UA In the News — May 29

UA In the News — May 29

University of Alabama team makes strong showing in NASA contest
Tuscaloosa News – May 28
Fresh off another top place finish in a NASA robotics competition inspired by future Mars missions, the University of Alabama’s Astrobotics teams is already thinking about how to improve its robot for next year. “I think the robot performed very well, exactly as we expected it,” said Max Eastepp, a junior majoring in electrical and computer engineering and the team leader.
 
University of Alabama researcher to work on Navy program
Tuscaloosa News – May 28
A teacher at the University of Alabama is getting more than $500,000 to conduct research with the U.S. Navy. A statement from the school says Andrew Lemmon, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, will receive the money over three years for his work with the Office of Naval Research.
 
Denny Chimes plays patriotic tunes
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – May 28
A selection of patriotic tunes rang out from Denny Chimes, as a tribute to fallen service members. The Army song, Anchors Aweigh, and America the Beautiful were just a few of the songs.
 
In Our View: Have Students Buckle Up
The Columbian (Washington) – May 29
Educators in Washington should heed the opinion of the National Transportation Safety Board regarding the use of seat belts on school buses … For many states, school districts and taxpayers, that concern can be tempered by cost. According to separate studies by the highway safety administration and the University of Alabama, the inclusion of seat belts on new buses would add $8,000 to $15,000 to the price tag.

Award honors Bragg for his support of other writers
Tuscaloosa News – May 29
Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and teacher Rick Bragg will receive the 2018 Joanne Sloan Award for the Encouragement of Writing on June 8 during the Southern Christian Writers Conference …  In addition to writing books, including more memoirs and biographies of Jessica Lynch and Jerry Lee Lewis, Bragg teaches writing at the University of Alabama and speaks at numerous conferences and workshops.

Boys State to host GOP, Democratic gubernatorial debates Tuesday, Wednesday
Alabama Political Reporter – May 29
The American Legion Boys State program will hold two gubernatorial primary debates this week beginning Tuesday night on the campus of the University of Alabama.
WHNT-CBS (Huntsville) – May 28

Yes, Transit-Rich Neighborhoods Are More Affordable
City Lab – May 29
In October 2017, a study called “Complicating the Story of Location Affordability” appeared in the journal Housing Policy Debate … Elsewhere, studies by Stephanie Rauterkus and her colleagues at the University of Alabama business school and David Goldstein at Natural Resources Defense Council have shown that location efficiency provides a metric for allocating investments in a smarter, more sustainable way.

Scott Dawson distorts Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey’s grant funding to LGBTQ nonprofit
Politifact – May 29
Scott Dawson, an evangelical minister running for governor in Alabama, accused the incumbent of funnelling taxpayer dollars to a controversial cause. “It’s been uncovered that Gov. Kay Ivey gave nearly $1 million of taxpayers’ money to a liberal activist organization that promotes alternative lifestyles and transgenderism,” Dawson’s campaign wrote in a press release … Susan Pace Hamill, a professor at the University of Alabama School of Law, agreed. “Criminal fines and forfeitures are not typical taxes, but resemble typical taxes because they represent dollars collected involuntarily and are used for some public purpose,” Hamill said.