UA In the News — Feb. 19

Harper Lee, Author of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ Dies at 89
New York Times – Feb. 19
Harper Lee, whose first novel, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” about racial injustice in a small Alabama town, sold more than 10 million copies and became one of the most beloved and most taught works of fiction ever written by an American, died on Friday in Monroeville, Ala., where she lived. She was 89. Hank Conner, a nephew of Ms. Lee’s, said that she died in her sleep at the Meadows, an assisted living facility. . . . After a year at Huntingdon, Ms. Lee transferred to the University of Alabama to study law, primarily to please her father, who hoped that she, like her sister Alice, might become a lawyer and enter the family firm. Her own interests, and perhaps her disposition, led her elsewhere. “I think lawyers sort of have to conform, and she’d just as soon tell you to go to hell as say something nice and turn around and walk away,” a classmate recalled. Ms. Lee wrote a column called Caustic Comments for Crimson White, the campus newspaper, and contributed articles to the university’s humor magazine, Rammer Jammer, where she became editor in chief in 1946. . . . Occasionally there were sightings. In 2001, Ms. Lee began attending an annual awards ceremony at the University of Alabama to meet and talk with the winners of a contest for the best essay by an Alabama high school student on “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
Associated Press – Feb. 19

REVIEW: Work in progress, ‘Countess of Storyville’ shines with strong cast, production
Tuscaloosa News – Feb. 19
For many years Broadway shows would work on new plays and musicals out of town (i.e., New York), to find what worked with audiences, to clear scripts from too much clutter or to strengthen themes or characterizations, to provide exposition without leaving audiences unclear about who was who and what was happening and why, and why it mattered … The week, a new musical, “The Countess of Storyville,” book by RM Cohen, music by Martin Silvestri, lyrics by Joel Higgins, and produced by veteran Tony-winning producer Margot Astrachan (“A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder”) opened in its second incarnation in the Marian Gallaway Theatre under the auspices of the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of Alabama, with a cast which includes several professional Equity actors from NYC, graduate and undergraduate students from the department, faculty members, and Tuscaloosans.

Time capsule mystery from 1976 cracked in AL.com Vintage photos
AL.com – Feb. 19
After a launching a database providing a behind-the-scenes look into Alabama Media Group’s newspaper photo archives, we heard from many readers who picked specific sets of images they’d like to see revealed. Heather Youngblood expressed interest in an envelope containing Birmingham News photo negatives from 1976 showing Lakeview School students putting items inside a sculpture for future students to find. “The pictures were taken the day before I was born,” Youngblood wrote, asking questions about the time capsule. “Has it been opened? What was in there? If not opened, when will it be opened? I would love to know what was going on with these kids/people the day before I was born. I’m nosy!” That envelope also caught the attention of University of Alabama journalism students working with Alabama Media Group in a digital storytelling partnership called “Lost Stories.” Together, we’re discovering new stories from the photos in our archives. In an examination of the photos you asked about, here’s what we found.

Creativity came to life: student artwork showcased in Joint Art Exhibit
Crimson White – Feb. 18
For students, creating artwork is a form of expression, be it drawings doodled in the corners of a notebook to the stroke of a brush on a canvas in an art class. But for Sunshine Jackson, a junior majoring in civil construction engineering and art, creating art became much more than a passing interest. Jackson took art classes before college, but she never fully considered it as a possible career option. Once in college, her creativity flourished, and she decided to make the change to an art major while still focusing on her degree in civil construction engineering. “[In] middle school and high school, I took art and even just when I was a kid I used to love to paint and draw,” Jackson said. “It’s just always been something I’ve liked to do, and my parents always encouraged me.”

Filter of Hope: Tuscaloosa organization distributes water filters in Haiti
Crimson White – Feb. 18
A midst the chaotic aftermath of Haiti’s devastating 2010 earthquake, two people met. The ensuing events are the sort that make one believe 
in fate. “I was going home, and I was waiting for the tap-tap, a little pickup truck … the most common form of public transportation, but there was a huge traffic jam,” said Evenson Laguerre, a junior majoring in finance. “Bart got out of the truck to see what was going on so I went up and … I asked him if I could help him … he was confused and didn’t know what to do.” … Since that first week, Smelley has come back many times, Laguerre acting as his translator all the while. On one trip, someone from Tuscaloosa offered to sponsor Laguerre to study at Alabama, which he has done for the past three years. “I think it’s miraculous,” 
Laguerre said.

Miss UA pageant is Saturday
Tuscaloosa News – Feb. 19
The 42nd annual Miss University of Alabama competition will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Bama Theatre, 600 Greensboro Ave. Twelve UA students will compete for the title. The Miss University of Alabama program is an official preliminary competition for the Miss Alabama and Miss America organizations. Tickets can be purchased at the door. General admission is $15 and student tickets are $10.