🌱 Patch AM: What changes will Vestavia’s new city clerk bring to City Hall?

Good morning Vestavia Hills! Your connection to what's happening around town is here. Take a sip of coffee and read on. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

• What changes will Vestavia’s new city clerk bring to City Hall?
• How you can put a loved one’s name in the new memorial
• How a Vestavia Hills student became Miss America by staying authentic

Today's riddle: I used to work in a doughnut shop. 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Wednesday: Partly sunny and very warm, with a high of 74 and low of 53 degrees.
• Thursday: Partly sunny and very warm, temps: high: 73, low: 53.
• Friday: Breezy in the morning, with a high of 68 and low of 59 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Umang Patel to fill Vestavia Hills city clerk role (vestaviavoice.com) — Vestavia Hills has chosen current court director Umang Patel to step into an expanded role that includes city clerk duties and leading innovation across all departments. He’ll overlap for a month with retiring clerk Rebecca Leavings, aiming to streamline services and modernize how the city serves residents.
   

2. Vestavia council awards $479,000 bid for Veterans Memorial Plaza (vestaviavoice.com) — Vestavia Hills has approved a $479,000 contract to build a new Veterans Memorial Plaza at Altadena Valley Park, with major support from the city’s Parks and Recreation Foundation and county partners. Residents can still buy engraved brick pavers to honor loved ones, helping fund the project while creating a community gathering space with seating, an amphitheater, and a memorial wall.
   

3. Best Stories of 2025: "Journey to Miss America: Abbie Stockard talks about being ‘authentically Abbie'" (vestaviavoice.com) — A Vestavia Hills native, Auburn nursing student Abbie Stockard, has risen from local pageants to become Miss America, while staying focused on being “authentically Abbie.” In this year-end favorite, she shares how growing up in Vestavia Hills, overcoming family hardship, and stepping back from social media pressures shaped her message of choosing joy and serving others.
   

4. Spike in Alabama flu cases impacting holiday plans (wvtm13.com) — A Vestavia Hills resident’s long-running Christmas brunch is canceled this year as flu cases surge across Alabama, with emergency room visits more than doubling in early December. Health experts warn the state hasn’t hit peak flu yet and urge residents to wash hands, stay home when sick, and still get vaccinated to reduce severe illness and hospitalizations.
   

5. Monceaux, Huskies look to continue steady climb (cahabasun.com) — Hewitt-Trussville’s boys basketball team is aiming for a breakthrough season while competing in brutal Class 7A, Area 6, where Vestavia Hills, Hoover, and Oak Mountain loom as perennial powers. With improved offensive focus, a deep roster, and rising young players, the Huskies hope to pair their trademark defense with more scoring to contend with Vestavia.
   

📸 Around Vestavia Hills

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Vestavia Hills

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Thursday December 25

• Waldo’s Chicken & Beer – Vestavia Hills
  Waldo's Chicken & Beer, 3009 Pump House Rd ste 110, Vestavia Hills
  6:30 pm

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Friday December 26

• Family Movie: Cool Runnings
  Hoover Public Library - The Library Theatre
  2:00 pm

📣 Vestavia Hills Shout Outs!

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🗓 Events Nearby

Wednesday December 24

• City Hall Closed - Christmas Eve
  City of Irondale , 101 20th St S , Irondale
  7:00 am
• Zumba Gold
  Pelham, AL Calendar , 50 Racquet Club Parkway , Pelham
  10:45 am
• Public Skate Session
  Pelham, AL Calendar
  11:45 am
• Yoga
  Pelham, AL Calendar , 50 Racquet Club Parkway , Pelham
  12:00 pm
• On Wednesdays We WINE for half-off!
  Hoover Chamber of Commerce , 5426 Hwy 280 Suite 6 , Hoover
  3:00 pm
• Craft’s on Church Street – Mountain Brook
  Craft's on Church Street , 49 Church St , Mountain Brook
  5:30 pm

Thursday December 25

• HOLIDAY HOURS 8 a.m.-noon
  Levite Jewish Community Center , 3960 Montclair Rd , Birmingham
• City Hall Closed - Christmas Day
  City of Irondale , 101 20th St S , Irondale
  7:00 am
• Power Sculpt
  PELHAM RECREATION CENTER , 2020 Pelham Park Blvd , Pelham
  5:30 pm

Friday December 26

• Women's Frosty Doubles league
  Pelham, AL Calendar , 100 Racquet Club Parkway , Pelham
  10:00 am

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Vestavia Hills PatchAM possible:

• Mindsee.it — (646) 663-8317
  Teach your kids they can achieve the impossible!

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• Gonna be traveling out of town for the holidays?
  Give your house that “lived in” feeling while you're gone, and consider these tips: • Set interior lights (and maybe a radio or TV) to a timer. • … (Nextdoor )

Ok Vestavia Hills! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I got tired of the hole business.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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