April 2025 | Volume 15 | Issue 11
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Full speed ahead Johnny Montgomery’s life is in overdrive By EMILY REED
J
ohnny Montgomery has spent his life running — not just in races, but from hardship, tragedy and even danger. As a child, he sprinted through the Alabama woods delivering moonshine. As a young man, he ran headfirst into the grueling world of Ironman competitions, testing his endurance on a global stage. Later, he ran toward faith and redemption after battling alcoholism and devastating personal loss. Now, at 79, Montgomery isn’t running anymore — he’s standing still, accepting one of the greatest honors of his life. On May 3, he will receive the Frank “Pig” House Award from the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, recognizing not just his achievements as an athlete but his lasting impact on Alabama’s sports community.
See MONTGOMERY | page 30 Johnny Montgomery, an eight-time Ironman World Championships competitor, showcases his “Ironman” license plate. Montgomery is to be honored by the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame for his contributions to sports, including serving as a Team USA duathlon competitor and a longtime volunteer in Birmingham’s running community. Photo by Savannah Schmidt.
City Manager Glen Adams preps Homewood for success By SARAH OWENS
Glen Adams
Glen Adams wasted no time stepping into his new role as Homewood’s city manager, walking into City Hall on March 5 — just two days after the City Council hired him. He landed the role after a series of interviews and a visit to Homewood, where he met with several department heads. “I had multiple people say that they were very impressed with the fact that Glen spent so much time with the individual department heads,” said Councilwoman Barry Smith, who served as chair of the ad
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hoc committee tasked with hiring the city manager. “He sort of came in with a plan of how he wanted to approach things if he were to get the job. He came in with some pretty specific ideas and had some really good conversations with department heads.” Adams takes over amid challenges, including last year’s embezzlement scandal that led to the former finance director’s arrest for stealing nearly $1 million and a divisive referendum on how the city should select a city manager. But he isn’t focused on the past — his priority is positioning Homewood for success. “For [my] last six years in the Army, I was really
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a firefighter for the Army,” Adams said. “They put me on things that weren't really solvable, and I solved them. So, I can tell you I’m not worried about coming into the situation.” His journey toward city management began in Savannah, Georgia, in 1994 when he witnessed local leaders restore their community after a major storm. This inspired him to pursue public service, focusing on rebuilding, infrastructure and community development.
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See ADAMS | page 31 Sports............................... 24 Community...................... 26 facebook.com/thehomewoodstar
Home & Garden
All-South Metro
Find tips and tricks from area businesses to jump-start any spring project in our guide.
Ella McCool and Kaleb Carson earn 2nd team honors
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