Rocket Launch
Tuscaloosa News – May 1
University of Alabama physics professor Patrick LeClair had his students combine the launching of small foam rockets with physics equations.
Writers Symposium features killer lineup: Rick Bragg to receive Harper Lee Award
Mobile Press Register – May 1
A dozen years after the first celebration of Alabama writers at the “Literary Capital of Alabama,” one of the first featured authors will take home the top prize as Rick Bragg receives the Harper Lee Award. “I’ll be honest with you,” Bragg said Tuesday, “having your name connected with hers in any way is a great honor. Her book was a great inspiration to me, and I am a little bit tickled to get this award — well, I’m very tickled.” Bragg, a Pulitzer-winning New York Times Journalist won critical acclaim with books about his family in north Alabama, including “All Over But the Shoutin'” and “Ava’s Man” and recently released “The Prince of Frogtown.”… Some of the state’s most celebrated writers and scholars will lead discussion sessions, readings and workshops, including Nancy Anderson, Philip Beidler, Jake Berry, Rick Bragg, Carolyn Haines, Frank Turner Hollon, Tito Perdue, Kirk Curnutt, Jennifer Horne, Jennifer Paddock and Hank Lazer among many others. Songwriter Allison Moorer will be performing during the gathering.
Crossing Points Students Graduate
WBRC, Birmingham – April 30
In Tuscaloosa, six members of the Crossing Points senior class graduated this evening. The city of Tuscaloosa and the University of Alabama sponsor the program, which helps place mentally disabled students in jobs in the area.
A-Day Generates Big Money for Tuscaloosa
WBRC, Birmingham — April 30
The University of Alabama’s spring game earns big bucks for Tuscaloosa. Tuscaloosa mayor Walt Maddox says the A-Day game generated about $16 million for the city, making it the city’s eighth-largest game financially.
UA Students Named to USA Today Academic All-USA Team
WBRC-Birmingham – April 30
University of Alabama students are some of the best in the nation. The paper named Laura Dover, Adam Knight, Yhni Thai, Laura Godorecci and Alex Flachsbart to its USA All Academic Team. Alabama has more students on the list than any other school. Over the past 7 years, the University of Alabama leads the nation in USA Today academic scholars with 36.
School House Rock Rocks Out on UA Campus
WVUA-Tuscaloosa, April 30
If the phrase “Conjunction junction, what’s your function?” rings a bell, you’re going to like our next story. School House Rock made its way to the University of Alabama campus today, as part of a fund-raiser for the School of Music. The cartoon uses lyrics to help kids remember everything from how a bill becomes law to what parts of speech go where in a sentence.
Local Alabama alumni chapter honored
Columbus Ledger-Enquirer – May 1
The Russell/Muscogee County Chapter of the University of Alabama Alumni Association was named the national Chapter of the Year recently. The honor was presented at the spring meeting April 18 in Tuscaloosa.
Freedom of Choice Act not a high priority, Obama says
Baptist Press – May 1
Giving his thoughts on a controversial bill that pro-lifers say could set their cause back decades, President Obama said Wednesday that passage of the Freedom of Choice Act is not a high priority. . . . But pro-lifers say that signing the Freedom of Choice Act into law — and thus overturning what they call common sense regulations — would actually increase the number of abortions. A 2004 Heritage Study by University of Alabama professor Michael New showed that overturning state restrictions, such as parental involvement laws, would increase the number of abortions by 125,000 nationwide each year.