Montgomery Advertiser (Montgomery, AL) articles from September 2006

Montgomery Advertiser (Montgomery, AL) archives from September 2006

Disaster plan key to businesses' survival.
September 30, 2006... Byline: David Irvin Sep. 30--Panelists at the first Workforce Readiness Disaster Relief Conference attempted to expand the notion of what a disaster is for those in attendance Friday. Generally, when residents think of a disaster,...

Leaders pushing 4-lane project.
September 30, 2006... Byline: Marty Roney Sep. 30--WETUMPKA -- County and state leaders are working together to make driving between Millbrook and Wetumpka less of a hassle. Elmore County leaders and the area's state legislative delegation are committed...

Closed hotel owners say they're victims.
September 29, 2006... Byline: Nigel Duara Sep. 29--Hotel owners who recently lost their licenses because of crime surrounding their businesses say the Montgomery City Council is making them the real victims. The City Council recently voted to close Valu...

Apartment complex repairing damages.
September 28, 2006... Byline: Nigel Duara Sep. 28--Little has changed for the residents of Castle Ridge in the three weeks since residents complained about the broken windows, scarred doors and chipped brick walls left by random gunfire in the apartment...

Auburn professor will brief president today.
September 28, 2006... Byline: Jamie Kizzire Sep. 28--An Auburn University professor will be among a group briefing President Bush today on alternative fuel sources. David Bransby, an agriculture professor and expert in switchgrass as an alternative fuel,...

It's a weekend made for pet lovers.
September 28, 2006... Byline: Tatiana Richards Sep. 28--Montgomery is the place to be for pet lovers this weekend as humane societies in the tri-county area entertain and inform the public while raising money for shelters. The Montgomery Humane Society...

RSA high-rise was eligible for 9/11 grant.
September 28, 2006... Byline: Bob Lowry Sep. 28--The Empire State Development Corp., which administered 9/11 small-business grants in New York, determined an office building owned by the Retirement System of Alabama was eligible for a $150,000 grant, a...

Firm to aid BOE search for superintendent.
September 28, 2006... Byline: Antoinette Konz Sep. 28--The Montgomery school board will use a facilitator instead of a search firm in its hunt for the next superintendent. The board voted recently to hire Jim Huge, president of the Seattle-based Huge and...

Baxley proposes tax breaks for Guard.
September 28, 2006... Byline: Mike Linn Sep. 28--Gubernatorial candidate Lucy Baxley wants to give a $300 tax break plus free hunting and fishing licenses every year to Alabama National Guard members who aren't on active duty. Baxley, the state's...

Old wings given new view.
September 27, 2006... Byline: Lisa Horn Sep. 27--It doesn't look as sexy as a stealth fighter, but at least one old cargo plane is carrying technology that might make a Stealth's pilot nod approvingly. After a successful test flight, the 908th Airlift...

Digestive specialist shortage leaves Baptist South in bind.
September 27, 2006... Byline: Mike Linn Sep. 27--Eight on-call physicians who treat digestive ailments have resigned from Baptist Medical Center South since June, decisions that have put Montgomery's largest hospital in a crunch. The gastroenterologists...

Eight city students among scholarly elite.
September 27, 2006... Byline: Antoinette Konz Sep. 27--Eight Montgomery high school seniors were named semifinalists today in the 2007 National Achievement Scholarship Program. Five of the students attend Loveless Academic Magnet Program High School,...

Board closes on Purcell's house.
September 27, 2006... Byline: Antoinette Konz Sep. 27--Former school superintendent Carlinda Purcell's home in the County Downs subdivision now is the property of Montgomery County taxpayers. The Montgomery County Board of Education closed on the $327,500...

Traffic disrupted at square.
September 27, 2006... Byline: Scott Johnson Sep. 27--Traffic around Court Square in downtown Montgomery will be disrupted for at least two to three months, city traffic engineer Bubba Bowden said. Fences will force detours in the area around the Court...

Commissioner pushes for budget to include reserve funds.
September 26, 2006... Byline: Erin Elaine Mosely Sep. 26--WETUMPKA -- Despite enjoying one of its best budgets in recent memory, Elmore County Commission Chairman Joe Faulk said the county lacks sufficient reserves to win matching funds for road projects. ...

Enjoy lower gas prices while they last.
September 26, 2006... Byline: David Irvin Sep. 26--Don't get too comfy paying less than two bucks a gallon for gas, warns one station owner, because the price war being waged currently is driving away profits for him and his competitors. Ben McNeill of...

Video iPods part of AUs MBA tuition.
September 26, 2006... Byline: Bob Lowry Sep. 26--AUBURN -- Videotapes and DVDs are old school. At least that was the view of Daniel Gropper when he decided to hand out top-of-the-line Apple iPods to students enrolled in Auburn University's off-campus MBA...

Students get lessons in refuse reuse.
September 26, 2006... Byline: Tatiana Richards Sep. 26--At Taylor Road Academy, everyone recycles. At least, that's the plan. The school has implemented a program that places recycling bins in every K-12 classroom. "It's so the kids will learn at a young...

Work begins at Bass Pro site.
September 26, 2006... Byline: Marty Roney Sep. 26--PRATTVILLE --Crews began site preparation work Monday on the Prattville Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World location, which should go a long way to ease worried residents. The retail giant will build a...

Deal may ease school traffic.
September 26, 2006... Byline: Antoinette Konz Sep. 26--Chris Sullivan usually has to leave his home an hour before school lets out just so he can be near the front of the carpool line. If he doesn't get there by 3 p.m., a half hour before the final bell...

High-traffic school congestion 'frustrating'.
September 26, 2006... Byline: Erin Elaine Mosely Sep. 26--Elmore County has a couple of high-traffic hotspots around schools in its two most populous communities, Millbrook and Wetumpka. Jeff Langham, Elmore County superintendent of education, said the...

Costs imperil cancer care.
September 25, 2006... Byline: David Irvin Sep. 25--Paul Franklin prays the money will last. He isn't alone. Those who are sick and can't afford treatment in the Montgomery area could see their health-care options reduced because of rising expenses at...

City school system focuses on basics.
September 25, 2006... Byline: Antoinette Konz Sep. 25--Montgomery's interim school chief says there are five main areas she plans to focus on over the next few months as the district searches for a new superintendent. Linda Robinson said she will look at...

Clinic caters to creatures great and small.
September 25, 2006... Byline: David Irvin Sep. 25--Dr. Pat Joyce-Patterson came up with a little mantra in the last six years to keep her focused on building the veterinary hospital she dreamed of. "Don't give up, don't quit, don't give up," she told...

Alabama State University plan for dorms hits snag.
September 23, 2006... Byline: Cyril Josh Barker Sep. 23--Alabama State University's plans to renovate campus housing were pushed back Friday with an abrupt change in contractors. Six new dorms were slated to be completed by 2007, but plans now have been...

Lower heating rates predicted for winter.
September 23, 2006... Byline: David Irvin Sep. 23--Energy forecasters say the prices of natural gas and heating oil are going down, but one meteorologist warned this week that worldwide weather patterns could give Montgomery a frigid winter and keep energy...

Cost delays I-65 work.
September 23, 2006... Byline: Mike Linn Sep. 23--The state's planned project to widen and resurface Interstate 65 through Montgomery won't begin this fall because the only bid on the project came in at more than twice the state's estimate, the state's...

Schools win progress appeal.
September 23, 2006... Byline: Antoinette Konz Sep. 23--Appeals filed by two tri-county schools have been approved by the Alabama Department of Education, meaning both schools met all of their adequate yearly progress (AYP) goals for the 2005-06 year. ...

Lawyers: State owes attorneys millions.
September 21, 2006... Byline: Mike Linn Sep. 21--Lawyers fighting for the reinstatement of overhead pay for defense lawyers who represent the poor told the Alabama Supreme Court on Wednesday that the state owes lawyers millions of dollars -- plus interest....

Casino opening delayed.
September 21, 2006... Byline: Erin Elaine Mosely Sep. 21--WETUMPKA -- In a recent interview with leaders on the council of the Poarch Creek band of Indians, the Montgomery Advertiser learned area residents will have to wait a little longer than expected for a...

Judge clears way for education-related spending.
September 21, 2006... Byline: Mike Linn Sep. 21--A Montgomery judge Wednesday cleared the way for legislative spending of more than $13 million in education-related grants, despite concerns from the governor that the spending would be unconstitutional. ...

Montgomery Public Schools unveils new Web site.
September 21, 2006... Byline: Antoinette Konz Sep. 21--Parents of Montgomery public school students soon will be able to locate their child's grades, discipline records and attendance with the simple click of a mouse. They also will be able to locate...

Spinach scare spares state.
September 21, 2006... Byline: David Irvin Sep. 21--As federal health officials continue their investigation into how a scourge of bad spinach got into the national food supply, local grocers and restaurateurs say their customers are still showing up and...

State clears abortion clinic's reopening.
September 20, 2006... Byline: Mike Linn Sep. 20--The state permitted a Montgomery abortion clinic to reopen Tuesday after suspending its license last month for not having a backup doctor to care for women who have an abortion. The Alabama Department of...

Council bounces budget back to Bright.
September 20, 2006... Byline: Nigel Duara Sep. 20--The Montgomery City Council sent the proposed 2007 budget back to the mayor Tuesday, and until they approve it, city departments and their staffs won't see a penny more than they saw last year. Mayor...

Five area Head Starts get thumbs up.
September 20, 2006... Byline: Erin Elaine Mosely Sep. 20--PRATTVILLE --Teachers and staff at five Head Start centers in Autauga and Elmore counties have reason to pat themselves on the back. A national agency that evaluates early childhood centers...

Panel taps reserves to fund budget.
September 20, 2006... Byline: Marty Roney Sep. 20--PRATTVILLE -- The Autauga County Commission voted Tuesday night to take $250,000 out of its reserve funds to fully fund its $14.6 million budget. Records show the county maintains about $5 million in...

Court fight brews over state grants.
September 20, 2006... Byline: Mike Linn Sep. 20--A Montgomery judge said he would rule today on whether to allow the spending of $13 million in legislative grant money over objections from Gov. Bob Riley and state attorneys. But if Circuit Judge Truman...

Retreat to help shape search for BOE chief.
September 20, 2006... Byline: Antoinette Konz Sep. 20--A Seattle-based consultant will guide members of the Montgomery County Board of Education in their search for a new superintendent during a two-day retreat beginning Thursday. Jim Huge with Huge,...

City gathers to honor 'Mr. YMCA'.
September 20, 2006... Byline: Crystal Bonvillian Sep. 20--Hundreds of friends, former colleagues and proteges turned out Tuesday at First United Methodist Church to pay their respects to the father of the Montgomery YMCA. William "Bill" Carroll Chandler,...

Wallace says he won't run for Public Service Commission seat.
September 19, 2006... Byline: Jamie Kizzire Sep. 19--Although his last name is one of the most recognizable in Alabama, George Wallace Jr. is denying a rumor that he might make a run for a seat on the state Public Service Commission. The claim, which...

Gee's Bend ferry 'a blessing'.
September 19, 2006... Byline: Mike Linn Sep. 19--CAMDEN -- A ferry graced the muddy waters of the Alabama River here Monday, bringing the people of Gee's Bend from isolation to civilization in 15 minutes and four decades -- at the same time. For the first...

Survey: Area firms plan hiring spurt.
September 19, 2006... Byline: Bob Lowry Sep. 19--Nearly half of employers in Montgomery expect to add workers in the fourth quarter, far outpacing job growth foreseen in Alabama's three other major cities. The projection for Oct. 1 through Dec. 31 comes...

Worker critical after attack in apparent robbery of tanning spa.
September 19, 2006... Byline: Marty Roney Sep. 19--MILLBROOK -- Police are investigating a brutal Monday afternoon assault that left the victim's throat slashed. Assistant Police P.K. Johnson said a 50-year-old woman was transported by helicopter to...

Alabama Shakespeare Festival moves openings to Sunday.
September 19, 2006... Byline: Robyn Bradley Litchfield Sep. 19--The Alabama Shakespeare Festival's 2006-'07 season will feature Sunday openings, lower ticket prices and a little Disney magic. ASF producing artistic director Geoffrey Sherman said that...

VFW on mission to help families.
September 19, 2006... Byline: Lisa Horn Sep. 19--WETUMPKA --When National Guard and Reserve units deploy, often only a skeleton crew is left behind. And while that small rear detachment can provide some support for families on the home front, often it is not...

Church launches expansion project.
September 18, 2006... Byline: Tatiana Richards Sep. 18--The congregation at Westside Baptist Church held a groundbreaking ceremony Sunday to celebrate the expansion of their church. The Rev. Willie Graham, pastor of Westside Baptist, said the church will...

More choosing cremation, but it's still rare in Alabama.
September 18, 2006... Byline: Bob Lowry Sep. 18--The number of people choosing cremation is rising in Alabama, but the state still ranks 49th in the nation in the percentage of cremations, according to the Cremation Association of North America. Only...

Business Q&A: Brenda Hellums, financial services.
September 18, 2006... Byline: David Irvin Sep. 18--The existence of a new kind of business in Montgomery is turning upside down the notion that highly paid professionals necessarily have their financial affairs in order. Indeed, if that were true, Brenda...

Angel Food Ministries offers more groceries for less cash.
September 18, 2006... Byline: Crystal Bonvillian Sep. 18--Do triple-digit totals plague your monthly grocery bill? Angel Food Ministries is dedicated to changing that. The national nonprofit organization offers grocery relief to communities in 32 states,...

As middle class people move, burden gets bigger for city.
September 18, 2006... Byline: David Irvin Sep. 18--Montgomery could be facing a crisis as the population becomes more dependent on social services and the bread and butter of the municipal budget -- middle-class taxpayers -- continues to move into the...

Some skeptical of plan for mill.
September 18, 2006... Byline: Bob Lowry Sep. 18--TALLASSEE -- A Birmingham recycling company has purchased an old textile mill on the Tallapoosa River that was shuttered less than a year ago, but a controversy has erupted over what will happen to the historic...

Alternate routes avoid Cobbs Ford Road work.
September 17, 2006... Byline: Marty Roney Sep. 17--PRATTVILLE -- Drivers who travel Cobbs Ford Road to Interstate 65 might want to consider an alternate route for about the next six months. Crews are expected to begin work Monday morning to widen and...

City fund shift angers some.
September 16, 2006... Byline: Nigel Duara Sep. 16--It's a small piece of the biggest budget in city history, but where a certain $1.4 million dollars is going -- and where it's coming from -- has some city officials upset. Members of the Montgomery City...

Country music duo's local CD sales to benefit Hank Williams Museum.
September 16, 2006... Byline: Rick Harmon Sep. 16--Larry Butler was one of Texas' top country musicians in 1958 when a penniless Willie Nelson offered to sell him some songs for grocery money. "I told him, 'No sir, I sure won't buy them,'" said Butler,...

Lack of rural transit causes hardship.
September 16, 2006... Byline: Jamie Kizzire Sep. 16--Even the simplest errands are an ordeal for William New. He doesn't own a car. New, 67, lives in Millbrook and often walks or asks others for rides to the supermarket, Wal-Mart or the doctor's...

Firm presents downtown vision.
September 15, 2006... Byline: David Irvin Sep. 15--Unleashing private investment in downtown is the critical step that needs to be taken if a revitalization plan devised this week has any chance of success. In a lengthy and detailed presentation Thursday...

Labor activist weighs in on illegal immigration.
September 15, 2006... Byline: Crystal Bonvillian Sep. 15--Dolores Huerta has spent her adult life working to improve the lives and treatment of America's farm workers. Huerta, 76, has refocused some of her energy on fighting what she sees as an attack on...

Man quickly finds success in fast food.
September 15, 2006... Byline: Bob Lowry Sep. 15--Though he was born in desperate poverty to parents only 14 and 13 years old, Kenneth Brown credited them Thursday for allowing him to pursue his vision in life and one day become the nation's youngest...

Progress pays off in school funding.
September 15, 2006... Byline: Antoinette Konz Sep. 15--Seventeen public schools in Montgomery were awarded $211,000 by the Alabama Department of Education Thursday for making significant improvements in student achievement. The 17 schools are among 313...

Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World store site work imminent.
September 15, 2006... Byline: Marty Roney Sep. 15--PRATTVILLE -- Site preparation work at the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World location should begin by Oct. 1, Prattville Mayor Jim Byard said. The city began selling an $8 million bond issue Thursday. The...

Proposed budget is city's largest ever.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Marty Roney Sep. 14--MILLBROOK -- An expected boost in sales tax collections in the coming fiscal year will bring much needed manpower to the Millbrook Police Department. Mayor Al Kelley plans to present an $8.5 million...

Community leaders 'locked up' in fundraiser for Muscular Dystrophy Association.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Antoinette Konz Sep. 14--Students at Vaughn Road Elementary School spent Wednesday raising money to bail their principal out of jail. Brenda Lindsey was arrested by two Montgomery County Sheriff's Department deputies, put...

Violence worries residents.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Nigel Duara Sep. 14--A woman followed Tena Purnell into her driveway at the Castle Ridge Apartments. The woman, who Purnell guessed couldn't have been more than 20, pulled out a gun and started shouting. Purnell said she...

Locals discover data breach at Nikon World magazine.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Bob Lowry Sep. 14--The manager of a Montgomery camera shop discovered Wednesday that Nikon World magazine exposed thousands of magazine customers' credit card information online to would-be subscribers. Michael Nimmer, retail...

Study: Alabamians don't save enough.
September 14, 2006... Byline: David Irvin Sep. 14--For the second year in a row, Alabamians have one of the worst personal savings rates in the country, and Montgomery didn't even break into the top 500 communities in a new study from national brokerage firm...

Indian casinos dodge defeat.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Ana Radelat Sep. 14--WASHINGTON -- Indian tribes hoping to establish casinos away from tribal lands dodged a potential setback Wednesday when the House rejected a bill barring off-reservation gambling. California Rep. Richard...

Don't overpay at the pump.
September 13, 2006... Byline: Bob Lowry Sep. 13--Falling crude oil prices and a switch to winter-grade gasoline have made gas cheaper, but area motorists still can pay too much depending on which station they pull into. The highest price for regular...

Opinion could hurt Scrushy's case.
September 13, 2006... Byline: Mike Linn Sep. 13--A federal prosecutor is more confident former HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy's challenge of the racial makeup of the jury will be denied after a recent recommendation in a separate case. Scrushy and former...

Montgomery County has 17 in semifinals.
September 13, 2006... Byline: Antoinette Konz Sep. 13--Seventeen Montgomery high school seniors were named semifinalists today in the 2007 National Merit Scholarship competition. Eight of those students attend Loveless Academic Magnet Program High School,...

Autauga, Elmore shut out of National Merit Scholarship Program.
September 13, 2006... Byline: Erin Elaine Mosely Sep. 13--For the second consecutive year, schools in Autauga and Elmore counties did not have a single student recognized in the National Merit Scholarship Program. The program selects students with the top...

Prattville set to add five sirens.
September 13, 2006... Byline: Marty Roney Sep. 13--PRATTVILLE -- Prattville's siren song is getting stronger. The city is adding five severe weather sirens, bringing its total to 13. The new sirens will cost about $117,000. The state will pay 75...

Businessman sentenced for fraud.
September 12, 2006... Byline: Mike Linn Sep. 12--Roy Terry made his Roanoke Company one of the top minority-owned apparel businesses in the country, then navigated its demise by defrauding banks and lenders out of millions of dollars. The president of...

Alabamians live shorter lives.
September 12, 2006... Byline: Bob Lowry Sep. 12--The next time you reach for that extra piece of chicken, think about this: The average life expectancy in Alabama is 74.7 years or 48th worst in the nation. Much of the blame can be placed on two factors:...

Court Square to get makeover.
September 12, 2006... Byline: David Irvin Sep. 12--A new idea for downtown Montgomery is already taking shape, just days after a Florida-based planning firm set up shop on Dexter Avenue and began soliciting ideas from the community. The historic fountain...

Supporters pay tribute to Purcell.
September 12, 2006... Byline: Erin Elaine Mosely Sep. 12--In one of her last, if not the last, public appearance in Montgomery, former Montgomery Public Schools' Superintendent Carlinda Purcell warned Montgomerians and Americans that in order to keep our...

Consignment shop owner opens full-time location.
September 11, 2006... Byline: David Irvin Sep. 11--BUSINESS Q&A: LYNDA JACKSON-TAYLOR. With six kids at home, Lynda Jackson-Taylor knows the value of inexpensive children's clothes. That's why she began her semi-annual consignment sale a few years back at a...

Civic Center nearly ready for debut.
September 11, 2006... Byline: Erin Elaine Mosely Sep. 11--WETUMPKA -- The city is putting finishing touches on its new Civic Center. Construction crews have been at work for about a year modernizing an old Main Street grocery store, turning it into a...

Event fosters minority enterprise.
September 11, 2006... Byline: David Irvin Sep. 11--Cultivating and encouraging youth enterprise will be a major topic as the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce kicks off Minority Enterprise Development week For the first time, the chamber will hold an...

Schools may use agency for substitute teachers.
September 11, 2006... Byline: Erin Elaine Mosely Sep. 11--WETUMPKA -- The Elmore County School Board is negotiating with a temporary agency to supply substitute teachers for the district. Representatives with Kelly Services have met with Superintendent...

Tile company's building burns.
September 11, 2006... Byline: Lisa Horn Sep. 11--Despite an estimated $1 million in loss and damage from a Saturday fire, Rob Henry III plans to open the family business today. The three-alarm blaze destroyed the historic main building at the Robert F....

Area's economic potential touted in magazines.
September 10, 2006... Byline: Bob Lowry Sep. 10--AUBURN -- Prime location and superior education: Those are the reasons cited repeatedly by economists, bankers, industrial recruiters and chamber of commerce officials for the Auburn-Opelika area's rise to the...

Pair reconsider top schools post.
September 10, 2006... Byline: Antoinette Konz Sep. 10--Two of the top four finalists in 2004 for superintendent of Montgomery Public Schools say they are debating whether they still want the job. Sheila Austin and Paul Hankins said they were aware of...

Firm ready to reshape downtown.
September 9, 2006... Byline: David Irvin Sep. 9--The story of Montgomery is a tale of two cities -- one characterized by historic structures and vibrant streets, the other by hot-asphalt parking lots and broken-down rows of empty buildings. That was the...