VillageLivingOnline.com
July 2014 •
Village Living Volume 5 | Issue 4 | July 2014
Pig on track
neighborly news & entertainment for Mountain Brook
When farming meets the classroom
Piggly Wiggly is planning to open a new location in Crestline Village adjacent to the existing CVS. Read more details inside.
City page A6
What’s next?
Jones Valley’s leaders see project-based learning as a key to education By MADOLINE MARKHAM
The Crestline Shell station could soon close its doors. Find the complete story in this issue.
Business page A12
INSIDE Sponsors ...... A4 City ................ A6 Business ....... A8 Community .. A13
School House. B7 Sports ............ B10 Faith ............... B12 Calendar ........ B13
facebook.com/VillageLiving
Pre-Sort Standard U.S. Postage PAID Birmingham, AL Permit #656
VillageLivingOnline.com
Seven years ago, three and a half acres of vacant lots in downtown Birmingham were transformed into rows of produce and flowers. Today the farm is still teeming with garden growth, and its life spills over to transform thousands of children outside its boundaries
Jones Valley Teaching Farm board members Mike Moss, Kate Darden and Christiana Roussel and Executive Director Grant Brigham are leading the organization to educate children through hands-on learning on the downtown farm and in schools. Photo by Karim Shamsi-Basha.
with a broader mission. Since starting on its board, Mountain Brook resident Taylor Pursell has watched Jones Valley Teaching Farm’s reach grow from a couple hundred children to more than 5,000. Today its goal is to reach 10,000 students annually. “I think it’s one of the coolest things in the state,” Pursell said.
A leader comes home Much of today’s vision for Jones Valley’s work started in 2011. Pursell was leading the board at the time when Jones Valley founder Edwin Marty decided to leave for a similar project in Montgomery. Pursell heard about Grant Brigham through a friend who knew Grant’s dad,
Tommy Brigham, and knew he wanted to recruit him to lead the farm. Since graduating from Mountain Brook High School, Brigham had learned about the connection between agriculture and education while working for a startup
See FARMING | page A22
A date with the nation’s highest court By MADOLINE MARKHAM Mark Waggoner had not realized how close Chief Justice John Roberts would be sitting. Glancing up to speak, he found Roberts within 10 feet of him, and the remaining Supreme Court justices were positioned to Roberts’ left and right in order of seniority. Within 30 seconds of stepping in front of the court, the justices were peppering Waggoner with questions; most of the six
who spoke asked several. The justices had read the briefs and knew the facts, Waggoner’s position and what the law stated. Now they wanted to hear about the constitutional implications of his argument. Each year the Supreme Court only grants and hears oral arguments for less than 1 percent, or about 75-80 cases, of the approximately 10,000 petitions it receives, according to supremecourt.gov.
See JUSTICE | page A23
Local attorney Mark Waggoner stands on the steps of the Supreme Court chambers after arguing Lane v. Franks before the court this year. Photo courtesy of Mark Waggoner.
IT’S TIME TO TAKE A vacation FROM CLEANING.
Proudly keeping homes cleaner and healthier since 1987
871-9338 www.MAIDS.com
Give yourself a break, call the cleaning service most recommended to family and friends.
Referred for a reason.