By Barry Smith When Reshad Hudson was growing up in Alabaster in a single-parent family in his grandmother’s house, he never pictured himself as a national political reporter. But life has a funny way of surprising you. Raised with his older brother by his grandmother Shirley Bishop and his mother Darlene, Hudson was a shy … Read More
For 25 years, the American Village costumes have brought history to life. By Katharine Armbrester Photography by Steven Ross and Courtesy American Village American Village has educated and delighted its many visitors ever since it was founded by now-president emeritus Tom Walker in 1999. The village offers replicas of historic buildings and actors (also called … Read More
These 11 Thompson High School seniors and world-changers are set to make their mark! By Barry Wise Smith Photos by Brit Huckabay Marisol Alvarado-Resendiz You are going to Brown —what would you like to major in and what are you excited to explore in Rhode Island? I’m either majoring in environmental science or biology pre-medicine, … Read More
From Idol to the Opry: A Conversation with Scotty McCreery By Brent Thompson Photos by Jeff Ray. American Idol has helped launch the careers of many artists, but few have had the staying power of country sensation Scotty McCreery. Since winning the 10th season of the wildly popular television singing contest in 2011, McCreery has been … Read More
Steeped in History By Barry Smith It’s hard to imagine while driving the busy roads of Alabaster today, that the vibrant, growing city was once a rural area with rolling hills and farmland. As Alabaster looks forward to a bright future, it’s helpful to reflect back on who and what came before. In the early … Read More
Twelve years of making Alabaster a cleaner place to live and work. By Lee Hurley In 2012 when Stacy Rakestraw had recently joined the City Council, she noticed a pressing need to improve the aesthetics of the city, especially the situation with litter around major roadways. So, she took the initiative to start planning and … Read More
Thompson Warriors head volleyball coach Judy Green has built a winning culture—and notched her 1,000th win—during her almost 40-year coaching career. Story by Barry Wise Smith You would never know from talking to Coach Judy Green, Thompson High School’s head volleyball coach and director of volleyball operations, that she is an honest-to-goodness legend. Soft-spoken and … Read More
By Barry Wise Smith As the movie says, “If you build it, they will come.” And in Alabaster, Birmingham United Soccer Association (BUSA) is building a successful soccer program in partnership with the city and Shelby County. The BUSA Alabaster program started in 2019 with a partnership between BUSA and Shelby County, the Alabaster schools, … Read More
By Jamie Cole and Brent Thompson Jubilee # 3 promises to be another musical filled Alabaster afternoon into early evening. Headlined by country duo, Thompson Square, the event will begin at 2 PM on Saturday, October 28, at the green space around the old Siluria water tower, on the grounds of Alabaster’s municipal complex at … Read More
Mayor Scott Brakefield What was once old is new again—with poetry to celebrate our iconic landmark. Last March the city council and mayor’s office approved and initiated a facelift for the historic, iconic water tower. The $320,000 project was finished in June, and the water tower is now beautifully restored to its original grandeur. A … Read More
