Tuscaloosa Magazine Spring 2018

ALSO INSIDE: CELEBRITY JEWELRY CHURCH BICENTENNIALS THE MURPHY AFRICANAMERICAN MUSEUM FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS ROAD SHOWS 6 INTRIGUING PEOPLE & SO MUCH MORE

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WEATHER

www.tuscaloosamag.com $3.95

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Tut-tut, it looks like rain — but the day will be anything but gloomy with our rainwear styles

4/9/18 8:56 PM

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editor’s letter

Publisher James W. Rainey Editor-in-chief Becky Hopf Design Editor Lindi Daywalt-Feazel Photographers Gary Cosby Jr. Erin Nelson Jake Arthur Copy Editors Amy Robinson Kelcey Sexton Edwin Stanton Camille Studebaker Reid Bolling Operations Director Paul Hass Advertising Director Beau Laird Prepress Manager Chuck Jones Published by The Tuscaloosa News 315 28th Avenue Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 Executive Editor Michael James Controller Steve Hopper Magazine (205) 722-0232 To advertise (205) 722-0173 To subscribe (205) 722-0102

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got the idea when I was stopped at a red light on McFarland Boulevard — and, yes, some of us still do stop at red lights. Beside me in the right lane was a very large wrecker. It was painted pink. I jotted down the name of the business, Fred Robertson’s Wrecker Service, and an idea was born. I thought it might be fun to do a photo feature on things we pass on the roads of Tuscaloosa and sometimes wonder what’s inside, or, in the case of a pink tow truck, what the story is behind painting something so masculine so feminine.

I just picked a few, and those stories and discoveries have been fun. The giant flags attached to the back of pickup trucks on fall football Fridays? High school students flaunting team spirit. The big yellow school bus with “Tuscaloosa Tumblebus” written on the side? There’s a minigym inside for kids. And the pink wrecker? I assumed it was dedicated to someone connected with the business who had or was battling breast cancer. Instead, the business is supporting all in the community who are facing that battle.

In our “Hidden Treasures” feature, we celebrate Tuscaloosa’s designing women, a group of friends who are emerging as success stories through their own creations and vision.

We visit the Murphy-Collins House and Murphy African-American Museum, which houses not only a wealth of history but also a living treasure, volunteer and chairman of the board of management, Emma Jean Melton.

Our “6 Intriguing People” includes Stewart McLaurin, president of the White House Historical Society, a role that finds him preserving America’s most treasured address and its contents. And there’s retired Air Force Col. Duane Lamb, who, in addition to playing a major role in launching GPS satellites into space, worked in the Pentagon with Gen. Colin Powell and briefed

former President George W. Bush on the morning of the Sept. 11 attacks.

Our resident “Foodie” writer Donna Cornelius whips up fun ideas for things to serve for royal wedding viewing. And, in tribute to two of our local churches, First Baptist and First United Methodist, Donna not only writes about their bicentennials this year but includes easy-to-make and totally delicious (we sampled) dishes Josh Davis, chef at First United Methodist Church, makes on nights he cooks for the congregation.

Our fashion section features things to wear on rainy spring days, and who better to help model some of them than Tuscaloosa’s WVUA-TV meteorologist, Richard Scott, who poses along with his mini-me, son Parker.

And, thanks to Robin Wells, the owner of a new business — and, let’s face it, community service of sorts — Etiquette Manor of Alabama, we can all learn how to “mind our manners.” Kelcey Sexton writes about that.

Spring has sprung. Grab some flowers from the Bloom Flower Truck and enjoy.

Becky Hopf, editor Reach Becky Hopf at becky.hopf@tuscaloosanews.com.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

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SPRING 2018

VOLUME 16, NO. 1

CONTENTS

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08 DINING OUT

Young Tuscaloosa restaurateurs open second restaurants.

20 EVENTS

Places to go, things to see and do.

24 FOODIE NEWS

14 DINING IN

Josh Davis shares recipes for his FUMCT crowd-favorites.

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

38 COLLECTIBLES

It’s an all-star sale each year when celebrity jewelry comes to Hudson-Poole.

ELRY ITY JEW CELEBR NNIALS BICENTE CHURCH RICAN PHY AF THE MURAN MUSEUM EURS AMERIC N RE EP E ENTR FEMAL S SHOW ROAD OPLE UING PE IG TR 6 IN ORE H UC M & SO M

ER WEATH

g.com

osama

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Meet Tuscaloosa’s designing women who have created a niche in specialty businesses.

46 AT HOME

The Bronolds have created a home that is both upscale and cozy.

Miss University of Alabama, Riley Kate Lancaster, makes even the rainiest of days look great.

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40 INNOVATORS

ON THE COVER

ALSO : INSIDE

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Photo by: Gary Cosby Jr. See story: Page 66

60 LIFESTYLES

Robin Wells teaches proper etiquette to kids and adults.

64 TRENDS

Vinyl records are back in a big way.

66 FASHION

Bring on the rain. Our foulweather finds will cheer on the dreariest of days.

77 HISTORY

The Murphy African-American Museum showcases historymakers and their contributions.

84 6 INTRIGUING PEOPLE

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

ROAD SHOWS What is that you just passed on the road?

We’ve got the answers. Page 52

96 ON THE SCENE

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

122 LAST LOOK

A snapshot that captures life in West Alabama.

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60

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Twotwo DINING OUT

YOUNG TUSCALOOSA RESTAURATEURS OPEN SECOND DINING SPOTS

FOR

BY DONNA CORNELIUS • PHOTOS BY ERIN NELSON AND GARY COSBY JR.

Craig Williams, owner of Central Mesa, center left, speaks with patrons Sayres Harbin and Pam Wilson at the restaurant.

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DINING OUT

wning a restaurant can be a risky business. But two under-40 Tuscaloosa men have built on the successes of their first restaurants by opening new ones in downtown Tuscaloosa.

Justin Holt’s Southern Ale House on McFarland Boulevard and Craig Williams’ The Avenue Pub on 23rd Street both opened about four years ago. Last year, each restaurateur launched a second eatery: Holt with Dotson’s Burger Spot in Temerson Square and Williams with Central Mesa on Greensboro Avenue.

Williams said his role has changed since Central Mesa opened.

“I’ve tried to find a balance so I can support each restaurant,” he said. “I can’t be in both places 60 to 70 hours a week. We have great employees, and I have to empower them. We employ 76 people between the two restaurants.”

A downtown location appealed to Holt, who said he employs about 60 people.

“I come and go between both restaurants,” he said. “Southern Ale House gets my attention on days when it typically does a high volume. If there’s a concert downtown, I’m at Dotson’s.”

Both said they like being part of the downtown Tuscaloosa scene.

“You have staples — restaurants that have been here for 25 years — and new kids on the block,” Williams said. “We’re all friends and complement each other. Other places doing great food push us to do better.”

AT LEFT: The entrance to Dotson’s Burger Spot in Tuscaloosa.

Pimento cheese and Conecuh sausage empanadas at Central Mesa.

Central Mesa

ACCENT ON FRESHNESS There’s not much need for Craig Williams to hit the fitness center. It takes him about four minutes to walk from one of his downtown Tuscaloosa restaurants to the other — and on weekends, he makes that walk as often as 20 times a day.

The 36-year-old opened his first restaurant, The Avenue Pub, four years ago. Last July, his second eatery, Central Mesa, opened on Greensboro Avenue.

Williams said it took him about a year to “feel good” about The Avenue Pub. >>

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DINING OUT

Carnitas Tacos at Central Mesa on Greensboro Avenue.

“I imagined we’d sell food, pay our bills, and it would be a nice job,” he said. “About three years in, I started thinking about opening a second restaurant.”

When he found out that the space previously occupied by Epiphany Farm-to-Fork Cuisine was available, Williams took the plunge.

The Avenue Pub is what Williams calls “an American kitchen,” which gives chefs plenty of leeway with the menu. The restaurant has built a loyal following with dishes like its bacon cheeseburger, Thai nachos, and fish and chips.

While Central Mesa has a different menu, you’d be off base to call it a Mexican restaurant.

“It’s Latin-inspired but with a Southern flair,” Williams said. “There’s some authenticity and some dishes with our own spin.”

The menus at both places focus on quality instead of quantity.

At Central Mesa, you won’t find a five-page menu with 15 different versions of enchiladas.

“We have handmade corn tortillas, braised meats, and fresh vegetables and peppers,” Williams said.

You can start your meal with chips and salsa. But many diners choose more intriguing apps like shrimp ceviche or street corn with cotija cheese and house-made crema.

Tacos, which come three to an order, include carnitas — slow-roasted pork loin, cotija cheese, a sangria reduction, peppers and dollop of guacamole. On the entrée side, the Gulf Catch Veracruz stars either snapper or mahi-mahi, depending on which fish is fresh and available, with tomatoes, spinach, white wine, capers and olives. The fish is panseared and finished in the oven.

Williams said the menu is “an evolution process.”

“We’re tweaking new items like braised pork belly tacos and empanadas with pimento cheese and Conecuh sausage,” he said.

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The Strawberry Basil and the Gin and Rosemary.

The drink lineup includes margaritas plus some unexpected choices.

“Our margaritas are made with fresh limes, agave syrup, 100 percent agave Altos tequila and orange bitters,” Williams said.

The Gin and Rosemary has fresh grapefruit juice, gin and muddled rosemary, while the Strawberry Basil adds fresh strawberries and basil to Cathead honeysuckle vodka.

The bar also has wine, beer and a “huge selection of tequilas and whiskeys,” Williams said.

Since the building housed another restaurant in its former life, most changes were cosmetic rather than structural. Williams removed a glass wall to open up the dining area and had one wall paneled in a graphic chevron-type design made from lumber from an old bourbon distillery.

DINING OUT

IF YOU GO: Central Mesa is at 519 Greensboro Ave. in Tuscaloosa.

It’s open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. Brunch is served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. For more information, follow the restaurant on social media @centralmesa or call 205-523-7738.

Dotson’s Burger Spot A TWIST ON RETRO

Craig Williams is the owner of Central Mesa.

Tuscaloosa craftsman Blake Horton built a new bar.

Williams, who grew up in Mobile and Fairhope, first came to Tuscaloosa to attend the University of Alabama and ended up staying.

He’s active in community organizations like Young Professionals of Tuscaloosa and the West Alabama Food Bank, is a member of the West Alabama Food and Wine Festival planning committee, and is a graduate of Leadership Tuscaloosa, a nine-month leadership development program.

“Tuscaloosa is home,” he said. “I live downtown, two blocks from each restaurant.”

Williams said his new restaurant is off to a good start.

“Central Mesa has been open for seven months, and I feel good about where we are,” he said.

The restaurant took top honors at Taste of the Town on Jan. 19.

Seventeen restaurants participated in the contest, a new part of the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama’s annual meeting and awards ceremony. Those who attended voted Central Mesa’s chicken tostado as their favorite dish.

“We’ve been in the top five on Yelp for about a month,” Williams said. Yelp is a social networking site that lets users review and rate businesses, including restaurants. Central Mesa is on the site’s Best 10 Restaurants in Tuscaloosa list.

“It seems like from the reviews we’re getting, people are enjoying what we put on the table,” Williams said.

The walls of Dotson’s Burger Spot can’t talk, but they do tell the story of the restaurant and the family that owns it.

Panels in the Temerson Square eatery show a timeline of events that began in another state.

“My family is from Franklin, Tennessee,” said owner Justin Holt, 37. “My great-grandmother, Ivy Holt, owned and operated an Amoco service station there.”

He said one of the other neighborhood businesses was Dotson’s Restaurant.

“My great-grandmother, who was called ‘Holtie,’ made pies for the restaurant,” Holt said. “We use her recipes for our chocolate meringue, pecan and chess pies. The recipes were handwritten and sometimes hard to decipher.

Also, today’s ovens don’t cook like the old ones, and you have more processed food now. It was trial and error.”

Holt grew up in Tuscaloosa. He lived in Huntsville and worked in several food industry jobs there before moving back to his hometown to open Southern Ale House. His father, Cal Holt, is his business partner. Vicki Holt, his mother, helps with marketing and organization. >>

The Dot burger and fries at Dotson’s Burger Spot in Tuscaloosa.

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DINING OUT

Dana Holt, Justin’s wife, is a credit analyst at Bryant Bank. At about the time Southern Ale House opened in 2014, she and her husband started an even more important chapter in their lives.

“Our son, Spencer, was just a baby when we opened Southern Ale House, and he’s almost 5 years old now,” she said. “He’s pretty much grown up at the restaurant.”

The Holts added to their family — business-wise — by opening Dotson’s Burger Spot last September. Justin Holt said he was open to the idea of opening a second restaurant but wasn’t actively looking for a place until the space at 2322 Fourth St. became available.

“It had been The Kitchen, a Cajun restaurant,” he said. “The kitchen’s small, and there’s no walk-in cooler or freezer.”

The Holts hit on the idea of a burger-centric restaurant but with more on the menu than ordinary hamburger-and-fries combinations. Some sandwiches are made with beef — ground chuck or wagyu, a highquality meat with a buttery texture. The Texas Tom combines ground chuck and chorizo, a spicy Spanish pork sausage.

“We get our meat fresh each week from SRA Foods in Birmingham,” Holt said.

There are also “Lite Bites”: a turkey burger, a black bean patty, chicken sandwiches and salads. But Holt said the most popular menu item is The Dot. It’s a classic American ground chuck burger with American cheese, red onions, tomatoes, pickles and sauce on a potato roll.

Holt said planning for Dotson’s started last May. “We had taste testings,” he said. “We brought in vegetarians to taste

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Dana Holt and Justin Holt at Dotson’s Burger Spot. • Chocolate meringue pie and Reese’s shake.

• The Far East burger.

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our veggie burger. We came up with a lot of our dishes as a team.”

The building’s interior underwent a personality change. Holt said he wanted an atmosphere that was retro but with a modern vibe, too.

“The walls were black and gold with a New Orleans theme,” Holt said.

“We put white subway tile on the bar, which was wood, and added a concrete top. We have red barstools and booth seats. The barstools are the original ones we had at Southern Ale House.”

The names of some dishes are a nod to the past and to people. Holt said the restaurant calls its chicken sandwiches “Byrds” as a reference to the classic Thunderbird car. The Texas Tom is a tribute to the late Tom Hammond, a family friend and longtime Locker Room employee.

Sides include seasoned waffle fries, steak fries, sweet potato fries, potato tots, mac and cheese, kimchi slaw and side salad. The menu’s “Shareables” are boneless wings, loaded fries and Buffalo Tots — potato tots tossed in buffalo sauce with shredded cheddar cheese, scallions and ranch dressing.

Another menu item comes in both kid and adult versions.

“We thought, we’re doing a burger place, so we need to do milkshakes,” Holt said. “Since this is a college town, we wanted to make them different and fun by having ones made with alcohol. They’re popular in different areas of the country. And of course we have shakes without alcohol, too.”

Holt said he’s a strong believer in developing downtown Tuscaloosa.

“For many people going out to eat, the destination isn’t a particular restaurant — it’s downtown itself,” he said.

IF YOU GO: Dotson’s Burger Spot is at 2322 Fourth St. in Temerson Square. It’s open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and is closed on Sunday and Monday. For more information, follow the restaurant on social media @dotsonsburgerspot or call 205-248-2493.

DINING IN

Favorite dishes FUMCT chef Josh Davis makes for the church members on meal nights include artichoke chicken, corn salad and New Orleans-style bread pudding.

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DINING IN

PASSING THE PLATE

BY DONNA CORNELIUS • PHOTOS BY GARY COSBY JR.

JOSH DAVIS FEEDS BIG CROWDS AT CHURCH WITH BIG FLAVORS ou might not expect someone who cooks meals for hundreds of hungry church members to toss around foodie phrases like “flavor profiles.”

But Josh Davis of First United Methodist Church Tuscaloosa isn’t your average large-order chef.

Although he might feed anywhere from 150 to 250 people at the church’s Wednesday night family dinners, he takes pride in giving careful attention to everything he serves. That’s especially true when it comes to his favorite dish: bread pudding.

“Over the years, I’ve tried different recipes and ingredient products for this,” he said. “I’m picky about what I use. I order Gambino’s French bread from New Orleans online and have it shipped. >> 15

DINING IN

Josh Davis handles the cooking duties for First United Methodist Church in Tuscaloosa.

I get south Georgia pecans; they’re not as he said. “Lydia Roper, who is a church bitter as some other pecans. I won’t use any member here and taught in the College butter but Land O’Lakes.” of Human Environmental Sciences at the And while his recipe calls for brandy, university, asked me to come in and do a he said he really prefers to add Woodford Wednesday night dinner. That’s how I got Reserve bourbon. started here.”

Davis, the director of global outreach, When he joined the church staff, he manages the facility and is in charge of didn’t plan to be there long term. missions for FUMCT. “That was 15 years ago,” he said.

“But most Wednesdays, I’m here in the Helping Davis in the church kitchen is kitchen,” he said.

Michael Stanley, a childhood friend.

His love for cooking started during his “Michael’s grandmother made the best childhood in Duncanville. candy ever,” Davis said. “We learned to “I grew up cooking,” he said. “I had an make candy with her.”

Among the church’s historical treasures is a registry, dated 1831.

Italian, stay-at-home grandmother. We Like most good cooks, Davis is made everything from scratch. We always still learning. made candy at Christmas and cooked for family reunions. My family lives “I use trial and error, and I steal people’s recipes,” he said, laughing. “I try to eat.” recipes out. I like www.allrecipes.com because it lets you scale the recipes Davis also teaches hotel and restaurant management classes at the up or down. Also, you can search for things like ‘poppy seed chicken casUniversity of Alabama, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in hotel and serole,’ and it gives you 30 different versions. You can see what the basic restaurant management and a master’s degree in general human envistructure of a recipe is and then tweak it to your personal flavor profile. I ronmental science. like www.epicurean.com, too.”

Before coming to FUMCT in 2003, he worked in food service at UA. Davis scaled down three of his favorite Wednesday night dishes. They’ll “I fed the athletes and catered for skyboxes in Bryant-Denny Stadium,” likely be as popular with your family as they are with his church family.

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DINING IN

Artichoke Chicken Makes 8 servings

Davis said he got this recipe from a woman he met in Alaska during a mission trip. “She used halibut,” he said.

That’s a little pricey for church suppers, but you can substitute 8 halibut fillets for the chicken breasts if you’d like to have fish instead of fowl. The cooking time is the same for both.

INGREDIENTS: • 8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or halibut fillets) • Greek seasoning • 1½ cups mayonnaise • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese • 1 cup marinated artichoke hearts, diced INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place chicken breasts in a 9x13inch baking dish. Sprinkle with Greek seasoning.

Stir all other ingredients together and spread over seasoned chicken breasts.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until cheese is golden brown.

Corn Salad Makes about 16 servings

“I grew up making this,” Davis said. “I like it better when you grill the corn and cut it off the cob. It gives the salad a better flavor profile.”

INGREDIENTS: • 1 #10 can whole kernel corn • 5 Roma (plum) tomatoes, diced • 1 small red onion, diced • 2 stalks celery, diced • 1 green bell pepper, diced • 1½ cups mayonnaise • Salt and pepper to taste INSTRUCTIONS: Stir all ingredients together. Put the mixture in an airtight container and refrigerate overnight.

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DINING IN

New Orleans-Style Bread Pudding

Makes 8 to 10 servings

INGREDIENTS: • 2 cups granulated sugar • 5 large eggs, beaten • 2 cups whole milk • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract • 3 cups cubed Italian bread (allow it to sit out in a bowl overnight to get a bit stale) • ½ cup packed light brown sugar

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• ¼ cup (½ stick) butter, softened • 1 cup pecans, chopped For the sauce: • 1 cup granulated sugar • ½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted • 1 egg, beaten • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract • ¼ cup brandy

INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13x2inch pan.

Mix together granulated sugar, eggs and milk. Add vanilla. Pour mixture over cubed bread and let sit for 10 minutes.

In another bowl, mix and crumble together the brown sugar, butter and pecans.

Pour the bread mixture into the prepared pan. Sprin-

kle the brown sugar mixture on top and bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until set. Remove pan from oven.

Make the sauce: Mix together the granulated sugar, butter, egg and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir together until the sugar melts. Add the brandy, stirring well.

Pour over the bread pudding.

Serve warm or cold.

EVENTS

Things to do, places to go, people to see

this spring ENTERTAINMENT

“Peter Pan Jr.” School Performances: April 17-20, 9 a.m. and noon • Public Performances: April 20, 7 p.m.; April 21, 2 & 7 p.m.; April 22nd, 2 p.m. • The Bama Theatre Captain Hook, a crocodile, Lost Boys, Wendy, Michael and the beloved character of the boy who doesn’t want to grow up, Peter Pan, are all part of this kid-friendly twist on a classic, presented by Tuscaloosa Children’s Theatre. For ticket prices and more information, visit www.tuscaloosachildrenstheatre.net.

“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” April 17-21, 7:30 p.m.; April 22, 2 p.m.

• Marian Gallaway Theatre This is one barber you probably won’t want to go to — the University of Alabama Theatre and Dance department, which puts on the production, describes it as a “deliciously wicked musical.” Tickets range from $14-$20 and can be purchased at the box office or online at www.theatre. ua.edu. For details, call 205-348-3400.

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Chris Young Featuring Kane Brown, Morgan Evans and Dee Jay Silver April 19, 7:30 p.m.

• Tuscaloosa Amphitheater The Nashville Star winner is bringing his Losing Sleep 2018 World Tour to Tuscaloosa. General Admission tickets in the Pit are $55.

Reserved seats are $55 and $30.

Tickets can be purchased through www.tuscaloosaamphitheater.com or www.ticketmaster.com. The box office number is 800-745-3000 to charge by phone.

The Eagles

April 19, 8 p.m. • BJCC Legacy Arena • Birmingham It’s a bit of country-rock, 1970sstyle. The hitmakers — ”Hotel California,” “Take it Easy,” “Desperado,” “Tequila Sunrise,” “One of These Nights,” — we could go on and on — bring their tour to Birmingham. Tickets are priced from $57.50-$227.50 and are sold through www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-745-3000.

Casting Crowns Featuring I Am They • April 20, 7 p.m.

• Tuscaloosa Amphitheater It’s a night of Christian contemporary music. Tickets are $25. For groups of 10 or more, the cost is $15 and you get one free bonus ticket. Tickets can be purchased through www.tuscaloosaamphitheater. com or www.ticketmaster.com. The box office number is 800-745-3000 to charge by phone.

Ballet and Brunch April 22, 11:30 a.m. • The Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center The Tuscaloosa Community Dancers host this annual fundraiser, which includes brunch, a silent auction and a special Black Box Performance. Anyone can attend, but it’s especially accommodating to mothers and daughters. Tickets are $30 per person or $50 for a pair. For more information, call 205-454-8822 or visit Tuscaloosa Community Dancers on Facebook.

EVENTS

Festival of Praise: Texture of a Man Featuring Fred Hammond, Donnie McClurkin, Take 6, James Fortune, Pastor Charles Jenkins

Alan Jackson May 4, 7:30 p.m. • Tuscaloosa Amphitheater “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” “Here in the Real World,” “Remember When,” “Chattahoochee,” “Don’t Rock the Jukebox,” “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow,” — the man has put out some great tunes, and here’s your chance to hear him in person. General Admission tickets in the Pit are $78. Reserved seats are $78, $49 and $35. The box office number is 800-745-3000 to charge by phone or order online at www.tuscaloosaamphitheater.com or ticketmaster.com.

April 22, 5:30 p.m.

• Tuscaloosa Amphitheater Music to stir the soul in a venue under the stars. Among the acts is Grammy winner Fred Hammond.

All tickets are for Reserved Seating and are $40, $30 and $15. Tickets may be purchased through www. tuscaloosaamphitheater.com or www.ticketmaster.com. The box office number is 800-745-3000 to charge by phone.

Jack Johnson Featuring Fruition • May 1, 8 p.m.

• Tuscaloosa Amphitheater

Black Jacket Symphony: Guns N’ Roses “Appetite for Destruction” April 28, 8 p.m. • Bama Theatre Welcome to the Jungle! The Black Jacket Symphony reproduces, from its entirety, the songs from Guns N’ Roses’ “Appetite for Destruction” album. Reserved seats are $25 and $30. Go to ticketfly.com for ticket information and pre-ordering.

He’s regarded as a soft-rock singer, and he’s bringing that sound to T-Town. General admission tickets in the Pit are $74.50. Reserved seats are $74.50, $54.50 and $44.50 and can be purchased through www. tuscaloosaamphitheater.com or ticketmaster.com. The box office number is 800-745-3000 to charge by phone.

Beck May 5, 8 p.m. • BJCC Concert Hall • Birmingham The Grammy award-winning artist brings his talent to Birmingham. Tickets are $77, $67 and $47 and are on sale through www.ticketmaster.com or by phone at 800-745-3000.

Musical Brilliance: The Phenomenal Stewart Goodyear Featuring Adam Flatt and the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra • May 7, 7 p.m.

• Moody Music Building The famed Canadian pianist will be performing Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2, accompanied by conductor Adam Flatt and the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra. Ticket prices begin at $10 and may be purchased online through www.tsoonline.org. For more details, visit TSO’s website or call 205-752-5515.

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EVENTS

FAMILY FUN

“Second Samuel” May 18-27 • Bean-Brown Theatre Here’s Theatre Tuscaloosa’s description: “It’s the late 1940s in Second Samuel, a sleepy, south Georgia town where it’s hard to keep a secret, but everybody’s got one. This was the summer the beloved music teacher, Miss Gertrude, passed away. As her friends and neighbors prepared for her funeral, her mysteries were unveiled. Nobody could have imagined how the death of one sweet little old lady would turn the entire town upside down!

Would Second Samuel ever be normal again?” Ticket prices range from $7 for Shelton State students to $19 for adults. Seniors age 65 and older, military and Shelton State staff tickets are all $17. Student individual tickets and groups of 10 or more are $14 apiece.

Visit theatretuscaloosa.com or call 205-391-2277 for details.

“The Merchant of Venice”

May 30 and 31, June 1 and 2, 8 p.m. • The Park at Manderson Landing • Tuscaloosa Tuscaloosa’s The Rude Mechanicals is putting on this outdoor performance. Admission is free. Bring a lawn chair or blanket and picnic food and enjoy a night under the stars. Live pre-show music begins at 7:30 p.m.

In case of, heaven forbid, rain, the show moves inside to the Allen Bales Theatre.

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SEC Men’s Tennis Championships

Cahaba Lily Festival

April 25-29 •University of Alabama Tennis Stadium • All Day

May 19, 9 a.m.-all day • Cahaba Lily Center • West Blocton

John Isner, one of the top professional tennis players in the world?

He is a former Southeastern Conference (Georgia) men’s tennis player.

And how about former University of Alabama player Ellis Ferreira?

He’s an Australian Open doubles champion and ranked among the top three in the world in doubles.

Want to see some of the best current collegiate players and future professional stars? Pay $5 for an adult admission, $2 for youth 18 and under, or pay $15 for a tournament pass. For more information, go to www.rolltide.com.

Explore West Alabama’s natural beauty.

The festival begins in the morning with an indoor presentation followed by lunch and then river views of the lilies followed by a storytelling time.

Canoes are available for rental for $20 to paddle through the white-bloomed phenomenon. For more information, visit www.cahabalily.com.

USA Triathlon • April 27-28 It’s back! Once again, Tuscaloosa is host to the High School Nationals and the Collegiate Draft-Legal Championships on April 27 and the Collegiate Olympic-Distance and Mixed-Team Relay races on April 28.

Free to watch along the way. For details and the race routes, visit www.teamusa.org.

Regions Tradition May 16-20 • Greystone Golf and Country Club • Hoover It’s an annual rite of spring in the Birmingham area — the best professional golfers on the Champions Tour bring their game to Alabama to vie for the $2.4 million purse.

A celebrity pro-am takes place on May 16 and features favorite sports figures from the state, typically including the latest national champion football coach, one Nick Saban. A one-day pass is $20, or, to attend Wednesday through Sunday, a week’s ticket is $80. Juniors 18 and under attend free with a ticketed adult. Military, with a valid ID, attend free on Thursday and Friday. To purchase tickets or find out more, visit www.regionstradition.com.

U.S. Women’s Open May 31-June 3 • Shoal Creek • Birmingham One of women’s golf’s biggest events is headed to Birmingham’s Shoal Creek.

Tickets for the practice rounds (May 28-30) are $20. The cost for individual tickets for the gallery for the official rounds (May 31-June 3) start at $40, per day, for the first or second round (Thursday and Friday) and $45 per day for the Saturday and Sunday rounds. There are also special ticket prices that include access to hospitality areas as well as reserved seats in the stands at some of the holes. For more information or to link to the ticket sales, go to www.usga.org.

Bernhard Langer, Regions Tradition defending champion

EVENTS

Fifth Street Vintage Market June 3, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. • 4150 Fifth Street, Northport You never know what you will find here. Last summer’s treasures included a camel saddle—for $20. Vinyl records, jewelry, toys, furniture, housewares, artwork — those are but some of the offerings. Admission is free. For more details, visit its page on Facebook, go to www.5thstreetvintagemarket.com or call 205-872-4221.

Theatre Camp 2018 June 18-29, 8 a.m.-noon • Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-noon • Shelton State Hosted by Theatre Tuscaloosa, it’s for kids who have completed kindergarten through 11th grade. They’ll have so much fun they’ll want you to take a bow for suggesting it. Cost is $262, which includes classes and a camp T-shirt. Register online at www.theatretuscaloosa.com or call camp director Drew Baker at 205-310-8010 for details.

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BY DONNA CORNELIUS, THE SNOOTY FOODIE | PHOTOS BY GARY COSBY JR. AND ERIN NELSON

A Taste of Heaven

E

very time I think of my third-grade teacher, I think of two things: a spider named Charlotte and deviled eggs.

An odd combination, you’re thinking? Not if you knew Margaret Huff.

The year I was in her class at Reform Elementary School, Mrs. Huff read aloud to her students every day after lunch. One of the books she chose was “Charlotte’s Web,” and I immediately fell madly in love with Wilbur the pig and his arachnid friend. Thus, I was horrified when Mrs. Huff got to the part — spoiler alert — where Charlotte died. Much later in life, I became a huge “Game of Thrones” fan and suffered through the gory demise of several major characters. But thanks to Mrs. Huff, I was prepared.

The deviled eggs bring back much more cheerful memories. I grew up in Reform First United Methodist Church, and among the highlights each year were its covered-dish suppers. These were sometimes served at lunch, but we still called them “suppers.” Each woman in the church would bring her specialty; otherwise, she’d be excommunicated. Mrs. Huff’s signature dish was deviled eggs. She made them almost up until she died a few years ago, soon after her 100th birthday.

Of course, our church in Reform wasn’t the only one that hosted covered-dish affairs. Baptists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians — all God’s children love to eat. My father once took me with him to New Hope Methodist Church, a little country church even smaller than our own, where platters of food were spread out on long wooden tables beneath tall oak and pine trees. The star of this show was goat barbecued by an elderly gentleman named Will White, whom everyone called “Mr. Will.” I was a picky eater as a child and refused to try the goat, a decision I regretted the first time I cooked goat myself and discovered that, if done right, it’s pretty tasty. And I’ll bet my version didn’t hold a candle to Mr. Will’s.

Although barbecued goat may never have been served at any church meal other than the one at New Hope, there were several dishes you could always count on: fried chicken, ham, creamed corn, green beans, butterbeans, and homemade yeast rolls and cornbread muffins. Desserts, so plentiful they got their own separate table, included chocolate cake, coconut cake, caramel cake, pies of every description and banana pudding.

There was never a shortage of casseroles, either — every combination

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of potatoes and cheese known to man, chicken and noodles, broccoli and rice, squash and onions. “Being Dead Is No Excuse: The Official Southern Ladies Guide to Hosting the Perfect Funeral,” a book written by two Mississippi church ladies, has this immortal line: “You can always tell when a Methodist dies — there are lots of casseroles.”

And always, there would be salads — and not ones made from organic baby lettuces and heirloom carrots and dressed with balsamic vinaigrette. The salads of yore were wiggly, jiggly creations that incorporated every flavor and color that the friendly folks at Jell-O produced: lime, lemon, orange, strawberry and peach. If Jell-O had made a kumquat variety, I’m sure that would have shown up in a church supper salad.

While I remember Mrs. Huff’s deviled eggs, and all these other foods, what stands out even more is that the covereddish suppers were a time when our church truly felt like a family. It’s fitting that these dinners were held in the big room we called the Fellowship Hall. You ate, talked, ate some more and talked

some more.

Today, I’m a member of a much larger congregation at First United Methodist Church of Tuscaloosa. Big churches seldom have covered-dish suppers; instead, there’s usually a talented cook who coordinates everything that comes out of the kitchen. We’re lucky to have Josh Davis at FUMCT. For this issue, Josh was kind enough to share several of his favorite recipes, scaled down to feed regular families rather than church families.

Josh may not be a “church lady,” but he has something in common with the women I remember from my growing-up years at Reform Methodist: a knowledge that feeding the body can feed the soul as well.

He and Mrs. Huff would have been big buddies.

Donna Cornelius is a Tuscaloosa writer whose motto is: So much food, so little time. Contact her to share recipes, restaurant news or anything food-related at donnawcornelius@bellsouth.net.

Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @blonderavenous.

FOODIE NEWS

EPICUREAN

EVENTS DEATH BY CHOCOLATE

April 19 • Tuscaloosa Tuscaloosa-area restaurants, catering companies and a college culinary team will vie for sweet recognition at the Death by Chocolate Tournament. Those who attend the Family Counseling Service’s annual fundraiser can sample chocolate creations and then vote for their favorite. Already signed up to participate are Athena’s Bakery and Boutique, A Cutting Edge Caterers, Dreamland Bar-B-Que, Peterbrooke Chocolatier, River, Shelton State Community College, Snap Decisions Catering, Southern Ale House, Steel City Pops and Viver Chocolates. Tickets are $25 until April 18 and $35 at the event, which starts at 5:30 p.m. at the Tuscaloosa River Market. To buy tickets or for more information, visit www.counselingservice.org.

FUNKY FISH FRY

EXPANDING ITS MENU:

This year’s West Alabama Food and Wine Festival has a new flavor If you’ve ever attended the West Alabama Food and Wine Festival, you know it’s a night to try new flavors, sip new drinks — and maybe to wear pants with a stretchy waist.

The event itself is stretching this year. The sixth annual festival, set for 5:30-9:30 p.m. on April 12 at Tuscaloosa’s River Market, always showcases food from restaurants and drinks from beverage vendors. But along with some things old are some things new.

Julie Mann, who’s co-chairing the festival with Caroline Strawbridge, said she’s looking forward to the festival’s first cooking competition between two well-known chefs. Appearing onstage will be Chris Hastings, a James Beard Award winner for best chef in the South, and Fuller Goldsmith, who last year won Food Network’s “Chopped Junior” title.

While everyone who buys a ticket can watch the competition, VIP ticket holders also will get to taste Hastings’ and Goldsmith’s food.

“We’re expanding our VIP experience this year,” Mann said. “In addition to getting special seating, VIP tickets will include concierge service.

You’ll get a sheet and can mark the food you want to try. University of Alabama students will get your food for you.”

Another new feature is the Spirit Tent on the

riverside patio. Beer vendors will be set up there.

Monarch Espresso Bar and Crimson Catering will create a coffee and dessert station. The Local Roots food truck also will be parked outside.

Still another new element: Guests can vote on their favorite dish of the night for the Tasters’ Choice award.

Participating restaurants and food companies include Animal Butter, The Avenue Pub, Central Mesa, DePalma’s Italian Café, Dotson’s Burger Spot, Evangeline’s, Heat Pizza, Hotel Capstone, Jim ’N Nick’s Community Bar-B-Q, The Levee Bar & Grill, R. Davidson Chophouse, River, The Side by Side, Southern Ale House, Sweet Home Food Bar, 301 Bistro and Urban Cookhouse.

Wine vendors are Alabama Crown Distributing Co., Carpe Vino, Ferrari-Carano Vineyards & Winery, International Wine & Craft Beer, Pinnacle Imports, and United-Johnson Brothers.

Serving beer will be Tuscaloosa’s Black Warrior Brewing Co. and Druid City Brewing Co. and Jasper’s Tallulah Brewing Co. and Twisted Barley Brewing Co. The festival benefits the West Alabama Chapter of Red Cross.

General admission is $50. VIP tickets are $75; only 50 of these will be sold. For updates and tickets, visit www.westalabamafoodandwine.org.

April 28 • Tuscaloosa There’s a new organization and a new food event in town. The Tuscaloosa Junior Board of the Autism Society of Alabama was formed to raise funds to help those on the autism spectrum and to raise awareness about the disorder. The group’s first big event is the Funky Fish Fry at Innisfree Irish Pub, 1925 University Blvd. Innisfree will be cooking up catfish, fries and hush puppies, and beverages will be available, too. The fundraiser is from noon to 4 p.m. and will have entertainment and a kids’ zone. Tickets are $20 if ordered before April 23 or $25 at the door. For more information, visit www.funkyfishfryttown.com.

GUMBO GALA

April 21 • Birmingham Teams from the Birmingham area compete to see who makes the best gumbo; those who attend get to sample gumbo and vote for their favorite. The event benefits Birmingham’s Episcopal Place, which provides independent living facilities for low-income adults and those with disabilities. It’s from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark, 20 32nd St. N. For tickets and more information, visit www.episcopalplace.org.

CORKS & CHEFS

April 28-29 • Birmingham The Magic City Art Connection has a food and wine event. Corks & Chefs features dishes from Birmingham restaurants and chefs plus wine, beer and craft cocktails. It’s from noon to 3 p.m. both days at Linn Park; look for the big white tent across from Birmingham City Hall on 20th Street. For tickets and more information, visit www.magiccityart.com.

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FOODIE NEWS

ROYAL FUN HOST A WATCH PARTY WHEN HARRY AND MEGHAN TIE THE KNOT till waiting for your invitation to the wedding of Great Britain’s Prince Harry and American actress Meghan Markle?

In case it got lost in the mail en route from London to Tuscaloosa, you may want to have a backup plan: hosting your own royal watch party.

You’ll have to set your alarm for a horribly early hour if you want to see the ceremony live.

The couple will marry at Windsor Castle’s St. George’s Chapel at noon on May 19, which means a 6 a.m. broadcast time in Tuscaloosa. Hint: This is why you have a DVR. Whatever time you choose to watch and celebrate the nuptials, you’ll want to choose a menu with a decidedly British flavor. Get out your teapot, wear a fancy hat or fascinator (maybe one that matches your PJs if you’re going to watch the event as it happens) and try these English tea-themed recipes.

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You can’t have a proper British tea without an assortment of tiny sandwiches.

We’ve chosen three that are easy to make — and that won’t be out of place if they’re served early in the morning. The first two recipes are slightly adapted from www.thespruce.com while the third is from www.foodnetwork.com. Both websites have lots of ideas for small-sized sammies.

For high marks in presentation, vary the sandwiches’ shapes as well as flavors by cutting them in triangles, rectangles and circles. You can change up the bread, too. We used whole wheat, pumpernickel and sturdy white bread.

Smoked salmon and cucumber

Makes 36 sandwiches

This recipe combines two tea-party staples: cucumbers and smoked salmon.

INGREDIENTS: • 1 loaf white bread (such as buttermilk bread) • ½ cup of cream cheese, softened enough to spread • ½ pound smoked salmon, thinly sliced • 2 small cucumbers, thinly sliced • Lemon juice, to taste • Salt and pepper, to taste • Dried parsley or smoked paprika, to taste

Ham, brie and apple

INSTRUCTIONS: For every two slices of bread, spread both slices evenly with cream cheese.

Cover one side of the sandwich with slices of salmon and cucumbers. Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper, and parsley or smoked paprika.

Put the slices together, cut off the crust and slice each sandwich diagonally twice to make four triangle-shaped sandwiches.

Makes 12 servings

Bright green Granny Smith apples add crunch and a fresh note to these sandwiches.

INGREDIENTS: • 8 slices of bread • ½ cup butter, softened • ¼ cup Dijon mustard • ½ pound ham, thinly sliced • ¼ pound brie cheese, thinly sliced • 1 large Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced

INSTRUCTIONS: Spread half the bread with butter and the other half with mustard. Cut the crusts off each slice.

Divide the ham, cheese and apple between 4 slices of bread. Top with the remaining four slices.

Cut each sandwich into 3 pieces.

FOODIE NEWS

Egg salad

Makes 20

When Prince William married Kate Middleton, his grandmother (also known as Queen Elizabeth II) hosted a reception for 650 guests that included quail eggs on the menu. Egg salad isn’t quite as posh — but it’s a lot easier. And tasty, too.

INGREDIENTS: • 8 hard-boiled eggs • 3 tablespoons mayonnaise • 3 tablespoons plain yogurt • 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard • 4 teaspoons fresh dill, chopped • 4 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped • Salt and pepper, to taste • Fresh chives for garnish, if desired • 8 slices bread INSTRUCTIONS: Combine the eggs, mayonnaise, yogurt and mustard. Mash mixture with a potato masher or fork. Stir in the herbs and spices.

Spread the egg salad onto half the bread slices. Add chives across the salad if you want to fancy it up. Top these bread slices with remaining slices. Remove the crusts and slice the sandwiches diagonally to make four tea sandwiches.

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FOODIE NEWS

Wedding cake cheese tower Sure, you can order a small-sized wedding cake. But for something different, try this savory creation.

INGREDIENTS: • 3 round cheeses of different sizes and flavors • Grapes, blackberries and any other fresh fruits and berries that will pretty up your “cake” • Fresh herbs (rosemary sprigs and sage leaves, for example) INSTRUCTIONS: Choose three cheeses of different flavors and stack them from biggest to smallest. You can include your favorite kinds of cheese, but try to have a variety.

We used baby Swiss cheese on the bottom, a colby-jack blend in the middle and soft Camembert for the topper. (It’s a smart idea to talk with the folks at your favorite cheese department ahead of time and ask if you can place an order for the round cheeses you want.)

Use your imagination and decorate with berries, herbs and anything else that might say “Boy, we’re so fancy.”

Crumpets

Makes 20

If a muffin and a pancake got married, you’d have this traditional teatime treat. Serve crumpets with jam, marmalade and butter. My mom, Gerry Wade, used this recipe from www.kingarthurflour.com.

INGREDIENTS: • 1½ cups lukewarm water • 1 cup lukewarm milk • 2 tablespoons melted butter • 3½ cups all-purpose flour • 2½ teaspoons instant yeast • 1 teaspoon baking powder • 1¼ teaspoons salt

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INSTRUCTIONS: Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and beat vigorously for 2 minutes. If you’re using a stand mixer, set it on high speed.

Cover the bowl and let the batter rest at room temperature for 1 hour. It will expand and become bubbly. A few minutes before the hour is up, preheat a griddle to medium-low, about 325 degrees. You can use a frying pan if you don’t have a griddle.

Lightly grease the griddle or frying pan.

At this point, the instructions say to place well-greased English muffin rings on the griddle or in the pan. If you are like probably

99 percent of the people reading this, you have no such things in your kitchen drawers. But you probably have those canning jars with ring tops. Take those rings, grease them up, fit as many onto your cooking surface as you can, and you’re good to go.

Pour a scant ¼ cup of the batter into each ring. Use a muffin scoop if you have one.

After the crumpets cook for about 4 minutes, use tongs to remove the rings; the crumpets now should be able to hold their shapes. Cook crumpets about 10 minutes on one side until the tops have small bubbles and look a little dry around the edges. Turn the crumpets over and cook for about 5 more minutes.

Remove the crumpets from the griddle or pan and repeat the process with the rest of the batter.

Serve crumpets warm or, if you want to make them ahead of time, cool them completely, wrap them in plastic and store them at room temperature. Warm them up in the toaster or toaster oven before serving.

FOODIE NEWS

Banoffee pie

Makes 8 servings

This is one of my family’s favorite desserts even for nonroyal occasions. It’s a British favorite that’s also a nod to Prince Harry; early predictions about the food that will be served after his wedding include banana cake, evidently one of his favorites.

INGREDIENTS: For the crust: • 1 10-ounce package of digestive biscuits (see cook’s note) • 1 stick unsalted butter, softened• For the pie filling: • 1 stick unsalted butter • ½ cup packed dark brown sugar • 1 14-ounce can of condensed milk For the topping: • 1 pint heavy cream • 2 teaspoons powdered sugar • 1 teaspoon cinnamon Other ingredients: • 4 bananas • Grated chocolate

INSTRUCTIONS: Make the crust: Crush the biscuits in a food processor until you achieve a fine crumb texture. Transfer crumbs to a bowl and stir in melted butter. Press mixture into a 9-inch-diameter tart pan with a removable bottom. Be sure to press the mixture up the sides as well as across the bottom of the pan. Chill the crust in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Make the filling: Melt the butter in a small saucepan.

Stir in the brown sugar and melt over low heat. Add the condensed milk and bring the mixture to a boil for a few minutes, stirring continuously.

When the mixture darkens slightly (you’re making toffee here), pour the filling into the crust. Cool the pie and chill it again it the refrigerator for at least one hour until the filling is firm.

Make the topping: Combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar and cinnamon. Place the mixture in the container of a stand mixer or in a bowl if you’re using a hand mixer. Beat the mixture at medium-high speed until soft peaks form.

To serve: Remove the pie from the tart pan and carefully transfer it to your serving plate.

Slice the bananas and place

them in a single layer on top of the filling. Top the bananas with whipped cream. Sprinkle the top with grated chocolate.

Cook’s note: Most banoffee pie recipes (this one is adapted from www.saveur. com) call for McVities brand digestive biscuits (“cookies” to us Colonists). McVities biscuits are available at World Market, but I like to use Lotus Biscoff cookies, which you can get at most Tuscaloosa supermarkets.

Their caramel flavor and crispy texture make them perfect for this pie’s crust. Use the entire 8.8-ounce package of Biscoff cookies and reduce the melted butter to 7 tablespoons.

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FOODIE NEWS

Raspberry, limoncello and prosecco coolers

If your guests have to go from your party to work, they’d better stick with OJ and coffee or tea. But for those who can indulge, this is a fun and festive alternative to mimosas. This recipe from www.creative-culinary.com is for an individual drink. Just make as many as you need.

INGREDIENTS: • Fresh raspberries (about 5 per cocktail) • 2 ounces of limoncello liqueur, chilled (you can put in it the freezer; the alcohol content won’t let it freeze) • 4 ounces prosecco or other sparkling wine, chilled • Mint sprigs INSTRUCTIONS: Put glasses in the

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freezer or refrigerator to chill them.

Put the raspberries on a plate separated from each other and put them in the freezer at least 15 minutes before serving time.

Just before you’re ready to serve your drinks, add four or five raspberries to each glass.

Add limoncello, stir, and top with the sparkling wine. Pop in a mint leaf or two.

Strawberries and cream Serves 8

Why let the folks at Wimbledon have all the fun? Serve this simple — but very British — dish to your guests.

INGREDIENTS: • 6 cups strawberries, hulls removed and halved • 8 teaspoons sugar • 4 cups heavy whipping cream INSTRUCTIONS: Divide the berries into eight small individual bowls.

Sprinkle each with a teaspoon of sugar.

Whisk the cream (in your mixer or by hand if you want a workout) until it’s fluffy with soft peaks. Top each bowl of berries with a dollop of cream. Serve immediately.

CELEBRATIONS

Foundations

FAITH TWO TUSCALOOSA CHURCHES CELEBRATE BICENTENNIALS

BY DONNA CORNELIUS PHOTOS BY GARY COSBY JR. uscaloosa’s First Baptist Church and First United Methodist Church are almost across the street from each other on Greensboro Avenue. Each church has thousands of members, multiple weekly services and a strong presence in the community.

They share something else in common: Both are celebrating their bicentennials this year.

When the two churches came into being 200 years ago, Tuscaloosa wasn’t an incorporated city, Alabama wasn’t yet a state, and “John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, the second and third U.S. presidents, were still living,” said Joe Ziegler, First Baptist’s worship pastor.

Leaders at both churches have spent quite a while planning their bicentennial celebrations — and looking forward to the next 200 years, too.

A stained glass window at First Baptist Church Tuscaloosa.

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CELEBRATIONS

From tavern to tabernacle

FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH TUSCALOOSA

K

en Dunivant, First United Methodist Church Tuscaloosa’s senior pastor, gently turned the yellowing pages of one of the church’s most precious documents.

“I really shouldn’t even be opening this,” Dunivant said.

“It’s just so fragile.”

The book is a handwritten registry of church members. The volume dates from 1831 — but it’s still newer than the church itself.

This year, FUMCT is celebrating its 200th birthday with special services and events. The downtown Tuscaloosa church that now takes up a whole city block started in a much humbler setting.

“In 1818, a 24-year-old Methodist minister named Ebenezer Hearn came from Tennessee to start churches here,” Dunivant said. “His home base was Jones Valley, which is now Birmingham.”

FUMCT Assistant Pastor Dan Kilgore said Hearn would have found Tuscaloosa a pretty rough place.

“The Creek Indian War was over, but this was still very much a wilderness,” Kilgore said. “Native Americans were still living here.”

The most substantial buildings in town were two log cabins that housed taverns.

“Hearn preached his very first sermon in Joshua Halbert’s tavern,” Dunivant said.

In January, the church remembered its roots by holding Sunday morning services in four Tuscaloosa taverns. Member Sam Whitmer appeared at each service dressed up as Ebenezer Hearn, complete with a horse. >> CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The Bridge Worship Band leads the song service. • The Rev. Jesse Tosten speaks during the assembly. • Tuscaloosa (First United Methodist Church Tuscaloosa) members meet in Wilhagans Grille and Tap Room in Tuscaloosa in commemoration of the church’s bicentennial.

The founding preacher, Ebenezer Hearn, came to Tuscaloosa and preached in taverns before there was a church building. • Sam Whitmer portrays the founding preacher, Ebenezer Hearn.

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CELEBRATIONS

“Our church was pretty mainline, but we had pockets of folks who were ahead of the times, like abolitionists and women who held prayer groups with African-American women.“ — KEN DUNIVANT FUMCT’s Lenten services commemorated not only its beginnings but also its role in starting other Methodist churches.

“We’ve given birth to five churches and the Wesley Foundation at the University of Alabama,” Dunivant said.

Pastors representing Hunter Chapel AME Zion Church, Bailey Tabernacle CME Church, Trinity United Methodist Church, Christ Harbor United Methodist Church, West End United Methodist Church and the Wesley Foundation spoke at the series of Wednesday night Lenten services, which began Feb. 14.

FUMCT isn’t just patting itself on the back for its 200-year existence. It’s also taking an introspective look at the church’s role during a difficult period in Alabama history.

“For the first 50 years of our church’s existence, slave members were more numerous than other members,” Dunivant said. “In 1865, there were three times as many.”

He said freed slaves established their own church, the African Methodist Church, in 1860.

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Thaddeus Steele, pastor of Hunter Chapel AME Zion Church, leads during a bicentennial Lenten service at First United Methodist Church Tuscaloosa. Hunter Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Tuscaloosa’s oldest African-American congregation and an offshoot of First Methodist in 1865, reunited to celebrate the service.

CELEBRATIONS

“Out of this came Hunter Chapel,” he said.

Dunivant said the race relations issue was “one of the things that defined our culture.”

“We’ll be having seminars in July on race relations and the church,” he said.

“Our church was pretty mainline, but we had pockets of folks who were ahead of the times, like abolitionists and women who held prayer groups with African-American women. The church tends to preserve values, which can put us behind the dawning of new issues. We’ll look at how our church responded over the years.”

Another bicentennial event recognized FUMCT’s connection to the University of Alabama. Former UA President Judy Bonner and former UA Athletics Director Bill Battle, both church members, spoke at services on Feb. 25.

The church’s building on Greensboro Avenue was built in 1834. An education annex and Chitwood Hall were added later. Kilgore said a bell on the church grounds was one of the last made by the Paul Revere and Son foundry in Massachusetts. It’s rung every day at noon and at weddings and funerals.

Cathy Parker, who joined FUMCT in 1977, is chairwoman of the church’s bicentennial committee.

“We started planning in 2016,” she said.

The big bicentennial celebration will be Oct. 14 with a birthday party for the church.

“Our children will present a time capsule to be opened in 2118,” Dunivant said. “We’ll welcome former pastors — and of course there will be birthday cake.”

He said FUMCT members, which now number more than 2,700, have included governors, Alabama Supreme Court justices, state legislators and UA presidents, officials and coaches.

“Bear Bryant was a member, and his funeral was held here,” Dunivant said.

Members don’t sign a registry anymore — with one exception. In the Methodist church, third-graders typically go through confirmation training before officially joining the church. At the confirmation ceremony, each child who joins First United Methodist Church Tuscaloosa steps up and carefully signs his or her name in a book that, maybe 200 years from now, people will read and treasure.

For more information on church events, visit www.fumct.org.

Editor’s note: The Rev. Dan Kilgore passed away Feb. 28, shortly after he was interviewed for this article. He was on the FUMCT ministerial staff for 15 years.

Past, present, future FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH TUSCALOOSA

F

irst Baptist Church Tuscaloosa started off 2018 with a look back at 1818.

That’s when a young couple opened their home to a group that would form the foundations of what’s now a church with some 3,000 members.

Benjamin Higginbotham, who was 32, and his wife, 28-year-old Rebecca, were among early settlers on a bluff above the Black Warrior River. By the fourth Saturday in January 1818, the Higginbothams had invited fellow Baptists to their cabin. The group chose a name: Ebenezer Baptist Church. That church became First Baptist, which celebrated its beginnings with special events Jan. 21-28.

Executive pastor Kris Sullivan looks at stained glass windows that have been in use since 1878 at First Baptist Church Tuscaloosa. The church is celebrating its 200th anniversary. The interior of the windows are original while the outer ring was added when the new building was constructed in 1958.

“We put our big push into that week,” said Sammie Barstow, co-chairman of the church’s bicentennial planning committee. “We had a reunion choir made up of former choir and orchestra members, and about 150 people participated.”

Dr. Rick Lance, the church’s pastor from 1983 to 1998, was the keynote speaker at the Jan. 21 services. Author and retired missionary Rosalie Hall Hunt spoke on Jan. 24 — the actual day the church started in the Higginbothams’ cabin — and Dr. Gil McKee, the church’s

senior pastor, spoke at both services on Jan. 28.

Kris Sullivan, FBCT’s executive pastor, said the church isn’t just focusing on the past this year.

“On Jan. 28, the second Sunday of the special week, Dr. McKee preached a sermon based on the word ‘unhindered,’ ” he said. “That means that although we’ve appreciated the past, we’re pointing toward the future. One of the things that’s impressed me is that we’ve tried to keep our focus not just on what’s been done >>

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CELEBRATIONS

but what we’re doing now and will be doing in the future. We’re unhindered to move forward.”

Sullivan said the church chose Psalm 96:3 as the theme of its bicentennial celebration. The verse says, “Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.”

With that in mind, FBCT aims to give $200,000 to different missions during 2018.

Barstow said $20,000 of that will go to Wycliffe Bible Translators USA. “It will fund the translation of a Bible to a group of people — we’re not sure where yet — who don’t have a Bible in their own language,” she said.

Joe Ziegler, FBCT’s worship pastor who’s co-chairing the bicentennial committee with Barstow, said the Bible translation project “has been on our senior pastor’s heart.”

A symbol of the church’s commitment to spreading the Gospel around the world is its display of 50 flags representing different countries.

“These will be displayed all year,” Ziegler said. “Many are places we’ve taken mission trips to.”

He said there’s one white flag to represent “undiscovered” people, like those who will be able to read the Bible in their own language thanks to the church’s Wycliffe contribution.

Church members of all ages are taking active roles in this year’s events. A group of FBCT women made a bicentennial quilt that hangs in Heritage Hall, an area of the church set up to display artifacts. Among these is a letter written in either 1879 or 1889 — the writing is hard to decipher — by a Baptist church pastor in Gallatin, Tennessee. It recommends one of his former parishioners for membership in the Tuscaloosa church — and it was good for only six months, according to a note at the end.

Sullivan said the FBCT sanctuary is the oldest structure in the Greensboro Avenue complex that exists today. The fellowship hall

and children’s center are newer additions.

“Our current sanctuary was built in 1958,” he said. “The building that preceded it was used from 1884 to 1958.”

Other 200th anniversary events will include a churchwide Labor Day picnic. Artist Don Bennett created a bicentennial-themed coloring book for children, and Barstow is updating a book about the church’s history.

Proceeds from sales of products at a bicentennial store will help fund missions.

Ziegler said that although times have changed, the church’s mission remains constant.

“I think if Nathan Roberts, our first pastor, could come back and see us, he’d be pleased that the heartbeat of this church continues to be the Lord Jesus Christ,” he said. “If we’re here another 200 years, it will still be the same.”

For more information on church events, visit www.firsttuscaloosa.org.

Gil McKee, senior pastor at First Baptist Church Tuscaloosa, stands beside the pulpit that has been in use in the church since 1878.

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COLLECTIBLES

AVA GARDNER Sterling silver cigarette case, circa 1950 It is engraved with her initials

SHIRLEY TEMPLE 14-karat yellow gold Victorian turquoise bracelet, circa 1850

ELIZABETH TAYLOR 14-karat yellow gold, carved peacock cameo earrings, circa 1840

The Stars Fell O N T U S CA L O O SA Elizabeth Taylor, Elvis Presley, Patrick Swayze, Farrah Fawcett — these are some of Hollywood’s movie icons whose jewelry was featured in an estate sale in February at Hudson-Poole Fine Jewelers in Tuscaloosa. Once a year, for some 25 years now, Hudson-Poole has partnered with New York-based Singer Estate Collection to bring jewelry once owned and worn by celebrities to the Tuscaloosa store each February. The celebrity jewelry is coupled with an estate sale and draws potential buyers from all over. The celebrity jewelry prices range upward of $50,000.

These celebrity-owned items were available in the February sale:

SHIRLEY JONES Sterling silver rose motif bangle bracelet

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LINDA GRAY 18-karat yellow gold green enamel and diamond earrings and matching pin, circa 1980

TONY CURTIS 14-karat yellow gold pocket watch, a gift from Jack Lemmon to Tony Curtis in 1962. The two starred in the film “The Great Race.” The engraving uses Curtis’ character’s name.

COLLECTIBLES

JOAN RIVERS 18-karat yellow gold leaf/bow motif green enamel pin

JERRY LEE LEWIS Men’s bracelet Engraved, “Jerry Lee Lewis” “King of Rock & Roll”

MIA FARROW 18-karat yellow gold box A gift from Yul Brynner It is engraved “For a wonderful life” with music note design

SID CAESAR 14-karat yellow gold ring

BOB HOPE 18-karat yellow gold watch, circa 1963

ELVIS PRESLEY Pocket watch A gift to Elvis Presley from Michele Carey, his co-star in the 1968 movie “Live a Little, Love a Little”

PATRICK SWAYZE Sterling silver money clip

SID CAESAR 14-karat yellow gold Roman motif cufflinks

FARRAH FAWCETT Spray holder, circa 1970

JOAN RIVERS 18-karat yellow gold sapphire and diamond earrings

LINDA GRAY Yellow gold diamond band

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INNOVATORS

BY BECKY HOPF

HIDDEN TREASURES They are Tuscaloosa’s designing women,

friends who have created a niche in a wide range of specialty businesses CANTERBURY CLOTHIERS PHOTOS BY ERIN NELSON STUDIO PHOTOS BY GARY COSBY JR.

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INNOVATORS

Stephanie Partlow & Jordan Lupoi CANTERBURY CLOTHIERS Everything in the store is exclusive, yet Canterbury Clothiers also can be described as inclusive.

Tucked on the front corner of Tuscaloosa’s Galleria shops, the contemporary women’s clothing and accessories boutique has selections that are perfect for ages 18 to 75, and it’s a place a mother and her daughter can shop together and each leave with a stylish find. It is upscale, but clothing prices range from $50 to $600. T-shirts, tank tops and cocktail dresses all can be found there in generational ranges in clean, classic and cool looks.

The brands the shop carries are those found in metropolitan cities, brands that cannot be found in any other store in Tuscaloosa. They include Theory, Vince, Veronica Beard, Frame, Mother, L’Agence, Rails, Misa, Likely and Rebecca Taylor.

When you step into Canterbury Clothiers, Stephanie Partlow, buyer and manager, and Jordan Lupoi will be there to greet you. Both take pride in making a visit to the store a personal shopping experience by getting to know their customers’ likes and dislikes and doing retail and fashion as it should be done — steering their customers to what will help them look their best.

The shop carries clothing, jewelry, footwear, hats and accessories. It even offers in-house alterations, not only for clothing purchased there but also for outside purchases.

Canterbury Clothiers is at 1657 McFarland Blvd. N. It’s open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Follow the boutique and its styles on Instagram @canterburyclothiers.

The phone number is 205-345-7969.

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INNOVATORS

Kristin Blakeney Fine Art It is a calling that she discovered after she graduated from college.

Kristin Blakeney was working for the University of Alabama as an events coordinator. In 2011, the Davidson, North Carolina, native decided to take art classes, inspired by having worked for an artist while she was in college.

The more she practiced painting and

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studying art history, the more she realized this was her true heart’s calling.

She quit her job and immersed herself in art.

Her compositions often include landscapes and abstracts, the former coming from her love for travel and the photos and observations she makes.

Blakeney’s work is sold in galleries

in Boston, Atlanta, Birmingham, and Charlotte, North Carolina, and locally at Beverly’s Décor and her studio on University Boulevard in Tuscaloosa.

She also does custom paintings and can be found at kristinblakeney.com, by email at kristinblakeneyart@gmail.com, on Instagram @kristinblakeneyart or by calling 205-239-6458.

INNOVATORS

Kara Strope Designs She started in college, creating jewelry and holding trunk shows at sorority houses around the University of Alabama campus.

Kara Strope Warr has since evolved into a jewelry designer whose sought-after designs are sold at trunk shows, online at www.karastropedesigns.com and by

custom order.

Most of her business is centered on custom creations. “If it can be drawn,” she says, “I can make it.”

She does the sketching and much of the fabrication is done in New York.

Four years ago, she took her custom

jewelry to another level — diamonds. Her necklaces and pendants are interchangeable, and the initial pendant is one of her top sellers.

She couples her jewelry-making with running a business, as the owner of Tuscaloosa’s Cherry Blow Dry Bar.

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INNOVATORS

Laura Beth Agee PURSEPTION BAGS Two best friends who grew up together in Russellville found themselves in the same predicament.

Laura Beth Agee, a Tuscaloosa resident who is a University of Alabama graduate and football fan, and Brittany Trapp, a Muscle Shoals resident who graduated from Auburn University and is a Tigers fan, couldn’t find any cute clear purses to take to football games. After they shared their frustrations with each other, it occurred to them that they likely were not alone.

So Agee, who specializes in marketing, and Trapp, who works in fashion retail, decided they’d create their own line of clear bags that would comply with the security specifications many public venues now require.

They named the line Purseption Bags. The women design, manufacture and distribute the bags. The purses can be found in more than 100 stores and boutiques, including major department stores, like Dillard’s, and shops in Tuscaloosa, including Canterbury Clothiers, Expeditions, South Boutique, The Golden Hanger and The Trunk.

And it’s all happened in less than a year’s time.

Agee couples her purse merchandising with her local brickand-mortar store, Swag, in downtown Tuscaloosa. It specializes in custom invitations, T-shirts, brochures, business cards, stationery,

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party favors, embroidery and screen printing. Swag also specializes in Greek life materials, including party shirts, rush apparel, Bid Day fans, cups and banners.

Find Agee’s and Trapp’s purses on Instagram at @purseptionbags. Agee can be found in her Tuscaloosa boutique, Swag, at 601 Greensboro Ave. The phone number there is 205-722-2649. On Instagram, it’s @theswagstoreofficial.

INNOVATORS

“I DON’T THINK YOU’RE READY FOR THIS JELLY” She was, at the moment, a stay-athome mom, tending to two small boys.

The boys kept her busy, until it came to nap time. She found she needed something to occupy her time while they slept.

The Auburn University graduate had always enjoyed cooking and canning, and, four years ago, Lacy Lavender decided to add jelly-making to her repertoire.

Her recipes were an instant hit, and, in no time, she started a jelly business in her 150-square-foot kitchen. She named it — stealing lyrics from a Destiny’s Child

song — “I Don’t Think You’re Ready for This Jelly.”

Ready, her clients were. During the holidays, she sells about 400 jars of it.

The jellies are also popular as wedding and party favors. She sells the jellies in 4- and 8-ounce jars, topping them with seasonal fabric to make them attractive for gift-giving or for keeping.

They come in seasonal flavors like strawberry, strawberry thyme, apple butter, MeMe’s blueberry, scuppernong, grape, apple, fig preserve, muscadine,

Lacy Lavender cranberry jalapeno, Chilton County Peach, pineapple pepper, basil and banana pepper, spiced pear and orange marmalade, using local fruits — blueberries and figs from her grandmother’s garden, and apples, pears, peppers and muscadines from friends who drop off yields from their gardens and farms.

The 4-ounce jars of jelly sell for $5. It’s $8 for 8 ounces. To place an order, contact her at lacyw321@gmail.com or find and follow her on Instagram @lacylavjelly.

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AT HOME

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MASTER BATH: The chandelier in the master bathroom was obtained from a show house in Atlanta. It hangs over a Victoria + Albert soaking tub. The drop chandelier is a mix of clear glass with small ball-shaped gold accents. The bathroom floor and vanity tops are marble. There’s also a shower and two closets — his and hers — and a linen closet in the tower cabinetry by one of the vanities.

AT HOME

GRANDDESIGN

BY BECKY HOPF • PHOTOS BY GARY COSBY JR.

THE BRONOLDS HAVE CREATED A HOME THAT IS BOTH UPSCALE AND COZY

hen Brandi Bronold and her husband, Tuscaloosa veterinarian Dr. Paul Bronold, were looking for a new home, they knew they wanted something stylish. But they also wanted it to feel like a home.

“We like the more modern look, but we like it to be cozy,” said Brandi Bronold.

It took more than a year to build and design, but, in the end, the couple did just that.

“I like the open floor plan,” Bronold said of the new build in Tuscaloosa’s Waterfall subdivision. “I like the light color scheme. It’s very clean. And I like that from every room in the house you can see the pool.” >> THE MASTER BEDROOM: The headboard in the master bedroom is custom, embellished with antique brass nail heads.

The room overlooks the pool. The drapes and the pillows are all custom. • BATHROOM: A first-floor powder room is discreetly located off the kitchen. It is one of six bathrooms in the home.

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AT HOME

It is a custom house. She did the design, working with W.B. Builders, and Ashley Garrison, of Ashley Garrison Interiors, was the decorator with Grant Trick Designs, out of Birmingham, creating the upholstery. Brian Hurd was the builder of the 4,650-squarefoot house.

“He was absolutely amazing,” Bronold said of Hurd. “Ashley helped with the fixtures, the wall coverings and the furniture.”

They and their young daughter Londyn moved into the home in October 2016.

The build, which Bronold describes as “transitional,” has four bedrooms and six bathrooms. Special touches include two

stairwells, on opposite sides of the house, that lead to the rooms on the second floor.

The home features hardwood floors throughout, with the exception of the theater room, which is carpeted.

“What I like about it is that it has different–sized planks with grooves. I liked the character of the wood.”

The décor is largely neutral in color, an aspect that lends the home its clean look. The ground floor has an open floor plan and is filled with natural light.

“We put a lot of thought into what we wanted, and we’re happy with how it turned out. We got the clean look that we wanted, but we also got the warmth and the cozy feeling that make it a home.”

FORMAL DINING ROOM: The formal dining room is in the front of the house, with large windows, flanked by floor–to–ceiling drapes, and a beaded and antique brass-colored teardrop chandelier. The glass-topped table seats eight comfortably. • THE BREAKFAST NOOK: A custom banquette was built with dimensions to fit snugly in the nook. The fabric is a shade of white naugahyde. The open area adjoining the kitchen includes a quartz bar area with storage and a wine cooler and icemaker. There’s also a mud room area with drawers and storage space, bench seating and hooks to hang book bags, jackets or handbags. A powder room is located off the kitchen, also decorated in white with patterned wallpaper to break up the solid color. • THE MEDIA ROOM: The home features two stairwells, on separate sides of the house. The stairwell off the kitchen leads to the second-floor media room where the family can watch television and movies. There’s also a full-size bathroom off the landing. A theater-style popcorn machine is part of the room’s décor. There are personalized cups and napkins.

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AT HOME

THE LIVING ROOM: One of the focuses in the living room is the gas log fireplace which Bronold says makes the room even more inviting. It’s part of an open area, connecting with the kitchen and dining room and allowing views to both the front entrance and the backyard and patio area. The home is wired for sound, allowing the family to listen to music inside and outside.

THE KITCHEN: The appliances in the kitchen, including the refrigerator, range and microwave, are all by Kitchenaid. The island has a black-honed granite top, which plays off the white quartz counters. One of the more unusual — and striking — features in the kitchen is the leather–upholstered door to the pantry. It was designed by decorator Ashley Garrison. A white fabric was selected to blend with the color of the cabinetry. “It’s leather with antique nail heads,” Bronold said. “We chose the leather so it would break up all the white in the kitchen. We didn’t want the room to look so sterile. It was our pop for the room.”

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AT HOME

“I love sitting out there in the summertime or watching a game. You can hear the waterfall. It’s very relaxing.”

— BRANDI BRONOLD THE BACKYARD: There’s something for everyone in the Bronolds’ backyard. Iron fencing separates the plunge pool and waterfall from a parking pad leading to the garage, a covered patio and the family’s separate dog room. The showpiece of the saltwater pool is a waterfall fountain and a lighting system that allows the colors of the pool to be changed via cellphone.

“It gives the pool the look and feel of a resort,” Bronold said.

“The neighbors say sometimes they open their windows to hear the waterfall,” Bronold said.

The outdoor, covered patio has a gas-starting but wood-burning fireplace for the cooler months and a ceiling fan for the warmer months. There’s comfortable seating, a wet bar and a grill area. A television is mounted over the fireplace and makes for a popular spot for watching sporting events.

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ROAD SHOWS

Passing

BY BECKY HOPF

glances SOLVING THE MYSTERIES OF SOME OF THE SIGHTS TUSCALOOSA DRIVERS SEE WHILE NAVIGATING THE STREETS AROUND TOWN

Ever see a big yellow school bus go by with the words “Tuscaloosa Tumblebus” written on the side? Is it transporting a gymnastics team? And what about those cars and trucks with a single letter or logo printed on a giant

Bloom Flower Truck

It is rolling testimony that good things really do come in small packages.

Bloom Flower Truck is a relatively new road show around Tuscaloosa. Kristin and Todd Logan — and their son, Fischer — introduced their new rolling business to Tuscaloosa in November 2017 and, ever since, it’s produced bundles of joy, a stem at a time.

Pass the Japanese minitruck on the road —

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flag that’s attached on a pole on the back?

They are just a few of the sights Tuscaloosa drivers pass on the road and wonder, what is that?

Here, we solve some of those mysteries.

and you likely will pass it since it doesn’t go more than 40 miles an hour — and you may do a double take, not only because it’s just so darn cute but because the steering wheel and the driver are on the right side. While it’s rolling, pull-down canopies hide the contents. But once the truck is parked at its local destination, it opens up to vases brimming with colorful blooms, from roses to mums

to sunflowers and greenery, and lots of other seasonal surprises.

The Logans got their idea to make Tuscaloosa even more beautiful by seeing similar flower trucks in Nashville two years ago.

The biggest challenge was locating the perfect minitruck, which they eventually found in Cullman and modified into a florist shop on wheels.

ROAD SHOWS

The Bloom Flower Truck brings florist services to your door. Fischer Logan poses for a photo with his mom and dad, Kristin and Todd Logan, beside their unique flower truck.

PHOTOS

BY GARY COSBY JR.

There is no one spot in particular to find the truck. Some Saturdays it can be found at the Tuscaloosa Farmers Market. It also can be found at events and in front of downtown businesses.

Its Facebook page and Instagram posts announce where the truck will be that week.

Flowers are sold by the stem — you

create your own arrangement. Stems range from $1.50 to $8. The flowers are always fresh and come from a wholesale distributor in Birmingham. This summer, the Logans are planning to add flowers they have grown themselves.

The truck has been an instant hit, particularly with University of Alabama students, who the Logans estimate make

up 80 percent of their buyers. After just three months in business, they’d already gathered 1,400 followers on Instagram.

Follow the truck on the road, or follow it on social media, on Instagram @bloomflowertruck or on Facebook.

Invite the truck to your event by emailing bloomflowertruck@gmail.com or calling 205-454-8595.

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ROAD SHOWS

Fred Robertson’s pink tow truck At nearly 26,000 pounds and 31 feet of solid metal, it’s the ultimate muscle car.

But, in reality, it’s the big pink tow truck with the heart of gold.

In March 2017, brothers and co-owners Fred and Jimmy Robertson went looking for a new wrecker for their thirdgeneration Fred Robertson Wrecker Service Inc. On the lot at Miller Industries, a towing and equipment company in Chattanooga, Tennessee, was the truck they needed. The fact that it was painted pink didn’t deter them.

Instead, it inspired them.

The brothers bought the truck and brought it to Tuscaloosa.

They’d use it to rescue vehicles in distress and, more importantly, they’d use it to aid the local fight against breast cancer.

The wrecker service donates 5 percent of all the pink wrecker’s towing fees to the DCH Foundation Breast Cancer Fund.

In less than a year’s time, they’d donated more than $8,000.

Cody Petty drives the Freightliner truck for the business that’s been a part of Tuscaloosa since 1936 and has, painted on its cab, a large pink ribbon with the words “Never give up.”

The pink truck is all about strength, but it’s a strength fueled by tenderness and a caring heart toward the community it serves.

PHOTOS BY GARY COSBY JR.

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Fred Robertson, who coowns the business with his brother Jimmy, is shown with Cody Petty, the primary driver of the pink tow truck.

To hire the pink tow truck and help donate to the DCH Foundation Breast Cancer Fund, call Fred Robertson Wrecker Service, located at 3702 Greensboro Ave., at 205-758-4761.

ROAD SHOWS

Tuscaloosa Tumblebus This big yellow beacon has been moving up and down the streets of West Alabama for nine years now.

But, unlike most school buses, this one, when it’s in motion, contains no children.

It’s when the Tuscaloosa Tumblebus is parked that it comes to life.

In place of seats are a kids’ delight: It’s a children’s gym on wheels. There’s a zip line. A slide. A balance beam, vault, minit-

rampoline, ropes, rings, monkey bars and climbing apparatus, all kid-sized, for toddlers to age 6. There’s even music and dancing. It’s all designed to help children in their early fitness development.

It’s owned by Tami Hunter. She and fellow coach Alice David lead the kids.

The Tumblebus goes to child care facilities and schools. It’s available for birthday parties and special events.

To put the Tuscaloosa Tumblebus on the road and headed to park and play at your school or event, go online at www.tuscaloosatumblebus.com or call 205-758-ROLL (7655) or 205-799-2089.

PHOTOS BY GARY COSBY JR. AND JAKE ARTHUR

Tami Hunter leads kids from Sherwood Forest Child Care and Learning Center in Northport in a fun workout that involves dance and aerobic moves.

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ROAD SHOWS

The First Baptist Church Bye-Bye Buggy The very sight of it rolling down the sidewalk might not only make you forget you are stuck in downtown traffic but may even make you hope the traffic jam will last a little longer.

On weekdays, weather permitting, these tiered red mini-people movers are loaded with babies enrolled in day care in First Baptist Church Tuscaloosa’s Child Development Program. The stroller is officially dubbed a Bye-Bye Buggy by its manufacturer, Angeles.

The babies get their dose of fresh air and sunshine as they roll around the block, sometimes stopping to view a

nearby water fountain or being absorbed by even more mesmerizing sights — such as their feet, the hair bow on the baby sitting next to them, a microscopic piece of trash someone has thrown on the ground that only babies are ever capable of spotting ...

For two centuries, babies have been on the scene at First Baptist — the church is celebrating its bicentennial this year. And, for the better part of the last two decades, the church’s youngest members have been causing a scene — of the heart-melting kind — as they parade, in their Bye-Bye Buggy, in downtown Tuscaloosa.

PHOTO BY ERIN NELSON

Carolyn Stewart, left, and Alaina Denton, right, take toddlers on a stroll in the Bye-Bye Buggies outside of First Baptist Church Tuscaloosa.

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ROAD SHOWS

Jack Vickers, driver of the University of Alabama football equipment truck, stands outside Bryant-Denny Stadium.

The University of Alabama football equipment truck It’s a sight that stirs the emotions.

It can cause a thrill, if you happen to be a Crimson Tide football fan.

Perhaps a grumpy “harrumph” if you are a follower of that other team across the state.

Regardless, it’s hard to miss the University of Alabama’s football equipment truck as it makes its way to and from Crimson Tide football games, whether it is going a half-mile from the Alabama athletics complex to Bryant-Denny Stadium or, for its longest haul, more than 2,000 miles to Pasadena, California, a more-than-28-hour trip the truck made when Alabama played in the 2009 national championship game.

When it’s not hauling the Crimson Tide’s equipment, the truck resides in the yard of its actual owner, Coleman American Moving Services Inc. in Midland City.

For Saturday road games, Alabama’s football equipment staff, headed by Associate Athletics Director for Equipment Operations Jeffrey Springer, loads and

packs the truck on Thursdays. The staff fills it with uniforms and pads, footballs, sideline fans, rain gear, portable water tanks, coolers for ice, cleats and anything and everything else that might possibly be needed on game day.

It also has been used to haul flood relief supplies from Tuscaloosa to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 2016 and tornado relief supplies from Dothan to Tuscaloosa after the April 27, 2011, tornado. And it serves as an ambassador of the university, upon occasion, by being displayed at football and charity functions.

The man behind the wheel, since 2006, is Jack Vickers, who works with Coleman American Moving Services.

Should you pass it on the road anytime soon, you can impress your fellow riders by commenting that the current wrap — that can’t-miss photography that decorates the truck — is the fourth installation. Each wrap is used for three seasons and then replaced with a new one.

PHOTOS BY ERIN NELSON 57

ROAD SHOW

Flag Day It’s a phenomenon that occurs on fall Fridays during the high school football season.

Pickup trucks and cars take to the streets of Tuscaloosa, giant flags strapped to poles attached to the vehicle.

It is one of the purest forms of school spirit. The flags are crafted by students from the school — students who are not on the football team — and feature the school’s logo or simply one letter that, given its font, makes no mistake which school the flag represents. The students, who do this totally on their own, drive around town before and after school, waving their school pride. Most of the driving is centered at each school’s campus.

Hillcrest High School and Northridge High both have about 40 kids who flaunt their team spirit on game day. There are about 10 from American Christian Academy. Some of the flag bearers meet together for breakfast before school. The Northridge crew meets up early at Munny Sokol Park and eats breakfast in Northport at City Café. The crew from ACA also has a breakfast club.

There are few restrictions on who can do it, since it’s all independent of the school and voluntary. Naturally, you have to have a driver’s license. Other than that, say the students, “you make a flag and just show up.”

BELOW: Pictured, from far left: Jackson Adams, Hillcrest High School; Caroline Baird and Braden Lovely, American Christian Academy; Tate Landry, Rocky Lovoy and Grey Terry, Northridge High School. RIGHT: Braden Lovely and Caroline Baird, American Christian Academy.

PHOTOS BY ERIN NELSON

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LIFESTYLES

BY KELCEY SEXTON PHOTOS BY GARY COSBY JR.

Minding

MANNERS ROBIN WELLS TEACHES KIDS — AND PROFESSIONALS — PROPER ETIQUETTE

hirteen eager faces look up from round tables as colorful layers of red, orange and green gelatin, whipped cream, candy-coated chocolates and sprinkles are scooped into tall glasses.

“They’re layering goodness,” said Robin Wells, president of Etiquette Manor Alabama, as she and executive

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trainer James Scott observe the girls putting together their creations.

The young girls are taking a class, led by Wells and Scott, on etiquette.

On this night, they are taking a formal dining course at NorthRiver Yacht Club.

It features a French theme, and the girls are learning the proper way to eat a bowl of soup — “Don’t blow on it; wait,” Wells advises — as well as serving and eating a parfait.

LIFESTYLES

Robin Wells, president of Etiquette Manor Alabama, teaches girls the proper way to eat soup as she conducts a manners and etiquette class for children at NorthRiver Yacht Club. Jane Hollowell takes a spoonful of soup under Wells’ watchful eye.

It is customary for dinner guests to leave a single bite in their parfait glasses at the end of a meal, Wells tells the class. This lets the hostess know “she served the perfect amount, and you couldn’t eat another bite.” Parfait, after all, means “perfect” in French, she says.

“It’s things like this that make people want to know more (about etiquette),” she said.

“There’s a reason for everything, and it makes great stories, great trivia.”

Wells created Etiquette Manor, a corporate

etiquette and social skills training and consulting company, in 2010 in Miami, where she lived for 17 years before moving to Tuscaloosa with her husband, Jesse, and son, Jesse Jr. The business has been spotlighted on HGTV and in The New York Times and Miami Herald. Wells worked as a marketing and corporate image consultant for more than 25 years. She owned a marketing company in Miami and brought it here. She then partnered with Scott, who also works as an Etiquette Manor trainer.

“I became quickly somebody who could make other people feel important and slowly but surely became a marketing person as a trade, as a profession,” she said.

Being president of both Etiquette Manor and Pinpoint Marketing Team LLC seems to perfectly combine qualities Wells received from each of her parents. She was raised in Haddon Heights, New Jersey, by her father, Robert Ford, a “very business-savvy man,” and her mother, Etta Ford, who competed in >> 61

LIFESTYLES

Etiquette Manor Alabama executive trainer James Scott conducts a manners and etiquette class for children at NorthRiver Yacht Club.

the Miss New Jersey pageant before Wells was born. Her mother cared very much for proper etiquette and presentation, Wells said.

“I love the fact that I got a lot from her and didn’t realize,” she said. “I was very much like my dad, a businessperson. And as I got older, I started to see an interesting dynamic between presentation, which my mom taught me my whole life — and I ignored her — and my dad’s business savvy, through the businesses I opened, and I thought, ‘This is awesome.’ ” Etiquette Manor Alabama is just getting started here in Tuscaloosa — around the end of February, Wells said it had been open for three and a half months — and is currently an appointment-only, nights-and-weekends venture, working with children, adults, corporate employees, you name it.

Wells said her past experiences with business meals, being in sales and working with clients positions her perfectly to teach others the skills she wanted to learn immediately when she was starting out.

Advertising is mainly word of mouth now, but Etiquette Manor Alabama has already hosted classes with the University of Alabama gymnastics team as well as other clients in town.

“We’re sort of letting this be organic,” Wells said. “I’m not pushing it. It’s going to develop when people see how cool and fun (it is), and how much the kids love it ... they come because they want to.”

Wells said the goal is to eventually move from the downtown office space into a house, “a ‘Downton Abbey’ of the states,” so to speak.

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The most popular programs offered by Etiquette Manor Alabama are the children’s dining classes and the boys’ and girls’ style classes. The company offers 14 regular programs as well as additional specialty courses, but classes can be tailored to fit the individual’s needs.

Among the main program offerings are Dining in Style, Wedding Etiquette, Cocktail Party Etiquette, Corporate Etiquette, Children’s Etiquette, the Grace of Girls, the Perfect Gentlemen, and Social Skills. Classes are creative and engaging and can take place in the office studio or on location at a restaurant in town for an interactive dining session.

The trainers teach anything from formal place settings to how to eat continental-style.

Tips are shared, such as how food should be served on a person’s left side and taken away on the right.

“There is no class we don’t teach,” Wells said.

And there’s always something worth learning.

“Nobody knows everything,” Scott said.

“When you go in a nice restaurant and sit down, and you’re in a formal setting, there are just certain things I thought I knew, and until I went through some of the training I (hadn’t) realized. I knew what my grandmother taught me, what my mother told me, but I didn’t know all the little intricacies.”

Familiarity with the do’s and don’ts of etiquette can bring a new sense of confidence and consideration of others — and there is no greater feeling than giving people the tools to

empower themselves, Wells said.

“Being able to see the faces — I don’t care if you’re 3 or 93 or 103 — when I see a face feel that power, that empowerment that they get it and they’ve done something that makes them feel proud of themselves, and it’s because of something I told them or showed them or taught them, the hair on the back of my neck stands up,” she said.

A client in her 80s contacted Wells before she went on a cruise, saying, “I want to show those girls how to eat a baked Alaska,” a dessert made of ice cream and cake with browned meringue on top. The lesson made an impact.

“Not only did everybody think she was an heiress, but her girlfriends were blown away by her eating the baked Alaska,” she said.

“You take all these little tricks and tips, like ‘Walk into the room like smoke,’ ‘Sit like water,’ ‘Sit up straight,’ ‘Cross at the ankle,’ you know.

You add all these things up, and someone’s going to be like, ‘Why does that guy look so great?’ ‘Why does that girl look so fantastic?’ and it’s not one thing. It’s a bunch of little things that once you learn, you’ll make your own and make some of them even better,” Wells said. “You get it now.”

For more information on Etiquette Manor Alabama, programs and fees, or to schedule an appointment, call 305-469-7822, visit www.etiquettemanoralabama.com or email etiquettemanor@gmail.com. The office is located at 2123 Ninth St., Suite 203, in downtown Tuscaloosa.

TRENDS

A

sound

DECISION MUSIC LOVERS ARE GOING BACK TO VINYL

BY STEVE IRVINE PHOTOS BY GARY COSBY JR. he hiss and crackle of vinyl records take you back to childhood. Those of us who have reached a certain age — you fill in the blank — can’t help but become engulfed inside the memories of the familiar feeling of the needle hitting the record.

Eventually, those memories got swallowed up by convenience. Compact discs shoved vinyl records — not to mention cassette tapes — to the side. And CDs ultimately took a backseat to the digital world.

Well, the hiss and crackle are back, even though they’re not nearly as pronounced as they once were.

“It’s such a warm sound,” said Jason Patton, owner of Tuscaloosa’s Oz Music. “With new vinyl, if it’s taken care of, you really don’t have that hiss and crack kind of stuff. You’ll be able to hear the needle dropping onto the record, obviously, but it’s a pretty clean sound. Used records, if you have dirt or scratches, you’ll hear some, but, even then, it’s a pretty clean sound. It’s just that warm sound. It’s recognizable, I think; everybody knows what that sound means.”

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Jason Patton, manager at Oz Music in Tuscaloosa, sorts through some of his store’s vinyl collection.

TRENDS

It’s just that warm sound. It’s recognizable, I think; everybody knows what that sound means.

— JASON PATTON, owner of Oz Music

Technically, vinyl records never fully went away. For many music lovers — perhaps most — too many other options turned vinyl records rather obsolete. Patton, a local Keller Williams Realtor who worked at Oz Music for more than 18 years and has owned it for the past two, wondered if vinyl records would ever return.

“Absolutely,” Patton said. “It’s not from a ‘Gosh, I’m glad they’re gone’ (standpoint). We got to a point where we were striving for ultimate convenience. Records are not convenient.

You can’t listen to a record driving down the road.”

Numbers suggest — or perhaps sing loudly — that vinyl records are back. Vinyl record sales, according to Billboard.com, hit a Nielsen MusicEra high in 2017. According to the story, 14.32 million new vinyl records were sold in 2017, which is 9 percent growth from 2016. And that doesn’t include the used record business.

It didn’t happen overnight.

Patton said his store started stocking new vinyl records about 13 years ago. Before that, the store simply sold used records, buying those for a dollar each and selling them for $1.99.

“It was nothing major; it was barely a blip on our radar at that time,” Patton said. “CDs were flourishing. We had a small used vinyl section. A year later or so, we got about 30 new titles. Those titles started selling. We would add a couple more, those would sell, and we’d add a couple more. Probably did that for about a year. We noticed that sales kept rising, so it was something we were starting to pay more attention to.”

According to the Billboard.com story, there have been 12 consecutive years of vinyl record sales growth. A big reason for that, at least in the past three or four years, Patton said, was the birth of a national Record Store Day. The idea was hatched by a coalition of major record stores and presented to the record labels.

“They kind of piggybacked off the comic book sector,” Patton said. “The comic book stores had started this Comic Book Day to get people in the store buying comic books on a specific day. They went to the labels, they pitched their idea — the labels got behind it. Initially, they pressed 30-40 titles that were exclusives, specifically for that day. It was a limited edition, so it was that day or never. They weren’t going to be hanging around, being pressed forever.”

Today, Patton said, it’s grown to 350-400 titles available on Record Store Day. So who is buying vinyl records?

The answer may be a tad surprising.

“My average vinyl-buying crowd ranges from 15- to 30-year-olds,” Patton said. “There (are) definitely some people 40 and up that buy records, I’m not saying they don’t. The majority of the vinyl-buying crowd are kids. They kind of

treat it like it’s something they discovered. It’s really funny to watch.”

Rock albums are the biggest sellers at Oz Music in Tuscaloosa, largely, according to Patton, because it’s a college town.

“It depends on the day, the time, the person, but we’re in a college town, so the rock genre has been our best-selling genre across all formats,” Patton said. “But, we do a lot of jazz, we do a lot of country, we’ve got some people who just love older blues stuff, too. It depends on the time or the person, but I can look at a sales sheet on any day and rock will be the predominant genre from our sales.”

At Oz Music, you can rejoin the vinyl record world with one-stop shopping. The store stocks record players, speakers and accessories and sells them by the bundle or individually.

Patton said used records outsell new records, which could be brand-new releases or reissues, at least 2-to-1 and perhaps more. It makes more economical sense, he said, to buy three used records for about $30 than to pay the new-records prices of $19 to $39.

Obviously, not every artist has rejoined the vinyl record world.

“I won’t say there are artists avoiding it,” Patton said. “There are artists that feel like their audiences aren’t the vinyl-buying crowd. Some metal bands aren’t pressing records, it’s becoming less and less. They may sell some records, if they were to press it, but their record label kind of dictates that anyway.”

What you get — whether it’s new or used or any genre — is a fuller sound.

“For a digital format, you have compression,” Patton said. “A record is an analog format, so you get the full sound spectrum, exactly how the artist recorded it. When you compress that analog signal, you will literally lose some of the high end and some of the low end. When you compress it to a CD, you lose a little. When you compress it to a digital stream or a digital MP3, you lose even more. You literally will hear instruments on vinyl recording that you’ve probably never heard.”

It’s also something he doesn’t see going away any time soon.

“I think we’ve had almost a renaissance kind of thing, back to a ‘how we were’ kind of thing,” Patton said. “More people are ditching big box stores for smaller, local businesses. People are going back to a more community type of existence. Records, to me, are a very communitybased thing. Nobody ever says, ‘Hey, I just downloaded the new Bob Dylan record, do you want to come over and listen to it?’ But people absolutely say, ‘Hey, I just bought the new Bob Dylan record on vinyl, do you want to come over and listen to it?’ Vinyl keeps you engaged with the music.”

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FASHION

»»»»Foul-

weather

««««

FINDS

Tut-tut, it looks like rain — but the day will be anything but gloomy with our rainwear styles 66

FASHION

ON RICHARD (right): Magellan Outdoors Adult Rain Parka, Academy Sports and Outdoors. PVC construction with electronically welded seams. Hood with drawstring adjustment. Two large pockets with protective flaps. Vented yoke back and underarms.

• $9.99.

ON PARKER: Cat & Jack, Target. Toddlers wind-and-water resistant raincoat. Full-length zipper plus Velcro to secure the front. Flap pockets. Shell coating of polyurethane. Fabric is 100% polyester. Lined in navy and white stripes. Polyester lining. Machine wash. • $18.99.

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FASHION

ON RILEY KATE: Colorblock Raincoat, Talbot’s.

Water-resistant. White/iris stripe lining on drawstring hood and back yoke. Hidden front zip. Onseam pockets. Fully lined. Polyester/cotton. Machine wash. Ivory/vibrant pink/indigo blue. XS-XL: $169. 1X-3X: $189 • Classic Casual Shirt, Talbot’s. Long button-cuff sleeves, shirt collar, back yoke, shirttail hem. Slightly below hip length. Cotton. Machine wash. Clover/white. XS-XL: $69.50. 1X-3X: $79.50 • Cable Twist-Marled, Talbot’s. Cotton blend. Wear now, wear later modern classic staple. Marled yarns give it a fashionable two-tone finish. Crew neck. Long sleeves. Hits at hips. Cotton, polyester and modal. Machine wash. Vibrant pink. XS-XL: $79.50. 1X-3X: $89.50. • Bi-Stretch Pull-On Skinny Ankle, Talbot’s. Pull-on. At waist, faux back welt pockets. Cotton/rayon/spandex. Machine wash. $99. • Soludos Sneakers, Canterbury Clothiers $129. • Mixed Media Flower Drop Earrings, Talbot’s. A vibrant sculptural flower swings from a disc of gold. 1” drop. $29.50.

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FASHION

ABOVE: ON TALIA: Cat & Jack umbrella, Target, Pink. $9.99. • ON TALIA AND MADDY: Cat & Jack girl’s rain jacket, Target. Wind-and-water resistant. Hooded. Button front. Pockets with flaps in front. Elastic waist. Back vent.

Shell coating is polyurethane. Fabric and lining, 100% polyester. Machine wash. Coral. $27.99 • ON EJ: Cat & Jack boy’s rain jacket, Target, Zip front. Fully lined. Two front flap pockets. Knit cuffs. Shell is 74% cotton/26% nylon. Lining is 100% polyester. Machine wash. Squash. $21.99. • ON REESE: Casual Canine North Paw Puffy Vest. Pet Supplies Plus. Velcro front. Two front leg holes. Tapered bottom to cover dog’s entire back. Light Pink. $19.98. • Petmate collar and leash, Pet Supplies Plus. Both in Geranium. Lead leash: $9.98. Collar: $7.98.

LEFT: ON TALIA: Polo Ralph Lauren striped drop-waist dress, Striped at top, solid navy flounced, attached, skirt. Short sleeves. Machine wash. 69% polyester/29% viscose/2% elastine. Cruise I Navy. $49.50. • ON MADDY: Polo Ralph Lauren drop-waist dress, Belk. Short sleeves.

Ribbed knit collar. Four-button placket front. 98% cotton/2% elastane. Machine wash. $45 • ON EJ: Polo Ralph Lauren polo shirt, Belk. 100% cotton. Machine wash.

Cruise blue. $35 • Polo Ralph Lauren shorts, Belk. Made from a refined stretch fabric for superior mobility. Slash pockets in front. Two back pockets. Machine wash. 98% cotton/2% elastane. Spring blue. $55.

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FASHION

ON RICHARD: Cianni Cellini trench, The Locker Room. Hi-new-tex, waterproof, windproof.

Breathable. Removable liner, making the coat versatile for several seasons. Soft texture, extremely warm. Inside pockets. Comes with a detachable belt. $195.

• Ibiza sport coat, The Locker Room. Made of 100% wool. Lightweight, transitional season fabric. $495. • JZ Richards tie: All silk. Handmade in the USA. $79.50. • Martin Dingman belt, The Locker Room. Water Buffalo. Saddle leather lining. Handcrafted in Italy. $89.50. www.locker-room.biz.

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FASHION

KATE: The ON RILEY coat, TalClassic Rain over collar, ld Fo . t’s bo buttoned detachable drawstring. ith w od ho and butButton front s. Fully cket po t el w n to -resistant, lined. Water -coated ne polyuretha achine polyester. M (also Jade. d vi Vi h. as w mon Tart comes in Le XS-XL: Blue.) go di In d an X: $179 $159. 1X-3 eath, • Fringed Sh wel inge at je Talbot’s. Fr d armholes. an e lin ck ne ck zip. CotInvisible ba Machine x. ton/spande er/indigo wash. Clov ta. 2-18: blue/magen : $139.

24 $119. W-14- Squares • Petals & bot’s. 1” Earrings,Tal jade/ drop. Vivid 9.50. rhodium. $2 ludos, • Shoes, So hier.

Clot Canterbury ing slipper.

Velvet smok avy. $89.

N

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FASHION

ON RILEY KATE: Theory Rain Jacket, Canterbury Clothiers. Zip front, hooded rain jacket.

Polyester. $395.

• Frame Jeans: $219. • Frame Top: Striped. $105. • Shoes: Soludos Sneakers. $129.

• Deepa Gurnani Earrings: $58.

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FASHION

ON MADDY: Crown & Ivy To The Sea, Belk. Multi-colored stripes. Scalloped hem. Trumpet sleeves with scalloped edges. 100% cotton. Machine wash. $38. • Crown & Ivy solid leggings, Belk. Ankle length. 95% cotton/5% spandex.

Machine wash. Blue. $18. • ON EJ: True Craft shirt, Belk.

Short sleeve. Navy stripe. Navy patch pocket. 60% cotton/40% polyester. Machine wash. $21.50. • True Craft pants, Belk. Drawstring waist. Stretch fabric. 98% cotton/2% spandex. Machine wash. Grey. $44.50. • ON TALIA: Lightning Bug shift, Belk. Cap sleeves. Keyhole opening for buttoning at back neck. 60% cotton/40% polyester. Machine wash. Grey cloud. $16.

ON TALIA: Carter’s rain slicker, Belk. Front pockets feature winking animal face. Zip front. Hooded. Water resistant. Shell and lining are 100% polyester. Inside features ID label for name in case coat is left somewhere. Machine wash. Mint. $52. Adidas Neo/white: $40. • ON EJ: Columbia boy’s Glennaker rain jacket, Belk. Waterproof fabric. Front zip. Two slash front pockets with mesh lining and name label. Shell is 100% nylon. Tradewinds Grey/Mystery. $45. Spinnaker Youth/Boathouse/youth/Pintuck Oxford: $35. • ON MADDY: Columbia Switchback Rain Jacket, Belk. Waterproof fabric. Zip front. Two front pockets with mesh interior. Shell is 100% nylon. Inside has name tag label. Machine wash. Lychee. $45. Vans Doheny/canvas/dress navy: $50.

Sperry Shoresider/3 Eye Linen: $50.

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FASHION

ON RILEY KATE: Amade Sweat Set, Canterbury Clothiers. For rain or shine, this cropped sweatshirt and shorts — sold as separates — combines style and comfort. Cotton. Sweatshirt: $89. Shorts: $79. • Shoes, Rag & Bone Moto Rainboot. $218. • Umbrella, Macy’s.

Shedrain. Wind blowing the umbrella up is no problem.

Comes in black/red, black/ hot pink, black/lime and black/ocean. $20.

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FASHION

ON PARKER: Polo Ralph Lauren, Belk. Toddler’s shorts. Made from a refined stretch for superior comfort and mobility. Machine wash. Includes belt. Spring II Green. $39.50. • Toddler’s button down with polo crest. 100% cotton. Machine washable. $39.50.

Credits: Hair and makeup by Andi Watson (at left) at The Nook Hair Salon and Studio, 2820 Seventh Street, Tuscaloosa. Find her on Facebook at Andi Watson, on Instagram at AndiWatsonBeauty, or call her for an appointment at 205-393-4867.

Styling for Riley Kate Lancaster by Stephanie Partlow, Andi Watson and Becky Hopf. Styling for Richard Scott, Parker Scott, EJ Dudley, Talia Dudley and Maddy Southern by Becky Hopf.

Special thanks to WVUA-TV meteorologist Richard Scott, Stephanie Partlow at Canterbury Clothiers, Jimiya Ross and Ashley Ratliff at Talbot’s, Alex Gatewood and Rush Crawford at The Locker Room, Mimi Moon at Belk and Matt Floyd at Target for providing clothing and accessories; Becky Booker at Tuscaloosa County Park and Recreation Authority, the staff at Phelps Activity Center and John Gray, Hal Thurmond and the staff at Ol’ Colony Golf Course.

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76

HISTORY

THE

HOUSE

WITH MANY

STORIES The Murphy African-American Museum showcases some of history’s most important people and contributions

The museum celebrates African-American scientists and inventors, such as Garrett A. Morgan, who invented the automatic traffic light signal.

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HISTORY

BY KELCEY SEXTON • PHOTOS BY GARY COSBY JR.

elicate lace curtains fall over each window of a two-story, olive green house on the corner of Paul W. Bryant Drive and Lurleen Wallace Boulevard. The curtains are whispers of the history encased in and around the MurphyCollins House. But nestled inside, awaiting visitors, sits much more.

The historic bungalow structure is home to the Murphy African-American Museum. Inside its walls are exhibits that serve as visual narrations of the importance of African-Americans’ history and contributions to Tuscaloosa, the state and, on an even grander scale, society.

Emma Jean Melton, volunteer director and chairwoman of the board of management, helped spearhead efforts to reopen the museum in 1996 and eventually renovate the building to what visitors can see today.

“I sort of fell in love with this old house,” said Melton, a retired high school biology teacher who has worked with the museum for more than 20 years.

“When I got here, it was in dire need of repair, and so we got a grant to restore it to its natural beauty, so to speak.”

The 2004 grant from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs was worth $50,000, and the restoration work earned Melton the Idella Childs Distinguished Service Award given by the Alabama Historical Commission’s Black Heritage Council.

“Here at the museum for the past 20 years has been a labor of love,” she said.

And it shows, in the exterior of the Murphy-Collins House and in the items inside.

The structure itself was built around 1923 by AfricanAmerican contractors hired by Will J. Murphy and his wife, Laura B. Murphy. Bricks, beams, windowsills and other materials salvaged from the burned remnants of Alabama’s Capitol in Tuscaloosa — which now sit as the ruins in Capitol Park — were purchased by Will Murphy and used in the construction of the house.

The house was located in what became known as the “lace curtain community” or the “white curtain district” of Tuscaloosa, home to affluent black professionals in the area during the early 1900s, Melton said.

At the time, it sat on a property that was a dividing line between the black-owned and white-owned properties during segregation. >> THIS PAGE: Among the exhibits in the museum is a bust, sculpted by David Gwinn, of Tuscaloosa educator McDonald Hughes. Hughes (190892) was a principal for more than 32 years, at Industrial High School, which later became Druid High School. He died at age 84 after making a major impact in education in the city. • PAGE 79, CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Lewis Latimer helped Alexander Graham Bell design the telephone.

• The organ, circa 1904, was donated by a family with the stipulation that it must be played at least once a year. • Emma Jean Melton is shown with a mirrored antique donated by the Tuscaloosa County Preservation Society, an early Murphy bed.

78

HISTORY

79

HISTORY

Will Murphy was the first licensed black mortician and funeral director in Tuscaloosa and also a successful businessman. Laura B. Murphy was the principal at 20th Street Elementary School.

After the Murphys owned the house, it was sold to Sylvia Collins, who lived in the home for a time and rented it to the Phoenix House, a nonprofit for women, and later men, recovering from alcoholism.

Melton said Ruthie Pitts formed the organization Revealing a Heritage in 1985, which ultimately led to the foundation of the Murphy AfricanAmerican Museum.

The city of Tuscaloosa purchased the house from Collins in 1986 in order to preserve it, and the Tuscaloosa County Preservation Society leases it.

The Murphy-Collins House, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Alabama as of 1993, is set up much as it was in its heyday. On the first floor, visitors will see a portrait of Will Murphy hanging above a large brick fireplace in the living area. There’s a period-piece cast-iron stove, along with cast-iron cooking utensils in a 80

small room off the kitchen. A Victrola phonograph, a favorite of many visitors, is displayed in the dining area. It worked until recently — someone may have cranked it too vigorously during a tour, volunteer guide Evelyn Gardner suspects.

Many of the items exhibited in the museum were donated by members of the community, Melton said. Some bring back items from their travels to Africa to donate to the museum’s African Room, also on the first floor. Limpopo ceramic dishes from South Africa as well as a glass-top table displaying African beaded jewelry were donated

by Dr. Ruby Perkins of Stillman College.

Artifacts in the room include an Ikot Ekpene ceremonial mask and skirt, a dress from Ghana and a carved pumpkin gourd from West Africa.

The room also contains a vintage pump organ, made in 1904 and restored in 1995. The organ was donated by a couple with the stipulation that it be played once a year — and someone does come in to play it annually, Melton said, though it has been a challenge, at times, to find someone who knows how to play a pump organ. >>

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Portraits of the former homeowners, Will and Laura Murphy, hang in the museum. • The ship is a reproduction of a slave ship.

• Items in the museum tell the story of the history of African–Americans.

HISTORY

If you go The Murphy African-American Museum is located inside the Murphy-Collins House at 2601 Paul W. Bryant Drive, at the intersection with Lurleen Wallace Boulevard South in Tuscaloosa. The museum is open Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to noon, and then 1 to 4 p.m.

Tours at other times can be arranged by appointment. For more information or to set up a tour, call 205-758-2861.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: A room is dedicated to Tuscaloosa residents who have made an impact nationally and internationally, including world heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder. • The automatic traffic light signal was invented by Garrett A. Morgan who also invented the gas mask, an early aid meant to help firefighters.

• Lewis Latimer developed the carbon filament for light bulbs.

81

HISTORY

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Emma Jean Melton is shown in a room dedicated to Tuscaloosa’s brightest, including the late Dinah Washington (her real name was Ruth Lee Jones) who was a singer and pianist and the top black female recording artist of the 1950s. • Artifacts in the museum include donated items from Tuscaloosa residents who have traveled to African nations.

On the second floor, museum visitors can step into Laura Murphy’s bedroom, where antique dolls and family photos are displayed. Two more rooms, formerly used as bedrooms for the family, now display science and history contributions African-Americans have made, including some of society’s integral everyday items, like traffic lights.

The museum highlights prominent figures from Tuscaloosa, including Dr. George Augustus Weaver, the first black doctor in the area.

The Weaver-Bolden Library Branch is named in his honor. There’s a display on the Rev. Thomas Linton, a prominent civil rights leader.

Sam S. May, a janitor at the University of Alabama before the school was integrated, studied science and did experiments during his free time on the job. Dinah Washington, a Grammy Award-winning jazz singer for whom downtown Tuscaloosa’s cultural arts center is named, is also highlighted. Even local sports icons, like former NFL star John Stallworth, Olympic Bronze medalist and world heavyweight boxer Deontay Wilder and Olympic gold medalist in track, Lillie Leatherwood, are all included in the displays.

“A lot of the history of African-Americans is not in the history books, and it’s not in the history as far as being taught in the schools,” Melton said. “You might have one or two when you get to certain areas, like George Washington Carver, but there were many more that made contributions that you don’t hear of. So we try to highlight some of those when (visitors) come.”

More than 1,700 people visited the Murphy African-American Museum from January 2017 to February 2018, according to the museum’s annual report. The museum hosts annual events, including a Black 82

History Month program and special tours in February, the Black Heritage Tour of Tuscaloosa as well as the National Women’s History Month exhibit and program in March, and Diversity Day in April.

It will soon be featured as a stop on the U.S. Civil Rights Trail, along with the historic First African Baptist Church, located about a block away from the museum and a major landmark in Bloody Tuesday, where a peaceful march against segregation at the courthouse turned violent as black marchers were tear-gassed, beaten and arrested.

“Most people are surprised by contributions from African-Americans they didn’t know about — some I did not know about until I started here at the museum,” Melton said. “So when they come in, we try to give them a history lesson and tell them about the importance of the museum and its role in the community.”

6

INTRIGUING

PEOPLE

Meet six folks who make a difference in our communities

STEWART McLAURIN

President, White House Historical Association

ELAINA PLOTT

Political reporter

DUANE LAMB

Retired Air Force Colonel; current UA associate vice president

JHEOVANNY GOMEZ

Restaurateur

FRED HUNTER Reporter, meteorologist

JACKSON WAY Internet star

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SIX INTRIGUING PEOPLE

Stewart McLAURIN NO. 1

PRESIDENT, WHITE HOUSE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION

BY BECKY HOPF PHOTO BY GARY COSBY JR.

I

t is certainly the most famous home in America, and, along with Great Britain’s Buckingham Palace, the world.

The White House, home to United States presidents and their families since 1800 when John Adams and his wife, Abigail, became the first official residents, is America’s home. And America’s home has a key Tuscaloosa connection.

Stewart McLaurin is president of the White House Historical Association. The most important hat he wears in his role is to “protect, preserve and provide public access to the rich history of the White House.”

The 59-year-old grew up in Birmingham, but the 1981 University of Alabama graduate maintains homes in Tuscaloosa and Washington, D.C. Though he never dreamed then that he would be where he is now, McLaurin got his first glimpse of his future when he was in the fifth grade.

“No matter if it’s the first time or today, each time I step into the White House, I get such a feeling of awe. So many presidents have worked there. It’s such a special place,” McLaurin said.

“I’ve always been interested in the White House. My first trip there was when I was in the fifth grade. It was a trip for kids on the safety patrol. I have such vivid memories of visiting the White House and Mount Vernon on that trip.”

84

Years later, he would find himself working at both places. In fact, each step up in McLaurin’s career has found him holding head-turning positions. He was chief of staff for Elizabeth Dole when she was president of the Red Cross. He served as executive assistant to Energy Secretary James D. Watkins at the U.S. Department of Energy and executive vice president for education affairs at the Motion Picture Association. He was chief of staff in the president’s office at Georgetown University, worked for the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and the United States government. He left his job as executive vice president for American Village Citizenship Trust in Montevallo when he was recruited for, and accepted, the job with the White House Historical Association in May 2014.

The White House Historical Association was established by then-first lady Jackie Kennedy in 1961. Before then, there was no distinct organization tasked with documenting the Executive Mansion’s furnishings and collections. Past residents sold items to pay for new furnishings and many were discarded as they fell into disrepair or out of fashion. One of the first major projects by the association and Mrs. Kennedy was the publication of “The White House, An Historic Guide.” McLaurin and his staff recently produced that book’s 24th edition in the fall of 2017.

Publications are a large part of the association‘s work, but hardly its only task. On April 2, the association put on the 140th annual White House Easter Egg Roll, an event coordinated each year with the first lady. It’s a major event, involving thou-

sands of children as guests on the White House lawn. The children go home with commemorative wooden eggs specially designed by the first lady.

“It’s great fun,” said McLaurin.

As a nonprofit, fundraising is crucial.

The association helps pay for items in the mansion, such as china, furnishings and even the presidential and first lady portraits commissioned at the end of each administration, not only funding the latter but helping in the selection of the artist and the unveiling.

The association has produced presidential bobbleheads in a partnership with Major League Baseball’s Washington Nationals as a home-game giveaway. They create and sell the Official White House Christmas Ornament — each tells a story of the president it commemorates — as well as numerous publications, such as a coffee-table style book, “The White House, Its Historic Furnishings & First Families.”

That McLaurin oversees the design and production of the Christmas ornament is ironic.

“I started collecting them in 1981 when they first came out. I have all of them.

I never dreamed I’d be the person who would work with the team of designers on them,” he said.

In his role, McLaurin finds himself crossing the street from his office on Lafayette Park and stepping through the doors of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue at least once and sometimes four or five times a week.

“We work most closely with the first lady and her staff on a day-to-day basis.

Occasionally we will interact with the

Name: Stewart McLaurin Age: 59 Hometown: Tuscaloosa and Washington, D.C. People who have influenced my life: President Ronald Reagan, Elizabeth Dole, Admiral James D. Watkins, high school teacher Dorothy Walker.

Something people don’t know about me: I would have been very happy being a university history professor.

My proudest achievement: Mentoring hundreds of high school and college students on investing their lives in something greater than themselves.

Why I do what I do: It is an honor and privilege to serve and support the historic White House, the symbol to the world of American freedom and democracy.

Teaching and telling the stories of White House history over the past 226 years never gets old.

President, but that’s rare. The traditional things we work with relate to the first lady,“ said McLaurin. “Melania Trump has been very interested in the history, how we’ve done things,” he said of the current first lady.

One of his favorite projects in the past involved an annual state dinner, for children from each of the 50 states, that Michelle Obama hosted each of the eight years of the Obama administration. The kids came up with recipes, and the association compiled them all and created a cookbook.

Each day finds him involved in a myriad

activities. He hosts a podcast on White House history, speaks with organizations and school children, conducts tours of the White House to special visitors — his favorite room is the Library — and oversees research projects and publications that are produced.

He is a man who truly appreciates the museum — and the White House is just that — that he is charged with preserving and educating Americans about its rich history.

“I think that if I worked here every day for the rest of my life, I would still not know all

there is to know. I don’t have a favorite event because they are all my favorite. No two events are ever the same. They’re always different every year. The ornament is different, the Egg Roll is different, the events that take place at the White House, even when they take place there every year, there is always something different. It’s what that president and first lady want to do.

“I love my job. The White House belongs just as much to the people living in Tuscaloosa as it does to the family that resides there.

It‘s what makes it so special.”

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SIX INTRIGUING PEOPLE

NO. 2

Elaina PLOTT

POLITICAL REPORTER

BY DREW TAYLOR PHOTO BY ERIN NELSON

E

laina Plott was in London when she received a proposal that would change the course of her career.

The Tuscaloosa native was visiting a friend in 2015 when she received an email from an editor at National Review, a magazine that covers conservative politics in America.

Plott was on winter break, just months away from graduation from Yale University. She was thinking about how to start her career in journalism.

The editor, Washington bureau chief Eliana Johnson, told Plott she had read her work in the Yale Daily News, the college newspaper, and asked if she would be interested in the magazine’s Buckley Fellowship, named after the magazine’s founder, William F. Buckley Jr. Plott had misgivings. The once politically active Yalie had begun to sour on politics.

In fact, Plott had given more to her passions in culture and fashion, writing contributed pieces for the New York Observer and Harper’s Bazaar.

“I told my friend that I didn’t want to respond,” Plott said. “I didn’t want to do politics.”

Plott’s friend advised her she should always respond.

She relented and, after making contact with the editors, Plott was won over by what she referred to as “the greatest pitch.”

“They said, ‘If you want to do what every other magazine hopeful wants to do and go to New York and be an editorial assistant or a glorified secretary, do that, but come here, and we’ll let you report and start getting clips and give you the experience of any other seasoned reporter in (Washington,) D.C.,” she said.

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“It’s hard to say no to that.”

Plott’s fellowship at National Review kickstarted a career in Washington many journalists only dream of, leading to a job at Washingtonian magazine and her current role as a staff writer at The Atlantic, a magazine that covers the intersection between politics, culture and ideas.

At The Atlantic, Plott’s focus is on the inner workings of Congress, but she tries to understand the people behind the policies.

“I feel my reporting is always driven by a subconscious desire to understand how people feel,” she said. “The ins and outs of policy are not particularly interesting to me, but I am interested in who the key figures are within those spheres and how they feel.”

Plott’s foray into journalism started after she graduated from Tuscaloosa Academy and went to Yale. While she had always enjoyed writing, Plott became enamored of the craft of journalistic writing through a seminar during her sophomore year. It was taught by Steven Brill, a journalist and entrepreneur who founded monthly magazine The American Lawyer and the Court TV network (now TruTV). She looked forward to each lesson.

“It was at 9:15 every morning on Mondays,” she said. “I was one of the few people in the world who couldn’t wait for Monday.”

Brill said Plott’s talents were quickly revealed in the class.

“She was one of my best students,” Brill said.

“I still read all of her stories.”

Brill helped Plott land a coveted internship at the New York Observer, a print publication based in New York City that became onlineonly in 2016. She said her summer internship was highlighted by meeting and interviewing veteran journalist and University of Alabama graduate Gay Talese, whose writing she revered in school.

Name: Elaina Plott Age: 24 Personal: Parents, Tracy and Hunter Plott.

Hometown: Tuscaloosa.

People who have influenced my life: My grandparents, parents and siblings; my mentor, Steve Brill; my Yale thesis adviser, Amy Hungerford; Yale Faith and Action’s Chris Matthews and Laurel Copp; writers Joan Didion, Mary McCarthy, Tim O’Brien, Mary Cantwell, C.S. Lewis and Truman Capote.

Something people don’t know about me: I love anime!

My proudest achievement: Eight years ago, I was fourth in the children’s jumper finals at the Washington International Horse Show on my horse, Kiwi.

Long ago as it was, I still get giddy remembering that night.

Why I do what I do: Because good sentences make the world go ’round.

“I’ve never felt I needed other people to recognize my work to make it feel legitimate. It’s just something I’m proud of.”

“I was sitting on the couch with him, and he was answering my questions,” she said. “It’s one of those things where, in the midst of it, I thought I was dreaming.”

Arriving in Washington for her first National Review fellowship, Plott was somewhat overwhelmed with her new role: covering Congress.

“I’m being honest when I say the extent of my knowledge of Congress back then was limited to ‘Schoolhouse Rock,’ ” she said.

Plott’s first day on the beat proved to be an energizing force in her career. On that particular day, Paul Ryan announced his bid to be Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. She worked that day from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., but she was ecstatic.

“I was so high on adrenaline,” she said. “It was one of the coolest days of my life.”

When she is not covering a busy news day, Plott can get an equal amount of excitement from the writing process itself.

“I think I’m one of those people where, if I write a magazine piece and I’m totally proud of it and love it and nobody reads it but my parents, I’m still fine with it,” she said. “I’ve never felt I needed other people to recognize my work to make it feel legitimate. It’s just something I’m proud of.”

Regardless of what she writes about, whether it be legislative policy or portraiture, Plott’s work has a common theme.

“For me, understanding who the people are at the center of this national moment, when they go home and they make a cup of tea or pour a glass of bourbon, I’m so desperate to know what is going through their heads in those moments,” she said.

Although Plott is, she says, a “day-to-day” person in terms of her future plans, Brill is sure her star will continue to rise.

“I predict if you do a follow-up story on her in 10 years, you won’t have to explain to your readers who she is,” he said.

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SIX INTRIGUING PEOPLE

Duane LAMB NO. 3

RETIRED AIR FORCE COLONEL; CURRENT UA ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT

BY ED ENOCH PHOTO BY ERIN NELSON

A

s his retirement from the Air Force approached in 2007, Duane Lamb’s vision for civilian life involved a cabin in North Carolina and lots of fly fishing.

Lamb still got his cabin in the mountains, but a meeting with former University of Alabama President Robert Witt led him to a second career overseeing the facilities and grounds at the Capstone.

Lamb met Witt in Tuscaloosa as he was trying to establish a UA alumni chapter in Omaha during his last posting in the Air Force.

“When I came down for the first alumni conference they had, he spoke, and during the question and answer, I stood up and said how impressed I was he had put Alabama kind of on a higher level,” Lamb said.

Witt, Lamb said, eventually visited the alumni group in Omaha and toured Offutt Air Force Base, where Lamb was inspector general. Witt was impressed with the grounds of the airbase and told

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Lamb to contact him if he ever returned to Tuscaloosa.

“Of course, people say that, and I thought he was joking, but the fact is when I retired he asked me if I would be interested in working in the grounds department, first just helping them out. So I applied for a position down there, and the rest is sort of history,” he said.

Lamb joined the UA staff in 2007 as the associate vice president of grounds. In 2008, the facilities operations department was added to his responsibilities. He has led the department during a decade of rapid expansion on campus.

“I never in my wildest dreams thought I would be an irrigation expert or a plant expert,” he said. “I remember when my youngest daughter, who is now 31, when she was a freshman out here, we went for a jog around the campus, and I was pointing out that is a loropetalum and those are oak trees. But if you are going to be in charge, you better know what you are talking about.”

Lamb sees himself as a jack of all trades, or maybe a Renaissance man, who has dabbled in lots of things. Before his expertise was in topiary and irrigation, it was ballistic missiles and space operations for the Air Force. His first love was music and rock ’n’ roll.

Lamb is an avid guitar collector — 22 and counting — who carried acoustic and electric instruments to his various posts in the Air Force. He began playing in rock ’n’ roll bands as an adolescent.

He still has a band, GrAystone, that performs around Tuscaloosa.

Lamb, the son of a noncommissioned Air Force officer, graduated from UA in 1976 with a degree in music education before receiving his commission as an Air Force officer in 1977.

“I was going to pilot school, and the Vietnam War ended so the Air Force had a cutback on pilots, so they offered me to go into the intercontinental ballistic missile nuclear program,” Lamb said. “That struck me as being interesting. I figured I owed them four years; I will do something like that. I went on to the nuclear weapons school and just kind of became an expert in that realm.

That kind of drove my Air Force career.”

His 30-year career included postings at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the Pentagon, a combat outpost in Balad, Iraq, the Air War College and multiple postings at Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha. He was a nuclear weapons operations and spacelift specialist, playing a major part in launching most of the GPS satellites in orbit today. He worked at the Pentagon with Gen. Colin Powell, briefed then-president George W. Bush on the morning of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and even briefed former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

His actions against U.S. enemies earned him the Iraq Campaign Medal, Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Legion of Merit.

Lamb brought a military flavor to his approach at UA, with an emphasis on process, details and accountability.

“People take pride in that. It really shows here on our campus, I think,” Lamb said.

Lamb said his staff has renovated most of the buildings on campus in the past 11 years. The restoration of Marr’s Spring, an overgrown mess during Lamb’s time as a student in the 1970s, holds a special place. Using salvaged brick from a fence that once surrounded the Gorgas House, Lamb’s department rebuilt the spring’s cisterns. The pond was cleared of discarded coal and muck. Crews also built the bridge.

“That is the reason the University of Alabama is here,” Lamb said. “They bought this land from a farmer named Marr because it had a spring. I felt like we restored a critical part of the history of the University of Alabama. And now it is probably, I think — of course I am a little biased — I think it is one of the prettier places on campus now.”

The career at UA offered an appealing combination of his love for a new challenge and for his alma mater, but, more importantly, Lamb said it was a chance to fulfill a promise to take his wife home.

The two met in high school in Tuscaloosa. As the family traveled during Lamb’s Air Force career, in the background of each talk about a new assignment was a desire to one day return home.

“I promised I would take her home. Once I retired, I fulfilled that promise; it just took me 30 years,” he said.

Lamb, a “huge Alabama fan,” also kept his residency in Alabama as he traveled.

“I raised my kids to be huge Alabama fans, Now, they are raising their kids. So just the fact that it was a challenge and I love this university so much, to be offered this position — I felt like Bear Bryant. Mama called and I could not say no.”

Name: Duane A. Lamb Age: 64 Personal: Wife, Kim Parker Lamb; daughters, Angela and Hannah; son, Lindsey; seven grandchildren.

Hometown: Born in Omaha, Nebraska, but moved to Tuscaloosa when I was 15; I claim Tuscaloosa as home.

People who have influenced my life: My dad and mom, Homer and Carolyn Lamb. My dad was a military man and instilled the importance of discipline and being responsible in your actions, and he never gave me bad advice. My mom is the kindest person I know, and she passed on to me the desire to treat everyone with dignity and respect. My wife, Kim, has been a great influence; she is my hero. Kim is the perfect example of sacrificing your own professional goals for the good of the family.

From a professional point, while a young major working on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, Gen. Colin Powell had a great influence on my leadership style, and how to get the best out of your workforce. Gen. Frank Gorenc was my direct commander while in the combat zone in Iraq; he reinforced my belief that great leaders lead from the front, not from behind a desk. Dr. Robert Witt was a great mentor to me when I retired from the Air Force and transitioned to civilian life. He still is today.

Something people don’t know about me: I had a role in the movie “Rocket’s Red Glare,” and had scenes with actor Robert Wagner. While the group commander during my tour at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, I was asked to play the part of Space Lift Commander in the Fox Family Network movie. I played myself, as Col. Lamb.

Secondly, I am a huge rock music fan, and I’m the lead guitarist, and vocalist, in two rock ’n’ roll bands. One is with my two brothers and a couple of college friends called Pure & Simple — it’s the same band I played in while in college — and the other is with local friends/professionals, and we call ourselves GrAystone. Both bands play ’60s and ’70s old-school rock.

My proudest achievement: Being the father of three outstanding children and being able to see the remarkable adults they have become. They are definitely both Kim’s, and my, proudest achievements.

Why I do what I do: I have spent my entire adult life in public, church and community service; I believe serving others is important. Serving my country was an honor, and being selected to serve in leadership and command positions, especially in defense of our nation, was a privilege.

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SIX INTRIGUING PEOPLE

NO. 4

Jheovanny

GOMEZ RESTAURATEUR

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BY CAROLINE GAZZARA PHOTO BY ERIN NELSON

J

heovanny Gomez emigrated from Colombia in 1999 because of love.

His now-wife, Johana, had moved to Tuscaloosa in 1997 with her family, and Gomez couldn’t stand to be apart from her. His heart knew what it wanted and, after saving for two years to buy a plane ticket, Gomez used it to fly to Tuscaloosa and surprise Johana. They have been together ever since.

Gomez may have moved to Tuscaloosa because of love, but he found so much more. The co-owner of Jalapeños got his start originally in another Mexican restaurant in town, first as a busboy and later as a server. He learned English through his job, all while taking college courses at the University of Alabama and later at Shelton State Community College.

In 2001, Gomez was approached to start a new restaurant, Jalapeños.

What started as a small downtown restaurant has turned into a local franchise, with three locations across Tuscaloosa and Northport. Gomez attributes his success to his work ethic and having a loving family supporting him.

“What I learned the most about owning restaurants is putting people in the right place, empowering them to translate and have the same goal of making the restaurant what we want it to be,” Gomez said. “And of course, I’m learning as well. I wasn’t born with this, and as we keep building and we keep growing, every day I’m learning. These guys (at each restaurant) are family.”

It wasn’t easy in the beginning. Gomez and his business partner opened their first Jalapeños downtown, in Temerson Square, relying solely on foot traffic to get people in the door. Gomez even jokes about how he used to grab people off the street and have them try the food — but it definitely got the restaurant off the ground. After it became a staple in the downtown scene, Gomez and his partner opened their next location in Northport. They then branched out further, opening locations off New Watermelon Road in 2007 and Old Birmingham Highway in 2013.

Although the downtown Jalapeños no longer

exists, the heart of Tuscaloosa remains and is displayed in each of the other three sites. Each location is decorated with Tuscaloosa memorabilia, in themes ranging from University of Alabama athletics to Deontay Wilder, high school and community college events and even newspaper clippings on local places and events. Gomez said Tuscaloosa welcomed him to its community in 1999, and so he wanted to showcase all the city has to offer.

His dedication to the community goes beyond the décor of his restaurants. He serves on the Shelton State Foundation board and has been actively helping students receive scholarships. Gomez has an associate’s degree in business administration from Shelton State and said being on the school’s foundation board is one of his favorite roles as he enjoys being able to give back to his alma mater.

“When I came here, I didn’t have anything,” Gomez said. “Tuscaloosa welcomed me, and my family. It’s important to me to give back to your community in any way you can. My wife jokes about how I never say no to any organization who asks me to be on their board or volunteer, but I love to give back.”

Gomez is chairman of the Boys and Girls Clubs of West Alabama, a position that he said continues to humble him. He has been involved with the organization for nine years.

From getting the program into schools across the county to meeting with the kids, Gomez said he enjoys the opportunity. He also is getting his kids involved with the program.

He was named the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama Member of the Year in 2013.

He’s been lauded by the state, winning the Alabama 2016 Gold Retailer of the Year in the category of businesses with annual retail sales between $1 million and $5 million.

At the moment, he said, he has no plans for expanding his restaurant to another location but admits the idea is not out of the question.

Right now, he said, with two of his children in their early teenage years, he doesn’t want to miss any of their activities and sports.

“Yeah, it would be great to have another restaurant and to have more money, but I can make the decisions right now and wait a few years. I don’t want to miss my children grow up. So maybe in the future, but for now, who knows?”

Name: Jheovanny Gomez Age: 40 Personal: Wife, Johana Gomez; daughter, Josie Gomez, 14; sons, Jacob, 11, and Jheovanny Jr., 10.

Hometown: Manizales, Colombia People who have influenced my life: Mom and Dad through values and work ethic; in business, Wayne Grimball; Shane Spiller has influenced my personal and spiritual life.

Something people don’t know about me: Served in the army when a joint task force from Colombia and the U.S. located and killed Pablo Escobar, one of the biggest drug lords at the time.

My proudest achievement: Been able to open and grow a business in this community and got the opportunity to foster wonderful friendships.

Why I do what I do: First to give back to a community that has supported me, my business and my family. Also, to somehow be a trailblazer, not only for my kids, but to all of those that are coming behind me and are given the opportunities I had.

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SIX INTRIGUING PEOPLE

Fred NO. 5

HUNTER F

REPORTER/METEOROLOGIST

BY BECKY HOPF • PHOTO BY GARY COSBY JR.

red Hunter’s father worked in retail, a career that found the family moving all around the state of Alabama.

Lucky for us.

Living in these various towns exposed Fred to people, places and things that would ultimately lead him to create

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“Absolutely Alabama,” a television show and news features that educate and entertain viewers.

“It’s never been hard to come up with story ideas,” said Hunter, who turned 65 on April 3. “I’ve lived in these places, known these people. I’ll run out of breath before I run out of stories. I’ll never run out of stories.”

His “Absolutely Alabama” segments are only part of his own story. He was born in Fort Payne in 1953, as he likes to joke, “the year Hank Williams died,” and his family moved

to Jasper when he was 4 or 5. Then it was on to Clayton, Opp, Attala, Alexander City, back to Opp, then Fyffe when he was in 10th grade. He graduated from Fyffe High School.

When he was 16, he took his first official steps into broadcast journalism, working at WZOB radio in Fort Payne.

He started college at Huntingdon, hoping to “be the next Johnny Bench.“ Baseball wasn’t in the cards, he realized, but he liked the idea of talking about things like baseball. So, he transferred after a year to the University of Alabama in 1972. While he was a student at Alabama, studying broadcast film with a minor in journalism, Knox Hagood, chairman of UA’s radio and television department, stuck his head inside a classroom Hunter was sitting in and asked if any of the students knew anything about country music. It was around 1973.

Hunter spoke up, saying he did. Next thing he knew, he was working, and juggling college classes, as the weekend disc jockey at WACT radio in Tuscaloosa.

The station liked his work. He’d stay there through earning a master’s degree in advertising and public relations. That led to his foray into television. In 1976 he was hired by a fledgling Tuscaloosa television station, WCFT. It is now WVUA. It only did a 10 p.m. newscast initially. By day, Hunter sold advertising. At night, he was the sports anchor for the 10 p.m. newscast.

When the station expanded to include weekend newscasts, Hunter was tabbed to do weather, a major step to his future. He had no meteorology experience, but Mississippi State had started a program, and Hunter took distance education from Mississippi State to learn the craft of meteorology. His skill caught the eye of a former WCFT news co-worker, Rob Martin, who was news director at a TV station in Myrtle Beach. He hired Hunter for their weather team. Martin moved on to Austin, Texas, around 1994, with Hunter in tow. That station started a segment, to run during its news broadcasts, called “Positively Texas.”

Hunter’s family was living in Alabama still, so he’d commute from Texas back to Alabama — a round trip then was about $100 on Southwest Airlines.

He got to end the commute when Birmingham’s FOX 6 had an opening for a meteorologist in 1997. Hunter sent a tape of his weather anchoring and reporting

and included some of his “Positively Texas” work. That sealed the deal. It inspired Channel 6, now WBRC FOX 6, to start a “Positively Alabama” segment, and they wanted Hunter to star in it, along with his work as a meteorologist and weather anchor at the station. He’s been there ever since.

For weather, his challenges have included reporting on the April 27, 2011, tornado that devastated the Cottondale resident’s hometown area of Tuscaloosa. Hunter was hunkered down in Tuscaloosa’s emergency operations center during the tornado.

Hunter and three others huddled under an interior concrete stairwell as the building took a direct hit.

“I did have that thought: This is it, I’m going to die,” Hunter recalled.

A wall fell on his foot — he’s had three surgeries on his right foot since then — but he and the others survived.

His reporting has reached so many — a golfer once wrote him that his on-air advisory to stay away from trees during an impending thunderstorm saved him and his friends. On the golf course, one of the man’s friends suggested they take refuge under a tree. Recalling Hunter’s words, the golfer urged his friends to seek safer shelter in the clubhouse. The tree they would have gone under was struck by lightning.

“I enjoy doing both. There are so many great stories to tell about the great people of Alabama,” he said of his dual duties.

“What I thought was a really terrible thing when I was a kid growing up, and I was having to move every two or three years and make new friends — I lived from the Tennessee-Georgia line to Opp and which is on the Florida line — all that was kind of preparing me for what I do. So I knew there were a lot of great stories out there and a lot of great people out there who need to have their story told.”

His “Absolutely Alabama” stories are wide-ranging: hole-in-the-wall favorite restaurants, beekeepers, craftsmen, musicians, builders, outdoor recreation areas — it’s wide open.

Hunter puts 100 percent into his work, whether it’s reporting on the news, anchoring weather reports or showing people, places and things that put his home state in the best light. His talent and his gift are, as he likes to say at the end of each feature, “Absolutely Alabama.”

Name: Fred Hunter Age: 65 Hometown: Fort Payne Personal: Wife, Ivy; daughters, Stephanie, Stacey, Katherine and Rebecca.

People who have influenced my life: My parents, most of all, but also my Little League baseball coach, Gene Albritton, who gave me my first catcher’s mitt when I was in fourth grade and who taught me to catch. He was also the Church of Christ preacher in Opp where we were living at the time. And, in the early stages of my TV “career,” I did sports at Channel 33 in Tuscaloosa and had the opportunity to be around and interview Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant. Couldn’t be around him without being influenced.

Something people don’t know about me: I’m sort of ambidextrous. Everything my mom taught me to do — eat, drink, tie my shoes, brush my teeth — I do lefthanded. Everything my dad taught me to do — bat, throw, kick, shoot a gun — I do right-handed.

The only exception is tying my tie.

He tried teaching me that, but I could never do it right-handed.

Still can’t.

My proudest achievement: Raising a family — but the girls’ mama deserves most of the credit for that.

Why I do what I do: I enjoy telling the stories of the people of Alabama, and a big part of their story is often weather, so I enjoy sharing that information with them and hopefully help them make plans and stay safe.

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SIX INTRIGUING PEOPLE

JacksonWAY NO. 6

INTERNET STAR

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BY STEVE IRVINE PHOTO BY GARY COSBY JR. ackson Way wasn’t attempting to become an internet sensation when a television reporter from Huntsville stuck a microphone in his face and began asking questions the day after the University of Alabama won its 17th national football championship.

He simply was doing what comes naturally.

“I just did my favorite thing — talk — especially about football,” Jackson said.

For those who aren’t familiar with Way, which means you aren’t one of the more than 2 million people who’ve seen videos of him breaking down Alabama football with the skill and ease of a veteran analyst, he’s a 10-year-old fourth-grader at Verner Elementary School in Tuscaloosa. His mother, Leigh Anne Way, took him to the Mal Moore Athletic Facility on the UA campus on Jan. 9 to welcome back Crimson Tide players and coaches after the national championship game victory over the University of Georgia.

Leigh Anne was searching for a good spot to stand when the reporter from WHNT in Huntsville approached Jackson to ask a few questions.

“I had walked away from Jackson to save him a spot at the gate, so maybe he could get a signature or two,” Leigh Anne said. “I kept seeing him over there, talking to a news crew. He just kept talking and talking and talking. I was like, ‘Jackson, come on, we’re going to lose our spot.’ ” Leigh Anne wasn’t close enough to hear what her son was saying. She didn’t have to be. She knew what he was talking about.

“He talks football to us every day, to the point, we’re like, ‘Jackson, that’s enough,’ ” Leigh Anne said with a laugh. “(It’s) in one ear and out the other.”

The interview lasted more than six minutes. The reporter got more than he bargained for. Jackson broke down his thoughts on the halftime quarterback switch from Jalen Hurts to Tua Tagovailoa,

mentioning Hurts was focusing too much on trying to get the ball to Calvin Ridley. He compared the Crimson Tide’s game-winning touchdown on the game’s final play against Georgia to Clemson’s last-second, game-winning play against Alabama the previous season. He even talked about the psyche of Crimson Tide kicker Andy Pappanastos, who missed two field goals in the national title game against Georgia, including one at the end of regulation that would have won the game.

It was a thorough and thoughtful analysis.

That evening the station posted part of the interview. The reaction was national. Jackson had no idea until he heard from his mother.

“My sister, who lives in Huntsville, she tagged me on Facebook,” Leigh Anne said. “At that point, it already had 20,000 views or something. Then, our neighbors started calling us, and it kind of got crazy. Other news organizations wanted to interview him and ask him questions.”

Again, for Jackson, it was just doing what he loves. Jackson said he has a group of friends at school who talk about football every day. At home, he is often upstairs, watching tapes of Alabama football.

His love affair began naturally, not to mention at a young age.

Jackson said he was 4 or 5 when he started closely following Crimson Tide football.

“My Poppa is a huge Alabama fan, my mom went to the University of Alabama,” Jackson said. “We’ve always been Alabama fans. I just watch the game all the time. I didn’t miss a game on TV. I saw all the players. I’m familiar with a lot of them.”

The family attends several games a year, which is always a highlight for young Jackson.

“I look at the stadium and remember how old it is,” Jackson said.

“It’s really fun when I get to go, because I see all the people that I see on TV. I like to go down by the gates and look at the players and see the coaches. I have some binoculars that I look through.”

Jackson hasn’t played on a football team, but he does play soccer.

He also loves “Star Wars.”

“I love the originals, because it’s George Lucas. He’s really good,” Jackson said.

One day, Jackson said, he could see himself talking about football for a living, like Eli Gold. Jackson had the opportunity to meet the longtime play-by-play voice of UA football in January. Gold gave him advice on chasing his broadcasting dream.

For now, though, Jackson is content with talking football with his friends, as well as anyone else willing to listen.

“We usually just talk about football,” Jackson said. “I don’t understand other sports that well. I’ve devoted my life to football.”

The video of Jackson Way discussing Alabama football can be seen by clicking on this story on The Tuscaloosa News’ website: http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/sports/20180116/verner-studentgets-national-attention-for-alabama-football-analysis.

Name: Jackson Shamblin Way

Hometown: Tuscaloosa

I love to play chess.

Age:10

People who have influenced my life: Coach (Jud) Cameron, my Poppa Barry Jackson, my parents, Coach Pete (Magnusson), my grandparents.

My proudest achievement: Meeting Eli Gold.

Personal: Parents, Michael and Leigh Anne Way; sister, Anna Rachel Way; grandfathers, Barry Jackson and Bob Way.

Something people don’t know about me:

Why I do what I do: I love to talk ...

I enjoy my motor mouth, and I love the game of football!

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ON THE SCENE

AMERICAN ADVERTISING AWARDS FEBRUARY 23, 2018 DRISH HOUSE

PHOTOS | MICHELLE LEPIANKA CARTER

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Lauren Shoemaker, Erin Tech and Jason Tech Austin Dare, Linda Bonnin, Jeff Hanson and Natorio Howard Claire Mueller, Susan Daria, Hope Todd and Erica Cooke David Mixon and Jamie Mixon Michele Massey and Laura Cabiness Mary Buzbee and Brett Norris Hannah Jones, Erin LaPrade, Mary Hanlon Hale and Tristen Gell Darlene Korte and Alexia Korte Rebecca Royen, Julie Mann, Tabitha Bostick and Deidre Stalnaker Joe Phelps, Jay Waters and Jameson Hayes Brian Richards, Savannah Vick, Hannah Jones and Collin Burwinkel William Green, Malcolm Driscoll and Don Ward

ON THE SCENE

57TH ANNUAL HOLIDAY COTILLION

DECEMBER 16, 2017 BRYANT CONFERENCE CENTER PHOTOS | SAM MACDONALD

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Sara Oswalt, Marla Parks and Taylor Hardy Carson Brown, Rena McEntyre, Katie Marie McEntyre, Dr. Clint McEntyre and Carter McEntyre Edmund Sexton, Babe Peckham, Leroy McAbee Sr., Leah Peckham, Lisa Peckham, Carol Peckham, Leah Ann Sexton and Ted Sexton Christin Spencer, Jennifer Jones and Jeff Jones Alex Kilborn, Lizzy Castro,

9 Shelby Dupre and Clayton Eysel Rachel Thornburg, Laura Worley, Savannah Morgan and Julie Potts 7.

Ann Tinsley, Eddie Tinsley, Beth Smith, Tommy Smith, Anna Whitfield and Whit Whitfield 8.

Molly Rose Bloomston, Shelley Parks, Andie Gamble and Grace Anne Lake 9.

Park Stringfellow and Ellen Stringfellow 10. Elizabeth Hahn, Celia Gatewood and Mary Beth Chambers Pike 6.

97

ON THE SCENE

ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA HOLIDAY BLACK DRESS AND BOW TIE EVENT DECEMBER 29, 2017 McDONALD HUGHES CENTER

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PHOTOS | ERIN NELSON

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8 12

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Alonzo Williams, Tenisha Galloway, Jo Ann Oliver and Jerome Oliver Kiara Warren and Jordan Shaw Robbie Washington and Randy Washington Nakami Townsell, Alvin Garrett, Latonya Gaines and Deletha Daniels Jasmine Little, Brooke Greene, Marion Kelly, Shante Morton and Alphonzo Morton

10 6.

Lillian Gaines, Khalilah Gaines and Roe Wilson 7. Paula Butler and Shamikka Dudley 8. Glenda Barnes and Early Barnes 9. DeAngelo Jones and Portia Jones 10. Joseph Scrivner, Krysten Holloway, Melissia Davis and Jean Wilson-Sykes 11. Samory Pruitt and Pamela Pruitt

OCTOBER 27, 2017 EMBASSY SUITES PHOTOS | ERIN NELSON

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Rachel Taylor, Andre Taylor, Beth Haynie and Jeremie Haynie Jessie Jones and Brett Jones Lauren Sanders and Josh Mickler Matt Bologna and Jennifer Bologna Robby Johnson and Nish Phillips Joellen Dever, David Patterson, Sarah Patterson and Jon Dever Stephanie Fitts, Jennifer Hitchner, Kim

10

El-Amin and Melinda Farmer Marsha Grady, Rob Grady and Alex Grady 9.

Tonia Jones, Kenya Parker, Shellie Nero, Arvesta Parker, Belissa Herrod and Regina Brooks 10. Amye Holman and Nichole Blake 11. Tricia Craft, Tiffany Kern and Lauren Opperman 8.

99

ON THE SCENE

HOLIDAY WINE TASTING HOSTED

BY SPIRITS WINE CELLAR

ON THE SCENE

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ANNUAL CELEBRATION JANUARY 19, 2018 MOODY MUSIC HALL AND BRYANT CONFERENCE CENTER

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PHOTOS | MICHELLE LEPIANKA CARTER

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13 100

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LoWanda James and Landon Lovell Annette Smallwood and Trevor Pruitt Jill McDonald, Susan Madison and Blake Madison Dean McClure and Greg McDonald Brad Newman, Hollie Newman, Sara Sleeper, Chad Sleeper, Dean McClure Bill Gosselin and Bobby Ingram

12 7.

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Felycia Jerald, Sylvester Hester and Pleshette Hester Danny Owen and Erin Owen Jim Page and Donny Jones Molly Ingram and Roy Clem Marion Kellough and Steve Kellough Ryan Stallings and Richard Ahlquist Matthew Wilson and Jabaree Prewitt

ON THE SCENE

MASQUERS BALL

FEBRUARY 2, 2018 INDIAN HILLS COUNTRY CLUB PHOTOS | JAKE ARTHUR

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Shonna Smith and Hiroshi Smith Megan Rykaczewski and Dennis Rykaczewski Lynsey Dill and Rachel Hollingshead Craig McNorton, Kyle McNorton, Shay Lawson and Anna Suther Sarah Halliday, Susan Halliday, Meredith Wagner and Betty John Andrea Watson, Bill Barnes and Maria Barnes Linda Ford, Robin Holley, Nini Jobson, Megan Ford Winningham, Allison Holley Terry and Anna Hawkins Jean Rykaczewski, Robin Holley, Dedra Cabaniss and Amy Davis

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Alan Deck, Sharon Deck, Linda Ford and David Ford Georgia Boston, Rachel Hollingshead, Catherine Miller and Brooke Barton Penni Wallace, Jackson Wallace and Will Hawkins Scott Coogler, Mitzi Coogler, Susan Otero and Art Otero Cristen Holman, Randall Holman, Thomas Monk and Dusti Monk Iris Hinton and David Hinton Cindy Lake and Brennon Lake Kristi Dyer, Shonna Smith and McCall Wascher

ON THE SCENE

AN EVENING OF ARTS ’N AUTISM NOVEMBER 16, 2017 HARRISON GALLERIES

PHOTOS | MICHELLE LEPIANKA CARTER

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Wright Hale, Debbie Glass and Clint Mountain Eunie Park and Allison Lockhart Jan Sikes and Emily Pickert Kelly Kincaid and Katie Kincaid Lauren Ellis and Tracee Duncan Stacey Robinson and Kristy Reynolds Voni Wyatt and Jack Tyler Jenny Bauer, Colleen Borian and Emily Terrell

11

9.

Pam Pickert, Julie Copeland and Josh Lane 10. Evan Campbell, Ella Campbell, Lara Campbell and Steve Campbell 11. Jack Leigh and Emily Leigh 12. Max Karrh, Jan Sikes, Emily Pickert, Ashley Cawley, Josh Lockhart and Jamie Poole

103

ON THE SCENE

DR. CHET BOSTON & DR. JOHN BUCKLEY RETIREMENT PARTY DECEMBER 14, 2017 TUSCALOOSA RIVER MARKET PHOTOS | KAYLIN BOWEN

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Jenna Corley, Shuana Smith, Bill Sudduth and Michele Sudduth Henrietta Wallace and Joe Wallace

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Whitney Hartley, Julie Smith and Connie Butler Paula Boston, Reiner Goers and Ingrid Goers

5.

Paula Boston, Chet Boston, John Buckley and Susan Buckley

105

ON THE SCENE

SECOND ANNUAL EMILY BAKER WOMEN’S CLASSIC FEBRUARY 22, 2018 CENTER COURT TUSCALOOSA

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PHOTOS | JAKE ARTHUR

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Calvin Goodman, Verney Goodman, Kathryn Hornsby, Phyllis Wood, Aly Wood, Nita Stegall, Brandi LaBresh, Meg Edwards, Emily Baker and Kristi Pierce Gwenetta Curry and LoWanda James Back row: Zac Snider, Scott McClanahan, Jordan Miller, Michael Warr, Nathan Almon; front row: Gina McClanahan, Katie Hancock, Emily Baker, Katherine Almon and Martha Zeanah Aly Wood and Jake Wood Whitney Owens and Tara Ketchum Sharon Quimby and Sheila Gambrell Linda Ford and Meg Edwards Junsoo Lee, Jane Lee, Camille Brignac and Hallie Hall Eleanora Mauritson and Sarah Baxter Jordan Miller III, Zac Snider and Nathan Acmon

ON THE SCENE

YOUNG LIFE BANQUET NOVEMBER 6, 2017 TUSCALOOSA RIVER MARKET PHOTOS | MICHELLE LEPLANKA CARTER

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Sarah Frances Richardson, Cissy Elliott, Dana Duckworth and Joe Duckworth Heather Scharfenberg, Beverly May, Guy May, Beth Marler and Joey Marler Steve Chesney and Becky Evans Sherry Elsberry and Stephanie Hudson Richard Vise and Jay Sewell Byron Abston and

Nikki Abston Todd Miller, Jennifer Miller, Juli Hart and Kip Hart 8.

Kim Vardaman, Jerod Pilot, Babs Anderson, Melissa Wells, Wells Jones and Kristi Pierce 9.

Kelsey Wood and Greg Wood 10. Mandy Jones and Keith Jones 11. Kelly Wilkin and Ben Wilkin 12. Penni Wallace and Jackson Wallace 7.

107

ON THE SCENE

ONE SMART COOKIE CELEBRATION DECEMBER 14, 2017 DRISH HOUSE PHOTOS | ERIN NELSON

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Heather Pike, Cynthia Smothers and Tina Waggoner David Patterson, Sarah Patterson, Tammy Montgomery, Jackie Wuska and Eric Heslop Monroe Pruitt, Kayla Hinton and

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Brooke Ellenburg Julie Mann and Holly Beck Liza Nicholson and Khristy Large Malia Nicholson, Ava Nicholson and Addison Large Ken Urban, Nick Jeffery, Kerry Chesnut,

8.

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Leah Colvin, front, Tray Colvin, front, Addison Colvin, in green, Ray Colvin, and Eric Heslop Riley Toxey, Mia Smith and Isabella Johnson Mary Howard, Laura Richey and Karen Peterlin

1

ON THE SCENE

TUSCALOOSA TRACK CLUB GRAND PRIX AWARD CEREMONY JANUARY 25, 2018 THE LEVEE PHOTOS | ALAYNA CLAY

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Phil Gruwell, Michelle Wisener, Grant Huddleston, Terri Huddleston and Madelyn Huddleston LaSonja Richardson and Marilyn Archibald Christie Ison and Andy Ison Tanner King, Ed Freeman

7 5.

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and Becca Billman Steve Nelko, Richard Carroll and Melony Carroll Brooke Barton and Adrianne Thompson Charles Nichols and Deanna Steele

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ON THE SCENE

MYSTICS MARDI GRAS PARTY

JANUARY 27, 2018 NORTHRIVER YACHT CLUB

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PHOTOS | ERIN NELSON

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Austin Benton and Cara Lunceford Eddie Templeton and Shannon Templeton Debbie Walsh, Melissa Krueger, Tammy Donaldson, Sharon Deck and Holly James Pattie Bonner, Jennifer Herring, Ashley Wade, Louise Gambrell, Neilann Thomas and Dana Camp

5.

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10 Carol McKinzey, Marilyn Stephens, Carol Woodard, Donna Cornelius and Dell Anderson Susan Kizziah and Jan Kizziah William Ortiz, Dana Ortiz and Vicki Nevin Sandy Singleton, Jean Rykaczewski, Amy Davis, Marianne David, Dedra Cabaniss, Robin Holley and Terrie Scott

11 9.

Roberta Compton, Priscilla Verron, Gina DeLoach, Laura Woolf, Charlotte Williams, Robin Maughan and Ashley Maughan 10. Shannon Templeton and Kyle McNorton 11. Leah Ann Sexton, Holly Ellard, Pat Petitt, Angela Bale, Leslie Ferguson, Anabel Gilliam and Julie Nelson

FEBRUARY 3, 2018 CYPRESS INN

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Curt Collins, Tara Collins, Megan Scalfani and Emily Givens Tommy Townsend and Julie Townsend Caitlin Shortall and Wes Brooks Kie Harrison, Samantha Corona, Nick Davis and Lisa Corona Jonathan Loper and Natalie Loper Anne Tierney and Mike Tierney Liz Landry and Chuck Landry Theresa Perry and Jennifer Green

8

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Jim Harrison and Peggy Harrison 10. Austin Reitenga, Linda Reitenga and Joanne Altman 11. Scott Perry, Rodney Green and Ricky Latham

111

ON THE SCENE

HOLY SPIRIT’S SUPER SATURDAY

ON THE SCENE

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS JINGLE & MINGLE DECEMBER 13, 2017 301 BISTRO AND BEER GARDEN

1

PHOTOS | ERIN NELSON

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Tim Davis, Tyson Chism and Matt Huffman Jerome Swindle and Princess Nash Kimberly Adams and JacQuan Winters Blake Baggett and Nick Bresnaham Robbie Burdine and Kimberly Jones Jessie Gardner, Tim Davis and Tyson Chism

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NOVEMBER 17, 2017 NORTHRIVER YACHT CLUB PHOTOS | KAYLIN BOWEN

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Amy Williams, Jason Williams, Mark Sullivan and Mary Mike Sullivan Karen Kennedy and Christine Blakley Elizabeth Wyatt and Taylor Albright Keith Scott and Kristie Scott Carina Herz and Evan Agnew Kara Warr, Michael Warr, Scott McClanahan, Gina McClanahan, Adrianne Thompson and Kevin Thompson Jimmie Jean Burchfield, John Burchfield

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and Donna Lushington Lindsey Johnson and Sharon Harrison Felicia Ellison and Bruce Henderson Terri Godoy, Guillermo Godoy, Betsy Wilson and Robin Wilson Linda Branch and Sam Branch Edward Hubbard, Whitney Hubbard, Anne Kyle and Drew Kyle Jennifer Agee, Brandon Agee, Sherry Wininger and Thomas Grier

113

ON THE SCENE

40TH ANNUAL LUCY JORDAN BALL

ON THE SCENE

SHINING STARS LUNCHEON

NOVEMBER 30, 2017 TUSCALOOSA RIVER MARKET PHOTOS | ERIN NELSON

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Robbie Burdine and Jeremiah Castille Billy Swift and Diana Vest Mike Daria and Joe Suiter Jeremiah Castille and Emily Hall Tracy Singleton, Ree Almon and Leslie Davis Stacie Kirkland and Brian Groechell Mike Vacek, Alicia Bobo and Burns McNeill Sara Oswalt, Frances Freeman and Caroline Jones Mike Vest and Jon Lambert Courtney Brown and Denise Nichols Fran Powe, Zelda Lavender and Shirley Mims Brandon Harbin and Tom Scroggins Blair Plott, Brooke Bellofatto and Vince Bellofatto

ON THE SCENE

GREAT CHILI COOK-OFF

FEBRUARY 10, 2018 BRYANT CONFERENCE CENTER PHOTOS | JAKE ARTHUR

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Kyle Oglesby, Ashley Bolton and Brett Jenkins Hays Web, Kelli Wolfe, Jordan Morris and Scott Holmes Pam Garner, Robin Forrest, Mike Forrest and Cullen Smith Jeff Gregory, Chad Green, Andy Harper and John Price Alex Meggs and Julie Meggs Michael Carter and Jerry Pruitt Anne Frances Lip-

8.

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scomb, Ralph Van Winkle, Mel Wheeler, Neely Lipscomb and Darby Plowman Taylor Mitchell, Derrick Riddle and Matt Bonnett Quinn Roe, Patrick McKane and Henry Glaus Tonya Smith, Stephanie Savell, Jasmine Denmark, Allie Grace Sute and Brent Sute Holly Hatcher, Mary Rhodes, Lisa Pate and Tommy Mettles

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ON THE SCENE

WHMZ GROUP COCKTAIL HOUR

NOVEMBER 16, 2017 RIVER

1

PHOTOS | SHELBY AKIN

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Rich Donnelly and Jackie Richardson John Robski and Beverly Robski Connie Spiller, Kara Warr, Dianna Flemming and Anne Moman 4. Michael Warr, Jessica Miller and Butch Miller 5. Mary Swindle and Clarence Swindle 6. Michael Warr, Dusti Monk and John Parker Wilson 7. Daphne Harding-Smith and Dusti Monk 8. Rebecca Baker and Cole Baker 9. Elizabeth Bradt and Meredith Bradt 10. Back row: Scott McClanahan, Rex Zeanah, Michael Warr, Alistair Harding-Smith; front row: Gina McClanahan, Martha Zeanah, Kara Warr and Daphne Harding-Smith Scott McClanahan 11. Stella Moore and Mike Spiller 12. Carol Woodard, Delshonda Thomas and Anda Robbins

FEBRUARY 24, 2018 GOVERNMENT PLAZA

1

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PHOTOS | ERIN NELSON

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Tim Garner, Daniel Garner, Olivia Golden and Vonnie Garner Kate Culverhouse and Chandler Thornton Cooper Bailey and Maggie Bailey Adison Cook, Will Farris, Dawson WakeďŹ eld and Tristan Carter Lauren Baker, Irma Sierra, Ashley Kane and Emily Clayton

9 6.

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Lauren Beck and Kylee Schlatter Chelsea McKenna, Melissa McKenna and Jennifer Waddell 8.

Tyler Beck, Blake Bailey, Kaleb Cross, Will Thompson and Nick Snead 9.

Brady Repasky and Kayla Repasky 10. Laura Bushhorn, Catherine Winter and Anna Winter

10 117

ON THE SCENE

FIFTH ANNUAL KRISPY KREME CHALLENGE

ON THE SCENE

NINE PEARL AFFAIR

MARCH 3, 2018 BRYANT CONFERENCE CENTER

1

PHOTOS | KAYLIN BOWEN

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Synthia Jones, Rodney Stephenson, Glendora Stephenson, Cheryl Williams, Charles Williams, Taurus Turner and Kat Baxter Bill Hodges, Ira Hodges, Charles Daily and Kimberly Daily Rosalynn Crawford-McKendall and Keith McKendall Rashida Pippen and Glenn Pippen Salora McDuff, Tracy Stevenson and Latricia Taylor

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Coradean Bishop, Teresa Harris, Betty Robertson, Janice Palmer, Jill Lancaster, Nina Harvey and Henry Harvey The Financial Project Committee JoAnn McEwen, Irma Gore-Collins, Belinda Singleton and Arissa Ball Tonya Wilson and Douglas Wilson Vivian Comer and Wanda Morgan Percy Collins and Irma Gore-Collins Lawrence Quarles, Darlene Quarles, Linda Williams, Carolin Scott and Adrian Scott

119

ON THE SCENE

NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION HUNTING BANQUET MARCH 2, 2018 TUSCALOOSA RIVERWALK

1

PHOTOS | KAYLIN BOWEN

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Bill Young, Carrie Hargle, Neal Hargle and Crawford Nixon Miller Bonds, Richard Ahlquist, Robert Meriweather and Irvin Eatman Heath McCullough and Bobbie Jacobs David McGiffert and Robert Martin Alaina Sweatt, Brian Sweatt and Ivey Gilmore David Oswalt, Tommy Powell, Walter Simpson and Steve Camp Darlene Crocker, Dennis Crocker, Sheila Crocker and Michael Crocker Wayne Hocutt,

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Stephen Durel and Robert DeWitt Bruce Noland, Rodney King and Evan Smith Brock Kirby and Rosemary Russell Chandler Hollingsworth and Jack Hollingsworth Melinda Nix and Ashley Hixon Justin Ellison, Stephen Barnett, Tracie Swann and Deb Sims Bill Thomas, Carl Williams, Clif Davis and Bev Leigh King Curry, George O’Rear, Stacey Standeffer, Kevin McKinstry and Anita McKinstry

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LAST LOOK

BRANCHING OUT PHOTO BY ERIN NELSON Tuscaloosa’s landscape is painted each spring by the appearance of the dogwood blooms.

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