By Rubin E. Grant Jamie Harris knows a special baseball player when he sees him. Several years ago, Harris laid eyes on Colton Lewis and noticed immediately that he was a gifted player. “I had my eye on him when he started coming to our camps when he was 10 or 11 years old,” said Harris, the head baseball coach at Vestavia Hills High School. “You could tell he was going to … [Read more...]
All-OTM: Spain Park Senior and Sophomore Lead 2019 Girls Team
By Blake Ells The past and the future of Spain Park softball unite as one in 2019 as departing senior Maddie Majors and sophomore Annabelle Widra share Player of the Year honors from the Over the Mountain Journal, which are determined by vote of Over the Mountain coaches. The Jaguars season was cut short when the team fell to eventual 7A state champion Hewitt-Trussville. Both … [Read more...]
Managing Sensory Overload: KultureCity’s Sensory Inclusive Certification Changes Everyday Experiences for People With Autism
By Emily Williams Across the Birmingham community and throughout the country, you’ll most likely cross paths with a special version of the KultureCity emblem – a sign or decal featuring the organization’s heart-shaped logo wearing headphones above the words “Sensory Inclusive Location.” The designation recognizes that officials with the venue have taken steps to train workers … [Read more...]
Cricket, Tea and Trade Training: Group Brings International Flair to Hoover as it Reaches Hands Across the Globe
By Ingrid Schnader When Hoover City Councilman Mike Shaw’s daughter Melodi began studying Japanese, Shaw noticed how learning the language and culture gave her a purpose. Now a student at Auburn University with a minor in Asian studies, Melodi’s passion inspired her parents last year to begin a non-profit organization called Destination Hoover International. “Hoover is an … [Read more...]
Patriots Prowess : Homewood Rolls a Seven in State Championships
By Rubin E. Grant When discussing who has the best Over the Mountain high school athletic program, Hoover usually is the first one that comes to mind. The Bucs, who are accustomed to winning multiple state championships in a variety of sports, have been the gold standard for the first two decades of the 21st century. But for the just completed 2018-19 school year, the Bucs … [Read more...]