North

• Christmas festivities coming to north Jefferson County
Long-held Christmas festivities are set to return to north Jefferson County next month.

• FOR YOUR INFORMATION

• `I fell in love with iron work; it kind of just gets in your blood. It presents a new challenge everyday.'
Biography:Jan Allen Smith, 57, is the co-owner of Allen Iron Works in Tarrant. Shortly after graduating from college, she and her sister took over their parents' business when their father retired in 1982. The business, which has now been open for more than 50 years, does ornamental iron and metal work which includes building stairwells, driveway gates, interior/exterior railings, candle stands, sculptures and specialty furniture items. Did you always think you'd take over the business when your father retired? I didn't. I actually came to work here right after college and saw it as kind of temporary job, but I fell in love with it all. I fell in love with iron work; it kind of just gets in your blood. It presents a new challenge every day. What does your position entail? I balance working with customers, employees and office personnel, and I also do the drawings for the designs. Between phones, walk-ins and e-mails we have almost 100 customers a day looking to design iron work for their homes and businesses. What are some memorable pieces Allen has built lately? We built a neat faux pas mining elevator at Bass Pro Shops in Leeds and the entry doors at the Fish Market on Highway 280 which depict an underwater fish scene that is very appropriate for the restaurant. Is it ever hard to please the customer? It is not always something that is easy to achieve, especially with jobs that require more detail and attention, but we just keep working until we produce good quality iron work and we can give the customer what they are expecting and meet their specifications. You started out working for your parents and now you work with your sister and daughter. How is it working with your family? I enjoy it. It is fun to be able to get to see them every day and to be able to share what we do not just at home but at work. What do you like doing when you're not here running the business? I have a 2-year-old grandson Breck I like to spend time with. I blow bubbles, play peek-a-boo and hide and seek with him. Also, I like to cook food from my garden, dishes like eggplant parmesan. Your parents lived in Huffman and you live in Vestavia. Why did they open the business here and why have you decided to keep it here? One reason that it is here is that this is an industrial part of town that you need nearby for an iron fabrication store. It is the gateway to the Pinson Valley, an area where you have all this industry. A store like this just wouldn't work in a place like Vestavia or Mountain Brook. Dana Jaffe --

• MEGHAN ROGERS, E.B. Erwin High School SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Year: senior; sports: volleyball and softball Academic highlights: Meghan has a 3.4 GPA and is ranked 10th in her class. She is a member of DECA, Who's Who Among American High School Students, the National Honor Roll and the National English Honor Society. She is president of the SGA and the senior class activity coordinator. Athletic highlights: Meghan has played varsity for the Lady Eagles volleyball team for four years, and three years for the Lady Eagles softball team. She also participated in varsity track and field her freshman year and basketball her freshman and sophomore years. She has been named to all-tournament teams twice in volleyball. Where do you see your academic future? I plan to attend Alabama State University and major in public relations and minor in broadcasting communications. Where do you see your athletic future? I plan to play volleyball at Alabama State. Favorite subject: History is my favorite subject. I love to learn about the past issues of our country and constitution, and to see how we have progressed into the future. Who has been a major positive influence on you? My mother has been a major influence in my life. She has pushed me to high expectations that I could have never imagined. She has always told me the "Sky is the Limit" and "To Reach for the Gold." She is my best friend and role model. What's on your iPod? Gucci Mane, Jasmine Sullivan, Lil Wayne and gospel. What is your favorite sports memory? When my volleyball team won the Jefferson County Small School Championship two years in a row. Other interests: She is a member of her youth church choir, president of her youth group, and a praise dancer. She volunteers at the Hand in Hand Center and the Ronald McDonald House. Shannon Seale Bottoms --

• Missing Warrior High School memorabilia sought for display
Back in the 1970s when the former Warrior High School was being renovated, decades of memorabilia ended up lost, in the trash or in people's garages.

• North Birmingham buzzing over new department store
A North Carolina-based retailer opened a store last week in the North Birmingham Shopping Center, one that has residents and Birmingham city officials buzzing.