Montgomery Advertiser (Montgomery, AL) articles from May 2007

Montgomery Advertiser (Montgomery, AL) archives from May 2007

Leader sets course for colleges.
May 31, 2007... Byline: Jamie Kizzire May 31--The state Senate just confirmed Gregory Fitch's appointment as director of the Alabama Commission of Higher Education this week, but he's been on the job for almost a year, working to increase student aid,...

Wetumpka council votes to buy land to expand riverwalk.
May 31, 2007... Byline: Erin Elaine Mosely May 31--The city of Wetumpka has purchased land behind its Civic Center and in front of the Coosa River so it can extend the city's riverwalk. The Wetumpka City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to...

Mulberry business owners look at ways to enhance area.
May 30, 2007... Byline: Erin Elaine Mosely May 30--Changes are in the works for the Mulberry Business District. About 20 people gathered Tuesday evening at Ligon Chapel in Flowers Hall on Huntingdon College's campus to discuss improvements to the...

Forecast shows little relief on horizon for dry state.
May 30, 2007... Byline: Marty Roney May 30--The weather in central Alabama just seems to get more arid by the day. Drought conditions statewide are the worst in half a century. May is shaping up to be the driest on record, and there doesn't seem to...

Shriners donate vans to transport young burn patients.
May 30, 2007... Byline: Cyril Josh Barker May 30--Shriners are perhaps best-known for driving around in small cars during parades. But don't be surprised to see one behind the wheel of a 1-ton, 12-pasenger van anytime soon. And the mission will be...

Quilts help comfort families.
May 29, 2007... Byline: Marty Roney May 29--PRATTVILLE -- The threads of patriotism are tying a Prattville quilting group to families of Alabama's fallen warriors. The Prattville Piece Makers Quilt Guild formed at the beginning of the year. The 40...

AIM aids inmate mothers.
May 28, 2007... Byline: Josh Barker May 28--For 20 years, Aid to Inmate Mothers has helped women get back on their feet during and after they've served their prison sentences. Incarcerated women get the chance to see their children, become better...

Twins' career paths cross.
May 28, 2007... Byline: Crystal Bonvillian May 28--Ask Doris Croskey and Dorothy Walker which is the older sister, and they point a finger at the other. The women -- twins born five minutes apart -- decline to say how old they are. All either will...

Autauga, Elmore counties look to expand work force.
May 28, 2007... Byline: Marty Roney May 28--When retail and restaurant offerings in Prattville and Millbrook go online starting in mid-June and going through the summer of 2008, businesses will have to work a little harder to find employees. The...

Montgomery Advertiser, Ala., Real People at Work Column.
May 27, 2007... Byline: Rick Harmon May 27--REAL PEOPLE AT WORK: GREG TAUNTON: By adding some clever twists, Greg Taunton is shaping a business that expands every day he works. Taunton, a soon-to-be retired state worker, has started a second career...

Museum, AUM may get $18M.
May 27, 2007... Byline: Crystal Bonvillian May 27--Two Montgomery institutions could get nearly $18 million each from the estate of late philanthropist Ida Belle Young, nearly double the amount estimated. The Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts and...

Sparks continues battle against imports of banned Chinese catfish.
May 26, 2007... Byline: Rick Harmon May 26--China appeared to go on the defensive Friday in response to rising concern about the safety of its food and drug exports, asking the United States to clarify its regulations on the use of antibiotics that...

Health department puts restaurant on notice.
May 26, 2007... Byline: Darryn Simmons May 26--The Montgomery County Health Department has issued an Intent to Suspend notice to a Chinese restaurant that received a low food inspection score and failed to correct problems before a reinspection. If...

Internet buyer one unhappy customer.
May 25, 2007... Byline: Erin Elaine Mosely May 25--It was supposed to be the perfect gift: a sparkling topaz-and-diamond ring designed by David Yurman. It was the way one mother chose to say well done to her daughter for making the dean's list her...

Chinese eatery with 76 rating to be re-inspected.
May 24, 2007... Byline: Darryn Simmons May 24--Inspectors will return to China Star Buffet today to see if the restaurant has corrected problems that earned it a score of 76 when it was inspected 10 days ago by the Montgomery County Health Department....

Trustees defend decision to honor Huntingdon president.
May 23, 2007... Byline: Crystal Bonvillian May 23--The president of Huntingdon College is worthy of an honorary doctorate because of his accomplishments during his tenure, said trustees who bestowed the honor. President J. Cameron West received the...

Montgomery County's new schools plan wins easy approval.
May 23, 2007... Byline: Crystal Bonvillian May 23--The Montgomery County school board Tuesday unanimously approved Superintendent John Dilworth's changes in the system's educational leadership. Dilworth's plan includes eliminating the positions of...

Forensic academy teaches facial reconstruction.
May 22, 2007... Byline: Crystal Bonvillian May 22--MILLBROOK -- Virginia Morris knows a lot about the law, but the legal secretary has always wanted to do her share to stop those who break it. The Millbrook resident now has her chance. Morris...

Boyd: Economic scale out of balance.
May 21, 2007... Byline: Teri Greene May 21--Montgomery mayoral candidate William F. Boyd said he is upset that west Montgomery is "separate but not equal" when comparing economic and neighborhood development. "The scale is not balanced," Boyd told a...

Fair brings Middle East to town.
May 21, 2007... Byline: Teri Greene May 21--Cultures merged Sunday afternoon as the Jewish Federation of Central Alabama and First Christian Church of Montgomery teamed up to host Israel Fair 2007. Miniature Israeli flags hung from the ceiling of a...

Real People at Work: Jay Hollingshead.
May 20, 2007... Byline: Rick Harmon May 20--It begins to pour again. The umpires call a rain delay. As the Braves head into the dugout, most of us head into our kitchens for a snack. But this is the time when Jay Hollingshead is glued to the set. ...

Best Buy, Belk to anchor new Prattville shopping center.
May 20, 2007... Byline: Marty Roney May 20--PRATTVILLE -- Retail options continue to grow in this bedroom community with signs pointing to Best Buy and Belk now committed as anchors at High Point Town Center. The 900,000-square-foot development is...

Byrne sees role as 'CEO' of system.
May 20, 2007... Byline: Jamie Kizzire May 20--People might not immediately compare the state two-year college system to a corporation, but Sen. Bradley Byrne said when he takes the helm of the system he'll see himself as a chief executive turning around...

Prattville bistro aims for perfection.
May 18, 2007... Byline: Marty Roney May 18--PRATTVILLE -- A new downtown restaurant has whet the community's appetite for something other than a meat and three veggies. MarChelle's Bistro and Bakery, named by combining the first names of owners...

Frazer announces expansion.
May 17, 2007... Byline: Darryn Simmons May 17--A small Methodist church located in south Montgomery will be operated as an extension campus of Frazer Memorial United Methodist Church, one of the largest churches in the city. The members of Asbury...

Expert: State should look to data storage.
May 17, 2007... Byline: Cosby Woodruff May 17--PRATTVILLE -- Electronic data storage could be the next high-tech growth industry and Alabama should be positioning itself to cash in on the trend, a consultant told area businessmen Wednesday. John...

Prattville to get sports pub.
May 17, 2007... Byline: Marty Roney May 17--PRATTVILLE -- The city's first sports pub soon will be opening in Prattville. Beef 'O' Brady's Family Sports Pub is building a location at the Prattville Town Center, a 400,000-square-foot retail...

Teens: Put peers out of restaurants if patrons light up.
May 16, 2007... Byline: Marty Roney May 16--PRATTVILLE -- A teen advocacy group has targeted restaurants in Prattville that allow smoking as a danger to young people. Peers Are Staying Straight is pressuring the City Council to outlaw patrons or...

Doctor's pullout puzzles patients.
May 15, 2007... Byline: Francis X. Gilpin May 15--Judy Ridgeway got up early last week for a doctor's appointment she scheduled three months ago. But when she arrived at 7:30 a.m. at the Taylor Road offices of Highley & Cox MD PC to see Montgomery...

Golf launches growth for region.
May 14, 2007... Byline: Marty Roney May 14--PRATTVILLE, Ala. -- The greens of the Robert Trent Jones golf course produce plenty of green for Prattville, creating an economic boom that contributes to business expansion and the city's coffers. Capitol...

Ambitious golf trail changes state.
May 14, 2007... Byline: Marty Roney May 14--It stretches from the Shoals in north Alabama to the Gulf Coast, and it's known for having some of the best public golf courses on the planet. The Robert Trent Jones Trail offers 432 holes at 10 sites....

One-man floral shop creates few days off for owner.
May 13, 2007... Byline: Rick Harmon May 13--Charles Lovett likes his job, and that's a good thing because it's rare when he isn't doing it. Lovett is ridiculously demanding of his employees. Regrettably for Lovett, he is his only employee. He...

Make your home a piece of history.
May 13, 2007... Byline: Erin Elaine Mosely May 13--The Cloverdale-Idlewild district, with its mature trees, parks and active neighborhood organizations, is one of Montgomery's most sought after communities. The community has been in the Capital City...

Schools excel at reading program.
May 13, 2007... Byline: Crystal Bonvillian May 13--Teachers and parents in Montgomery County are having to plead less with their children these days to pick up a book instead of a video game controller. Sandy Harrell, 10, describes pleading with her...

Agency marks 90 years of relief.
May 11, 2007... Byline: Crystal Bonvillian May 11--A lot can change in 90 years. One thing that has gone unchanged in nine decades is the goal of the American Red Cross of Central Alabama -- to be a source of aid during times of disaster. As the...

Fundraiser puts focus on good times.
May 9, 2007... Byline: Robyn Bradley Litchfield May 9--Booker T. Washington Magnet High School puts the "fun" in fundraiser. Actually, the school's annual MayFest at Montgomery Zoo is more about having a good time than money. This year's event...

Airport coffee shop taking off.(Travel narrative)
May 8, 2007... Byline: Rick Harmon May 8--Jim Corrigan believes Montgomery Muggs will make the Montgomery Regional Airport a better airport, and Corrigan knows his airports. The retired Air Force colonel and pilot has seen airports around the...

$1.2 million makeover to reshape Prattville church.
May 8, 2007... Byline: Marty Roney May 8--The chapel at Prattville's First Baptist Church is getting a $1.2 million facelift. The church, in the heart of downtown, has the largest congregation in the city. The chapel, which is the old...

Senate OKs incentives for steel mill.
May 4, 2007... Byline: Jamie Kizzire May 4--In the end, jobs trumped politics. After rethinking a Wednesday compromise that would move an economic incentive vote forward, the Democratic majority in the Senate joined hands late Thursday with a...

Bill targets inmate profits.
May 4, 2007... May 4--Alabama inmates seeking to profit from their notoriety through artwork, essays and personal items will not see a cent of their earnings if the Senate passes a House-sponsored bill. And that's the way it should be, said Attorney...

Businesses to seek new employees during job fair.
May 4, 2007... Byline: Paul W. Sullivan May 4--Bring a good attitude and a willingness to work and you could land a job at Tuesday's Montgomery Advertiser CareerBuilder job fair. That's the message from three business representatives that are...

City water chief prepares conservation plan.
May 4, 2007... May 4--City water chief Buddy Morgan is preparing a conservation plan in case the drought continues to sap the river supplying 60 percent of Montgomery's water. Morgan said three aquifers -- the Gordo, Coker and Eutaw -- provide 40...

Commission bans nude dancing.
May 3, 2007... May 3--PRATTVILLE -- A move to ban nude or nearly nude dancing at Autauga County bars may have run afoul of the state's liquor agency. County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday night to ban exotic dancing at businesses where alcohol...

County to buy 6 storm sirens.
May 3, 2007... May 3--PRATTVILLE -- Autauga County's siren song is getting stronger with the installation of six additional severe weather alarms across the county. A federal grant of about $129,000 will put sirens in Booth, Jones, Marbury, Pentecost,...

ArtFest downsized by design.
May 2, 2007... May 2--This year's Jubilee CityFest featured a slimmed-down version of ArtFest, but rumors of the arts and crafts event's demise are greatly exaggerated. ArtFest 2007 organizers chose to streamline, according to Artfest chair Julie...

Old rails may switch into bicycle trails.
May 2, 2007... May 2--Bike enthusiasts have the city's support for a new "rails-to-trails" route, but the project won't roll anywhere until the railroad company that owns the rails gives the city the green light to proceed. For the past year,...