UA gets funds for spill impact study
Tuscaloosa News – Jan. 24
…Olson is one of 18 UA researchers awarded a combined total of about $800,000 from BP to research the impact of the Gulf oil spill, with colleagues from colleges and universities across the state…The 18 UA researchers represent the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Engineering and Human and Environmental Sciences, and they will take part in eight separate research projects. Working alongside them will be researchers from Auburn and Troy universities, along with the universities of Alabama at Birmingham, Alabama at Huntsville, South Alabama and others. Joe Benson, UA’s vice president for research, said once the research paid for by the $800,000 begins, UA will have about $1.1 million worth of research taking place related to the oil spill. Three other research projects are already under way thanks to $300,000 from the National Science Foundation…
Astronomy professor investigates space gas cloud
Crimson White – Jan. 24
…On Jan. 11, Keel presented his research to the annual meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Seattle. Named after its discoverer, Hanny’s Voorwerp is a glowing, green blob located approximately 650 light-years away from Planet Earth, Keel said…Irwin says that Keel’s research is making headlines – David Letterman even made a jab at Hanny’s Voorwerp. “His research can’t help but raise the visibility of UA to high school and undergraduate students looking for a college or graduate school, regardless of whether they want to get their degree in astronomy or another science field,” Irwin said. Keel remains enthralled by the idea of “citizen science,” and how something as rare and mysterious as Hanny’s Voorwerp can be found by anyone with no scientific background or experience, simply an interest in space. He emphasizes the simplicity – and importance – of curiosity for outer space. “I’ll always advertise www.galaxyzoo.org,” Keel said. “Not only is there no telling what you might find, but you can’t miss a new appreciation for the beauty and complexity of the universe.”
Area has high rate of ‘food deserts’
Tuscaloosa News – Jan. 23
…Lack of grocery stores is a growing problem especially in the Black Belt, which also has some of the highest obesity rates and highest rates of diabetes in the U.S. The correlation is not surprising, according to nutritionist Margaret Garner, assistant dean for health education and outreach at the University of Alabama’s College of Community Health Sciences. People in these areas also see higher rates of poverty and often little access to other health and social services, Garner said…Residents living in food deserts have often become so reliant on convenience foods that they don’t always know how to prepare fresh fruits and vegetables, said nutritionist Sheena Quizon, who is assistant director of nutrition and health promotion at UA’s Student Health Center…The road to getting people to eat healthier starts with education about food choices and preparation. When a person on a limited income lives far away from a grocery store, they must learn to maximize their grocery store trips when they are able to go, and make choices that will give them the most bang for their buck, Quizon said. That includes focusing on frozen and dried fruits and vegetables, things that will last longer. “Going to the grocery store two or three times a week just isn’t going to fit into their lifestyle,” Garner added. But buying healthier options in bulk also requires careful budgeting, which can be difficult when many people are focusing on just trying to pay the bills, she said…
Local woman runs bakery as a side job
Tuscaloosa News – Jan. 23
…Louis Marino, a management professor at the University of Alabama who specializes in entrepreneurship, said Bailey’s conversion of a hobby into a business is part of a growing trend among older workers. “I think it is more common to see people who are getting close to retiring and who are retiring doing this kind of thing, because people are living longer and they are healthier when they retire so they are looking for opportunities and doing things that interest them,” he said. “They are doing it not necessarily because they need the money but because they have the time and luxury to follow their dreams.” Surveys of retirees who start their own businesses find money is not the main motivation, he said. Among the top 10 reasons, money is No. 5 for men and No. 8 for women, Marino said…
Jefferson County commissioner wants to hire a ‘turnaround’ firm to help steer finances
Birmingham News – Jan. 23
…Robert Brooks, professor of financial management at the University of Alabama, said a turnaround firm could benefit the county. “I think it’s a great idea,” Brooks said. “Oftentimes people that are real close to a bad situation have a real hard time having a perspective. A fresh set of eyes can see things and make the hard choices. Oftentimes an outsider is just suited to come in and do the right thing.”…
Business as Usual: Giving poor credit where poor credit is due
Anniston Star – Jan. 24
…But it is undeniable that the poor are more likely to have lower credit scores, says Dr. Gary Hooper, an associate professor of economics at the University of Alabama who has written extensively about poverty. “It is true that credit scores are not tied to income,” he said. “But they are tied to financial literacy, and financial literacy does tend to be tied to income.”…Nevada, he said, is an example of a state that scored low because of excessive risk-taking, not an absence of financial literacy. “We didn’t have a lot of that kind of speculation in Alabama,” he said. “Our problems are around the lack of sound financial planning.”…
Birmingham area jobless rate down
Birmingham News – Jan. 22
…Ahmad Ijaz, an economic researcher for University of Alabama, said the state could see an increase in unemployment in January as temporary workers hired for the holiday season are let go. Those figures aren’t expected to be released until March. Ijaz said it is not unusual at this stage of an economic recovery to see more previously discouraged workers enter the labor force looking for jobs, thus pushing up the unemployment rate. In a troubling sign, Ijaz said, the figures released Friday indicated continued weakness in Alabama’s economy. “The loss of 9,500 jobs from November, primarily in professional and business services, food services and drinking places, reflects a very weak and cautious consumer spending, which in turn makes businesses even more reluctant to hire new workers,” Ijaz said…
Republican grass is greener to some local elected officials
Anniston Star – Jan. 22
…Bill Stewart, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Alabama, said the party switching is more of a sign of how weak the Democratic Party has become in the state than an ideological shift among candidates. “I think it’s like people abandoning a sinking ship,” he said. “People are making the calculation that their own political fortunes would be better served by being in the Republican Party rather than the Democratic Party.” He pointed out that several years ago some judges had switched from Republican to Democrat when their constituencies changed. But we need political parties, Stewart said. The party system is helpful to voters, he said. It gives them an idea of what ideology a candidate might have, even when they don’t recognize the candidate’s name. “We don’t want to go down to the polls and just have lots of names with no labels because most people are not that into politics whereby they would know every candidate for every office,” Stewart said. “If I consider myself to be more liberally oriented, I would assume that a person who had a D by their name, that person would be more liberal and therefore I could safely vote for the candidate with the reasonable assurance that their values were reasonably close to mine.” Political party switching might confuse the issue, but generally the parties require a certain amount of loyalty to accept a candidate as a member, he said. Stewart also pointed out that at the local level of government, political ideals have much less impact than at the state or national level. For instance, a Democratic revenue commissioner isn’t going to collect taxes in a different manner than a Republican would, he said…
Local designers, models featured in fashion show
Tuscaloosa News – Jan. 22
Courtney Thomas, a freshman majoring in English at the University of Alabama, said her passion for designing clothes began at age 13, when her aunt gave her a needle and thread and taught her how to sew. Some of Thomas’ designs will be displayed tonight at the “The Runway 2011: A Fashion Explosion.” The event will also feature models and clothing designed by students from Shelton State Community College, UA and Stillman College. “There are five designers from UA that will showcase their own personal line and many of the models came from UA and Stillman,” said Tanika Rice, coordinator for the event…
Student-led charity makes a difference with water
Crimson White – Jan. 24
…Last September, Whitney and Andrew Wash began a campaign with Charity: Water, a non-profit organization that provides clean drinking water to people in developing countries. Their campaign raised $5,000 to build a well that would provide water for 250 to 500 people in the Central Republic of Africa. The well is now in the process of being built and should be done by the end of the year. It will have a plaque on it that says “The University of Alabama.” A replica plaque will also be made and put on display at the University…
Women’s resource center addresses letters to imprisoned women
Crimson White – Jan. 24
The Women’s Resource Center’s Student Leadership Council started their second annual campaign advocating awareness and support for women in prison this week in the Ferguson Center. The week of events will start off with a letter writing campaign beginning Monday in the Ferguson Center, near Fresh Food Company…The campaign continues Wednesday, with a panel held in Ferguson 309. Three women, including a woman once incarcerated, will speak and discuss the issues surrounding women in Alabama’s prison system. Friday, Jan. 28, the week of events concludes with a visit to Tutwiler Prison and a guided tour with the warden there. The trip, as well as the panel, is free of charge…
Artist crafts historical murals in Tuomey Hall
Crimson White – Jan. 24
Beyond the glass walls of Tuomey Hall, renowned artist Caleb O’Connor coats an enormous 14 by 9 feet linen canvas with thick, white gesso. Rested against the walls of the studio are more massive paintings in final stages of completion. O’Connor has been commissioned by the United States General Service Administration to paint 16 wall-sized murals for the federal building in downtown Tuscaloosa…O’Connor says he gets several visitors to his campus studio almost every day and encourages others to stop by and check out what’s going on. Hallie Paul, a junior in New College, has visited O’Connor’s studio and said having him on campus is cool because it allows him to interact with the students. “He seems to really want to immerse himself in the community and wants to learn from the students, but at the same time, have them interact with the art,” Paul said…
Food Court gets Subway
Crimson White – Jan. 24
Subway opened Jan. 12 in the Ferguson Center as a result of the University Food Service Committee and student surveys indicating that a new sub sandwich option would be desirable, said Kristina Hopton-Jones, director of University dining services…
SaveFirst prepares for tax season
Crimson White – Jan. 24
…SaveFirst, a non-profit tax preparation initiative is opening two sites in Tuscaloosa. Sarah Louise Smith, executive director of Impact Alabama said the new addition this year came with the increased number of students that joined the program. “We have about 50 to 60 students that have already gone through their training and the certification,” she said. “The students will be a part of a poverty course and perform taxes for these families.”…According to their website, more than 500 trained students from more than 10 campuses prepared tax returns for more than 3,500 families at 16 sites statewide…
Chamber honors WVUA executive
Tuscaloosa News – Jan. 22
Roy Clem, general manager of WVUA-TV in Tuscaloosa, was named the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama’s member of the year Friday night…The chamber also presented 11 Distinguished Service Awards, recognizing outstanding service to the community. Recipients were…Robert Witt, president of the University of Alabama.
Business Buzz
Tuscaloosa News – Jan. 23
Timothy W. Winkler, M.D., F.A.C.S., regional medical director for Boca Raton, Fla.-based National Healing Corp. and medical director of the Wound Healing Center at DCH Regional Medical Center in Tuscaloosa, has been board certified in undersea and hyperbaric medicine by the American Board of Preventive Medicine…Since 1995, Winkler has been the associate chair and assistant professor in the Department of Surgery in the College of Community Health Sciences at the University of Alabama School of Medicine in Tuscaloosa…