280 Living Gridlock
August 2014 | Volume 7 | Issue 12
neighborly news & entertainment
Fashion forward
Make a style statement the first day, week or month of school with our guide for what to wear and where to get it. Find the details inside.
School House page B8
Football’s back
Will your ambulance get through rush hour on U.S. 280? Those Friday night lights are on their way back. Check out your high school’s specs in our football previews.
Sports page B16
INSIDE Sponsors ...... A4 280 News ..... A6 Business....... A12 Food ...............A15 Faith ............. A26
Opinion..............A27 Community ...... B5 School House ... B7 Sports ............... B15 Calendar .......... B25
By JESSA PEASE Two cars collide in the middle of rush hour heading east on U.S. 280. The crash traps one driver in his seat. His car catches fire only
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seconds after he is pulled from it. Although emergency responders try to rush to the scene, cars stuck motionless around the accident block the path for the ambulance, fire engine and medics. This bumper-to-bumper traffic, while
also frustrating for drivers, poses a real problem for emergency personnel on 280. “It is difficult to respond a lot of times, and it
See AMBULANCE | page A23
A tailgate on a mission By MADISON MILLER
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High volume traffic on U.S. 280, especially during peak hours, causes delays for Cahaba Valley Fire Department emergency vehicles responding to calls. Photo by Karim Shamsi-Basha.
Craig Krawczyk has been there from the beginning. Over the years, he has seen The Bell Center for Early Intervention Programs’ ultimate tailgate party grow from a small get-together to a large event with local and national support. After his daughter’s graduation from the center, he wanted to continue his support by helping plan the Tailgate Challenge. “Originally, it was a small gathering of Bell Center families, a few tables and tents and
about 100 people attending,” Krawczyk said. “It is now up to over 30 tents, people from all over the community and a few thousand people attending.” As football season approaches, The Bell Center is getting ready for the sixth annual event, which organizers expect to double last year’s attendance record once again. The Tailgate Challenge, which moved to The Summit from Sloss Furnaces last year, allows attendees to kick off the
See TAILGATE | page A25
Bell Center Fund Development Director Kelly Peoples with Aubie and Big Al at last year’s Tailgate Challenge. Photo courtesy of Kelly Peoples.