By Sarah KuperIt's a big month in the McCalley household. Every February for the past 12 years, Will McCalley has run the Mercedes Marathon benefiting the Bell Center. At first, Will ran the race because he loved running. It is how he met his wife and it has been his hobby since his early 30s. But for the past five years, being a BellRunner has been indicative of … [Read more...]
A Focused Lens: Shades Valley Camera Club Holds Contests and Workshops for Hobbyists
By Sarah Kuper What started as a night school class became a lifelong hobby for amateur photographer Ken Gables. Now president of the Shades Valley Camera Club, Gables says photography gives him a creative outlet he doesn't get from his day job as a physical therapist. The Shades Valley Camera Club isn't just a casual meet-up of photography enthusiasts. The club was … [Read more...]
Compassion Through Service: Grandson of Famed Civil Rights Jurist Makes His Mark on Alabama
By Sarah Kuper Stephen Black's passion for Alabama's youth may seem out of place. He didn't grow up here, he didn't go to school here and he doesn't have a Southern accent. But a quick check into Black's family tree shows that a penchant for social justice for Alabamians is in his genes. Stephen Black is the grandson of the late Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black – an Alabama … [Read more...]
Renew the Zoo: Zoo Reaches 85 Percent of Its $18 Million Goal for Construction
By Sarah Kuper Elephant-sized trucks are moving mounds of dirt as work begins on the new entrance to the Birmingham Zoo and the Asian Passage exhibit. By 2018, zoo patrons will enter through a two-story, windowed welcome center and step onto a plaza with interactive exhibits and a water feature. From there, guests will follow a trail connecting to all zoo exhibits. An open … [Read more...]
Making Old New Again: Hassles of Construction Pay off for OTM Neighborhoods
By Sarah Kuper It's a work-in-progress on the triangular lot of Montevallo Road and Country Club Boulevard. "Everyone in town is asking me, 'What is going on with that house?'" said Mountain Brook architect Bill Ingram. Rest assured, Ingram has a vision. It is a familiar scenario – an aging house with a misguided addition of a second story that needs to be transformed to … [Read more...]