Homewood Star January 2015 by Starnes Media

The Homewood Star Volume 4 | Issue 10 | January 2015

neighborly news & entertainment for Homewood

A look ahead

On a warm winter night, spotted salamanders will travel out of Homewood Forest Preserve to mate in vernal pools along South Lakeshore Drive.

Find updates on a new phase of the Shades Creek Greenway and other city projects in our 2015 Year in Preview.

See page A8

Running for Bell Center kids

Great migration Festival celebrates annual salamander migration near Homewood High School By MADOL INE MARK H AM The dance begins sometime after Christmas each year. Jet-black creatures with bright orange and yellow spots emerge from the H omewood F orest P reserve behind the high school and scurry to a vernal pool nearby. Once they arrive, they jump into the water and perform their mating dance flipping o er and surfac ing for air. V iewed from the side, they always appear to smile. “ It’s like magic,” Jim B rown tells people.

H e would know. The S amford University history professor has been watching them for 3 0 years. The spotted salamanders mate in water but live most of the year underground in the preserve’s hillside. Their skin must stay moist, so they choose a warm, rainy night after it’s been cold to migrate. “ W e think about birds migrating north or south, but there are also a lot of migrations on a smaller scale,” said K ristin B akkegard, a biology professor at S amford. “ It is about the only time you will see the salamander.

Once you get to know them, they are very charismatic animals.” A decade ago, B rown told members of the F riends of S hades Creek about the migration, and in the years since, the event has developed a following. B rown and F riends president Michelle B lackwood go out on nights when the conditions are right and watch for salamanders to emerge. W hen they see them, they start calling a list of 25 people. S ometimes it’s midnight, sometimes it’s 3 a.m. B ut

See SALAMANDERS | page A18

Students are teaming up on Patriot Partners relay teams to raise funds. Read more about their efforts inside.

See page B1

INSIDE Sponsors ...................A2 City .............................A4 Business ....................A6 Community ...............A12 School House ...........B2 Sports .......................B7 Calendar ................. B14 Opinion .................... B15

P re-S ort S tandard U.S . P ostage P AID Memphis, TN P ermit # 8 3 0

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Midday bus service could be cut By SY DNEY CROMWEL L W hen his lease is up, W ard Dudley will leave his Asten Circle home and relocate to H oover. H e said he has loved living in H omewood, but with the end of full B irmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority (B JCTA) bus services approaching, Dudley and his guide dog will soon be unable to travel at will. Dudley said he rides the B JCTA paratransit buses at least two or three times a week to run errands and go to the doctor’s office. n an. 3 1 , however, the transit authority will reduce operations for H omewood’s Routes 3 9 and 4 2 to peak hours only. F or those two routes, the MAX buses will soon stop running between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m . W hile Route 1 4 will remain unaffected, the estimated 28 2 daily riders of 3 9 and 4 2 will only be able to catch the bus between approximately 6: 1 5 to 1 0 a.m. and 3 to 7 : 20 p.m. B JCTA

See BUSES | page A19

A BJCTA bus on Homewood Route 39 travels Lakeshore Parkway in the middle of the day. If proposed cuts to the service are approved, this route will no longer run between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Photo by Sydney Cromwell.

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The Homewood Star

About Us Please Support our Community Partners Adventure Travel (A4) Alabama Allergy & Asthma Center (A4) Alabama Power (B16) ARC Realty (B1) Batts’ Chimney Services (B13) Bedzzz Express (A20) Birmingham Duplicate Bridge Club (A18) Bloom (A19) Brandino Brass (B10) Brighter Image Dentistry (A14) Brighter Image Dentistry (A1) Brookdale Place University Park (B11) The star that hangs above 18th Street each holiday season was lit at a special ceremony that featured the Edgewood Elementary School choir. Photo by Madoline Markham.

Send your submissions for Photo of the Month to editor@thehomewoodstar.com

Children’s of Alabama (A13) Construx (A11) Early Arts Preschool (B11) ENT for Kids Alabama (B10) Fred Smith Group (A10) Gina G Falletta, State Farm (B11) Granite Transformations (A6)

Editor’s Note By Madoline Markham To close out 20 1 4 , I perused our stories from the year to do a little reflecting. P erhaps most memora ly many of us were stranded and met some new neigh ors along the way during the cra y snowstorm in e ruary. erhaps second most memora ly we all floc ed to the new pool and community center in ay. few months later I heard reports that some entered a mourning period at the end of pool season. T’s returned to life in oHo and hic en alad hic opened a few doors down. arlier in the year lights strung o er the courtyard area in oHo

helped create a farm-tota le dinner li e you see in picture perfect logs to raise money for the Homewood ity chools oundation. short dri e down the road W opened in roo wood as well as prout our in dgewood and the new i ue lo on reen prings. We also got to announce a new rewery coming to entral enue and a potential new ew rleans style restaurant in West Homewood. The Homewood rts ouncil rought color and music to our par s with its ic in’ in the ar ainting the ar and Handmade rt how. The oard of

HeritageBank of the South (B13) Homewood Family and Cosmetic Dentistry (A5)

ducation mo ed into a new uilding on ale enue ne t to the ommunity arden and the Homewood ham er too its place in the ric house ne t to hades aha a lementary. fter wee s of contro ersy merica’s est hotel in West Homewood closed its doors for good. ur ear in re iew section of this issue will gi e you updates on news stories that still ha e mileage for including alley enue losing a lane and amford ta ing o er outhern rogress’ campus. heers to memories of and what’s to come in

Homewood Parks and Rec (B12) Homewood Soccer Club (A8) Homewood Toy & Hobby (A13) Hoover Title Mart (A6) Indian Springs School (B15) Issis & Sons (B15) Johnny Montgomery Realtor (A18) Julie Ivy White (A16) Kelli Gunnells Realtor (B8) Korduroy Krocodile (A7) Lori Zucco Insurance Company (A18) Marguerite’s Conceits (B8) Mary House Kessler, Ph.D (B9) Morningside at Riverchase (A17)

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Dan Starnes Keith McCoy Madoline Markham David Knox Katie Turpen Jessa Pease Sydney Cromwell Madison Miller Karim Shamsi-Basha Emily VanderMey Matthew Allen Rhonda Smith Warren Caldwell Michelle Salem Haynes Nathan Pearman Morgan Robinson Louisa Jeffries Lauren Denton Homewood Star LLC

Contact Information: The Homewood Star #3 Office Park Circle, Suite 316 Birmingham, AL 35223 313-1780 Dan@TheHomewoodStar.com

Please submit all articles, information and photos to: Editor@TheHomewoodStar.com P.O. Box 530341 Birmingham, AL 35253

For advertising contact: Dan@TheHomewoodStar.com Legals: The Homewood Star is published monthly. Reproduction or use of ed-

itorial or graphic content without prior permission is prohibited. The Homewood Star is designed to inform the Homewood community of area school, family and community events. Information in The Homewood Star is gathered from sources considered reliable but the accuracy cannot be guaranteed. All articles/photos submitted become the property of The Homewood Star. We reserve the right to edit articles/photos as deemed necessary and are under no obligation to publish or return photos submitted. Inaccuracies or errors should be brought to the attention of the publisher at (205) 313-1780 or by email.

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On Time Service (A16) Over the Mountain Glass (B2) Oxmoor Valley Orthodontics (B7) Planet Fitness (B3) Project Share (B7) RealtySouth Marketing (A9) Riviera Fitness (A7) Salem’s Diner (B9) Sweat and Gears (B5) The Maids (A10) The Whole Dog Market (B9) Urban Home Market (A3) Vitalogy Wellness Center (A15, B4) Water Drainage Solutions (A7) Weigh To Wellness (A12) Which Wich? (B2) YMCA of Greater Birmingham (B6)

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The Homewood Star

City M a yo r ’ s M i n u t e Dear friends and neighbors, It’s so hard to believe another year has come and gone, but it has. H appy N ew Y ear! W e have many exciting opportunities coming for this year, and I look forward to sharing them with you as those opportunities come closer. I received some interesting facts regarding our police department recently and thought I would pass them along to you. In our officers stopped 1 ,1 8 6 vehicles compared to 1 ,4 7 0 this year. That is an increase of 24 percent. As a result, 9 3 2 citations were written. I have been impressed with how much attention they have been giving in our neighborhoods, and the results are certainly showing. In 20 1 3 there were 28 burglaries. This past year we had 1 1 , which is a 61 percent decrease. In 20 1 3 there were 1 0 vehicle thefts, and this past year we had three. That constitutes a 70 percent decrease. In 20 1 3 our city had 4 2 UB EV s (Unlawful B reaking and Entering V ehicle). This past year there was a 69 percent decrease, resulting in 13. The men and women of the H omewood P olice Department are always working day and night to make our city a safer place in which to li e. The officers also

P lease take a moment and thank them whenever possible. W e are so fortunate to live in a place where so many believe in being charitable. Y ou won’t always read about it in the paper or see it on television, but I hear of so many of our businesses donating and helping others whenever it’s needed. I truly believe it is one of the reasons we continue to be blessed in H omewood. Giving really is better than receiving, and what wonderful role models we have in our city. I also know of residents who would never allow credit be given to them but always bless others by their generosity. The B ible says, “ A glad heart makes a cheerful countenance, and a cheerful heart has a continual feast.” Thanks to all who live this each day and by doing so make H omewood a pretty special place in which to be.

take the time to provide community outreach. An example of this is “ B eards for B ucks.” I was approached some time ago about our officers being allowed to grow beards if they paid a fee to participate. The money raised would go to charities. I liked the concept and agreed to the program, and they raised over $2,200 the past few months. Money raised was given to breast cancer awareness, The Exceptional F oundation and Toys for Tots. In a similar act, one of our well-known stores, H omewood Toy and H obby on 1 8 th S treet, discounted their toys and paid the taxes so the money raised could purchase even more toys. It’s businesses and people like this who make it a pleasure to live and work in H omewood.

S incerely,

S cott McB rayer Mayor City of H omewood

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South Forest Drive parking lot plan rejected

ridge onne ts ianMar o’s ro ert to outh orest rive. esidents on the street have om lained that restaurant ustomers are arking on their street. Photo by Madoline Markham.

By S Y DNE Y C R OM WE

L L

After several weeks on the agenda, the City Council held a public hearing over parking issues on S outh F orest Drive on N ov. 1 7 . Residents had previously brought complaints to the city that employees and customers of GianMarco’s were parking along their neighborhood street, blocking other cars and causing high traffic olumes. W ard 3 P lace 2 Representative W alter Jones presented a possible solution to the pro lem y creating fi e parking spaces on the “ pocket park” directly behind GianMarco’s. The proposed parking space design would not use the entirety of the park’s area but would req uire removal of shrubbery on the city-owned lot. S outh F orest Drive resident Roland L ewis spoke against this proposal, saying that children on the street play

in that park freq uently and adding parking spaces would only increase traffic on the road. H e also noted that since GianMarco’s began using employee and valet customer parking at the Jefferson County satellite courthouse, the problem had been reduced. W ard 4 P lace 1 Representative B arry S mith and W ard 2 P lace 2 Representative V ance Moody agreed with L ewis a out the potential for increased traffic and were uncon inced that fi e spaces would ma e a significant impact on the problem. Mayor S cott McB rayer updated the council on the progress of the nearby S hort S aulter Road project, which includes 1 6 new parking spaces. W hen McB rayer said the project was scheduled for completion by the end of the year, the council voted to table the issue until they could see if the S hort S aulter project had an effect on parking and traffic for the residential street.

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January 2015 • A5

Islamic Academy rezoning tabled

The Islamic Academy of Alabama is looking to rezone property on 18th Street to build additional parking and a playground. Photo by Madoline Markham.

By S Y DNE Y C R OM W

E L L

The City Council held a public hearing on Dec. 1 about rezoning the property at 250 1 , 2513 and 2517 18t h S t. S . to Institutional District, but ultimately decided to delay making a decision. The Islamic Academy of Alabama owns the property and wants to build additional parking and a playground, with a buffer area between the property and the road. Joseph Miller III represented the school during the hearing and said the rezoning is needed because the school plans to resurvey its property and make it one large lot. W ard 5 P lace 2 Representative P eter W right asked about remediation plans for the school’s previous attempt to build a parking lot, which was done without permits and resulted in damage to the cliff edge of 1 8 th S treet S outh. Miller replied that there had not yet been remediation, but the rezoning issue under discussion was an attempt to “ basically start over and build the

parking lots correctly.” S ome confusion also arose over the property’s right-of-way, as Miller believed that the city of H omewood owned it and the council believed it belonged to AL DOT. Director of Engineering, P lanning and Z oning Greg Cobb spoke up, saying that AL DOT had claimed to give the right-of-way to the city, but H omewood had no record of this. “ Unfortunately, we’ve got two problems that are not resolved, and I don’t see how we can move forward until those are resolved,” W right said. Council chairman B ruce L imbaugh closed the public hearing and decided to continue the issue until the problems of right-of-way ownership and the school’s cliff edge remediation could be resolved. The item was also sent back to the planning and development committee, but the committee did not discuss the issue at its Dec. 8 m eeting.

Council updates By S Y DNE Y C R OM W

E L L

City Council business in December included: } Approving the installation of s p e e d h u m p s in the alley between Oxmoor Road and Reese S treet. } Approval of $ 8 7 0 for removing yellow hash lines and restriping turn lanes at the Ox m o o r R oad / E d ge vi e w Ave n u e i n t e r s e c t i on . } Approval of $950 to create center and edge lines for P ar k r i d ge Dr i ve . } Approval of an on or off premises beer and table wine license for L i n H u a S u p e r m ar k e t , located at 22 Green S prings H ighway. } Approval of a restaurant liq uor license for J i m ‘ N Ni c k ’ s , located at 220 Oxmoor Road. } Approving a variation to the f r o n t ya r d f e n c e o r d i n a n c e to place an eight-foot-high wooden fence within the right-of-way at 4 0 3

Oxmoor Road. } Authorizing the mayor to renew the city’s three-year contract with R e p u b l i c S e r vi c e s f or r e c yc l i n g an d d i s p os al s e r vi c e s . } Amendment of the 20 1 3 -20 1 4 budget to transfer $64,0 for the P ar k C om m u n i t y C e n t e r p r oj e c t . } Authorizing the mayor to enter a franchise agreement with Al ab am a P ow e r . This is a renewal of a contract that was first created in 1985. } ppro al of an estoppel certificate to pre vent the sale of the property located at 1903 29t h Ave n u e S ou t h . } Authorization for the mayor to sign an Al ab a m a De p a r t m e n t o f C o m m u n i t y a n d E c o n o m i c Af f a i r s (ADECA) grant application. If received, the grant will provide $ 1 0 ,0 0 0 for the police department to purchase in-car video systems.

Tree recycling to n fit co nity a d n H omewood residents can recycle their Christmas trees now through Jan. 10. Mulch created from the trees will be used in the Community Garden and its outdoor classroom. The H omewood H igh S chool and Middle S chool Environmental Clubs, H omewood City S chools, Community Garden and Recycle Alabama are working with the city to coordinate the recycling program.

This year trees can be dropped off at the Community Garden on the old H omewood Middle S chool site, which is adjacent to the new B oard of Education building at 450 Dale Ave. All collected trees will be run through a chipper, and the mulch they create will be used for landscaping around the city.

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Now Open Sprout & Pour, a juicery located at 9 27 Oxmoor Road, is now open. The juice bar offers fresh, cold-pressed juices from a variety of produce. 266-6772. sproutandpour.com.

Birmingham Medical, Inc., 1 3 0 S outhcrest Drive, is now open. The clinic offers a full range of advanced treatments for acute and chronic pain. 502-7751.

Relocations and Renovations ENT & Allergy Associates has relocated to 51 6 B rookwood B oulevard. 776-3131.

The Trak Shak, 28 3 9 1 8 th S t. S outh, is undergoing a renovation of its store. 870-5644. trakshak.com.

January 2015 • A7 Drive, now offers rehabilitation and skilled nursing in addition to assisted living and memory care services already offered. 870-0786. brookdale.com. Vitalogy Wellness Center, 27 0 4 20 th S t. S outh, is now offering a new anti-aging treatment, Dermapen facial rejuvenation. The procedure tightens, lifts and rejuvenates the skin. 413-8599. vitalogywellness.com.

Hirings and Promotions Cardiovascular Associates, a B rookwood Medical P artner, has welcomed three new physicians to its practice: Alfred W .H . S tanley Jr., MD; S aji C. Jacob, MD; and B enjamin R. P laisance, MD, MP H . One of its four campuses is located at 20 1 0 B rookwood Medical Center Drive, S uite 4 1 5. 510-5000. cvapc.com.

Business news

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News and Accomplishments Medica Stand-Up MRI has changed its name to Open Upright MRI. The imaging clinic is located at 3 1 0 5 Independence Drive, S uite 1 0 1 . 871-3335.

Brookdale Place University Park, 4 0 0 University P ark

Anniversaries

Christopher Architecture & Interiors, 3 0 4 0 Independence Drive, is celebrating its 1 0 th anniversary in January. 413-8531. christopherai.com.

10 Dreamcakes, 9 60 Oxmoor

Road, is celebrating its sixth anniversary in January. 871-9377. dreamcakes-bakery.com.

Coming Soon

Business news Expansion

to share? If you are in a brick and mortar business in Homewood and want to share your event with the community, let us know.

Coming Soon The Homewood Star Email dan@thehomewoodstar.com

Expansion

Water Drainage Solutions If you are in a brick and mortar business in Homewood and want to share your event with the community, let us know.

The Homewood Star Email dan@thehomewoodstar.com

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Y ear in preview

W hat to watch f or around H om ewood in the up com ing y ear raffic a eviation movin forward on moor

The Exceptional Foundation is currently building an expansion for its Oxmoor Road facility. Photo by Madoline Markham.

Exceptional Foundation expanding Construction is underway at The Exceptional F oundation. A new youth center and additional parking will be completed adjacent to its current building this year. They will occupy 1 61 0 and 1 61 2 Oxmoor Road,

which previously were the site of two residential buildings. Architects for the F oundation said the building is designed to be one story.

P lans are moving forward to impro e moor oad traffic from the Oxmoor B oulevard/ Green S prings H ighway intersection to B arber Court. Construction could begin as early as arch ut a definite timeline has not yet been set. The city received public feedback to finali e its plans after ayor cott McB rayer executed right-of-way acqui sition and construction and utility agreements with the S tate of Alabama for the project. In this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s city budget, $450,0 was designated for the plans. The project will add new east and westbound lanes on Oxmoor B oulevard, remove the Alabama P ower transmission tower on that street and make changes to the I-65 ramps. It will also add left turn lanes at S cott S treet, two places on V ulcan Road,

both sides of the Columbiana Road/ P alisades B oulevard intersection and on Oxmoor B oulevard at the Green S prings/ Oxmoor Road/ P alisades intersection. City S enior P lanner V anessa McGrath said the improvements will simplify driving on Oxmoor B oulevard by reducing the number of lane shifts requi red to travel the street. Additionally, the city will remove two traffic signals on the east end of Oxmoor Road and at Cobb S treet while also eliminating left turns from Cobb S treet to Oxmoor B oulevard. The project will also add sidewalks to W est Oxmoor Road. City Council Member F red H awkins said the project is estimated to cost around $ 6 million, of which H omewood will pay 20 percent and AL DOT will pay 80 pe rcent.

2015

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It takes far more than a mathematical equation to determine your home’s worth.

IT TAKES A LOCAL EXPERT.

The Exceptional Foundation is currently building an expansion for its Oxmoor Road facility. Photo by Madoline Markham.

The start of a new greenway phase P lans for construction of P hase II of the S hades Creek Greenway are behind its original schedule but expected to begin this year. K eith S trickland of Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood estimates construction will start in the summer or fall. The city is currently in the process of acq uiring the property needed to construct the greenway, and AL DOT is reviewing the construction drawings. The project was allocated $1.1 million in the city’s 20142015 budge t. The completed greenway will allow pedestrians to travel between B rookwood V illage

and W est H omewood P ark. P hase II of the greenway will stretch across S hades Creek under I-65 and end on the back side of the Jefferson County Environmental S ervices F acility. F rom there it will travel north to connect with parking lots in W ildwood. S trickland estimates that P hase III will begin a year after the completion of P hase II. P hase III will extend across L akeshore P arkway into W est H omewood P ark. F ederal funding will sponsor 8 0 percent of the project while local funds will cover 20 percent.

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City history book to be published A new H omewood pictorial history book will be released around Christmas 2015. Jake Collins, an eighth-grade history teacher at H omewood Middle S chool, and Martha W urtele will be co-authoring the project. Collins leads his students in a H omewood H istory Hunt where they find historical places using Collins’ clues and post pictures of them to social media. The book will be part of Arcadia P ublishing’s

Images of America series, which has recently released books about neighboring V estavia H ills, Mountain B rook and H oover. Collins asks that anyone with photos of H omewood prior to the 1980s contact him at mrjakecollins@ gmail.com if they are willing to share the images. F or more information on H omewood H istory H unt, visit homewoodhistoryhunt.blogspot.com.

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Samford moving onto Southern Progress campus As of year’s end, S amford University was in negotiations to become the new owner of the 28 -acre S outhern P rogress Corporation campus on L akeshore Drive. etsy Holloway chief mar eting officer at S amford, said the acqui sition was anticipated to be complete by the end of 20 1 5.The corporation campus currently houses three large buildings and 1 ,0 7 3 parking spaces adjacent to S amford’s eastern side of campus. The plan is for S outhern P rogress’ current S outhern Liv ing , C ook ing Lig ht, C oas tal Liv ing , book publisher Oxmoor H ouse operations to remain in one of the three buildings after Time Inc. signs a multi-year lease with S amford for the space. H olloway said that they hope that S outhern P rogress operations

will move to the building furthest to the east so that they can occupy the two buildings closest to the existing campus. The initial plan is to relocate the S amford’s College of H ealth S ciences to one building of the other buildings. The university has not yet determined a purpose for the second building. It could become additional classroom space or be leased to businesses until S amford expands to need it. H olloway estimates it would take about a year to prepare a building for the college to move, and that the university would also add a pedestrian and road connection between the existing campus and newly acqui red property. The price for the property is in excess of $50 m illion.

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Potential new businesses in West Homewood W est H omewood could look a little different later this year. The vacant lot next to P atriot P ark could be replaced with a two-story collection of family-friendly businesses as early as this fall. The planning process for the building at the intersection of Oxmoor Road and Oak Grove Road is still in its early stages. The cornerstone of the building would be The Grove, a N ew Orleans-style restaurant with a soda fountain and a menu that ranges from coffee and beignets to jambalaya and gumbo. There would also be outdoor patio seating. Details about other occupants of the space are still being worked out, but new local shops or vendors from H omewood’s summer and night markets are two possibilities. The upper story of the building is currently planned to become an event space

and feature balconies for patrons to enjoy views of the park. This property is part of the 24 parcels of land that were rezoned into the W est H omewood District last may, bringing these properties along Oxmoor Road, Oak Grove Road and S cott S treet into the new district in accordance with a form-based code approved in 2013. The code ensures consistent character of buildings in the area, much like those seen in Edgewood or downtown H omewood. It applies to all future renovations or new construction along Oxmoor Road and Oak Grove Road. To learn more about the plan, visit westhomewoodplan.com. More details about The Grove will become available in the spring as plans are finali ed.

Planning for 65-Lakeshore traffic improvements alle

venue’s our lanes will e narrowed to three to redu e s eed on the orridor.

Valley losing a lane V alley Avenue will soon be a three-lane road. L ast summer, the council approved a plan to change the road in response to resident complaints about speeding. S peeding had posed a safety hazard for residents who have to park close to the street, as well as children walking to and from H omewood Middle S chool. In a traffic study ipper onsulting had

recommended one lane going in each direction and a turn lane in the middle. To complete the project, the city allocated $ 4 0 0 ,0 0 0 from last year’s budget for the resurfacing project. The police department is also conducting targeted speed enforcement on V alley Avenue until the improvements have been made.

Changes to the I-65-L akeshore intersection will be coming in the city’s long-term plans. Engineering for the improvement project was budgeted for $ 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 this year. A year ago the city began an engineering contract began with V olkert, Inc. to address congestion issues on L akeshore Drive between Green S prings H ighway and the H omewood Commons retail district with a Diverging Diamond Interchange. i erging iamond crosses traffic to the opposite side of the road at the bridge, which creates an opportunity for drivers to

veer left onto the interstate without stopping. It also allows vehicles approaching L akeshore from I-65 off ramps to merge into traffic instead of waiting for a light. V olkert’s proposal to H omewood indicated that installing a Diverging Diamond at L akeshore would cost approximately . million assuming no ridge modifications were requi red. It could requi re as little as two years to complete. The study phase timeline of 6 to 9 months will be followed by another 1 2 to 1 5 months of design, followed by construction.

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TheHomewoodStar.com

January 2015 • A11

Chamber National Guard commander addresses chamber By M ADOL INE M AR KH AM Col. Clifford James addressed the H omewood Chamber of Commerce about the 1 1 7 th Air Refueling W ing of the Alabama Air N ational Guard at a Dec. 16 l uncheon. W hen it started in 1922, the wing was the first a iation unit in the state and the se enth in the nation. Today it is the longest continuing unit to use the same emblem, which came from the B irmingham family heraldry in England. The wing occupies 1 4 5 acres near the B irmingham-S huttlesworth International Airport for its primary mission to refuel and support the ir orce a y and arines using a drogue refueling techniq ue. It employs about 1,10 N ational Guard members in its wing and has about a $ 1 1 0 million annual impact on the community. In 1 9 61 , the unit lost four pilots in the ay of igs In asion in u a. fter ept. one of their planes was air orne e ery minute for 30 da ys straight to refuel plans. “ In a moment’s notice, they can run to the airplane li e you see in the mo ies and e in the air in 15 m inutes,” James said. In addition to its federal role, the N ational uard also ser es the go ernor at the state le el in peacetime. W hen the April 27 , 20 1 1 , tornadoes hit, the wing sent 75 Air N ational Guard members to P ratt City to protect people’s property and to help pass out food and water and clean up. They were also in ol ed with Hurricane K atrina and Gulf Oil S pill relief efforts. Also at the meeting, outgoing Chamber

Preview of

January Luncheon

State of the City With Mayor Scott McBrayer Tuesday, Jan. 13 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. The Club Register at homewoodchamber.org

2014 Chamber Awards Ambassador of the Year Julia Benson, Advanced Eye Care

Col. Clifford James speaks to the Homewood Chamber of Commerce about the 117th Air Refueling Wing of the Alabama Air National Guard. Photo by Madoline Markham.

P resident Trey S chaefer recognized Executi e irector Tricia ord for her years of ser ice she retired at the end of . Incoming ham er resident erric Wilson recog nized the 20 1 5 Chamber B oard members: resident lect i e randt Immediate ast P resident Trey S chaefer, S ecretary P atrick ar er Treasurer andy chwarting ice

resident of usiness e elopment Walter rown ice resident of ommunity ffairs immy oore ice resident for o ern ment Affairs S tephen P reston, John Christopher B atts, Gary K amenicky, Tricia K irk, rian c ool ichael organ lan atel te e Thomas and ill Todd.

Chamber Member of the Year Morgan Walls, Alabama Allergy & Asthma Center Businesses of the Year LAH Realty Aabco Rents Community Service Award Tricia Kirk, The Exceptional Foundation

A12 • January 2015

The Homewood Star

Community Ballroom Dance Marathon benefits Exceptional Foundation F or more than a decade, ballroom dancers from all over the S outheast have gathered in H omewood for a weekend full of dancing and dance classes. Many weary hours later, with happy faces, sore feet and brains full of new dance moves, these folks are already looking forward to the following year’s event. The event originally started during N ational B allroom Dance W eek to earn money for a new dance floor for H omewood S enior Center, but money raised through this year’s e ent will enefit the summer program for The Exceptional F oundation a non profit organi ation for individuals with special needs. This year’s event will start on F riday evening, Jan. 9 with a dance featuring live music by B irmingham dance band The Classics at The Exceptional F oundation, 1 61 6 Oxmoor Road. There will be exhibitions by local dancers, including a special exhibition by the foundation’s Exceptional Dancing S tars. S aturday, Jan. 10 will feature six hours of dance workshops taught on three dance floors y nine different teachers. Our L ady of S orrows’ school and F amily L ife Center will provide extra dance space for dancers of all levels.

New York Times’ David Brooks to speak at Samford By M ADOL INE M AR KH AM

The weekend-long event ends with a dance competition.

Dances offered include the fox trot walt swing rum a mam o cha cha, tano and bolero. S aturday evening brings semi-formal dance at the Exceptional F oundation with music by the Tradewinds, exhibitions and food. F inally, a competition will be held S unday afternoon, Jan. 1 1 for

dancers of all levels. Entry for competitors is $15, and spectators can attend for free. The weekend pass for the event costs $ 1 25. To req uest a registration form, email curtnwendy@ hotmail. com or visit dancemarathon-birmingham.com. -Subm itted by B arbara P il ato

est From Birmingham's b

David B rooks is scheduled to speak on Tuesday, Jan. 1 3 , at 6: 3 0 p.m. at S amford’s W right Center as a part of S aint L uke’s Claypool L ecture S eries. In the past, the series has brought speakers such as B rené B rown and the authors of S am e Kind of Dif f erent A s M e to honor the service of the Rev. John Claypool, a preacher and Christian author who previously served at S aint L uke’s. B rooks has been an op-ed columnist at The N ew Y ork Tim es since 20 0 3 . H is columns are currently published in the paper on Tuesdays and F ridays. H e is also a freq uent commentator on N P R and appears on the P B S N ewshour. H e is the author of B obos I n P aradis e: The N ew U p p er C l as s and H ow They G ot There, O n P aradis e Driv e: H ow W e Liv e N ow ( A nd A l way s H av e) in the F uture Tens e and, most recently, The S ocial A nim al : The H idden S ources of Lov e, C haracter, and A chiev em ent. S t. L uke’s Rector Rich W ebster specifically wanted roo s to know the context of B irmingham in addressing the topic, “ H ow do people with influence use their faith as a moral center to change the world? ” “ The mountain that separates B irmingham is wonderful and terrible,” W ebster said of what he explained to

New York Times columnist David Brooks

B rooks. “ It can easily divide haves and have nots.” W ebster believes B rooks is the ideal person to speak to the topic. H e has long admired B rooks’ thoughts and passions and, most recently, seeing him emerge as a consistent moral voice for people in leadership roles. I thin people will find in a id someone who is universally admired for his capacity to listen to different points of view,” W ebster said. “ H e is that rare pu lic figure who doesn’t retreat into the camp of the likeminded. That’s the kind of diversity we need to have in this city.” Tickets are $ 25 and available at tickets.samford.edu or by contacting N ancy Cain at 802- 6200.

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TheHomewoodStar.com

January 2015 • A13

Show stoppers Lakeshore Foundation hosts wheelchair basketball and rugby tournaments By M ADIS ON M IL L E R W hen L isa H ilborn is asked what a wheelchair basketball game is like, she points out the high action nature of the game and the athletic ability of its players. As a coach of the L akeshore L ightning team, she believes wheelchair basketball athletes are often more talented than able-bodied athletes. “ W heelchair basketball is far more cerebral than able-bodied basketball,” H ilborn said. “ The ability to function exclusively by virtue of superior chair skills and an inability to move up the court ma es one thin fi e si steps ahead. W hile wheelchair basketball is one of the most recognized wheelchair sports, another gaining in popularity is wheelchair rugby. Often depicted as a physical and at times violent sport, rugby’s wheelchair counterpart is no exception. In order to q ualify for L akeshore’s team, athletes must have impairment in all four limbs. S upport staffer Meagan Rowe said that she has often seen athletes use skills that she would have never thought possible. “ To see how they can play the game with a lack of function in their hands is kind of amazing to see,” Rowe said. L akeshore’s teams will soon be put to the test

in the training facility’s upcoming wheelchair basketball and rugby tournaments. Each tournament will invite teams across the country to compete. This year, the P ioneer Classic W heelchair B asketball Tournament will run for its 27 th year. The tournament began in 1987 as an idea from Jo F owler, a member of B ellS outh’s community service organization, The P ioneers. Throughout the years, the tournament has invited championship division III college and junior level teams from across the country to compete. S ome of the highest ranking teams in the country, including N ew Y ork and Orlando, will attend. B oth L akeshore’s professional and youth teams will also enter the classic this year. P lacing upper level teams and youth side by side, H ilborn said, is an important part of the tournament’s design. “ They get to compete right alongside a paralympian on another court,” she said. “ [ They have] the opportunity to say, ‘ Oh my goodness, this is what I could do.’” W inners of the P ioneer Classic W heelchair B asketball Tournament will have their win count toward their standing to compete in the national tournament in L ouisville in April. Also upcoming is the L akeshore’s Demolition Derby. It began 1 8 years ago and, like

Teams compete in the 2014 Pioneer Classic. Photo courtesy of Lakeshore Foundation.

the P ioneer Classic, continues to invite teams throughout the nation. This year, eight teams, including the L akeshore Demolition team, will compete. S everal L akeshore team members have already competed in the P aralympic games and have earned gold and bronze medals. Each year, the events tend to draw a crowd, but H ilborn and Rowe believe that more community involvement is never a bad thing. “ One of the most important aspects for us at L akeshore is for people to see these individuals as athletes in every sense of the word,” H ilborn said. The P ioneer Classic will be hosted at L akeshore from Jan. 16 to Jan. 18. The Demolition Derby will be hosted at L akeshore from Jan. 30 to F eb. 1. B oth events are free and open to the public to attend. F or more information, visit lakeshore.org.

Upcoming Tournaments Pioneer Classic Jan. 16-18 Demolition Derby Jan. 30-Feb. 1 Free and open to the public Lakeshore Foundation 4000 Ridge Parkway lakeshore.org

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A14 • January 2015

The Homewood Star

Deployed captain surprises wife at Samford graduation

Arts Council sponsoring photo contest The H omewood Arts Council is inviting the community to participate in its first e er aces P laces and Traces of H omewood” photo contest. The photographs selected will be included in the inaugural exhibit of the H omewood Community Gallery to be installed at City H all. This new program is being offered with the support of the ity of Homewood erry Computer and W olf Camera. Contest categories include people places and things i.e. traces). Entries for the contest will e ad udicated to select first second and third-place winners of each category as well as a B est of S how winner. The H omewood Arts Council is a volunteer commission of the city that is dedicated to

promoting and celebrating the arts. Its past programs have included ic in’ in the ar a coffeehouse music series P ainting in the P ark art classes and an Alabama S ymphony Orchestra concert in H omewood Central P ark. The contest is open to indiiduals organi ations schools and companies and will be adjudicated anonymously. There is no fee to enter. Images must be submitted at a high resolution. More details about contest entry procedures and winner benefits will e a aila le this month on the H omewood Arts Council ace oo page. or more information isit face oo .com homewoodartscouncil or email H omewoodAL ArtsCouncil@ gmail.com.

Kim Scott was overcome with emotion when her husband surprised her at her graduation. Photo by Jessa Pease.

By JE

S S A P E AS E

One of the nursing graduates at S amford University’s nursing school commencement was in for a surprise ec. . When her name was called o er the microphone K im S cott walked to the front of the auditorium to meet her family. cripted words a out her hus and aptain cott tephen told the audience that he was deployed in Afghanistan and K uwait. B ut what was said next wasn’t in the information she had submitted. nd he is here with us today echoed through hades Mountain B aptist Church as her husband crossed the stage to embrace her. I didn’t really now what to do im said later. ll

I was thin ing in my head efore that was et your pin get your lamp and get on stage.’” tephen had managed to fly in that morning at a.m. ust in time for the ceremony. His mother who was the first to now a out his plans said that he was ner ous because he wanted the entire spotlight to be on K im. I was planning to surprise her ut some family ind of surprised us both by making this a little bigger of a thing than I intended tephen said. I was ust planning on un nowingly to her eing her in the audience for the ceremony.” Media outlets from all over B irmingham were there to catch K im’s expression as S tephen walked out. S tephen attended K im’s commissioning and spent time with her for a few days before returning to K uwait.

Save the date for Taste of Homewood This year’s Taste of H omewood event is scheduled for the e ening of Thursday e . . Each year about 3 0 restaurants and caterers gather at Rosewood H all in S oH o to offer tastes to guests. The Mardi Gras-style event is held by the H omewood Chamber of

Commerce and also features live music. Tickets will be available at homewoodchamber.com or at the door. More details will be released soon and will be announced in the next issue of The H om ewood St ar.

TheHomewoodStar.com

January 2015 • A15

Joy Gallery showcases local art BY M ADOL INE M AR KH AM The S unday experience at H omewood Cumberland P resbyterian Church includes more than a worship service and S unday school classes. Everyone also gets to look around the art gallery housed inside the church and the exhibits that rotate through it each month. The church’s pastor, Derek Jacks, often comes into the gallery during the week to clear his head, and the public is welcome to tour it on weekdays. L ocal curators Tom Dameron and Maud Coirier-B elser had talked about opening a gallery for years. W ith a downturn in the economy that started in 2008, they saw galleries close and knew local artists were looking for places to show their work without creating unnecessary stress. “ There is good art, and we want it out there,” Dameron said. And so the Joy Gallery was born inside H omewood Cumberland P resbyterian, where Dameron has been a longtime member. The curators wanted an intimate space, and they found it in what had been Dameron’s parents’ S unday school room for years. Dameron said he feels a “ spiritual connection” to the room. The gallery is about the same size as L yda Rose Gallery, which Dameron owned and ran on Crescent Avenue while he was working as a pharmacist. The gallery closed in 20 0 1 .

2015 Joy Gallery Artist Schedule Jan. 4-Feb. 1 Beth Rhodes Feb. 8-March 8 Miriam McClung March 15-April 12 John Heine April 19-May 17 Maud Coirier-Belser and Kay Williams May 24-June 21 Cary Williams and Emily Bolvig June 28-July 26 Liz Reed Aug. 2-30 Pam Truitt Sept. 6-Oct. 4 Elizabeth Farr Oct. 11-Nov. 8 Randy Newland

Curators Maud Coirier-Belser and Tom Dameron stand with artist Robin Metz at her show at The Joy Gallery. Photo courtesy of Tom Dameron.

S ince opening in April 20 1 2, the Joy Gallery has featured fabric, realistic, abstract, sculpture and plaster relief art. Marking its past exhibitors, a permanent art collection in the hallway outside the gallery displays one piece from each artist who has shown work. “ They are forever connected to us,” Dameron said. Each exhibit lasts about a month and kicks off with an opening on a S unday afternoon from 1- 3 p.m. The exhibits originally lasted six weeks,

but the period was shortened as demand increased. The artists get 9 0 percent of proceeds from their shows, and the other 1 0 percent goes toward overhead expenses for the space. Curators Dameron and Coirier-B elser have known each other for close to 4 0 years and consider one another like family. Dameron said Coirier-B elser draws animals better than anyone he knows, and you never know what she’ll do next.

“ I have a short attention span. I get bored,” she said. W hile Coirier-B elser often favors the abstract, Dameron is more into creating watercolors, etchings and drawings of concrete things. H e has a series of flowers and is currently working on a series of etchings of faces in different mediums. Dameron and Coirier-B elser have shown their own work in the gallery once each since its opening, but at any time you can also find prints and

Nov. 15-Dec. 27 To be announced

cards with their art along the back of the gallery. S till, for them the gallery is about connecting art and artists to the community. “ Art is therapeutic, it’s good for people,” Coirier-B elser said. H omewood Cumberland P resbyterian Church is located at 51 3 Columbiana Road. Gallery hours are Monday-F riday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. F or more information, visit thejoygallery. org or call 942- 3051.

A16 • January 2015

The Homewood Star

Run to benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities

Red Shoe Run 10-Mile, 5K and 1-Mile Fun Run Jan. 10 SoHo Square redshoerun-bham.com

Tips for running in cold weather } Dress in layers. Start with a thin layer of synthetic material such as polypropylene, which wicks sweat from your body. Stay away from cotton because it holds the moisture and will keep you wet. An outer, breathable layer of nylon or Gore-Tex will help protect you against wind and precipitation.

onald M

onald will make an a

} Protect your hands and feet. As much as 30 percent of your body heat escapes through your hands and feet. On mild days, wear running gloves that wick moisture away. Mittens are a better choice on colder days so fin s s a t i ody at

earan e during this ear’s ra e estivities.

By M ADOL INE M AR KH AM Thousands of sets of shoes will hit the streets of H omewood on S aturday, Jan. 1 0 . Many of them will be red. P reviously known as the Red N ose Run, this is the run’s second year known as the Red S hoe Run 10- Mile, 5K and 1- Mile F un Run, a name chosen to etter fit its sponsor c onald’s. The red shoed onald c onald himself will ma e an appearance and festi ities at oHo S qua re and inside Rosewood H all will include games face painting and other fun for all ages. Runners are encouraged to wear red shoes to get in the spirit of the e ent. “ A race in January is a great way to start the

new year and get ac in shape after the holidays said tephanie angford special e ents and mar eting manager for onald c onald H ouse Charities of Alabama (RMH CA). “ The mile run is a wonderful opportunity for runners who plan to participate in the ercedes Half Marathon in F ebruary.” The race enefits onald c onald House Charities of Alabama. The nonprofit organi ation pro ides a safe afforda le supporti e home away from home for sick or injured children and their families when they travel to B irmingham for medical treatment. It also hosts a place to rest and re group near H egional edical enter in Tuscaloosa.

In la ama percent of children do not li e in a county that offers comprehensi e pediatric specialty care so they must tra el to recei e needed services. Many come to Children’s of la ama the third largest pediatric hospital in the U.S . F amilies only donate $ 1 0 -$ 1 5 a night for their stay, and it costs RMH CA $ 65 a night to run each of its 4 1 rooms. On average, each year, more than percent of the money needed to operate the house is raised through local fundraising efforts and donations, including the Red S hoe Run. or more information on onald c onald H ouse, visit rmhca.org.

} Don’t forget your head. About 40 percent of your body heat is lost through your head. Wearing a hat will help prevent heat loss, so your circulatory system will have more heat to distribute to the rest of the body. } Stay hydrated. Despite the cold weather, you’ll still heat up and lose ids t o s at a s yo drink water or a sports drink before, during and after your run. } Take it easy. You’re at greater risk for a pulled muscle when running in the cold, so warm up slowly and run easy on very cold days. -Tips adapted from race website

TheHomewoodStar.com

January 2015 • A17

Homewood Real Estate Listings

692 Oakmoor Drive

MLS #

Zip

Address

Status

Price

613907

35209

692 Oakmoor Drive

New

$174,900

616963

35216

1204 Woodland Village, #1204

New

$84,900

616306

35209

1068 Venetian Circle

New

$104,500

616758

35209

1409 Oxmoor Road, #4

New

$174,900

616412

35209

1831 S 28th Avenue, #270

New

$214,900

615896

35209

140 Rockaway Road

New

$269,000

616067

35209

609 Windsor Drive

New

$349,900

616260

35209

301 Ridge Road

New

$489,900

616065

35209

721 S Wellington Road

New

$609,900

616020

35209

100 University Park Drive

New

$412,000

615233

35209

239 La Prado Place

New

$899,900

301 Ridge Road

Real estate listings sent to The Homewood Star by Julie White of Lucas & Associates between Nov. 14 and Dec. 17. Agents and agency vary by property.

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A18 • January 2015

The Homewood Star

SALAMANDERS

CONTINUED from page A1 for this group, it is worth getting out of bed at any time of night. A few weeks later the salamanders return to the forest, leaving in the pool masses of jelly with eggs inside. S oon the next generation will come into eing and find its way into the forest. i e salmon they tend to go back to the same pool where they were born late in life to mate. There are nine types of salamanders in the forest preserve, but it is the spotted salamander that has become the icon of the F riends’ annual festival, scheduled this year for Jan. 3 1 . The spotted salamander represents the environment well because it depends on undisturbed forest to live all year long and on pools of water near them for reproduction, B lackwood said. “ W e want people to think about how a lot of wildlife needs two different environments,” B lackwood said. “ There are so many creatures you can’t see. W e wouldn’t know the spotted salamanders were there unless we saw their migration.” S alamanders, which live 20 to 3 0 years, are also a good indicator of a healthy environment, B lackwood said. They are the first things to go when something is wrong,” she said. The S alamander F estival began 1 1 years ago to draw attention to the H omewood F orest P reserve. At the time, the city had recently purchased the property from S amford University. The F riends of S hades Creek, which started in 1 9 9 8 , wanted to preserve the forest to prevent future development of the natural area, which has little sign of ever having been cut. W orking with the city, they secured a conservation easement for its 65 acres in 20 0 8 . Today the spotted salamander’s environment is mostly safe from harm. Its only threat in recent years has come from traffic around Homewood H igh S chool. In 20 1 2, the salamander migration egan as traffic was letting out from as et all games at the school. F orty-seven of the creatures were killed that night. S ince then, the F riends have worked with the city to put up barricades in the parking lot near

Michelle Blackwood and Henry Hughes point out the area in a pool off of South Lakeshore Drive where they have seen spotted salamanders migrate to mate in Januarys past. Blackwood and Hughes are leaders of the Friends of Shades Creek, which is planning its annual Salamander Festival this month. Photo by Madoline Markham.

the armory if the migration happens during hours when people are at the school. City Chief of S taff J.J. B ischoff and Mayor S cott McB rayer have been supportive of the salamander conservation efforts, B lackwood said. “ W e want H omewood to be livable not only for people but also for critters,” she said. B akkegard was able to use DN A from the salamanders killed in 20 1 2 to study the biodiversity of the population; she found that there is great gene diversity in the population. At the festival on Jan. 3 1 , kids and adults alike can hold salamanders and ask local biologists and naturalists q uestions about them. UAB biologist K en Marion will bring his “ stable of salamanders,” and other animals from S hades Creek will also be on display. The creek is home to the goldline darter, a threatened species, and the Alabama shiner, which is endangered and has brought more interest in water q uality to the area.

“ The festival is about the environment, but we want people to learn about other things too,” B lackwood said. “ It’s fun with an educational element to it.” Other displays will feature birds, fossils, native plants and the H omewood H igh S chool Environmental Club’s projects. The H erb Trotman B and will play bluegrass music, and tickets can be purchased for a chocolate fountain. All other activities are free. This year’s event will also feature an art contest for works representing S hades Creek; cash prizes will be given to winners. At 4 p.m., B rown will tell the story of the salamander. A hundred years ago you could still see migrations of buffalo out W est, he will say, and now that’s gone. B ut we can see a natural migration of a creature in our backyard that has been doing so for thousands of years.

11th Annual Salamander Festival Presented by the Friends of Shades Creek

Saturday, Jan. 31 Homewood Senior Center 2 p.m. Nature Hike, Patriot Park 3-5:30 p.m. Festival 4 p.m. Presentation by Friends of Shades Creek and city officials

TheHomewoodStar.com

January 2015 • A19

ohn right r. a ormer Homewood Cit Coun il mem er attended a nan e ommittee meeting on Dec. 15 to advocate for the city to maintain its transit services. At the meeting, he also passed out “Be Kind” bumper stickers. Photo by Madoline Markham.

BUSES

CONTINUED from page A1 Executive Director Ann August said the cuts also affect midday service for Dudley and about 69 elderly and disabled H omewood residents who use the V IP paratransit minibuses along these routes. The routes cover downtown H omewood, Green S prings H ighway, L akeshore P arkway, B roadway Avenue and B rookwood H ospital, among other stops. The H omewood City Council voted in S eptember to reduce its B JCTA contribution to around $ 1 3 1 ,0 0 0 as part of the 20 1 4 -20 1 5 budget. P rior to this reduction, H omewood received around 4 ,9 0 0 service hours from the B JCTA for an estimated 4 50 daily riders. The council decided to reduce the city’s contribution in part because H omewood has not had representation on the B JCTA board since 2012 and the service seemed underutilized by residents. “ It’s driving through our city, costing us money, frankly, and it’s not being used,” W ard 1 P lace 2 Representative B ritt Thames said during a ec. finance committee meeting on the subject. August and other B JCTA employees have attended multiple finance committee meetings to make the case that H omewood should return to its original funding level and provide alternatives within the new budget. Communication issues between the city and B JCTA were a repeat topic throughout the meetings. B oth Thames and W ard 2 P lace 1 Representative F red H awkins said in a Dec. 8 meeting that they had almost never heard from B JCTA officials throughout their ser ice on the council. The committee also brought up that the B JCTA increased H omewood’s rates by $ 4 7 ,0 0 0 in the fiscal year without notice. fter the council approved its reduced contribution in S eptember, there was also confusion on both sides about billing and service changes. “ There’s not good communication going on for a non-represented municipality,” W ard 5 P lace 2 Representative P eter W right said. “ That needs to change.” After several of these meetings, August decided that the B JCTA would begin peak hours operation on Dec. 22 to “ cut our losses.” The finance committee decided in a ec. specially called meeting to approve $ 8 ,0 0 0 of funding to keep full bus services running until Jan. 3 1. This buys the City Council additional time to consider the issue, especially as it affects paratransit services. aratransit ser ices can only operate on fi ed bus lines, so these services will also lapse in the middle of the day for Routes 39 and 42 beginning Jan. 3 1 . H owever, many paratransit riders go shopping or to medical appointments in the middle of the day. These errands cannot always be completed during the peak hours windows, meaning paratransit riders will be forced to call a cab, rely on friends or wait until the buses resume afternoon service to get home. F or riders who need specialized eq uipment, such as a wheelchair ramp, even those options may not be possible. “ Most of what I want to do is during the middle of the day,” said Gerald Y eager, a retiree living on Morris B oulevard. Y eager uses the

paratransit service associated with Route 3 9 and feels like he will be imposing on friends to ask for rides. The lack of midday paratransit also affects community programs for residents with disabilities, such as the L akeshore F oundation and the Exceptional F oundation. Amy Rauworth, the director of policy and public affairs at the L akeshore F oundation, said at least 50 of their members use paratransit every week to get to the foundation. This includes four members of the power soccer team, who need the buses to travel to their 2 p.m. practices. It’s significant and honestly people with disabilities and older adults don’t have a lot of other options,” Rauworth said. In response to this pro lem the finance committee is considering contracting with ClasTran to replace the missing services for elderly and disabled riders. ClasTran would be cheaper for the city, but its standard one-way fare is $ 4 , twice as much as the MAX buses. ClasTran may also need to add a new bus to accommodate these new midday riders. ClasTran funding is also under the B JCTA’s purview, so the board would have to approve this new service before it could take effect. Relationships between the City Council and the B JCTA are currently strained over this issue, and it is unknown whether the B JCTA board would approve the decision. Even if it is approved, ClasTran may not be the ideal solution the council is hoping for. B oth Y eager and Dudley said that ClasTran is less dependable than the B JCTA service. Cindy Jones, the president of the B irmingham chapter of the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and B lind, said she has seen many clients unable to keep jobs or make it to appointments on time because of ClasTran. “ MAX is much more reliable than ClasTran,” Jones said. “ W hy would you duplicate the service? L et’s improve V IP and let ClasTran handle outlying areas.” Dudley recalled once being left at a bus stop with his guide dog when a ClasTran bus did not stop to pick him up. “ They are awful about picking people up. I’ve dealt with them before,” Dudley said. “ Everyone I know that rides ClasTran hates them.” S ome riders of the regular routes are also unhappy with the prospect of reduced hours. Melanie L ewis, who lives near Route 3 9 ’s B roadway Avenue stops, said she uses the bus for field trips to ailroad ar and to go to B arons games with her husband and son. “ I’d be sad to lose Route 3 9 ,” L ewis said. “ I think it’s a great opportunity to learn about mass transit and reducing pollution.” Instead of cutting hours, L ewis said the city should try publicizing the service to increase ridership. S he noted that Regions F ield and McW ane S cience Center are both accessible through the buses, and reduced entry fees for bus riders could encourage their popularity. “ Downtown B irmingham is really taking off. I just hate to see H omewood distancing itself from that,” L ewis said. The ne t finance committee meeting is Monday, Jan. 5. ClasTran is expected to present a proposal at this meeting, and the mayor is already authorized to enter a contract with ClasTran if the proposal is approved.

The Homewood Star

SECTION B School House B2 Sports B7 Calendar B14 Opinion B15

HCS relay teams raising funds for Bell Center participants through Patriot Partners By M ADOL INE M AR KH AM A team of H omewood students crossed the Mercedes Marathon Relay finish line with a special friend in tow last year. The team had been running to raise money for a B ell Center participant, and she completed the last 10 ya rds with them. “ It really connected them with how powerful this is,” said Jennifer Andress, who is helping organize the P atriot P artners program the runners participated in. The second set of seven P atriot P artners relay teams will complete the relay during the Mercedes Marathon weekend this year, which is scheduled for F eb. 21 -22. Elementary, middle and high school runners, along with coaches and even S uperintendent B ill Cleveland, team up to train and raise money for the B ell Center for Early Intervention programs. Together, teams of fi e complete a full . mile marathon by splitting the distance: two 5K s, two 10K s and a 12K . Each team is running for an individual child at the center, which provides special education, speech and physical therapy and other services to children up to age 3 who are at risk for developmental delay — all without receiving any outside funding. “ The love of is running is lifelong,

moving,” P orter said. “ One of my seniors who was a state champion told me he sometimes gets consumed by the competition in running and that it was refreshing to realize something he has taken for granted, that there are kids out there who can never experience the joy of running.” P atriot P artners is accep ting donation f or its Y ard S al e, which wil l be hel d Sat urday , J an. 24 f rom 7- 10 a.m . in f ront of S hades C ahaba E l em entary S chool on H ol l y wood B oul ev ard. A l l f unds rais ed wil l be s p l it ev enl y am ong the P atriot P artners rel ay team s ’ f undrais ing goal s f or The B el l C enter. R oy al C up C of f ee wil l be s erv ing co ee to enefit t e teams. F or m ore inf orm ation, v is it f acebook .com / P atriotP artners or thebel l center.org.

ne o last ear’s atriot artners teams a roa hes the nish line o the Mer edes Marathon ear seven teams will raise unds or The ell Center through the rogram.

and runners are typically activists,” P orter said. “ The teams who came away with the most [ last year] were those that made a connection with their child.” L ikewise, this year P orter and Andress are working to help better

connect the teams and the children at the B ell Center. Each team is charged with raising or for each mile they run, and Andress is helping them to do so. “ F undraising can be daunting,”

ela . This

Andress said. “ W e want to make it easier [ for the participants] .” The teams are also meeting to learn more about the B ell Center and share the mission of the center with the community. “ Their reactions [ last year] were

Patriot Partners Yard Sale Saturday, Jan. 24 7-10 a.m. Shades Cahaba Elementary School facebook.com/PatriotPartners

B2 • January 2015

The Homewood Star

School House Schools Foundation has new board members

irk Mills

ris

ri n

H omewood City S chools F oundation recently welcomed fi e new oard mem ers. Courtney F rench is an attorney and founding partner of F uston, P etway & F rench. H e graduated from the Cumerland chool of aw in and then ser ed as a law cler for ustice Ralph D. Cook of the S upreme Court of la ama. He is married to udge i rench and they ha e three children, two of whom are students at hades aha a lementary. ris riffin is a graduate of Homewood High chool and amford niersity. he has fi e children in the school system, one at H omewood Middle S chool and four at S hades aha a lementary. he has ser ed as a room parent, the W inter F estial olunteer coordinator and most recently as the T president. he is the owner of rt Tots which offers

Tom Jeffries

Courtne

art classes for preschool children. S he and her hus and ar are acti e mem ers at awson amily of aith. Tom effries is a Homewood H igh S chool graduate and is currently employed y The edicines Company in pharmaceutical sales. He is acti e in a num er of leadership capacities at Trinity ethodist hurch including as a mem er of the dministrati e oard and the F inance Committee. H e is married to L ouisa, and has three children, Reed, a sixth-grader at H MS , and Anne and a twins who will start indergarten ne t year at dgewood. K ristie McCullough is a graduate of H omewood City S chools and is employed as a senior consultant at Clarus Consulting Group. S he has e tensi e nonprofit e perience and is a mem er of the eadership irmingham lass of . he has ser ed in

ren h

Zeng wins statewide art show

ristie M Cullough

arious leadership positions at Trinity nited ethodist and has also een acti e in The Women’s etwor and the eading dge d isory oard. ristie has a daughter arah Trammell, who is a tenth-grader at H H S . ir ills is a Homewood High chool graduate and is a ice president at V olkert, Inc., an engineering and planning firm. He has held a num er of leadership positions at Trinity nited ethodist is acti e in professional engineering organizations and has een acti ely in ol ed in H omewood recreational sports. He has also een a participant in the L eadership B irmingham program. K irk is married to S uzanne, and they ha e twin sons u e and aul who are first graders at Hall ent and two year old am who is at Trinity in P re K .

ngela eng’s winning art show entr was a sel

ortrait.

H omewood H igh S chool student Angela Z eng recently won the S tatewide H igh S chool Juried Art S how. H er self-portrait drawing was chosen from a field of pieces su mitted. uror Terry tric land descri ed the winning piece as ery honest and well composed.” F ellow H H S student Christine L e won the B est of Mixed Media award in the show. As a part of the show, students had the opportunity to speak with representati es from the ni ersity of onte allo and art departments a out the art programs offered y their schools.

TheHomewoodStar.com

January 2015 • B3

OLS celebrates veterans mass

Boy Scout Troop 237, the American Heritage Girls and the Girl Scouts were all a part of a Veterans Day Mass at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic School. Pictured are Scouts proceeding into the church before the liturgy.

S tudents at Our L ady of S orrows Catholic S chool honored veterans during a special V eterans Day Mass. The eighth grade led the congregation in prayer and song, as guest priest and pastor of S aint Elias Maronite Church Chorbishop Richard S aad celebrated the Mass. B efore Mass began, a Remembrance Table with a variety of items was presented on the altar, as the students used symbolism to honor American soldiers and their families. A small round table showed their never-ending concern for one service member alone. They covered the table with a white cloth to represent the purity of responding to the call of duty. A lemon wedge was placed on the plate to show a captive soldier’s bitter fate. S alt was also sprinkled on the plate to represent the tears of a soldier’s family waiting for their loved one to return. The children then placed an empty chair at the table for the missing soldiers who are nowhere to be found. At that time, a glass was turned over for the meal that would not be

eaten because of their absence. The presentation continued with a black napkin that represented the emptiness left in the hearts of family members whose loved ones do not return. A white candle was lit as an everlasting hope for a joyous reunion. Then three roses were placed in a vase: a white rose for those soldiers who have returned alive, a yellow rose for those who are missing, and a red rose for those who ha e made the ultimate sacrifice. The children placed a B ible on the table to show that they are one nation under God. The presentation concluded with a folded merican flag to remind e eryone of the sacrifices that the soldiers ha e made to ensure the freedom of the United S tates. S tudent family members who served in the United S tates military were honored as special guests at the celebration. -Subm itted by O ur Lady of Sor rows

Community Garden to gain seating Thanks to Rep. P aul DeMarco, the Community Garden at H omewood Middle S chool will have more seating for the students to work on their gardening projects. DeMarco gave $ 1 ,0 0 0 to the garden, which will help purchase two more tables for the garden.

HMS PTO President Julie Pitts, Rep. Paul DeMarco and Community Garden Coordinator Julie Gentry.

Saying thanks to city employees

Homewood city employees eat a Thanksgiving lunch at Edgewood Elementary School.

H omewood City S chools held its annual “ W e are thankful for our city employees” luncheon in N ovember. Each year, H CS invites city employees to

enjoy Thanksgiving lunch with the students at one of the elementary schools. Edgewood Elementary S chool’s P arent Teacher Organization hosted the event this year.

B4 • January 2015

Running for fun at Hall-Kent

The Homewood Star

2014 HHS homecoming court announced

a hel

Hall-Kent Elementary School hosted its annual Fun Run the weekend before its 80th annual Fall Festival in October.

New smart TV for Shades Cahaba Representative P aul DeMarco partnered with S hades Cahaba Elementary S chool’s P TO to purchase a smart television and video camera for the school’s lobby. W ith this eq uipment, the school will be able to record and showcase student work for the teachers and parents to see when visiting the school. Shades Cahaba Principal Dr. John Lowry, PTO President Dana Levering and Rep. Paul DeMarco.

ant ler is this ear’s HH home oming ueen.

S enior Rachel Dantzler was named this year’s H omewood H igh S chool homecoming que en. Attendents named were seniors H unter

Midgette, Abby B als and Tacallya B ush; junior Emi F erderber; sophomore Jameria H untley; and freshman S amantha N ichols.

TheHomewoodStar.com

January 2015 • B5

Fest supports HMS with showdown

u erintendent r. ill Cleveland takes a sel e with the si th-grade tea hers who er ormed in the HM est how ase howdown.

H omewood Middle S chool was packed with fun and laughter at the second annual H MS F est in N ovember. The F est raised approximately $ 1 4 ,0 0 0 to support the teachers with the latest technology and enhanced resources for their classrooms. The event began with a pasta dinner, and then the e ening was filled with a showcase showdown of 13 extraordinary acts by H MS student and teacher groups.

As part of the F est, students sold smoked turkeys and hams from S outhern H eritage F arms. This year, they also sold Chunky Chocolate Chip and W hite Chocolate Macadamia cookie dough. The grade level winners were: sixth grader L iza Jane P onder, seventh grader Dalton Adelbert and eighth grader H annah Crosswy. L iza Ashe was the wildcard winner.

Environmental clubs repopulate native trees

HMS and HHS Environmental Club members.

H omewood Middle S chool and H omewood H igh S chool Environmental Club members helped plant native tree seeds around the H omewood B oard of Education building

through the H omewood City Environmental Commission. The students also assisted with another planting day at the H omewood S enior Center.

Iron Bowl fundraiser fun at Hall-Kent H all-K ent Elementary S chool decided to have some Iron B owl fun with their P rincipal Abbie F reeman and Assistant P rincipal K iana Coleman. The students brought in coins to raise additional funds for academic enhancement grants, and they put their coins in either an Alabama bucket or Auburn bucket. If Alabama raised the most money, then Coleman, who is a huge W ar Eagle fan, would have to sport crimson and white. If Auburn raised the most money, then F reeman, who only yells “ Roll Tide,” would have to strap on blue and orange. The students raised more than $ 7 0 0 , and Coleman dressed as a B ama fan for the day.

Hall-Kent Assistant Principal Kiana Coleman dressed as a reluctant Alabama fan.

B6 • January 2015

The Homewood Star

Let the wish granting begin As part of S hades Cahaba Elementary S chool’s character education program, the students and staff are partnering with MakeA-W ish F oundation to grant a wish for a 1 0 -year-old girl named Emilie who has a kidney disorder. Emilie lives in H untsville, and her wish is to go to W alt Disney W orld. During the N ovember character assembly, the school kicked off their campaign by introducing

Make-A-W ish to the students and sharing their fundraising plan. They began by holding a coin drive, and they will continue to hold fundraisers throughout the year. Shades Cahaba students learned about how they can help a 10-year-old girl named Emilie during a character education program.

HMS recognizes veterans

A tour for grandpals

Maple receives counselor award

Ellen Maple An HMS student introduces speaker Col. Jeffery Thrower.

Teacher Karen Cooper and her student show the school to his grandpal.

H omewood Middle S chool held its annual V eterans Day P rogram to honor local veterans who have served for our country. Col. Jeffery E. Thrower was the keynote speaker, and the H MS show choir and band performed. S tudents’ family members who have served were recognized during the program.

More than 50 0 grandparents, family members and friends visited S hades Cahaba Elementary S chool in N ovember for Grandpal’s Day. The students gave their grandpals a tour of the school and showed them an art show produced by the students.

Ellen Maple received Alabama Counseling Association’s Alabama S parks N ew S chool Counselor of the Y ear award at the 20 1 4 AL CA Annual Conference in N ovmeber. A panel of professional evaluators reviewed each of the AL S CA nominee packets, and her entry was ranked the highest of those su mitted in this specific category.

TheHomewoodStar.com

January 2015 • B7

Sports Homewood’s Kiara Williams sets records, commits to UA By DAVID KNOX H omewood H igh S chool’s K iara W illiams has a lot to celebrate. As the top P atriots jumpers opened up the indoor season at the Magic City Invitational at B irmingham CrossP lex on Dec. 6, W illiams broke two records – and committed to the University of Alabama. “ K iara has been such an integral part of our program’s success and has won six individual state championships, including being the top point scorer on the state championship team last spring,” coach Tom Esslinger said. “ H owever, our staff is most proud of the fact that she has made such huge improvements in her academics and leadership.” The senior won the long jump with a jump of 18 feet, 1 0 .25 inches, and broke both the meet and CrossP lex records. S he also won both the triple jump and the 60- meter hurdles. W illiams has more individual state championships

at H omewood. S he was voted B irmingham Metro Athlete of the Y ear, including all sports, last year by al.com. “ W e are all so excited she is going to get to participate at the highest level in college by committing to the University of Alabama, and we know she will be successful at the next level because she is such a hard worker,” Esslinger said. “ W e fully expect her to have her best season yet this year, and hopefully that will be enough to help us win more championships.” t the ecem er meet lysa riffin placed third in the long jump, and the varsity girls placed third overall out of 65 teams even though only three H omewood athletes competed. The varsity boys were led by Alazae H ester-Taylor, who had a strong opening by winning the high jump, placing second in the triple jump and fourth in the 60 meter hurdles. The boys placed seventh overall even though only fi e athletes competed.

Homewood High School senior Kiara Williams, center, has won six individual state championships.

Joy League to hold registration in February Joy L eague B aseball will begin registering boys and girls for its 58 th season of daytime baseball on S aturday, F eb. 7. Registration continues each S aturday in F ebruary from 9 a.m.-noon at Edgewood Elementary S chool, 9 0 1 College Ave. L eague games are played on S aturday mornings from March 28 to June 27, followed by a watermelon picnic. B oys and girls ages 4 -12 are eligible to play. Each team practices one hour a

week. The cost per player is $30. N ow serving its third generation of players, the Joy L eague began when several boys ages 10- 12, including a son of Joy L eague F ounder John J. S mith S r., tried out for area youth baseball teams. Many of them did not get on a team but still wanted to learn how to play baseball. S o, in the spring of 1958, S mith rounded up 67 of these boys, and the league was established.

He isited fire stations and police precincts in the area to recruit volunteer coaches, one of whom was then-H omewood F ire Chief H oward F ields. “ Mr. S mith said many times that there are no bench warmers in the Joy L eague. That’s still true today. F rom the beginning, Joy L eague assured, and still assures, that every player plays in every game, and there are no tryouts,” said league Commissioner P erry Akins.

There are 1 6 teams in Joy L eague, and last year 20 0 youth played. They are coached by parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and other relatives in games at Edgewood Elementary S chool. F ounder John J. S mith S r., an attorney, died in 20 0 8 at the age of 9 6. Two former Joy L eague coaches, P erry Akins (8 23 -4 9 29 ) and Ted H agler (985- 9608) currently serve as commissioners of the league.

FOR ALL AGES

B8 • January 2015

The Homewood Star

Pat Sullivan steps down as Samford football coach By DAVID KNOX P at S ullivan fought it as long as he could. B ut in the end, the S amford University head football coach decided enough was enough. S ullivan, a B irmingham native and V estavia H ills resident, has battled health issues over the years — throat cancer, a neck injury that req uired multiple surgeries that forced him to coach, when he could coach, from the press o instead of on the field on game days. S ullivan, the 1 9 7 1 H eisman Trophy winner as an Auburn q uarterback and a member of the College F ootball H all of F ame and the Alabama S ports H all of F ame, will move into a role as S amford P resident Andrew W estmoreland’s special advisor for campus and community development. Murray S tate head coach Chris H atcher was named as his replacement. “ This is not a decision I’ve taken lightly,” S ullivan said in a release. “ A head coach never likes to think about stepping down, particularly me. I’ve always been a competitor and that spirit never fades. I love my job and I love this university. I have loved working with S amford’s young men, helping them grow as football players, as

student-athletes and spiritually. I am so thankful to each and every one of my players and their families for allowing me to be a part of their lives. “ The past couple of years have een difficult. I’ e een dealing with health issues more than I would have liked. Our young men have never blinked. This coaching staff never blinked. I am so proud of each and every member of the S amford football program. “ Coaching is a grind. Right now I need more balance in my life. I need to pay more attention to my health, and I want to spend more time with [ my wife] Jean, my children and grandchildren. I owe that to them. B ut I’m not done working, and I’m not leaving S amford.” S ullivan recently completed his eighth season as coach. H e is the program’s all-time leader in career wins. H e has led the team to four straight winning seasons for the first time since 1 9 9 9 , and the B ulldogs have won at least seven games for three straight seasons for the first time since . In ulli an led the ulldogs to their first S outhern Conference championship since joining the league in . The team also earned the program’s first id to the i ision

layoffs since . In an age in which pu lic figures so often disappoint us, it is refreshing and inspirational to reflect on the long and successful career of P at S ullivan,” S amford P resident Andy W estmoreland said. “ As I have grown close to P at in the years since he became S amford’s head foot all coach in and as I have seen him in some of the highest and lowest moments of life, proximity has only enhanced my profound respect for him. “ In every sense, he is exactly as he appears to be: a person of intelligence, persistence, wisdom, good humor, with an impenetrable core of ethics that is rooted in a vibrant faith. H e cares deeply about his family and his student-athletes. H e is respectful of every person he encounters. I am grateful beyond words for his service to S amford over the past eight years, and I look forward to continued association with him and with Jean as we seek to provide greater experiences for our students now and in the years ahead.” amford thletics irector artin ewton added “ W ords cannot express the gratitude the S amford family has for P at S ullivan. H e is the epitome of character and integrity. H e is a true teacher that leads by example and has

at ullivan has served as am ord’s head oot all oa h or eight seasons. Photo courtesy of Samford Athletics.

taught us all to love God, our family and each other on a daily basis. I ha e yet to find anyone who has a negative word to say about Coach S ulli an. He transcends the foot all field and shows us that relationships really do matter.” S ullivan led a search committee that took about a week before settling on H atcher, who had been at the Ohio alley onference school for fi e seasons posting a record last season and a record all told at urray. H atcher was a H arlon H ill Trophy winner as the top i ision II player while playing q uarterback at V aldosta S tate. H e then head coached at his alma mater and Georgia S outhern before moving to Murray. H is career record is in seasons and he is nown

for high-powered offenses. “ It is a true honor to follow Coach S ullivan and have the opportunity to lead the S amford football program into its next chapter,” H atcher said. “ P ut simply, Coach S ullivan is a legend. They say you never want to be ‘ the man that follows the man.’ W ell, I do. With r. Westmoreland’s unwa ering support, P at has built an incredible program from top to bottom. A rising program based upon faith, honor, commitment, discipline and character. I will work every day to build upon that foundation and carry forward Coach ulli an and r. Westmoreland’s vision. This state and this university have great passion for football; I promise you that I have it too and can’t wait to get started.”

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TheHomewoodStar.com

January 2015 • B9

Wrestling season takes hold

Homewood boys and girls basketball teams off to good starts By DAVID KNOX

Homewood High senior Chase Kelly, right, wrestles for the Patriots. Homewood will host the Patriot Duals on Jan. 16-17. Photo by Scott Butler.

H omewood basketball is off to a solid start. The Homewood girls were ran ed o. in the first Class 6A poll of the season, and the boys were receiving votes for the top 10 a s the season got underway. The H omewood girls opened Class 6A, Area 9 play with a 7- 38 win over John Carroll Catholic on Dec. 12. The L ady P atriots improved to 8- 2 with the win. Ajah W ayne scored 21 points – 1 8 in the second period alone – and grabbed 1 0 rebounds to lead the way. Tori W ebb scored 1 8 points and loc ed fi e shots. oint guard Hannah ar er added 1 2 points and 1 1 assists. S helby H ardy added 1 0 rebounds. The L ady P ats’ only two losses came in the Tennessee Turkey Jamm in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. S everal players attracted the attention of college scouts, none more so than ar er the freshman point guard who recei ed high praise for her ballhandling and passing skills. The H omewood boys opened 6A, Area 9 play by blasting John Carroll Catholic 79- 49 on Dec. 12. Austin P atterson scored 24 points, and Malik Cook added 1 5 for the P atriots, who improved to 9- 2 with the win. Derrick Underwood scored 13 a nd Chris Miller added 10. Cook was coming off a 30- point performance against H ewitt-Trussville.

Abdullah named second-team All-American on multiple teams By DAVID KNOX F ormer H omewood H igh star running back Ameer Abdullah didn’t win the H eisman Trophy – Oregon qua rterback Marcus Mariota did – but he did pick up a few honors after his outstanding season. Abdullah, a senior running back for the

University of N ebraska, earned second-team All-America honors from the Associated P ress on Dec. 16. Abdullah had already been named a second-team All-American by three other entities — the W alter Camp F ootball F oundation, ports.com and S cout.com. The senior I-back rushed for 1 ,523 yards and 1 8 touchdowns in 2014, becoming the school’s all-time

all-purpose yardage leader and moving into second place on N U’s career rushing chart. “ The one cool thing about this place is there are so many great ones, but he certainly stacks right up there with all of them,” interim head coach arney otton told the maha World Her ald. “ H e’s certainly unique unto himself.” Abdullah was in Orlando, F la., for the college

football awards ceremony. H e was also a Doak Wal er ward finalist as the top running ac in the nation, but that award went to W isconsin running back Melvin Gordon. dullah was set to play the final game in his e ras a career on ec. in the Holiday owl against the University of S outhern California.

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B10 • January 2015

The Homewood Star

Lakeshore goalball team repeats as

national champion By DAVID KNOX W hen the L akeshore F oundation youth goal all team captured its first national championship, coach Cliff Cook hoped the team’s three returning members would still be hungry enough to shoot for a repeat. They were. L akeshore won its second straight high school national championship by defeating the Georgia Academy of the B lind in S t. Augustine, F la., in the sport that is for visually impaired athletes. “ W e set out this season with that as our goal. W e did feel that we were the favorites coming in,” said Cook. “ F or one thing, we had three of our four athletes returning, so we had a veteran team and my fourth year as coach, so we built on that. “ Every guy on the team wanted it. They worked hard for it.” Goalball is a sport that is played 3- on-3. A team can have as many as six players on the sq uad, but L akeshore’s team had just the three: P arker S tewart, a 1 5-year-old who attends Mountain B rook Junior H igh; Josh W elborn, a 1 6-year-old who lives in P elham and is home-schooled; and N ick Rollins, a 16- year-old who lives in Irondale and is a junior at S hades V alley H igh. S tewart and W elborn were named to the H igh S chool All-American Goalball team and

Josh Welborn, Nick Rollins and Parker Stewart show off their gold medals and celebrate their Youth Goalball National Championship. Photos courtesy of the Lakeshore Foundation.

W elborn was named the most valuable player. Goalball is not a sport that was adapted from a sport already played by able-bodied players; it was invented in Austria after W orld W ar II to help in

the rehabilitation of visually impaired veterans. P layers throw a ball, which has bells inside it, past the other team’s players into a net. Defenders listen for the bells and try to judge when and

where to dive for it. P layers also pass the ball to each other to set up plays. The sport is played on a volleyball-sized court with a goal on each end that covers the length of the court and is 1.3 meters (about 4 feet,

3 inches) high. A contest has two 12- minute halves. S ince the players can have varying degrees of vision, all players wear shades to block out all sight. The floor has tactile mar ings on it

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TheHomewoodStar.com for the players to feel their positions. Crowds must root silently during play, since vocal communication between the players and being able to hear the ball are vital. Goalball was introduced to the world at the 1 9 7 6 P aralympics in Toronto and has been played at every P aralympics since. W orld Championships are played every four years. Goalball is now played competitively in more than 10 countries. W elborn said that he’s been playing the sport since he was 7 and has been on the youth team since he was 9. “ It’s all about communication,” W elborn said. “ And if you get along with your teammates, that’s a serious help. I’m good friends with both of these guys and it really helps in the overall strength of the team.” W hen it comes to hearing and reacting you do thin a out it a lot at first … but it’s become more about instinct. My body just does the rest of the work. It’s become a natural thing. I’ve been playing almost 10 ye ars.” S tewart hasn’t been playing qui te as long. “ I got started playing goalball about three years ago when I first came here to L akeshore … they offered some sports for people with disabilities … I got involved in a lot of sports and Josh’s mom came up to me and said they’d love to have a new player on the team. “ It takes a lot of commitment. W e practice twice a week for an hour and a half, but the three of us are so invested in the sport … I know I’m always thinking about things about the sport, constantly thinking of how I can improve, how can I get faster.” W elborn is the team’s best offensive player. “ I think it’s because I have the most time on the court and in the sport, as well as just speed and strength, I probably have the fastest and most accurate shot.”

January 2015 • B11 S tewart is the defensive star. “ My coach says I’m the best defensive player in the nation,” S tewart said. “ I don’t necessarily agree with that, but I do think defense is my strongest point. It’s the timing at which you dive. Y ou have a split-second to decide where you think it’s going to go. Y ou have to judge the distance by just hearing how far it is away from you and where it’s going. The ball can be thrown really fast. Y ou have to make some very q uick decisions.” Rollins is the oldest team member, but he’s the newest to the sport. H e has been on the sq uad for two years, but this was his first time to e part of the starting three. H e essentially took the spot of Alex Richmond, who played on last year’s team as an Oak Mountain H igh senior. “ H e had a very solid tournament,” Cook said. “ H e was a great addition to the team.” Rollins said his strength is his offense. “ I throw it pretty hard.” Rollins said winning the championship meant all the hard work paid off. H e said besides the twice a week practices, he works on his own twice a week. And he echoes what they all say about their coach. “ H e’s great. H e makes it fun. W hen we’re practicing he’s hard on us but he kids around with us too.” S aid W elborn, “ Coach Cook has taught me a lot about perseverance and sticking with things even when they’re not what you usually do or enjoy. S ometimes you have to do things for the greater outcome.” S o what about a threepeat? “ All three (players) return next year,” Cook said. “ W e’re excited about that. I asked them when we got back if they wanted to go for the threepeat. And they do.” S tewart concurred. “ I’m so proud of my team. I definitely thin we can threepeat.”

Josh Welborn prepares to roll the ball in a game in the national tournament in St. Augustine, Fla. The team is ased out o Homewood’s akeshore oundation.

B12 • January 2015

The Homewood Star

HOMEWOOD PARKS & RECREATION Homewood Community Center

Zumba with Camille

ZUMBA is Latin inspired aerobic dance and every class feels like a party. ZUMBA is for all ages, and both sexes! Tuesday & Thursday: 5:30pm-6:30pm Saturday: 9:00am-10:00am For more info: Camille 256-452-2500 (or) camillescruggs@gmail.com

Young Rembrandts

Draw amazing things with Young Rembrandts! Young Rembrandts drawing classes, uses step-by-step curriculum to teach fundamental art skills in a nurturing environment that gives children an academic advantage. Classes for boys and girls 5 to 12 years of age. Please contact Chris Roberson at (205) 943-1923 for more information and to register or visit www.youngrembrandts.com to enroll anytime. As the world’s recognized leader in early childhood music and movement, Kindermusik oﬀers a musical learning adventure that will impact your child now and for years to come! There’s simply no better way to foster your child’s love of music and love of learning. Classes are available for ages 0 to 5 years. For more information call or email Kelly at: 205-552-6129 • Kelly.alligood@charter.net www.kellyalligood.com

Homewood Chess Team

Homewood Chess Team wants you! Beginners are welcome and the ﬁrst two weeks are always free promo weeks! Learn more and sign up for our classes at www.theknightschool.com or call Dr. Brooks at (205) 746-4952

North Star Martial Arts

North Star Martial Arts primary focus is to make a life lasting impact on our students, and their families. Tiny Tigers (Ages 4-6) – Mondays & Wednesdays 3:30pm - 4:05pm Juniors (Ages 7 and up) – Mondays & Wednesdays 4:15pm to 5:15pm Adults Only Class – Wednesdays 5:30-6:45pm Advanced Class – Tuesdays & Thursday 4:00pm to 5:00pm Phone: 966-4244 Email: masterjoe@northstarkarate.com www.northstarkarate.com

Belly Dancing with Aziza

Class Fee: $60 cash only Contact Aziza: 205-879-0701; azizaofbirmingham@att.net (or) www.azizaofbirmingham.com Learn the ancient art of Middle Eastern belly dance with Aziza, over 40 years of experience in performance and instruction. Each session is 5-weeks long on: Monday night for beginners, Tuesday night for intermediates and Thursday night for advanced.

YoLIMBER

Vinyasa yoga classes in an energetic environment using upbeat music. Participants of all levels welcome. Monday 8:30am-9:30am Friday 9:30am-10:30am Saturday 9:00am-10:00am Contact Marla: 205-223-8564 (or) mac@yolimber.com

Dance 4U – Line Dance Class

Line dance for a healthier you! Tuesday 7:00pm-9:00pm • Saturday 11:00am-1:00pm $7/Drop-in - $5/Seniors 65+ - First class is free Rosa Fisher (205) 910-8896 • rosafisher@yahoo.com Affordable small group training sessions are available to members in the community center weight room. Each 30 min workout is fast, fun, safe, and effective and each person is started with a program to fit their fitness level. $25 Per Session (or) 12 Sessions for $250 Call Royce for more information: (205) 945-1665

@homewoodparks

Beginning ballet moves taught as a foundation for many types of dance. Students will work on coordination, balance, rhythm and ﬂexibility while developing listening skills and strengthening muscles. Monday’s 4:00pm-4:45pm For additional Information call Claire: (205) 879-8780

Tango Argentino Fundamentals and Practice

Introductory lessons and guided practice. New students are taught basic Tango technique and experienced “milongueros” are encouraged to practice and exchange tips to improve their dancing. Couples and individuals of all ages are welcome. 1st & 3rd Wednesday of each Month – 7:00pm-8:30pm

Tabata Bootcamp with Tamika Harris

Kindermusik

Royce Head Personal Training

Children’s Ballet with Claire Goodhew

Tabata Bootcamp is a group training program based on High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) Thursday 6:00pm-7:00pm • Saturday 8:00am-9:00am Class fee: $40 (4weeks) For more info: 205-249-7982 getfitwithtamika@yahoo.com

360 Personal Trainer Fitness Bootcamp

Bootcamp style ﬁtness classes at Homewood Community Center. Classes Meet: Mon/Wed/ Fri 5:30am-6:30am Michael Brooks – michaelbrooks360@gmail.com

Homewood Senior Center Creative Expression

Mondays, 1:00pm – Sunshiners Senior Chorus, with professional direction and live, professional accompaniment. The chorus occasionally performs at a facility or venue oﬀ-site or for peers at the Senior Center. For fun and visual variety, props and minimal costuming are sometimes used. Free to members. Mondays, 2:15pm – Clay Class, taught by JoAnn Brown. Participants may choose the project introduced by the instructor or ‘do their own thing.’ Clay, glazes, and kiln ﬁring are provided. Free to members.

Fitness Classes

Tai Chi – Taught by Galina Waites. Chairs and adapted movements are provided for participants with balance/stamina challenges. Thursdays, 2:00pm. Free to members. Zumba Gold (designed for seniors) w/Tai Chi ‘cool down’ – Tuesdays, 2:15. 45 minutes of Zumba followed by 15 minutes of Tai Chi to ‘cool down’. The last 15 minutes can also serve as an introduction/review for those interested in the Thursday full-hour Tai Chi class. Free to Senior Center Members. $5 for non-members.

Homewood FIT – Women’s Bootcamp Join this all women’s bootcamp happening right here in Homewood. Monday & Wednesday – 5:45am-6:45am For more info: www.homewoodﬁt.com

Acting Out Academy

Acting Out Academy is a kid’s performing arts classes at the Homewood Community Center Thursday 3:30pm-4:30pm (Encore: After School Program) Thursday 4:30pm-5:30pm (Advanced on-camera). For more info and to register visit: www.actingoutacademy.com call 205-440-2699 or email meg@actingoutacademy.com

Shake Your Soul Yoga Dance!

“Shake Your Soul” is a unique and invigorating path to body-spirit ﬁtness incorporating elements yoga and dance. Classes will resume in February 2015. Monday’s 5:30 p.m.- 6:30 p.m. Class Fee: $10.00 drop-in Contact: Lorri Hanna, 612-867-2232 (or) lhanna@barefootsoulswellness.com Website: www.barefootsoulswellness.com

Mommy and Me Stroller Bootcamp

Tuesday & Thursday at 10:30am Location: Meet at pavilion (6&7) at back of park, closest to Central Ave *Classes meet in Homewood Community Center Gymnasium in the event of inclement weather* A class for moms of all ﬁtness levels! This 45 minute class focuses on interval training with the use of bands, body weight, and your child’s stroller! For more info: www.mommyandmetime.com

Blue Line Combatives

Wednesday’s 7:00pm – 8:30pm Blue Line Combatives teaches self-defense and urban survival instruction. Classes and private training are available for all ages. Call or email for additional information: Instructor Jon P. Newland jon.newland442@gmail.com Cell # 205-296-1250

Athletics Homewood Soccer Club

Homewood Soccer Club is dedicated to creating a balanced youth soccer program. Levels of Play: Patriot for ages U-4 through U-8; Red Teams for recreational players U-9 and up; White Teams for recreation plus ages U-9 thru U-11; and Blue Team competitive teams for ages U-11 thru U-18. Additional information about all levels of play, including deadlines, fees and Club philosophy is available at www.HomewoodSoccer.com , or call The Soccer Oﬃce at 205-874-9182.

Homewood Softball

Games are played during the months of March thru May with All-star play in the month of June. Registration Begins in January Additional information available at: www.homewoodparks.com Alissa Thurmond – 332-6715 (or) alissa.thurmond@homewoodal.org

Homewood Patriot Youth Baseball League

HPYBL is a youth recreational baseball league for the citizens of Homewood, as well as, surrounding communities. Please visit our website for more information about the upcoming Spring Season: www.homewoodyouthbaseball.com

Alabama Recreation & Parks Association

State Basketball Tournament March 13-15, 2015 Hosted by Homewood Parks & Recreation For sponsorship opportunities: 205-332-6709 Jakob.stephens@homewoodal.org

www.Homewoodparks.com

TheHomewoodStar.com

January 2015 • B13

Patriots to be showcased in Kings of the Court tournament Kings of the Court Schedule Monday, Jan. 19 Birmingham CrossPlex and Birmingham-Southern College 11:30 a.m.

4 p.m.

Huffman JV vs. Homewood JV (BSC)

Lee-Huntsville vs. Parker (BSC)

Foley vs. Woodlawn (CrossPlex)

Sunshine vs. Cornerstone (CrossPlex)

1 p.m.

5:30 p.m.

Bob Jones vs. Homewood (BSC)

Helena vs. Minor (BSC)

Baker vs. Bessemer City (CrossPlex)

Center Point vs. Leeds (CrossPlex)

2:30 p.m.

7 p.m.

Benjamin Russell vs. McAdory (BSC)

Jackson-Olin vs. Carver (BSC)

Sparkman vs. Wenonah (CrossPlex)

Shades Valley vs. Pelham (CrossPlex)

By DAVID KNOX H omewood H igh’s boys basketball team will be playing in the K ings of the Court basketball tournament on Martin L uther K ing Day, Monday, Jan. 19. The P atriots (6-2 as of Dec. 8) will play B ob Jones of Madison at 1 p.m. at B irmingham-S outhern College. The H omewood junior varsity will also participate, facing H uffman’s JV team at 1 1: 30 a .m. at B S C. The tournament features 24 Alabama high school basketball teams, with matchups between the B irmingham metropolitan area schools and

teams around the state. Each of the 24 teams will play one game for a total of 12 games, making the event one of the largest one-day high school basketball events in the state of Alabama. The games will span across two venues, the B ill H arris Arena at the B irmingham CrossP lex and the B ill B attle Coliseum at B irmingham-S outhern College. The event will begin at 1 1: 30 a .m. “ W e are excited to be partnering with K night Eady S ports Group to bring a new basketball event to B irmingham,” said B uck Johnson, athletics director of B irmingham City S chools. “ K ings

of the Court is a great opportunity to match up teams from the metro-area with programs across the state and showcase the basketball talent in the state of Alabama.” The participating athletes will be hosted at a leadership breakfast the morning of the event in honor of the Martin L uther K ing holiday. H omewood’s boys, coached by Tim S hepler, have been led by senior point guard Malik Cook. Cook had already topped the 1 ,0 0 0 -point mark entering his senior season.

Homewood’s Malik Cook shoots against Hewitt-Trussville. Photo by Scott Butler.

B14 â&#x20AC;˘ January 2015

The Homewood Star

Calendar Homewood Library Events 1721 Oxmoor Road 332-660, homewoodpubliclibrary.org

Adults Jan. 3: Hidden: A Holocaust Survivorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Testimony. 2 p.m. Large Auditorium. Holocaust survivor, Ben Benninga, will tell his story of survival as a child in the Netherlands during the Holocaust. Jan. 6: Technology Tuesdays: Get the Most Out of Your iPad and iPhone. 2 p.m. Round Auditorium. Jan. 6: Knit One, Read, Too. 6:30-7:30

p.m. Work on your WIPs as you talk about books in this brand new book club. Discussing Knitting Yarns: Writers on Knitting. Jan. 8: Feng Shui for Life Improvement with Katie Rogers: Resolving Clutter. 6:30 p.m. Join us for the beginning of a year-long series on healing effect of Feng Shui. Jan. 13: Oxmoor Page Turners Book Club: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. 6:30 p.m. Lucretia M. Somers Boardroom.

Jan. 17: Book Club Movie. 3 p.m. Large Auditorium. The club will view The Fault in Our Stars. Jan. 28: Better Than Therapy Book Club: The Fault Our Stars by John Green. 6:30 p.m. Lucretia M. Somers Boardroom.

Children Tuesdays and Wednesdays: Story Times. 10:30 a.m. All ages.

Thursdays: Mommy & Me. 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. Join Ms. NeNe for this special story time just for our younger patrons and their friends. Jan. 10: Say Hola to Spanish. 10:30 a.m. Learn Spanish while enjoying stories and a craft. All ages. Jan. 27: PJ Storytime. 6:15 p.m. Wear your PJs and bring your stuffed animals to this fun night time event.

Homewood Events Jan. 4: Bridal Market. 1-4 p.m. Rosewood Hall at SoHo. Visit thebridalmarket.com. Jan. 4-Feb. 1: Beth Rhodes Art Exhibit. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. The Joy Gallery, Homewood Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Visit thejoygallery.org or call 942-3051. Jan. 6: Homewood High School Varsity Basketball vs. Northridge High School. Girls 6 p.m., Boys 7:30 p.m. Homewood High School. Visit homewoodathletics.com. Jan. 9-11: Ballroom Dance Marathon. The Exceptional Foundation, 1616 Oxmoor Road. Email curtnwendy@hotmail.com or visit dancemarathon-birmingha.com.

Jan. 10: Red Shoe Run. 7 a.m. Rosewood Hall. The 10 mile, 5 and family fun run benefit the Ronald McDonald House. Call 638-7264 or visit redshoerun-bham.org. Jan. 10: Homewood High School Boys Varsity Basketball vs. Leeds High School. 7:30 p.m. Homewood High School. Visit homewoodathletics.com. Jan. 13: Edgewood Night Out. 3 p.m.-close of business. Downtown Edgewood. Jan. 16-18: Pioneer Classic Wheelchair Basketball Tournament. The Lakeshore Foundation. Visit lakeshore.org.

Jan. 17: Abraham-in-Motion. 8 p.m. Samford University Wright Center. Visit samford.edu/ wrightcenter. Jan. 20: Homewood High School Boys Varsity Basketball vs. Briarwood Christian School. 7:30 p.m. Homewood High School. Visit homewoodathletics.com. Jan. 24: Patriot Partners Yard Sale. 7-10 a.m. Shades Cahaba Elementary School Lawn. Funds raised will benefit The Bell Center for Early Intervention Programs. Visit facebook.com/ PatriotPartners. Jan. 30: Homewood High School Varsity Basketball vs. Vestavia Hills High

School. Girls 6 p.m., Boys 7:30 p.m. Homewood High School. Visit homewoodathletics.com. Jan. 30-Feb. 1: Lakeshore Demolition Derby Wheelchair Rugby Tournament. The Lakeshore Foundation. Visit lakeshore.org. Jan. 31: Salamander Festival. Nature Hike 2 p.m., Festival 3-5:30 p.m. Homewood Senior Center. Free. Visit shadescreek.org/event/salamanderfestival-2014/. Feb. 7, 14, 21, 28: Joy League Baseball Registration. 9 a.m.-noon. Edgewood Elementary School, 901 College Ave. Call Perry Atkins at 8234929 or Ted Hagler at 985-9608.

January

sales Find great deals at these retailers

20% - 50% OFF (in stock only)

Marguerite's Conceits January 5th - 10th 2406 Canterbury Road, Mountain Brook 205-879-2730

January inventory sale 20% OFF most toys Homewood Toy & Hobby 2830 18th Street, Homewood 205-879-3986

Voted

BEST OF MOUNTAIN BROOK Village Living 2013 Best Mexican Food

20% OFF

(some exclusions apply see store for details)

The Cook Store

January 9th - 17th 2841 Cahaba Road, Mountain Brook 205-879-5277

50% OFF all winter merchandise The Clothes Tree

Starting Jan. 10 2880 Rocky Ridge Road 205-822-1902

Contact stores for exclusions and other details.

TheHomewoodStar.com

January 2015 • B15

Calendar Area Events Jan. 1: New Year’s Day Hike. 10:30 a.m.-1p.m. Ruffner Mountain Nature Center. Join the Birmingham Pledge Foundation and Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve for the third annual hike to Hawk’s Ridge Overlook for a communal reading of The Birmingham Pledge. Call 245-4146. Jan. 3: Stories Under the Stars. 7-8:30 p.m. Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve. Listen to stories around a fire told by storyteller Zechariah Hook. $4. Call 833-8264, ext. 13. Jan. 4: Birmingham City Pokemon Championship. 1-7 p.m. Mad Doctor Game Shop, 1318 20th St. S., Suite 100. Call 334-434-0241. Jan. 6: Beer, Burgers and Bingo. 8-11 p.m. Black Market Bar and Grill. Visit evilbartenders. wix.com. Jan. 8: Sketching in Oils with David Baird. 10 a.m.4 p.m. Forstall Art Center. This one-day class will consist of a demonstration by the instructor and individual one-on-one critiques as students work from a live model. Visit forstallartcenter.com. Jan. 10: Birmingham Spotlight Gala. 7-11

p.m. McWane Science Center. Fundraiser with the mission of empowering the city’s non-profit organizations. $65. VIP $80. Visit http://spotlightgala.eventzilla.net/. Jan. 11: Southern Bridal Show. 4 p.m. Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex. $10 in advance, $15 at the door. Visit eliteevents.com. Jan. 11: Birmingham Boys Choir Concert. 4 p.m. Brock Hall, Samford University. Visit birminghamboyschoir.com. Jan. 13: New York Times Columnist David Brooks Lecture. 6:30 p.m. Wright Center at Samford University. Part of Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church Claypool Lecture Series. $25. Visit tickets.samford.edu. Jan. 16: New Works Concert. 8-10 p.m. Leslie S. Wright Fine Arts Center, Samford University. Enjoy an evening of exciting new works by regional choreographers from across the Southeast and beyond. $15, $8 for students. Visit samford.edu/ wrightcenter. Jan. 17, 18: BrickFair 2015. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex. LEGO models, display

and winding trains sprawled out over 58,000 square feet. $10 at the door. Visit brickfair.com. Jan. 17, 18: Swan Lake. Saturday 7:30 p.m., Sunday, 2 p.m. The Alabama Theatre. $25$55 each. Visit alabamatheatre.org. Jan. 21-25: Ringling Bros’ Circus Xtreme. BirminghamJefferson Convention Complex. Visit ringling.com. Jan. 22-25: Birmingham Boat Show. Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center. With more than 250,000 square feet, the show highlights the latest in boats, motors, fishing gear, guides, outfitters and related outdoor gear. $10. Free for children. Visit birminghamboatshow.com. Jan. 23, 25: Hamlet. Friday 7:30 p.m. Sunday 2:30 p.m. Leslie S. Wright Fine Arts Center, Samford University. Presented by Opera Birmingham. $20, $35, $65, $90. Visit operabirmingham.org. Jan. 25: A Slippery Slope: The Consequences of Hate. 3-5 p.m. Carver Theatre. Presented by Birmingham Holocaust Education Center and Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. Visit facebook.com/events/157909 7498971209/?ref=22.

Opinion Ordinary Days By Lauren Denton

Walking out with the light January is here, Christmas around us. This is perhaps trees are piled up along neighespecially true in this part of borhood streets, and folks are the year when everyone can spending weekends taking feel a little let down that the down the Christmas decoraexciting rush of the holidays tions. (Or if you’re like my has passed. family one year, the dried-out Jessica also taught us tree may sit in your driveway about Advent spirals, a trauntil March, but I don’t recomdition used by some schools mend that.) for young children. Advent The typical anticipation takes place before ChristDenton and excitement of the holiday mas, but the principle is season might have passed, but what many applicable even after Christmas. In it, a people don’t realize is that immediately spiral is constructed on the floor with a after Christmas day, the traditional time path laid out to the center. At the center of celebration begins. The Twelve Days is a lit candle. The children walk to the of Christmas, also known as Christmas- center of the spiral holding an unlit tide, begin on Dec. 25 and celebrate the candle, light their candle from the one arrival of Jesus. The celebration ends on in the center and then walk back out of Jan. 6, the day of Epiphany, which marks the spiral with their own flame. The idea the day the wise men arrived with gifts is that Jesus is the light of the world, we for the Christ child. light our flame from Him and we carry Our children’s minister at Red our flame out into the world. Mountain Church, Jessica Gemeinhart, As we walk out into this new year, talked about this recently, and it really maybe we can shed that light on those we impressed on me the idea that this cele- come in contact with every day — startbratory posture that we all have around ing at home and moving out from there Christmas doesn’t have to end when the to neighbors, co-workers, school friends tree goes down. Usually, everyone sort and grocery store cashiers. The light is of puts their heads down and powers now in the world, and if it’s in me, I want through the next couple of cold months, to get myself out of the way and allow waiting eagerly for spring and warmer that light to illuminate those around me weather. While I’m definitely one of with the hope, peace and grace of Jesus. those longing for warmer temperatures, Lauren can be reached at LaurenKI’m trying to keep in mind that the light Denton@gmail.com. You can also find that came into world is still here, and her on Twitter @LaurenKDenton. our job is to pass that light on to those

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A PUBLIC NOTICE FROM ALABAMA POWER Homewood Scheduled Trimming - Winter 2014 Spring 2015

459

§ ¦ ¨

N ACTO

459

RED WING

Tree crews working in city through early 2015 Alabama Power contract crews are working in several Homewood neighborhoods, removing trees and other vegetation that threaten the safety and reliability of our electrical system. As part of this process, Alabama Power goes to great lengths to talk with individual property owners. Company representatives are going door-to-door, leaving notices at locations where work is needed. If you have any questions before crews come by your home, please call Alabama Power at 205-257-2155 and ask for someone in the Vegetation Management Group to contact you. Or you can email us at apcvm@southernco.com. Work in Homewood and nearby areas is expected to continue through early 2015. Also, you can go online to http://alpwr.co/vm where Alabama Power has further information about these safety and reliability measures, as well as resources for property owners who would like recommendations about planting the right tree in the right place. Thank you for your understanding. We appreciate your business.

POWI-3795 TreeTrimmr15-MB Homewood.indd 2

11/14/14 4:08 PM