The Homewood Star Volume 5 | Issue 9 | December 2015
neighborly news & entertainment for Homewood
City rules on vaping, smoking broaden By SYDNEY CROMWELL
Police officers have to go through firearm training twice a year, but this time, the Homewood Police Department is adding a new competition to the mix. Homewood Police Sgt. and firearms instructor Justin Self said the department’s 78 officers are using their fall training session to prepare for a new “Top Gun” shooting competition slated for Dec. 4. “We have always had some sort of competition amongst ourselves during these training sessions,” Self said as he stopped to answer questions at the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Training Center. “Mainly for bragging rights.” To make this round of instruction even more interesting, Self said, Homewood Police Chief Jim Roberson asked the instructors to create the inaugural Top Gun competition. The winning officer will walk away with bragging rights, of course, but also a trophy and prize. “This event will help get our guys even more motivated,” Self said. “They all have a competitive spirit, and of course this is already important
Jake Waitzman is an unlikely proponent of more expansive smoking regulations. A former 20-year smoker, Waitzman is the owner of Vulcan Vape and the president of Breathe Easier Alliance Alabama, an e-cigarette lobbying group. However, he said he “applauds” the Homewood City Council’s Nov. 9 decision to update its smoking ordinance, prohibiting smoking and e-cigarette use in several new public spaces. “I think it’s a healthy thing to talk about,” Waitzman said. Discussion of new smoking ordinances began in October. Members of the Safe and Healthy Homewood Coalition, as well as several parents and residents, favored a comprehensive regulation to ban smoking in all public places due to health risks for smokers and those around them. They expressed these opinions to the council over the course of multiple meetings. “One’s right to smoke ends at my right to breathe,” said Resolute Running coach Jennifer Andress at an Oct. 26 public hearing on the issue. “We definitely need to be leaders in this capacity.” “When kids grow up in a community where that’s just not an acceptable behavior for anybody… they’re less likely to begin to use [tobacco or other substances],” said Carissa Anthony, the prevention and development coordinator for the coalition after that meeting. “Over and over again… that [comprehensive smoking ban] has been linked to a reduction in youth initiation of smoking. In fact, it’s almost equivalent to raising the taxes on cigarettes by a dollar,” Anthony said. Some council members, including Ward 4 Rep. Barry Smith and Ward 5 Rep. Peter Wright, agreed with the coalition about the comprehensive ban. Others, such as Ward 1 Rep. Britt Thames, were opposed to regulations that would limit businesses, including restaurants, from coming to their
See TOP GUN | page A26
See SMOKING | page A27
Above: Homewood police officer Victor Sims completes his semiannual requalification course at the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Training Center on Wednesday, Nov. 4. Below: Sgt. Justin Self, also a firearms instructor, reviews a target for accuracy. Photos by Ana Good.
On the mark
Homewood Police compete for inaugural ‘Top Gun’ title By ANA GOOD
INSIDE INSIDE
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Got Goats? Red Mountain State Park employs a unique but sustainable solution to mitigate a growing problem: invasive plant species like kudzu.
See page B1
Hoops Hype With basketball season upon us, we preview Homewood’s boys and girls 2015-16 teams and schedules.
See page B17