The Gulf Coast Student Symposium challenged more than 400 engineering students from 15 universities with everything from concrete canoe races and surveying tests to construction, transportation and coastal erosion projects. One event – the bridge-building competition – had special significance for Dr. Eric Steward, associate dean in the College of Engineering at the University of South Alabama. “For 12 […]

Barbecue is so integral to the diet of average Alabamians it might as well be considered its own food group. Several festivals scheduled through May pay tribute to our favorite smoked meats, cooked low and slow. Some of the events double as competitions—for bragging rights as well as cash. Others serve their ’cue with a […]

It was quite a “soiree” as the Pink Palace Casino Night raised more than $115,000 for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama. The 14th annual event rang up a record $115,235 to fund lifesaving research across the state. More than 300 guests attended, many of whom are breast cancer survivors, at Soiree Event Gallery […]

‘Tis a fine day in Alabama and ’twas a fine week in Montgomery. The Alabama House this week approved a resolution officially recognizing Saint Patrick’s Day and the continuing contributions of Irish-Americans throughout the state. “Because so many Alabamians have Irish ancestry within their family tree, it is right and proper for the Legislature to […]

The air is filled with yellow snow, trees are beginning to bud new life, yellow Jonquils are waking after a winter nap. All this means one thing: weddings are around the corner. Most valuable knowledge has escaped me. However, I know something about weddings. Well, the truth is that was an attempt at humility. The […]

After two years of classroom work in the College of Nursing at the University of South Alabama, Alli Boudreaux can’t wait to begin clinical courses and gain practical experience. “I feel like my nursing education is just starting,” she said. “Until now, it’s been strictly bookwork. I’m just getting to the part where it’s hands-on.” Boudreaux has […]

The pastor was insulted but tried to be measured in response. A parishioner asked if he’d be willing to conduct a funeral for her beloved dog. He politely declined, and suggested he’d call a colleague to do the deed. Then the lady asked a second question. “Pastor, do you think $500 is enough to offer […]

It’s no secret: Birmingham takes food very seriously. Fancy or simple, it must be great to pass muster in the Magic City. Several food festivals this spring reflect the metro area’s longstanding cultural and religious diversity. Two events in April are held by a local Maronite Catholic congregation that dates back more than a century, […]

When it comes to farm-to-table dining, there’s no better place to experience it than Hope Farm in Fairhope. At Hope Farm, much of the food served on your dinner plate was grown right outside the doors of the restaurant. And now, with Hope’s newest endeavor, The Barn, a breakfast and lunch bistro and event space, […]

It was fourth grade and parents’ day was approaching. Parents’ day was the one day of the year that parents come to the school, meet the teacher, and admire the small work of art or craft their child has created. It is also the dreaded day when both my parents would meet each of my […]

I once heard a pastor remark, “God made one Billy Graham. He only needed one. But he made you, too, for a unique purpose.” Though it’s intriguing to think of how Graham would’ve fared with a twin helping him in world-wide ministry, I think this pastor was correct. A common perception among Christian youth is […]

ARLINGTON, Va. — Huntsville High School Space Force JROTC No. 2 is a finalist in the Air & Space Force Association’s StellarXplorers IX National Finals. The unit is one of 10 finalists in the competition April 20-22. From an initial field of nearly 350 teams that began the competition in October, the top 10 units […]

WASHINGTON — Students and parents visiting the U.S. Capitol on Thursday watched in amazement as Senator Katie Britt teamed up with a Briarwood Christian School 5th grader to do the popular football celebration dance referred to as “the Griddy.” See for yourself: At the time of post, it’s unconfirmed whether Britt is in fact the […]

MADISON — The Kids to Love Foundation broke ground Monday on the Smith Family Wellness Center in honor of Mark C. Smith. Through a donation from his widow, Linda Smith, the facility is another step in the foundation’s mission to meet the needs of children living in foster care. Located at the Kids to Love […]

Travel is my weakness. Truth is, I am an addicted traveler. I don’t travel like a tourist, but more of an explorer. My interests are off the beaten path and places where only the locals can find. My travels have taken me to 49 states and as many countries. Our cultures may change from place […]

The 19th annual A.G. Gaston Conference kicked off at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex, connecting business and corporate leaders with aspiring entrepreneurs with the goal of helping grow Black business in the region. The long-running conference was inspired by the life and legacy of the late Arthur George (A.G) Gaston, the most successful Black businessman in Alabama […]

The odds of winning the jackpot are approximately one in 292 million. The odds of being struck by lightning are less than one in a million. Britney Alba, an elementary school teacher from Tuscaloosa, found herself in an extraordinary situation when she delivered her second set of identical twins at the University of Alabama at […]

I remembered Ben as a man filled with racial animosity. He didn’t want people of other races coming to our church, and he frequently accosted me when he thought I was defiant of his wishes, which I was. We disagreed, and we often talked about it. At least this was a start. Once he admitted […]

Watching Chad Slade make kolaches is surreal. The man is big – a former offensive lineman for Auburn, he also played for eight years in the NFL – so seeing his huge hands gently fill and shape the little pastries is riveting. But the owner of American Kolache in Vestavia knows how to whip up some baked goods, and he […]

“Descendant,” co-written by University of South Alabama Director of African American Studies Dr. Kern Jackson, has been nominated for an NAACP Image Award for outstanding documentary film. The film tells of the last known ship to carry enslaved Africans to the United States, the Clotilda, and follows the personal stories of its descendants and the history of […]

Making spending money can be difficult for a kid who is not old enough to mow yards. At least, that was my experience. Before I began mowing yards for $2 per acre, I made my spending money patrolling the ditches and roadsides for empty Coke bottles. It might be worth noting that in the south, […]

Andrea Mathis’ blog, Beautiful Eats and Things, draws followers who enjoy trying her delicious dishes and other offerings. Every great Southern cook has their own special, secret ingredients. For Andrea Mathis, the key to beautiful, appetizing meals is using good, healthy ingredients. Serving up gorgeously crafted plates of food on her Beautiful Eats and Things blog – along […]

Margaret Bradford, a graduate student in accounting at the University of South Alabama, looks forward to tax season. That’s when she and other students help people file electronic tax returns. They’re part of a nationwide program called VITA, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance. Students gain accounting experience, while clients get free help with their forms. Bradford, the site […]

It was a story from The New York Post last spring that I pondered and saved. The headline proclaimed, “City removes last-standing public payphone from NYC street.” The accompanying picture showed the removal of a telephone counter, not the old-fashioned telephone booth in which Superman changed clothes. It used to be that we entered the […]