🌱 Hoover Man Reunites With Daughter + Former Youth Coach Arrested

Happy Monday, neighbors! Here's everything you need to know in Hoover today.

First, today's weather:

Sunshine. High: 83 Low: 61.

Here are the top three stories today in Hoover:

1. A Hoover father and daughter were reunited after being apart for 47 years through the popular DNA website, 23andMe. "We don’t refer to 23andMe anymore,” said John O’Malley. “We call it 23andUs. It brought a lot of happiness in our lives.” John O’Malley and Maureen Regin Laughlin were strangers when they decided to join 23andMe. Laughlin was adopted and wanted to learn more about her family history while O'Malley was researching his father. The decision changed everything for the father-daughter duo. Learn more about their story at the link! (WBRC)
2. A former Hoover travel sports team coach who was arrested earlier this year on sex abuse charges of a juvenile is now facing additional charges involving another minor. In February, Meagan Billingsley Deese, 30, was charged with first-degree sodomy, first-degree sexual abuse, and enticing a child to enter a vehicle or house for an immoral purpose. Following these charges, another victim reached out to the Hoover Police Special Victims Unit stating Deese had sexually abused her between 2018 and 2019. On Friday, Deese was taken into custody and transported to Hoover City Jail. Capt. Keith Czeskleba said detectives are "continuing to work the case to determine if there are more victims". Anyone with information is encouraged to call Sgt. Scott Prentiss at 205-739-6125. (AL.com)
3. Searching for a new home? Check out five of the latest houses for sale in the Hoover area from Patch and Redfin! One home on Mallard Lake Drive has 4 beds and 3.5 baths for a little over $400,000. (Hoover Patch)

Today in Hoover:

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

From my notebook:

• Congratulations to Hoover High's boys' and girls' track and field teams, who both won the State Champions! (Facebook)
• Calling all baseball fans: the 2022 Southeastern Conference Tournament will take place May 24-29 at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. Visit the link for SEC team records and standings as of May 7. (Yahoo Sports)

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Events:

• GirlSpring's Women's Empowerment lunch w/craft beer, flowers, & more! (May 11)
• Jewish Food and Culture Fest (May 15)
• Add your event

Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Monday! See you tomorrow for another update.

— 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.