October 2024 | Volume 15 | Issue 5
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Homewood Halloween builds lasting memories, community By SARAH OWENS
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Alex Wyatt, the incoming mayor of Homewood and current City Council president Homewood, stands in front of the Homewood City Hall plaza. Photo by Savannah Schmidt.
Homewood voters took to the polls on Sept. 24 to vote yes or no on a referendum to authorize the hiring of a city manager. Results weren’t available at press time, but continuing coverage will be shared online. Regardless of the vote For continuing outcome, residents will see coverage, go to big changes in their city thehomewood government when Alex star.com Wyatt, the City Council president, becomes mayor, effective Nov. 1. Wyatt is stepping into the role after Mayor Patrick McClusky announced his retirement at a City Council meeting Aug. 26. McClusky cited the desire to spend more time with family and to pursue other interests as reasons behind the decision. Council President Pro Tempore Walter Jones will fill Wyatt’s role, and the empty councilor seat will likely be filled in November. You can read more about that process on page 6. Check out November’s paper for a profile on Wyatt and his plans for finishing out the term as mayor, and a breakdown of what’s next for the city following the referendum results.
ustin Ivins remembers trick-or-treating as a child on the same neighborhood streets that hundreds of children now walk when they come to see his house on Halloween, but he says none of the houses back then decorated like he does now. A resident of Edgewood, Ivins goes all out for Halloween, creating a memorable experience with large blow-up decorations, a fog machine and colorful lights. He has always liked the spooky holiday, but his childhood memories aren’t as vivid as the ones he hopes his decorations create for today’s kids. Growing up on Valley Avenue in Homewood, Ivins’ mom would bring him over to Edgewood to trick-or-treat, but he said the population of the neighborhood was older back then, so they didn’t decorate as much. Ivins and his friends celebrated big for the holiday throughout college, and that’s where he thinks the roots of his Halloween tradition may have started to grow. “I bought one thing,” he said, “and then I bought another thing, and then I bought another thing, and then, sure enough, now I got a yard full of stuff.” His yard truly does become a spectacle during the month of October, featuring decorations of all kinds. He’ll often put out a few things at a time, slowly filling the yard until he reaches the final look. “Now I’ve got no choice [but] to do it,” he said. “All the kids start driving by and wanting to know when I’m starting to put out stuff.” He usually gets one new item every year, and neighbors and friends often send in decoration suggestions or pictures of items they see around town or in stores. This year, he finally got his hands on a Skelly, the famous 12-foot skeleton statue from Home Depot that has a Facebook group of over 280,000 people dedicated to it. Its giant size isn’t the only thing that earns the towering decoration a lot of attention.
See page 6
See HALLOWEEN | page 30
What’s next for Homewood leadership after mayor announces retirement By SARAH OWENS
INSIDE
Sponsors................. 4 City........................... 6
Above: Justin Ivins has spent thousands of dollars over the years building his collection of Halloween decorations. Photos courtesy of Justin Ivins.
Left: Justin Ivins dressed up in face paint for Halloween 2021. Above: Ella James and Landyn Ivins pose in front of their decorated lawn on Halloween in 2023.
Schoolhouse........... 8 Business................. 10
Real Estate............ 14 Events..................... 16
Sports..................... 18 Community........... 22
Fall Home & Garden........... 26 facebook.com/thehomewoodstar
Recovered Funds
Spooktacular
City of Homewood recovers roughly half of the $950,000 that was stolen by its former finance director.
The spirit of Halloween is alive with activities like the Witches Ride and Sims Garden Pumpkin and Mum sale.
See page 7
See pages 16-17