$3.5 million grant will expand care to rural veterans
Tuscaloosa News – June 11
…With the help of a recent $3.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the Tuscaloosa Veterans Affairs Medical Center’s Alabama Rural Health Program is launching three initiatives to reach out to veterans in rural West Alabama.
From that grant, $2 million will go toward the development of a Rural Health Resource Center housed within the medical center. The program will employ six workers who will reach out to veterans in rural West and Central Alabama counties…The program has formed a partnership with the University of Alabama’s Center for Rural Health to train the outreach workers in a five-week program tentatively starting July 28, Pettey said. “We’re working with the staff at the University of Alabama to help outreach workers prepare for different scenarios that they might face while out in the community,” she said…
Birmingham News – June 11
Fox6 (Birmingham) – June 10
Concrete canoe competition set for smooth sailing
Crimson White – June 11
It’s sail or sink for civil engineering students participating in this weekend’s National Concrete Canoe Competition, hosted by the University…This 22nd annual world-renowned event, organized by the American Society of Civil Engineers, puts UA on a national and international stage. “We think it’s a great opportunity and a good thing for the University,” hosting committee co-chairman Kiran Patel said. For the engineering department, this event is one of the proudest moments in UA history and an accomplishment worth bragging about. “It’s a big event for us,” said Ken Fridley, professor and department chair of civil, construction and environmental engineering. “It’s exciting. We’re looking forward to it.”…
Concrete Canoeists Gather for National Championships
Canoeing.com – June 11
In our favorite event involving college engineering students, concrete construction, and canoeing, teams from across North America are gathering in Tuscaloosa, Alabama this week for the finals of the American Society of Civil Engineers’ 2009 National Concrete Canoe Competition.
Rising gas prices in Birmingham threaten economic recovery
Birmingham News – June 11
…Peter Clark, a University of Alabama associate professor of chemical engineering who follows energy markets, thinks crude oil will fluctuate between $80 and $100 a barrel, a level he says the economy can handle. “This is a price range where the oil companies can afford to explore more difficult places to find and produce reservoirs, such as deep offshore,” Clark said. “The increase in the price of oil appears to be speculative. Refineries have plenty of oil in stock and are not running at capacity.” Clark said he thinks consumers will absorb rising pump prices and not let the increases affect other purchasing decisions as long as gas stays below $3 – an important psychological barrier…
Moundville holds Saturdays in the park
Crimson White – June 11
Moundville Archaeological Park hopes to stave off summer boredom with its “Saturday in the Park” program this month. The program, which offers themed demonstrations and exhibits focusing on Southeastern American Indian culture each Saturday in June, kicked off Saturday and will continue through June 27. Moundville Park Director Bill Bomar said they are offering the program as an alternative to visiting the park’s museum, which is closed for renovations. He said they wanted to give people a new and different reason to come and experience Moundville…