:51 PM

M A K I NG YOU R

Dreams A Reality

3710 RESOURCE DRIVE | TUSCALO OSA, ALABAMA 35401 | 205.345.4800 TM_041015_024.indd 24

3/30/15 4:05 PM

DINING IN If you thought there was no way to improve on bacon — which, contrary to pro-egg folks’ opinions, is nature’s perfect food — think again. Pridgen found this recipe in “Southern Scrumptious” by Betty Sims of Decatur. Ingredients: 1 pound (12 slices) thick-sliced bacon 3 tablespoons sugar 1½ teaspoons chili powder ¼ cup ﬁnely chopped pecans Directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Arrange bacon in a single layer on a broiler rack. Bake on middle oven rack for 10 minutes or just until bacon begins to turn golden brown. Sprinkle the bacon with a mixture of the sugar and chili powder. Then sprinkle with pecans. Bake 5 minutes longer or until bacon is brown and crisp. Drain praline-side up on paper towels.

Praline Bacon Incredible Waffles Use a Belgian waffle maker to get thicker waffles. Pridgen likes the Waring Pro Belgian Waffle Maker, available on Amazon. She serves her waffles with sliced, lightly sugared strawberries and Maple Spiced Whipped Cream. The recipe is from the Junior League of Birmingham’s “Food for Thought” cookbook. Ingredients: 2 cups biscuit mix ½ cup vegetable oil 1 egg 11⁄3 cups club soda (1 10-ounce bottle) Directions: Combine biscuit mix and oil and mix in egg with a whisk or fork. Add club soda and mix well. Pour batter into a preheated, greased waffle iron. Cook 4-5 minutes or until done.

The amaretto glaze soaks into this cake and gives it extra ﬂavor. Ingredients for cake: 1¼ cups salted butter, softened 3 ounces cream cheese, softened 2½ cups sugar 3 tablespoons amaretto liqueur ½ teaspoon almond extract 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 6 large eggs 2½ cups (330 grams) all-purpose ﬂour, sifted Powdered sugar Ingredients for amaretto glaze: ¾ cup sugar 6 tablespoons salted butter ¼ cup amaretto liqueur 2 tablespoons water Directions: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until

creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add amaretto and almond and vanilla extracts. Beat until just blended. Add eggs and flour, alternating in three additions, beating on low speed after each addition. Pour batter into a greased and floured 12cup Bundt pan. Bake for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden tester comes out clean. Leaving cake in pan, gradually spoon hot glaze over hot cake until all the glaze is used. (Allow it to soak in as you are spooning it over the cake.) Cool cake completely in the pan on a wire rack, about 1½ to 2 hours. Invert onto serving plate. Dust with powdered sugar before serving. For glaze: During the last 10 minutes of baking, bring glaze ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium-low, and boil, stirring constantly, for three minutes. Remove from heat and use immediately.

Maple Spiced Whipped Cream Pridgen said if you want to be really bold, try using Chinese Five Spice powder instead of the chili powder. She likes using an iSi whipped cream dispenser, but you can use a stand or handheld mixer. Or if you live off the grid, whip the stuff by hand. Ingredients: 8 ounces heavy cream 2 tablespoons maple syrup or maple sugar 1 ⁄8 teaspoon chili powder 1 ⁄8 teaspoon cinnamon Directions: Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whip until the cream forms soft peaks.

Almond-Amaretto Pound Cake

TM_041015_025.indd 25

3/27/2015 5:08:35 PM

FOODIE NEWS BY DONNA CORNELIUS, THE SNOOTY FOODIE | PHOTOS BY ROBERT SUTTON

Special delivery

You’re at a restaurant. A smiling waitperson approaches. “Hi! I’m Edward, and I’ll be your server tonight,” he says. Usually the next words out of Ed’s mouth pose another quandary: “Would you like to hear the specials?” I’m often tempted to borrow a line from Jerry Seinfeld: “I don’t want to hear the specials. If they’re so special, put ’em on the menu.” Until recently, I couldn’t figure out how specials become specials, although this comes under the heading of Things People Who Call Themselves the Snooty Foodie Ought to Know. So I did some research. It turns out that specials most often appear on the menu when the restaurant is able to obtain a normally hard-to-find item. For example, if a chef’s fishmonger says, “Hey, this week I can get you some really good branzino,” or the cheesemonger comes across some weirdly wonderful and stinky cheese, then the chef wants to spotlight it and offer it to his customers. I wonder how one gets to be a monger. But back to the specials. They can also serve as promotions or, I suspect, a way to get rid of a glut of something (think of the home version of specials, like serving variations of Easter ham well into June). Whatever the reason they’re offered, specials are often described in very tempting terms. I’m a sucker when I hear “topped with crabmeat” or some posh-sounding sauce. What I don’t hear, often, is the price. That forces me into the awkward position of appearing to be Mrs. Tightwad and asking for this information, even though I feel like I’m forcing the server to divulge a state secret. My husband never minds asking. He also isn’t shy about going “Whoo!” if he thinks the price is exorbitant. I liked the approach of a server who recently gave us a lengthy spiel on the provenance of a special fish offering. He shared with us where the fish had most recently been swimming, why it happened to be available during that time of year, and pretty much everything except the name of the fish’s mom and dad. Then he winked and said, “I could have pretty much told you anything, couldn’t I?”

GLUTEN-FREE GOODIES When Carol Key was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2003, her food options were pretty limited, she said. “I’d be in the grocery store, and after an hour I’d have almost nothing in my buggy,” Key said. “Then, there weren’t many special gluten-free sections, and I’d have to stop and read the labels of everything.” Celiac disease and gluten intolerance are conditions that cause the body to reject nutrients provided by the gluten protein. Gluten is found in wheat, rye and barley products. Key said she especially missed sweet treats and figured that others with gluten intolerance did, too. To fill that yen, she opened the Funky Muffin, a dedicated gluten-free bakery, two years ago in Birmingham. Among the bakery’s offerings are breads, cakes, cookies, muffins and doughnuts. House-made graham crackers and Cheese ’Ems — crispy little cheese wafers — are popular choices, she said. The bakery also serves lunch. “We have quite a few customers from Tuscaloosa,” Key said. The Funky Muffin offers custom-decorated cakes. That’s a real gift to children on gluten-free diets, since it’s no fun if you can’t eat your own birthday cake. The Funky Muffin is at 4647-B U.S. Highway 280. The bakery will ship to any place in the United States, Key said. For more information, visit thefunkymuffinbakery.com or call 205-408-9825. Chocolate Mud Cookies and a Chocolate Cupcake from the Funky Muffin.

- Donna

TM_041015_026.indd 26

3/30/2015 6:18:02 PM

FOODIE NEWS

GOING TO POT

Container gardens are an easy way to keep fresh herbs and vegetables available for your summer recipes.

This time of year, Neal Hargle knows questions about container gardening will sprout up. Hargle, an Alabama Cooperative Extension System county extension agent, said container gardening is a “big thing” in the Tuscaloosa area. And inquiring gardeners want to know how to help their potted plants thrive. “I might get a call from an older lady who doesn’t have the land for a garden anymore or from someone who wants to plant herbs but isn’t familiar with them,” he said. Patio and porch plants can be a cook’s best friends. By planting tomatoes, strawberries and herbs in pots, you get easy access to fresh ingredients without having to tend a large garden. Hargle, who said he likes to cook, offered a few tips for cheffriendly container gardening: • Buy transplants and not seeds for quicker results — and buy local whenever possible. The Tuscaloosa area has several farmers markets and garden centers where you can find veggies and herbs that will thrive in our climate, Hargle said. • Clay and glass pots can crack, so unless you want to haul your containers inside in extreme temperatures, Hargle advises using pots made of plastic or composite materials. • Potting mix, not potting soil, is a better choice for container plants. Potting mix is blended to hold the right amount of moisture for potted plants, he said. • Herbs give you a lot of bang for your buck, Hargle said. Most are inexpensive, and a few sprigs of, say, fresh thyme can really perk up plain old pork chops. • Many herbs work better in containers than in the garden because they tend to spread out of their beds. Mint, for example, can quickly take over your yard if it’s not confined. • Some plants make good partners. “You can plant basil, oregano and tomatoes in the same pot and have most of the makings for a salad and vinaigrette,” Hargle said. • Think outside the container and choose some unusual plants. “Pansy petals are edible, and marigold petals have a sweet flavor,” Hargle said. Still have questions? Now that it’s spring, you won’t be the only one. You can call Hargle at 205-349-4630 or email him at pnh0003@aces.edu.

TM_041015_027.indd 27

3/31/2015 6:16:43 PM

CARPET • CERAMIC • MARBLE • GRANITE TOPS • HARDWOOD • AREA RUGS • STACKED ROCK

915 31st Ave. • Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 • (205)-345-1735

TM_041015_028.indd 28

3/30/15 4:08 PM

FOODIE NEWS

GREAT CATCH:

SPRAYBERRY CENTER’S SECOND COOKBOOK HAS A BASEBALL THEME It’s not surprising that the Sprayberry Education Center’s first cookbook had a football theme. We are in Tuscaloosa, after all. The center’s new collection of recipes, “Game Day Specialties II,” plays off another sport: baseball. More than half the University of Alabama baseball team participated in the project, said Carla Allen, the school’s PTO president. Former players, coaches, pros and baseball folks from other SEC schools pitched in, too. Recipes are divided into sections like Top of the Order for appetizers and the Sweet Spot for cookies and candy. Several Louisiana-inspired recipes in the cookbook are from Kim Gaspard, wife of UA head baseball coach Mitch Gaspard. She’s a Sprayberry supporter, as is the entire UA team, Allen said. David Robertson, a former UA pitcher now with the New York Yankees, sent a recipe for one of his favorite sweet treats. Robertson listed his favorite brands for some of the ingredients, but he probably won’t mind if you make substitutions.

DAVID ROBERTSON’S FAVORITE NO COOK BANANA PUDDING Ingredients: 1 large package instant vanilla Jell-O pudding mix 2 cups cold milk 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk 1 24-ounce container frozen Cool Whip, thawed 1 16-ounce package vanilla wafers 4 to 6 bananas, sliced Directions: In a large mixing bowl, beat pudding mix and milk. Blend in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Fold in thawed whipped topping. Layer vanilla wafers, bananas and pudding mixture in a serving bowl. Chill until ready to serve. Makes 15-20 servings. “Game Day Specialties II” is available at Sprayberry Education Center, 1324 Rice Mine Road in Northport, and at Anna Kate & Co., 1825 McFarland Blvd. N., Tuscaloosa. Proceeds benefit school projects, including a new playground, Allen said.

TM_041015_029.indd 29

3/30/2015 6:18:22 PM

The ALL NEW 2015 Nissan Murano

THE 2015 NISSAN MURANO® Inspired by the future of aerospace, Murano’s striking aerodynamic body looks as though it was shaped by the wind. Tall, short, long, wide, big .... whatever it is, Murano’s flexible cargo space can handle it all. To nearly double your cargo volume to 69.9 cubic feet, simply collapse the 60/40 split rear seats with just the pull of a lever. Pull that lever again and they’ll power up automatically. And with details like the Around View Monitor® with moving object detection, you will experience the magic that is Murano. This system uses cameras in the front, rear, and side mirrors to build a composite overhead view of your Murano and your immediate surroundings, providing for 360 degrees of safety.

TOWNSEND NISSAN 2620 SKYLAND BLVD E • TUSCALOOSA, AL 35405 • 205.561.3993

www.townsendnissan.com TM_041015_030.indd 30

3/30/15 4:11 PM

FOODIE NEWS

Mr. Chen’s steamed buns can be topped with your favorite sandwich fillers for an easy appetizer.

ONLINE FIND:

GOLD STANDARD

FUN ON A BUN

Kelly Pridgen added glitz and glamour to her pink champagne granita with this edible gold leaf. It’s easy to use. You just peel off a little and crumble it in. The only hard part is the peeling. You can find it at Amazon, Sur La Table and other online vendors. It’s a tad pricey, but for a bit of sparkle, go ahead — go for the gold.

My family was thrilled when we realized our visit to Disney World last October coincided with the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival. It was much easier to endure “It’s a Small World” when you knew that right afterward, you could pop over to Epcot and have something like lobster and scallop fisherman’s pie from Ireland or, even better, a glass of wine from France’s festival booth. One dish we liked was in the China section: the Beijing Roasted Duck in Hoisin Sauce, served on a soft, moist steamed bun. And yay! You can find steamed buns right here in Tuscaloosa at the market at Mr. Chen’s restaurant, 514 14th St. The buns at Mr. Chen’s are frozen, so for the best results, allow time for them to defrost in the fridge. Then wrap them in dampened paper towels and pop them into the microwave. If you find that you are completely out of roast duck, you can fill the buns with whatever you like. An easy combination is slices of roast chicken from the grocery store deli with some cucumbers, red peppers and green onions added. Splash on a bit of hoisin sauce or mix Sriracha with mayonnaise — or try both.

TM_041015_031.indd 31

3/29/2015 7:31:54 PM

IT’S ALLERGY SEASON “We treat your family like our own”

Tuscaloosa Ear, Nose and Throat Center specializes in the treatment of ear, nose and throat disorders. Our Board Certified Otolaryngologists and dedicated staff strive to provide the highest level of professionalism to each and every patient, thereby building a long-lasting relationship of trust and commitment. It is our goal to make your visits comfortable and pleasant while providing the best medical and surgical services in West Alabama and its surrounding areas.

(left to right): Gary M. Lake, III, MD • David B. Rosenstiel, MD • Carl R. Stephenson, III, MD • Lee H. Loftin, MD • James E. Shotts, Jr., MD

1300 McFarland Blvd NE Suite 150 Tuscaloosa, AL 35406 205.758.9041

NOW ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS No Referrals Necessary 32

TM_041015_032.indd 32

3/30/15 4:13 PM

FOODIE NEWS

SOME LIKE IT HOT Is there anything worse than being caught without your Sriracha? Well, maybe a raging case of the bubonic plague, but still. Sriracha2Go is a small plastic vial that can be hooked on your keychain or stuffed in your pocket or purse. In the latter two cases, you’ll want to make sure the top is on tight, or all Sriracha hell may break loose. If you don’t know what Sriracha is, you probably will want to stop reading. But just FYI, it’s a spicy sauce made with chili and garlic, and it’s become a go-to condiment for folks who like its kick. Find this hot little number at sriracha2Go.com or through Amazon.

Going to the dogs My son, Wade, is a dog lover and coffee lover, as is his mom, and he gets credit for finding a California-based coffee purveyor that cares about the same things. Grounds and Hounds Coffee Co. will donate 20 percent of its proceeds to one of its dog rescue partners located closest to you. The coffee is rich, fresh and also great for gift-giving to University of Alabama fans because the bags have a houndstooth motif. To order and to see a list of the company’s rescue partners, visit www. groundsandhoundscoffee.com.

TM_041015_033.indd 33

3/30/2015 6:20:05 PM

The New Sprinter

Safety is Never a Luxury

Cargo Vans | Crew Vans | Passenger Vans | Cab Chassis | Minibus

Starting At:

Available At:

35,920

2500 Cargo Van 144", Low Roof, 4-Cylinder

3200 Skyland Blvd., E, Tuscaloosa, AL 35405 205-556-1111 leighautomotive.com * Excludes all options, taxes, title, registration, transportation charge and dealer prep fee.

TM_041015_034.indd 34

3/30/15 4:14 PM

FOODIE NEWS

EPICUREAN EVENTS APRIL 18

GUMBO GALA, BIRMINGHAM More than 40 teams, from pros to backyard cooks, will compete in the 10th edition of the Episcopal Place Gumbo Gala at Regions Park. The event is from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the game. Children 12 and younger get in free. For tickets or more information, visit www.gumbogala.com.

APRIL 25

KYMULGA GRITS FESTIVAL, CHILDERSBURG This annual creekside festival at the Kymulga Grist Mill has shrimp and grits plus arts and crafts, wagon rides, corn grinding and a petting farm. Admission is free. Hours are 9 a.m.-4 p.m. For more information and directions, visit www.kymulgagristmill.com.

MAY 7

WEST ALABAMA FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL, TUSCALOOSA Check out food and drinks from Tuscaloosa-area restaurants and vendors at this third annual festival. This year, it’s at the Hotel Capstone at 6 p.m. The event will include entertainment and, for the first time, a silent auction. Proceeds benefit the West Alabama Chapter of the American Red Cross. Tickets are $55 for individuals and $100 for a couple. For tickets, information and a list of participants, visit westalabama foodandwine.org or the organization’s Facebook page.

MAY 9

WAVES OF WINE, ORANGE BEACH

MAY 2-3

SOUTHERN MAKERS, MONTGOMERY This two-day event at Montgomery’s Union Station explores contemporary Alabama-based food and design with demos, tastings and a market with goods from Southern artisans and chefs. All proceeds go to E.A.T. South, a nonprofit organization that encourages healthy lifestyles through education and food production in urban areas throughout the Southeast. Weekend and single-day tickets are available. To buy tickets or for more information, visit www. southernmakers.com or www.facebook.com/southern makers.

Sample more than 120 wines at this annual festival at 28101 Perdido Beach Blvd. Food from Orange Beach restaurants like Cobalt and Cosmo’s will be available, too. Tickets, $35 in advance and $45 at the gate, include a custom wine glass and wine bag. To buy tickets or for more information, visit wavesofwine.com.

MAY 16

AMERICA ON TAP, TUSCALOOSA Those who attend this festival at Government Plaza downtown can sample more than 100 craft beers and imports. America on Tap also includes food for purchase and music. The event is from 3:30-6 p.m. with a VIP hour at 2:30 p.m. Standard tickets are $35 in advance and $45 at the gate. VIP admission is $50 in advance and $60 at the gate. To buy tickets or for more information, visit america ontap.com or the organization’s Facebook page.

TM_041015_035.indd 35

3/29/2015 7:34:57 PM

COVER STORY

TM_041015_036.indd 36

3/29/2015 3:33:14 PM

COVER STORY

Wilder 2.0

THE EVOLUTION OF TUSCALOOSA’S WORLD CHAMPION HEAVYWEIGHT BOXER BY D.C. REEVES | PHOTOS BY ROBERT SUTTON

here was a day not long ago when Deontay Wilder could go most anywhere — the airport, the gas station, the store — unnoticed. That changed on Jan. 17 when Wilder beat Bermane Stiverne at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas to win the World Boxing Council heavyweight title, becoming the first American heavyweight to win a world championship since 2006. Since then, he’s been immersed in the life of a champion. Interviews. Attention. Even a parade in his honor that rolled north down Greensboro Avenue to the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater last month. “It has been crazy. It’s been fun, too, exciting, all in one package,” Wilder said. “Dealing with a lot of people, fans, going to a lot of events, marketing, getting my face out there among everybody ... it’s been good, though, and it’s been good for boxing, too. Everybody, especially back home, there’s been a lot of excitement. I can’t really go anywhere.” We’ve reached Wilder 2.0, a Tuscaloosan whose rapidly rising fame is as expeditious as his ascension in boxing. Going from 2008 Olympic bronze medalist to knockout specialist to today when Wilder, 29, now has to balance his gregarious, talkative persona with the need for privacy. The most recognizable face in Tuscaloosa this side of University of Alabama football coach Nick Saban — and Wilder’s 6-foot-6 frame is not exactly a veiling trait — is still learning how to handle all the new attention. “Everywhere I go, I’m getting recognized, no matter

where it is at — airport, now, no matter what city or state I’m in,” said Wilder, who has been presented with this juxtaposition: Few famous athletes are more accommodating when it comes to engaging fans, but few in boxing are dealing with the level of attention now circling Wilder nationwide. He’s learning to balance both as best he can. “Somebody would love to be in your position, so I’m taking full advantage of my opportunity, my position, where I am and who I am,” Wilder said, “so when I say I’m tired or say it gets tiring, it’s not to the point where I’m complaining, because as a human you’re going to complain, but it’s a good tired. I’m enjoying it.”

RISING FAME Wilder, whose skill level and resume of opponents were questioned all the way into the ring against Stiverne in January, answered his doubters with a clinical unanimous-decision victory. Known previously for his electric knockouts — which certainly adds to his fame in the sport — Wilder instead outboxed the 37-year-old Stiverne in dominating fashion. His new world began immediately. Even Wilder’s exit from the MGM Grand media room after the fight was of rock-star caliber. With family, friends and associates flanking him, Wilder was escorted through a back hallway, through a kitchen and out of an unmarked door to avoid the crowd of people hoping to get a glimpse

TM_041015_037.indd 37

3/30/2015 6:20:39 PM

Here is where two lives become one. A wedding is a beautiful time to think about the future. Theirs, and yours. Bank of Tuscaloosa is a bouquet-toss away, with wealth management advisors ready to help make sure every day is as bright as this one. Just like we have, right here, for generations. synovus.com/wealthmanagement

SERVING YOU LOCALLY AS

205.345.6200 bankoftuscaloosa.com Banking products are provided by Synovus Bank, Member FDIC. Divisions of Synovus Bank operate under multiple trade names across the Southeast. Investment products and services provided by Synovus are offered through Synovus Securities, Inc. Synovus Trust Company, N.A. GLOBALT Investments, a separately identifiable division of STC and Creative Financial Group. The registered broker-dealer offering brokerage products for Synovus is Synovus Securities, Inc. member FINRA/SIPC. Synovus Securities, Inc. is a subsidiary of Synovus Financial Corp and an affiliate of Synovus Bank. Synovus Trust Company, N.A. is a subsidiary of Synovus Bank. NOT FDIC INSURED

TM_041015_038.indd 38

NO BANK GUARANTEE

MAY LOSE VALUE

3/30/15 4:15 PM

COVER STORY

PHOTOS | ERIN NELSON

of the new champ. Soon after, Wilder spent the week leading up to the Super Bowl toting his green championship belt around Arizona, using the time to network and make television and radio appearances. He went to New York City for NBA All-Star Weekend to do the same a few weeks later. Wilder provides the sport with something it hasn’t enjoyed in years: a flashy, dominating, charismatic American heavyweight champion. Though Shannon Briggs was the last American to hold a world heavyweight title in 2006, it has been 16 years since a household name, Evander Holyfield, held a title for any significant period of time. Many experts saw this coming, provided Wilder could get past Stiverne, clearly his toughest test to date. Wilder earned a $1 million purse for the January fight compared with Stiverne’s $910,000, a clear acknowledgement that Wilder, even as the challenger, was the one bringing eyeballs to the bout. “That’s an indication that the powers that be think he can possibly be a star,” said longtime boxing writer Nigel Collins, who covers boxing for ESPN.com. “He was, even though he was the challenger, he was the A-side of that fight, which is kind of rare. And the reason that he was was because he’s an American. The hunger for a great American heavyweight is strong. And he’s possibly that man.” The ratings for Wilder-Stiverne followed suit. Televised on Showtime, the fight pulled in an average of 1.24 million viewers and peaked at 1.34 million. According to Showtime (and not including pay-per-view bouts), that stands as the highest-rated bout on any premium network in the past 12 months and the highest-rated fight on Showtime in the past two years. Overall, Wilder-Stiverne ranked as Showtime’s fourth-highest-rated bout on record. “The public’s fascination with heavyweight boxers is very much alive,

ABOVE AND TOP: Deontay Wilder holds the World Boxing Council’s heavyweight championship belt during a parade and celebration in his honor in downtown Tuscaloosa in January.

TM_041015_039.indd 39

3/30/2015 6:22:29 PM

COVER STORY especially when there’s a young American potential champion,” said Stephen Espinoza, executive vice president and general manager of sports and event programming at Showtime. “He really brought the casual fan as well as the hardcore boxing fan out of the woodwork to watch it. And that speaks really well for his appeal within the sport and outside of the sport.”

Wilder has no contract guaranteeing a certain percentage of his purse to a promotional company because he used a clause to opt out of his longtime deal with Golden Boy Promotions in 2014. He has used Golden Boy on a fight-by-fight basis in his last two bouts. Having no promotional deal in place means Wilder can leverage his fast-rising fame to make a new deal with terms much more advantageous than the ones that would have been in his Golden Boy contract. WHAT’S NEXT FOR WILDER? He is not required to fight on any specific channel, but more success could lead to a Almost as sweet as the title itself is Wilder’s premium channel like HBO or Showtime position in most financial aspects of his casigning him to an exclusive deal for millions reer. He’s a free agent in many respects. of dollars. All of the sport’s biggest fighters The only contractual obligations Wilder has have been under exclusive TV contract deals. now are co-management deals with longtime He is not obligated to fight any mandatory trainer Jay Deas, a fellow Tuscaloosan who challenger. Like every boxing organization, discovered Wilder almost a decade ago, and the WBC mandates that its champion must two renowned boxing managers, Shelley fight one of its top contenders at least once Finkel and Al Haymon. Haymon, who signed per year. Wilder was obligated to fight Philaon as an adviser to Wilder in 2013, is widely delphia native Bryant Jennings for Wilder’s considered the most powerful match man in first title defense, but because Jennings opted boxing today. PHOTO | NOAH SUTTON to instead take a fight with WBA, IBF and “Everything is in his favor right now,” Deas Deontay Wilder waves to fans at the AlabamaWBO heavyweight champ Wladimir Klitschko said. “Because he’s the heavyweight champion Auburn basketball game on Jan. 24. in New York City in April, Jennings loses his of the world and he’s going to get the lion’s mandatory status. That leaves Wilder without a mandatory challenger, share in everything. He’s going to have more say in where (a fight) is at least in the short term. Wilder, who suffered a fractured hand in the held, when it is held, who we fight — which he wants the big fights. He’ll title fight, is scheduled to be 100 percent this spring and is in position to get all the benefits that come with being a champion.”

205-752-2990 205 752 2990

1218 University Blvd Tuscaloosa, Alabama LOCKER-ROOM.BIZ • 205-752-2990 • 1218 UNIVERSITY BLVD. • ON THE STRIP

THELOCKERROOM64 40

TM_041015_040.indd 40

3/31/2015 6:17:24 PM

COVER STORY

Wilder holds his WBC championship belt at Skyy Boxing, where his career began.

pick his opponent for a first title defense. Wilder has a title unification against Klitschko on his radar but knows it could take some time to come together. “I’ve got a lot of guys I want to fight. I definitely want to stay active; I want to fight the best of the best. Klitschko, that’s a fight that’s definitely going to happen, it’s not a matter of if but when,” Wilder said. “He’s got a lot of things lined up, he’s got a lot of mandatories.” With belt in hand, Wilder continues to be hungry. “My title right now is I’m the heavyweight champion of the world on the outside, but on the inside I still feel like a contender,” he said. “I feel that way because I know there’s more to gain. This is just a stepping stone.” At 29, Wilder hasn’t even reached what most consider the “prime” for heavyweight fighters. He feels he still has questions to answer about his ability — or at least he’s aware of the ones still out there. “Look, (Wilder) is a baby winning the title. It was his first title fight, there’ll be a time for unification, there’ll be a time for all those things; he could go and fight (Alexander) Povetkin (the No. 2 contender) in Russia and make $10 million,” Finkel said. “It’s not the right thing yet. Give him a couple of fights, maybe bring something back to Alabama. Let him develop just like any other athlete. They don’t take someone who is a great college prospect and throw him right in. And this kid is a great prospect.”

TUSCALOOSA’S CHAMP As proud as Wilder is of the belt and the fame, he keeps the same glimmer in his eye for his hometown. He has turned down bigger facili-

ties and more exposure in larger cities to stay home and train in a city with almost no boxing infrastructure, making his run to the title that much more impressive. “After the Olympics, people tried to draw me out of here. But I saw opportunity as far as Tuscaloosa is concerned to stay here and build here,” Wilder said. “We’ve had champions from the state of Alabama, but no one has stuck here and pursued their career because there was nothing going on as far as boxing-related. “This is where my heart is, Tuscaloosa. I love where I’m from. I’m a big believer in that it’s not where you’re from, it’s where you’re trying to go. You can go anywhere in the world if you’ve got the will, the dedication and you trust in God to allow him to take you where he wants to take you.” Wilder hopes to make it an easier place to develop for the next generation of boxers. He said he plans to build an upscale boxing facility in town in the future. Through it all, he’s also learning to embrace Wilder 2.0. “It’s just the beginning, because my goal is for it to be like it was back in the day when the heavyweight of the world stepped his feet on soil, no matter what is going on, all the attention came to where he was,” Wilder said, referencing renowned world champion Muhammad Ali. “I want to get back to that.” Until then, Wilder will be the hometown boy learning what it’s like to be champion. And now he’s even the most famous person in Tuscaloosa? “Definitely,” Wilder said with a smile. “There’s nothing like a heavyweight champion of the world. I think I’m the biggest. “Sorry, Nick.” 41

TM_041015_041.indd 41

3/29/2015 3:32:34 PM

The Rumble under your feet. The Wind in your hair. The Excitement on your face.

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the feel of the FORD Mustang!

NA0358213

5801 McFarland Blvd E | Tuscaloosa, AL 35405 | 205.752.0401 | townsendford.com

TM_041015_042.indd 42

3/30/15 4:16 PM

COVER STORY

Deontay Wilder warms up in the ring at Skyy Boxing with Jay Deas in 2009.

JAY DEAS, FOUNDER OF SKYY GYM AND LIFETIME BOXER, BROUGHT BOXING TO TUSCALOOSA AND FOUND A CHAMPION IN DEONTAY WILDER

BEHIND the RING BY D.C. REEVES PHOTOS BY ROBERT SUTTON

ears before all the knockouts, before the bronze medal and before a world heavyweight title became reality, Deontay Wilder was undiscovered potential that could easily have gone untapped. Good thing Jay Deas, like Wilder, followed his heart. Though Deas, a native Tuscaloosan,

was a boxing lifer, he played college baseball and spent his early professional years working as a television reporter in Alabama and Florida. He ditched that to follow his passion. Returning to a city devoid of much boxing history, he opened Skyy Gym in Northport in 1997, a no-frills boxing facility that would provide Deas, once a fighter himself, an opportunity to train and promote boxers. In 2005, a 20-year-old Wilder walked into the gym looking to fight for a few

>> 43

TM_041015_043.indd 43

3/31/2015 6:17:53 PM

COVER STORY

quick bucks to support his daughter Naieya, who was born with spina bifida, a congenital spinal disorder. Deas laced gloves on Wilder for the first time, and it quickly became much more than an expeditious cash grab. “He’s been great. Jay is one of the guys that has your best interest at heart, not looking to become famous or rich,” Wilder said. “And that’s how it has been with my career. I think a lot of things that have gone on in my life have turned out great because of him.” He came from a family that loved the sport — Deas’ father and two older brothers would drive to watch boxing shows throughout his childhood. “I remember being the only third-grader who knew who all the top-10 fighters were,” Deas said. Deas took it a step further, learning to box when he was 14 at Charlie’s Gym in Tuscaloosa. He fought a handful of amateur bouts and logged hundreds of rounds as a sparring partner — something he continues with some of Skyy Gym’s amateur fighters. “Jay could have been a hell of a fighter, no question about it,” said Jay’s oldest brother, Tommy Deas. A former boxing trainer himself, Tommy Deas is the executive sports editor at The Tuscaloosa News. “Just a lot of savvy, a real smart guy in the ring,” Tommy said. Jay Deas played baseball at Chipola Junior College in Marianna, Fla., and Spring Hill College in Mobile, but all the while, he still got his rounds in as a sparring partner for a host of professional fighters. He continued to do the same thing while making his living as a TV news reporter. “I had to be careful. So you’re in there sparring with guys and then you’re on the air; they don’t really like you to be all banged up,” Jay said. “Makeup is good.” Always realistic, he wasn’t waiting around for the next world heavyweight champion to walk through the door. He figured that between the gym and promotional work, he could make ends meet financially while fueling his passion for boxing. “There were no shortcuts,” Jay said. “We don’t get the guys coming into the gym who are 29-1 and they’re mad at their old trainer because they lost the one. We don’t get that. We get the guys that walk in the door.” One of those guys turned out to be one of the best in the world. Not only did Jay have something special, but the timing of Wilder’s arrival could not have been better.

TOP LEFT: Deas prepares to warm up his boxers at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater in 2011. Deontay Wilder and five other boxers from Skyy Boxing were on the card for the match. ABOVE: Jay Deas, left, helps Keandre Leatherwood tie his boxing gloves before he spars with a fellow boxer at Skyy Boxing in Northport on May 2, 2008. Leatherwood was the Southern Golden Gloves champion this past year.

TM_041015_044.indd 44

3/31/2015 6:18:30 PM

COVER STORY

FILE PHOTO | DUSTY COMPTON

“If he would have come along five years before, I don’t think we would have known what to do with him. But we had 10 years of promotional experience before he walked in, we knew who was who, what was what and all the players,” Jay said. “Deontay came at the right time. We were mature enough to handle a thoroughbred athlete that we wouldn’t have been five years before. I’ve always told Deontay that there’s something about his timing that was ‘touched by God’ kind of thing.” Wilder rumbled quickly through the boxing ranks. He won the Golden Gloves — the nation’s most prestigious amateur event — in 2006 as the least experienced boxer in the event. Again, he was the least expe-

rienced fighter when he went to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing but was the only U.S. boxer to medal, winning the bronze. Jay was his trainer the entire way. So there’s Wilder and a bright future, standing alongside Jay, whose decision to make boxing his career was paying off. Instead of using Wilder as a pedestal to prove his own worth — attempting to run Wilder’s career single-handedly — Jay didn’t hesitate to reach out for more help so Wilder could reach his potential. He brought in former world champion and 1984 Olympic gold

>> 45

TM_041015_045.indd 45

3/30/2015 6:24:01 PM

COVER STORY

PHOTO | LAURA CHRAMER

Jay Deas, left, and Deontay Wilder present WIlder’s WBC title belt, which Wilder won from Bermane Stiverne the night before in Las Vegas, in front of media and fans at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport on Jan. 18 in Birmingham.

Beautiful dental implants are something to smile about. Here’s some news that will put a smile on your face: If you’re unhappy with your teeth, or even your dentures, dental implants are an ideal way to help you smile with confidence. UNIVERSITY ORAL AND FACIAL SURGERY is the region’s expert in reliable, stable, and long-term dental implant solutions. Patients feel more comfortable talking, smiling and eating — the results look natural and give you the ability to eat virtually anything. So why not get back the smile that your friends and family love so much?

651 HELEN KELLER BLVD. TUSCALOOSA, AL

(205) 556-2323

GRIN FROM EAR TO EAR!

TM_041015_046.indd 46

3/30/2015 6:24:38 PM

COVER STORY medalist Mark Breland as a co-trainer. He brought on longtime boxing manager Shelley Finkel to help run the business side of Wilder’s career. Jay added renowned Canadian trainer Russ Anber to Wilder’s corner, then in 2013, even as Wilder’s pro career was in full swing, Deas and Wilder brought on Al Haymon, arguably the most powerful manager in current-day boxing. In a sport riddled with greed over the years, Jay was more than willing to give up a stake in his once-in-a-lifetime fighter to make Wilder the best. “Everybody has an ego. Jay has an ego. Jay just doesn’t wear it on his sleeve,” Tommy said. “I don’t think Jay makes a lot of decisions based on ego. I don’t think he needs to be the guy standing in front of Deontay when they’re taking the pictures. He wants and deserves to be in the picture, but he’s not the focus of the picture, the fighter is, and he understands that. It’s a team effort, and I think he’s built a real good team.” Even today as Wilder basks in the pinnacle of his career to date, Wilder said he believes Jay doesn’t get the attention he deserves. “A lot of trainers these days want to be more famous than the fighter. Jay doesn’t even really take up (credit) for himself when it comes to training me,” Wilder said. “Mark Breland has the name (in boxing), and everybody is always acknowledging Mark. But any ear that listens, I let them know, ‘Hold up, Jay’s here every day.’ “Jay is different. Boxing can be a snake game, you need some people around you that you can trust. Every gym needs a Jay Deas.” Wilder needed a gym. Thanks to Deas, he found a gym and a improbable run to the top of the sport. “I think most people take this story as somebody who has done it for a long time for the right reasons, certainly not monetary, but has been in it for a long time and tried to help a lot of people and tried to do things the right way,” Jay said. “I think a lot of people see it like I see it,

Deas and Wilder stand ringside at Skyy Boxing after Wilder became the heavyweight boxing world champion.

(our success) is a validation of persistence, doing things the right way and trying to do right by everybody as far as the fighters. Then winning something like this.”

OL’ COLONY GOLF A

Jerry

Pat e

Design

401 Old Colo Colony Road, R d, Tuscaloosa, T lo AL 35406 Open seven days a week with seasonal hours Visit tcpara.org and call for a lesson or tee time

205-562-3201

a PARA property

NA5656741

Official Home of The University of alabama golf programs

TM_041015_047.indd 47

3/29/2015 7:42:06 PM

GOOD DEEDS

Martha Cook, who just retired after several decades with the Rise School of Tuscaloosa, holds Jake Falls.

TM_041015_048.indd 48

3/30/2015 6:25:31 PM

GOOD DEEDS

every

Rising to occasion MARTHA COOK, RECENTLY RETIRED DIRECTOR OF THE RISE SCHOOL OF TUSCALOOSA, REFLECTS ON HER CAREER AND HER FUTURE, TOO BY CAROLANNE ROBERTS PHOTOS BY ROBERT SUTTON

ome people are selfless and giving and just too busy to celebrate their contributions. Martha Cook is that sort of person. In fact, the educator merely blinked and 40 years had sped by. In their wake, thousands of children received life-changing lessons at Rise School of Tuscaloosa, now located in the Stallings Center on the University of Alabama campus. This past December, Cook stepped down from the post of director and can look back. It’s a journey of people, paces and progress. Without realizing it would impact her life, Cook’s journey began by befriending a child with Down syndrome named Melissa, whose mother owned a beauty shop in Cordova, where Cook’s mother worked. “I knew she was different, but she was my friend,” Cook said of her playmate. “Then I went to school, and she didn’t. It was odd to me. My 5-year-old brain didn’t process that.” The injustice remained in Cook’s mind only to resurface when she signed up for a special education course as a freshman at UA >> 49

TM_041015_049.indd 49

3/29/2015 7:47:03 PM

GOOD DEEDS

Martha Cook holds AnnaLee Manderson, 1, as she visits with Big Al, at a Nick’s Kids Luncheon in 2001.

with disabilities.” There were small moves along the way. One classroom became two — one for children with cerebral palsy and the other for those with spina bifida. A second building was just a squeak better than the first. And, as the grant expired, the university added the program to the budget. And so it went. Ups and downs, hanging on year to year, yet “more and more families were turning to us.” “We were under the College of Education and had lots

NA5457175

“just to see what it was.” One class required a visit to the W.D. Partlow Developmental Center. “It was absolutely horrible,” Cook said. “Bed after bed of people in gruesome pretzel positions where they’d never been touched or seen to. “On the opposite end were people who didn’t seem to belong there at all.” Would she flee or fight? “I said to myself, ‘I can do this.’ You give me a challenge, and I’ll knock it out of the park.” During her four years at UA, in which she earned both undergraduate and master’s degrees in special ed, Cook watched the world change. At first, she worked with adults, taking former Partlow patients to basketball games as part of her practicum. “We were walking on campus and seeing people with mental challenges by this time,” she said. But her calling turned out to be children, jump-started by a First Change Network grant providing intervention to prevent institutionalizing. The grant covered one classroom, three staff, six children with physical disabilities and a whole lot of hope. The facility was far from cheery, but it was 1974 and a beginning. The biggest hitch, she said, was that “we were preparing children with disabilities to go to school with children

TM_041015_050.indd 50

3/30/2015 6:27:23 PM

GOOD DEEDS

Martha Cook poses for a photo with former Alabama coach Gene Stallings, left, and his son, John Mark, during the grand opening of the thennewly remodeled Bryant-Denny Stadium in 2006.

of interns,” she said, “and we were getting lots and lots of referrals of children.” At this point, children with Down syndrome had joined the program. Somewhere in the middle of growing — four classrooms, 32 children, long hours — Cook earned a doctorate in early childhood specialization. That’s about the time she became full-time director and wondered to herself, “Are we really making a difference?” and “Let’s integrate the program with children who don’t have disabilities — but will they come?” Cook said society’s attitude was slow to catch on, so the job became teaching, grants, aiming to get out of the Dickensian facilities, general survival and fundraising. “I would say, ‘I’m not asking for money because I know you feel sorry. I’m asking so that when they grow up, they’ll go to college,’ ” she said. While her words were strong, the arrival of UA football coach Gene Stallings and his beloved son, John Mark, who had Down syndrome, went lengths to educate people who felt love and humanity instead of pity. At last, Rise’s solid reputation, the Stallings story and a capital campaign teamed up to create a miracle. Hanna Steel President Pete Hanna, an industrialist and philanthropist, stepped forward with a $1 million gift, adding to the $800,000 already raised. Cook started to learn the details of construction, and today’s building rose on university land across from the Student Recreation Center. The Stallings Center, named to honor John Mark Stallings, opened in 1974, the weekend between the Iron Bowl and the SEC Championship. Seventy students — with a 50-50 ratio of children with and without special needs — co-existed in a facility gleaming with potential. There was even a waiting list.

Thanks to then-Dean Judy Bonner’s open arms, the program moved to the College of Environmental Health Services, where it remains today. Additional Rise schools sprang up in Huntsville and the Texas cities of Dallas, Houston and Austin. An international component came about when members of the Russian National Orchestra sought help learning about music therapy from Rise (the effort involved the Brubeck Brothers Quartet). Cook traveled to Russia on that first trip and has advised subsequent efforts. She has also trained people from Dubai in the role music can play with disabled children. Maybe working with the international programs will be what Cook calls her Second Act — the what-do-I-do-now piece of the puzzle. Perhaps she’ll re-invent herself with totally different missions. “I’ve been learning how to decompress,” says the woman whose alarm clock no longer rings at 5:30 a.m. “I never married. I was married to the job — and I have no hobbies.” Now there’s a blank slate. “ I think 40 years is probably long enough,” she said, noting that UA gymnastics coach Sarah Patterson also retired recently after decades of service. “My whole life has been about fate. Things just drop in out of the blue, so I think the next thing is just going to fall into my lap.”

The Saban Connection Martha Cook says she counts Nick and Terry Saban among her treasured friends. They talk about the Nick’s Kids charity, football, the ethics of success and coal Terry and Nick Saban present Cook country. with a Lifetime Achievement Award. “Nick’s Kids was proud to recognize and honor Martha at our Annual Teacher Appreciation Luncheon on December 12, 2014,” Terry Saban said. “In the eight years Nick and I have lived in Tuscaloosa, I have not witnessed anyone who touches more lives and makes a bigger impact on families than Martha Cook and the staff at the Rise School. To make the lifelong sacrifices for our children, it takes more than dedication, more than responsibility; it takes a big heart full of love.” Terry Saban adds, “Martha Cook’s years of teaching at Rise are more of a calling. It’s as if God hand-picked her to take care of our little lambs. “There are sheep and there are shepherds, and Martha is the ultimate shepherd.” 51

TM_041015_051.indd 51

3/31/2015 6:21:42 PM

OUTDOORS

whatever

floats your

BOAT A NEEDED CAREER CHANGE LED DAVID BUTLER TO THE BANKS OF THE CAHABA RIVER, WHERE HE STARTED A POPULAR CANOE RENTAL BY ALANA NORRIS PHOTOS BY ROBERT SUTTON

TM_041015_052.indd 52

3/27/2015 7:33:20 PM

OUTDOORS

David Butler, owner of Canoe the Cahaba, rests near the banks of the Cahaba River.

he hustle and bustle of Wall Street is a far cry from the smooth-flowing Cahaba River in Helena. But David Butler made the transition from one to the other. What is a man with a finance degree from the University of Kentucky and a journalism degree from the University of Alabama doing down on the Cahaba? Following his passion. After working at banks and living in Manhattan for five years, Butler found that a moneydriven life was not for him. He decided after the death of his younger brother that he needed a new direction. Butler now owns Canoe the Cahaba, where he rents canoes to people who want to enjoy the river for the day. But he spends a lot of time researching and cleaning up the environment. It turns out he has a penchant for science. Problems like sedimentation and the destruction of food chains are things he has thought a lot about. In the spring and summer, when business is brisk, he is often driving people to the drop-off point for their journey down the Cahaba.

>> 53

TM_041015_053.indd 53

3/31/2015 6:22:57 PM

Plumbing have you running

Let the experts at Turner Plumbing provide dependable, professional and timely service that has built their reputation for more than 25 years.

(205) 345-4825

THE RIGHT CHOICE. THE RIGHT SOLUTION. 24/7 Emergency Service • 25 Years Experience

Plumbing, Gas and Medical Gas Certified • Alagasco Preferred Contractor Alabama General Contractor - Bonded - Insured

We are a State of Alabama General Contractor and are bonded and insured. Our Clients include Commercial, Industrial, Medical, Multi-family, Residential and Educational customers. In addition, we employ service technicians with fully equipped service vans to meet our clients’ needs. 7532 Old Jug Factory Road • Duncanville, AL 35456 • 205-345-4825 • www.turnerplumbinginc.com • info@turnerplumbinginc.net 54

TM_041015_054.indd 54

3/30/15 5:02 PM

OUTDOORS

David Butler with his children, stepson Jacob Dorris, left, and daughter Allison.

The business is open year-round by appointment, but when the crowds have died down in the fall and winter, he examines his research. The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham has awarded a grant to do a collaborative testing program this summer between the Coosa, Cahaba and Black Warrior Riverkeeper groups in the Waterkeeper Alliance. Having nonprofits work together and having the funds to support those projects is rare. “Nonprofits typically don’t collaborate very much, and so it’s very exciting to be involved in a program with two other groups on different rivers all pursuing the same goals,” Butler said. As a part of the Community Foundation Grant, Butler is working with Alabama Water Watch. Based in Auburn, it does specific research and oversees a citizen-based testing program. The data is compiled on the Water Watch website in order to show what is occurring along the 191mile Cahaba River. Butler said he is continually learning. “The amount of biodiversity here is almost unrivaled in the United States,” he said. “There is a tremendous amount of life here people know very little about.” Butler has an interest in photography, especially of the outdoors and landscapes, and enjoys taking closeups of insects, animals and fish. As a hobby, he also photographs the University of Alabama football team. He said he would love for people to get as excited about cleaning up the environment as they are about football. He is truly passionate about the environment and has chosen to lead by example, he said. “If I see somebody throw trash on the ground, I don’t say anything to them. I just go pick it up and throw it in the garbage,” Butler said. On March 14, three organizations that Butler is involved with —

Butler and his niece, Ashley Thomas, paddle underneath a train trestle on the Cahaba River in June 2014.

Canoe the Cahaba, Cahaba Riverkeepers and Friends of the Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge — coordinated an annual river cleanup project in Helena with the Alabama Power Renew Our Rivers program. Alabama Power and other sponsors supplied gloves, pick sticks, Tshirts, trash bags and lunch. Butler said it was a wonderful opportunity to educate people on how much trash makes its way to the river. “You introduce people to what the problem is,” Butler said. “You show them what’s out there. A lot of people, who maybe had no idea

>> 55

TM_041015_055.indd 55

3/29/2015 7:50:46 PM

Once is an honor. Twice is an achievement. 29 Times is Legendary.

The 2015 Honda Accord

The Accord.

Car and Driver, January 2015

Townsend Honda

556-0191 3121 Skyland Blvd. E. â&#x20AC;˘ www.townsendhonda.com TM_041015_056.indd 56

3/30/15 4:20 PM

OUTDOORS Canoes and kayaks are ready for paddlers at Canoe the Cahaba.

David Butler finds a crawfish under a rock in the Cahaba River.

that it was that much garbage, are really surprised at what people do to the river.” He has trouble understanding why anyone would litter. To keep from getting discouraged, he said he focuses on the people who pick up trash and not on the people who make the mess. In communities with curbside recycling, it is as easy as putting the garbage in one bin as opposed to the other. He says helping the environment is not as much of an effort as some think. On Boy Scout trips with his stepson, for example, he said he noticed how many plastic bags were used in the kids’ lunches. He told the boys that Tupperware is a better option for the environment because it is reusable. His family owns a Keurig — a coffeemaker that uses a singleserving coffee brewing system — but they have a reusable filter instead of the multiple K-cups that begin to stack up after a while. “People assume I’m an environmental extremist and I do all these crazy things, but the reality is I don’t think what I ask of people is extreme at all,” Butler said. “I ask people that they pick up after themselves and be responsible for how they impact the environment and the people around them.” Butler is optimistic about the University of Alabama’s implementation of filling stations for water bottles around campus. His niece, who is a freshman, has kept him updated on the number of bottles filled at the fountain on her floor in her residence hall.

In August, when he helped her move in, there were 239 bottles filled. When she checked the count in January, it was up to 3,600. Between two residential buildings, with seven floors each and one filling station per floor, residents have saved the environment from an estimated 46,000 bottles that could have been littered, he said. Some people say Alabama is behind on going green, but Butler said he is confident the state is making progress. Butler’s early family life helped shape the person he has become today. He was born in Birmingham and lived there until he was 8, and he spent the rest of his childhood in Hopkinsville, Ky. Taking his family for granted, he never imagined he would lose his younger brother, he said. The loss led him home to Alabama, where his parents, older brother and sister and two nieces

now live. His work lets him spend a significant amount of time with his wife and kids, and he said he is glad he gets to introduce his 6-month-old daughter and 11-year-old stepson to what he does. He said he owes it all to his family for allowing him to do what he loves. Many people have influenced his life. Darrell Gustafson was like a second father to him, Butler said. Even though Butler has a great relationship with his own father, Gustafson was his best friend’s dad who was there for Butler when his own father was deployed in the military. Dr. Randy Haddock, a biologist who has worked on the river for 30 years, is always willing to talk with Butler as he explores the plants of the river. David Childs, his high school biology teacher, and Benna Kaler, his high school chemistry teacher, were two educators in Butler’s life who influenced him greatly because of their dedication to their students and the subject matter. Dr. Myra Crawford, executive director of the Cahaba Riverkeeper and retired from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, funded the preservation project out of her own pocket and took no salary, Butler said, adding that he finds it inspiring that she is concerned about the river and not about herself. “Watching somebody like that sacrifice for the greater good has always been a real positive influence for me,” Butler said. And a family in Helena has provided him with a unique chance to do what he loves. After he moved back to Alabama, he would frequent the Cahaba River in his spare time. He became friends with Rolfe Russell, who owned Alabama Small Boats. As the economy began to fail, Russell was forced to close the retail and rental shop he operated with his brother, Granger Russell, and son, Gray Russell. They asked him to take over the property, he said, because they knew he would keep the location a river-related business. “They’ve helped maintain the building and the property and bent over backwards to allow me the opportunity to do what I do,” Butler said. Butler said he feels he made the right choice to change careers. He said he would rather be outside all day than stuck in an office. So ultimately, even if he isn’t making the same kind of money he once did, he is much happier having followed his passion. 57

TM_041015_057.indd 57

3/31/2015 6:25:02 PM

FASHION

RIGHT: Lace romper by Ark & Co., $64.50; Lucca. Gemstone bracelet, $26; Perfect Touch. OPPOSITE PAGE: Floral skirt by Ark & Co., $52.50; Lucca. Lavender crop top by Eighty Six, $78; Perfect Touch. Citrine earrings, $12; Private Gallery. Purple tassel necklace by 2 Chic, $18; Vintage Vibe.

TM_041015_058.indd 58

3/29/2015 7:52:33 PM

STEP INTO

Pr i

N g

PHOTOS BY ROBERT SUTTON

STYLED BY KARSON CAMERON 172

TM_041015_059.indd 59

3/24/2015 8:39:09 PM

FASHION

Floral cutout top by Ark & Co., $46; lace bandeau top by By Together You & I, $24; Pleated floral skirt by BCBG Generation, $118; Lucca. Large bead earrings by David Aubrey, $44.80; Perfect Touch.

TM_041015_060.indd 60

3/30/2015 6:29:12 PM

FASHION Floral print dress by Judith March, $25; Christyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Boutique. Chunky bead necklace by David Aubrey, $59.50; Perfect Touch. Buddha bracelet by L&N Designs, $18; Vintage Vibe.

TM_041015_061.indd 61

3/30/2015 6:29:46 PM

FASHION

Floral romper by Eighty Six, $120; aqua clutch by Betty CarrĂŠ, $32; Perfect Touch.

TM_041015_062.indd 62

3/30/2015 6:30:57 PM

FASHION

ABOVE: Floral pants by Eight Sixty, $104; Lucca. Yellow tank by Kaii, $109; Perfect Touch. Gold disc earrings by Liz Palacioz, $56; Private Gallery. LEFT: Ivory sheer tank by Ark & Co., $48; Lucca. Floral shorts by BB Dakota, $49; Perfect Touch. Gold leaf earrings by 2 Chic, $12; Vintage Vibe. Stone and tassel necklace, $36;

TM_041015_063.indd 63

3/30/2015 6:31:56 PM

FASHION

Watercolor dress with lace sleeves by Uncle Frank, $150; Vintage Vibe. Turquoise platforms by Pierre Dumas, $38; Perfect Touch. Gold feather earrings with orange stones by Betsy Pittard Designs, $44; Lucca.

Ivory dress by Ryu, $76; Christyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Boutique. Blue ring statement necklace, $42; Perfect Touch.

TM_041015_064.indd 64

3/29/2015 7:58:11 PM

FASHION

Floral jumpsuit by Va Va Voom, $45; Christyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Boutique. Tassel and stone statement necklace, $36; Private Gallery. Wood bracelet by Margaret Herz Designs, $25; Vintage Vibe.

TM_041015_065.indd 65

3/31/2015 6:25:35 PM

FASHION

Floral kimono by En Cremâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;e, $36; light blue dress by BCBG Generation, $78; Purple cross body purse by Gigi New York, $175; Perfect Touch. Chunky gold necklace, $29; Private Gallery.

TM_041015_066.indd 66

117

3/29/2015 5:06:16 PM

FASHION Juniper racer-back cocktail dress by BCBG Generation, $98; Lucca. Floral print bracelet by Margaret Herz Designs, $25; Vintage Vibe. Clear teardrop necklace, $24; Private Gallery.

TM_041015_067.indd 67

3/24/2015 8:54:50 PM

FASHION

Floral kimono by Eighty Six, $110; Perfect Touch. Citrus dress by Mink Pink, $98; Lucca. Rectangular stone drop earrings, $29; Private Gallery.

TM_041015_068.indd 68

3/29/2015 7:59:16 PM

FASHION

Ivory and lace top by Atina Christina, $171; gold tassel with green stone necklace, $29; Perfect Touch.

TM_041015_069.indd 69

3/30/2015 6:33:10 PM

FASHION

Ivory lace dress by Ark & Co., $45; Christyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. Dark tan ovation jacket by Yest, $110; Vintage Vibe. Brass half-moon necklace, $52; Lucca.

TM_041015_070.indd 70

3/29/2015 8:00:04 PM

CREDITS: CHELSEA CAROLINE LILY ROGERS BARTON EVANS

HANNAH BROWN

LAURA KATE JONES

HAIR STYLIST: Laura Banks MAKEUP ARTIST: Madison Shepherd (both of Tera Lane Salon) PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS: Michelle Lepianka Carter, Hannah Curlette, Debbie Sutton and Noah Sutton RETAILERS Belk | Perfect Touch | Private Gallery Vintage Vibe | Lucca | Christy’s

Floral dress by Timing, $46; Private Gallery.

SPECIAL THANKS to Brown’s Nursery

BOLD GRAPHIC

TRENDS TO

BRIGHT EMBELLISHED

+ UNIVERSITY-MALL.COM

NA5857297

SHOP BELK WOMEN, BELK MEN, KIDS AND HOME, JCPENNEY, SEARS, CAFÉ COURT AND MORE!

TM_041015_071.indd 71

3/30/2015 6:34:02 PM

ROADS LESS TRAVELED

GOOD, OLD-FASHIONED STRENGTH AND SHEER DETERMINATION HAVE WON MYLES WETZEL THE TITLE OF HIGHLAND GAMES WORLD CHAMPION ... TWICE

there can be

only

one. 72

TM_041015_072.indd 72

3/31/2015 6:26:33 PM

ROADS LESS TRAVELED

BY ROOTS WOODRUFF PHOTOS BY ROBERT SUTTON

ost every Saturday, Myles Wetzel, who at 6-foot-4 and 270 pounds is hard to miss no matter his surroundings, can be found in a field beside Hillcrest High School tossing rocks, chunks of iron, what appears to be a square, straw-stuffed burlap sack and a tree trunk, all for distance. And a lot of the time, he’s doing it in a Scottish kilt. While Wetzel’s Saturdays among the heavy implements may seem odd in Tuscaloosa, where the sport of choice involves inflated pigskin instead of weighty iron, it is part of his training regime for the original CrossFit — the Highland Games. The games, which originated in Scotland, have gone global, finding favor among those who like the old-school appeal of making heavy things go far and high. So how does someone born in Georgia, raised in Florida and living in Alabama for the past 20 years become a world champion (make that two-time world champion) in a sport most popular half a world away? Sheer power is a good start. While there is no small amount of technique involved in the seven throwing events that make up the modern Highland Games repertoire, which includes throwing a modified hammer, throwing iron weights of both 28 and 56 pounds, and shot-putting a stone that weighs more than 20 pounds, it’s also necessary to be very, very strong to toss a caber (the aforementioned tree trunk) over on its end and toss a sheaf (the 20 pounds of burlap wrapped straw) and a 56-pound weight up into the air as high as possible. It’s those last three events, which are the final three events in a Highland Games schedule, where Wetzel really excels. “There was a time where I had the world record in the sheaf

TOP AND OPPOSITE PAGE: Myles Wetzel practices for the Highland Games at the Hillcrest High School band practice field. ABOVE: Wetzel uses an iron weight to practice his technique for the Highland Games, which has several events involving throwing heavy objects.

and weight for height and I was killer with the caber,” Wetzel said. “If we got to lunch and you weren’t pretty far ahead of me it was over, because I’m going to go boom, boom, boom.” As Wetzel works through the events during practice, that power is on full display and it is evident that he has come a long way from his days down in Hollywood, Fla., where he was a self-described “120-pound weakling.” That transformation started the day after he earned his high school diploma, when an accident snapped his femur. He was in traction for 43 days and in a full-body cast after that. “I missed a year and, as you can imagine, that wasn’t a

>> 73

TM_041015_073.indd 73

3/29/2015 8:02:14 PM

TM_041015_074.indd 74

3/30/15 4:23 PM

ROADS LESS TRAVELED

LEFT: Myles Wetzel practices throwing a stone for the Highland Games, similar to throwing shot put. BELOW: Wetzel hurls an iron weight through the air.

weight-gainer,” Wetzel said. “I went down from 120 pounds and wanted to do something. I tried the weightlifting thing and just latched onto it because it worked some.” It worked to the point that he started setting state powerlifting records in Florida and later in Alabama, eventually winning a national powerlifting title in the mid-’90s. It was in 2000 that the Highland Games found him when a guy at the gym with a “weird accent” kept bugging Wetzel to try a sport that was a little out of the mainstream. Wetzel kept dismissing the man and his talk of something called “the Highland Games” until, “one Saturday, I can remember, I was watching ESPN and it had the Highland Games on,” Wetzel said. “I was like, ‘Wow, this is kind of neat, I like this, I think I could do it.’ Then while I was watching, there was the guy from the gym and he was a worldrenowned guy at this.”

That “guy from the gym” was Peter Gudmundsson, an Icelandic Olympian in the shot put and the Highland Games world recordholder in the stone throw. Now that Gudmundsson had Wetzel’s attention, the two men started to train together, and Wetzel quickly became a dominant force in the Highland Games. Just three years in, he finished third in the 40-44 age group at the 2003 Masters World Highland Games Championships. Four years later, he reached the top, winning back-toback world titles in the 45-49 age group in 2007 and 2008. “When you win a game, most of the time you win a weapon,” Wetzel said. “I think I have 35 different swords, axes, dirks, knives, pikes and hammers; I have them all over the place. It’s a cool thing to get as a guy. That’s a lot better than a bowling trophy.” The other thing that helped Wetzel become a champion again and again has something to do with why his nickname in the sport is “Mule.” “He’s just so stubborn,” his training partner Mark Medlock said when asked what made Wetzel so great. The journey from 120-pound weakling to world champion hasn’t come without a price. He has “been put to sleep 23 times” to have issues of varying severity repaired. The last trio of surgeries came in 2009 and culminated in open-heart surgery after which he was told that was it. He would never lift again, he would never throw again ... his days as a Highland Games legend were over. Except this is Myles Wetzel, The Mule, so they weren’t, not just yet. A year after open-heart surgery, a year after the pacemaker went into his chest and he was told that his life would be sedentary from that point on, Wetzel went to the Master’s World Championships in Denver, Colo., and finished third. He also set the world masters record for his age group in the sheaf toss. “Your body slows down and stuff happens,” Wetzel said. “Father Time misses no one. I give it every bit that I can give.” The march of time isn’t the only thing that has Wetzel cutting back his competitive schedule to eight or nine events a year. He and Cheryl, his wife of 25 years, have three children, Megan, Haley and Keegan. His family, in addition to owning a thriving business in Frontier Adjusters, keeps Wetzel exceedingly busy. But he still loves to train, to push himself to the brink. He loves the camaraderie of the games and joy of competition. “I still like to compete, I really like it,” Wetzel said. “I like to win, too. Of course, it’s a lot harder now because I’m older. I can’t throw like I used to. But I still do some stuff that’s pretty cool.” 75

TM_041015_075.indd 75

3/29/2015 8:02:52 PM

FEELING GOOD

MAKING THE

ROUNDS SWEATING IT OUT WITH

HIGH-INTENSITY ROUNDS THAT OFFER FITNESS ON YOUR TIME AT 9ROUND FITNESS CENTER

BY CHRISTOPHER WALSH PHOTOS BY ROBERT SUTTON AND MICHELLE LEPIANKA CARTER

he day goes by in three-minute increments and 30-minute cycles, measured and marked by the regular sounding of an electronic bell. “Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep,” causes everyone in the room to stop what they’re doing and move on to the next task, sort of similar to a volleyball rotation, as their instructor springs into action and gives specific instructions on what each person is to do next. But that’s where any repetition comes to an end. “Every day the workout changes, so you never get bored with the same old thing,” Jeremy Bryant said while racing back and forth inside

TM_041015_076.indd 76

3/30/2015 6:40:33 PM

FEELING GOOD

9Round fitness center to help three different participants in various stages of their kickboxing workouts. When they eventually finished, one was asked whether the 30-minute session had been worth it, and the outof-breath woman could only nod her head, “Yes.” “It doesn’t matter how much you are in shape, I can guarantee that you’re going to be sweating, and most likely will be sore the next day,” Bryant said. “But it’s all about how hard you work.” Consequently, Tuscaloosa’s latest addition to the growing athletic gym industry stands out like its storefront sign along Essex Square Marketplace Shopping Center in Northport. Nestled in the western corner, the small facility is surrounded by a nail salon, nutrition store and the area’s initial Chicken Salad Chick restaurant. At face value, it can come across like the “Sesame Street” song “One of These Things (is Not Like the Others),” but its three owners are banking that the location might be ideal. “The concept is what’s cool to me ... and it’s catered to that demographic, the mom, the busy mom who needs to be healthy and she’s got an option now in which she doesn’t have to stand in line to wait for a machine,” co-owner Scott Shepherd said. “She can come in at any time.” The “short and effective” workout is also proving to be popular with female students, who are also pressed for time, along with young professionals who want to get in some exercise before or after work. Specifically, the workouts are geared to take advantage of the training that competitive kickboxers use to perform at a high level, although there’s no ring or sparring, except for occasional punching drills with

hand paddles. Sessions are timed with nine threeminute “rounds,” each featuring a different exercise as one works his or her way around the room. The first two stations are geared to strength building, equipped with dumbbells, kettlebells, medicine balls or jump ropes. The subsequent six stops feature various kinds of striking bags, from a speed bag to a 100-pound heavy bag, to be hit by both arms and legs. The workout concludes with some sort of “core” exercise, like crunches with a stability ball. After finishing, the participants are encouraged to ring a real boxing bell mounted on the wall one to three times, depending on how well they did. “One of the biggest selling points is that there’s no class time, you don’t have to wait on a class, you can do it around your schedule. You don’t have to schedule around your workout,” Bryant said. “Whenever it’s convenient for you, you come in, and in 30 minutes, you’re in and out, you’re done.”

TOP RIGHT: Carolyn Bowler works out with a speed bag at 9Round. ABOVE: A client gets her hands wrapped prior to working out. TOP LEFT: When members complete nine rounds of workouts, they ring this bell. OPPOSITE PAGE: Jordan Clem hits the heavy bag during a workout at 9Round.

TM_041015_077.indd 77

3/31/2015 6:27:16 PM

FEELING GOOD The nine-station workouts were designed by Shannon “The Cannon” Hudson, the reigning International Kickboxing Federation light middleweight world champion. In 2008, he and his wife, Heather, co-founded 9Round in Greenville, S.C., where the corporate headquarters remain. There are now locations in 39 states along with Canada, Mexico and Australia. The more popular states include Florida (29 sites including those under development), Texas (24), and California (24), and even though there are 32 in South Carolina and 24 in North Carolina, Northport has the only 9Round facility in Alabama. “We were looking for a fast-growing concept to fill a different niche,” Shepherd said. “It’s different.” If Shepherd’s name is familiar, it’s probably because his everyday job is on the radio as part of Madison and Shepherd in the Morning on 95.3 FM “The Bear.” He and Raji Singh, who owns and operates Dickey’s Barbecue Pit in Tuscaloosa, were looking to get involved with a workout facility of some sort, and Shepherd brought in his brother-in-law Bryant, who had previously been working in construction. He’s now a “noncombative certified kickboxing trainer,” Singh said. “I love Tuscaloosa,” said the 24-year-old Bryant, who hails from Monroeville, the hometown of “To Kill a Mockingbird” author Harper Lee. Kickboxing wasn’t something that any of the three really knew much about until doing some research on growing workout trends and facilities. The favorable startup costs, low overhead and potential for growth got their attention, but what really sold them was a four-day seminar at the corporate office last September, when something unexpected occurred. Part of the program included a sit-down session with the owners, who had had to cut things short to go pick up their kids at school and pack for a trip to New York. “It was so impressive to me,” said Shepherd, who like his partners has a family. “Owning all that, you would think that somebody like

Angela “Babyface” Jones hits the punching bag. Clients are given nicknames when they join.

that doesn’t fool with picking up their kids, or packing. You know what I mean? These guys are like normal dudes — just a normal family guy who’s doing a good job and making it work. Hopefully we can emulate that.” The Northport location opened on Jan. 12, and while it still has that new-club smell, everything has essentially fallen into place. Tuscaloosa’s champion boxer Deontay Wilder stopped by for a recent visit and posed for photos, and even their suite number for their mailing address is, fittingly, “9.” “What are the odds of that?” Shepherd asked. “Hopefully it’ll keep rolling.”

Only your local REALTOR® knows your local market

Gets the facts... call a REALTOR® today. w w w. Tu s c a l o o s a R e a l t o r s . c o m 78

TM_041015_078.indd 78

3/29/2015 4:44:23 PM

PERSONALITY

An everyday

hero

REMEMBERING THE LIFE AND HONORING THE SACRIFICE OF JOHN SERVATI

PHOTO | KENT GIDLEY

BY ROOTS WOODRUFF

n a day and age when most people have a closer relationship to their phone than with the world around them, author John Muir has today’s society pretty much nailed. “Most people are on the world, not in it,” he said. John Servati wasn’t most people. A larger-than-life figure in his three years in Tuscaloosa as a University of Alabama student and member of the Crimson Tide’s swimming and diving team, Servati made an immediate and often profound impact on those he met. “John had a very strong grip,” UA assistant swimming and diving coach James Barber said, recalling the first time he met Servati. “He was a strong guy. I remember him coming up and shaking my hand and telling me how great it was here and that he wanted to be a member of the Crimson Tide family. I’ll always remember John for his big smile, the big heart and the big handshake.” More than a powerful grip, Servati had a habit of creating a strong connection with those who crossed his path. While most of his peers travel from one place to another with their heads down over their

phones, Servati would be looking up, looking people in the eye and greeting everyone with that big smile and a genuine warmth that drew people in. A Christian of strong and abiding faith, Servati used his gift for connecting with people to draw a Tuscaloosa boy back into the world. Zelda Lavender, vice president of Big Brothers Big Sisters of West Alabama, said that Servati changed the life of the young man that he mentored. “His Little Brother was shy from the start, and John was able to bring him out of that just by spending time with him. This particular little boy lost his father at a young age, and John was able to come into this boy’s life and help him be a child again. John was able to completely turn this child around — a complete 180.” His Little Brother’s mother said, “When his dad died, my son didn’t have anyone to talk to, and I didn’t know how to comfort him. When John would come by, he would have someone to tell his troubles to. He was a male role model that he could look up to. I appreciate everything he did for my son. If you needed him for anything, he would be right there in no time at all.” That kind of effort was second nature for the Tupelo, Miss., native.

TM_041015_079.indd 79

3/31/2015 6:27:39 PM

PERSONALITY

PHOTO | AMELIA J. BRACKIN

“John was a hero every day,” said Philip Deaton, Servati’s freshman roommate and captain of Alabama’s swim team. “He was constantly doing the right thing, not because he had to, or someone told him to, but because it was the right thing.” It is why he was the one everyone counted on, why he was the one to call to help someone move a couch, a table or everything they owned from one apartment to another. It’s also why no one who knew him — and that list seems endless — was surprised that Servati traded his life for that of another last spring. Servati died on April 28, 2014, in the midst of violent storms that swept through Tuscaloosa. He had led his girlfriend, Lauren Swann, to the basement of her home as tornadoes touched down and heavy rains flooded the area. When the retaining wall in that basement started to give way, Servati stepped in to shore it up while getting Swann out of harm’s way. After he told her to get out of the basement and go for help, the wall collapsed on top of him and he was gone. “There is a scripture that reads, ‘Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends,’ ” said Servati’s mother, Janet Gaston. “I’m so proud of him.” In the aftermath of his passing, tributes to Servati poured in. The Alabama swimming and diving alumni family came together to create The John Servati Memorial Scholarship Fund. This year’s team

wore his initials on their suits and swim caps during competition. “A strong student and swimmer, an excellent teammate and an extraordinary young man, John had the heart of a servant to his family, friends and community,” Alabama head coach Dennis Pursley said. “We will honor and celebrate his huge heart and

John Servati was a member of the University of Alabama’s swimming and diving team. He was the first Alabama studentathlete to earn the NCAA Award of Valor.

Emilee Scheeff Joins Sydney Cook & Associates

ydney Cook & Associates is proud to announce the addition of Emilee Schee to its law rm. Ms Schee ’s practice is concentrated in the areas of corporate law; estate planning; trusts, wills and probate; and tax planning and litigation. Emilee has a B.S. in accounting from The University of Alabama (summa cum laude) and also a J.D. and an L.L.M in taxation from The University of Alabama School of Law.

Kevin Davis

Sydney Cook Emilee Scheeff Steve Wyatt

Business

Estates

Tax

Real Estate

Litigation

535 Jack Warner Parkway Northeast, Suite F Tuscaloosa, AL 35404 (205) 561-5400 www.scookassociates.com

NA5857198

“We are very proud to have such an outstanding legal professional join our rm. Emilee has an exceptional academic and legal background and will be an excellent addition to our legal community,” states Sydney Cook.

(No representation is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services to be performed by other lawyers.)

TM_041015_080.indd 80

3/31/2015 6:27:54 PM

PERSONALITY

PHOTO | JAMIE SCHWABEROW

PHOTO | NICOLE RODRIGUEZ

ABOVE: John Servati’s parents, Al and Janet, accept the NCAA Award of Valor on John’s behalf at the NCAA Honors Celebration. TOP: Janet Servati is surrounded by members of the UA swim team after being presented with a portrait of her son, John, on Senior Day.

miss his big smile and giving spirit, always.” Servati also became the first Alabama student-athlete to earn the NCAA Award of Valor, arguably the most prestigious accolade awarded by a collegiate athletics governing body. The award is not presented annually, but only in the event of an outstanding act of valor. “John loved God, his family and he loved his country,” said his father, Al Servati. “We miss him. What an act of courage that was.” A member of the Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll and the Dean’s List, Servati, who was closing in on a degree in business, will be honored again in May when his degree will be presented to his family. Servati’s teammates and other Crimson Tide athletes also honored his memory and legacy by working in the community. The storm system that eventually took his life also hit his hometown, and his last message spoke of his concern. “Keep Tupelo in your prayers #Goldenwavestrong,” he told the world via Twitter. So just prior to his funeral, his teammates loaded up, headed over to Mississippi early and worked in the Tupelo community to help clear debris and mitigate the damage as best they could — the team he loved helping the hometown he never forgot. In the fall, his teammates again picked up tools, this time to build, working with Habitat for Humanity in Tuscaloosa. “It felt like something John would do without even thinking twice about it,” Deaton said. “So when we went out and did those things ... you begin to understand the kind of fulfillment it brought John, and it made me want to carry that on into my life.” This may well be the greatest tribute possible to John Servati, a man who through sheer force of personality filled his too-short life to the brim, always in the world, never just on it. 81

TM_041015_081.indd 81

3/31/2015 6:28:55 PM

ART

PORTRAIT OF AN

artist CROSBY THOMLEY HAS BEEN PHOTOGRAPHING TUSCALOOSA’S MEMORIES FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS BY JENNIFER BRADY PHOTOS BY ROBERT SUTTON

TM_041015_082.indd 82

3/30/2015 6:43:17 PM

ART

Crosby Thomley photographs Marion Norris for her 10-year-old portraits.

any people consider photography a hobby, and local photographer Crosby Thomley is one of them. But he considers himself fortunate enough to have a successful career with his hobby. He said it’s not even his skills as a photographer that have made that possible. “My best talent is not photography,” he said. “My best talent is that I can work with just about anyone who walks through the door.” Thomley said he believes that’s what keeps clients coming back, and it makes him proud. “You know boys especially don’t like to have their pictures taken, but I’ve had mothers call me and say, ‘My son actually had a good time,’ or ‘You got him to smile, and very few people have been able to do that.’ ” Females are no exception to that experience, either. “I’ve been told, ‘You gave me a confidence I didn’t know I had,’ and even, ‘I didn’t know I could photograph well until your picture,’ ” he said. Thomley has been doing photography full time for about 37 years — more than 40, counting his years as a part-time photographer at the Crimson White, the University of Alabama’s student newspaper. “I was more interested in music, and I wanted to sing or maybe be an architect,” he said. “One of my friends got me out of choral class and into journalism, but I needed to do something else because I was a bad writer.” Photography became that something. “I devoured anything photography. If I saw something I liked, I took a picture of it,” he said. Thomley said his parents bought him a camera they couldn’t afford to help foster what would ultimately become his profession. He explained that, for him, photography

>> 83

TM_041015_083.indd 83

3/29/2015 8:08:19 PM

PROTECT THIS LAND O u r Com mu n ity. O u r Env i ron ment .

RUMSEY ENVIRONMENTAL

It ’s Tu scaloosa’s Wate r Sup p ly.

5 4 0 0 K A U L O O S A AV E N U E , T U S C A L O O S A , A L 3 5 4 0 5 205.248.0002

TM_041015_084.indd 84

3/30/15 4:24 PM

ART

TOP LEFT AND RIGHT: Crosby Thomley photographs dancer Marion Norris for her 10-year-old portraits. LEFT: Thomley will do anything for a laugh or to get the right expression.

was still just a hobby and he didn’t want to ruin that, but he was feeling that pull. “A friend of mine went to photography school, and I thought, ‘Why am I not doing this?’ ” Thomley, however, didn’t go to photography school. He, instead, fell in love and stayed in Tuscaloosa. He went back to the University of Alabama and earned a degree in public relations. But his love of photography didn’t want to remain a hobby. “I realized I had learned more than I thought that I just never used,” he said. Thomley has since become one of West Alabama’s most beloved photographers. He said he is humbled by the notion that he is the favorite of many in this area but that it has always been his clients who are the reward of his work. “I have photographed generations of families,” he said. “I photographed recently the daughter of a woman I photographed when she was a girl. The real honor is when they come back.” Thomley also gladly said that one particular group has not been an issue for him. “I’ve never had a problem working with kids. I did babysitting growing up, and I don’t mind being goofy with them to get that photo.” He has photographed local schools and dance schools for many years and said he is proud of the relationships that have grown from these collaborations. “Sometimes a student or dancer I’ve photographed will see me in public somewhere, and they’ll run up to me yelling my

name,” he said. “Their parents will slowly come up wondering, ‘Who is this man?’ and I’ll tell them, ‘Oh, I take the photos for such-and-such, and then they put a face to the name, and then they say, ‘Oh, yeah, we loved that photo,’ or ‘Yes, so-and-so wouldn’t stop talking about how much fun they had.’ ” “That makes me feel good when they have such a positive memory of me and want to stop me just to tell me about it,” he said. “I’m the type, too, that if I see someone I know out, I’m going to speak to them.” Thomley still photographs brides, but he stopped shooting weddings in 2002. “Weddings can be very stressful. You can’t go to a wedding and not worry that you did a good job,” he said. “And you don’t get a doover.” Still a hobby photographer at heart, Thomley has since been able to spend his weekends with his wife, family and friends, taking pictures for pleasure. “I recently started shooting landscapes, nature and designs you might not see immediately.” Thomley is one of three local photographers with a studio, so he spends a good deal of time surrounded by equipment and both vintage and modern cameras. However, he said he prefers natural outdoor shooting and added that he’s quite impressed with how modern photography has developed. “This industry is always changing. Now, there are iPhones and digital cameras, so there are more and more photographers out there,” he said. “It does dilute the industry, but I personally think iPhones take great pictures.”

>> 85

TM_041015_085.indd 85

3/29/2015 8:11:09 PM

FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS... ...SERVING YOU FOR OVER 35 YEARS Located directly on the beach within walking distance of Pier Park and across the street from Gulf World, you would be hard pressed to find a better location on Panama City Beach. The owners preach cleanliness. You may find newer accommodations on the beach, but you won’t find cleaner accommodations. The desk clerks, housekeepers and laundry personnel are responsible, full-time employees who have been employed at the Flamingo an average of 12+ years. They are all mothers, wives, husbands, fathers and citizens of the area. You will enjoy their friendliness and their desire to make your stay pleasant. Value is the owners’ mission statement. They feel you build wealth by providing value to others. They have owned the Flamingo for 35 years and they publish their rates in advance with no add-ons or gimmicks. They do not charge for extra people, no parking fees, no cleaning fees, no surprises. Even local phone calls and Wi-Fi are free. The Flamingo has every room size for every budget from the couple to a large family. They don’t claim to be a 5-Star Hotel, but they do claim to be just as clean and at close to half the price. That philosophy appears to be working. You may have to call early to get the room or floorplan of your choice, but walk-ins are always welcome for that last minute trip.

850-234-2232 15525 Front Beach Rd. Panama City, FL 32413 86

TM_041015_086.indd 86

3/30/15 4:48 PM

ART

Thomley has photographed kids and dancers in particular, like Marion Norris, for years and has built a rapport in the community.

“I’ve seen some photos taken by iPhones that are absolutely breathtaking,” he said. “To me, if the picture moves someone or makes them see something they didn’t before, that is great.” Thomley, a Nikon user since 1973, said he recently fell in love with a Fuji. “I do use older cameras sometimes, but they can be awkward. Newer cameras are moving in the right direction, and they open a lot of possibilities to people.”

No matter where the industry goes, Thomley said one thing will always stay the same for him. “I will always be a photographer. I don’t know that I’ll ever retire unless (this business) retires me.” “Most people would kill to have a job they love as much as I love mine,” he added. “I truly look at it like I have a dream job.” Learn more about Crosby Thomley and his work by visiting crosby thomley.com. 87

TM_041015_087.indd 87

3/29/2015 2:22:03 PM

MUSIC

sugar RUSH Alabama’s Sweet Tea Trio gives us a

BY JENNIFER BRADY | PHOTOS BY ROBERT SUTTON

TM_041015_088.indd 88

3/29/2015 8:12:24 PM

MUSIC

From left, Victoria Camp, Kate Falcon and Savannah Coker are The Sweet Tea Trio.

TM_041015_089.indd 89

3/30/2015 6:43:58 PM

MUSIC

t’s not an unfamiliar tale — a girl works her tail off in the country music industry for years before making it big, if she does. Hoping audiences will like her original songs. Singing the crowd’s favorite covers just to keep her name on the minds of audiences and industry insiders. The less familiar tale is that of the girl who doesn’t have to go through all of this alone — and she does make it. Tuscaloosa native Victoria Camp, 17, is living this tale in real life with two other Alabama girls who are making their dream a reality together. Camp, along with Southside’s Kate Falcon, 16, and Savannah Coker, 17, from Birmingham, make up Sweet Tea Trio. The three young singer/songwriters met through a program called Nashville Bound, founded by vocal coach Steve Pennington, from whom all the ladies were taking lessons. The girls joined the program individually, but once they sang together as part of a project, they knew they had found something special. Once they knew they wanted to perform together as much as possible, they had to come up with Each band member brings a different style a name. A co-worker of Camp’s mother and sound to the group. suggested Sweet Tea, but both Camp and Savannah Coker, above, Coker hated it. Falcon loved it. The name plays the mandolin. Victoria Camp, left, plays eventually grew on the other girls, and guitar, and Kate Falcon, now they all love it. below, plays the ukulele. This summer will mark two years they’ve been singing together. “We have really become like sisters,” Camp said. “It’s definitely a God thing.” Sweet Tea Trio has been making its mark on the festival circuit, and the girls have even performed in Nashville, Tenn., at Rippy’s Bar & Grill and the Bluebird Café and are frequent artists at The Row Kitchen & Pub. Of course, part of making their way to the top is developing a fan base, something the girls are thrilled about. “They are an absolute blessing,” Falcon said. “We have fans from every state now that constantly message us. A lot of them will make the drive to come see us wherever we’re performing.” Coker adds, “They just keep coming out to support us time after time.” The three love playing for their fans, but they also enjoy playing for larger and larger crowds and earning new fans. “Big crowds get us pumped,” Coker said. Falcon adds that the group likes to perform at different venues and festivals to gain experience. “We’re trying to get out of our circle,” she said. They have played large festivals, but a lot of their exposure is due to winning prestigious vocal competitions including the Midsouth 90

TM_041015_090.indd 90

3/30/2015 6:45:05 PM

MUSIC

Fair, where the group was named first-place sweepstakes winner in 2013. Previous winners and finalists of the Midsouth Fair include Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline and Justin Timberlake. The three are gaining experience and spreading their wings with their performances. Falcon plays the ukulele, Coker plays the mandolin and Camp plays guitar, though the trio recently started using a full band. “We want to show our versatility,” Camp said. The girls bring that and more to the microphone with each performance, given who their musical idols are. “We are all musically diverse,” Falcon said. “I’m a big fan of Martina McBride.” Coker loves the Dixie Chicks and Shania Twain. “I grew up listening to classic rock and I love Stevie Nicks,” Camp said. “I also really love Hank (Williams) Jr. and Sr., and Merle (Haggard).” The girls write a lot of their songs, but they do keep a few crowd-pleasers in their repertoire. “As songwriters, we want to do all original,” Camp said. “But most people want a 60/40 (mix).” The group has mastered songs like “Traveling Soldier” and “Hell on Heels” by the Dixie Chicks and Pistol Annies, respectively. The Sweet Tea Trio girls are huge fans of both groups. Something the girls may not be fans of is balancing a rising music career while still in school. Falcon is in the 10th grade, while Camp and Coker are home-schooled, although Coker recently graduated. “It is hard to be doing your schoolwork and be thinking, ‘Oh, I’ve got to get to sound check soon,’ or thinking of lyrics for a song you want to get down,” Camp said.

THIS PAGE: The group played their first gig with their new band at Workplay this March in Birmingham.

“It is hard to be doing your schoolwork and be thinking, ‘Oh, I’ve got to get to sound check soon,’ or thinking of lyrics for a song you want to get down.” — Victoria Camp

>> 91

TM_041015_091.indd 91

3/29/2015 8:15:30 PM

Play Your Cards Right. Plan Ahead.

Learn how to protect your loved ones at our

FREE EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOP

Estate Planning, Asset Protection & Medicaid Eligibility

CALL US OR REGISTER ONLINE TODAY!

Join local attorney G. Stephen Wiggins to discuss wills, trusts, powers of attorney, advance directives, living wills, probate administration, protecting your assets, bankruptcy, divorce & remarriage, nursing homes, long term care and medicaid qualification.

Seats fill up quickly! Reserve your seat today:

(205) 764-1262 REDOAKLEGALPC.COM

“No representation is made that the quality of legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.”

TM_041015_092.indd 92

3/30/15 4:25 PM

MUSIC “It’s all about time management,” Falcon adds. All of the girls agree that the balancing act is made much easier because of the help of their parents, whom they affectionately refer to as ‘momagers’ and ‘dadagers.’ “They definitely keep us grounded,” Falcon said. “But to have our parents with us has been amazing.” They all help with various aspects of managing the girls’ careers, such as social media, bookings and wardrobe and researching sponsorships. So far, Sweet Tea Trio has a wardrobe sponsor in the Gypsy Spur boutique in Tuscaloosa. Southern Breeze Sweet Tea is another sponsor. The girls now have a precise focus on their goal of becoming the next big all-female trio to find major success in Nashville, but even as young as they are, Camp and Falcon initially had other plans. “I wanted to be a vet, but I made my parents give me guitar lessons,” Camp said. “Then I realized I really wanted to do music.” “I always sang, but I never knew this was something I wanted to pursue. I wanted to deliver babies,” Falcon joked. This dream that the Sweet Tea Trio girls are living and the bigger dream they are working toward isn’t lost on other singers and songwriters trying to achieve the same thing. Camp offers some advice to those, like themselves, who are chasing a dream: “Start young. In this industry they really don’t care how old you are. Just be mature.” RIGHT: The Sweet Tea Trio performs the national anthem before the Alabama women’s gymnastics meet against Boise State at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa on Feb. 13. BELOW: The band performs the national anthem at a Alabama women’s basketball game at Foster Auditorium in January.

Sweet Tea Trio will perform again April 24 in Biloxi, Miss., where they will open for Sam Hunt, and they will be at the Toadlick Festival in Dothan on April 25. Visit sweettea trio.com for more upcoming videos and performances. 93

TM_041015_093.indd 93

3/30/2015 6:46:23 PM

THE 420 HORSE GATED COMMUNITY IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR SEATING.

• Third-Row Power-Fold Seats • Hands-Free Power Liftgate • Wireless Device Charging • Advanced Anti-Theft System • Safety Alert Seat • Surround Vision Camera • OnStar

460 lb. ft. of Torque 6.2 L V8 Engine 420 HP

WWW.BARKLEYCADILLAC.COM OR

STOP BY OUR SHOWROOM AT 3575 SKYLAND BLVD TUSCALOOSA, AL

TM_041015_094.indd 94

3/30/15 4:27 PM

6 123456 MEET THE FOLKS WHO

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

IN OUR COMMUNITIES

intriguing people

AMY ECHOLS

Executive Director, Kentuck Art Center

RICK DOWLING Comedian; co-founder of Arts ‘N Autism

KEN GADDY

Director, Paul W. Bryant Museum

PAUL HOUGHTALING UA Associate Professor of Voice and Director of Opera Theater

WADE MORRISON

Manager of The Tuscaloosa News pressroom for 43 years

BILL FITTS

Author of the “Needed Killing” murder-mystery series

TM_041015_095.indd 95

3/31/2015 6:29:17 PM

6 INTRIGUING PEOPLE

NO.1

Amy Echols

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, KENTUCK ART CENTER

BY JENNIFER BRADY PHOTO BY ROBERT SUTTON

entuck Art Center Executive Director Amy Echols is no stranger to the museum and its renowned festival, but she hopes to bring ideas that could help grow the Kentuck Museum Association and give the beloved Kentuck Festival of the Arts an even stronger foothold in the folk art community. Echols has been the executive director of Kentuck for almost a year and a half, but she served on the board of directors for many

years. She said that helps her to know what she needs to do to keep Kentuck’s goals and plans moving forward. “The reason I knew I had to try was that this was going to be a year like no other,” she said. “We had a very arts-focused leadership before, which was great actually, but I knew it was time we basically reach out to businesses for money.” Echols said the main goal this year has been to get the main museum building completely renovated and to move back into it. “Our facilities are subpar compared to our position in the art world,” she explains. “The New York Folk Museum called us recently asking about a piece of art, and they knew we

would know about it. We get hundreds of applicants for our festival every year from people all over the country.” Asking for money, still, was something foreign to Echols and something she was also fairly nervous about. But her husband, Michael, a local accountant, was her mentor, and she found that the money aspect came more easily to her than she expected. “I am completely loving this job and having fun now,” she said. “I was a little nervous at first, but I have loved asking for money because I really believe in what I’m doing. And you know what, I’ve found that we have a very, very generous community.” Echols said Kentuck has very giving private

TM_041015_096.indd 96

3/29/2015 8:17:01 PM

6 INTRIGUING PEOPLE

“I HAVE HAD A GREAT STAFF, AND WE HAVE SOME THINGS WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH AND SO MUCH WE ALREADY HAVE. IT IS AMAZING HOW THINGS HAVE COME TOGETHER SO FAR.” citizens and businesses but that local leadership has been a great financial partner as well. “The (Northport) City Council has really been extremely helpful and encouraging.” Kentuck, not surprisingly, also receives funding from its events and the festival. “The festival is our main source of funding, then membership grants,” Echols said. There is also an Art Night hosted by the museum and resident artists the first Thursday of each month, as well as the museum being open for patrons to purchase various pieces of folk art. She adds that she’s going to try to keep her “asking for money” abilities going in order to complete another of her and the board’s goals for Kentuck. “I have a great support staff, and we all have a lot of things we want to complete,” she said. “Short-term goals for Kentuck include the complete renovation of the

museum building and also to pull together a professional study for a five-year plan for goals and staff to support those plans.” While Echols is busy working to raise funds to support Kentuck’s goals, planning for the annual Kentuck Festival of the Arts also is an everyday task. “As soon as the festival ends, we begin planning for the next year,” she said. “We are working on judges now, and we always have a lot of applications to go through, which is tough because we only take so many entries in so many categories, and we receive applications from extremely talented artists that we would love to have in our festival.” Echols adds that she is excited to see what the next year holds for herself and Kentuck. “I have had a great staff, and we have some things we want to accomplish and so much we already have,” she said. “It is amazing how things have come together so far.”

NAME: Amy Echols AGE: 59 PERSONAL: Husband, Michael; son, Chris, 26; stepdaughter, Christy, 37. HOMETOWN: Montgomery THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE INFLUENCED MY LIFE: Paulette Riley (art teacher in high school) and my grandmother Pauline Boddie. SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT ME: I sold Mary Kay cosmetics when I lived in Huntsville and won a car. Not the pink Cadillac, but a cream-colored car. It was on the 6 o’clock news and in the paper. MY PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENT: Being a mom. WHY I DO WHAT I DO: Definitely for the love of the arts and this community.

Surin of Thailand 1402 University Blvd | Tuscaloosa AL 35401 205.752.7970 | www.surinofthailand.com

Lunch: Mon - Fri 11am - 2pm, Sat & Sun 11:30am - 2:30pm Dinner: Mon-Thurs 4:30pm - 9:30pm, Fri 4:30pm - 10pm, Sat 5pm - 10pm, & Sun 5pm - 9:30pm

Midnight Sushi ~ $1 Sushi Thurs-Sat 11pm - 1am

Mon-Fri 4:30pm - 6pm

NA5656696

Happy Hour ~ $1 sushi after school

TM_041015_097.indd 97

3/31/2015 6:29:44 PM

6 INTRIGUING PEOPLE

NO.2

Rick Dowling

STAND-UP COMEDIAN, CO-FOUNDER OF ARTS ‘N AUTISM BY KAYLA MONTGOMERY PHOTO BY ROBERT SUTTON

hen Rick Dowling thinks about his life, more often than not, his thoughts travel back to his son, Sam. Now 23, Sam changed his parents’ lives when he was only 2 and a half years old and was diagnosed with autism. Handling each day with laughter and humor ultimately steered Dowling in an unforeseen direction, toward stand-up comedy. Until he attended the University of Alabama, Dowling had no experience in stand-up.

He had participated in drama in high school, but a campus TV show at UA was his first endeavor in the world of comedy, though he said he has always had a natural inclination to make people laugh. “I’m kind of a ham,” he said. “But it’s strange to tell people I’m actually a shy person. I’m more comfortable, typically, standing in front of a group of strangers than one-on-one.” Dowling graduated from the university in 1985, and he and his wife, Suzanne, wed in 1990. Three years later, their only child, Sam, was diagnosed with autism. Immediately, Dowling said, the two knew that nothing would change and that Sam was still the same

child they loved. “We got our diagnosis on Dec. 7, 1993, and that’s the kind of thing that sticks with people. It did with me, anyway,” Dowling said. “I remember getting in the car with Suzanne after we got the diagnosis and we just looked at each other, and I was like, ‘You know, Sam is still Sam.’ He was our kid, we love him, we live with him, so now we have this diagnosis.” Inspired by Sam, Suzanne co-founded Arts ’n Autism, which provides the only local after-school program for autistic children. To support the program, based on art, drama and music, Dowling took part in a fundraiser called Stand-Up for Autism, where he made his

TM_041015_098.indd 98

3/29/2015 8:18:03 PM

6 INTRIGUING PEOPLE NAME: Rick Dowling AGE: 53 PERSONAL: Wife, Suzanne; son, Sam, 23 HOMETOWN: Birmingham THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE INFLUENCED MY LIFE: Certainly my son. Sam has taught me a lot of things. I’m going to say Steve Martin, and that sounds like a very shallow thing, but I think he’s one of the funniest people ever. He was huge when I was in high school. But certainly Sam has influenced the last 23 years of it. SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT ME: Dowling began his college career as a chemical engineering major,

PROUDLY SERVING

Tuscaloosa

and he soon realized that it was not the right path for him. “January is when the circus comes to Birmingham, and I actually auditioned for the circus as a clown my freshman year — it was that bad,” he said. “I learned a lot — basically, that I didn’t want to be a clown.” MY PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENT: Again, it would be Sam-related, just the fact that he has done as well as he’s doing. He works part time on the UA campus at the Speech and Hearing Center, and when he started working there, that was just a tremendously proud moment for Suzanne and me. WHY I DO WHAT I DO: I enjoy making people laugh, and that’s something I have done my whole life, not just as an adult or recently.

150

FOR

YEARS.

stand-up comedy debut. His jokes, he said, were based on the humor he and his wife use in their everyday lives as they raise their son. “We have our own sense of humor that some people might find a little twisted,” Dowling said, laughing. “But we do use humor to help us with life in general and certainly as it relates to Sam, because there are funny moments, just hysterically funny moments, and I just shared some of those.” At that first performance, Dowling focused his show on what he calls Sam’s “obsessions.” Sam would often fixate on certain things, and at that time, his two fixations were NASCAR and printing things from Internet websites. At one point, Dowling said, their house was filled with thousands of copies of various Web pages. “The line I came up with was, ‘Don’t worry if anything ever happens to the Internet because we have a hard copy of it at our house,’ ” he said. After performing at Stand-Up for Autism, Dowling and several of the other performers joined together to create the Tuscaloosa Comedy Group. The group does shows annually and also performs for local charities. Dowling said humor certainly has a place in his job at the university, where he serves as coordinator of faculty development, but most importantly, humor will always have a presence in the Dowling home. “I think humor is a really strong force,” Dowling said. “I use this line in one of my stand-up bits, and I don’t know if I can claim credit for writing it, but it’s basically, ‘If you can laugh at something, it doesn’t control you,’ and that has certainly been a big part of our lives.”

Regions and Tuscaloosa go way back. For the past 150 years, we’ve been providing banking services to help Tuscaloosa grow. Every day, we make loans, provide safe harbor for your deposits, help businesses stay strong, and make it easier for you to save time and money.

NA5756005

For the Regions leadership team of Tuscaloosa, work isn’t confined to the bank or behind a desk. We’re active both personally and professionally in our community. This helps us get to know our neighbors better so we can offer them the best financial solutions possible. And being able to help people move their lives forward is what makes everything we do worth it.

TM_041015_099.indd 99

3/31/2015 6:30:09 PM

6 INTRIGUING PEOPLE

NO.3

Ken Gaddy

DIRECTOR, PAUL W. BRYANT MUSEUM BY ELAYNE SMITH PHOTO BY MICHELLE LEPIANKA CARTER

n a place where generations are taught through sport, engagement rings are placed among trophies, and players separated by years are brought together in homage to a man, Ken Gaddy worries about light bulbs. Gaddy is the director of the Paul W. Bryant Museum. Named after Paul W. “Bear” Bryant, the museum honors the coach who served the University of Alabama for 25 years from 1958 until 1982, leading the team to six national

championship titles. The museum was created in 1985 to honor Bryant’s legacy and preserve UA’s football history. Having worked there since 1991, Gaddy has had the opportunity to see many trophies added to the collection. “Football is culture, it’s history,” Gaddy said. “(Bryant) was a positive thing for Alabama when other things like politics weren’t positive.” Growing up in Thomasville, Gaddy got his first taste of football by listening to John Forney’s radio show. He watched Bryant’s Sunday television program and saw him as larger than life. Gaddy said he never imagined himself

organizing exhibits and cleaning trophies, but he likes his job. “You can never know it all,” Gaddy said. “We think we’ve been asked every question, every little fact, then someone brings something new.” Before working at the museum, Gaddy worked as a curator at the Alabama Museum of Natural History on the UA campus. Gaddy said he was never a people person but had to grow into it and learn how to give speeches. “I do it all the time now. Doesn’t mean I’m not nervous, but I’ve learned to prepare better for those situations, and experience helps,” Gaddy said.

100

TM_041015_100.indd 100

3/30/2015 6:50:32 PM

6 INTRIGUING PEOPLE NAME: Ken Gaddy AGE: 56 PERSONAL: Wife, Scarlett; son, Michael, 25. HOMETOWN: Thomasville SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT ME: I work in a football museum, but I’m a big Braves fan. I follow the Braves just as much as Alabama football. I am on the local Easter Seals West Alabama board and the Easter Seals Alabama board. Giving people with disabilities an opportunity to reach their full potential is important to me. MY PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENT: (The museum) just had the centennial celebration in 2013 (Bryant would have turned 100 on Sept. 11, 2013) and we did a

documentary, “Mama Called,” and a book, “Inside the Vault.” WHY I DO WHAT I DO: I think the thing I like most is that people want to be here, so they have an interest and a positive reason to be here. You don’t have to be here. It makes it a great place to work. THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE INFLUENCED MY LIFE: My high school teachers and coaches. Joe Bensen was one of my teachers and had a big influence on me. John Hall was a big influence on me. I worked for Hall when I worked for the Natural History Museum. He taught me through observation how to basically do the museum business — how to talk to visitors, how to talk to the press, how to design exhibits, work with collections. That’s where I learned the museum side of things.

Gaddy arrived at the Bryant Museum 24 years ago. His favorite part of the job is seeing the positive impact of the museum, he said. Families of four generations will visit and tell the stories from their days, teaching each other about the passing of time. The museum has even orchestrated three marriage proposals, where someone on the staff places the ring in a display case in the last exhibit and waits as the couple walks through the museum. Football players from different teams and different years will visit and bond over their time with Bryant. “When I think about Bryant, I think about what he means to them,” Gaddy said. “We’re here for the fans.” Yet for these events to happen and for the museum to serve the fans, Gaddy has to plan every detail down to the light bulbs they use in the exhibits. Working as the director, Gaddy makes decisions ranging from budgeting to choosing artifacts to keeping the museum relevant in the digital age. “You have to keep a big picture of things,” Gaddy said. “If you do all the details — the small things — right, the big things will work.” His love for sports does not end with UA’s football season. Gaddy is an Atlanta Braves baseball fan and tries to go to a game at least once a year. He attends high school games as well as UA’s other sporting events. “Sports is a lot of drama, anticipation,” Gaddy said. “It’s a way to talk to folks. You always know you can talk sports.” Even though he has a passion for UA football, Gaddy rarely gets a chance to see a whole game. Game days are the biggest work days for the museum. Often Gaddy and his staff work past kickoff. With an average of 40,000 people walking through the exhibits each year, Gaddy makes sure every detail, every light bulb, is just right to keep the legacy alive.

S H E H O L DS T H E H O U S E RECOR D FOR “M MOS T S TATE C APITAL S REC ALLED IN FIVE MINUTES” AND “BIGGES T HOLE DUG IN THE BACK YAR D FOR NO APPARENT REASON.” C H I L D R E N A M A Z E U S E V E R Y D AY and at Children’s of Alabama we want to see every child grow up and live to their fullest potential. That’s why we recruit, train and retain the most inquiring minds, the most skilled hands and the most compassionate hearts in pediatric medicine. 1 6 0 0 7 T H AV E N U E S O U T H B I R M I N G H A M , A L 3 5 2 3 3 (205) 638-9100

ChildrensAL.org

101

TM_041015_101.indd 101

3/31/2015 6:30:27 PM

6 INTRIGUING PEOPLE

NO.4

Paul Houghtaling UA ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF VOICE AND DIRECTOR OF OPERA THEATER BY JENNIFER BRADY PHOTO BY MICHELLE LEPIANKA CARTER

e has performed on the stages of Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center ... and now Bryant-Jordan Hall. World-renowned opera singer Paul Houghtaling sought in 2007 to bring his talents to Alabama to take a stage of a different sort — that of teacher. Houghtaling isn’t new to the teaching world, but it is no easy task for anyone to single-handedly take the reins of an entire academic department. As associate professor of voice and direc-

tor of opera theatre, and a self-described Type A New Yorker, Houghtaling uses his position as the sole opera faculty member to bring something special to his students. “I’m a one-man shop. There is no other opera person here,” he said. “But I knew coming here, I would get to build something.” Houghtaling, a bass-baritone performer, said local support has made possible everything he has accomplished with the opera department and for his students. He said he knew building a department would take a lot of work and money. “Community members started doing fundraisers, and the Opera Guild was formed,” he said.

“They raised a lot of funds and awareness of the program and what I was trying to do. Some of them did it because they just love opera.” Houghtaling said what started being run like a club has since grown, giving him the opportunity to share his passion with students who will use what they learn in a variety of musical avenues. “I have about 25 opera students, but there are students I have through broad extensions in the MFA (master of fine arts) program,” he said. “What they get from me is that they learn how to win a job, how to audition and I even train them to go out and do what I do. What I really love is when I’m able to light

102

TM_041015_102.indd 102

3/30/2015 6:51:58 PM

6 INTRIGUING PEOPLE NAME: Paul Houghtaling AGE: 54 HOMETOWN: Troy, N.Y. THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE INFLUENCED MY LIFE: Parents, mentors, faculty, Prof. Richard Burke and John Moriarty. SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT ME: I used to be in the drum and bugle corps. If I could go back to when I was

child, I would ask my parents for figure skating lessons. I’m also a terrible eater — I sometimes get so busy I forget to eat. MY PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENT: Definitely the Opera Guild and their support and my students. If they love what they do, that is a true measure of success. WHY I DO WHAT I DO: It’s who I am. I’m a teacher, and I just enjoy sharing what I love to do.

that fire and feed the hunger.” Houghtaling continued, “I hope that I can teach my students to entertain, to move, to touch, to make someone cry.” He added that his students want to be able to do those things as well. “There are a lot of easier majors out there, and you have to want it. You have to have a passion for this.” He said he takes it upon himself to give students the best possible learning experience. “I know these students or their parents are paying a lot for this education, and I feel it’s my responsibility for them to get every bit out of it they can,” he said. “I feel responsible for each student’s experience. I want to give them the best experience I can.” Houghtaling’s contributions haven’t gone unnoticed. He is the 2015 recipient of the Morris Lehman Mayer Award at the University of Alabama. The award is an honor given to “one member of the teaching faculty who exemplifies the life of Morris L. Mayer: selfless and significant service and leadership for the UA community, significant contributions to student life, and integrity.” He is also the 2015 recipient of the Druid Arts Award for Music Educator of the Year, an honor given by the Arts and Humanities Council of Tuscaloosa. He and his students in the Opera Theatre department are also award winners in competitions all over the country. Houghtaling said he shares the good things that happen to him with his parents, who have always been supportive. “I always called them when something good happened, and they always told me, ‘That’s wonderful,’ and were happy for me,” he said. “My father passed last year, and my mother is in a nursing home now, but I still call her and share good news with her.” He still travels the country performing, directing, being a vocal coach and leading master classes and workshops — on top of all of the performances he directs for the opera students throughout the year and coordinating other student performances both locally and around the country. One particular local performance is something Houghtaling said he and the students really enjoy. “We go every Valentine’s Day and sing for the residents at Capstone Village (retirement community), and they just love it,” he said. “We really enjoy doing that every year and, personally, I hope that someone is going and singing for my mother.” Learn more about Houghtaling’s extensive career and upcoming performances, as well as student performances, at paulhoughtaling. com and music.ua.edu/opera.

Custom Designed Cabinetry

Countertops • Closets • Wine Cellars Windows • Front Doors • Designer Backsplashes Complete Design & Installation Services

Your one stop shop for all residential remodel or building projects Specializing in kitchens and baths.

We’ll meet or beat any competitor’s price or we’ll throw in the kitchen sink!

www.toulmincabinetry.com

205.366.0807 • 844.868.5646 Showroom Hours M-F 9-5 Weekends & Evenings by Appointment 103

TM_041015_103.indd 103

3/30/2015 6:52:41 PM

6 INTRIGUING PEOPLE

NO.5

Wade Morrison THE TUSCALOOSA NEWS PRESSROOM MANAGER FOR 43 YEARS BY ROBERT DEWITT PHOTO BY ROBERT SUTTON

ou won’t find any of Wade Morrison’s work on display at the Kentuck Museum. And yet he sees what he does as more than a trade. “This isn’t a skill set,” he says, reclining in his office chair as the big Heidelberg press hums in the background. “This is an art. You have thousands of dots that have to be in register. You have to have just the right amount of ink and the right amount of water for that color photo to look like it’s supposed to.” And not everybody can get it all right. “I believe some people, as athletes, are gifted,” Morrison said. “I think you have to be gifted to do this. Lithography is an art.”

When people think of an employee at The Tuscaloosa News, most envision a reporter, a photographer or maybe an advertising salesperson. But their work can’t be displayed on paper unless someone prints it. That makes a newspaper building as much a factory as an office. Wade Morrison and the people he worked with turned the words, pictures and illustrations that reporters, photographers and salespeople gathered into something the public could hold in its hands and read. In February, Morrison retired as pressroom manager after working 43 years for The Tuscaloosa News. Pressroom workers labor in anonymity at a dirty, loud and sometimes dangerous job to create a newspaper out of half-ton rolls of newsprint, water and 55-gallon drums of ink. They end the day tired, dirty and covered in

ink, looking more like mechanics than artists. They don’t get bylines or photo credits, but that doesn’t mean they don’t take pride in their work. “Back in 1978, we won a national award for color reproduction from Kodak,” Morrison remembers. We had people from all over the Southeast come to The Tuscaloosa News to see us do color separations and print in color. We were the best in the country in 1978.” The offset printing process was in its infancy when it came to The Tuscaloosa News in 1969. Morrison learned it when he came to the newspaper in 1971 as an apprentice pressman, recommended by his father-in-law, Ernest Parker. He learned from people who had the reputation as the best in the business at producing bright, vibrant color photos on newsprint. And it was all done by hand.

104

TM_041015_104.indd 104

3/30/2015 6:53:16 PM

6 INTRIGUING PEOPLE NAME: Wade Morrison AGE: 62 PERSONAL: Wife, Vicky; daughter, Mandy Ray, 38; and son, Joseph Wade Morrison Jr., 30. MY PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENT: I’ve been married for 41 years to my high school sweetheart and best friend. Not many people can say that these days. WHY I DO WHAT I DO: I like printing. I not only want-

ed to have a good printer but I wanted to fix the machine when it was broken. THE PEOPLE WHO INFLUENCED MY LIFE: Grandfather, Ernest Miles; first pressroom manager, Gene McCrackin; pressroom manager Melvin Hunnicutt; senior pressman Carl Hollyhand. THINGS PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT ME: I’m a friggin’ James Bond nut, and movies like “My Fair Lady” and “Steel Magnolias,” I love them.

“I think we’ve lost some of that art now that it’s built on computer,” Morrison said. “Maybe I’m old-fashioned, but it doesn’t seem like those pictures have that ‘pop’ like they used to.” What is that “pop?” It’s hard to say. But he knows it when he sees it. And he knows what it felt like to produce the best. “It feels great now that I’m 62 years old to have been a part of something like that,” Morrison said, smiling nostalgically. “Back then, I was in my 20s and I thought I was 10 feet tall and bulletproof, and it didn’t mean that much. But now it feels good to know we were the best in color reproduction in the United States in 1978.” Nobody questions Morrison’s dedication to his work. There’s a joke around the newspaper that Morrison gave more than anyone to The Tuscaloosa News. And that’s hard to argue when you look where his fingers once were on his right hand. The old Goss Urbanite press at the newspaper’s old location on Sixth Street didn’t have the safety features required on new presses. On Aug. 23, 1994, Morrison was walking along the catwalk that ran alongside the press, and he slipped. “In my case it was something I’d done hundreds of times,” Morrison said. “I slipped and fell, and when I grabbed hold to keep from hitting the floor, I grabbed a drive shaft. It happened to be turning.” His fingers were immediately snatched into the machinery’s gears and ground to pulp. There was nothing left to retrieve and try to reattach. “When I pulled my hand out, it looked like that,” Morrison said with a laugh, holding up his fingerless palm. As he sat on the floor and clutched his hand waiting for the ambulance to arrive, he wondered aloud how he would work and provide for his family. Later, he would wonder how he could continue the hunting and fishing that he loved without the fingers on his right hand. But as he recovered, he discovered that still having his thumb and palm enabled him to do things he wouldn’t have dreamed of at first. “I’ve been a better person because of it, even though I lost my fingers,” said Morrison, who is right-handed. “It made me think of things I’d never thought of before. I can still write with my right hand and handle tools.” Adaptation began with a fishing reel. Wondering how he would turn the small handle on his bait-casting reel, Morrison noticed

“BACK IN 1978, WE WON A NATIONAL AWARD FOR COLOR REPRODUCTION FROM KODAK,” MORRISON REMEMBERS. WE HAD PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE SOUTHEAST COME TO THE TUSCALOOSA NEWS TO SEE US DO COLOR SEPARATIONS AND PRINT IN COLOR. WE WERE THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY IN 1978.” that the reel maker had a similar saltwater reel with a larger handle. He retrofitted the larger handle on his freshwater reel, and it worked like a charm. It wasn’t easy, but he learned to shoot lefthanded. He had special tools designed for him at work. “I was 41, 42 years old and I liked my job, I liked what I do,” Morrison said. “I didn’t want to be some retired person who was sitting around waiting to die. I’m not going to give up. You can lie there and feel sorry for yourself or you can get up and figure out what you’re going to do next.” Morrison got up and went back to work. He spent 20 more years at The Tuscaloosa News and ended up managing the pressroom. “If there’s a will, there’s a way,” Morrison said. “If you want to do something, you can figure out a way to do it.”

105

TM_041015_105.indd 105

3/30/2015 6:54:00 PM

6 INTRIGUING PEOPLE

NO.6

Bill

Fitts

AUTHOR OF THE “NEEDED KILLING” MURDER-MYSTERY SERIES BY MISTY MATHEWS PHOTO BY MICHELLE LEPIANKA CARTER

ill Fitts makes a living killing people, but only people who needed it. “Most people, when I tell them I’m writing a series (of books) about people who needed killing, will say, ‘If you run out of names, let me know,’ ” Fitts said. Fitts, a Tuscaloosa native, is the author of the “Needed Killing” series, which is loosely based in Tuscaloosa, dubbed “Shelbyville” in

the books. His protagonist is a retiree from a local university, who gets into the business of sleuthing after someone was killed at his retirement party — which he refused to attend. He is then asked by the provost of the university to investigate the murder. Fitts also is a retiree, from the University of Alabama, where he worked for a number of years in the Office of Information Technology. “You try to write places that you have a little more knowledge of,” Fitts said. “The first book is in the computer building here (on UA’s campus).”

Other books in the series involve scenes at the university’s press and a local folk art festival very similar to a certain annual event in Tuscaloosa, the Kentuck Festival of the Arts. Fitts and his wife, Anne Gibbons, are in the business together, with Gibbons providing much of the editing for Fitts’ stories. He said she also provides creative inspiration at times. “It’s a lot of fun,” he said. “She was a freelance writer and editor ever since we got married, so she’s been working in the house for 30 years now, off and on. ... It’s been invaluable in that, when I get stuck or whatnot, we can

106

TM_041015_106.indd 106

3/30/2015 6:54:27 PM

6 INTRIGUING PEOPLE

“THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE A BOOK IN THEM, SO FOR GOD’S SAKE, GO OUT THERE AND TRY IT, AND FINISH IT ... YOU MIGHT LIKE IT, AND WE MIGHT ALL BENEFIT FROM IT. YOU’RE NEVER TOO OLD TO WRITE A BOOK.” NAME: Bill Fitts

A Better Way To Bank Since 1888

BANKFIRST TUSCALOOSA

AGE: 64 PERSONAL: My wife is Anne Gibbons; daughter, Leigh Grass; grandchildren, Paul and Katie Grass. HOMETOWN: Tuscaloosa. THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE INFLUENCED MY LIFE: I would say my wife has been the most influential person in my life. You can’t live with somebody for 40 years and not be influenced by them. I can’t ignore my family, teachers, bosses, co-workers and friends. They are all reflected in the characters I create. SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT ME: In the summer of 1969, a month after I graduated from Tuscaloosa High School, I shook the hand of the vice president of the United States — Spiro Agnew — and I’ve got a picture to prove it. I had been named one of the two Presidential Scholars from Alabama. MY PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENT: So far, I’m proudest of publishing five murder mysteries between October 2012 and December 2014.

2201 7th Street • (205) 469-7495

www.bankfirstfs.com

GREEN WITH ENVY.

WHY I DO WHAT I DO: I’m having a great deal of fun writing books. Some people enjoy them, and I find it very fulfilling. always sit down and talk about what could happen or what might should’ve happened, and I can go back and tweak it and adjust things as it goes.” Even though Fitts started pursuing writing more seriously after he retired, he said it feels like a career. “I would say I wish I’d gotten into it earlier,” Fitts said. “I had my chances, but I think that now that I’m into it, it’s what I enjoy doing and what I want to do.” He wrote his first novel 30 years ago, and it was never published, so when his sister suggested he publish it through a free online service called Smashwords, he gave it some thought. He and Anne decided they wanted to write mystery novels instead, and they published the first two on Smashwords. He eventually published all five of the “Needed Killing” books through local company Borgo Publishing. Fitts said his advice for aspiring writers is to not give up and to finish their works. “There are a lot of people who have a book in them, so for God’s sake, go out there and try it, and finish it, not just write a couple of chapters,” he said. “You might like it, and we might all benefit from it. You’re never too old to write a book.”

THE BMW i3 WITH RANGE EXTENDER. Drive farther. Breathe easier. Up to 150 miles total range.

TOWNSEND BMW 3200 GREENSBORO AVE

TUSCALOOSA, AL 35401

205.345.9811

107

TM_041015_107.indd 107

3/30/2015 6:55:25 PM

ON THE SCENE

108

TM_041015_108.indd 108

3/30/2015 11:58:08 AM

ON THE SCENE

TOM ROBERTS’ RETIREMENT RECEPTION

JANUARY 29, 2015 THE ZONE AT BRYANT-DENNY STADIUM PHOTOS | ERIN NELSON

1. Eli Gold, Claudette Gold, Martha Roberts and Tom Roberts 2. Jerry Kelly, Sarah Patterson and David Patterson 3. Debbie Carabin, Cameron Burdick, Tyler Keys and Lindsey Keys 4. Jay Seawell, Shane Lyons, Tom Roberts and Finus Gaston 5. Sara Waters, Wright Waters and Kevin Almond 6. Brian Roberts, Elliott Roberts, Paula Heggem and David Heggem 7. Jenny Mainz and Lindsey Jones 8. Keith Sampson, Kevin Wansing, Tom Boman, Tom Roberts, Jerry Kelly and Tom Stipe 9. Family and guests at Tom Roberts’ retirement reception 10. William Keith, Martha Ann Keith, Cobb Beers, Charlie Keith, Tom Roberts, Clay Beers and Millan Beers 11. Mitch Gaspard, Kim Gaspard and Jim Carabin

109

TM_041015_109.indd 109

3/30/2015 11:58:25 AM

ON THE SCENE

HATS AND HEELS STILLMAN COLLEGE NOVEMBER 6, 2014 TUSCALOOSA RIVER MARKET PHOTOS | MICHELLE LEPIANKA CARTER

1. Kendra Houston, Jazmin Evans, Shambria Davis, Tolu Akinpetide, LaCourtney Crispin and Diva Hall 2. Kelsey Wilson and Shaquitta Dent 3. Diva Hall and Clemmie Hilton 4. Vernita James, Andrea Keith, Rajuan Sherman, Chelsy Hood and Daphne Hood 5. Gladys J. Wells, Belinda Rhodes, Melinda Rhodes and Luellahj Darshanon 6. LaKeya Goins, JoAnn McEwen, Margaret Hopson and Rita Alexander 7. Sandrene Burns and Gayle Phillips 8. Lawanna Thomas and Ella Prewitt 9. Celeste Russell, Ethel Patton and Carol Williams 10. Lucille Prewitt, Mary Porter and Elizabeth Thomas 11. Nancy Boyd, Marsha Millet and Zelda Lee 12. Debra Bass, Linda Beito and Kathryn Brewer-Strayer 13. Willie Wells and Rosie Williams

110

TM_041015_110.indd 110

3/30/2015 12:43:51 PM

ON THE SCENE

DCH BALL

NOVEMBER 14, 2014 NORTHRIVER YACHT CLUB PHOTOS | MICHELLE LEPIANKA CARTER

1 2

10 1. Amanda Fowler, Danielle McInerney and Shannon Wright 2. Sheri Jones and Deric Jones 3. Rodney Kirkland and Stacie Kirkland 4. Mary Ellen Hanna and Rick Hanna 5. David Kindred and Elisabeth Kindred 6. Eric Heslop, Katherine Heslop, Cynthia Overton and Bob Way 7. Natalie Abbott and Casey Johnson 8. Dan Blakley and Christine Blakley 9. Christina Hester and Tommy Hester 10. Annie Marie Axon and Wayne Moore 11. Jennifer Fair, Cindy Key, Deidra Long, Janice Neill, Barbara Jernigan and Traci Swann

111

TM_041015_111.indd 111

3/30/2015 12:02:01 PM

ON THE SCENE

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RECEPTION JANUARY 22, 2015 BRYANT CONFERENCE CENTER PHOTOS | ERIN NELSON

11 1. Ryan Powell and Phyllis Olive 2. Jackie Toye, Kaitlin Reager, LaKeesha Jones and Ali Lemmond 3. Tim Parker and Wilson Moore 4. Michael Staley, Lisa McCain and Al Spencer 5. Judy Gubera, Shauna Rodgers, Robert Kuhn, Anna Kniphfer and Kim Huber 6. Patrick Swann and Robert Morriss 7. Mark Crews and Jackie Wuska 8. George Lake, Cynthia Overton and Bob Way 9. Becky Wharton, LaShana Sorrell and Pamela Jones 10. Gary Creek, Michael Nix and Megan Welborn 11. Robert Lanoux, Keith Scott, Chuck Landry and Liz Landry 12. Ashley Tu, Dean McClure and Anita McClure 13. Mayling Smith, Ed Morris, Robin Bailey and Deborah Anders

112

TM_041015_112.indd 112

3/30/2015 5:53:29 PM

ON THE SCENE

UNITED WAY’S

Banking like it used to be.

CAMPAIGN CELEBRATION DECEMBER 11, 2014 PAUL W. BRYANT MUSEUM PHOTOS | ERIN NELSON

This building season why not switch to an experienced construction lender and an independently owned bank that can provide the service and flexibility you desire? Blake Thrasher understands the changing Tuscaloosa housing market, and is knowledgeable of custom, spec and jumbo home loans. Choosing who you trust with your banking is a very personal matter.

NLMS# 1211283

205-469-4960

Member FDIC

www.robertsonbanking.com

Protect your world Auto • Home • Life • Retirement

Call me today to discuss your options.

Some people think Allstate only protects your car. Truth is, Allstate can also protect your home or apartment, your boat, motorcycle - even your retirement and your life. And the more of your world you put in Good Hands®, the more you can save.

5 1. Jordan Plaster, Mike Reilly, Pam Parker and Samory Pruitt 2. Sarah Beth Hahn and Jim Clayton 3. Rhett Cooper and Holly Beck 4. Lisa Young, JoAnn Brownlee and Angela Hood 5. Jim Harrison, Jackie Wuska and Tom Joiner 6. Patrick Hamner and Ryan Stallings

Charlotte Bowers 205-344-5320

1520 Mcfarland Boulevard Ste. D, Tuscaloosa, AL 35406 cbowers@allstate.com

Insurance subject to terms, qualifications and availability. Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Co., Allstate Indemnity Co., Allstate Vehicle and Property Insurance Co., Allstate Insurance Co., Northbrook Indemnity Co. Life insurance and annuities issued by Lincoln Benefit Life Company, Lincoln, NE, Allstate Life Insurance Company, Northbrook, IL. In New York, Allstate Life Insurance Company of New York, Hauppauge, NY. Northbrook, IL. © 2010 Allstate Insurance Co.

113

TM_041015_113.indd 113

3/31/2015 11:44:34 AM

ON THE SCENE

LEONA LOVES TUSCALOOSA

POP UP SHOP NOVEMBER 13, 2014 DOWNTOWN TUSCALOOSA

PHOTOS | ERIN NELSON

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Lauren Leonard Phelps and Suse Patton Kelly Bonner and Emily Fitzhugh Vicki Burch and Kelly Pridgen Mary Young and Carol Wright Zella Sgarlata and Maggie Sgarlata Amanda Musselwhite and Lauren Leonard Phelps 7. Bailey Oas, Adrienne Rich and Haley Adams 8. Michele Leonard and Cissy Fuhrman

DEONTAY WILDER SEND-OFF PARTY JANUARY 8, 2015 TUSCALOOSA RIVER MARKET PHOTOS | MICHELLE LEPIANKA CARTER

1. Tommy Odum, Magdalene Odum, Natasha Prewitt, Terri Leatherwood and Alexzia Winn 2. Kathryn Mentel, Jamie Mentel, Amelia Mentel and Mary Harmon Mentel 3. Deja Williams and Georgia Leatherwood 4. Kip Tyner, Dennis Conner and Milady Murphy 5. Jordan Graves and Nancy Boyd 6. Ben Harris, Sparky the Fire Dog and Anthony Koon 7. Dylan Hannah, Chris Hannah and Mary Kay Hannah 8. Condalette Wilder, Marsellos Wilder and Demarius Hill

114

TM_041015_114.indd 114

3/30/2015 5:58:05 PM

RON ABERNATHY

SHERIFFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S INAUGURATION JANUARY 20, 2015 ST. MARK UNITED METHODIST CHURCH PHOTOS | ERIN NELSON

5 1. Leslie Abernathy, Pat Bohannon, Sue Maxwell and Ron Abernathy 2. Taylor Montgomery, Jeff Judd, Jeremy Parker and Donnie Nelson 3. Byron Fair, Courtney Fair, Gail Butler and Homer Butler 4. Andy Norris, Mark Glenn, Lisa Hembree and Cliff Hembree 5. Madison Zilke, Terry Zilke, Belinda Lancaster and Billy Doss 6. Eric Bailey, Gerald Burton and Jerome Fields 7. Jodie Karr, Chuck Karr, Mike Hardin and Robert Humphreys

ROTARY CLUB FEBRUARY 17, 2015 HARRISON GALLERY

PHOTOS | ERIN NELSON

4 7 5

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Kathy Shepherd and Jerry Shepherd Torrie Grelle and Byron Abston Jacqueline Morgan and Robert Morgan Ryan Stallings and Susan Caples Mike Crews and Jim Harrison Brad Springer and Beth Springer Don Salls, Diane Salls, Virginia Brazil and J.G. Brazil 8. Ginger Moore and Robert Moore 9. Carol Woodard, Mike Woodard, Jackie Wuska and Susan Caples

9 115

TM_041015_115.indd 115

3/30/2015 12:07:50 PM

ON THE SCENE

DCH EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION MARCH 26, 2015 THE ZONE AT BRYANT-DENNY STADIUM

PHOTOS | KIRSTEN FISCUS

1. Hannah Jones, Craig Lecroy, Paul Adams and Jennifer Adams 2. Ava Eure, Tim Martin and Debrah Fisher 3. Misty Craft and Andrew Lee 4. Jean Wear and James Wear 5. Mark Comerford, Erin Clark and Spenser Nicholson 6. Willette Mathews and Pat Jenkins 7. Sharon Baier and Frank Baier 8. Addie Flannigan, Gail Williams and Faith Jolly 9. Mechelle Graves and Ansley Graves 10. Ryan Pritchett and Nikki Pritchett 11. Flora Gaskin and Anthony Lavender 12. Heather Cannon and Jerry Cannon 13. Ryan Campbell and Colleen Campbell

116

TM_041015_116.indd 116

3/30/2015 6:00:41 PM

ON THE SCENE

MARDI GRAS JAZZ BRUNCH TUSCALOOSA COUNTY PRESERVATION SOCIETY

FEBRUARY 7, 2015 BATTLE-FRIEDMAN HOUSE PHOTOS | ERIN NELSON

1. Janice Lambert, Tony Lambert, Janie Archibald, Gayle Muckenfuss and Vanessa Cade 2. Heather Carrasco, Jonah Carrasco, Jesus Carrasco and Joshua Carrasco 3. Tim Higgins and Terry Corrao 4. Forrest Petry and Anne Bryson Easterling 5. Tanya Schwamberger and Ben Schwamberger 6. Jan Steele and Lea Cork 7. Paul Allison, Charlotte Allison and Katherine Allison 8. Paul Erben, Amanda Erben, Chris Beck and Amanda Beck 9. Diane Black and JoAnn Cook 10. Carols Teatini, Anna Teatini and Heidi Teatini 11. Cathy Meyer, Kathy Montgomery and Connie Booth 12. Kayla Love and Mike LaRocca

12 117

TM_041015_117.indd 117

3/31/2015 11:45:58 AM

ON THE SCENE

STILLMAN EVENING OF STARS

FUNDRAISER FOR UNCF JANUARY 24, 2015 STILLMAN COLLEGE PHOTOS | ERIN NELSON

9 1. Kenneth Washington, Jordan Holloman, Archie Jefferson, Peter Millet, Anthony Holloman, Cliff Warren and Walter Conley Jr. 2. Courtney Davidson and Victor Christian 3. Maisah Holloman and Anthony Holloman 4. Nicole Keith, Shambria Davis, Johncella Bates and Shaunte Gales 5. Myra Suttle, Lawanna Thomas, Katie Cleveland and Celeste Russell 6. Diva Hall, Shy Benton and Elizabeth Caver 7. Marcia Millet and Maisah Holloman 8. Robert Cleveland and Katie Cleveland 9. Retia Maneice and Shae Byrd 10. Calondra White and Althenia Morrow-Tate 11. Angela Hood, LaShaun Hilton and Daphne Ferguson

118

TM_041015_118.indd 118

3/30/2015 12:03:14 PM

ON THE SCENE

BRUNCH FOR BOOBS FEBRUARY 28, 2015 BRYANT CONFERENCE CENTER PHOTOS | ERIN NELSON

3 4

6 5

9 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

10. 11.

Crystal Buck, Kara Creel and Helen Layden Pam Franklin and Kacie Obradovich Kim McGee and Carlette Durham Brenda Rayburn, Terri Ballard and Charlotte Wheeler Jennifer James, Noelle Quarles, Charity Jones and Jennifer Preskitt Angel Wade, Dana Wade, Susie Potts and Lynn Moss Rebecca Mapp and Kristy Lee Jenni Miesse and Caroline Williams Paula Quarles, Peggy Hoffman and Kathy Helm Kay Vaughn and Susan Sprayberry Kay Williams and Beverly York

119

TM_041015_119.indd 119

3/30/2015 6:01:12 PM

ON THE SCENE

WINE DOWN WITH ROTARY FEBRUARY 26, 2015 DINAH WASHINGTON CULTURAL ARTS CENTER PHOTOS | ERIN NELSON

10 8

1. Kari Keplinger, Lauren Yarnish, John Nichols and Prakash Sudhir 2. Scott Ray, Crawford Barnes and Brenton McWilliams 3. Elizabeth Hall, Jon Hall, Robin Bailey and Tom Bailey 4. Rob Steward and Griff Stanley 5. Dick Bradt and Glen Smith 6. Josh Teel and Paul Shashy 7. Amy Grano, Rich Martens and Elizabeth Hall 8. Sarah Pember and Christine Hackman 9. Katie Grayson, Lori White and Eric White 10. Nick Tew and Rhonda Tew 11. Kristin Pivetz and Jonathan Pivetz 12. Gordon Terry, Jenni Johnston, Andrea Rezzonico and Grant Rafield

120

TM_041015_120.indd 120

3/30/2015 6:01:24 PM

MARCH 12, 2015 THE ZONE AT BRYANT-DENNY STADIUM

ON THE SCENE

OSHER LIFELONG LEARNING INSTITUTE PHOTOS | ERIN NELSON

1. Bill Massengale, Judy Campbell and Marty Massengale 2. Dorothy Pieroni, Robert Pieroni and Michelle Pierioni 3. Barbara Birdnow, Civille Brown, Imogene Midyett and Martha Robertson 4. Sharon Shelton, Brett Riley, Kelly Riley and George Shelton 5. Anita Smelley and Sandra Lary 6. Jeremiah Castille, Rachel Castille, Danielle Castille and Edric Williams 7. Barbara Brosier, Taylor Watson and Carol Bradley 8. Jennifer Woods, Cleveland Foster and Vonie Foster 9. Jean Taylor and Nancy Humphreys 10. Atta Kaddah and Wanda Paul 11. Brenda Harris and Tommy Brittain 12. James Stamps and Mary Hewett

12 121

TM_041015_121.indd 121

3/30/2015 12:04:30 PM

LAST LOOK

STAR TRAILS BY ROBERT SUTTON

â&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always wanted to shoot star trails, so on Jan. 27, I tagged along with University of Alabama sports photographer Kent Gidley to Bryant-Denny Stadium. Gidley has shot photos like this before and graciously allowed me to follow him and learn the process. We set our cameras up on the south end of the field, pointing them directly at the North Star. Using remote triggers, we programmed the cameras to take a photograph every 30 seconds. The process yielded more than 1,000 photographs. We then used a software program called StarStaX, which takes the photos and digitally compiles them into one image that shows the progression of the stars throughout the night. We were also able to create a short compressed video that shows the movement of the stars. To see the video, log on to www.tuscaloosamagazine.com.

122

TM_041015_122.indd 122

3/31/2015 6:31:05 PM

Get your Sports Physical Today... Get your Sports Physical Today...

or Call About Us Coming to YOUR Location for YOUR Team. or Call About Us Coming to YOUR Location for YOUR Team.

• Laboratory Services • Laboratory Services

• Wound & Burn Care • Wound & Burn Care

• Injuries/Illness • Injuries/Illness

• Drug & Alcohol Screening • Drug & Alcohol Screening

•X-Ray Exams •X-Ray Exams

• Respiratory Protection • Respiratory Protection

When you experience a minor medical emergency or can’t wait for an appointment, let our experienced staff care for you. When you experience a minor medical emergency or can’t wait for an appointment, let our experienced staff care for you.

MedCenter NORTH MedCenter

MedCenter SOUTH MedCenter

MedCenter DEMOPOLIS MedCenter

MedCenter HOOVER MedCenter

Urgent Care • Family Medicine

NORTH

Urgent Care • Family Medicine

SOUTH

Urgent Care • Family Medicine

HOOVER

DEMOPOLIS

OFFICE HOURS: Monday - Saturday OFFICE HOURS: 9am-7pm Monday Saturday Sunday -1pm-7pm 9am-7pm Sunday 1pm-7pm 3909 McFarland Blvd Northport, AL 35476 3909 McFarland Blvd (205) 333-1993 Northport, AL 35476

OFFICE HOURS: Monday - Saturday OFFICE HOURS: 9am-10pm Monday - Saturday Sunday 1pm-10pm 9am-10pm Sunday 5005 Oscar1pm-10pm Baxter Drive Tuscaloosa, AL 35405 5005 Oscar Baxter Drive (205) 343-2225 Tuscaloosa, AL 35405

OFFICE HOURS: Monday - Saturday OFFICE HOURS: 9am-7pm Monday Saturday Sunday -1pm-7pm 9am-7pm Sunday 1pm-7pm 705 Hwy. 80 Demopolis, AL 36732 705 Hwy. 80 (334) 289-0225 Demopolis, AL 36732

OFFICE HOURS: Monday - Saturday OFFICE HOURS: 9am-7pm Monday Saturday Sunday -1pm-7pm 9am-7pm 1pm-7pm 1575Sunday Montgomery Highway Hoover, AL 35216 1575 Montgomery Highway (205) 822-1150 Hoover, AL 35216

(205) 333-1993

(205) 343-2225

(334) 289-0225

(205) 822-1150

www.medcenterurgentcare.com www.medcenterurgentcare.com TM_041015_123.indd 123

3/30/15 4:40 PM

TM_041015_124.indd 124

3/30/15 4:45 PM