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Hoover police promote statewide website that helps Alzheimer’s patients if they become lost

admin — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 20:06:08 +0000

                                   The site allows families to
Hoover started publicizing         indicate whether their loved
the free initiative --             ones are registered with the
https://www.alasafe.gov/ --        national "Safe Return"
 during National Night Out         program or Alabama Project
last month.    Officer Joe         Lifesaver, a program that
Jones, who is spearheading         uses a tracking signal to
Hoover's initiative, said the      locate people who have
program puts identifying          illnesses such as
information at an officer's        Alzheimer's, autism or other
fingertips to help them            disorders that make them
quickly identify and return        likely to wander.    Jones
Alzheimer's or dementia            said the site also allows
patients to their loved ones.      law enforcement in different
Jones said statistics from         jurisdictions to share vital
Project Lifesaver                 information. Law enforcement
International show that the        officers can get access to
average search for a missing       the information through the
Alzheimer's or dementia            Law Enforcement Tactical
patient takes about nine           System (LETS). Jones said
hours, with the average cost       it's not uncommon for a
of $1,500 per hour to law          dementia person to be found
enforcement, which includes        miles away from home.
manpower and equipment.            Jones said he has
"It can cost a lot of money        encountered people while on
and resources and a lot of         routine patrol who would
heartache for families, too,"      have benefited from being
Jones said. "This would            registered on the site. He
certainly help."    According      said he recently encountered
to Alzheimer's of Central          a woman who got lost while
Alabama's website, as many as      driving her car.
60 percent of Alzheimer's         Alasafe.gov is maintained and
patients will wander away          operated under the authority
from their caregiver. When         of the Alabama Criminal
Alzheimer's patients wander       Justice Information Center.
away, they are unaware of          Lynn Childs, ACJIC's public
their situation; they do not      information manager, said
call out for help and do not       Alasafe.gov is only promoted
respond to people calling out      through police and sheriff's
to them, the organization         departments. The website was
said.    A family member or        started in 2006. Hoover is
caregiver can log on to the       one of 40 departments
userfriendly secure website       promoting the web site, and
and register their loved ones,     the only one in the
upload photos and give             Birmingham-Hoover metro area,
specific information that         according to Childs.
could help in identification.      Childs said the site allows
The information ranges from        families to provide
general medical information,      information to police ahead
insurance information to           of time, saving them from
detailed information such as       having to gather up
birthmarks, nicknames,             information and pictures when
allergies and any behavioral       a crisis hits. "It's really
characteristics that can help      critical when time is of the
in narrowing a person's            essence," she said.    For
identity. The password             Jones, the program hits close
protected information is          to home.    Jones' late
only available to authorized       father, Herbert, who
law enforcement personnel and      suffered from Alzheimer's
the person who does the            died last month.    Jones
registering.    The site,          said his father never
which is also useful for           wandered, but he knows
families of people with            firsthand how the disease can
autism, provides a place to        take an emotional toll on
list up to two names and           family. "It's dear to me."
numbers for police to contact      E-MAIL:vwalton@bhamnews.com
in case the person gets lost.

Fodder: Handsome Mobile native drops his ‘Pants’; oil spill vampires; deer loves beer (with video)

admin — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 20:25:32 +0000

(Sometimes humorous,               the country music crowd.
sometimes provocative, Fodder      Meanwhile, if you know Walker
is a recurring online Press-       and it's not his given name,
Register feature that              please give us a shout.
spotlights water cooler            Girl gets $5,000 from oil
discussion topics of regional      spill relief program for
or national interest. Read         vampire idea
more Fodder here.)                 You also may not have heard

(Publicity Photo)Walker            of Chloe Campbell, but the
Haynes: Mobile, Alabama,           Urbandale, Iowa, teen was a
native's debut single, "Pants,     finalist in Pepsi's "Do Good
" is to hit country music          for the Gulf" ideas contest
stations today, Sept. 7, 2010.     and is to receive $5,000.
The Fodder has to admit it         Her idea? To help lure teens
had not yet heard of Walker        to take part in oil spill
Hayes.                             relief by seizing on the
But the Mobile, Alabama,           current "Twilight"-fueled
native appears to be a pretty      vampire craze.You can see a
hunky guy and, according to        video of her public service
"Country Standard Time,"           announcement above.
Hayes "officially drops his        This is her pitch:
Pants at country radio today."     "Vampire Support's mission is
Before you get all hot and         to raise awareness about the
bothered or righteously            oil spill in the Gulf of
indignant about that, Hayes'       Mexico by selling vampire-
debut single is named "Pants"      oriented shirts as well as
and is a something a bit           putting together
different on the country           miscellaneous projects to
scene: a "tongue-in-cheek mid-     encourage teenagers to donate
tempo song that lets his           and help out. All proceeds
fellow men know it is              will go towards helping with
perfectly fine to let their        the relief efforts. We are
women 'wear the pants' in the      holding an auction during the
relationship," according to        Month of August to raise
Country Standard Time.             money for The National
Hayes is on the Capitol            Wildlife Federation. We have
Nashville label and,               actors, writers, etc. from
according to his website,          different vampire TV shows,
Hayes hails from Mobile,           movies, books, etc. donating
completed a degree in general      autographed items for people
music with an emphasis on          to bid on."
piano "in just two years at        "The TV show 'The Vampire
Birmingham-Southern College        Diaries' has been the biggest
and emerged from BSC with a        donaters to the auction,
hard-earned music degree."         donating the original Pilot
He then moved to Chapel Hill,      script signed by the entire
North Carolina and attended        cast and a signed poster. We
the University of North            also have many other vampire
Carolina. In the summer of         fandoms who are agreeing to
2004, Walker took his dream        help out, including Twilight.
of becoming a country music        Teenagers can come together
artist and songwriter and          in a collaborative effort to
headed to Nashville.               help out with the Gulf crises.
The rest is, as they say,          "
history, though it's still         Chinese deer loves beer
being written. We'll have to       Related topics:fodder, Fodder,
see how "Pants" plays with         Twilight, Walker Hayes

Gulf Shores ministry feeds body and soul: Volunteer-run ecumenical effort provides food to those in need

admin — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:39:57 +0000

"We feed anywhere from 25 to       feed their family."
110 people every Tuesday and       Volunteer Ellie Lee said one
Thursday," said volunteer          of the benefits of the bread
Ginny Benintende.                  ministry is that recipients
The ministry’s coordinator,        do not have to qualify or
Karin Rickard, said, "It           fill out any paperwork to
actually started out over at       receive donations.
the Lutheran church with two       "It’s a wonderful place
little old ladies who saw          because we don’t ask
bread being thrown away in         questions," she said.
ridiculous amounts. They           "Sometimes people feel
approached the merchant and        threatened when they have to
asked if they could have it."      fill out paperwork or it
She said the ministry outgrew      gives them a feeling of
the Lutheran church’s              defeat because they’ve
facility and became a shared       applied for Medicaid or other
ministry for a while before        assistance and been turned
finding a permanent home on        down. We’re a place where
the Gulf Shores UMC campus.        they come and know they’re
The ministry continues to be       not going to get turned down."
an ecumenical effort staffed       In addition to distributing
completely by volunteers and       food, Lee said, "One of my
stocked by donations from          main jobs is talking to
local merchants and                people. I want them to feel
individual donors, including       comfortable and find out if
some area farmers.                 they need help in other areas.
"We have so much fresh             "
produce, all kinds of fruit        When someone expresses a need
and fresh vegetables,"             to Lee, she said she refers
Benintende said. "I don’t          them to either the church’s
know that any other food           outreach director or to the
ministry does what we do.          Christian Service Center.
It’s just an awesome ministry.     "Over the years we’ve
"                                  developed the idea that
While the bread ministry does      nobody should walk away from
give away canned goods like        a church unfed physically or
many other church-operated         spiritually," Karin Rickard
food pantries, it is               said.
distinguished by the volume        While the volunteers do not
of fresh produce, meat and         force religion on the clients,
dairy products given to            Karin Rickard said they are
clients.                           certainly willing to pray
"We mostly give away fresh         with those who request prayer.
fruits and vegetables, but we      "It’s about people caring for
do give away bread. That’s         people," she said. "When
how it started, when we used       you’re having hard times and
to get mountains of bread.         things seem so desperate,
Now we give away frozen            it’s really important for
foodstuffs, eggs and milk. We      everybody to show how much
don’t give away anything we        they care for one another."
wouldn’t eat ourselves," said      Bread ministry volunteers
Rickard, who referred to           were inspired by clients to
herself and fellow volunteers      begin teaching English as a
as "urban gleaners."               Second Language (ESL) classes,
She said clients are given a       which are offered four times
grocery bag and told they can      a week. The classes are free
fill it as full as possible        and require no registration.
and can walk out with it and       The bread ministry has also
"whatever they can stuff           inspired people in other
under their arms."                 parts of the country to
Part of the ministry of the        create similar food
gleaners includes picking up       ministries.
donations and taking them to       "Snowbirds have taken this
the church for storage and         ministry back up North,
distribution.                      especially since the economic
"The drivers are so blessed        crunch," Karin Rickard said.
and are such a blessing to us,     "We had a family visiting for
" Benintende said. "They go        the summer and their
and pick up this food and do       grandparents help us, and
it seven days a week."             they are taking it back to
Karin Rickard’s husband,           Illinois. They want to see if
Roger Rickard, has been            they can get people in their
picking up weekly donations        town to do it."
for more than 15 years and         Benintende said the ministry
said part of the ministry’s        "continues to be blessed as
objective is encouraging the       the days unfold and more and
clients they serve.                more wonderful things happen."
"People come to us and we          BREAD MINISTRY
give them what we can," Roger      WHERE: Gulf Shores United
Rickard said. "Some people         Methodist Church
are embarrassed, but we tell       WHEN: Every Tuesday and
them ‘we’ve been down on our       Thursday starting at 9:30 a.m.
luck and we’re here for y’all.     INFO: The ministry is free
’"                                 and open to the community.
"We don’t discriminate in any      For more information or to
way," Karin Rickard said. "We      volunteer, call Amelia
know some people could make        Fletcher, Gulf Shores UMC’s
it on their own if they            director of Servant
weren’t doing other things         Ministries, at 251-968-2549.
with their money, but for          -- Christie Lovvorn,
every one like that, we get        Correspondent 
10 who are just trying to          Related topics:Baldwin County

Two teens sustain gunshot wounds

admin — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 19:07:21 +0000

Capt. Jim Cook of Madison          at Huntsville Hospital, Cook
Police Department said one of      said.
the teenagers may have             Based on information received
accidentally fired a gun in a      from witnesses, Cook said, it
vehicle, leaving him with a        might be an accidental
gunshot wound to the hand.         discharge of a firearm.
The same bullet injured the        "It's under investigation and
other teen either in his hand      we will find out exactly what
or leg, Cook said.                 happened," he said.
"It happened when they were        Both teens could face charges
driving on Wall Triana             in the incident. Madison
Highway," he said. "Both           Police are tracing the gun to
teens panicked and went to a       determine its owner.  
Burger King where a witness        Related topics:accident, HT
eventually dialed 911."            news, Madison, shooting in an
Both teens are being treated       occupied vehicle

Tropical Storm Hermine approaches Texas; watches issued

admin — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 14:50:48 +0000

MIAMI — A hurricane watch has      making landfall.
been issued for the coasts of      Hermine is located about 205
Texas and Mexico in the Gulf       miles (325 kilometers) south-
as Tropical Storm Hermine          southeast of Brownsville,
approaches.                        Texas, and is moving north-
The hurricane watch issued         northwest near 13 mph (20
Monday covers the area from        kph).
Rio San Fernando, Mexico,          Heavy rain is predicted with
northward to Baffin Bay in         northeastern Mexico into
Texas.                             south Texas getting 4 to 8
Hermine's maximum sustained        inches with as much as a foot
winds have increased to near       in some places. It could
50 mph (85 kph). Additional        cause flash floods and
strengthening is expected and      mudslides.
the storm could approach           Related topics:tropical storm
hurricane strength before          hermine

Tomorrow’s forecast today: Highs in mid-90s early this week

admin — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 12:19:04 +0000

Today's high was 89. The           mid-60s to upper 70s. Chance
record for Sept. 6 is 98,          of rain 20 percent.
recorded in 1954.                  Wednesday: Partly cloudy.
Tropical outlook: The              Highs in the low to mid-90s.
National Hurricane Center in       Lows in the upper 60s to low
Miami has issued a hurricane       70s. Chance of rain 20
watch for portions of Mexico       percent.
and Texas. Read about              (For a complete forecast, see
Tropical Storm Hermine on AL.      Tuesday's Press-Register. For
com.                               other Alabama weather news,
Tuesday: Partly cloudy, heat       visit al.com/weather.)
index near 99. Highs in the        Related topics:tropical storm
low to mid-90s. Lows in the        hermine, weather

Death of switchman at McDuffie Coal Terminal under investigation

admin — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 09:36:37 +0000

The Federal Railroad               Roper dead, and authorities
Administration and state           know of no witnesses.
docks police continue to           "We just don’t know what
investigate the death of           happened," Adams wrote in an
Joshua Alan Roper, a 27-year-      e-mail. "It appears all
old switchman who was killed       procedures were followed. We
Saturday after being struck        all are saddened at the port
by a train at McDuffie Coal        and our thoughts and prayers
Terminal.                          are with the Roper family."
Roper, a Mobile resident and       Adams said Roper began work
2001 graduate of Mary G.           for the Terminal Railway in
Montgomery High School,            April, but had previously
worked for the Terminal            worked for CSX Transportation.
Railway. The shortline             Roper, who was born in Panama
railroad owned by the Alabama      City, Fla., but had lived in
State Port Authority serves        Mobile for the past 25 years,
port facilities and adjoining      is survived by his wife,
industries in Mobile. One of       Cassy Roper; his son, Mason
its major focuses is the           Alan Roper; his parents Don
McDuffie terminal south of         and Brelinda Roper; and his
downtown. Much of the coal         grandparents Elmer and Alan
that is unloaded or loaded         May.
onto ships at the terminal         Visitation will take place
moves by train.                    from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Judy Adams, a spokeswoman for      Wednesday at Radney Funeral
the docks, said that the rest      Home, 3155 Dauphin St. The
of the train crew lost             funeral will begin at 10 a.m.
communication with Roper at        Thursday at the funeral home,
the time of the accident. She      with burial to follow at Pine
said other crew members            Crest Cemetery West on Snow
stopped all train movements        Road.
and went to check on Roper,        Related topics:Joshua Alan
following docks procedures.        Roper, McDuffie Coal Terminal
She said the co-worker found

Husband and wife principals at Jefferson County schools

admin — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 06:44:16 +0000

Pleasant Grove Middle School       their reception in a hotel
Principal Jarvis Watkins can       after the Mobile Convention
mix business with pleasure         Center canceled their party
anytime he takes a trip to         due to flooding concerns.
the principal's office at          "The only DJ we had was a
Lipscomb Elementary School.        radio," Jarvis remembers. "A
His wife, Angela Watkins, was      radio and CDs."
named principal at Lipscomb        The couple lived and taught
Elementary in July, just           for one year in Baldwin
months after he became             County before accepting jobs
principal at the newly named       in the Jefferson County
Pleasant Grove Middle School.      system. Angela worked at
Nez Calhoun, spokeswoman for       McAdory Elementary School
Jefferson County Schools,          while Jarvis taught at
said she can remember only         McAdory High School.
two other times in her 34          The couple went back to
years that a husband and wife      school to continue their
have overseen two schools in       education, taking turns in
the district at the same time.     order to take care of newborn
"It's unusual," Calhoun said.      children.
Jarvis Watkins said coming         Jarvis became assistant
home to Helena and talking         principal at Pleasant Grove
about school and education         High School in 2004. Angela
issues over dinner has its         became an assistant principal
benefits when your spouse is       at Chalkville Elementary in
a fellow principal.                2006.
"We get to share ideas,"           In March of this year, Jarvis
Jarvis said. "She'll give me       was named principal for the
ideas, and I'll give her           new Pleasant Grove Middle
ideas on better serving our        School, which was started in
kids."                             conjunction with the opening
Angela said she was able to        of a new Pleasant Grove High
shadow Jarvis when he was          School campus.
named principal and watch his      "We were so excited for him,
interaction with staff and         and there were so many things
others, something she said         he had to do to prepare for
helped her in the transition       the split," Angela said. "It
to principal at Lipscomb.          was almost like he was
Education brought the couple       opening a new school."
together, Angela Watkins said.     Jarvis said the transition
The two met at Alabama A&M         was easy because he had
University. Jarvis was an          worked at the school for
education technology major         years and knew most of the
and Angela an education major.     staff.
A friendship blossomed.            About the same time, the
"We were just the best of          position at Lipscomb
friends," Angela said.             Elementary came open, and
After graduation, Angela           Angela decided to apply.
returned home to Mobile to         "I said I don't know if I'm
teach, and Jarvis took a job       going to apply because it's
at Birmingham's Center Street      on the same side of town,"
Middle School. Jarvis went to      she said. "I'm thinking
Mobile for a conference in         Jefferson County won't put a
the summer of 1996 and asked       husband and wife on the same
Angela to show him the town.       side of town."
A long-distance relationship       Superintendent Phil Hammonds
followed, buoyed by them both      said he had no reservations
being first-year teachers.         about a husband-wife duo in
"We had some very high phone       the same school system.
bills because we talked every      "There is a policy we have
day," Angela said. "The first      regarding family members in a
year in the classroom is           school, but these are two
intense, and we were calling       separate schools with two
to talk about the classroom."      separate feeder patterns,"
The couple married in July         Hammonds said. "These are two
1997 in Mobile even though         outstanding young
Hurricane Danny was pounding       administrators who bring a
the city on their wedding day.     great deal of enthusiasm.
"We had a lot of family who        They were both excellent
wanted us to hold back and         assistant principals before
wait, but we decided we            becoming principals."
needed to (go) ahead," Jarvis      News staff writer Marie Leech
said.                              contributed to this article.
"You can actually hear the         Join the conversation by
rain on our videotape,"            clicking to comment or e-mail
Angela said. "That's how hard      Norris at tnorris@bhamnews.
the rain was coming down."         com.
The couple ended up holding

Auburn woman, 23, dies after Saturday car accident

admin — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 00:56:20 +0000

The accident happened at           a  Lifesaver helicopter, her
11:30 a.m. Saturday on Shug        condition rapidly declined
Jordan Parkway near the Wire       and she was taken by
Road intersection.                 ambulance to East Alabama
Polston was a front-seat           Medical Center. She was
passenger in a Pontiac             declared brain dead at 9:50 a.
Sunfire driven by 22-year-old      m. Sunday.
Travis Bishop, who also lives      Bishop was airlifted to
in Auburn. They were               Columbus Regional Hospital
traveling east on Shug Jordan      where he remains in critical
when Bishop veered into            condition.
oncoming traffic and struck a      The driver and passengers in
Toyota Sequoia almost head on,     the Sequoia were taken to
Harris said.                       East Alabama Medical Center,
Rescue workers had to cut          but their injuries weren't
Polston from the car. As she       believed to be life-
was about to be loaded onto        threatening.

Alabama A&M President Hugine to address freshmen, offer encouragement for future

admin — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 00:02:02 +0000

Learning to navigate those         Hugine wants to impress upon
waters will be a part of a         the 1,000-member freshman
talk Alabama A&M University        class their importance in the
President Andrew Hugine will       world.
have with the school's             Trite as it might sound, they
freshman class on Tuesday.         are the future.
"I especially welcome              "This is a prime time to set
opportunities to speak with        the tone for their collegiate
our freshman students,"            experience," Hugine said.
Hugine said. "They are new to      "They must know now that
the collegiate process and,        their communities, their
in most cases, are optimistic      states and this nation are
about the fulfillment of           dependent upon their success.
their dreams and the avenues       "Also, they must know that
through which their dreams         the roads which brought them
will be achieved."                 thus far, at the doors of A&M,
College can also be about          are indicative of a pattern
nurturing the dreams of            of successful steps. Our aim
freshmen, not crushing them.       is to inspire them and to
But while students are             remind than that much is at
undergoing one of the most         stake."
dramatic changes in their          Related topics:Alabama A&M
lives by starting college,         University