By Emily Williams July is a critical month for Vestavia Hills as the city begins seeing major progress on its $58 million Community Spaces Plan. “The Community Spaces Plan is moving from the planning stage to the reality stage,” said city manager Jeff Downes. Downes gave an updated presentation of the plan’s progress at a City Council meeting June 24. A major … [Read more...]
Oak Mountain’s Hannah Edwards Grows Into Dominant Basketball Player
By Rubin E. Grant Hannah Edwards had a few uniquely Southern traditions to get accustomed to when she moved from Canton, Ohio, to North Shelby County before the start of her eighth grade school year. The first thing was the hot, humid Alabama summers and the not too cold winters. Perhaps even more striking was the Southern custom of children saying, “Yes ma’am,” and, “Yes … [Read more...]
Joy League Ends a Year of Changes With a New Championship Tournament
Joy League ended its season for the first time this year with a championship tournament, which replaced the traditional all-star games. The change capped a year of changes for the baseball league. It moved from its longtime home at Edgewood Elementary School and began playing at Homewood Middle School. It also got new members on its board of directors and a new commissioner, … [Read more...]
Oak Mouintain’s Allen Soars to National Outdoor High Jump Title
Trey Allen has done it again. The recent Oak Mountain High School graduate followed up his national indoor high jump title by winning 2019 New Balance Nationals Outdoor high jump in June in Greensboro, North Carolina. Allen won the event in a jump off, clearing 6 feet, 11.50 inches. “This is a dream, a blessing,” Allen said in an interview following his triumph. “I came in … [Read more...]
Hanna Antiques Turns 40: Small Refinishing Shop Evolved Into Multi-Dealer Trove of Treasures
By June Mathews Celebrating the past comes naturally to Bonny Hanna Picard. It’s been her business for 40 years. The founder and president of Hanna Antiques, Picard has long lived her passion through buying, selling and often restoring treasures from bygone eras. Still in her 20s when in 1979 she established a small furniture refinishing business in an oversized building on … [Read more...]