The Homewood Star TheHomewoodStar.com
June 2014 • 1
Volume 4 | Issue 3 | June 2014
neighborly news & entertainment for Homewood
The real deal
On the cusp of change
“The Taco Truck” on West Valley Avenue is known for its authentic Mexican tacos. Find out more about its menu in this issue.
Food page 11
Triple crown
One man sees a vibrant community in Rosedale By MADOLINE MARKHAM
Both boys and girls HHS track and field teams took home state championships this season. Read more about it inside.
Sports page 25
INSIDE Sponsors ................. 4 City ........................... 5 Business .................. 7 Food .......................... 11 Community ............. 14 School House ......... 22 Sports ...................... 25 Calendar ................. 30 Opinion .................... 31
In Rosedale, fatigue can be felt on the inside and out. Terry Slaughter recalls moving a woman out of a house that hadn’t had running water in a year, and another he found heating her house with her stove. Until 10 years ago, he had driven past the outskirts of Rosedale’s approximately 200 residences without thinking anything of it. Now, through his work with his nonprofit organization, Simon Cyrene, he knows how many
homes on the streets north of Central Avenue and Rosedale Drive have absentee or elderly owners who he said have trouble properly caring for their property. He also knows that many families have owned the homes for generations and feel a strong sense of place in what has been a predominantly black community neighborhood since it was formed in the 1890s. Going forward, Slaughter envisions a lively, affordable community growing over its tired yet deep roots. He’s been planting seeds for it over the past nine years.
The investment A young woman knocked on the door at 1630 27th Avenue South, the home base for Slaughter’s programs in Rosedale. “Mr. Terry, you probably don’t remember me,” she said, reminding him of her name. But Slaughter remembered her. Namiesha Chapman had been one of the original teenagers to participate in his youth development program, Nehemiah’s Quest, in Rosedale. “I came to tell you that I didn’t know why
See ROSEDALE | page 28
For the love of people Remembering Buddy Wade By MADOLINE MARKHAM
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Terry Slaughter spends time with children who live in Rosedale in the community garden he runs. Photo by Karim Shamsi-Basha.
Buddy Wade never met a stranger. Every morning his son, Billy, would walk into Demetri’s BBQ, where they ate breakfast each weekday, to find his dad talking with someone Billy had never met. “Dad was really engaged with people,” Billy said. “He liked to
talk about his family, but he really wanted to know about them. People tell me that they only met my dad three or four times but that they will never forget the way they connected with him.” Buddy passed away at age 71 on May 8, just five days after We Love Homewood Day.
See BUDDY | page 29
Buddy Wade, second from right, attended the Homewood Grown event in April with Demetri’s owner Sam Nakos, wife Cindy Wade, daughter-in-law Danielle Wade and many other Homewood friends. Photo by Scott Butler.