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July 2025 | Volume 16 | Issue 2
Serving the Birmingham area since 1958. SERVING HOMEWOOD, HOOVER, MOUNTAIN BROOK, VESTAVIA HILLS, TRUSSVILLE AND THE U.S. 280 CORRIDOR
HOMEWOOD’S COMMUNITY NEWS SOURCE THEHOMEWOODSTAR.COM | STARNESMEDIA.COM
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All-South Metro
See this year’s All-South Metro baseball and softball teams.
See pages 16,18
Creekside dropped: Homewood reckons with questions about growth, development
Lifelong Advocate
By SARAH OWENS For months, Samford University’s proposed Creekside development stirred passions across Homewood, sparking debates on growth, identity and infrastructure. Now, without fanfare, it was over — at least for now.
See CREEKSIDE | page 22
Paul Doran honored with ALA Trustee Citation Award.
Photo illustration by Melanie Viering, map courtesy of Landmark Development.
See page 19
The New Playbook: Part 2
INSIDE Sponsors.............. 4 City........................ 6 Schoolhouse........ 8 Business..............10
Real Estate......... 13 Events.................. 14 Sports.................. 16 Community......... 19
and meaning in the sport she loves. Former local prep stars like bothShestability was recruited during a time when athletes were being granted extra years of eligibility due to COVID. Her commitment to Seton Hall Homewood’s Mackenzie nearly fell through, and she later entered the portal. Yoakum are navigating the transfer Her experience is one of dealing with continuous adversity. have had to learn how to stick up for myself new, professionalized world and“Ifight my internal battle of thinking I am not good enough,” she said. “It is much more than of college sports in real time [volleyball],” she said. “It's about how you
facebook.com/thehomewoodstar
By KYLE PARMLEY Mackenzie Yoakum’s college volleyball story has many layers. The former Homewood High School standout took an unconventional journey, beginning at Seton Hall University and later transferring to the University of West Georgia, where she found
respond when life knocks you down at 17, and what person you’ll come out of it by 21.” Things didn’t go as planned at Seton Hall, and she decided to enter the transfer portal after her sophomore season. She landed at West Georgia last year and took a redshirt season.
See THE NEW PLAYBOOK | page 23
Imagine your home, totally organized!
Mackenzie Yoakum played college volleyball at Seton Hall and West Georgia after a stellar high school career at Homewood. Photo courtesy of University of West Georgia.
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