By Rubin E. GrantIn the first 22 years of the Spain Park wrestling program, only two wrestlers completed undefeated seasons.That number doubled Saturday when senior Kyle Oliveira and sophomore Bradley Williams accomplished the feat in the 69th AHSAA State Wrestling State Championships at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville. Kyle Oliveira (53-0) won the Class 7A … [Read more...]
‘Because We Care’: Children’s Harbor Earns ACA Accreditation for Its Camp
By June MathewsAdream came true in 1990 for Ben and Luanne Russell with the dedication of Children’s Harbor. They had long hoped to provide a place of respite at no cost for seriously ill children and their families, and a picturesque spot on the shores of Lake Martin was the perfect setting.Three-and-a-half decades later, hundreds of families have benefited from the … [Read more...]
Homewood Grad Achieves TikTok Stardom With Dance Videos
By Madoline Markham KoonceMurphy Wright had no idea where his dance moves would take him when he and his friends performed a dance to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” at the Edgewood Elementary School talent show back in 2011 – or that an app called TikTok would even exist.Fast forward to 2024, and the 2018 Homewood High School graduate has danced his way to nearly 830,000 … [Read more...]
All in the Family: Nearly 75 years Since Its Founding, The Pants Store is Evolving Under Third-Generation Owners
By Madoline Markham KoonceCustomers of The Pants Store in the 1950s might recall taking a bus from Birmingham to Leeds for founder Taylor Gee’s three-for-$10 pants sales. A few decades later, they likely would remember his son Mickey’s crazy sales and his TV commercials with the “Zip on down to the Pants Store” jingle. Today, customers might know the apparel … [Read more...]
My Gift From Summer Camp
I admit it. Now that my older kids are starting to leave my home, I sometimes hold on to my younger ones too tightly. In fact, when I receive information about registering them for summer camps, part of me wants to ignore it all and just move through the summer beside them like a family wolf pack. Then I remember a gift I received in the summer of … [Read more...]