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UA MEN’S BASKETBALL | 1C
Newcomers get attention at scrimmage
Tuscaloosa County teens tell what their candy is worth to them | Pulse 1D
T U E S D A Y , O C T O B E R 31, 2006 5 0 ¢
T U S C A L O O S A , N O R T H P O R T, W E S T A L A B A M A WWW.TUSCALOOSANEWS.COM
Baxley, Riley disagree on tax cuts, school funding INSIDE
By Phillip Rawls
The Associated Press
MONTGOMERY | Democratic Lt. Gov. Lucy Baxley and Republican Gov. Bob Riley mixed personal attacks with divergent views over taxes, school funding and credibility Monday night in their only debate of the governor’s race. Baxley accused Riley of trying to raise $1.2 billion in new taxes in 2003 after campaigning on a no-new-taxes promise, ordering a property reappraisal change that increased ad valorem taxes and failing to end $1 billion in no-bid contracts. Riley, without mentioning the 2003 tax hike plan, said he passed an income tax cut this year without a word of support from Baxley and wants a broader cut at
Republican Gov. Bob Riley, left, and Democratic challenger Lt. Gov. Lucy Baxley debated on Monday night in Montgomery.
Lieutenant governor candidates a time when the state has a $1 billion disagree on how budget surplus. He said the reappraisal to deal with the issue had been distorted, and used a Legislature. 4A
GUBERNATORIAL DEBATE
famous debate line of former President Ronald Reagan: “Here we go again,” said Riley. Baxley responded by giving a twist to another famous national debate line: “You’re no Ronald Reagan,” she said. Political science professors who watched the debate had views that differed as much as the candidates. Jess Brown of Athens State University called it “a slight victory” for Baxley SEE DEBATE | 4A
Attorney general candidates debate different approaches to fighting crime. 4A Democrats in House races counter Bush with ads critical of Iraq war. 5A. PHOTOS | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Girl hit by truck still in serious condition By Stephanie Taylor Staff Writer
Residential
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Karissa Ball, 7, suffered broken thighs when she was struck by an 18-wheeler that was pulling a float in the University of Ala-bama’s homecoming parade Saturday.
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TUSCALOOSA | Doctors at Children’s Hospital in Birmingham had to postpone surgery Monday on the 7-year-old girl injured by an 18-wheeler in the University of Alabama’s homecoming parade Saturday. Both of Karissa Ball’s thighs were broken when she ran into the road to retrieve candy that had been thrown from one of the floats. She remains hospitalized at Children’s Hospital and was in critical condition Monday night, according to hospital officials. “She is not doing good,” said her foster grandmother, Willie Mae Ivy, on Monday afternoon. Doctors had planned to perform surgery on Karissa earlier in the day, but SEE GIRL | 4A
Developer’s Web site fills in some blanks for Midtown
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SOURCE | CYPRESS EQUITIES
Anticipated Best Buy store isn’t on the list, but Circuit City is STAFF PHOTO | MICHELLE WILLIAMS
A victim of a two-vehicle wreck on Highway 69 North is treated on Monday.
Fiery wreck claims one life; two others critical By Stephanie Taylor Staff Writer
TUSCALOOSA | A wreck Monday that killed a Mississippi man could have claimed two more lives if Northport resident Paul Free had not come to the rescue. Free was driving home on Alabama Highway 69 North, about seven miles north of the intersection of U.S. Highway 82, when he crested a hill and saw a Dodge pickup on fire.
The fire looked like it was going to spread to a Ford F-250 lying nearby on its side, Free said. He pulled the driver of the Dodge from the vehicle and dragged him to the side of the road. “His head was bleeding and he was unconscious,” Free said. “I knew it wasn’t good.” He flagged down another driver, and the two cut the seat belts and pulled two SEE WRECK | 4A
INSIDE
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Bridge 7C Business 5B Classifieds 5C Comics 6D
VOL. 188 | NO. 304 | 4 Sections Crossword 7C Dear Abby 2D Movies 8D Obituaries 2B
Opinion 6A Pulse 1D Sports 1C Television 7D
By Matt Hawk Staff Writer
TUSCALOOSA | Future tenants of Midtown Village could include such retailers as Panera Bread, Kobe Steakhouse and PETCO, according to a diagram posted on the developer’s Web site. But conspicuously absent from the map is Best Buy, the nation’s largest electronics retailer. Instead, the diagram shows its competitor, Circuit City, as the second anchor store in the mixed-use development at the corner of McFarland Boulevard and 15th Street. Barnes & Noble Booksellers confirmed earlier this month that it has signed a lease to fill the other anchor slot. The map on developer Cypress Equities’ Web site lists stores and
restaurants and where each would be located in the development, which is scheduled to open in late 2007. Of the 75 or so available slots, 56 have specific names listed, while nine show only generic names, such as “furniture” and “eyewear.” A few have no listing at all. Chad Atwood, director of leasing for Cypress Equities, said the map is tentative and should not be read to mean the listed retailers have agreed to be part of the development. But the plan does represent possibilities. “Some companies on there we’re actively courting,” Atwood said. Atwood declined to comment on whether Circuit City was one of those companies. He said an announcement regarding actual tenants likely would come in the next month. SEE MIDTOWN | 4A
POLICE SEEK WITNESSES Investigators want to talk to anyone who saw the car wreck that led to the shooting of a University of Alabama student early Saturday morning. | 1B
MIDTOWN VILLAGE These are the planned tenants for Midtown Village. 1 Image Makers 2 Spa 3 Thai Spice 4. Entertainment venue 5 Justice for Girls 6 Motherhood 7 Shoes 8 Strasburg 9 Hallmark 10 Furniture 11 The Loop Pizza 12 Maurice’s 13 Rue 21 14 Rack Room 15 Sassy Britches 16 Learning Express 17 Harold’s 18 Shades 19 Alabama Outdoors 20 Francesca’s 21 SOCA 22 Patiently Waiting 23 Maguire’s 24 Cafe Iz 25. Pukeyo’s Ice Cream 26 Regis 27 Nails 28 Oil & Vinegar 29 Kids
30 Finish Line 31 Portrait Innovation 32 Wet Seal 33 Pac Sun 34 Children’s apparel 35 Bama T’s 36 Journey’s 37 Unknown 38 Furniture 39 Eye wear 40 Accessories 41 Kirklands 42 Lane Bryant 43 Ruby T’s 44 Jos. A. Bank 45 Reeds Jewelers 46 Home decor 47 New York Co. 48 Apparel 49 Sun Time 50 Smoothies 51 Specialty Golf 52 ULTA 53 Bryant Bank 54 GNC 55 UPS Store 56. Shane’s Rib Shack 57 Chipotle 58.Cajun Steamer
UA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Alyson Butler, a 3-point threat, makes her debut with the Tide in an exhibition against the University of West Alabama. | 1C
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