Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: What this new live-fire training tower means for Mountain Brook safety
Coming up: Books & Beyond: Author Study of Georgette Heyer on the Mountain Brook Patch calendar
What's up Mountain Brook! Let's start this morning right by getting caught up on what's going on around town. Keep reading to stay in the loop. ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
- What this new live-fire training tower means for Mountain Brook safety
- How a $723,000 grant will shape Mountain Brook classrooms this year
- Will Mountain Brook actually close Round Forest Drive after the Irondale shooting?
Today's riddle: What did one strawberry say to the other strawberry? 🤔 (Answer below!)
- Tuesday: Mostly cloudy, with a high of 93 and low of 70 degrees. 🌶 Hot!
- Wednesday: An afternoon thunderstorm, temps: high: 92, low: 71.
- Thursday: Humid; a p.m. t-storm or two, with a high of 88 and low of 72 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
1. Mountain Brook, Vestavia Hills fire departments raise joint live-fire training building (villagelivingonline.com) — Mountain Brook and Vestavia Hills firefighters are opening a new four-story live-fire training building at their shared Over the Mountain Regional Training Center, designed to simulate everything from houses to commercial structures. Funded by both city councils, the facility will boost recruit training, ongoing drills, and insurance ratings, strengthening emergency response for Mountain Brook residents. 
2. Mountain Brook City Schools Foundation approves $723,000 grant, welcomes new leaders (villagelivingonline.com) — Mountain Brook families are being asked to support a newly approved $723,198 grant that will fund teacher training, math labs, and coaching across Mountain Brook Schools this year. The City Schools Foundation has new board leaders and is relaunching its Give180 campaign, encouraging donations of at least $1 per school day, with options to give by mail or online.
3. Mountain Brook studying proposed closure of Round Forest Drive after Irondale shooting (abc3340.com) — Mountain Brook officials are weighing whether to close Round Forest Drive's connection to an Irondale block after a July shooting, and have ordered a $9,000 traffic study before deciding. Some Mountain Brook residents want the link cut for safety, while Irondale's mayor questions closing a public road over a single incident and is asking for hard crime data.
4. Mary Raines Alexander Receives Fulbright U.S. Student Award for 2026-2027 (otmj.com) — A Mountain Brook High School alum is headed to Taiwan after earning a prestigious Fulbright U.S. Student Award for 2026-2027. Recent Northeastern graduate Mary Raines Alexander will teach English in Taichung while pursuing journalism-related community work, deepening her Mandarin skills, and preparing for graduate studies in international affairs or journalism.
5. Nathan Goldman Discusses Hope Florida-SuperPAC Connection with the Miami Herald (ncsu.edu) — Financial records for the embattled Hope Florida Foundation, under grand jury investigation over a Medicaid-funded donation to a conservative super PAC, were recently moved from Tallahassee to an accounting firm office in Mountain Brook. An accounting professor interviewed by the Miami Herald raises ethical concerns about the relocation and potential overlap between foundation and super PAC staff.
📸 Around Mountain Brook
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🗓 Upcoming Events in Mountain Brook
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
- Books & Beyond: Author Study of Georgette Heyer
Levite Jewish Community Center 3960 Montclair Rd, Birmingham, AL 35213
6:30 pm - Flag Football @ PHS
Mountain Brook High School Birmingham, AL 35223
6:30 pm - UWCA's tai chi for arthritis and fall prevention
Levite Jewish Community Center 3960 Montclair Rd, Birmingham, AL 35213
11:30 am - 7/8 VB vs. Berry @ MBJH
Mountain Brook Junior High Birmingham, AL 35223
4:30 pm - Mahjong open play
Levite Jewish Community Center 3960 Montclair Rd, Birmingham, AL 35213
11:30 am - VB vs Vestavia V/JV/F 6:30/5:15/4:00
Mountain Brook High School Birmingham, AL 35223
4:00 pm - J'la Gala: 'Lighting the Way'
Levite Jewish Community Center 3960 Montclair Rd, Birmingham, AL 35213
5:00 pm - 7/8 FB vs. Berry (Away)
Mountain Brook Junior High Birmingham, AL 35223
5:00 pm
Tuesday August 25
Wednesday August 26
Thursday August 27
📣 Mountain Brook Shout Outs!
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
🗓 Events Nearby
- One-on-One Tech Help
Hoover Public Library - #Friends Meeting Room
10:00 am - VHMC: Let's Talk Chemo Support Group
Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce Vestavia Hills Methodist Church, 2061 Kentucky Ave., Vestavia Hills, AL, held in the small dining room
1:00 pm - Work Session
Birmingham City Birmingham, AL 35215
5:30 pm - Flag Football vs Carver-Montgomery (JV/V) →
Vestavia Hills High School Birmingham, AL 35216
5:30 pm
Tuesday August 25
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
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Ok Mountain Brook! 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: If you weren't so sweet, we wouldn't be in this jam! (Thank you Patti F. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
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