University of Alabama gets $60,000 grant for cybercrime lab
Tuscaloosa News – June 6
The University of Alabama has been awarded a $60,000 grant to help create a new cyber-crime investigations lab. The grant will be used by UA’s criminal justice department to fund the Cyber Research and Digital Forensics laboratory. In the lab, trained examiners will analyze cellphones, computer hard drives and video game systems for digital evidence of cyber crimes. The lab will work for local and national law enforcement agencies to provide evidence for use in cyber-crime prosecutions. UA students will gain hands-on research and work experience at the lab through an internship program that is unavailable elsewhere in the state, according to university officials. The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is managing the grant from money made available to the state by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Cherokee County Herald – June 6
Alabama Crimson Tide puts six on Academic All-America At-Large team
Tuscaloosa News – June 6
The University of Alabama put an unprecedented six student-athletes on the 2014 Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-America At-Large team, including five who earned first-team honors. Senior gymnast Kim Jacob was named Academic All-American of the Year. “We’re extremely pleased that Kim has continued our legacy of success when it comes to the Academic All-America of the Year program,” UA Director of Athletics Bill Battle said. . . . Jacob was joined on the first team by golfer’s Stephanie Meadow, Cory Whitsett and Bobby Wyatt and tennis player Mary Anne Daines. Gymnast Lauren Beers earned second-team honors. Jacob, Meadow and Whitsett all earned the honor for the second time.
Senator Shelby announces $4 million for National Water Center in Tuscaloosa
NBC 13 (Birmingham) – June 5
The National Water Center in Tuscaloosa has been awarded millions. Sen. Richard Shelby announced that legislation was passed that will give the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration’s National Water Center in Tuscaloosa $4 million. The groundbreaking of the new center took place back in 2012. The 65,000 square foot facility sits on The University of Alabama Campus in Tuscaloosa. It is the first National Water Center of its kind. Staff at the center will be able to look more in depth at the water in our area. They will study things like where is it falling, where we have to little or too much, and what measures are in place to try and control the water. The Tuscaloosa site was chosen because the city is close to one of the biggest drainage points of the Mississippi River. … Federal agencies will collaborate with University of Alabama professors and students to use the water center as a hands on learning tool.
Druid City Brewing tasting, music, exhibits highlight Art Night and overall Tuscaloosa art roundup
AL.com – June 6
A 10-piece band called Infinite Monkey Typing Pool will perform at Kentuck Art Night in Northport tonight. So you kind of just have to go out of sheer curiosity, don’t you? From 5-8 p.m. tonight, folks can enjoy live music, outdoor games, free cob oven pizza, beer-tasting with Druid City Brewing Company, open artist studios, a new exhibition, and artist’s reception and much more in the Courtyard of Wonders and the Kentuck Gallery. . . . The following is an art roundup courtesy of the University of Alabama department of art and art history, as well as links to events and schedules to keep you plugged in to what the Capstone has to offer in the coming weeks.
Valedictorians and salutatorians 2014 at New Orleans high schools are recognized
New Orleans Times-Picayune – June 6
Several New Orleans high schools honored the class of 2013’s valedictorians and salutatorians during graduation ceremonies last month. . . . Jesuit: Valedictorians are Stanley Dai, Reuben Hogan, Zhen Huang, Christopher Mire, Thomas Nimmo, Patrick Ryan, Sean Stephens, Cullen Walsh, and Kevin Yokum. … Stephens, the son of Tangie and Robert Stephens of Metairie, will attend the University of Alabama and major in electrical engineering. . . . Mount Carmel: Courtney Lott of New Orleans, Samantha Morris of Harvey, Lauren Saunee of New Orleans, Chloe Sealy of Metairie and Sydney Sudderth of Belle Chasse are valedictorians. … Sudderth, the daughter of Robert and Cori Sudderth, is a National Merit finalist. She will major in biology with a minor in Spanish at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Teen Excellence: Jasmine Knight
Burlington County (N.J.) Times – June 6
An accomplished student and cheerleader, Jasmine Knight still finds time to dedicate herself to a variety of local and global community service projects. The Burlington Township High School senior is the vice president of her class. She also has taken challenging courses such as Advanced Placement psychology and honors English while maintaining a 3.77 grade point average. She is a member of the varsity cheerleading team, which holds three N.J. Group Cheerleading titles, and is also a three-time Universal Cheerleaders Association National Cheerleading champion. . . . Plans for next year: Attend the University of Alabama and study criminal justice.
SummerQuest program engages Birmingham high school students to prepare for college future
AL.com – June 6
The Birmingham Mayor’s Office and the bank launched the third year of SummerQuest Birmingham at the Regions Center on June 5. SummerQuest is a free, competitive program that teaches high school students about managing finances and applying for college while offering scholarship opportunities. . . . One of the interns is University of Alabama communications studies student Tori Griffiths. She said she’s excited to work for a program that combines her passion for giving back to the community and her interest in banking as a career. Griffiths looks forward to the one-on-one mentoring the most. “I’m an older sibling myself, so I love to be able to pass along and say, ‘Hey, this is where I screwed up, I hope that you can learn from it,’ or, ‘I did this and it turned out really well,’” she said.
Birmingham Magazine Beautiful People cover reveal party held at Alabama Media Group
AL.com – June 6
Around 150 people gathered at Alabama Media Group building on 1st Avenue North in Birmingham on Thursday evening for the Beautiful People cover reveal party. Guests enjoyed light hors d’oeuvers and drinks as they waited for the special cover of the magazine to be revealed. Bhammag.com readers voted to narrow the list of nominees to the top 20 candidates. A new round of voting had readers cast more than 40,000 votes to select a model for this year’s 2014 people’s choice cover. This year’s cover features 20-year-old University of Alabama student Anna Montgomery. Montgomery was crowned Miss Teen Alabama and used that platform to launch the nonprofit Cleaning Up Closets Childhood Cancer. The summer after her freshman year at UA she was diagnosed with a cystic brain tumor. She had surgery soon after the diagnosis and is continuing the healing process.