Homewood Star December 2024

Reading scores rise

Homewood schools see growth in English, math proficiency and ACT scores

By SARAH OWENS

Homewood City Schools, like many school systems across the state, saw an increase in English language arts proficiency ratings in grades 3-8 from the 2024 Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program.

Coming in at a score of 81.2% proficiency, Homewood grew almost 3 percentage points from 2023’s proficiency rate of 78.4%. Alabama’s ELA proficiency rate for grades 3-8 for 2024 was 56%, an increase from 51.9% in 2023.

The ACAP report noted the biggest spike came from third grade scores and attributed the growth to the full implementation of the Literacy Act passed in 2019. Homewood’s third grade ELA proficiency jumped from 72.5% in 2023 to 83.9% in 2024. The state rate for third grade sits at 62%.

“Homewood has been fortunate to have excellent teachers and resources, resulting in high reading proficiency even before the Alabama Literacy Act,” Superintendent Justin Hefner said. “However, the act has fostered greater intentionality among teachers and administrators, prompting a focus on professional learning in the science of reading, best practices and data analysis.

By EMILY REED

Ellise Mayor has always loved Truman Capote, so when the opportunity to play a favorite character from one of his short stories, “A Christmas Memory,” came up, she took it.

“It is such a wonderful story,” Mayor said. “I am usually pretty firm in that I don’t ever perform during the holidays, but this was just an opportunity I could not turn down. I am just giddy over getting to bring this character to life.” Mayor will play Sook in the Homewood Theatre’s production of “A Christmas Memory,” which will debut Dec. 5 and run through Dec. 15.

The story, set in the South in the 1930s, centers on a young boy, Buddy, and his elderly cousin, Sook.

The story is semi-autobiographical and concentrates on country life, the unique friendship between the two characters and the concept of giving during the Christmas season.

Homewood Theatre Executive Director Kyle Bass said one of the main scenes of the play centers around making fruitcake, and all members of the audience will receive fruitcake at the show.

From front: Chris Rodgers, Cooper Sain and Oliver Wright practice English exercises during Holly Drake’s ACT prep class at Homewood High School. Photo by Savannah Schmidt.

The Homewood Theatre received special access to the script of Truman Capote’s “A Christmas Memory” for its show this December. Photo by Savannah Schmidt.

Hefner

Central Barre

Wednesday 5:15pm & Saturday 8:15am

Homewood Community Center

Central Barre is a small group fitness class incorporating barre, core, cardio, balance, strength training and stretch to give you a complete workout in 55 minutes.  We use a variety of small equipment such as weights, resistance bands, balls and sliding discs to increase variety and provide real results.  ellyngagnon@gmail.com

Dance Trance

Saturday 9:30am - 10:30am

Homewood Community Center

Dance Trance is a high-cardio, high-energy dance fitness experience that leaves participants soaking wet!  It is a non-stop workout that feels more like a party than an exercise class. www.dancetrancefitness.com

Fun For All Line Dancing

Homewood Community Center, Fitness Studio 2

Tuesday 2:30pm – 3:45pm

Beginner and Beyond Beginner line dance instruction encompassing a variety of music genres, e.g., pop, country and R&B. You will learn line dance terminology, line dance steps, and, of course, line dances to specific music. $5.00 per person per visit funforalllinedancing@gmail.com

Classes & Activities

North Star Martial Arts

North Star Martial Arts primary focus is to make a life lasting impact on our students, and their families. Classes range from beginners to adults. For detailed class listings and times please visit the park’s website or www.northstarma.com. 205-966-4244 • info@northstarma.com

YoLimber

Friday: 8:00am - 9:00am - Basics Class Friday: 9:30am - 10:30am - Regular Class

Vinyasa yoga classes in an energetic environment using upbeat music at Homewood Community Center. All levels welcome. Contact Marla: 205-223-8564 • mac@yolimber.com

Bench Aerobics

Step & Line Dance

Monday: 5:00pm – 6:00pm (Step Aerobics) Tuesday: 4:15pm – 5:15pm (Step Aerobics) Thursday: 4:15pm – 5:15pm (Cardio Line Dance)

Homewood Community Center Fitness Studio 2

Cost: Classes are FREE (with donations) For more information contact Rosa at 205-253-9344 or benchaerobics@bellsouth.net

Royce Head

Personal Training

Affordable personal training available to members in the Fitness Center at the Homewood Community Center. Workouts are fast, fun, safe, and effective and each person is started with a program to fit their fitness level. Call Royce for more information: 205-945-1665

Athletics & Events

Homewood Soccer Club

Homewood Soccer Club is dedicated to creating a balanced youth soccer program. Information about the Spring 2025 season, all levels of play, registration deadlines, fees and Club philosophy is available at HomewoodSoccer.com, or call The Soccer Office at 205-874-9182.

Homewood Patriots Youth Baseball and Softball League

HPYBSL is a youth recreational baseball and softball league for the citizens of Homewood, as well as surrounding communities. Please visit our website for more information about the upcoming Spring 2025 Season: www.playhwd.com

Homewood Patriot Lacrosse

HPL works in collaboration with Homewood Parks & Recreation, Homewood City Schools, and Greater Birmingham Youth Lacrosse Association

For more details, please go to: www.gbyla.org

Christmas Parade

Tuesday, December 10

For more information on this event visit www.homewoodparks.com

Homewood Parks & Recreation

Fast Track Line Dance

Saturday 11:00am - 1:00pm

We learn the current and classic intermediate-advanced line dances.

This class is not for beginners. Homewood Community Center, Fitness Studio 2

Jackie Tally jgtally@aol.com (or) Helen Woods aquafool@aol.com

FIT4MOM

FIT4MOM Birmingham provides fitness classes and a network of local moms to support every stage of motherhood. From pregnancy, through postpartum and beyond, we serve our community by offering our fitness and wellness programs to help keep moms strong in body, mind and spirit. View our website for Membership Plans, Passes and Schedule. https://birmingham.fit4mom.com/

Argentine Tango Lab

Sunday from 4:00pm - 5:30pm

Weekly tango laboratory / practice for milongueros seeking to improve their dancing skills and explore interconnection, movement and musicality. Fundamental tango skills expected. Milongueros with all levels of experience are welcome. Non-marking shoes with leather or suede soles required. Hosted by Chalo at the Homewood Community Center in Fitness Studio 1. $5 per class

Senior Center

Tai Chi Classes

All classes are suitable for anyone who is willing to take the time to learn these beautiful, liberating and empowering sets of movements (forms).

For additional information about Tai Chi Classes, contact Galina at galinawaites@gmail.com

Tai Chi: Sun Style

Tuesdays at 1:30pm

During Sun Style class participants will learn in more depth about Tai Chi history, principals and styles, practicing the 73 forms of Sun Style. QiGong warm up exercises and Tai Chi for Energy will be included in this class.

Tai Chi for Arthritis and Fall Prevention

Wednesdays at 1:30pm

This class is suitable for anyone, easy on the joints, helps to calm the mind, improves balance and coordination. The program of Tai Chi for Health Institute.

Tai Chi: Yang Style   Thursdays at 1:30pm

Participants will learn in depth about Tai Chi history, principles and styles; practicing the most popular Yang Style (24 forms). QiGong warm up exercises and Tai Chi for Energy will be included in this class.

“As

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Brookwood Village sees possible beginnings of revitalization

By SARAH OWENS

Sitting empty along Lakeshore Drive, Brookwood Village may soon be hustling and bustling again after potential redevelopment plans recently surfaced.

Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopedic Center has proposed a plan to renovate and convert the former Belk building into a roughly 135,000-square-foot medical office, and the city of Homewood’s Planning Commission recommended approval of the proposal in a meeting on Nov. 5.

This marks the first real action that has been made to revitalize the shopping center since its last anchor store, Macy’s, closed in January 2022.

“Andrews is a great addition to Homewood. They're a great business,” said Ward 5 Councilor Jennifer Andress. “They're long-time, quality medical care. We will be honored and thrilled to have them here if they get approved for their project. We’d certainly love having them in Homewood.”

Andrews Sports Medicine has a reputation of excellence in sports medicine and orthopedic patient care, research, education and prevention. Their headquarters is currently located at 805 St. Vincents Drive, Suite 100, in Birmingham. They are also affiliated with local high schools, including Homewood, Mountain Brook, Hoover, Oak Mountain, Spain Park and Vestavia.

Fairway Investments and Pope & Land Real Estate own the 57 acres that make up Brookwood Village, and the property is split between Jefferson County and the municipalities of Homewood and Mountain Brook.

“That piece of property is a really big part of Ward 5,” Andress said. “I use it on the regular, going between the two trails, and it was

very important to me. One of the reasons I ran for City Council was connecting this neighborhood to the trail, and we did that through a crosswalk in front of the Marriott and then a crosswalk over off of Windsor Drive in front of Macy's. That's how important that piece of property is in this neighborhood.”

In the Nov. 5 meeting, the Planning Commission approved an amendment to Brookwood’s final development plan and a resurvey subdividing the 14-acre property into three separate lots.

Representatives from Andrews Sports Medicine and Fairway Investments were there to present their plans, and four local residents

Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopedic Center has proposed a plan to renovate and convert the former Belk building in Brookwood Village into a roughly 135,000-squarefoot medical office.

spoke on the topic, stating they would rather see retail businesses or a multi-use facility focused more on entertainment, hospitality and recreation and asking the committee to consider all of Brookwood Village in their decision.

“We see this [Andrews Sports Medicine proposal] as an exciting opportunity to kickstart one of the greatest opportunities that exist in our state,” said Paul Darden of Fairway Investments, “to reimagine what the future of Brookwood can be.”

With the proposal cleared by the Planning Commission, it was added to the City Council

agenda for Nov. 18 and was then to be heard by the Planning and Development Committee on Nov. 25 before being sent back out to the council for a public hearing in December.

Representatives for Andrews told the Planning Commission during the Nov. 5 meeting that they hope to break ground on the new facility in the first quarter of 2025.

If the council approves the development, the remaining land available at Brookwood Village will still include Homewood, Mountain Brook and Jefferson County. Andress said any collaboration between the two municipalities and the county will depend on what future developments land on the property.

Illustration courtesy of Homewood City Councilor Jennifer Andress’ newsletter

Happy Holidays! It is that time of year again. As we move into December, I am reminded of how lucky we are to live in a city with so many exciting opportunities to celebrate all of the holidays that this time of year brings. Whether it is shopping in the unique and wonderful stores downtown and throughout the city, lighting the menorah on the old curve or enjoying our holiday parade with the lighting of the iconic Homewood Star, Homewood has so many ways to celebrate this time of year. What makes these events so special is not just the lights, the music and, of course, the candy, but also that they show us the character of our wonderful community and allow us to share in this joyous season. Every year I enjoy seeing friends and family gather together at these events to share experiences and create new memories. I hope that you are all able to join us for all of these events and others over the next few weeks, and I hope that everyone has the happiest of holiday seasons!

SCHOOLHOUSE

Homewood Connected protects children from technology, social media dangers

By LOYD McINTOSH

Navigating the evolving world of technology and social media can be a scary and lonely experience for parents of young children and teens. However, Homewood City Schools’ new program, Homewood Connected, is designed to help parents understand the dangers of technology and establish guardrails for their children.

Led by Carissa Anthony, the program’s prevention and collaborative coordinator, Homewood Connected is designed to educate parents about the risks that come with social media and online gaming, while providing a network of supportive peers. When it comes to managing smartphones, computers and game consoles, Anthony said it is important for parents to know they’re not alone.

“I think it’s hard to be the parent. You feel like you’re the only parent that’s not letting your child game online or you’re the only parent that does not want to give your child a smartphone,” she said. “It’s hard to be the only one. So really, our long-term goal is for parents to know that they’re not the only ones.”

Homewood Connected grew out of the Safe & Healthy Homewood Collaborative, the school system’s healthy youth development program. Anthony said the idea to focus on the perils of social media came from discussions with middle school and high school Peer Helpers.

“It really came from the students saying that they felt like social media in particular was harming their friends,” she said.

Anthony and other stakeholders decided to address the issue after looking into mental health challenges among young people. Soon after, the Homewood Police Department made them aware of FBI information about an increasing number of children being targeted by extortion or predatory behavior through the

chat features in gaming platforms.

“It just came together, and we thought this is something where we can reach out to parents and help give them as many tools as possible on how to keep their children safe and to kind of think about social media and gaming from more of a developmental perspective of what’s appropriate at what age,” Anthony said.

Anthony said the community feedback has been tremendous, due in large part to parents who were among the first to grow up in the

connected digital age.

“The parents of young children now actually were the first young people who were exposed to Myspace and Facebook, and it was the Wild West,” Anthony said. “What I sense is that parents, particularly the parents of elementary-age students, are very concerned about it and they’re the ones driving this and wanting to do more to identify ways to protect their children.”

Homewood Connected offers many ways for parents to stay informed and engaged,

In the Classroom

GET TO KNOW

Homewood City Schools’ new director of communications McCall Hardison

By STAFF

McCall Hardison is the new director of communications for Homewood City Schools.

Q: What inspired you to work in the education industry?

A: I was inspired to work in the education industry after many years in small business and tech, because I’m just so proud to tell the stories of what’s happening within our schools, the work that our teachers are doing.

Q: What is something great about your schools?

A: I love how Homewood City Schools is focused on serving every student in the district and giving each student a unique opportunity to be successful where they are with what they’re interested in.

Q: Tell us something about you that people might not know.

A: My first job was when I was a senior in high school, working for the student television station for our school district’s news channel. … It was a great opportunity for me, and now I really feel like it’s full circle working here in communications.

Q: Tell us about an educator who was important to you while in school.

Photo by Sarah Owens.

ACCOLADES

children technology

on Nov. 12. Parents can attend these Homewood Connected informational meetings virtually or in person at

including a monthly newsletter, planning guides to help parents implement a technology strategy and system-wide guidelines for safe and healthy technology use.

They also schedule regular community education programs at the Homewood Board of Education, also made available via Google Meet.

Learn more about Homewood Connected or become involved at homewood.k12.al.us/ Page/4815.

For more education news, connect with Homewood Star online: visit our website, follow us on social media and subscribe to our newsletter.

Hall-Kent Elementary raises $81,000 with fall festival, HHS band going to 2026 Rose Parade

By STAFF

Hall-Kent Elementary celebrated its annual fall festival on Nov. 2, raising $81,000 in the school’s only fundraiser. The event featured rides, inflatables, games, a cake walk, a bake sale, food sponsored by Pihakis Restaurant Group, face painting, a balloon artist, a silent auction and more.

In other school-related news, here are a few notable happenings:

► The Homewood High School Patriot Marching Band was surprised at the Oct. 4 game against Gardendale with a halftime announcement that they have been invited to perform in the 2026 Rose Parade. This will be the band’s sixth appearance in the Rose Parade, which is watched by millions of people around the world and has become an iconic New Year’s Day tradition in Pasadena, California. Homewood currently has the largest high school marching band in the state, with over 375 students participating.

to college success. Schools can earn this recognition annually based on criteria that show they’re committed to increasing college-going culture, providing opportunities for students to earn college credit and maximizing college readiness.

Q: What is the most rewarding part of your job?

A: The most rewarding part of my job is to talk about everyone else. I am just so honored to be able to take in what is happening in the district and then tell our community about it.

A: My favorite teacher was my fifth grade teacher, Mr. J, and he just helped me fall in love with reading for pleasure and finding books that I absolutely adored.

► Homewood High School earned gold on the 2024 AP School Honor Roll, with 72% of the graduating class of 2024 taking at least one Advanced Placement class. The AP School Honor Roll recognizes schools whose AP programs have done outstanding work to welcome students into AP courses and support their path

► Homewood City Schools hired a new director of communications, McCall Hardison. Hardison replaces Merrick Wilson in the role after Wilson moved to Hoover City Schools as their new executive director of communications and public information in October, after 18 years with Homewood City Schools.

Wendy Story, the principal at Shades Cahaba Elementary School, gives a lecture on the right time to give

access

Homewood City Schools. Photo by Savannah Schmidt.

A child has his face painted at Hall-Kent Elementary’s annual Fall Festival on Nov. 2.

Photo by Sarah Owens.

Sips and Bites

SPOTLIGHT GET TO KNOW

By STAFF

Tickell is a cafe manager at the new Baba Java Coffee location at The Edge on Green Springs Highway.

Q: Tell us briefly about the restaurant.

A: We just opened up a new shop — Aug. 23, actually. We are a locally owned, locally roasted, farm-to-cup specialty coffee shop. Everything is roasted in-house and is provided to our other locations around town. We have recently also partnered up with Pop Bar, making specialty pops: gelato pops, sorbetto pops and yogurt pops — all fantastic, and great compliments to coffee.

Q: What is your favorite item on the menu and why?

A: Gotta be the honey habanero latte. Definitely got a little spice to it. Definitely a little pep in your step when it’s combined with that coffee.

Q: What sets you apart from your competitors?

A: Our goal is excellent coffee, excellent education and excellent customer service.

Q: How’d you get started in the industry?

A: Well, long story short: I spent a decade in customer service and a decade drinking coffee, so about time I combined the two and made a career out of it.

Q: What’s your favorite part about working in the industry?

A: All right, so my favorite part about working in this industry, other than the fact that it keeps me awake, is probably just the community. There’s always something going on. Always good people to be around, and you get to share those moments while holding a good cup of coffee. It’s sort of like icing on a cake; they’re made to be together.

By STAFF

Corbeau Wine Bar has opened a new location in Homewood. The Trussville-based business expanded to their second location with the opening of The Edge, a new multi-use development on Green Springs Highway.

The business is owned and operated by sisters Elizabeth and Mary Martin and their husbands, Mark and John Martin. Corbeau is the first and only wine bar in the state of Alabama to have self-serve wine on tap.

Mary and Elizabeth dreamed of starting a business together, and that dream came true in May 2023 when the first Corbeau location opened in Trussville. Wine has always been one of their favorite pastimes, and they wanted to share the joy they get from learning about wine and hosting wine tastings and food pairings.

The name for the bar came from Mary and Elizabeth’s maiden name, Crow. “Corbeau” is the French word for crow.

Corbeau offers over 40 white and red wines on tap for customers to enjoy, along with a full-service bar. Customers can also choose from a variety of small bites. Partner Dean Maio has extensive knowledge and experience in the kitchen, both cooking and operations, and has helped the business craft its food menu.

They also offer a wine club membership, providing a rotating selection of new wines hand-selected by the Corbeau crew each month.

Corbeau’s Homewood location can be found at 817 Green Springs Highway, Suite 105. Go online to corbeaubar.com for more information and hours.

Christopher

Baba Java cafe manager Christopher Tickell. Photo courtesy of Christopher Tickell.

Corbeau Wine Bar co-owner Elizabeth Martin, right, and business partner Dean Maio stand outside the business. Martin owns Corbeau with her sister, Mary Martin, and their husbands, Mark and John Martin. Maio has helped the business craft its food menu. Photos by Sarah Owens.

Baba Java cafe manager Christopher Tickell

Business Buzz

BUSINESS HAPPENINGS

NOW OPEN

Total Joint Physical Therapy is excited to expand to a second location at 700 Valley Avenue in Homewood under the leadership of local resident Ellen Pugh. The clinic specializes in one-on-one physical therapy sessions. We also provide other wellness services, such as dry needling, stretching and sport-specific programming. No doctor's referral needed. 205-224-4146, totaljointbham.com

Rousso Pediatric Dentistry is now open at 2716 18th Place S., Suite 100. Board-certified pediatric dentist Dr. Emily Rousso has created a kid-friendly environment to help children feel comfortable coming to the dentist. She offers comprehensive pediatric dental care, including hospital services for those children who need extra support for dental procedures. The practice is open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 205-203-0584, roussopediatricdentistry.com

Do Not Disturb, an elevated sports bar, recently opened at 350 State Farm Parkway, Unit 104. Watch the game, have a beer and enjoy a variety of NOLA-inspired dishes. The menu offers cocktails, beer, an oyster BLT, crawfish grilled cheese, crawfish nachos, lobster corndogs and the iconic “Trash Can Charcuterie.” The restaurant is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday until 6 p.m. 205-238-5350, dnd-bhm.com

Dalton Health, 3125 Independence Drive #100, implements a direct primary care (DPC) model of healthcare. This approach fosters unhurried consultations, enabling doctors to spend more time understanding patients' needs and providing comprehensive care. Dalton Health is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until noon on Friday. 205-236-4022, daltonhealthdpc.com

Eighteen South, a premium men’s and women’s clothing store, is now open at The Edge on Green Springs Highway. They had a grand opening on Nov. 16. The store is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. 205-739-2473, eighteen-south.com

PERSONNEL MOVES

Ronnie Smith, head of the corporate banking group for Regions Bank, plans to retire at the end of the year following more than four decades of service to Regions and its predecessor banks. Brian Willman head of commercial banking for Regions, will succeed Smith in the corporate banking group,

and Nikki Stephenson, head of credit products for Regions, will be elevated to serve as head of commercial banking. Smith began his career in 1981 at Deposit Guaranty National Bank in Mississippi, one of the banks that would ultimately combine to become Regions. Smith held numerous leadership roles before he was named head of the corporate banking group in 2018. Willman joined Regions in 2009 as community banking executive serving Georgia and South Carolina. He was later elevated to further leadership roles and became head of commercial banking in early 2020. Stephenson joined Regions’ capital markets division in 2008 from SunTrust Bank and has held a number of leadership roles throughout her tenure. 1-800-734-4667, regions.com

NEWS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS

The Homewood Chamber of Commerce is pleased to welcome Courtney Heath as office and events manager and Mattie Kehl as marketing and community relations manager. 205-871-5631, homewoodchamber.org

ANNIVERSARIES

The Taco Mama franchise is celebrating 13 years in business. The restaurant’s original location opened in November 2011 in Mountain Brook’s Crestline Village. Since then, the restaurant has expanded to 10 locations including on Oxmoor Road in Homewood. Taco Mama is known for “build your own” tacos, quesadillas, burritos and bowls, plus an extensive margarita menu. The Homewood location is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and until 8 p.m. Sunday. 205-414-0441, tacomamaonline.com

Jack’s Family Restaurants recently celebrated 64 years in business. The franchise began with the first location on 19th Street South in Homewood. The fast food chain is known for Southern-style breakfast daily, including scratch-made biscuits, eggs, bacon and sausage, pancakes and more. The lunch and dinner menu

Do you have news to share about a business in Homewood or the greater Birmingham area? Let us know at starnesmedia.com/business-happenings

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consists of fried chicken, burgers with signature sauce, crinkle fries and hand-mixed shakes. 205-879-9321, eatatjacks.com

Farrell-Calhoun Paint is celebrating one year of business at 2704 19th St. S. in Homewood. The franchise offers a large assortment of paints, supplies and other products. The store is open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday. Other local stores include one in Greystone and one in Trussville. 205-245-8150, farrellcalhoun.com

Ace Hardware Homewood, 320 Oxmoor Road, is celebrating its second anniversary. The store carries a large selection of fasteners, grills, paint, plumbing, outdoor power equipment, gardening supplies and more. The store is open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 205-778-2100, acehardware.com

Momma Goldberg’s Deli's first franchise location opened in Homewood in 2007. The restaurant is celebrating 17 years at its 18th Street South location and is still going strong, with dozens of locations across the Southeast. Momma G’s is known for signature sandwiches, but customers can also find wraps, salads, nachos and more on the menu. The deli is open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. 205-834-8871, mommagoldbergsdeli.com

Homewood Bagel Co., 2907 Central Ave., is celebrating five years of business. The shop serves handcrafted bagels made fresh daily in-store. Customers can stop by for breakfast and lunch to enjoy bagels with cream cheese, bagel sandwiches, wraps, other baked goods and gourmet coffee. Business hours are Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to noon and on the weekends until 1 p.m. The shop is closed on Tuesday. 205-769-6131, homewoodbagelco.com

D-BAT SW Birmingham is celebrating five years in Homewood. The franchise at 131 W. Oxmoor Road, Suite 131, offers customers a 16,000-square-foot indoor facility for baseball/softball training, developmental youth camps, private lessons with professional instructors, birthday parties and a full line of products. This includes wood bats, gloves, batting gloves and all the latest accessories. The facility is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. 205-843-3228, dbatswbirmingham.com

Once Upon a Time, 2844 18th St. S., has been in its new location for one year in Homewood, after moving into the former location of the Little Professor bookstore. The boutique carries classic children’s clothing for babies and children, toys, books, gifts and much more. Shop online or visit the store Monday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. 205-870-7776, onceuponatimechildrens.com

The Little Professor bookstore has been at its new Homewood location, 2738 18th St. S., for one year. The store’s location offers customers more than just books, with an outdoor space, children’s area and perfect spot to grab a cup of coffee. Customers can also find greeting cards, puzzles and crafts items for purchase. Business hours are Monday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 205-703-9010, littleprofessorbookshop.com

Webb Building Essentials has been open for one year at 1716 28th Ave. S. The building materials showroom offers a selection of windows, flooring, doors and more. The showroom is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 205-864-8226, webbconcrete.com

Cushman Wakefield, a global commercial real estate services firm, is celebrating one year at 2715 18th Place S. The firm delivers investment advice, transaction execution and market information to owners and investors engaged in buying, selling, financing and developing multifamily real estate. 205-518-9280, multifamily.cushwake.com

Smith

Willman

Stephenson

Pugh, a physical therapist at Total Joint Physical Therapy, poses in their new Homewood location on Valley Avenue. Pugh is a Homewood resident. Photo courtesy of Ellen Pugh.

Physical therapist Ellen Pugh

By STAFF

Ellen Pugh is a physical therapist at Total Joint Physical Therapy in Homewood, located at 700 Valley Ave., Suite C.

Q: Tell us briefly about your business.

A: We are a family-owned PT practice that was established in May 2022 when Jimmy and Kimberly Dunn opened the first clinic in Crestwood, where they reside. Jimmy had the vision of opening a clinic that served his community.

Q: How did you get involved with the business?

A: I was three years into my career as a PT when I was looking for an opportunity to grow more as a clinician and to have the opportunity to work in a leadership position, such as a clinical director. I was searching on Indeed and found Jimmy at the Total Joint Physical

Therapy. We hit it off immediately during my interview and I was hired in November 2022.

Q: Give us your 30-second elevator pitch.

A: If you are tired of getting the same cookie-cutter exercises at PT, provided by staff that simply does not have the time to get to know your unique circumstance and goals, come see us. We can assure you that you will be provided with an individualized plan of care that will best fit your needs and meet your goals, with treatment always provided one-on-one.

Q: What sets you apart from your competitors?

A: Our patients get our undivided attention for 45 minutes. … It has become the industry standard to treat multiple patients at once, limiting how much time the PT can spend getting to know everyone’s needs. We simply don’t do that.

By STAFF

Jarred Teems started his Homewood-based business, Joy Christmas Lights, two years ago with one mission: bring joy and the magic of professional Christmas lighting to families and businesses around the Birmingham area.

Teems got the idea after seeing professional lights on a home for the first time.

“The way they transformed a space into something magical inspired me to bring that same experience to others,” he said.

“We specialize in creating custom, enchanting lighting displays that brighten the holiday season for each of our clients,” Teems said.

“Our signature service, the Classic Roofline Install, places premium LED bulbs along the front-facing roofline and gutters for a clean, festive look. We can also add custom touches, such as outlining windows and doors or placing stake lights along walkways and driveways.”

His personal favorite is the Tree Wrap, where each branch is covered with lights to illuminate the tree’s structure and create a mesmerizing glow.

Teems accepts new clients year-round, but the busy season runs from late October through November, with installations stretching into mid-December. They stop taking on new projects around Dec. 15.

The business began with nine installs in their first season, and Teems is aiming to reach 60 this year.

“Every installation is custom designed with care to make your display stand out,” he said, “and my favorite part of the job is to see the smiles and excitement from our clients when

they see their lights turn on for the first time.” Contact Joy Christmas Lights at 205-7324233 or jteems.joylights@gmail.com for a free design consultation and estimate.

Homewood Santa celebrates 20 years of holiday cheer in parade

By KATHARINE ARMBRESTER

Homewood’s annual Christmas parade will return this year on Dec. 10, and once again the city’s sidewalks will overflow with locals and visitors. The annual Christmas parade and tree lighting ceremony are beloved traditions that brings floats, music and even Santa Claus to town.

Last year, the parade drew hundreds of spectators, and Santa arrived on a brightly lit city fire truck. This year, Charlie Thomas will pull out his bright red suit once again to reprise the role.

The parade will mark the 20th year that he has played the bearded figure, bringing smiles to children’s faces.

“I’ve had a beard my whole life and it turned white,” Thomas recalled, and soon a friend asked him to play Santa for a family gathering. “I did that and people started hitting me up and wanting me to do it professionally for events, so I invested in a much better suit and hat.”

After assuming the role in the city’s parade, Thomas became recognizable to Homewood’s youngest citizens. “I’d go into stores and the little children would look up at me and give me a ‘Ho ho,’” he laughed.

Thomas has fond memories of his celebratory rides down Homewood streets, previously perching atop an antique fire truck and a ladder truck, and for the last two years he has been in the bucket truck. This year, he hopes to ride in the bucket truck again and looks forward to waving to a crowd of at least a thousand spectators.

“Seeing the crowds every year, bringing the cheer, it’s a lot of fun and I really enjoy it,” Thomas said of his parade ride, which begins at Homewood Public Library and ends in front of City Hall.

Rusty Holley, superintendent of the city Parks and Recreation Department, is instrumental in the organization of the parade and its logistics. He quipped that one of his first responsibilities was “getting in touch with Santa” — that is, Mr. Thomas.

Holley communicates with city departments, including fire, traffic and police, as well as other city officials and the John Carroll Catholic High School band. All this coordination ensures the

parade runs smoothly.

“It’s a lot of moving parts,” Holley said, “that lead us to parade day.”

The parade’s theme for 2024 is “Walking in a Homewood Wonderland,” and there were 50 entries available for people to register to participate. “It’s open to Homewood businesses and organizations first,” Holley said, “then the week of Thanksgiving we open up any remaining spots for people and businesses outside of

Homewood to register.”

“There’s always something new and different,” he said. “Every year a new float is registered.”

The Christmas parade starts at 6:30 p.m. and usually lasts roughly an hour and a half, concluding with Santa’s arrival at City Hall and the star lighting ceremony. The parade is free to attend, and more information can be found at homewoodparks.com/special-events.

Charlie Thomas rides atop a fire truck in a past Christmas parade put on by the city of Homewood. Staff photo.

EVENTS

Homewood events guide

Area Events

Dec. 5-15: Truman Capote’s “A Christmas Memory.” The Homewood Theatre,1831 28th Ave. S., Suite 160 North. The Truman Capote Literary Trust has granted performance rights to perform an original version of this Christmas classic. Taken directly from the Truman Capote short story, this will be a version you have never seen before. For tickets and showtimes each day, visit ci.ovationtix. com/35375/production/1198658.

Dec. 7: Breakfast with Santa. 8 a.m., 10 a.m. and noon. Samford University Rotunda Club. Presented by Samford University and the Homewood Chamber of Commerce, breakfast with Santa will feature a breakfast buffet, arts and crafts and storytime. Adult tickets are $30, children ages 7 to 12 are $10 and children 6 and younger are free. Buy tickets online at business.homewoodchamber.org/events.

Dec. 7: Jingle Bell Run. 9 a.m. Patriot Park, 710 Oak Grove Road. Wear your favorite holiday costume and spread good cheer for a great cause: the Arthritis Foundation's Jingle Bell Run. This race will help support research for better treatments, develop tools and resources and provide opportunities to connect

with others. Participants can run, walk or jingle their way to the finish line. For help or more information, contact Mary Melton mmelton@ arthritis.org. Register online at events.arthritis.org.

Dec. 8: 2024 6th Annual Walk for a Claus. 1-6 p.m. Grocery Brewpub, 2823 Central Avenue. Hosted by the Homewood Santa Claus Society, this event will begin with the "Santas" enjoying Christmas cheer at the Grocery Brewpub, followed by a 2-mile "Santa walk" through Homewood and conclude with the "Santas" resting back at the Grocery Brewpub after delivering their gifts. Participation in this event is for men, ages 21 and older. Participants are required to wear a Santa Claus suit. Golf carts, side-by-sides, ATVs and decorated Christmas floats are allowed. The admission ticket covers food and beverages at the event, along with a Homewood Santa Claus Society gift. The event will conclude with a silent auction of items from various local vendors. A portion of the proceeds is donated to support local charities and their efforts. Register for the event online at eventbrite.com/e/ 2024-annual-walk-for-a-claus-tickets-1012517716747.

Otey’s Tavern Live Music

Dec.

Homewood Public Library

ADULTS

Dec. 3: Not Your Mama's Book Club — 2025 Astrological Predictions. 2-3 p.m. Library Boardroom. No book reading is required. This

is a discussion group. Join as astrologer Mandi Rae Trott brings us her astrological predictions for 2025. Astrology is the ancient science of interpreting what influence the movements of the planets, stars and other heavenly bodies may have on our lives.

Dec. 3: Forever YA Book Club — “Blood and Chocolate” by Annette Curtis Klause. 6-7 p.m. This event is for adults. Room 108, Lower Level. This month's book is “Blood and Chocolate” by Annette Curtis Klause. Place the book on hold at hpl.pub/catalog.

Dec. 6: Jingle All the Way: Stories, Songs and Sing-alongs with Dolores Hydock and Bobby Horton. 6:30-8 p.m. Large Auditorium. Join storyteller Dolores Hydock and musical master Bobby Horton for a blend of holiday stories, Christmas songs and jolly sing-alongs to help jump-start your holiday season. Buy tickets online at homewoodpubliclibrary.org/jatw.

Dec. 7: Adult Crafting With September Reed — Tin Friends. 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. This event is for adults. Room 109, Lower Level. Learn to make tin rocks. The library will provide all supplies needed. This class is free, but register online at homewoodpubliclibrary.org due to limited seating.

Dec. 19: West Homewood Presents “Niki Sepsas — Christmas: A World of Traditions.” 3-4 p.m. Homewood Senior Center. Have you ever wondered how and when we came to accept a certain

spot in Bethlehem as the place where Jesus Christ was born? Join others to learn the answer to this and other Christmas questions as we celebrate the holiday season with a visual presentation by tour guide and freelance writer Niki Sepsas.

CHILDREN

Dec. 2: Acting Out! 3:30-4:30 p.m. in the Round Auditorium. For grades K-5. Get ready for a whole lot of fun while children are introduced to various activities, games and other methods to enhance their inner performers.

Dec. 3: A Family Night Event — Mr. B’s Magic Show! 6-7 p.m. Large Auditorium. For all ages. Enjoy a pizza dinner and an entertaining magic show.

Dec. 9: Once Upon a Storytime — Frozen Fun. 10-10:30 a.m. Round Auditorium. For preschool ages. This month’s theme will be Snow Queen/Frozen fairy tales.

Dec. 12: Snow-flix & Chill. 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Round Auditorium. All ages are welcome. Watch popular movies and shows all day. Snacks will be provided, and participants are encouraged to bring a blanket.

Dec. 12: Gingerbread Challenge. 6-7 p.m. Large Auditorium. For grades K-5. The library will provide everything needed to make your delicious creation. To save your spot, register online at homewoodpubliclibrary.org.

Dec. 21: Squishmallow Party! 10:30-11:15 a.m. Round Auditorium. All ages are welcome. Bring your Squishmallows (or favorite stuffy) for Squishmallow-themed activities, crafts and food.

TEENS

Dec. 6: Hot Chocolate Bombs. 4-5:30 p.m. Room 110, Lower Level. For teens in grades 6-12th. Learn to make hot chocolate bombs to take home and enjoy. Register online at homewoodpubliclibrary.org.

Dec. 13: Crochet for the Holidays. 2-5 p.m. Large Auditorium. For grades 4-12. Make crocheted goods to donate to a local shelter. All supplies are provided. Register online at homewoodpubliclibrary.org.

Dec. 20: Making Clay Ornaments. 2:30-4 p.m. Room 109, Lower Level. For grades 6-12. Come and make clay ornaments for the holidays or decor! All supplies provided. Register online at homewoodpubliclibrary.org.

SPORTS

Garrison aims to continue Shepler’s legacy with Patriots

By KYLE PARMLEY

Elijah Garrison has been a head coach before. And he’s been at Homewood High School the last two years.

But Garrison still feels the gravity of the boys basketball program he is taking over, following the retirement of longtime coach Tim Shepler.

“There are some high school jobs that set themselves apart, and this is one of them,” Garrison said.

Garrison is only the program’s fifth head coach. Shepler was at Homewood 29 years and there were only three before him, dating back to the early 1970s.

“One thing I absolutely love about where he left this program is there’s no question that he’s a high-character guy, his players and teams played hard and they were going to be [the] hardest playing, grittiest team every night,” Garrison said.

When Shepler retired in the spring, he publicly campaigned for Garrison to succeed him.

“I’m appreciative of that,” Garrison said. “He has coached me into knowing how this community operates and works, and how inside this building operates and works.”

Garrison has great respect for what Shepler built at Homewood and makes that known at every turn. He wants to keep that identity intact, with a small caveat: he wants to pick up the pace offensively.

“I know the tradition of Homewood basketball and that doesn’t change. We just want to play faster offensively,” he said.

The Patriots have a few key returners to lead the way. Latham Binkley and Kaleb Carson had productive campaigns last winter.

Carson will be coming off the football field after leading the Patriots to a playoff season.

He was the starter at point guard last year and put together a strong year.

Binkley is a Trevecca Nazarene University signee. He had several breakout games last year, but Garrison has challenged him to deliver a more consistent impact for his team this year.

Daniel Vinson led Homewood in minutes played last season and Charlie Sims is another returner. Sims is a forward but is adept at shooting from the outside and is classified as a “stretch big.”

Binkley, Sims and Phin Mullins are the three seniors on the team this year.

WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR HEALTH

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At our practice, your health comes first; and we strive to treat each patient as a person, not just another case. Our goal is to deliver a positive personal experience along with a positive outcome.

For your convenience, we have same day appointments available, as well as early morning, evening, and Saturday appointments. Please call 1-888-ENT-5020 (1-888-368-5020) for more information, visit us on our website at www.entalabama.com, and scan the QR code below to follow us on social media.

Homewood’s Latham Binkley is shown in a Class 6A Northeast Regional game last season.

Binkley is one of the top returners this season for the Patriots under first-year coach Elijah Garrison.

has 10 juniors to make up the majority of the roster. But there is not much previous varsity experience amongst that large group.

Carson and Vinson have played, but Drew Vail, David Walden, Drew Susce, Jace Harden, Hayes DeCoudres, Sam Welch, James Kellen and Royce Bitten will get their opportunities to crack the rotation in a meaningful way.

Davis Lee and Keenan Limo are sophomores being pulled up to the varsity team as well.

Homewood plays in Class 6A, Area 9, against Parker, Minor and Jackson-Olin.

Following a November with three home games and playing in Spain Park’s tournament, the Patriots set forth on a tough December slate.

In December, the Patriots travel to Oak Mountain and Vestavia Hills, two quality Class 7A programs. Home games against McAdory, Spain Park and John Carroll lead to a couple of games at Decatur High.

Homewood wraps up the month with its annual Metro Tournament. In January, the Patriots will play Cullman, Hartselle, Hayden and Altamont in addition to two games against each area foe.

Homewood

Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.

Lady Patriots ready to make their mark

By KYLE PARMLEY

The identity of the Homewood High School girls basketball team in recent years has revolved around offensive pace and full-court defense.

That won’t change entirely this season, but the Lady Patriots will likely look a little different on the floor.

Head coach Gavin King said his team will be shifting to more of a five-guard look, without having a prototypical forward or center to play inside.

“We’ve got a lot of girls that can shoot, so you want to give them freedom. We’ve got some girls that can really get to the rim, so we want to give them space,” King said.

Last winter, Homewood posted a 23-7 record, falling short in the area tournament by two points. It was the second straight season the Lady Patriots lost fewer than 10 games total.

This year’s team enters the season with plenty of returning experience, which lends itself to plenty of versatility in the different ways Homewood can play. There are no excuses about youth or inexperience, King said. This year’s team is one with lofty goals that are attainable.

Ava Robinson, Savannah McDonald and Laine Litton are the three seniors on the team. Robinson recently signed to play college basketball at Snead State Community College. McDonald has improved her shot-making and possesses great skill, while Litton is a high-percentage 3-point shooter.

Lane Crowe picked up some offers over the summer and seems destined for a strong junior year. Ellis McCool is a tall guard who can stretch the floor. Ryanne Ezekiel will be in the mix as well.

Vivy Mooney, Chloe Warren, Hailey

Jennings and Reagan Gray are among others who will see plenty of playing time this year.

There will inevitably be challenges throughout the year for the team, one of which could be rebounding with the Lady Patriots playing exclusively with guards on the floor.

“We’ve got November and December, and hopefully by January we’ve kind of figured out rotations, what defense we feel like we’re stronger at,” King said.

Homewood plays in Class 6A, Area 9, with Minor, Parker and Jackson-Olin. The Lady

Patriots last made it out of the area tournament in the 2020-21 campaign and have suffered heartbreaking defeats to Minor in the area tournament each of the last two years.

In November, the Lady Patriots got the season going with games against Midfield, Ramsay, Pinson Valley, Helena, Chelsea, Briarwood, Calera, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa and Hartselle.

Homewood next prepares to play Oak Mountain, Vestavia Hills, McAdory, Briarwood, Pinson Valley, Spain Park and John Carroll

before heading to the Big Orange Classic in Hoover, which will challenge the Lady Patriots. The Lady Patriots cap off December with a game at Moody before the turn of the calendar. They will take on a team from Georgia, Huffman, Hayden and Altamont surrounding their six area games.

“We feel about some, trying some new things out, but also not panicking if things don’t just look perfect when the season starts,” King said.

“We want to be our best when we get to Jan. 7 when we play Minor.”

Homewood’s Savannah McDonald is shown in a game last season. McDonald is one of three seniors for the Lady Patriots, along with Laine Litton and Ava Robinson.

Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.

Under the Lights

ACCOLADES

Patriots cross-country excels at state

By STAFF

The Homewood High School cross-country teams excelled at the Class 6A state meet on Nov. 9 at the state meet in Moulton.

Emma Brooke Levering dominated the competition in the girls meet, winning the race by more than 30 seconds. She ran a blistering pace of 17 minutes, 46 seconds to win the race. The Patriots finished runner-up as a team, second only to Mountain Brook.

Levering is a recent Penn State commit and won five meets during a standout season.

courtesy of Homewood High School

Bailey Zinn was also an all-state runner, finishing 14th overall in 19:07. Madelyn Luckianow (36th, 20:12), Lexie Fowlkes (39th, 20:24) and Lilly Maske (43rd, 20:27) also contributed to the team score.

Zinn’s season was an impressive one, improving on her 2023 state time by a minute.

The boys team placed third in a strong meet as well. Foster Laird led the charge by finishing 17th overall, running the race in 16:11. Charles Stone was 31st with a time of 16:44.

Davis Holly (34th, 16:47), RJ Teter (40th, 16:53) and Ethan Bagwell (42nd, 16:55) put points on the board as well.

It was an impressive season for the boys runners. Laird won the section meet the week prior, Teter was just off of his personal best, Colvin Bussey improved his time by nearly a minute and Bagwell returned from injury and posted a strong year, while underclassmen Wade Thomas, Charles Stone and Davis Holly were among those to achieve personal bests during the year as well.

Looking for more Under the Lights? Scan the QR code (or go to qrco.de/under-the-lights) to follow us on social media, subscribe to the newsletter and listen to the podcast.

CALENDAR

BASKETBALL

Dec. 3: @ Oak Mountain. Boys at 2:10 p.m., girls at 7 p.m.

Dec. 6: @ Vestavia Hills. Girls at 5:30 p.m., boys at 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 9: vs. McAdory. Girls at 6 p.m., boys at 7 p.m.

Dec. 11: Girls @ Briarwood. 7 p.m.

Dec. 12: Girls @ Pinson Valley. 2 p.m.

Dec. 13: vs. Spain Park. Girls at 6 p.m., boys at 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 17: vs. John Carroll. Girls and boys at 2:30 p.m.

Dec. 19-21: Girls at Big Orange Classic. Hoover High School.

Dec. 20: Boys vs. Madison Academy. Decatur High School. 4:30 p.m.

Dec. 21: Boys vs. Austin. Decatur High School. 3 p.m.

Dec. 27: Boys vs. Jacksonville. 4:30 p.m.

Dec. 28: Boys vs. Clay-Chalkville. 3 p.m.

Dec. 29: Boys vs. Chilton County. 4:30 p.m.

Dec. 30: Boys @ Moody. 11:30 a.m.

WRESTLING

Dec. 5: vs. Saraland. 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 6-7: Gardendale Invitational. Gardendale High School.

Dec. 12: vs. Hoover. 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 14: Fight Before Christmas. Denmark High School.

Dec. 20-21: Pelham Invitational. Pelham High School.

Dec. 27-28: Scott Rohrer Invitational. Hoover High School.

The Homewood High School girls cross-country team finished second at the Class 6A state meet. Photo

The Lakeshore Foundation is a life-time family affair for the Kambers of Homewood

The Lakeshore Foundation in Birmingham is a world leader in fitness, athletic performance and health promotion for people with disabilities, as well as veterans and seniors (with or without a disability).

A nonprofit founded in 1984, the foundation serves about 4,000 people annually and is a leader in paralympic and adaptive sports training, disability advocacy and inclusive fitness.

Lakeshore Foundation creates a supportive environment where people can thrive physically, mentally and socially.

The facility has served athletes from around the world who come to Birmingham to train or compete. Lakeshore is a U.S. U.S. Olympic and Paralympic training site and is home for two Paralympic sports — USA Wheelchair Rugby and Boccia United States.

The Lakeshore Foundation is also a long-time family affair for the Kambers of Homewood.

Daniel Kamber is a Membership Professional and a Masters Swim Coach at the facility.

In addition, his “whole family is active at the Lakeshore Foundation,” Daniel said. “My father Michael and my mom Sherry are both highly involved, and my dad serves on the board.”

Daniel’s been a Lakeshore Foundation member since 1991, when Sherry heard about the facility’s Super Sports Saturday program for disabled kids.

“I involved Daniel, and he found his love of swimming,” Sherry said.

Daniel started working at the foundation in 2001.

“Everything I do here is gratifying,” he says, calling the foundation “a great organization.”

Last year, the Lakeshore Foundation leveraged its decades of experience in adaptive sports and opened the new Sports Science & Performance Center (SSPC).

The SSPC provides disabled athletes with an unrivaled training experience at a great facility along with data-driven workouts, personalized meal plans and help with mental performance

“As an athlete with a disability, the presence of the SSPC at Lakeshore Foundation is incredibly powerful,”

Daniel says.

Daniel is a paralympic swimmer and was a member of the U.S. Paralympic National Team in 2004 in Greece and in 2011 at the Para PanAm Games in Mexico. SSPC serves elite athletes and aspiring athletes, with

Lakeshore Foundation

• Where: 4000 Ridgeway Drive

• Call: 205-313-7400

• Web: lakeshore.org/sspc

and balance.

This includes Sherry.

Six months ago, she also began training with Brandon Kane at the SSPC to build more muscle and improve her flexibility and balance.

Sherry does weightlifting, the medicine ball, TRX and lots of balance moves.

“I saw and felt results and felt stronger,” Sherry said. “My program is based on scientific data.”

“My mother tells me all the time she is loving it and getting stronger every day,” Daniel said. “I notice also.”

“SSPC is the perfect fit for someone who really wants to see results and not just go through the motions,” Sherry said.

“I enjoy having my mother active in the SSPC,” Daniel said.

Sherry also enjoys daily walks at the field house at the foundation.

“It’s especially nice to walk with all the friends that I have made on the track,” she says.

“Lakeshore Foundation being centrally located here in Homewood, so it’s very easy to access,” Sherry says. “There is no reason not to consider what the facility has to offer.”

For more about the Lakeshore Foundation, including volunteer opportunities, call 205-313-7400 or go to

For more information about the SSPC, go online to

The Homewood Chamber of Commerce invites you to celebrate

Homewood for the Holidays

Breakfast with Santa SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7TH 8:00AM - 1:00PM

Join us alongside Samford University for a very merry Breakfast with Santa! Enjoy a festive morning with breakfast, activities, and a photo with the jolly man himself.

Lighting of the Star & Christmas Parade

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10TH

6:3OPM

Celebrate the holiday season as we light the Historic Homewood Star at the top of 18th Street. The lighting of the Christmas tree and parade will follow immediately after.

SHOP EARLY, SHOP LOCAL

Sherry Kamber trains with her son Daniel Kamber at the Lakeshore Foundation. Daniel Kamber works with visitors of the facility, and his mother uses the facility for her workouts.

Stars of the season

Cheer and band shine during football games

Photos by Richard Force and Savannah Schmidt.

Deanne L. Vail, DMD

Julie L. Webb, DMD

COMMUNITY

Homewood artist unveils Nick Saban painting

By TIM STEPHENS

It has been a whirlwind year of capturing icons for Homewood sports artist Steve Skipper. In 2024, Skipper unveiled paintings of the queen of England and the king of college football.

Those two projects intersected around a third landmark opportunity for Skipper: capturing one of the iconic plays of Iron Bowl history and, in executing it, making some history himself.

Skipper in October unveiled “The Process Fulfilled” alongside legendary former University of Alabama coach Nick Saban and his wife, Terry, in Saban’s office at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa. The painting represents more than 2,000 hours of work by Skipper and captures the full picture of Saban’s illustrious 17-year run with the Crimson Tide.

Represented in the painting are Saban’s national titles — he won six with the Crimson Tide — as well as his relationships with Terry and with the athletic director who hired him at UA, the late Mal Moore. There are nods to relationships with his players, their academic successes, images of the iconic straw hat he wore at practices and memorable plays that marked championships.

The extra touch is a nod to his family heritage and upbringing, including the values he learned from his father that shaped his own career.

“I don’t think you could capture anybody’s life at Alabama better than that,” Nick Saban said at the unveiling. “It’s fantastic. I can’t believe it’s a painting.”

“Mr. Steve, you outdid yourself,” Terry Saban told Skipper. “The detail, the color, the story that it tells, … we just appreciate it so much. You’ve captured a lot of years there.”

Skipper, who was named the 2023 Sports Artist of the Year by the United States Sports Academy, wanted this labor of love to reflect the totality of Saban’s impact in Tuscaloosa, both on

and off the field.

“Through the years, he affected my life and career in a tremendous way,” Skipper told The Homewood Star. “He gave me a written endorsement and a contract when he won his first national championship.”

Proceeds from the sale of each limited-edition print will benefit the Nick’s Kids Foundation. Saban requested that the first canvas reproduction hang in the Saban Center in Tuscaloosa.

Prints may be purchased at Skipper’s website,

steveskipperstudio.com.

The unveiling continued a busy year for Skipper, who in 2024 also produced his portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. The project made him the first Black artist to be commissioned by Buckingham Palace to create a portrait for the Royal Collection.

It was during the production of that painting that he was struck by another inspiration: Jalen Milroe’s last-second touchdown pass to beat Auburn in what would be Saban’s final

Iron Bowl.

He immediately began work on “The Resilient Gravedigger,” which captured Milroe’s 4th-and-goal touchdown pass covering 31 yards, in Alabama’s stunning 27-24 win at Auburn. It is the first work by Skipper to be officially licensed by the university as a name, image and likeness (NIL) deal featuring a student-athlete. Milroe receives a portion of all sales.

“It’s overwhelming,” Skipper said of his success in 2024. “I’m on Cloud 50.”

Homewood artist Steve Skipper, right, poses with former University of Alabama football coach Nick Saban and Saban’s wife, Terry, left, at the unveiling of Skipper’s latest work, “The Process Fulfilled,” at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa.

Photo courtesy of Steve Skipper.

Faces of Homewood

Blubelle the Flower Truck wipes away winter blues

By SAVANNAH SCHMIDT

This past summer, Homewood resident Wendy Pierce purchased a classic blue Ford pickup and converted it into Blubelle the Flower Truck, a mobile business.

Flowers opened a new door for Pierce as her life as a mom had recently changed.

"I've been a stay-at-home mom for 23 years, and now my kids are grown. I decided that I needed to find something for me that I enjoy doing. I thought, 'How about flowers? Making people smile,’” Pierce laughed.

Blubelle carries unique in-season flowers from various stores that can be assembled into arrangements.

“Blubelle will be available to rent for any events people might have through the cold season,” Pierce said. “But while she is napping some, Pierce Design will be busy making and selling flowers at all the Homewood High School show choir events. We will give 10% of the proceeds back to the Homewood show choir organization.”

“We will also be taking orders for any of your holiday flower party needs,” she added. “We are offering flower parties as well for the holidays. Lastly, we have decided to expand our flower services and will be doing weddings now.”

Find out more by following on Instagram @blubelletheflowertruck.

Wendy Pierce holds a bouquet of flowers in front of Blubelle. The Homewood resident drives around Birmingham with her seasonal picks.

Blubelle the flower truck visits downtown Homewood with a variety of seasonal flowers. Visitors can buy flowers by the stem and make an arrangement of their choosing. Photos courtesy of Wendy Pierce.

Life in Homewood

BACK WHEN

The Homewood Christmas Star shines for more than 70 years

By SAVANNAH SCHMIDT

More than 70 years ago, the Homewood Christmas Star was welded together at the McConnell Sales and Engineering Corporation shop off of West Oxmoor Road.

This photo from the Birmingham News in November 1955 depicts Ted Carter, a chairman of the Shades Valley Chamber of Commerce decorations committee, and Fred Sikes with the star in the background.

Star-builder Douglass McConnell passed the company onto his son, Art McConnell, who passed in 2020. As the McConnell’s business lives on, the lighting of the 200-pound star offers a tribute to the family who has been a cornerstone of Homewood Christmas tradition for decades.

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GET TO KNOW

Homewood Chamber of Commerce marketing director Mattie Kehl

By STAFF

Mattie Kehl is the new marketing and communications director for the Homewood Chamber of Commerce.

Q: Tell us a bit about you.

A: I am from Alabama, born and raised. I've been in the Birmingham area for about three years now. I'm originally from a little town outside of Montgomery called Pike Road. I went to the University of Alabama, where I studied news media. That's also where I met my husband and we now have a new little baby. He is about to turn 1 year old, and his name is Grant.

Q: What's the best part about living here?

A: I think my favorite part about Homewood is that, although it's actually really quite big, it has this small-town feel. I also really like how diverse it is.

Q: How did you decide to pursue your career?

A: Going into college, I actually thought that I wanted to do something in the medical field. I took one math class and that quickly changed. I learned that my strengths were actually in English and reading comprehension.

Q: If you could change one thing about

yourself, what would it be?

A: I would change how I'm always looking for that next thing. I'm always thinking, “What can I do next? What can I get next? What new fun thing can I do next?” But I really want to appreciate the now, and I think I could do a lot better at doing that.

Mattie Kehl, marketing and communications director for the Homewood Chamber of Commerce, poses with her son, Grant, and husband, Daniel. Photo courtesy of Mattie Kehl.

Photo courtesy of the Birmingham Rewound.

Deborah Sema, DMD, MS

On the Mainstage

SPOTLIGHT GET TO KNOW

Homewood Theatre’s Lexi Bresnan

By STAFF

Q: How did you get involved in acting?

A: I started acting when I was in high school. I actually got accidentally put into the theater elective and was in one of the one-acts at the end of the semester, and I absolutely fell in love with it and proceeded to be in all of the shows after that. And then, when I graduated high school, I auditioned at Belmont University and that's where I got my BFA in theater performance. After that I started doing children's theater tours as well.

Q: Who inspires you as a performer?

A: My biggest theatrical inspiration is probably Barrett Wilbert Reed. She played Janice in “Mean Girls” as well as she was in “Heathers” and several other things on Broadway. But she has an amazing voice and I really admire the characters that she plays and the amount of work that goes into it.

Q: What is your favorite or most memorable performance?

A: My favorite performance was my senior year of college. I played Molly in “Peter and the Starcatcher,” which is a prequel to “Peter Pan.” It was awesome. I got to play a 13-yearold kid and really just have fun, and we got to do it in the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts.

Bresnan’s next production will be the Homewood Theatre’s Christmas show, “Truman Capote’s A Christmas Memory” from Dec. 5 to 15. She will serve as the assistant director for the show. Read more about the show on page 1.

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Birmingham Boys Choir puts on 47th annual Christmas concert

By STAFF

The Birmingham Boys Choir will once again take the stage at Samford University’s Leslie Wright Center on Dec. 8, marking the 47th annual Christmas concert performance by the group.

The BBC has put on their yearly holiday show at the Leslie Wright Center for roughly seven years, previously bouncing around from venue to venue and primarily performing in church halls.

Over 150 children, teenagers and adult men from the Birmingham area will don traditional choir robes as they sing a slew of classic Christmas tunes to celebrate the birth of Jesus. They will sing a total of 21 songs, and this year’s concert theme is “Sing Noel.”

“It's more blessed to give than receive,” said BBC executive director Jeff Caulk. “This is our gift to the community, and when you can do that and have 2000 people singing with you, it’s just the best.”

At least five songs will be performed by the entire group, and others will be breakouts done by the different age groups. There are juniors, seniors, masters and alumni.

Juniors include children in third to fifth grade, seniors are sixth to eighth grade and the masters are high school aged. The alumni are adults, high school graduates and beyond, who were previously a part of the BBC. They return each year for the concert. The concert will be held at 872 Montague Dr. on Dec. 8 at 2:30 p.m. It is free and open to the public. Visit birminghamboyschoir.org/ performances for more information.

Lexi Bresnan is the education director at the Homewood Theatre.

Photo courtesy of Lexi Bresnan.

The Birmingham Boys Choir rehearses at Saint Mark United Methodist Church in Vestavia Hills on Nov. 16 in preparation for their 47th annual Christmas concert on Dec. 8. Photo by Sarah Owens.

CONTINUED from page 1

This has led to improved interventions, collaboration and, ultimately, more consistent and effective reading instruction across the district.”

Hefner says that intentionality has allowed teachers more opportunities to build on their strengths, and he noted that the system’s reading coaches have played a key role in supporting teachers throughout the process.

While the ACAP emphasized the improvement of English scores across the state, especially in third grade, older students also made leaps in reading achievements.

Homewood High School students improved almost a full point in the reading section of the ACT, raising 2022’s average reading score of 23.66 to 24.35 in 2023. Homewood’s composite average ACT score for 2023 was 23.48, an increase from 22.66 the year prior. The highest possible score is 36.

“The rise in our high school ACT scores is a testament to years of dedicated effort from all corners of our community,” HCS Director of Instruction Cristy York said. “Our students’ commitment to learning, combined with the hard work of our teachers, staff, parents and the support of the wider Homewood community, has created an environment where success thrives. This achievement is a shared victory and reflects our collective investment in the future.”

The state of Alabama’s average ACT score is 17.72 for 2023, a slight increase from the previous year’s score of 17.69. While Homewood is well above the state average, York said that doesn’t stop them from looking for improvement.

“The district is committed to hiring and retaining excellent teachers, providing them with ongoing support for professional growth through learning opportunities and time for collaboration. We strive for high expectations for all students, while regularly evaluating progress and identifying areas for improvement,” she said. “We offer a range of rigorous courses and continue to expand opportunities for enrichment, diverse course offerings and support for all students. With a comprehensive K-12 approach, we recognize that ACT success in 11th grade is built upon a strong foundation

of skills and knowledge developed throughout a student’s education.”

ACT Prep teacher Holly Drake agreed with York, pointing to Homewood’s strong curriculum as a factor in higher ACT scores.

“I feel like our level of rigor at Homewood is above average,” Drake said. “The best thing for ACT prep is to take challenging courses and teachers who are challenging their students in all of the areas. So you know, if you’ve taken even just regular math classes all the way through, you should be prepared for the Math ACT. Our English classes do a great job of preparing our students for understanding punctuation and writing and just being ready for the ACT.”

Drake notes that course selection is something that can help a student receive a standout score, becoming familiar with working at a higher level through advanced and AP classes. On top of challenging classes, Drake says the high school’s ACT prep classes can be helpful. They mostly use Kaplan materials to help prepare students for the exam.

“Our goal is to teach strategies to help them understand the types of questions that are going to be asked and understand timing and how to manage their time on the test,” she said. “Many of the questions, when they

read them, they know how to answer them. So our goal is to help kids know what to do when they get stuck, how to process and work through a question, how to get started on a math question, things like that. How to work through and eliminate obvious answer choices that need to go away so that they can get down to maybe a 50/50 chance. So working mainly through strategies to help them not only get them right, but to know what to do when they are stumped.”

Drake recognizes that not all students have the time in their schedules to take her class, but she recommends taking advantage of the plethora of outside resources and finding one that works for them.

Overall, Homewood is seeing an upward trend in standardized scoring results, something Hefner attributes to the hard work put in by both students and teachers.

“I’m incredibly proud of the progress our students are making in both growth and achievement,” Hefner said. “Their success is a testament to their commitment and hard work, laying a strong foundation for their academic careers. Our teachers do an outstanding job helping students maximize their potential, and I couldn’t be prouder or more impressed with all they do for our students.”

Statewide

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Beginners welcome - we invite you to plank, lunge, squeeze, pike, twist, jump and push your body past Its comfort zone!

Oscar Jiminez receives a “good luck” pencil from teacher Holly Drake at Homewood High School the day before he takes the ACT test. Photo by Savannah Schmidt.

SOURCE: ALABAMA ACAP RESULTS (GRADES 3-8), PUBLIC AFFAIRS RESEARCH COUNCIL OF ALABAMA

THEATRE

CONTINUED from page 1

Capote’s short story was originally published in Mademoiselle magazine in December 1956 and was later reprinted in “The Selected Writing of Truman Capote” in 1963.

The story has since been published in various editions over the years, but Bass said they could not find performance rights to any published stageplays of the short story.

“We had to contact the Truman Capote Literary Trust, explain what we would like to do and be approved to do it,” Bass said. “By the time we had all of the legalities formalized, we didn’t really have time for our usual audition process, so we reached out to some folks we had in mind to play the characters.”

Bass said Mayor is a Birmingham theater staple and someone he knew would be fabulous in the role of Sook.

“We then found an incredible young man named Stark Newton to play Buddy,” Bass said. “We also needed a really good voice for our narrator, and it will be played by Channel 6 television news reporter Russell Jones. David Coker, another Birmingham theater treasure, will fill in for Russell on a couple of performances.”

Mayor said one of the lines from the story that she looks forward to reciting in her best Southern accent is “It is fruitcake weather, Buddy.”

“Sook is a character that some could say is very simple-minded, which may explain the closeness she has with Buddy,” Mayor said. “It is just a really lovely story overall. It is kind of different than anything I have ever done before, really. I am looking forward to the challenge. I think my challenge and goal is to complete a character and develop a relationship with little Buddy without having a lot of dialogue between the two of us. I am really looking forward to working with Stark, and I think he is perfectly suited for this adventure as Buddy.”

Mayor said this is not a typical stage performance, and it requires each character to represent the story by simply using the text.

“We are tied to the words as they are written in the short story,” Mayor said. “It will be

representational rather than literal.”

Mayor said she began her official acting career when she was in the fourth grade at Birmingham Children’s Theatre.

“I have been in acting for many decades,” she said. “I am really anticipating a great turnout for this show. It is just the best holiday piece. I remember my father being a big fan of this story, so because of that it has always been special to me.”

Bass said the idea to perform this particular story at Homewood Theatre originated sometime over the last year.

“I watched the miniseries ‘Feud: Capote Verses the Swans,’ and that reminded me of his short story, ‘A Christmas Memory,’” Bass said. “I knew of Mr. Capote’s connections to the state of Alabama and I thought it might be interesting for our Christmas show.”

Lexi Bresnan, who normally works as Homewood Theatre’s education director, will try out a new role for this play and serve as assistant director.

“I really wanted to be invested in what all we were doing as a theater,” Bresnan said. “Kyle wanted me to be involved in some of the adult productions we put on, so it worked out that I would be the assistant director for this show.”

Bresnan, a Homewood native, said she is excited about the new aspect of helping

direct a play.

From left: Kyle Bass, Stark Newton and Ellise Mayor practice lines for their December show, Truman Capote’s “A Christmas Memory” at the Homewood Theatre.

“Last year we didn’t do a Christmas show, so this year it will be really neat to put on something during the Christmas season,” she said. “I think because we are one of the first to ever get rights to this, it is neat in the aspect of we get to be creative with our cast, but also we are sort of under a little bit of pressure because this hasn’t really ever been done before. I think it can be neat to look at what others have done and get a feel for how you want to adapt something, but in this case we are kind of doing it all on our own.”

Rehearsals for the play began in mid-November.

“We start our rehearsals at 6:30 p.m. because most of our people have other jobs and we want to make this accessible,” Bresnan said.

“Everyone can eat their dinner and then come and start doing read-throughs. My main job will be watching everything and making sure it all makes sense, making sure the characters are really coming to life and writing notes. Just mainly helping Kyle bring it all to life.”

Bresnan said she was familiar with Truman Capote but not with this particular story prior to the theater deciding to put it on.

“Everyone that I have spoken to that knows the story has loved it, so I am really looking forward to seeing how it all takes shape,” she said.

Truman Capote’s ‘A Christmas Memory’

► Where: Homewood Theatre, 1831 28th Ave. S

► Tickets: $25

► Call: 205-873-1816

► Web: homewoodtheatre.com

► Showtimes: Thursday, Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 6 at 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 8 at 2:30 p.m.

Monday Dec. 9 at 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 10 at 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 12 at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 13 at 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 15 at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.

Bass said the play will be very close to the original version of the short story.

“The narrator will be reading the story and then the live action will take over the story,” he said. “These actors are going to really make the story come to life, they are incredible. And then we have an extra bonus that our background music will be supplied by local musician Bobby Horton. He is supplying us with recordings of Christmas music to be our background music behind the entire production, and after each performance, our house baker, Lori Mercer, will provide fruitcake for everyone who attends.”

Bass said he hopes those that come to the show will leave with a “nice, warm feeling about a simpler life.”

“I hope that people will learn about friendships between people who are very different, and about how even through loss and loneliness we can still celebrate the way we care about one another at Christmas time,” Bass said.

For more information about the show, visit homewoodtheatre.com or call 205-873-1816. Homewood Theatre is located at 1831 28th Ave. S.

Photo by Savannah Schmidt.