🌱 AHSAA Preseason High School Football Rankings + Home Values Rising

Hi all! I'm back in your inbox this morning to walk you through everything you need to know about what's happening locally. Let's dive right in...

📣 Our readers love to celebrate good news! You can now shout out your big announcement at the top of the Hoover Daily newsletter. Whether it's a grand opening, new product for sale, birthday, anniversary, engagement, wedding or new baby, let everyone celebrate alongside you! Submit your announcement here.

Now, today's weather:

An afternoon thunderstorm. High: 88 Low: 73.

Here are the top stories today in Hoover:

1. Steelers receiver George Pickens has been listed as a starter. The Hoover native was an impressive stand-out in training camp and is seeing dividends as a result. Pickens, who played for Georgia in college, was once identified as a first-round pick but fell to the second round after missing 11 games during his junior year due to an ACL tear. Click the link to read more about the Hoover-raised NFL star. (Yardbarker)
2. While home values in cities in Alabama have steadily risen, they don't match the feverish pace of the suburbs. AL.com, reporting on the surge in home prices, says that Birmingham has actually seen a slight reduction in median home prices. The suburbs around Birmingham, on the other hand, have risen at a higher pace and continue to soar. Hoover, Vestavia Hills, Homewood, and Mountain Brook sit at the top of the price lists. (AL.com)
3. AHSAA released their preseason high school football rankings ahead of the upcoming season. Hoover received fifth place in the Class 7A rankings. Ahead of Hoover were Hewitt-Trussville, Auburn, Central-Phenix City, and Thompson. The poll featured 21 sports writers, all of whom placed Thompson in first place in Class 7A. All other teams were ranked based on last year's win-loss record and total poll points. (Montgomery Advertiser)

Today in Hoover:

• Maker's Monday And Happy Hour at Cajun Steamer Bar & Grill (3:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• A minor crash took place on I-65 Northbound near Exit 234 yesterday. ALGO Birmingham reported that the cleanup was completed early Sunday afternoon. (ALGO Birmingham via Twitter)
• James Spann shared photos of the thunderstorm along the Alabama Gulf Coast. Click the link to see the awesome sight. (James Spann via Instagram)
• Hoover (AL) Police Department has located Mr. Earl Johnson. The man was reported missing from Vestavia Hills on Aug. 3. (Hoover (AL) Police Department via Facebook)

That's it for today. I'll see you around!

— Miranda Fraraccio

About me: Miranda Fraraccio is a born and raised Rhode Islander, now living in New York. She works as a staff writer for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and is a graduate of The University of Rhode Island, where she earned a degree in Writing & Rhetoric and Communication Studies. In her free time, you can find her traveling, drinking tea, or photographing her neighborhood as a street photographer.