March 2026 | Volume 19 | Issue 5
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
Sell us your GOLD today!
Cummings JEWELRY DESIGN
THE 280 CORRIDOR’S COMMUNITY NEWS SOURCE 280LIVING.COM | STARNESMEDIA.COM
SERVING THE 280 CORRIDOR, HOMEWOOD, HOOVER, MOUNTAIN BROOK, TRUSSVILLE AND VESTAVIA HILLS
3166 Heights Village Cahaba Heights
205-298-9144
RECORD HIGH PRICES PAID FOR GOLD!
cummingsjewelrydesign.com
The height of success Hoover pianist balances life and faith as a CFO and the world’s smallest professional piano player
Hilltop Montessori School teacher and beekeeper Cindi Stehr, right, checks on the school’s beehives with students Maryanna McGowan, left, and Moses Toby. Photo by Kelli S. Hewett.
Shelby County beekeepers turn hives into lessons in science, service and serenity
By KELLI S. HEWETT
A
t 3 feet 8 inches tall, Jon Michael Ogletree of Hoover is accustomed to being noticed. As a certified public accountant, a CFO and the world’s smallest professional piano player, he has built a life where numbers and music intersect with a message of faith. Ogletree, who lives in the Kirkman Preserve community off Caldwell Mill Road, balances a high-level corporate finance career with an international reputation as a concert pianist. He has traveled to more than 30 countries — most of them for work as a musician and often as a cruise ship entertainer for the luxury cruise line Explora Journeys. “I’m not a little person who just happens to be good at the piano,” said Ogletree, 41. “I am a skilled pianist who just happens to be a little person. I don’t feel 3 foot 8 inches.”
By KELLI S. HEWETT U.S. 280 is better known for brake lights than tranquility, but just off the congested corridor, bees are cultivating calm and honey — and a growing community of beekeepers. At Hilltop Montessori School in Mt Laurel, preschool teacher Cindi Stehr tends 11 beehives that sit near the carpool line. She’s quick to admit she’s “not a honey eater.” What keeps her invested isn’t the sweetness — it’s the science and the students.
See BEES | page A18
See OGLETREE | page A16
At 3’8”, Jon Michael Ogletree of Hoover is known as a the world’s smallest professional piano player. Photo by Kelli S. Hewett.
INSIDE
Sponsors............... A4 City......................... A6
Business................ A8 Real Estate..........A10
Schoolhouse........ A13 Sports.................... B6
Events................... B10 Life........................ B14
Scan the QR code to follow us online!
Real Estate
Summer Fun
See the latest sales and trends in U.S. 280 corridor real estate.
Explore summer camp options in the 2026 Summer Camp Guide.
See page A10
See page B4
Custom Closets, Garage Cabinets, Home Office, Pantries, Laundries,
2026 © All Rights Reserved. Closets by Design, Inc.
Imagine your home, totally organized! Wall Beds, Wall Units, Hobby Rooms, Garage Flooring and more... Plus
% Off 40 Free Installation PLUS TAKE AN EXTRA
15% Off
Terms and Conditions: 40% off any order of $980 or more, 30% off any order of $680 or more, on any Closets, Garages, Home offices, or other products with any complete unit purchase. Take an additional 15% off any order of $980 or more. Free installation with any complete unit order of $850 or more. Not valid with any other offer. Offers and prices are subject to change without notice. With incoming order, at time of purchase only. Offer Expires on 3/15/26. Offer not valid in all regions.
SPECIAL FINANCING for 18 Months! With approved credit. Call or ask your Designer for details. Not available in all areas.
Call for a free in home design consultation and estimate
205-827-4911 SP www.closetsbydesign.com Locally Owned and Operated! Licensed and Insured.