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TUESDAY, JAN. 17 – SUNDAY, JAN. 22   

BEST BETS

FATAL CRASHES IN STATE INCREASE IN 2016, STUDY FINDS – Deaths from traffic crashes in 2016 in the state increased by nearly a quarter over traffic fatalities in 2015 while total crashes increased by only 2 percent, according a recent study of crash data by researchers at the UA Center for Advanced Public Safety. For more information, contact Adam Jones, UA media relations, 205/348-6444 or adam.jones@ua.edu.

UA, AUBURN TO COMPETE IN IRON BOWL OF HORSE RIDING – UA’s equestrian team will compete against Auburn University’s in a National Collegiate Equestrian Association scrimmage Friday, Jan. 20, at 1 p.m. at River Oaks Farm, 5500 Culver Road, Tuscaloosa. UA’s Equestrian Team, coached by Ashley Morrison, competes in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association and scrimmages with NCEA schools like Auburn University, the University of Georgia and the University of South Carolina. The team competes nationally and has won numerous times at the IHSA level, as well as having High Point Riders and Most Outstanding Players at the competitions. In 2016, three team members qualified for the IHSA Finals out of more than 10,000 riders from 412 colleges across the United States. More information about UA’s equestrian program can be found at equestrian.ua.edu and by contacting Diane Harrison, interim director, Equestrian Operations, 205/242-3520 or dharrison@fa.ua.edu. For assistance, contact David Miller in media relations, 205/348-0825 or david.c.miller@ua.edu.

ARMY ROTC TO COMPETE IN REGIONAL RANGER CHALLENGE – A small group of UA cadets have trained five days a week since the beginning of the fall semester to improve fitness times, endurance, land navigation skills and teamwork to hopefully steer the program to its first Ranger Challenge national competition since 2009. UA won the state competition in November and will compete for the Brigade championship – a regional competition between the winners of six Southeastern states and Puerto Rico – Saturday, Jan. 20, at Camp Blanding Joint Training Center in Starke, Florida. Some members of the team will be available to speak to media from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday at the ROTC Building (Bureau of Mines) on the UA campus. The building, which houses both Army and Air Force ROTC programs, is located at the corner of Seventh Avenue and Capstone Drive, behind Gorgas Library and adjacent to the Garland Hall. The cadets will demonstrate Wednesday one of the events in which they’ll compete — the one-rope bridge. The cadets will compete in other events, too, like land navigation and casualty care. For more information, contact David Miller, UA Media Relations at 205/348-0825 or david.c.miller@ua.edu.

MINI MEDICAL SCHOOL CONTINUES WITH WEEKLY LECTURE SERIES – Dr. Jimmy Robinson, the College of Community Health Sciences Endowed Chair of Sport Medicine, will present “Adapted Athletics” at noon Thursday, Jan. 19, as part of a lecture series for UA’s OLLI program. The presentation will provide an overview of UA’s Adapted Athletics programs. The presentation will take place in the Bryant Conference Center’s Birmingham-Central Room. For more information, contact Kim Eaton, UA media relations, 205/348-8325 or kkeaton@ur.ua.edu.

ART AND WAR — The Sarah Moody Gallery of Art presents an exhibition by Alabama native and UA alumnus Jim Neel. Titled “Echoes along the Syrian Border: Family Archeology and the Sound of Distant Gunfire: Works by James Emmette Neel,” the show will run through Friday, Feb. 17. This solo exhibition comprises two bodies of Neel’s recent work which share an intense focus on the subject of warfare and its horrific effects on a country and its inhabitants, particularly children. In photography, prints and sculpture, Neel unleashes a visual landscape borne of his own physical proximity to war and its victims. Jim Neel received the MFA from UA’s department of art and art history in 1973. He has worked as a photojournalist, administrator, teacher, scholar and artist and is professor of art and director of the Durbin Gallery at Birmingham-Southern College. The Sarah Moody Gallery of Art is in 103 Garland Hall. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday with additional hours from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursdays. For more details, phone  205/348-1891. For assistance, contact Jamon Smith, UA media relations, 205/348-4956 or jamon.smith@ua.edu.

LOOKING AHEAD

UA’S COMMUNITY HEALTH SCIENCES CO-SPONSORS AFRICAN FILM FESTIVALThe fifth annual Tuscaloosa Evening of African Film, co-sponsored by UA’s College of Community Health Sciences, will be Saturday, Feb. 4, at the Bama Theatre in downtown Tuscaloosa. The adult program begins at 6 p.m. with two award-winning short films and one feature-length film. A children’s program begins at 2 p.m. with a live performance of African Dance, music and storytelling, followed by an award-winning children’s animation movie. For more information, contact Kim Eaton, in UA media relations, at 205/348-8325 or kkeaton@ur.ua.edu.