Crowd idolizes Ruben
Tuscaloosa News – Oct. 6
…On the west side, white, brown and black faces of all ages gathered to celebrate the new development, to meet some friends and to hear “American Idol” star Ruben Studdard. All that was music to the ears of Brice Miller, who helped coordinate the event.
“It’s what we all wanted: a diverse crowd of African-American, Caucasian, everything; and they all came out and enjoyed it in peace, and that’s a beautiful thing,” said Miller, assistant director of the University of Alabama’s Community Crossroads Center, which hopes to develop more functions like this for under-served communities in West Alabama…
Crossing Points: Special needs program enriches lives of students and teachers
Tuscaloosa Magazine – Fall 2008
…The Crossing Points program, collaboration between the University of Alabama’s Special Education Department in the College of Education and the Tuscaloosa city and county school systems, is housed in Garland Hall on the UA campus. Its mission is to help students with disabilities transition from school to adult life. Students, ages 18 to 21, are placed in specially selected job sites at the university and cooperating area businesses. They spend up to four hours a day, four days a week in real job or vocational settings along with classroom instruction to support independent living skills, self determination and functional academics…The 2008 graduates were honored this May at a ceremony University of Alabama President Dr. Robert Witt presided over in the same room where they’d danced at the prom. He handed out diplomas and each student read a prepared speech in front of a packed audience…
At home with the Sabans
Tuscaloosa Magazine – Fall 2008
…charities like their own, Nick’s Kids, which has donated more than $300,000 to area programs helping children. Their recent $1 million donation to the University of Alabama’s scholarship fund for first-generation students is one that is dear to their hearts since both Terry and Nick are first-generation college graduates themselves…she says they truly feel at home in Tuscaloosa. “It’s probably the best fit for our whole family.”
The beat goes on: Million Dollar Band members put in long hours for big rewards
Tuscaloosa Magazine – Fall 2008
…With college football season in full swing, the Crimson Tide football team isn’t the only group sweating it out in heat and humidity only late summer in the South can provide. The Million Dollar Band began twice-a-day outdoor practices at the beginning of August, as well as indoor sectional and full-band sessions to ensure perfection by the first football game. Ozzello, who joined UA’s music program in 1989 as assistant director of bands, took on the marching band six years ago and hasn’t looked back. “The support we get from the university, the Alabama fans and the talent that auditions here is exciting,” he says…
Many religions take time out for examination of self, deeds
Tuscaloosa News – Oct. 4
Although Yom Kippur isn’t a holiday for all, the concept of repentance is present in different forms in several major religions…’Other occasions within religions have a similar focus on a special time of religious reflection and supplication, including Lent and for some Christians Good Friday, and Ramadan for Muslims, although these occasions are not viewed as specifically a day of repentance unlike any other, as in Rosh Hashanah,’ said Stephen Ramey, assistant religion professor at the University of Alabama…
Presidential race in spotlight
Florence Times-Daily – Oct. 5
…”Presidential races typically overshadow everything else, even more so when the candidates are so compelling,” said David Lanoue, political science professor at the University of Alabama. “Obviously, the huge (economic) bailout has dominated even the presidential campaigns.”…
Tuscaloosa News – Oct. 6
Alabama’s many endangered aquatic species are unprotected
Birmingham News – Oct. 5
…”We are not going to be able to buy our way out of this,” said Bernie Kuhajda, manager of the fish collection at the University of Alabama. “We are going to have to educate and communicate.”
Shortages of math and science teachers send recruiters in search of creative strategies
Birmingham News – Oct. 5
…”Out of 200 graduates last year in education, 17 were in math and only two of them were in science,” said James McLean, dean of the school of education at the University of Alabama. “There are a lot of recruitment programs going on, but for at least the next few years we’ve got a major problem in those two areas.” McLean said the shortage is simply a matter of economics. “Less people are going into science and math, and that means that people who do go into it get a lot more money in the private sector,” he said. “I had one student who had an undergrad engineering degree and decided he didn’t like it and went into teaching. He taught one semester and then got so much money to go back into engineering that he said he couldn’t afford not to take it.”…One of the problems we have in Alabama is that Florida and Georgia are paying huge signing bonuses for math and science teachers, so we lose our teachers to those states,” McLean said…
Birmingham Water Works may be forced to raise rates even higher next year
Birmingham News – Oct. 6
…The problem with Ambac and the impact on the Water Works is another example of turmoil in the nation’s financial markets, said Robert Brooks, a professor of financial management at the University of Alabama…
Strong youth registration effort in full swing
Tuscaloosa News – Oct. 5
Andrew White became part of a movement on Thursday without knowing it, simply by filling out a form that will give him a government title: voter…’I just want to voice my opinion,’ said White, a University of Alabama student from Bessemer. ‘It is important because you don’t want to sit back and let everyone else decide.’…So far, more than 101,000 residents have registered in Tuscaloosa County, a record number. Although Alabama does not keep statistics on voter age, Tuscaloosa County Registrar Coral Lewis said young voters from the city’s three college campuses are constantly pouring in…
UA groups for both major party candidates have held voter registration drives this semester….
College news
Tuscaloosa News – Oct. 6
THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA–Caroline Elizabeth Thompson of Tuscaloosa was recognized as a member of Sigma Alpha Lambda, National Leadership and Honors Organization at the University of Alabama.
MARY JO MODICA: October the time for fall gardening
Tuscaloosa News – Oct. 6
…It is time to plant pansies to brighten winter days and to prepare the groundwork for an early spring garden…Mary Jo Modica is horticulturist at the University of Alabama Arboretum.
UA Now Offering Recycling at Home Games
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Oct. 3
Kendra Key hopes to recycle at all University of Alabama home football games.