Alabama tornado survival stories (with video)
CBS Evening News – June 15
… In one apartment complex, wiped away by the tornado, Chelsea Thrash was thrown 150 yards. When her mother Kelle found her, she could not walk. “She was caked in mud and debris. And I just saw my sweet child’s face and I saw her eyes open. And I knew she was gonna be okay,” Kelle says…she hopes to walk into class this August at the University of Alabama. “I always knew I wanted to walk again. I never thought I would get that opportunity, to take that first step again. I’m going to get up and show them that I can do it. It’s not just for them, but for myself,” Chelsea says…
Al.com – June 16
UA to build center for water research
Tuscaloosa News – June 17
The University of Alabama will be the home of a new national headquarters for water research. During a meeting Thursday, UA trustees approved two resolutions that will allow for the construction of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Water Center. UA Vice President for Research Joe Benson said Thursday that the center will be a central location for the NOAA that will coordinate the efforts of a number of organizations doing water research and monitoring…“The opportunity for us here is to collaborate with the individuals from these agencies to carry out the research we at UA are doing on water issues here in the Southeast.” The first resolution approved calls for the demolition of the Environmental Health and Safety building, which now sits on the lot where the National Water Center will be constructed. The lot is on Hackberry Lane, between the Riverside residential community and Bryce Hospital…The construction will be paid for by NOAA, which is leasing the property from UA…The building will house the offices of UA System employees including Chancellor Malcolm Portera, senior staff and support staff. The remaining $4.5 million of the project’s budget will come from UA System reserve funds. Portera said Thursday that the existing system office will be given to the Tuscaloosa campus in exchange for the new property…The $19 million facility will be built behind the Riverside residential community and will house a new recreation center, dining hall and housing and residential communities offices. Trustees also approved the design of a new sanctuary being built by St. Francis of Assisi University Parish…The designs of new Greek sorority and fraternity houses were approved as well Thursday…The $1.6 million budget for a building that will connect the College of Engineering’s special projects building and the College of Arts and Sciences’ foundry building was also approved.
Census: Hispanic population up 145 percent in Ala
Gadsden Times (Associated Press) – June 16
… Annette Watters, project manager at the Center for Business & Economic Research at the University of Alabama, said the Hispanic population wasn’t evenly spread throughout the state. “The migration of Hispanics has been uneven by counties,” Watters said. … Experts say they were unsure how the state’s tough new laws against illegal immigration will affect the number of immigrants living in Alabama. Watters doesn’t believe the influx of Hispanics was at its peak when the immigration bill was signed. “We have the capacity to absorb all types of folks,” she said. “Alabama grew slower than other states in the past decade so there is capacity for adding more.” Watters also said the Hispanic population may under-represented in this census data. “The number is too low,” she says. “The Hispanic population was very undercounted.”…
On the Move
Birmingham News – June 17
… The University of Alabama said the corporate strategy and operations management programs at its Culverhouse College of Commerce were highly ranked in a Bloomberg BusinessWeek survey of 85,000 students at more than 100 schools. The Culverhouse College of Commerce was ranked No. 75 overall. UA’s corporate strategy program is ranked No. 28 while the operations management program is ranked No. 29 …