How some tax preparers are preying on the poor
MSNBC – April 15
Tax Day fell this year on April 15, as it typically does. The consequences of tax preparation can be especially surprising, however, for low-income filers who use the wrong people … Per a report released by the United States Government Accountability Office on April 8, fewer than half of all preparers for this tax season were not subject to any kind of licensing or training regulations. All they have to do to get into a business that deals with more than $300 billion in anticipated refunds is to register for an identification number. As host Melissa Harris-Perry noted during her Saturday show, this has made tax preparation ripe for predatory practices that target low income communities, especially individuals who qualify for the earned income tax credit. Harris-Perry spoke with Stephen Black, director of the Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility at the University of Alabama. Black is also the founder and president of Impact Alabama, a student service initiative that trains students to provide free tax preparation services for low-income families. She asked him why the issue begins with earned income tax credit filers, the majority of whom use tax preparers. “It’s a huge amount of money that pours into low income communities in about an eight-week period in the last part of January through March all over the country,” Black said.
NPR – April 15
Legal Immigration: Lifeblood of the Left
National Review – April 16
Federal immigration policy has allowed about 30 million legal immigrants to settle permanently in the United States since 1980. This has affected all areas of American life, not the least being electoral politics. Progressives openly debate the immigration issue in political terms. Labor-union official Eliseo Medina, for instance, has promoted amnesty and increased immigration as a means to “expand and solidify the progressive coalition for the future” in order to “create a governing coalition for the long term, not just for an election cycle.” Is Medina right? … For instance, two years after Reagan signed an amnesty in 1986, George Bush senior received only 30 percent of the Hispanic vote in his 1988 landslide victory — a seven-point decline from Reagan’s 1984 share. A recent study by University of Alabama professor George Hawley found that, in the 2006 midterm elections, pro-amnesty Republicans did no better with Hispanics than pro-enforcement Republicans. (The issue had a high profile that year because the House’s 2006 enforcement bill led to mass protests in immigrant communities.) The reason immigration makes little difference in voting is that it’s not a top priority for Asians and Hispanics.
Alabama Voices: Parks an asset for Alabama
Montgomery Advertiser – April 15
Visitors to Alabama’s 22 state parks in 2011 spent an estimated $152.4 million, according to a recent analysis by professors at the University of Alabama. Visitors’ pending along with expenditures by the parks system had a total economic impact of $375 million and supported 5,340 jobs, say Samuel Addy and Ahmad Ijaz of the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Alabama’s Culverhouse College of Commerce. … Greg Lein is director of
Alabama State Parks.
Al.com – April 15
“One Lady Owner” – Women Drivers – the Hidden Powerhouse of Rising Car Sales in the UK
Digital Journal – April 16
More women are buying more cars than ever before according to UK government statistics released on April 10th. In just ten years, car ownership amongst women has grown to nearly 10 million – and that doesn’t include company cars and vans. Whilst men still account for 14.7 million private cars on the road, that figure has grown just 500,000 in 10 years. Women have bought an additional 1.6 million cars – three times more than men. The importance of internet search in the automotive sector has grown dramatically. A Mckinsey & Company report published in February 2014 into the future of car buying outlines how 100% of used car purchases and the majority of new car purchases are made after detailed internet research has been carried out by the prospective buyer … Also Amanda M. Kimbrough of the University of Alabama found that, ‘Women connect more than men do’ in her 2012 study and women engage more often with social networks and actively seek the opinions of others.
Gulf Shores announces plan to build combination high school, community college
Al.com – April 15
City officials have a plan in the works to create a combination high school and community college campus on city-owned property at the corner of County Road 8 and the Foley Beach Express. The idea is to alleviate the crowded Gulf Shores schools and build a new type of high school that would include an additional Faulkner State Community College campus and the ability to partner with four-year universities within the state to offer dual enrollment degree programs. The joint campus would come together as a collaborative effort from the city, the Baldwin County school board, Faulkner State and the four-year universities, said Gulf Shores Mayor Robert Craft. Orange Beach officials have been exploring the idea of forming their own, city-run school system, but if that doesn’t come to pass, the new high school could be a good solution to the crowded schools in Orange Beach, as well, Craft said … City officials have already had “great discussions” with University of Alabama and with Faulkner State officials, he said, and officials at Auburn University and at the University of South Alabama have shown a high degree of interest in the project as well.
WPMI-NBC (Mobile) – April 15
WJTC-Fox (Mobile) – April 15
Sports Illustrated writer Lars Anderson teaches at UA
NBC 13 (Birmingham) – April 15
One of our regular guests here on Alabama Tonight is sports writer Lars Anderson, who used to write for Sports Illustrated. Lars’ full-time job is being a sportswriter and sometimes author, but now he’s training the journalists of tomorrow through his class at the University of Alabama. Tom Annino has more on that … from the press box to the classroom. You know him as Lars Anderson, the sportswriter. But what has the transition been like for Lars Anderson, the professor? “In the four years that I’ve done it, I have slowly gotten to the point where I’m actually getting more enjoyment working with the students than writing an SI cover story, Anderson said.
Alabama among 10 worst states in nation for eating local, Vermont-based group says
Al.com – April 15
Alabama has been ranked among the 10 worst states in the nation for its commitment to local foods. The ranking comes from the group called…wait for it…Strolling of the Heifers, a Vermont-based local food advocacy organization. Each year, the group compiles its Locavore Index as a measure of how much each state focuses on eating locally-produced foods. Alabama this year ranked 42nd out of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. … There have been efforts in Alabama in recent years to promote local eating, including 2012’s Eating Alabama, a documentary by filmmaker Andrew Beck Grace, a native Alabamian and director of the Documenting Justice program at the University of Alabama.
11 named to Boys, Girls State
Atmore Advance – April 15
Eleven area high school students were honored Monday, after being chosen to attend Alabama Boys State and Alabama Girls State in the summer. … Boys State will be held June 1 through June 7, at The University of Alabama. Girls State is June 8 through June 13, also at The University of Alabama.
Alabama Power Youth Leadership Conference held at Bryant Conference Center
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – April 15
Future leaders gathered today at the Bryant Conference Center for the 12th annual Alabama Power Youth Leadership Conference, students heard from local business leaders about what it takes to be successful and the opportunities available to them after high school. Some guest speakers included Tuscaloosa Police Chief, Steve Anderson and Dr. Daniel Turner, civil engineering professor at the
UA’s Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business Administration hosts second SEC MBA Case Competition
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – April 3
The University of Alabama welcomed master’s students from colleges all over the southeast today. UA’s Culverhouse College of Commerce will host the second Southeastern Conference MBA case competition starting tomorrow until April 5. All 14 SEC universities have a team made up of four MBA students to compete. The event, which is hosted by Regions Bank, gives the students a current real world problem facing companies around the country. The teams will each analyze the problem and develop a strategy to address it.
Silent auction to fund student scholarships
Crimson White – April 16 (Print edition only)
Those looking for an opportunity to give back to the community, while also finding good deals on local food and products, can take part in a silent auction on campus Thursday. The Student Executive Council for the College of Communication and Information Sciences will hold its 18th annual silent auction Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the rotunda of Reese Phifer Hall. The auction is open to students, faculty and members of the community.
New York painter brings gallery to UA
Crimson White – April 16 (Print edition only)
Award-winning New York-based painter Katherine Bradford will have her work on display for the University of Alabama students to view in the Sarah Moody Gallery of Art until May 9. Bradford’s works have been showcased in solo exhibitions across the Midwest and Northwest for several years. This year, though, her works have their way to the Southeast in the form of “The Golden Age of Exploration,” a solo exhibition consisting of 14 works hand-picked by the staff of the University’s Sarah Moody Gallery of Art.
Student campaign now national
Crimson White – April 16 (Print edition only)
Following the success of the LessThanUThink campaign against binge drinking over the last five years, the University of Alabama student group responsible for the program is now spreading the campaign to have an impact nationwide … Now, the LessThanUThink campaign is in use across the nation, from California to Ohio to Connecticut. Schools across the country have reached out to the Capstone Agency in order to begin implementing the program on their own campuses.
Ballroom dancing team competes in nationals
Crimson White – April 16 (Print edition only)
When Maci Arms took a social dance class through the kinesiology department, she had no idea where it would lead. Two years later, Arms just won the Argentine Tango competition with her partner, Jeremy Peters. Arms and Peters competed in The University of Alabama’s second ballroom dance competition Saturday. Last year, the University hosted its first event, competing against Mississippi State. This year, five schools competed: Alabama, MSU, Ole Miss, Itawamba Community College and UAB.
Lecture to promote overcoming apathy
Crimson White – April 16 (Print edition only)
While college professors have ample time to discuss chemistry or economics in class, not all receive the opportunity to speak to students exclusively about deeper issues. The Last Lecture series at The University of Alabama, hosted by the graduate school, invites on student-selected professor to answer the question, “If this were your last time to address a group of students, what would you say to them?” This year’s winner is Robin Boylorn, assistant professor of interpersonal and intercultural communication and author of “Sweetwater: Black Women and Narratives of Resilience.”
Event promotes assault awareness
Crimson White – April 16 (Print edition only)
Take Back the Night, an event promoting sexual assault awareness month, began with a protest on The Quad Tuesday afternoon and ended with a series of speakers in Smith Hall. “There is a power on this campus, and it is us,” Wen Powers, a senior marketing majoring in theater said … Attendees of Take Back the Night acknowledged the victims Tuesday night with a moment of silence.