Free tax preparation services available to Tuscaloosa families
Tuscaloosa News – Jan. 29
Free tax preparation services are available now by appointment in the Tuscaloosa area. Services are available to families who earn less than $52,000 a year with children in the home or $20,000 a year without children in the home. People can call 1-888-99-TAX-AL to schedule an appointment. Tax services are provided by students from The University of Alabama and the program is sponsored by UA’s Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility. Daytime, evening and weekend hours for tax preparation will be available at two sites in Tuscaloosa: the McDonald Hughes Community Center, 3101 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd., and Holten Heights Church of the Nazarene, 4401 17th Street NE in Holt.
UA Holds Viewing of Supernova (Live interview)
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Jan. 30
The clear conditions tonight are a perfect setup for people to catch a glimpse of a rare supernova. Happening now, the University of Alabama is holding a viewing event tonight.
UA places student athletes on SEC Academic Honor Roll
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Jan. 30
The University of Alabama placed 49 student-athletes on the 2013 fall Southeastern Conference Academic honor roll. A total of 28 members of Alabama’s 2013 football squad earned a place on the honor roll.
Local jobless claims rise slightly in December
Franklin County Times – Jan. 28
Unemployment rates for the month of December were released on Friday and showed Franklin County had a slight increase in jobless claims during the past month. Franklin County’s unemployment rate rose to 6.9 percent in December, up slightly from November’s rate of 6.6 percent. … “Alabama’s unemployment rate is 6.1 percent, marking a five-year low,” Gov. Robert Bentley said. … “The University of Alabama’s Center for Business and Economic Research just last week released its economic forecast which predicts greater growth and an estimated 25,000 jobs to be added in 2014.
Health insurance doesn’t guarantee medical service
Decatur Daily – Jan. 26
Although a patient might have an insurance card in hand, finding a primary care doctor in the future could prove to be a challenge under the federal Affordable Care Act. Alabama had a shortage of doctors prior to the ACA, and its implementation could make the problem worse, some medical field experts predict. Dr. John Wheat, director of the Rural Scholars Program at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, fears larger cities will start recruiting physicians from rural areas because of the influx of patients and offer competitive packages that rural areas cannot match. He predicts patients won’t see these effects immediately since Alabama will be one of the last states to embrace the ACA. “It will be similar to the early ’70s, when Medicaid and Medicare started. We will go through that again,” Wheat said. Those newly insured through Medicare and Medicaid could not find a family doctor, Wheat said, adding that many people had to drive an hour or two to find a doctor.
Pharmacy Choice – Jan. 27
University of Alabama students share winter wonderland pics from campus (photos)
Al.com – Jan. 28
When the University of Alabama announced school closure at 11 a.m. Tuesday due to snow accumulation, students around campus took to Instagram to celebrate and share pictures. Tuesday’s class cancellation marks the second year in a row students have received a snow day in January.
Alabama football players star in snowball fight on quad after snow day declared
Al.com – Jan. 28
It wasn’t expected to be an issue, but winter wonderland-ish conditions overtook Tuscaloosa on Tuesday morning. Alabama football players chronicled the action as they hoped for a snow day, got one, then got after it in a snowball fight on the quad a year after the last one. Social media told the tale …
UA students play in the snow
ABC 33/40 (Birmingham) – Jan. 28
Schools dismissed early, so, these University of Alabama students decided to make the best of it. “It’s amazing, we love the snow and we never had snow before so it’s fun.”
WALA-Fox (Mobile) – Jan. 29
WQRF-Fox (Rockford, Ill.) – Jan. 29
KING-NBC (Seattle, Wash.) – Jan. 29
WJBF-ABC (Augusta, Ga.) – Jan. 29
To see some of the clips: http://67.214.100.182//PublicNewsroom.aspx?PortalId=33D07503-BE47-42B6-9AD0-306656F7CE73&FolderId=D189F22E-DF77-4A6C-8470-E427092DBE21