Electrician Contractor in Alabaster, AL

By NOAH WORTHAM | Staff Writer

ALABASTER – Matthew Pollard was stationed with the U.S. Army in Germany when he first began brewing and experimenting with different flavors of mead. Now, 13 years later, he will bring those flavors to Ivy League Brew in Alabaster.

Ivy League Brew will be the first meadery to be located in central Alabama and will provide local residents with a variety of unique mead flavors after its grand opening on Friday, March 10.

“I started letting friends and stuff try it and they were like, ‘Wow, this is really good,’” Pollard said. “And nobody was doing it in Alabama at the time.”

Pollard talked about the history behind the honey-based beverage.

“Not a lot of people know about it,” Pollard said. “Mead is the oldest fermentable beverage known to man. It’s kind of where it all started, and we’re just bringing it back to modern day.”

Pollard said the business uses local Alabama wildflower honey for most of its brews and that mead is not as common of a drink because honey is the highest cost fermentable sugar.

“There’s a lot of cost upfront to get something like this going, but where we differ is our flavors are so much cleaner,” Pollard said. “Honey complements every flavor and really brings the best out of all the flavors. And so, if you get cherry mead, you get cherry. You really get that flavor popping through which is really awesome.”

Pollard said the business’s mainstay brew is called Immortal.

“Immortal was the first brew I ever did,” he said. “I got really, really lucky and it turned out tasting really good. I’ve been brewing it for 13 years, so I’ve had a lot of time to really refine it. It is very honey forward and has a bourbonesque taste that you get from the dark-charred oak barrel, and it’s definitely our mainstay.”

The business hopes to put together in-door and outdoor offerings at the brewery, such as a cigar lounge in the future.

Ivy League Brew is located at 633 11th Avenue SW in Alabaster. The business will be open Thursday through Saturday from 3 p.m. to midnight and on Sundays from 3 to 10 p.m.

SATURDAY, JULY 1

3rd Annual Independence Day CelebrationPiedmont Sports Complex - 1:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.5960 Old Piedmont Gadsden Hwy, Piedmont, AL

Blountsville Fireworks at the Park!Blountsville Municipal Park - 4:30 p.m.- 9:30 p.m.535 Park Dr, Blountsville, AL* Fireworks show at 9 PM * Bouncy houses & arcade bus from 4:30 - 8:30 * City pool will be open all day until the fireworks show with a $5 rate

City of Chelsea Big Kaboom5:30 p.m. -10:30 p.m.100 Chelsea Corners, Chelsea, Alabama

2023 City of Alabaster Fireworks ShowAlabaster Parks & Recreation - 6:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.200 Depot Street, Alabaster, Alabama

Cedar Bluff Liberty DayCedar Bluff Town ParkFireworks over Weiss Lake 9:00 p.m.

Calera Cookout & FireworksCalera Baptist Church - 6:30 p.m.600 Whippoorwill Ln #5537, Calera, AL

Town of Pickensville's 4th of July Pre-Celebration & Fireworks7:00 p.m.1382 Lock and Dam Rd, Pickensville, AL

SUNDAY, JULY 2

City of Hoover Fireworks ShowHoover Met Parking Lot - 9:00 p.m.5500 Stadium Trace Pkwy, Hoover, AL 35244

Faith, Fireworks and Freedom - NauvooProspect Independent Church - 6:00 p.m.3505 Prospect Rd, Nauvoo, AL

Fireworks in the Park - Locust ForkLocust Fork Park - 5:00 p.m.Park Rd, Locust Fork, AL

Independence Day Celebration - McCallaBellview Baptist Church - 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.6674 Eastern Valley Rd, McCalla, AL

MONDAY, JULY 3

FREE Old Town Live July4:30 p.m.Helena, 4151 Helena Rd, Helena, AL 35080, USA

City of Pelham Annual Fireworks Show “Fire on the Water”Oak Mountain State Park - 7:00 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.200 Terrace Dr, Pelham, AL

TUESDAY, JULY 4

UAB Callahan Eye Presents 4th of July Family FestivalRailroad Park - 5:00 p.m.1600 1st Ave S, Birmingham, AL

Fireworks @ Homewood ParkHomewood Central Park - 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.1632 Oxmoor Rd, Homewood, AL

Trussville Freedom CelebrationMall in Trussville -6:00 p.m. -9:00 p.m.360 N Chalkville Rd, Trussville, AL

Smith Lake Park Fireworks and Music FestivalSmith Lake Park 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.403 Co Rd 386, Cullman, Alabama

City of Pell City July 4th Fireworks ExtravaganzaPell City Civic Center / Lakeside Park / SplashPad - 9:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.2801 Stemley Bridge Rd, Pell City, AL

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Independence Day Hosted by The American Village : MontevalloThe American Village - 11:00 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.3727 Highway 119 S, Montevallo, AL 35115

What do you get when you combine over three dozen home-schooled teenagers with a love of the game?

What do you get when the teenagers arrive at the Evangel Christian School’s football field at 3:30 pm each day and practice until 6 pm?

What do you get when 41 “Rudy’s” who will never play college football hop on a bus on Friday morning?

You get what could be a weekend that brings the Alabaster, AL, school a fifth straight national championship in 8-man football.

Amy Barlow

If it’s true that good things come in small packages, the Evangel Christian Lightning proves the theory.

“I have 39 home-schooled kids from all around Shelby County," Lightning coach Tim Smith said.

“Two of my players are from our school that is K through 8 — we have about 300 students”, Smith adds.

Out of 41 players, 39 of them study at home and then head to practice — call it the Tim Tebow method.

Amy Barlow

How successful has this football team been? Coach Smith’s team has won four straight national titles.

The Lightning leave Friday for the national tournament in Panama City, Florida.

The team will play in the National Home Schooled Association’s semi-final Saturday at 3 pm.

Should the 11-0 Lightning win, they will play for a fifth straight national championship Monday at 3 p.m.

“Coach Saban’s not going to be calling any of these kids," said assistant coach Blake Thompson.

“I’ll tell you that our players have as much heart as any 5-star recruit," adds Thompson.

Said Coach Smith, “We usually see a few of our players join a Division II or Division III team each year.”

“I don’t believe any of our current players will play college ball next fall, but they will all succeed in life," he adds.

Amy Barlow

Friday morning, 41 teenagers who don’t often receive much attention will head to another national tournament.

And before they succeed in life, with character, faith and hard work, they have some business to tackle.

A fifth straight home schooled national championship is in their sights.

A sight they will once again behold.

For the love of the game.

Former four-star and current Alabama Crimson Tide freshman Tony Mitchell was arrested March 15 in his home state of Florida and charged with marijuana possession and intent to sell and/or deliver, the Holmes County Sheriff’s Department announced.

After Mitchell was pulled over in Bonifay, Florida, according to the department’s Facebook post, officers found a “significant amount” of marijuana, a loaded firearm and a set of scales.

The post reads, “Both subjects were transported to the Holmes County Jail. Antonio Mitchell is charged with possession of marijuana with the intent to sell and/or deliver. Christophere Lewis is charged with possession of marijuana with the intent to sell and/or deliver, and carrying a concealed firearm without a permit.”

Mitchell, a four-star defensive back, was a highly touted in-state prospect in the 2023 recruiting cycle. Hailing from Thompson High School in Alabaster, Alabama, Mitchell joined the Tide was projected by many as a name to watch in the spring.

The university and the school’s athletic department have yet to release a statement regarding the situation, and as of the afternoon of March 16, Mitchell remained a member of the Crimson Tide.

Which Tide Freshmen Will Make an Impact this Season?

The Tide enrolled 26 freshmen in January, and while the expectation is for each player to develop into a key contributor, some may make that leap sooner than others.

Five-star edge rusher Qua Russaw from Montgomery, Alabama, stands at 6-foot-2, 230 pounds and looks to be cut from the same cloth as a player like Will Anderson. Possessing superior speed to blow by would be blockers as well as explosive power, Russaw is easily one of the Tide’s most exciting freshmen.

Justice Haynes from Buford, Georgia, is a five-star running back that stands at 5-foot-11, 200 pounds. While Nick Saban and the Tide have been reluctant in the past to play freshmen in such an important position as running back, Haynes’ skillset is one that cannot be denied. 247Sports recruiting analyst Gabe Powers says the Buford native, “Plays quick-footed, loose-hipped and with good leverage (…) Projects to the high-major level as a potential multi-year impact starter.

Can Alabama Bounce Back in 2023?

Although the Tide finished 2022 as Sugar Bowl Champions with a 11-2 record, last season was a disappointment in the eyes of not only fans, but the entire team and coaching staff.

While many key pieces from a year ago like Bryce Young and Will Anderson will be taking their snaps on Sundays from now on, Alabama is still loaded with elite talent at nearly every position on the field.

The 2023 recruiting class was ranked first in the nation by every major recruiting outlet, and while many of those players may not see the field this season, it continues to show the caliber of athletes arriving year in, year out in Tuscaloosa.

Several new faces will take the field for Alabama come week one, but one thing is certain, Saban will have his team ready to play.

Patriots Park in Alabaster will bring green spaces, basketball courts, pavilions and more. Read on for more details regarding this new development.

Everything you need to know about the upcoming Patriots Park in Alabaster

The city of Alabaster announced its plans for constructing a $4.1 million dollar park back in 2021 and now construction is set to begin. The park will be known as Patriots Park, it will feature walking trails, basketball courts and green space for community events. It will be a great addition to Alabaster as it is growing.

Nick Wagner, head of public relations for the city of Alabaster expressed his excitement about the new city’s addition.

“We’ve long had a need for a city park serving the northern end of Alabaster, and Patriots Park is going to be a first-class facility the entire city can enjoy. It will provide space for many different activities, from family picnics to pickle ball and basketball games to leisurely walks on the trail. We can’t wait to break ground this summer and begin this long-awaited project.”

Nick Wagner, Head of Public Relations, City of Alabaster

New Green Beginnings out of Former Endings

Patriots Park

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The construction of this park will happen on land that formerly hosted high school sports. The city hired InSite Engineering, LLC to design the architectural aspects of the park. City Council approved construction last Monday and they are planning to break ground this summer. The entire construction process should take a year, Wagner confirmed.

So get ready, Alabaster! Take your picnic baskets out of storage, dust off your old walking shoes and call your friends up for basketball games. Patriots Park awaits you. Oh, and for those pickle ball fans out there, they have a place for you too.

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