Snowjam: Researchers to study Jan. 28 winter weather
WXIA-NBC (Atlanta) – June 24
Where were you January 28th, 2014? Were you stuck in your car for 20 hours on I-285? Were you desperately trying to get your kids home from school? What did you know when? NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) is partnering with the University of Alabama to better understand the public’s perception of events leading up to the storm frequently called “Snowjam.” The survey takes 15-30 minutes to complete and is based on your experiences during the storm. Dr. Laura Myers will be conducting the surveys along with in-depth interviews. NOAA said, “Dr. Myers work on past winter events will help all of is gain understanding on how multiple population segments both understand and utilize weather information.”
A “Musical” salute to APR
Alabama Public Radio – June 24
The Alabama Public Radio was honored to hear that the University of Alabama would play the composition “Celebrating Achievement” on Denny Chimes today, in recognition of the news team winning the national UNITY award from the Radio Television Digital News Association. The award was for a year’s worth of coverage on APR about the 50th anniversary of key moments in Alabama’s fight for civil rights in 1963. 17 long form radio features and a half hour documentary focused on events like the “stand in the schoolhouse door,” where Governor George Wallace tried to prevent two African American students from enrolling at the Tuscaloosa campus. APR also reported on the detective work to find the final resting place of Addie Mae Collins, one of four little girls killed in the bombing at the 16th Street Baptist. The team told the story of how Birmingham, Selma, and Montgomery are all vying to be the heart of “civil rights tourism” in Alabama. The documentary “Civil Rights Radio” recalled the so called “children’s march,” where Birmingham teenagers played hooky from school to protest racial segregation. They were met by fire hoses and police dogs. APR shared today’s musical tribute with Dr. Scott Parrott and Dr. Kenneth Wright. Dr. Parrott won the 2014 Nafziger-White-Salwen Dissertation Award from the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. Dr. Wright, a 42 year veteran in the sports industry, was named to the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame.
Alabama represented at World Wheelchair Championships
Tuscaloosa News – June 25
This year’s Women’s World Wheelchair Basketball Championships is taking place in Toronto, Canada, this week and for a number of women on the University of Alabama wheelchair basketball team it will be a chance to compete at home. Since 2003, the University of Alabama has offered scholarships to a number of Canadian National Team members, giving them the opportunity to earn a degree. It has also enabled these women to live together and train year-round, an opportunity that is hard to find in Canada. “Living together, you see a different side of people than you do on the court,” said Katie Harnock, a 2013 UA graduate and an eight-year veteran of Team Canada. “We know if one of us gets frustrated or agitated, the other can just give a quick word to focus us back,” she said, speaking of her Team Canada teammate Cindy Ouellet. “We are really good at bringing one another back into the moment.” The two were roommates and teammates at Alabama for the last four years.
Griffith, Democrats look to break GOP super majority
Times Daily (Florence) – June 25
Parker Griffith is working quietly but steadily to rebuild his short-lived political career in what some observers call a long-shot campaign to unseat incumbent Republican Gov. Robert Bentley in the November general election. Griffith, of Huntsville, served one term in the U.S. House of Representatives. Elected as a Democrat in 2008 after the retirement of Congressman Bud Cramer, Griffith switched to the Republican party in mid term after refusing to back the Affordable Care Act. The next year, he was defeated by Republican Mo Brooks, who is now seeking a third term. Now, Griffith has returned to the Democratic Party. . . . Bill Stewart, retired head of the Political Science Department at the University of Alabama and a longtime political observer, said voters likely are to retain a Republican majority, but Democrats could get enough legislators elected to break the super majority in the Legislature. The most competitive of the constitutional office races on the ballot likely is to be for attorney general, Stewart said.
Center’s interior designers have spacious mission
Redstone Rocket (Huntsville) – June 24
It is possible to make a work environment functional, safe and beautiful – and within budget. That is the mission of the Interior Design section at the Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville. What started 12 years ago with a Kansas City Corps employee on loan to Huntsville for a special assignment has flourished into a robust program with 26 designers. . . . The section also puts a priority on their college intern program, with many of their designers coming onboard originally as interns. Currently they have one intern, returning University of Alabama interior design student Brea Basham, who is working with the interior design section for the summer.
Society cites science fair winners, presents scholarships
Redstone Rocket (Huntsville) – June 25
It’s no surprise that Jonathan Marcus chose a weather-related science project. Marcus, now a freshman at James Clemens High in Madison, was among the young honorees at Thursday’s luncheon for the Huntsville Post of the Society of American Military Engineers. The group honored high school students for their winning science projects and presented scholarships to current college students. . . . The scholarship recipients at the luncheon included … Jordan Bacon of the University of Alabama, $3,000 ….
Dance Twirl Clinic to be held in Russellville
Franklin County Times – June 25
Alabama Extreme Twirl School, along with Crimsonettes Abbey Minor and Kaitlyn Walker, will be hosting a Dance Twirl Clinic on July 18 from 1-5 p.m. at the AW Todd Center located in downtown Russellville. Special guest teachers will be current Alabama Crimsonettes Abbey Minor and Kaitlyn Walker, both seniors at the University of Alabama.
Miss Alabama creates Caitlin’s Closet
WTOK-ABC (Meridian) – June 24
Miss Alabama 2014 is sharing her platform of giving back to the community. Caitlin Brunell was crowned earlier this month. The 22-year old University of Alabama graduate won the title competing as Miss Leeds Area and performed dance as her talent. Brunell visited WTOK Tuesday to tell us about her non-profit organization, called Caitlin’s Closet. “It provides homecoming and prom dresses for young women, men’s and women’s suits for those who need to get back in the workforce, and wedding dresses,” said Brunell. “So it’s more than just a beauty pageant. This is a scholarship program that has done wonders for me and for girls across the country.”