UA In the News — Oct. 6

Calhoun County Foreclosures Remain at Pre-Recession Levels
National Mortgage News – Oct. 5
Lenders foreclosed on fewer Calhoun County, Ala., mortgages over the last three months than they did in any third quarter in a decade. The drop follows the previous quarter, which also showed the fewest foreclosures since before the 2007 Great Recession. Meanwhile, home sales and prices in the county have continued to rise this year … Ahmad Ijaz, economist for the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Alabama, said the state’s housing market on average had recovered from the recession. Ijaz said job growth was key to strengthening the housing market. “Jobs are the biggest factor in improving housing markets,” Ijaz said. “The next is the interest rate.”
Anniston Star – Oct. 3
 
Learning to Lead
Business Alabama – Oct. 5
From aspiring entrepreneurs to military personnel and prospective politicians, those pledged to a paradigm for success find a certain resonance in William Shakespeare’s words: “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon ’em.” … Weighing in on the issue is James King, Miles-Rose Professor of Leadership at the University of Alabama’s Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business Administration, who believes anyone can become a better leader with insight into how to attain his or her personal best. “I tell my students it’s like running fast. You don’t know how fast you can run until someone teaches you proper form. You don’t know your top speed until you get some fundamentals. It’s a case of you didn’t know what you didn’t know.”
 
Few students leave failing schools through Accountability Act
Decatur Daily – Oct. 6
Thousands of children and their families are using the Alabama Accountability Act to attend private schools, but only a few dozen appear to have attended the state’s worst public schools as defined by the act … A recent report by the Institute for Social Science Research at the University of Alabama said that in the 2014-15 school year, 4,115 students received scholarships. Almost all of them qualified for free or reduced lunch and 89 percent were classified as low income under the act, according to the report.
Florence Times Daily – Oct. 6
 
Peer victimization in schools: Two studies explore types and repercussions
MedicalXPress – Oct. 6
Peer victimization is defined as being on the receiving end of an intentional act of aggression by a peer of a similar age that is perceived by the victim as harmful. Overt victimization involves behavior such has hitting, pushing, and kicking, while relational victimization is more covert, for example, being the subject of a vicious rumor or being excluded intentionally from an activity. The first study, which analyzed research on peer victimization in 17 countries, found that both girls and boys experience relational peer victimization, but boys experience more overt victimization. The study was conducted at the University of Alabama and the University of Connecticut. . . . Researchers found a large degree of overlap between the two forms of victimization (i.e., victims of one form are likely to experience the other form), which the study’s authors suggest means the two forms should be considered in relation to one another. “Because resources are limited, it’s important for policymakers and practitioners who create and implement interventions to understand the differences across forms of victimization as well as the ways they are related,” notes Deborah Casper, assistant professor of human development and family studies at the University of Alabama, who was the lead author of the meta-analysis.
 
UA climatologist talks about Hurricane Matthew
WVUA 23 (Tuscaloosa) – Oct. 5
Hurricane Matthew is the first major hurricane to threaten the east coast of the United States in some eleven years. As the storm moves through the Bahamas and then up the east coat of the U.S., some are concerned that residents might not take the hurricane warnings seriously. Dr. Jason Senkbeil is a climatologist at The University of Alabama.
 
UA faculty members receive Outstanding Commitment to Teaching Awards
WVUA 23 (Tuscaloosa) – Oct. 5
Some UA employees were honored today. Today was the Outstanding Commitment to Teaching Awards. The three categories were Outstanding Commitment to Teaching, the Advising awards, and there were also service awards. They were all sponsored by the national Alumni Association.
 
Alabama Repertory Dance Theatre
Tuscaloosa News – Oct. 6 (Photo gallery)
The Alabama Repertory Dance Theatre rehearse a piece choreographed and directed by Cornelius Carter at Morgan Auditorium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Wednesday, Oct. 5.
 
Beat Bama, Beat Auburn food drive competitions kick off
NBC 12 (Montgomery) – Oct. 5
Auburn University and the University of Alabama are using their rivalry to help fight hunger. In Tuscaloosa, it’s Beat Auburn but on the Plains, it’s Beat Bama. The annual food drive for both schools kicked off this week. The focus of this competition is to feed the hungry. “This has become a tradition at both universities for the past 23 years, every single fall,” said Caroline Jager, Beat Bama Food Drive President. Since the competition started back in 1994, nearly three million pounds of food has been raised for Alabamians facing food insecurity.
NBC 5 (Memphis, Tenn.) – Oct. 5 
 
Grants to help provide after-school program
Tuscaloosa News – Oct. 6
The Tuscaloosa County School System will continue its after-school community learning programs through 21st Century Community Learning Centers grants. The Tuscaloosa County Board of Education recently approved the acceptance of thousands of dollars in grant money for after-school programs that will be operated by Tuscaloosa’s One Place, a family resource center. Schools that have received the grants include Davis-Emerson Middle School, Matthews Elementary, Cottondale Elementary, Holt Elementary and Englewood Elementary, which is a first-time recipient of the grant … Thomas said that through the program, Tuscaloosa’s One Place has different instructors who lead students in activities and help with grades. Partners have included the University of Alabama and other groups and many volunteer their time in the programs.
 
Smith Lake Park BassFest hooks more anglers, father-son nab $10K top prize
Cullman Times – Oct. 5
For a tournament to be only in its third year, the Smith Lake Park BassFest event has grown up quickly. The 2014 event had anglers grumbling about the long weigh-in times as it was well after dark before the final results were announced. The line for anglers to trailer their boats were at least a 90-minute wait at the first event … The college team bonus went to University of Alabama anglers Ethan Flack and Logan Shaddix, finishing 31st place overall with 9.41 pounds. Team Holcombe would add to their winning by collecting the $500 big fish bonus with a nice largemouth that hit the scales at 5.59 pounds.
 
Ainsley LeBlanc recounts being crowned homecoming queen
Crimson White – Oct. 6
Surrounded by friends, family, peers, lots of school spirit and bonfire kindling that was ready to burn, Ainsley LeBlanc was crowned The University of Alabama’s homecoming queen last Friday. “It was so surreal,” LeBlanc said. A senior majoring in public relations and minoring in general business from Memphis, Tennessee, LeBlanc has known she wanted to attend the University since her junior year of high school, when she attended the sibling orientation during her older sister’s Bama Bound orientation. From the people to the campus to the tours of the stadium, LeBlanc knew that this was where she was meant to be.
 
UA holds Faculty/Staff Health Fair
WVUA 23 (Tuscaloosa) – Oct. 5
The University of Alabama held its 21st annual faculty health fair today. Faculty and staff were invited to come out for free health screenings, flu shots, vision screenings and hearing tests. Those in attendance were also able to seek medical advice.
 
THEATER REVIEW: ‘Marvelous Wonderettes’ cast puts own spin on classic pop songs
Tuscaloosa News – Oct. 6
Director-choreographer Stacy Alley has had plenty of time to hone and perfect the material, also directing the University of Alabama’s SummerTide run of the show, albeit with different actors, save Catherine Bradwell (Betty Jean), who was swing — like an understudy, but for multiple characters — for the Gulf Shores show. Her sure hand makes this one tick like a metronome, finding not only the musical but comic and, on occasion, somewhat dramatic, beats. It’s sharp, silly, clean, and bright enough to shine through just about any gloom, seasonal, political, personal or not-rooting-for-the-Crimson-Tide-ical. Bradwell and her fellow Wonderettes — Carli Hardon as Missy, Ally Bryant as Cindy Lou and Anna Lee Hawkins as Suzy — are all undergrad musical theater majors at UA, so they’re drawn from that deep talent pool.