US Democrats Hail New Zealand’s Move on Banning Assault Weapons
WOA News – March 21
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s quick action to ban assault rifles after a horrific mass shooting prompted leading Democrats to demand tough gun control in the United States, where mass shootings have killed hundreds in recent years and where modest legislation to regulate the sale of firearms is stalled in Congress … In a 2016 study, University of Alabama criminologist Adam Lankford found that nearly one-third of mass shootings worldwide occur in the United States. Overall, U.S. gun deaths totaled more than 39,000 in 2017, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Citizen Digital – March 22
A single decision by New Zealand’s leader may prevent copycat killers
App.com – March 21
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Tuesday the man suspected of killing 50 people at two mosques in the city of Christchurch wants notoriety, and she refuses to give it to him … “A lot of perpetrators want fame,” said Adam Lankford, a criminal justice professor at the University of Alabama who studies mass shootings.
Naples Daily News (Florida) – March 21
Argus Leader (South Dakota) – March 21
Centennial Citizen (Colorado) – March 21
Visalia Daily Times (California) – March 21
Wisconsin State Farmer – March 21
Brinkwire – March 22
TV shows like ‘Scandal’ and ‘Madam Secretary’ may spur people to become more politically engaged
Market Watch – March 22
Kerry Washington, Julianna Margulies and Téa Leoni may inspire more than just the occasional binge-watch … “These results should encourage the creation of more politically-driven entertainment content featuring women in lead roles given its ability to not only entertain, but also encourage increases in political interest, self-efficacy, and participation among viewers,” wrote Hoewe and her co-author, University of Alabama Ph.D candidate Lindsey Sherrill.
Morning Star – March 22
Experts warn of flood risks in U.S.
Tuscaloosa News – March 21
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a spring flood outlook that warns of elevated risks for much of the country because of above average rainfall and melting snow. “This is potentially an unprecedented flood season,” said Ed Clark, director of the NOAA Water Center on the University of Alabama campus. “The flooding we have seen in the last two weeks may increase and may become more dire.”
What chasing clicks means for news: A tale of two dailies
Journalist Resource – March 21
A case study comparing two community newspapers finds that the paper more focused on audience metrics published fewer stories about civic issues, used fewer sources and let reader traffic guide news judgment to a greater degree than the paper that viewed analytics as a secondary consideration … “The Impact of Web Metrics on Community News Decisions: A Resource Dependence Perspective” was co-authored by Arenberg, an instructor at the University of Alabama, and Wilson Lowrey, a professor there.
Marsh: State will see infrastructure improvements within months
Yellowhammer News – March 21
For more than a year, state lawmakers have conducted meetings with different groups about Alabama’s infrastructure needs, along with the use of recent university research to help back up a gas tax increase that would raise about $350 million for critical infrastructure projects … “We were looking at our needs 20 years down the road as well. We also looked at studies from the University of Alabama and Auburn University to get the facts. The facts were known.”
DANCE ALABAMA! UA DANCE STUDENTS’ SPRING SHOWCASE
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – March 21
University of Alabama student Heather Hunt studies dance and talked with WVUA 23’s Lynn Brooks about their big spring showcase … At the showcase, all the student performances that have been worked on for months will be shown off to the community. There will be ballet pieces, modern dance, jazz and other various styles choreographed on stage that are unique to the students on stage.
UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA WOMEN HELP SMASH EATING DISORDERS
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – March 21
As a part of a week focused on women, women at the University of Alabama held an event focused on smashing eating disorders … Southern Smash is an organization focused on raising awareness about eating disorders while spreading body positivity, one scale smash at a time. Founded in 2012 by McCall Dempsey, they travel to college campuses year-round to shatter myths on eating disorders.
The Week in Public Finance: Momentum for Fixing Marijuana’s Banking Problem Is Higher Than Ever
Governing – March 21
New Jersey will likely be the next to legalize recreational marijuana, which would make it the 11th state (plus the District of Columbia) to do so. Medical marijuana is legal in an additional 22 states, meaning that more than half the country permits some form of the drug … While that helps balance equity to some extent, many poorer states keep their taxes proportionally lower than wealthier states, University of Alabama law professor Susan Pace Hamill told WalletHub.
5 things you need to know in SA business today and 14 things you’re doing that make people instantly dislike you
Business Insider – March 21
After a hard week of electricity rationing, Eskom plans to implement Stage 2 rather than Stage 4 load shedding all Friday … A 2000 University of Alabama study found that people could predict the personalities of undergraduates they shook hands with. Specifically, the handshake raters intuited that the students with firm handshakes were more positive, more outgoing, and less socially anxious.
Ramisa Rob: Time to confront far-right terrorism
Michigan Daily – March 21
The deadly attacks on two New Zealand mosques that massacred more than 50 people is a gruesome reminder that far-right terrorism is a rising threat … In a study published in Justice Quarterly, researchers at Georgia State University and the University of Alabama found that terror attacks by Muslims receive an average of 357 percent more media coverage than those by other groups.
Napa Valley Register – March 21
Early Federal Census Worksheet with Donna Cox Baker
Blog Talk Radio – March 21
The Early Federal Census Worksheet is a genealogy spreadsheet application for Microsoft Excel that allows the easy capture of the decennial U.S. federal census data from 1790 to 1860 … Donna Cox Baker is editor-in-chief of Alabama Heritage magazine, headquartered at the University of Alabama She has a PhD in history, hosts the Golden Egg Genealogist blog (gegboundcom) and cofounded the Beyond Kin Project (beyondkin.org.)
UA waives graduate school application fee
ABC 33/40 (Birmingham) – March 21
In Tuscaloosa, the University of Alabama is waiving the graduate school application fee. This week only you can complete a short form to receive a code that will waive masters and doctoral fees. The application and all supporting documents must be submitted tomorrow by midnight.
NOAA releases spring flood forecast for the south
Fox 6 (Birmingham) – March 21
Flooding in parts of the Midwest is already terrible, but federal forecasters based in Tuscaloosa says it will likely get worse. The National Water Center is based in Tuscaloosa on the University of Alabama campus. Scientists say extreme rains in 2018, and high snowfall amounts in the Midwest and Northeast, are flowing into rivers and streams. Those forecasters want their predictions to help areas stay safe.
RISE holds celebration of World Down Syndrome Day and World Autism Awareness Day
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – March 21
Today is World Down Syndrome Day. Two organizations, RISE at The University of Alabama and High Town Academy both took strides to help celebrate. A big party awaited students at the Rise World Autism Day program on the campus of The University of Alabama. It was time for students to let loose and have some fun with Big Al.
A female focus of what talents can be brought to the screens
Tuscaloosa News – March 21
In 2000, when Luna created its series of short films written, directed, performed and produced by women from the around the world, just one woman director, Nancy Meyers, broke into the year’s top 20 box office, with “What Women Want.” … Since 2006, the University of Alabama Women and Gender Resource Center has hosted local showings. The 2019 Lunafest will be 6-9 p.m. Tuesday in the Bama Theatre, 600 Greensboro Ave.
‘Icepick to the Moon’ film focuses on surreal UA group
Tuscaloosa News – March 22
For the decades it took to launch “Icepick to the Moon” at Tuscaloosa, filmmaker Skyzz Cyzyk sought surviving members of the Raudelunas, his eyes focused on the Rev. Fred Lane. Lane is the swing-music-absurdist singer and wordmaker behind, among and in front of cult vinyl “From the One That Cut You” (1983) and “Car Radio Jerome” (1986), beloved among a small but fervent, fanatic base. Cyzyk’s feature-length documentary gets its Druid City debut at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Room 159 of Russell Hall on the University of Alabama campus, just blocks from Woods Hall where many of the Raudelunas collaborated.
AL.com – March 21