As 2024 draws to a close, we wanted to highlight some of top news stories that defined life along the 280 corridor this year by highlight our top ten stories of 2024, as curated by editor Taylor Bright. Here's our full list.
#10: New Marshalls expected to open end of August
Photo By Taylor Bright
Marshalls on U.S. 280 opens Aug. 29, 2024
We wouldn’t normally include a story about a store opening here, but you all loved some Marshall’s and we wanted to recognize it.
Read the full story here.
#9: Miss Alabama’s Teen living out dream to compete for national title
Starnes Digital
Miss Alabama's Teen 2024 Ali Mims selects a purse at the Clothes Tree in Hoover on October 18, 2024. Mims will be competing at the Miss America's Teen pageant in Orlando at the turn of the new year. Photo by Savannah Schmidt.
This was a good-news story about a local teen who was living her dream.
Read the full story here.
#8: Opened amid isolation, cafe serves coffee, community
Photos by Emery Akin.
Amber Tolbert, co-owner of East 59 Cafe, has found success post-pandemic with the cafe’s Lee Branch location.
A story about a thriving business that was born out of isolation. Read it here.
#7: Judge dismisses case brought by parents of Chelsea teen
Starnes Digital
Shelby County Board of Education
The front of the Shelby County Schools building in Columbiana on Nov. 4, 2024. Photo by Savannah Schmidt.
This was the final chapter in a sad story which recently concluded.
Read the full story here.
#6: The power to save: Why talking about mental health matters
This fall we ran a series of important stories about mental health. This was the centerpiece story of the series. Read it here.
#5: Faith leads former MLB all-star to Briarwood
Photo by Savannah Schmidt.
David Nilsson, Briarwood Christian School’s new Head of Athletics, stands in Briarwood’s stadium.
Who brings their family across the world to take a job in North Shelby County? A former Major League Baseball player who made a leap of faith.
Read the full story here.
#4: One last Christmas for trees at Lloyd’s lot
Submitted photo
Lloyd's Tree Lot on 280 is the last stop for Bobby D's Christmas trees after a long journey from their roots in Boone, NC.
This year was the last year for Christmas trees at the Lloyd’s lot. Our story talked to the family who has come to Birmingham from North Carolina with their trees for the last 30 years.
Read the full story here.
#3: Chelsea softball player hired as Mountain Brook’s first female firefighter in over 10 years
Photo by Savannah Schmidt.
Brooke Burback completes a search-and-rescue exercise at the Over the Mountain Regional Training Center in Mountain Brook on Oct. 1.
This was a fascinating look at a former Chelsea softball player who was hired as Mountain Brook’s first female firefighter in 10 years.
Read the full story here.
#2: Reimagining the landscape
Photo by Savannah Schmidt
Stephen Springfield plays with his dog Riley while eating lunch in the back of his car in Meadow Brook Coporate Park off of U.S. 280 on Oct. 9, 2024. Springfield commutes from Homewood, so he relies on the presence of green spaces to spend time with Riley on his break.
We took a further look into what Hoover was looking to develop in their “tech corridor” on U.S. 280.
Read the full story here.
#1: A year of storms after rainbow controversy: Newly installed board takes over; director resigns
Photo by Taylor Bright.
New members of the Shelby County Library board are sworn in by Judge Matt Fridy in July. Pictured from left are: Andy Martin, Paul Garris, Kasandra Stevens and Sam Gaston.
This year North Shelby Library continued its transformation and inducted a new board. We looked at what kicked off the controversy there.
Read the full story here.
