🌱 Meghan Gutowski OTW To London + Neil Thompson At Frisco

Good morning, everybody! It's me, Miranda Fraraccio, your host of the Hoover Patch newsletter. Let's get this day started off right, with a quick guide to the most important things happening these days in town.

But first, your local weather:

• Thursday: Partly sunny and humid. High: 85 Low: 66.
• Friday: Times of clouds and sun. High: 87 Low: 66.

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Here are the top three stories today in Hoover:

1. Hoover native Meghan Gutowski, 15, is set to dance with the London Royal Ballet after 12 years of dancing, training, and honing her craft. Since starting at three, Meghan has been a favorite of the Alabama Dance Academy, the first of owner Pamela Merkel's students to be invited to the Royal Ballet. Gutowski maintains a five hours, seven-days-a-week training schedule, and has received numerous scholarships and accolades, although none as prestigious as her recent United Kingdom-bound coup. (WBRC)
2. Hoover's Neil Thompson is fresh from his recent trip to Frisco, Texas, where he unfortunately didn't make the cut for the PGA Tour Champions — out only by 11 strokes. Even so, quote, the Shelby County Reporter, "It's an impressive showing because Thompson doesn't get as many chances to play rounds of golf as the tour regulars he played against." Regardless of whether he heads on to further glories, Thompson has made his hometown proud, not just by his performance in numerous events, but also as the owner of Thompson Golf Academy, where he mentors future competitors. (Shelby County Reporter)
3. Locals are remembering the late Pastor Earl Tew, who passed on last month at the age of 93. Tew was beloved in his community, ministering at Goodman Baptist Church, Pinckard Baptist Church, Lakeside Baptist Church, Calvary Baptist Church in Dothan, and First Baptist Church of Hoover. His career in the ministry also included a 12-year tenure as executive director of the Birmingham Baptist Association. Quote Tew's daughter, Delane: "He lived out his Christian beliefs in everything he did and wanted to help us any way he could." His son, David, said, "There are generations of people ... upon whose lives he had a profound impact." (Hoover Sun)

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Today and tomorrow in and around Hoover:

Thursday, June 1

• Tim Hawkins At Gardendale First Baptist Church (6:00 PM)
• Teen Murder Mystery Party At Hoover Public Library (6:30 PM)
• Sheila E At Alys Robinson Stephens Performing Arts Center (7:00 PM)

Friday, June 2

• JD Baker At Ferus (6:00 PM)
• Latin Night & Live Music At Cabo Coastal Grill (6:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• A small plane averted a disastrous crash a little bit west of Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport on Tuesday, May 30. During a runway approach training session, the airplane's engine shut off, and the pilot had to land on nearby CSX railroad tracks. No one was injured. (WBRC)
• A woman with a broken leg was airlifted from Oak Mountain State Park on Memorial Day. At approximately 1:20 p.m. Monday, Pelham Fire Department requested assistance from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) Aviation Unit to remove an injured 22-year-old woman from a remote hiking trail. By 3:10 p.m. that same day, the woman was in an ambulance. (WBRC)
• Some are weary of inclement weather at Southeastern Conferences held in Hoover and are petitioning SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey to change locations in the coming years. Said Sankey, "Here's reality. I think there's something to be said for what we've built here and we have to cherish that carefully. We have other points of interest and we're going to consider those quickly and fully." (On3)

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You're officially in the loop for today. I'll see you back in your inbox soon with a new update!

— Miranda Fraraccio

About me: Miranda Fraraccio is a staff writer for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners. She is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island, where she earned degrees in Writing & Rhetoric and Communication Studies. In her free time, you can find her traveling, drinking tea, or practicing film photography.