UA kicks off homecoming week with bowling, tournaments, parade
Tuscaloosa News – Oct. 9
The theme this year for homecoming at the University of Alabama is “Sweet Home Capstone.” Alabama will play the University of Arkansas on Saturday night at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The game will kick off at 6:15 p.m. The week leading up to the game will include athletic competitions, service activities, food drives, lawn and storefront decorations, talent shows and the annual parade and bonfire.
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Oct. 8
Next Birmingham Mayor Will Inherit Confederate Monument Fight
Alabama Public Radio – Oct. 9
Birmingham’s next mayor will have a fight on his hands immediately upon taking office in November … Alfred Brophy is a law professor at the University of Alabama. He thinks the city is still looking for a way to get around the law. “Birmingham doesn’t have the power to take the statue down. I think that’s clear. They don’t have the power to move. I don’t think there is anything that says they don’t have the power to add other monuments in other ways or do things that affect the context of the monument.”
There’s a Scientific Explanation for Why Fires Are So Romantic
Yahoo! – Oct. 6
If you want me to open up, plop me down in front of a crackling fire. When I met my boyfriend, Mo, neither of us was that eager to jump into a new relationship … “Campfires and other types of fires, like hearth fires, seem to be multi-sensory stimulators, so they grab our attention through every single one of our senses,” says University of Alabama anthropologist Christopher Lynn, who authored the study.
Mass Shooters Aren’t Disproportionately White
Slate.com – Oct. 6
Stephen Paddock shot more than 500 people from the windows of his Las Vegas hotel room Sunday night, killing 58 of them. In the days since, a familiar story has been passed around the internet about the blinkered way in which we talk about these sorts of massacres … Two years ago, University of Alabama criminologist Adam Lankford took a closer look at these and related questions.
ISIS reveals details about gunman, continues claiming Vegas
Brisbane News (Australia) – Oct. 6
After claiming last week’s deadly mass shooting in Las Vegas with a vague claim, now the Islamic State militant group has taken credit for the shooting but this time, with a more specific claim about the gunman … Meanwhile, Adam Lankford, a University of Alabama criminologist and researcher who tracks global mass shootings has said individuals who carry out such crimes tend to have suicidal motives or appear indifferent to life or death, perceive themselves as victims or seek attention and fame. Lankford has warned that without explicit statements from Paddock about his reasons for the attack, determining a motive is mostly speculation.
Manila News (Philippines) – Oct. 6
PolitiFact: Cruz touts his ‘town halls,’ but were they really?
Austin American-Statesman – Oct. 8
He’s not Waldo. But could it be that U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz doesn’t get personally grilled by constituents very often? … But University of Alabama political scientist Joe Smith commented, “Employees know that their employer has arranged for and endorsed the visit, and that therefore assertive questions are not welcome.”
Matthew Keegans of Ridgefield Participates in UA Cooperative Education Program
Hamlet Hub (Ridgefield, Connecticut) – Oct. 7
Matthew Keegans of Ridgefield, CT, is joining close to 300 University of Alabama students in receiving a hands-on educational experience at more than 60 companies and organizations through UA’s Cooperative Education Program during fall 2017. Keegans will be working at KIA.
Daily Freeman (New York) – Oct. 7
Gadsden Times – Oct. 7
Las Vegas attack: What we still don’t know
BBC News (England) – Oct. 6
Survivors are still reeling five days after Stephen Paddock, 64, opened fire from his hotel room on the crowd below before turning the gun on himself. The attack is considered the deadliest mass shooting in recent US history … Adam Lankford, a University of Alabama criminologist and researcher who tracks global mass shootings, told the BBC he believes any evidence of an escape plan was probably a fantasy.
Rocket News – Oct. 6
Las Vegas shooting: What was Stephen Paddock’s motive?
BBC News (England) – Oct. 6
It remains unclear whether a secret life led Stephen Paddock, a 64-year-old wealthy, retired accountant with a penchant for gambling, to open fire on a Las Vegas music festival crowd and kill 58 people and injure 500 others before turning the gun on himself … Adam Lankford, a University of Alabama criminologist and researcher who tracks global mass shootings, said individuals who carry out such crimes tend to have suicidal motives or appear indifferent to life or death, perceive themselves as victims or seek attention and fame.
Planet Genius — Oct. 6
Currently – Oct. 6
Astronomy department offers public viewing nights of sky
Tuscaloosa News – Oct. 5
What: Public viewing night to observe the sky through equipment provided by the Department of Physics and Astronomy. Observers will be able to see the full Moon, Saturn and Albireo, which Jimmy Irwin, associate professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, described as a “double star with contrasting colors—one blue, one orange.”
Student runs sea to sea for cancer research
Crimson White – Oct. 9
Most people would think that Forrest Gump was the only UA graduate to run across the country. But that was before this summer, when one UA senior tied up her laces and just kept going, running clear to the ocean. But for this one student, she wasn’t running “for no particular reason.” Abby Rentschler ran for her grandfather … Rentschler, a senior at the University and president of Run UA, has enjoyed the exhilaration of running her entire life.
Four candidates stand out in 2018 governor’s race
ABC 33/40 (Birmingham) – Oct. 5
Political analyst believe the Republican and Democratic parties have a strong chance to win the Alabama gubernatorial election in 2018. Four candidates are considered front-runners for the seat … University of Alabama Professor Emeritus Dr. Bill Stewart taught political science and is a published author. Dr. Stewart believes Governor Ivey’s current title gives her an edge. “We have other candidates who will not be as well known, and if they’re going to get known they’re going to have to raise and spend quite a lot of money,” Dr. Stewart said.
UA student wins international horn contest
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Oct. 6
Williams, now a UA doctoral student, just won first place in the 2017 international horn competition. This competition is the equivalent of a National championship in sports. It brings the best of the best horn players from across the world together to compete.
Son of a steelworker, Doug Jones works to connect with Alabama voters
Gears of Biz – Oct. 7
The summer he was 19 years old, after his freshman year at the University of Alabama, Doug Jones worked in the cotton tie mill at the U.S. Steel plant in Fairfield. The thin steel bands used for tying cotton bales would sometimes get tangled as they came through the production line. One day, a piece of steel went flying off the machinery and hit Jones right between his eyes … “Doug has that foundation,” said Rick Bragg, a professor of journalism at the University of Alabama and longtime friend who has agreed to speak on Jones’ behalf at a fundraiser in Baldwin County in October.
Tuscaloosa Children’s Theatre replaces departed mainstays
Tuscaloosa News – Oct. 7
For the people involved with the Tuscaloosa Children’s Theatre, Charles Drucker and Benny Russell became synonymous with the performance group over the decades. Drucker served as technical director, mostly working behind the scenes, while Russell served as musical director during countless productions … Kelsey Holland, director of TCT’s production of “Aladdin Jr.” said that in her directorial debut, she wanted to bring on people she had worked with before in the company. Holland, a graduate student studying social work at the University of Alabama, first got involved with TCT in 1997. “I knew we would all work together,” Holland said.
Rick Santorum to discuss religious freedom with students
Crimson White – Oct. 7
What: Rick Santorum will deliver a speech about religious freedom within the United States in the current state of politics. Following the speech, entitled “God Is A Microaggression: An Evening With Rick Santorum,” there will be a question and answer session … Where: ten Hoor Hall Room 125.
COMMUNITY BRIEFS Oct. 7
Walton Sun (Florida) – Oct. 7
Phi Theta Kappa welcomes new members … UA graduate: The University of Alabama awarded approximately 1,300 degrees during summer commencement Aug. 5. Megan Raybon Carte of Miramar Beach received a bachelor of science degree in human environment science.
Waco Herald-Tribune (Texas) – Oct. 7
By the numbers: Mass immigration still favors Democrats, especially on big government
Liberty Unyielding – Oct. 8
In the age of President Donald Trump, there are a few propositions that unite the establishment and progressive wings of the Democratic Party. One of them is that lots of immigration — legal and illegal — is good for America … Hispanics think abortion should be against the law. And, as University of Alabama political scientist George Hawley notes, there is scant evidence that Latinos consider abortion policy to be a key factor in their voting preferences.
Daily Caller – Oct. 8
Miss Alabama Jessica Procter to speak at Alberta Baptist
Tuscaloosa News – Oct. 8
Jessica Procter, the 2017 Miss Alabama and a finalist in the Miss America pageant, will be the guest speaker Oct. 19 at Alberta Baptist Church. Procter’s appearance is part of the church’s Golden Hearts Senior Adult luncheon … Procter, 21, is a native of Tuscaloosa and graduated from Northridge High School. She is currently studying music and communications at the University of Alabama.
Abortion clearly a ‘difficult issue’ for Alabama Democrats as Doug Jones pushes pro-choice stance
Al.com – Oct. 7
After Josh Crowley listened to Doug Jones’ interview with NBC’s Chuck Todd late last month, he took to Facebook and urged his friends to ignore the Senate hopeful’s pro-choice stance on abortion … William Stewart, a professor emeritus of political sciences at the University of Alabama, said that despite the recent massacre in Las Vegas, gun rights are likely not to rise to the top of social concerns during the Senate campaign.
Gov. Ivey on Roy Moore: ‘Anyone elected to office’ should be pro-development
Gears of Biz – Oct. 7
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said Friday she will support ex-judge Roy Moore in December’s U.S. Senate general election, and expects him and “anyone elected to office” to be “pro-economic development.” Ivey called for the special Senate election, won by Moore, eight days after taking office back in April, and has put her support behind Moore’s insurgent candidacy since Tuesday’s Republican runoff … William Stewart, a professor emeritus of political science at the University of Alabama and a longtime observer of state politics, said he believes Moore could be problematic for Ivey as she campaigns next summer. The 2018 gubernatorial race is already a crowded one ahead of the June 5 primaries.
As Confederate Statues Come Down, What About Columbus?
CBS 19 (Columbia, South Carolina) – Oct. 8
Kris Lane can’t shake the image of Christopher Columbus covered in blood. Red fluid — all of it fake — ran down the famed explorer’s statue in downtown Denver after Native American activists emptied their buckets on Columbus Day 1989. Lane, a professor of Latin American history at Tulane University, lived in Denver then … One option is adding statues, said Alfred Brophy, a law professor at the University of Alabama who studies historical memory.
UA hosts 4th annual Opera Gala
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Oct. 6
The University of Alabama opera theatre hosted their fourth annual opera gala to raise funds for their department. Guests were treated to an elegant dinner with performances by UA opera theatre students. Highlights of the night were live and silent auctions with prizes ranging from valuable items all the way up to vacation trips.
Alabama universities plug into industry with auto research projects
Made in Alabama – Oct. 6
At the University of Alabama, the Center for Advanced Vehicle Technologies offers interdisciplinary education, as well as research projects to prepare the next generation of automotive engineers. The center’s research is focused on electronics, energy storage and fuel cells, materials and manufacturing, and powertrains. The university also is strategically positioned in the field of vehicle hybridization, with a leading engine and combustion research program, and a well-developed electric drive program. “These are interesting research projects, and we have interaction between the industry and the professors here, who are also getting more insight into what really drives the automotive companies,” said Bharat Balasubramanian, engineering professor and the research center’s executive director.