August 2026 | Volume 17 | Issue 5
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Turning the page How a small-town bookworm became Mountain Brook’s library director
Mountain Brook Fire Chief Chris Mullins. Photo courtesy of Mountain Brook Fire Department.
‘Magic Kingdom’ fire chief about to retire after 33 years
By KELLI S. HEWETT
L
indsy Gardner reads the way other people breathe. This year alone, she’s aiming for 35 to 40 books — some in print, some in audio, often starting one way and finishing the other — while coaxing hundreds of Mountain Brook kids to turn their own pages, too. As director of the O’Neal Library since 2017, she believes a library should feel like both a playground and a refuge. “We want people to feel welcome, whatever that means for them,” she said. “If they need a lot of help, we’re happy to give that. If people come here just to have quiet time, we hope we can give that experience, as well. We’re feeding their curiosity — helping them discover new books, new experiences, new people.” Even this year, with a major interior renovation that began May 11 and a temporary move to City Hall, Gardner is determined the heart of the season won’t change. “We’ll definitely make sure that there are incentives for the kids to read all summer,” she said. “We won’t have as many programs as we normally do, but we’re still going to have our weekly story times. Things will look a little different this year.”
See GARDNER | page 28
By SOLOMON CRENSHAW JR.
C
Lindsy Gardner, director of the O’Neal Library, is looking forw ard to what’s ahead with major renovations now in progress. Photo by Kelli S. Hew ett.
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INSIDE
Sponsors.................. 4 City............................ 6
Business..................10 Schoolhouse...........14
Sports......................18 Events.....................22
hris Mullins didn’t write the book on being a firefighter, but the Mountain Brook fire chief is in the book. The 30-year veteran of the Mountain Brook Fire Department was a lieutenant when publisher Dorling Kindersley came to town to produce a children’s book, “A Day in the Life of a Firefighter.” “I’m in the book,” Mullins recalled. “My name is Luis in the book, and it’s all about a day in the life of a firefighter. I think there’s four of us [from the Mountain Brook department] in the book. I’ve got a hard copy, a hardbound signed copy from all the guys that were in it. They’re all retired now, but me.” Come Nov. 1, the ranks of retired Mountain Brook firefighters in that book will increase by one. Mullins, whose 33 years as a firefighter include three decades in Mountain Brook, has announced that he will retire at the beginning of November. The timing couldn’t be better, Mullins said. The month that features Thanksgiving is when he will conclude an employment stint for which he is very thankful.
See MULLINS | page 30 Life..........................26
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Longtime leaders
New faces
Veteran educators were named to assistant principal positions at Mountain Brook schools.
Mountain Brook High School prepares for football season.
See page 16
See page 18