6 questions with John Kvach of North Alabama’s Singing River Trail
After 10 years as a history professor at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, Dr. John Kvach decided to flip his script and embark on a new pursuit that would focus on the future rather than the past. As the executive director of the Singing River Trail nonprofit, Kvach oversees a project that will create an expansive greenway system across North Alabama, connecting eight counties and 27 towns. Though the greenway is in its early stages, with only a few miles complete at this time, the organization has made hundreds of connections across North Alabama and set up an infrastructure for increased community engagement and opportunities for growth. We sat down with Kvach to learn more about the Singing River Trail and what it means for the future of our state.
Celebrate Mardi Gras in Huntsville this weekend
Strike up the band and march on down to The Camp in Huntsville for the fourth Mardi Gras in MidCity, a three-week New Orleans-style party that runs through Fat Tuesday on February 21. Organized by Octo Hospitality and Huntsville developer RCP Companies, the pop-up draws inspiration from the Big Easy as it lets the good times roll in the Rocket City.
Attend thought-provoking lectures by college professors at Birmingham bars
“It’s like a college class,” the website for the group Discourse BHAM says about its new and unusual lecture series. “But there’s drinking.” Run by three Birmingham residents—two college professors and a publishing agency executive—the goal is to provide a forum where, as co-founder Lawrence Cappello puts it, “smart people talk about smart things.” Only in this case the forum is in a decidedly non-academic setting: a bar.
6 questions with Birmingham artist Kyle Rodgers
Politics and art don’t typically go hand in hand, but for Birmingham-based artist Kyle Rodgers, the two will forever be intertwined. The Charleston native discovered a passion for art during a decades-long career as a lobbyist where he traveled up to 300 days a year. During long and lonely business trips, he created constantly. Using an iPad app, he interpreted everything he saw, from people dining at coffee shops to folks waiting at airport terminals. He quickly found faces to be his forte and spent hours painting blues and jazz musicians, cowboys, and Native Americans. Though he certainly has his favorite subjects, Rodgers will paint just about anything that comes to his mind—and on any surface that he can get. During the pandemic, he painted an entire series of magazine covers on brown paper Trader Joe’s bags. “I just have to create,” he says. “If I’m out jogging, and I hear a song, I’m painting the song in my head.” Though Rodgers still works as the vice president of external affairs for Spire, he paints any chance he gets and is excited to get more of his work out in the world.
How to make dried oranges for holiday crafting
Christmas is in the air—and so are the many aromas that fill your home this season. From the warmth of the fireplace to cookies in the oven to the fragrant evergreen garland adorning your home, the holidays are a lovely sensory overload. And you can add a new scent to that as well: the fresh scent of dried citrus. Anyone can partake in this easy craft: all you need is a few oranges and some household utensils. Dried oranges can be used for sweet aromas, stunning decor, and a simple way to express your creativity. Here's how to make them and what to use them for:
8 ways in Alabama to give back to your community this holiday season
The holiday season is finally upon us. It’s filled with delicious food, good cheer with loved ones, nostalgic traditions, and special memories. For many, this season is merry and bright, but others find this season more difficult. Consider giving back to your Christmas list this year. We've curated a list of eight places where you can donate your time or resources to make this season a “Merry Christmas” for all.
