Historians still search for mysterious Mabila
Montgomery Advertiser – Oct. 24
…It came in the person of Vernon James Knight Jr., a University of Alabama anthropology professor who has written “The Search for Mabila: The Decisive Battle Between Hernando de Soto and Chief Tascalusa.”…His book is basically a compilation of studies and opinions by those who want to learn more about Mabila and its importance to Alabama and America. University of Alabama history professor Larry Clayton offered a perspective, one in which he stressed the importance of the village because of its contribution to the “big picture.” “Perhaps it is not the hallowed ground of a Gettysburg, but it opens a window into the past, revealing a panorama of what the human heart is capable of feeling and doing — for the great evil and for great good,” Clayton wrote…
Ex-UA students recall anti-war protest
Tuscaloosa News – Oct. 23
More than 40 years removed from the two weeks that largely shaped their moral and political outlooks, former University of Alabama students and other participants gathered Friday afternoon to discuss the 1970 campus protests against the Vietnam War known as the “Days of Rage.” The mini-conference was titled “Days of Rage: a Forty Years’ Perspective” and was at Hotel Capstone on the UA campus…UA history professor Andrew Huebner spoke about the history of the anti-war protests that erupted across the country between 1965 and 1970…
Crimson White – Oct. 25
CBS42 (Birmingham) – Oct. 22
Campaign 2010: Poll shows race tightening between Bentley, Sparks
Mobile Press-Register – Oct. 24
…A state political expert said that Bentley remains the favorite to succeed Riley as governor, even if his lead has diminished in the past few days. “I still expect him to win by a comfortable margin,” said Bill Stewart, political science professor emeritus at the University of Alabama. Stewart said he was surprised by the poll results in the lieutenant governor’s race, where Folsom led Ivey by a margin of 7 percentage points. He said he’d seen other surveys indicating the race was too close to call…
Jefferson County pays $20 million in legal fees since 2007
Birmingham News – Oct. 24
…William Stewart, retired political science professor at the University of Alabama, said taxpayers expect results when law firms get millions of dollars in legal fees. “When you hire expensive law firms where the attorneys charge hundreds of dollars per hour for their work and the people get no benefit from it that they see, in terms of tangible benefits, I think it creates a real problem,” Stewart said. “I hate to see money needlessly going to the law firm when it can go to the people in need for public services.”…
Both were long shots once; now Robert Bentley or Ron Sparks will lead Alabama after Nov. 2 election
Birmingham News – Oct. 24
…William Stewart, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Alabama, said anybody who thinks Bentley and Sparks are interchangeable politicians is not paying attention. “George Wallace used to say that there was not a dime’s worth of difference between Democrats and Republicans,” Stewart said. “That’s not true of these two candidates. They really believe very different things about many of the issues and about what the role of government is. Bentley thinks its part of the problem. Sparks things it’s part of the solution.”…
Local stores take different approach to Halloween
Tuscaloosa News – Oct. 23
…Joe Calamusa, a lecturer in the University of Alabama’s Department of Marketing and Managing, said seasonal holiday stores do have an advantage over year-round stores in some aspects. “Landlords are willing to offer short-term lease and rental agreements on prime commercial locations just to get some revenue from otherwise vacant spaces,” Calamusa said. “So seasonal holiday stores capture a high percentage of available sales during the key season at only a fraction of the real estate cost paid by an all year-around store.” Calamusa said consumers often look for price over image and service in a poor economy. “A Halloween store open only in September and October can compete for almost all of the market’s revenue capacity at a fraction of the cost,” he said. “This is model isn’t nearly as advantageous in a strong economy. In a strong economy, cheap seasonal space and labor aren’t available. And in a strong economy, consumers are more concerned with service and image.”
Renovation project to revitalize a portion of Sixth Street
Tuscaloosa News – Oct. 25
…Meanwhile, down the block, the University of Alabama will lease a building from Spurlin for an art gallery that will exhibit works by faculty and students of UA’s art and art history departments. It will also house a portion of the Paul R. Jones Collection of American Art. Jones, who died in January, was a noted collector of African-American art who donated a 1,700-piece collection to UA in 2008. Upstairs from the gallery will be two loft apartments, each with a private balcony. They will be used by UA to house visiting professors and lecturers. UA anticipates opening the art gallery in early 2011. “The Sixth Street location puts us in an attractive, high pedestrian area,” said Robert F. Olin, dean of the UA College of Arts and Sciences. UA has art exhibitions on campus year-round that are available to the public, Olin said. “But we wanted to place some of our art exhibitions in a streetscape so that someone who is walking down the sidewalk can drop in and enjoy works by faculty and students and from the (Jones Collection),” he said. “The Jones Collection is specifically intended to be shared with the public … We’re also delighted to be a part of the cultural revitalization of downtown.”…
SAAC event invites kids, athletes
Crimson White – Oct. 25
The Student Athlete Advisory Committee will be sponsoring their eighth annual Halloween Extravaganza tomorrow at the UA Indoor Football Facility from 6:30-8:30 pm. “Every year SAAC hosts the Halloween Extravaganza, inviting faculty, staff and people of the Tuscaloosa community to come out,” Life Skills and Community Outreach intern Emily Screws said. “It’s a really good opportunity for the student athletes to give back to the community and thank them for all of their support of all Alabama athletics.”…
Children invited to trick-or-treat on Sorority Row
Crimson White – Oct. 25
The UA Junior Panhellenic Board will host the annual Sorority Row Trick-or-Treat on Tuesday, Oct. 26 from 6 to 8 p.m. The event is open to all area children 12 and under. Children are invited to dress up in Halloween attire and trick-or-treat at sorority houses located on Magnolia and Colonial Drives. Women from the sororities will be set up outside of their houses with candy and games…
Students host Halloween festival for community
Crimson White – Oct. 25
The Student Alumni Association will host a Halloween Festival for children, the community and anyone willing to have some Halloween fun. On Tuesday, Oct. 6 from 5 to 8 p.m. on the lawn in front of Alumni Hall. The event is open to any community members, free of charge. “It is something we put on annually for the children of the community, providing a safe and fun holiday environment for them,” said Jennifer Strack, vice president of Student Alumni Association Community Service…
Fodder: Tennessee wants to beat Bama’s backside — in football and gameday recycling
Mobile Press-Register – Oct. 20
The University of Tennessee’s recycling crew has been collecting record numbers of material on game days and says the Volunteers want to beat Alabama not just in football, but in the EPA Game Day Recycling Challenge. Universities taking part in the challenge try to see who recycles the most beer cans, bottles and other recyclable gameday refuse…Both the University of Alabama and Auburn University are listed as taking part in the Gameday Challenge…Last week’s homecoming game against the University of Mississippi was Alabama’s designated game for the EPA’s Game Day Challenge. University of Alabama officials say their numbers for that game are not yet available, so it’s not clear just how much the Volunteers must recycle to beat Alabama. “May the best team –- and the best recyclers –- win,” said Charlie Boswell, Alabama’s assistant director of logistics and support services. ” Recycling is an everyday effort on our campus. During fiscal year 2009-2010, the University of Alabama collected 1,215 tons of recyclables, an increase of more than 37 percent from the previous campus record of 885 tons recycled in 2008-2009.” For its efforts, the recycling program at Alabama was one of 5 finalists in the 2010 Southern Association of College and University Business Officers Best Practices competition…UA employees hand out hundreds of recycling bags to individual groups tailgating on the Quad so that cardboard, aluminum cans, plastic cups, food wrappers and other types of plastics, including ice bags, can be collected and recycled on game day. 50 35-gallon containers for recyclables inside and around the stadium. 100 96-gallon containers for recyclables inside and around the stadium. 25 event boxes along the Walk of Champions. 1 30-yard roll-off dumpster for recyclables…
Fashion show to benefit water charity
Crimson White – Oct. 25
…Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in the Bryant Conference Center, Fashion Inc. will host the fourth annual Rock the Runway fashion show. The event is free and open to the public, but donations of any amount are highly encouraged. All benefits will go directly to Charity: Water. “Our goal is to raise $5,000,” said Liz Lane, a senior majoring in apparel and textiles design and the president of Fashion Inc. “We’ve already raised over $2,100. We will be donating to build a well in Central Africa.”…
“Morning Joe” Airs from Rama Jamas
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Oct. 22 and Oct. 24
On Friday, Tuscaloosa claimed a share of the national spotlight as Joe Scarborough broadcast his network show “Morning Joe” live from Rama Jama’s. Scarborough is a University of Alabama graduate. He was in town to be inducted into the Communication’s School Hall of Fame. “Morning Joe” airs on MSNBC.
Volunteers help clean up at Montgomery humane shelter
Montgomery Advertiser – Oct. 24
…the largest delegation in a turnout that topped 50 included 20 students from the University of Alabama who spent the night in Montgomery so they could get an early start Saturday. The Sigma Alpha Epsilon pledges joined other volunteers in sprucing up the big yard. It was the group’s community improvement project…