Professor Cites Bible in Faulting Tax Policies
New York Times – Dec. 25
…The professor, Susan Pace Hamill, is an expert at tax avoidance for small businesses and teaches at the University of Alabama Law School. She also holds a degree in divinity from a conservative evangelical seminary, where her master’s thesis explored how Alabama’s tax-and-spend policies comport with the Bible. Professor Hamill says that since Judeo-Christian ethics “is the moral compass chosen by most Americans” it is vital that these policies be compared with the texts on which they are based…
WVTM-NBC 13 — Dec. 26
Witt elected chairman of Chamber of Commerce
Tuscaloosa News — Jan. 2
Robert Witt, president of the University of Alabama, was elected 2008 chairman of the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama during an organizational meeting of the chamber. Witt succeeds Jim Harrison III, owner of Harrison Galleries. Other officers and directors for 2008 also were elected during the meeting. They took office on Jan. 1 and will be presented at the chamber’s annual meeting on Feb. 8.
UA galaxy research taps amateurs
Tuscaloosa News – Dec. 24
Bill Keel…the University of Alabama professor had to do was ask the amateur astronomers to send a special sort of image his way…The armchair astronomers helped Keel find more than 500 images of overlapping galaxies, which happen when a galaxy appears behind another from earth’s view of the universe…
Is Alabama due for a slowdown?
Birmingham News – Dec. 23
…Ahmad Ijaz, an economic researcher at the University of Alabama, thinks the state’s economy will grow by 2 percent to 2.3 percent next year, only slightly better than the national economy. That’s down from an estimated growth rate for this year of 2.5 percent, Ijaz said…
Diesel-powered cars to surge, experts say
Birmingham News — Jan. 2
Diesel engines, which get better mileage than gasoline-powered counterparts, are poised to catch on with car buyers, one expert says. “Although it has been a long time coming, diesel-powered automobiles will surge in the next two years as carmakers introduce new vehicles that meet the strict new emission standards,” said Clark Midkiff, director of the University of Alabama’s Center for Advanced Vehicle Technologies.
University of Alabama professor sees iPod being merged into iPhone
Birmingham News — Jan. 2
Are the iPod’s days numbered? A University of Alabama professor thinks it’s possible. Michael Hardin, associate dean of research at UA’s Culverhouse College of Commerce, isn’t predicting the demise of the technology behind Apple Inc’s hugely popular music player. After all, more than 100 million of them have been sold since 2001.
Local economy likely to outpace nation’s
Montgomery Advertiser – Dec. 30
…Ahmad Ijaz, an economic analyst at the school, said the state would come out of 2008 in only marginally better shape than the rest of the nation. “High energy prices, increasing interest rates, the falling dollar, a downturn in the housing market and tighter lending conditions for both consumers and business are expected to have a significant impact on the U.S. economy in 2008,” Ijaz said…Peter Clark, an engineering professor at the school, offered little hope that gas prices will moderate soon. He said there might be some relief in the second quarter of 2008, but even that will be modest…Bio-fuels, while gaining in popularity, are not expected to help much during 2008, according to Clark Midkiff, an professor of mechanical engineering. “There is growing federal and private venture capital investment in this area, but biofuels amount to less than four percent of our petroleum use, so there is a long way to go,” said Midkiff…Grayson Glaze, director of the Alabama Center for Real Estate at the University of Alabama, said any recovery would be slow. “The good news is that interest rates remain historically low, the 30-year mortgage rate recently reached a two-year low, and more rate cuts are likely to continue into the first quarter of 2008,” Glaze said…
Educated guesses for 2008
Dothan Eagle — Jan. 1
For the 27th consecutive year, The University of Alabama’s Office of Media Relations offers predictions from faculty experts for the coming year. While these “educated guesses” don’t always come true, the track record over the years has been good.
Professor foresees Clinton-Romney faceoff
Sand Mountain Reporter – Jan. 1
Come November, you’ll likely be deciding between Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, according to the predictions of a University of Alabama political scientist.
Census figures show Alabama likely to retain 7 U.S. House seats
Associated Press – Dec. 28
…The report shows that Alabama’s growth in recent years has been about average when compared to the rest of the nation, said William Stewart, a political scientist at the University of Alabama. “If we were to lose a seat, that would mean there would be one less person to represent our views in Congress,” Stewart said. “Six men or women can’t do the work of seven.”…
Drought named top news story of 2007 in Alabama
Associated Press — Dec. 29
An estimated 1.9 million residents are living under water restrictions, and rainfall totals are more than 30 inches below normal in some cities. Streams are drying up, lakes are at record low levels, and the state is working on a political solution to make things better. . . As David Brommer of the University of Alabama puts it, water is becoming a four-letter word.
One guess came true in 2007
Sand Mountain Reporter — Jan. 1
So how accurate were University of Alabama educators’ guesses about the events of 2007? As it pertains to automobile sales, the guess was spot-on. A UA engineering professor said he thought sales of hybrid and diesel-fueled cars would increase in 2007. He was right.
State home sales stay strong, UA says
Tuscaloosa News – Dec. 22
Despite a recent downward trend in home sales, 2007 will be another strong year for Alabama’s housing market, according to a report released Friday by the Alabama Center for Real Estate. The University of Alabama-based center predicted the year would close with about 56,000 homes sold in Alabama, which represents a modest decline of 6 percent compared with the double-digit declines experienced at regional and national levels. “Consistent with the center’s forecast in September of this year, 2007 will also represent the third best year on record for Alabama home sales,” said Grayson Glaze, director of the real estate center…
Home buyers in state have little protection
Tuscaloosa News – Dec. 27
…”In this state, the buyer better beware,” summed up Leonard Zumpano, a real estate professor at the University of Alabama. Exactly why the Legislature hasn’t acted to address the matter is unclear, but Zumpano said that state Supreme Court rulings upholding the buyer beware — or “caveat emptor” as it’s called in Latin — rule may be one reason. Others point to the political power of the real estate lobby, which helped make Alabama one of the last states in the nation to approve a law spelling out tenants’ rights in disputes with landlords. Whatever the reason, the state’s lack of “mandatory property condition disclosure” comes as no surprise to Gene Marsh, a consumer law professor at the University of Alabama. “We have been on the trailing edge of every major consumer protection initiative in the country,” Marsh said…
UA football team makes the grade
Fox 6 (Birmingham) — Dec. 28
The University of Alabama football team had one of its best semesters academically in school history this fall. The varsity compiled a cumulative 2.56 grade-point average,
including a 2.64 grade-point average for the recently completed fall semester. Even more impressive was the freshman class, with a fall GPA of 3.098 and a cumulative overall GPA of 2.984. Seven varsity student-athletes had a grade-point average of 3.0 or higher, and 60 percent of the team increased their cumulative overall grade point average. 77 percent of the football team passed 12 or more semester hours this fall. Every member of the freshman class had at least a 2.6 grade-point average, and 14 of the 20 members of the class attained a 3.0 GPA or higher.
WCBI-CBS, Tupelo, Miss. — Dec. 27
UA’s College of Accountancy Ranked
The University of Alabama’s Culverhouse School of Accountancy is ranked in the Top 25 nationally in three categories by the Public Accounting Report.
WBRC-Fox 6 — Dec. 25
Early banks stand as monuments to 20th-century values
Tuscaloosa News – Dec. 23
…The white marble looks very pure and pristine, said Robert Mellown, a University of Alabama art professor and expert on local architecture. The building has a classical look with nice proportions. “It’s a style that was very popular with banks,” Mellown said. “Classical architecture is synonymous with tradition and safety and security.”…
City Hall builders look ahead and back to the past
Tuscaloosa News – Dec. 24
…The building is both weighty and elegant. “It’s very imposing,” said Robert Mellown, a University of Alabama art professor and expert on local architecture. “It’s one of the most accomplished architectural structures in town.” Completed in 1909, it was built for a public that still had 19th century sensibilities, Mellown said. People expected a neoclassical design because they believed it reflected American values…
Alabama sells out allotment of I-Bowl tickets
Shreveport (La.) Times – Dec. 22
The University of Alabama had sold out its allotment of 12,000 tickets for the 2007 PetroSun Independence Bowl football game against the University of Colorado, the Alabama Athletic Ticket Office announced Friday afternoon. “As they always do, Alabama fans have made another strong statement of support for the Crimson Tide by purchasing tickets to the PetroSun Independence Bowl,” UA Director of Athletics Mal Moore said. “The loyalty and passion shown by our fan base is a tremendous motivating factor for our team and I know Coach Saban and the players look forward to the game on December 30 in Shreveport.”…
WAKA-CBS, Montgomery — Dec. 21
The Mom Stop: Hot line helps in times of stress
Tuscaloosa News – Dec. 23
…”Parenting is tough even in the best of circumstances,” said Valerie Thorington, assistant director of Childcare Development Resources at the University of Alabama…
College News
Tuscaloosa News – Dec. 23
University of Alabama Meri-Glenn Freeman, a junior at the University of Alabama from Vestavia Hills majoring in political science and public relations, has been selected Miss UA for 2008…
Groups, businesses spread holiday cheer
Tuscaloosa News – Dec. 23
…On Monday, the University of Alabama Library Support Staff Association reported that it had beat its goal of 500 toys collected for the Toys for Tots drive this year. The UA group’s final count was 551.
Joe Namath Receives Degree from UA
CBS Network – Dec. 31
This story aired during CBS’s coverage of the Sun Bowl.
“Bear” Inducted Into Gator Bowl Hall of Fame
WCBI-CBS, Tupelo (Miss.) — Dec. 26
Former University of Alabama Head Football Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant will be inducted into the Gator Bowl Hall of Fame. Bryant becomes the third former Tide Coach or player to be inducted in a Bowl Hall of Fame this season. The Bear joins Cornelius Bennett and John Hannah who were inducted into the Sun Bowl Hall of Fame and the Orange Bowl Hall of Fame.
College ‘food fights’ pay off for the needy
Albany (N.Y.) Times-Union – Dec. 26
…In Alabama, “two food banks had a dueling competition to see which college, the University of Alabama or Alabama State University, could raise the most food, and the two food banks and the two schools compete every year, and that gave me the idea of having a food fight,” said Kahn, who lives in Manhattan. One Alabama campaign raised about 300,000 pounds…
Stephens to represent Pike County in state Junior Miss
Troy Messenger — Jan. 2
The year 2008 promises to be one of the most exciting ever for Ivey Stephens.
Not only will she graduate high school, which is a highlight of anybody’s young life, she is also representing Pike County as its Junior Miss and will participate in the 2008 Alabama Junior Miss Program in Montgomery in January. . . . She has been accepted at the University of Alabama, plans to major in pre-medicine and hopes to have a career in dermatology.
Last fish sculpture marks transition
Gadsden Times — Dec. 31
Barry Dabbs, a University of Alabama fan, and Tony Catanzaro, an Auburn University fan, are the owners of the eye surgery center on the corner of Fifth and Bay streets, where the fish will be unveiled at 10 a.m. Monday. . . . The fish, which is half AU and half UA, is the Hardin Center’s way of transitioning from one “Year of” theme to another.
Vestavia Hills veteran remembers getting wounded on New Year’s Day in epic Battle of the Bulge
Birmingham News — Jan. 2
About as quickly as Arthur Sharbel Jr. got into the Battle of the Bulge, a wound on New Year’s Day 1945 took him right back out of it. . . . The former University of Alabama business administration student was a Pfc. in Company A of the 63rd Armored Infantry Battalion, part of the much larger 11th Armored Division.
Kids at UA’s Brewer Porch Have An Extra Special Christmas
WAAY-ABC, Huntsville — Dec. 24
Big AL Goes to the Zoo
Big AL made a special appearance at the Birmingham Zoo. He was there with Santa as part of the zoo’s seasonal Zoolite Safari.
WIAT-CBS 42 — Dec. 21