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W E D N E S D A Y , J A N U A R Y 21 , 2009 50¢

TUSCALOOSA, NORTHPORT, WEST ALABAMA

PRESIDENT OBAMA

‘THE TIME HAS COME’ LOCAL

NATIONAL

WORLD

Tuscaloosa pauses to join in the historic moment.

More than 1 million people witness swearing-in.

Inauguration said to herald a new era of hope, tolerance.

INSIDE: VOL. 191 | NO. 21 | 5 Sections

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Ala.Carte 1D Bridge 6E Business 7-8B Classifieds 1E

Comics 6D Crossword 6E Dear Abby 2D Movies 3D

Obituaries 2B Opinion 18A Sports 1C Television 7D

ECONOMIC IMPACT Tuscaloosa auto dealer gives up Lincoln Mercury franchise; will continue Volvo operation. | 1B

UA BASKETBALL Injuries force Tide point guard Ronald Steele to leave team. | 1C

SPORTING AN APRON Former NFL running back opens AfricanFrench fusion restaurant in New York. | 1D

High 48 Low 26

Holiday cocktails: Spread holiday cheer with these festive drinks. 3D

Ala.Carte

W E D N E S D A Y , D E C E M B E R 12 , 2007

WWW.TUSCALOOSANEWS.COM

IDBITS

Marshmallows fun to make and eat

Cookbook targets ‘anyone’ “Anyone Can Cook” (Meredith Books, $24.95), edited by the staff of Better Homes and Gardens, is a plain-talking, highly visual guide with more than 555 recipes. The book also will appeal to more veteran cooks. The simple, clear format and attractive but informative photographs offer many new ideas.

This book assumes nothing, making it a really good purchase for those who know little or nothing. Recipes have clear instructions and photos. Flavors are relatively simple but bold. Ever y recipe also features an “Ask Mom” segment to address basic qustions like “How do I grate cheese?” “What is the pasta shape?” “How do I drain spinach?” The book also explains how to go grocer y shopping and what sort of pans and other kitchen equipment to buy.

Snapple’s flavored water There appear to be seven flavors of Snapple Antioxidant Wa+er (That’s a plus sign in “Wa+er.”), each with a name indicating maybe what it’s supposedly good for, or at least something the Snapple folks found in a list of admirable endeavors.

They are: tropical mango (protect), strawberr y acai (awaken), grape pomegranate (defy), agave melon (restore), dragonfruit (awaken), orange star fruit (protect) and raspberry acerola (defy). Each of the seven contains water, natural flavors, antioxidant vitamins A and E, and various other additions, depending on flavor. No actual fruit juice seems to be involved.

Fruit drinks cut sugar An outfit called Crayons, with an oval logo that’s just begging for a nasty letter from Crayola, offers five flavors of 30 percent juice drinks, with a claimed 25 percent fewer calories and 33 percent less sugar per 8-ounce serving than regular fruit drinks. The sugar and calorie reductions are based largely on the use of the sugar substitute erithrytol. (The label notes that the added sugar is cane sugar; there’s no high-fructose corn syrup.) The drinks also contain 3 grams each of dietary fiber in the form of a brand of maltodextrin, which the label says “helps to control the rate of sugar absorption.”

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STAFF PHOTO | ROBERT SUTTON

Homemade marshmallows taste fresher than storebought ones and are a fun family activity to make. Serve them on top of a steaming mug of hot chocolate, below, or dip them into chocolate bark to make candy.

ou know the kids are going to minutes of beating is required. want hot chocolate during the If the kids are helping, make sure holidays, and nothing tops hot an adult handles the hot sugar syrup. chocolate quite like marshA spill could result in a painful mallows. burn.

Making homemade marshThis basic marshmallow mallows is a fun activity to recipe can be jazzed up by adddo together. It seems rather ing holiday colors or flavored magical when the mixture extracts, nuts or dried fruits. puffs up in the mixer bowl.

If you make more marshmalMarshmallows are not diflows than you can use in your ficult to make, and they taste hot chocolate, turn them into BETTY so much fresher than the marshmallow chocolates by SLOWE store-bought variety. using a skewer to dip them in The only specialized piece melted chocolate bark. Place of equipment you have to have is a them on waxed paper, sprinkle them candy thermometer. A stand mixer with colored sprinkles or nuts, and let is good to have, too, unless you have the chocolate set up. muscles and endurance. Twelve to 15 SEE SLOWE | 3D

chocolate STIRRING UP

From white chocolate to peppers, cocoa comes in many varieties

By Meredith Cummings Community News Editor

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s Americans pay more for flavored bottled water, offbeat wines and exotic cheeses, so, too, does our love for varieties of hot chocolate grow, from truffle hot chocolate to Mexican spiced cocoa.

From whipped cream to vanilla and marshmallows, people are particular about what they put on and in their hot chocolate. For many, hot chocolate recipes conjure up memories of loved ones and winters past. For others, it’s a way to keep warm on a cold winter day.

And whether it’s chocolate or cocoa, it’s not just a matter of semantics: Hot cocoa is made from powder, which is pressed to take out all of the cocoa butter, but hot chocolate is made from melted chocolate bars or chocolate syrup.

SEE COCOA | 3D

Books tackle vegetables Mark Bittman’s “How to Cook Everything Vegetarian” (Wiley, $35).

Bittman gives vegetarian food an exhaustive treatment, offering up some 2,000 simple recipes and variations, from Espresso Black Bean chili to Korean crisp vegetable pancakes.

The recipes are accompanies by tremendous background material and numerous tables that walk readers through ingredients and techniques.

Also nice is Martha Rose Shulman’s “Mediterranean Harvest” (Rodale, $39.95) a collection of more than 500 vegetarian recipes. Readers will find her recipes more involved than Bittman’s, but equally appealing.

Nesting cookie cutters Cuisipro’s Snap-Fit five-piece plastic cookie cutters (from 2½ to 4½ inches) nest for easy storage.

(They’re ideal for linzer sandwich cookies that require a small cutout on the top cookie.) Shapes include stars, trees, circles and a set of geometric cutters. The set is $10 at some Bloomingdale’s Home & Furniture stores; some Sur La Table stores, and Bed Bath & Beyond stores; by mail, visit cutleryandmore.com or call 800-650-9866.

STAFF PHOTO | DAN LOPEZ

MAYAN HOT CHOCOLATE

2 cups boiling water 1 chile pepper, cut in half, seeds removed (with gloves) 5 cups light cream or whole or nonfat milk 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise 1 to 2 cinnamon sticks 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate or 3 tablets Mexican chocolate, cut into 1 ⁄4-inch pieces 2 tablespoons sugar or honey, or to taste l tablespoon almonds or hazelnuts, ground extra fine Whipped cream

MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE

In central and southern Mexico, people commonly drink chocolate twice a day year-round. Having a layer of foam on hot chocolate is as important today in Mexico as it was in ancient times. Mexicans believe the spirit of the drink is in the foam.

The chocolate is whipped to a froth with a carved wooden utensil called a molinillo and served in mugs.

6 cups milk 1 ⁄2 cup granulated sugar 3 ounces unsweetened Mexican-style chocolate, coarsely chopped 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 ⁄4 teaspoon salt 2 eggs In a large saucepan over medium-high 2 teaspoons vanilla Stick cinnamon (for optional garnish)

heat, add chili pepper to boiling water. Cook until liquid is reduced to 1 cup. Remove chili pepper; strain water and set aside.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine cream or milk, vanilla bean and cinnamon stick until bubbles appear around the edge. Reduce heat to low; add chocolate and sugar or honey; whisk occasionally until chocolate is melted and sugar dissolves.

Turn off heat; remove vanilla bean and cinnamon stick. Add chili-infused water, a little at a time, tasting to make sure the flavor isn’t too strong. If chocolate is too thick, thin with a little more milk.

Serve in small cups and offer ground almonds or hazelnuts and whipped cream.

In a large saucepan, combine milk, sugar, chocolate, ground cinnamon and salt. Heat, stirring constantly, until the chocolate has melted and the milk is very hot. (Do not let the milk come to a boil.)

Beat 2 eggs in a mixing bowl. Stir in one cup of the hot mixture into the eggs, then return this mixture to the saucepan. Cook 2 to 3 minutes more over low heat, still stirring.

Remove from heat. Add vanilla. Beat with a molinillo or a rotary beater until it is very frothy. Pour into mugs, garnish with cinnamon sticks and serve. Makes about 6 (8ounce) servings.

Michelle Singletary: Does Alabama have a security freeze law? 2D

Business&Money

S U N D A Y , F E B R UA R Y 18, 2007

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TICKER Coupling credit

Money matters often stress relationships between spouses or significant others, and a wide gap between two partner’s credit scores can become a breaking point.

Rob Anderson, co-founder of LivingWithBadCredit.com, offers the following tips to help couples work through each other’s credit, good or bad.

■ Own up: Before getting married or making a big purchase with your partner, make sure to share each other’s credit score and report. Decide how outstanding debts should be managed in the future.

■ Take the lead: If you have the better credit score by more than 100 points, you may want to apply for loans, like a home mortgage or car loan, alone. Your spouse’s lower credit score could cause a higher interest rate. If you’re the one with the lower score, allow your partner to take on the loan.

■ Ride coattails: If one partner has a bad credit, he or she can sign up as an authorized user on the other partner’s credit card. Both people will build a better credit score if the card stays in good standing.

■ Nurse yours: You and your significant other should keep at least one account separate, so each person can independently build and maintain his or her credit score.

Remember, there is no such things as a combined credit score.

Messy desk

Women may have better accessorized office desks than men, but more germs are lurking around their computers, according to a recent study.

While the level of germs on office desktops and telephones came in gender neutral, women had three to four times more germs on their keyboards and computer mice than their male counterparts. Desk drawers at women’s desks contained seven times more germs than men’s.

“What we found is that women seemed to have more stuff in their offices, from makeup bags to pictures of family and purses on their desks,” said Dr. Charles Gerba, who led the research at the University of Arizona. “It added up to big numbers for women, even though their offices typically looked cleaner.”

However, men didn’t make a totally clean getaway. They possessed the germiest item in the office: their wallets.

“The wallet is right next to the rear end, which is the greatest incubator of germs,” Gerba said.

The study also found that lawyers’ offices were the cleanest, germ-wise, while the desks of school teachers, accountants and bankers collected the most germs.

University of Arizona researchers gathered 113 surface tests from offices in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oregon and New York City. The study was commissioned by The Clorox Company.

Nose for trouble Screeners use technology for extensive background checks

By Tommy Stevenson

BACKGROUND CHECK

Associate Editor

TANNEHILL ith identity theft rampant, liability lawsuits commonplace and more and more illegal aliens entering the country — and the work force — checking the background of job applicants is not only becoming more prevalent among employers, but it’s simply a smart business practice.

And with government, businesses and even individuals relying more extensively on modern technology, such as electronic databases and the Internet, to store and transfer data, personal information is more accessible than ever. And that means background checks can be more thorough than ever; so it should come as no surprise that the number of people flagged by such checks is increasing.

Kathy McCulley runs both an investigative agency and Web site KnowMy Hire.com near Tannehill State Park.

Her company does background checks for automotive suppliers, temporary employment agencies and other companies throughout the state.

Some people might be shocked by what such checks reveal, McCulley said.

W

According to Jennifer Deerman of Quality Counts and Kathy McCulley of KnowMyHire.com, background-screening companies typically offer: ■ Criminal background checks ■ Motor vehicle record checks, including driver’s licenses and insurance verification ■ Credit report checks ■ National and local sex offender registries reports ■ Verification of previous employment ■ Education claims by applicants ■ Drug screening

“We have found that 30 percent or more of the resumes we check at the request of our clients contain misleading information or misstatement of fact,” she said.

“After 9/11 and as a result of illegal immigration, identify theft and increasing workplace violence, we are seeing more and more businesses turning to extensive background checks — and with good reason.”

Jennifer Deerman, owner of Quality Counts, a background screening company in West Blocton, agreed. She SEE TROUBLE | 5D STAFF ILLUSTRATION | ANTHONY BRATINA

Love pitch

You sell yourself in the board room and on job interviews. Why not sell yourself on a date? Using selling techniques while courting could lead to a love match, one expert says.

“Ever ybody sells ever ywhere and people shouldn’t shy away from that, even on dates,” said Bill Byron Concevitch, author of “CounterIntuitive Selling: Mastering the Art of the Unexpected.”

■ Don’t oversell: Don’t pack too much information about yourself into the first date or first virtual introduction. You risk sounding self-absorbed.

■ Use a “rolling-thunder” campaign: Sprinkle information about yourself over time through a series of e-mails or dates to build the relationship.

■ Provide proof: Don’t declare your credentials. Instead, tell a story that shows who you are as a person.

■ Always underpromise and overdeliver: Don’t set yourself up for failure by making promises you can’t keep.

Widow keeps business running smoothly

By Matt Hawk Staff Writer

TUSCALOOSA | Being a woman in the plumbing business — traditionally viewed as the province of men — is hard enough.

Now, imagine that the fate of a nearly centur y-old family business, without warning, is thrust upon your shoulders — and you haven’t the first clue about plumbing.

That’s the situation 58-year-old Paula Quarles, president of Banks Quarles Plumbing Ser vices on Greensboro Avenue, found herself in after the death of her husband, Rusty, the company’s previous president and

owner, in February 2002.

But where others might have thrown up their hands and reluctantly sold the company, Quarles took the helm and, five years later, has no plans to quit any time soon.

“I can see myself doing this five, 10, 15, 20 more years,” Quarles said. “I don’t think I would have ever let my husband retire, so I don’t feel like I need to retire, either.”

Quarles immersed herself in the company immediately after her husband’s death.

“I came in right after the funeral,” she said.

She had little choice; neither of her SEE WIDOW | 5D

Paula Quarles, president of Tuscaloosabased Banks Quarles Plumbing Services, admits she used to know next to nothing about plumbing. She represents the third generation of the family business.

STAFF PHOTO | DAN LOPEZ

Orlando Sentinel: PRODUCT: OS

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2005 SECTION B

VOLUSIA

IN DeLAND CRIMINAL CHARGES POSSIBLE State officials review a midair collision that killed a sky diver in April.

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Use of Taser at ’03 game spurs suit SENTINEL STAFF WRITER

Newly released videotape from an October 2003 incident shows how rowdy UCF tailgaters can get outside the Florida Citrus Bowl even when swarms of uniformed police officers are around.

The video captures uniformed officers ordering tailgaters to disperse after breaking up several fights and arresting one man. It shows a woman being Tased after being knocked to the ground.

Earlier in the 41⁄2-minute video, one officer threatens to use his stun gun on the individual recording the incident. The response from someone off-camera, possibly the person making the tape, is, “Nothing worse than a bored cop.”

By the end of the tape, two women are shown getting knocked to the ground, and one of them is the woman who was shocked with a Taser after leaning against an officer while trying to

help her friend.

The tape surfaced in the aftermath of the fatal Sept.

24 shooting of University of Central Florida police Officer Mario Jenkins following a fight involving tailgaters outside the Citrus Bowl.

The Oct. 25, 2003, videotape illustrates the confrontational atmosphere students and police officers have encountered at UCF tailgate parties.

The tape also will be used as evidence in a lawsuit filed

by Heather Hull, a 23-yearold UCF student at the time who was struck and hit with a Taser.

Her lawyer, Howard Marks, plans to file the lawsuit today. The suit names the city of Orlando and two of its police officers. It alleges that they engaged in a false arrest and malicious prosecution against Hull.

“I believe it [the video] shows excessive force by the police,” Marks said Tuesday.

“There was no reason to use PLEASE SEE

WHO’S HERE

Robin Mitts of Kenner, La., and her 2 daughters packed for a long weekend that hasn’t ended.

LEARN ABOUT HER FAMILY AND WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP, PAGE B5

A video that recently surfaced shows uniformed police officers firing stun guns at a woman during a scuffle outside the Citrus Bowl.

By ANTHONY COLAROSSI

AFTER KATRINA: CENTRAL FLORIDA REACHES OUT

From Video ❘ Oct. 25, 2003

INDEX Central Florida Deaths Florida Weather

B3 B6 B5 B8

Flood watch is troubling for region Officials predict heavy rain, a gloomy forecast for waterlogged residents.

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By ERIN AILWORTH SENTINEL STAFF WRITER

Central Florida was under a flood watch Tuesday night as forecasters predicted that a tropical wave blanketing the Bahamas would dump 3 to 5 inches of rain on the state during the next few days.

The news wasn’t good for residents of alreadyflooded areas in Volusia and Polk counties. But no one was panicking yet.

“There are times I feel really bad,” said Randy Gibson, who lives in the DeLand area. He has lost about 110 trees around his Crooked Tree Trail home to flooding, though there is no longer stand-

ing water on his property.

“I have these [bad] moments, but I just won’t let them stay.”

Forecasters with the National Hurricane Center west of Miami said the worst rains were expected tonight or Thursday night, although officials warned that heavy showers could occur at any time.

“I don’t see an end in sight in the short term,” said meteorologist Robbie Berg. He said the bad weather could even linger over Florida “for at least the weekend, if not longer.”The one ray of sunshine in the forecast is PLEASE SEE

RAIN, B7

Primary halted in mayor’s race

TASER, B7

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Deltona’s election moves to Nov. 8 after Richard Rhodes’ exit.

By KEVIN P. CONNOLLY SENTINEL STAFF WRITER

DELTONA — This city’s mayoral race vanished from the Oct. 11 ballot Tuesday as frustration mounted about votes cast already that won’t be counted.

Meanwhile, new concerns were raised about the way the city is handling the mayoral election — now set for next month.

Deltona Tennis Association founder Dennis Mulder, whose attorney plans to file objections with state officials today about uncounted votes, said he is also upset that an elected

official who publicly supports his opponent sits on the city’s canvassing board — the two-member panel that opens absentee ballots and performs other tasks on Election Day. Deltona City Commissioner David Santiago, who has publicly endorsed fellow City Commissioner Doug Horn for mayor, sits on the canvassing board with City Clerk Faith Miller.

“It does tick me off,” Mulder, a political newcomer, said of Santiago’s membership on the board.

“I just feel there is this conspiracy to manipulate this election, and it’s getting scary.”

Santiago, who said he supports Horn in the Nov. 8 general election because he is more experienced PLEASE SEE

MAYOR, B7

Commission seat lures 5 Deltonans

By TERRY O. ROEN SENTINEL STAFF WRITER

4 Video recorded in October 2003 during tailgating at the Citrus Bowl is being used as evidence in a lawsuit alleging police officers used undue force on then-UCF student Heather Hull.

Frames from the video show: a man under arrest being led away by officers as a woman taps an officer’s shoulder;

1 2 3 4 5

the woman being held on the ground by an officer; Hull (in black) standing over the woman and next to the officer; an officer standing over Hull as another officer holds out a Taser; and Hull lying on the ground after being struck by stun guns.

/ See the video of the tailgating incident at OrlandoSentinel.com.

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DELTONA — Five candidates are vying for a role in the future growth of the most populous city in Volusia County.

Each of the five is pushing for a business activity center to broaden the city’s tax base from mainly residential to more of a commercial mix. All the candidates said they hope to improve Deltona’s image of a sprawling bedroom community if they make it through the Oct. 11 primary and win the Nov. 8 election.

The District 5 candidates represent a diverse group that includes a tax

/ Learn about the City Commission candidates ❘ Page B2 accountant, a retired fireman, a painter, an engineer and a comptroller of a trucking company. The four men and one woman share a love of their hometown and a desire to begin Deltona’s second decade with a logical plan for development.

A self-proclaimed “tree-hugger,” Janet Deyette promises to balance development with responsible environmental planning. She was a charter member of the city’s planning and zoning board and served six PLEASE SEE

DELTONA, B4

SPECIAL REPORT

Easter symbols explained

From Denny to Witt 28-page special section looks at the history of UA since the beginning of the 20th century

TODAY | 1E

S U N D A Y , A P R I L 16, 2006 $ 1 . 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

Few state ethics cases prosecuted

‘I’m all he has now’

Commission claims cases aren’t taken seriously enough

By Dana Beyerle

2,797 allegations of ethics violations sent to the state Ethics Commission between Oct. 1, 1995 and Sept. 30, 2005

90 percent of those cases were dropped due to insufficient evidence

3 percent of those cases were sent to criminal prosecutors for review

Montgomery Bureau Chief

MONTGOMERY | During the past 10 years, 3 percent of the 2,797 allegations of ethics violations by public officials that were sent to the state Ethics Commission were forwarded to criminal prosecutors for review.

More than 90 percent of the cases referred to the commission between Oct. 1, 1995, and Sept.

30, 2005, were dropped due to insufficient evidence. 92 cases, 3 percent, were sent to the attorney general or district attorneys.

A handful of those resulted in successful convictions or guilty pleas, leading members and staff of the Ethics Commission to believe their cases are not being taken seriously.

“It’s frustrating because honestly we’re very serious when we hear a case and we’re careful and thoughtful [about] how we do it,” commission Chairwoman Linda Green said.

Ethics Commission Director James L. Sumner Jr. is worried the commission’s effectiveness — and its $1.3 milion budget — ETHICS | 19A

STAFF PHOTO | DUSTY COMPTON

Zach Lange screams with excitement as his father, Keith Lange, rolls him around in his exercise wheel at their home in McCalla.

The wheel helps Zach, who has cerebral palsy, stretch and work muscles that don't get used much.

Arrest made in Holloway case Z

By Margaret Wever The Associated Press

ORANJESTAD, ARUBA | Authorities have made an arrest in the case of missing U.S. teen Natalee Holloway, an Aruban official said Saturday without providing details about the development in the high-profile case.

Mariaine Croes, a spokeswoman for the public prosecutor’s office, said Aruban authorities were not prepared to disclose why the person was arrested or how they are allegedly connected to the disappearance of the Alabama teenager on the Dutch Caribbean island nearly a year ago.

Croes would only say that the person who was arrested is 19 and has the initials “G.V.C.” Authorities in Aruba typically only release a suspect’s initials upon their arrest.

Holloway, 18, was last seen in public leaving a bar with three young men on May 30, the final night of a high school graduation trip to Aruba. The three young men who were with her when she left the bar were arrested. But they were later released after a judge ruled there was insufficient evidence to hold them.

Throughout the investigation there have been a number of false leads and at least three other people were detained without being charged in the case.

Dutch police said Wednesday that they had received 60 tips in the case after a TV program aired the night before in Aruba and throughout the kingdom of the Netherlands.

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Bridge 10B Business 1D Classifieds 4F Crossword 3E

After the death of his wife, Keith Lange was left by himself to take care of their son, who is disabled. His life revolves around Zach, even when it means giving up a steady job or taking him on dates. Here is their story.

By Katie Porterfield Staff Writer

Photo essay

ach Lange shouts excitedly when he hears words like “swing” or “swim.” His big brown eyes widen. He even smiles when a pretty girl walks into the room.

“He’s a flirt, just like dad,” said Hope Bailey, Zach’s teacher at the Sprayberr y Education Center in Northport. “We tell them they’re two peas in a pod.”

Photographer Dusty Compton offers a peek at the Langes’ lives.

PAGES 10A, 11A

Like many fathers and sons, Keith Lange and 7-year-old Zach spend a lot of time together. But many of the things they do aren’t typical father-son activities.

“It broke my heart to think my

son’s going to be in a wheelchair and not up with the other kids,” said Lange, 43. “I’m a typical father. I wanted to play basketball and go fishing, all the things fathers dream of doing with their kids.”

Instead, Lange is doing a balancing act: single parenthood and a child with cerebral palsy. Zach’s mother Deborah died of liver disease in June 2005.

“I’m a one-man show,” Lange said.

“Zachary is my son, and I give him all the help he ever needs, no matter

what I have to do.”

Since his wife got sick about two years ago, Lange, a licensed heating and cooling contractor who lives in McCalla, hasn’t been able to maintain a full-time job. Now selfemployed, he plans his workday around his son.

“Big companies won’t be flexible with hours,” he said. “It’s hard to get people to understand that when Zach needs me, he’s got to come first.”

Zach, who was born premature SEE ZACH | 16A

Overactive boomers are keeping their doctors busy

By Bill Pennington

New York Times News Service

NEW YORK TIMES

For America’s baby boomers, a generation weaned on Jack LaLanne, shaped by Jane Fonda videos and sculpted in the modernday gym, too much of a good thing has consequences.

Encouraged by doctors to continue to Andrea Evian, 54, works out in Bala Cynwyd, Pa., earlier this month. Evian has had anterior cruciate ligament recon- exercise three to five times a week for struction, cortisone injections for sore joints and rotator-cuff their health, a legion of running, swimming and biking boomers are flouting surgery on her left shoulder.

VOL. 188 | NO. 106 | 11 Sections Dear Abby 2E Horoscope 2E Ideas & Issues 6D Lend a Hand 11B

Movies 10B Outdoors 7C Television 1H Today 1E

FOUL PLAY UNLIKELY Prosecutor say that two boys who have been missing for more than a month apparently drowned in an icy park lagoon in Milwaukee. | 3A

the conventional limits of the middleaged body’s abilities, and filling the nation’s operating rooms and orthopedists’ offices in the process.

They need knee and hip replacements, surgery for cartilage and ligament damage, and treatment for tendinitis, arthritis, bursitis and stress fractures. The phenomenon even has a name in medical circles: boomeritis.

“Boomers are the first generation that grew up exercising, and the first that SEE BOOMERS | 16A

FALLING ICE Scientists and investigators are trying to figure out why big chunks of ice are falling on California. | 8A

High 88 Low 65

VIDEO GAME REVIEW

SOCIAL SCENE

‘Fusion Frenzy 2’ doesn’t meet expectations | 3D

Don’t assume student cliques are mean | 3D

T U E S D A Y , F E B R UA R Y 20, 2007

SECTION D WWW.TUSCALOOSANEWS.COM

ALKBACK

With the Oscars coming up on Sunday, we thought it would be fun to see what movies teens like. We asked students at The Capitol School: “What is your favorite movie?”

“My favorite is ‘Walk the Line’ because Johnny Cash can play the guitar really well, and he can sing really deeply.”

— Ashton Turnipseed, 14, seventh grade

Rhythm of the

city

“ ‘Scarface’ is my favorite movie because I like the way he came from Cuba and had the American dream. But he dies in the end.”

— Sean Mohabbat, 13, seventh grade

Mardi playlist T

eens don’t always get to go to New Orleans or Mobile for Mardi Gras, so if you can’t get to Mardi Gras today, then bring the party to you. After school, kick back with a few friends, fire up iTunes and check out these classics while you expand your music knowledge. A great party needs a great soundtrack, preferably one that underscores the theme. This list from musician and San Jose Mercury News staff writer Mark Whittington offers a wide variety of New Orleans music to add a beat to your celebration. Don’t feel like downloading? Check out our list of CDs for your Mardi Gras soundtrack on Page 3D.

“I like ‘The BoonDock Saints.’

It’s about two brothers. They come from this small family, and they rely on each other for everything.

It my and my brother’s f a v o r i t e movie.”

— Keith Cook, 16, freshman

■ “Walking to New Orleans,” Fats Domino ■ “Iko Iko,” the Dixie Cups ■ “Go to the Mardi Gras,” Professor Longhair ■ “Mardi Gras Mambo,” the Hawketts ■ “Trick Bag,” Earl King ■ “Let the Good Times Roll,” Shirley and Lee ■ “Meet De Boys on De Battlefront,” Wild Tchoupitoulas ■ “Rockin’ Pneumonia,” Huey “Piano” Smith and the Clowns ■ “Cissy Strut,” the Meters ■ “Right Place, Wrong

Time,” Dr. John ■ “Fiyo on the Bayou,” the Neville Brothers ■ “Big Chief,” Professor Longhair ■ “Look-Ka Py Py,” the Meters ■ “My Feet Can’t Fail Me Now,” Dirty Dozen Brass Band ■ “Tipitina,” Professor Longhair ■ “Congo Square,” Sonny Landreth ■ “Late at Night,” the Subdudes ■ “We Come to Party,” Rebirth Brass Band ■ “Sea Cruise,” Frankie Ford

■ “High Blood Pressure,” Huey “Piano” Smith and the Clowns ■ “Hey Pocky Way,” the Meters ■ “Ain’t Got No Home,” Clarence “Frogman” Henry ■ “Workin’ in a Coal Mine,” Lee Dorsey ■ “Stack-O-Lee,” Champion Jack Dupree ■ “Ruler of My Heart,” Irma Thomas ■ “You Rascal You,” Champion Jack Dupree ■ “Mother-In-Law,” Ernie KDoe

“My favorite movie is ‘Grid Iron Gang.’ It just kind of seemed cool.”

— Carl McLeod, 13, eighth grade

Have Spring Break plans?

Spring Break is almost here and we want to hear about your plans.

E-mail pulse@tuscaloosanews.com and let us hear from you!

Focus on Hip hop

The 2007 Hip Hop Summit “Hip Hop and Beyond” is Thursday in the Ferguson Center on the University of Alabama campus.

Keynote speaker Toni Blackman will talk on “Exploring African-American Issues through Hip Hop Culture” 2-4 p.m. in Room 360. Blackman is a spoken word artist, writer and musician.

A panel discussion “Hip Hop and the Media” will be 6-7 p.m. in Room 312. Panelists will be professionals in journalism, advertising and public relations. It is sponsored by the Capstone Association of Black Journalists.

The summit concludes with “The Main Event,” 8-11 p.m. in the Ferguson Center ballroom.

Students from UA, Shelton State Community College and Stillman College will showcase their skills through fashion design, music, dance and poetry.

“I want people to feel like they are coming to a show,” event coordinator Latoya Scott said.

“The Main Event” will feature a fashion show and will mark the first time that a UA fashion design student will be able to showcase an entire collection. Student-managed recording labels will introduce their musical artists at the summit. The label companies will give away CDs and sponsor a social event after the summit.

To reser ve seats, e-mail kitt001 @bama.ua.edu.

History of feathers and finery

By Mary Foster

UA STUDENTS MISS MARDI GRAS

The Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS onk Boudreaux remembers the glory days. The mornings when more than 40 tribes of Mardi Gras American Indians would take to the street, flaunting their feathers and finery, shouting challenges, settling scores.

The fights that once broke out between Mardi Gras American Indian tribes are long since gone, but the competition continues.

“Now it’s all about who looks the prettiest and sings the best,” said Boudreaux, 65, big chief of the Golden Eagles.

Hurricane Katrina scattered the tribes and drowned many of the costumes, but the American Indians are slowly coming back.

The history of the American Indians is not clear, although it’s believed that the ritual songs and dances the various tribes began

M

“I miss it a lot. I miss King Cake the most. In the dorm they were giving some away and that was the closest I’ve been to home in a while. I really want to be able to go home next year for Mardi Gras.”

— Samantha Alexander, sophomore from New Orleans

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The Wild Magnolias, a Mardi Gras Indians band, perform in New Orleans on Saturday.

with slaves paying tribute to American Indians, which some claim hid runaway slaves. Some say the Wild West shows of the early 20th Century were the inspiration.

SEE

“We don’t do anything for [Mardi Gras] in Tuscaloosa. I went home this past weekend.

It was awesome. You get off of school, and that’s awesome.

The general festive spirit, the attitude of everybody — It’s Mardi Gras. Everybody is happy.”

— Brian DeJean, freshman from Baton Rouge

FEATHERS | 3D

STAFF ILLUSTRATION | ANTHONY BRATINA

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VISIT WWW.TUSCALOOSANEWS.COM: GET LIVE TWITTER UPDATES, FEEDS ON THE SHOW, PARKING AND SEATING

SPECIAL SECTION: Includes where to park, what to bring and a keepsake poster on the planes, formations

BLUE ANGELS GUIDE S A T U R D A Y , A P R I L 4 , 2009 50¢

TUSCALOOSA, NORTHPORT, WEST ALABAMA

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Globe to have final curtain call

Industry training to extend statewide

By Patrick Rupinski Staff Writer

VANCE | For the past nine weeks, top managers of Mercedes’ automotive suppliers have spent their Fridays at Mercedes’ training center studying the SUV maker’s production operations. They gleaned information on how to improve their manufacturing facilities and shared their experiences in an effort to help each other.

On Friday, Gov. Bob Riley told the managers that the training they went through soon will be made available to businesses and industries across the state under a new program.

“This is the prototype. We are going to try it in the next few months and try to build on it,” he said.

SEE TRAIN | 7A

OTHER STATE ISSUES On Friday, Gov. Riley also addressed health care if Bryce being sold, the PACT program, gaming, a sales tax on food and stimulus money. | 1B

STAFF FILE PHOTO

Will you miss The Globe? Vote at www.tuscaloosanews.com.

A 30 percent to 40 percent drop in business is forcing chef and owner Jeff Wilson to close The Globe restaurant, shown in 2003, on April 11.

Restaurant set to close doors next weekend

STAFF PHOTO | DAN LOPEZ

Gov. Bob Riley, left, and Bill Taylor, president and CEO of MBUSI, talk at the Mercedes-Benz Supplier Training session at the Mercedes plant in Vance on Friday.

By Mark Hughes Cobb

Shelton State 10-year plan focuses on growth

Staff Writer

NORTHPORT he Globe Restaurant, which helped spark Northport’s downtown renaissance and ushered in a new era of fine dining in West Alabama, will close its doors April 11 after more than 17 years.

Chef and owner Jeff Wilson made the decision two months after telling The Tuscaloosa News about rumors he would close.

Wilson said at the time that he planned to do everything in his power to keep it open, despite a 30 percent to 40 percent drop in business over previous years.

“But I’ve told [patrons] that it’s really not up to me, it’s up to you guys. If you don’t come in ... .,” he said.

Although clearly distraught on Friday, Wilson is trying to look on the bright side.

“A Shakespearean-themed restaurant in SEE GLOBE | 7A

T

By Adam Jones Staff Writer

STAFF FILE PHOTO | DAN LOPEZ

What’s next for Globe chef and owner Jeff Wilson? He says he is considering going back to school or working at another restaurant. He says he might even re-open the restaurant in downtown Tuscaloosa after the economy bounces back.

“A Shakespearean-themed restaurant in Northport.

People said it wouldn’t last a week.”

Globe owner and chef Jeff Wilson

Officials work to identify N.Y. shooter

By William Kates The Associated Press

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. | The community center was filled with people from countries as far off as Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, all working to become more a part of their new home — learning English, taking a class to gain U.S. citizenship. The gunman may have walked a similar path to become an American decades ago.

He parked his car against the back door, stormed through the front and shot two receptionists, apparently without saying a word. Then he fired on a citizenship class while terrified people, their only escape SEE SHOOTING | 7A

Shelton State President Mark Heinrich says the school’s growth plan includes e-learning and more grants.

TUSCALOOSA | Now that Shelton State Community College has a plan for the next decade, the real work is just beginning, President Mark Heinrich said.

The plan for the school will not be shelved, only to be dusted off a few times, he told a crowd gathered Friday to celebrate the college’s 30th year as a community college. It will be a process to measure if goals are being achieved, and it will hold college leaders accountable to the vision of the strategic plan.

“There is absolutely nothing that should stop the progress that has been made on this campus,” Heinrich said.

Faculty and staff who put together the strategic plan formally presented it to the college Friday in the final event of the school’s three-day celebration.

SEE SHELTON | 7A

GYMNASTICS See what goes into achieving a perfect score. | 1C

)WPOCP MKNNU JKOUGNH CHVGT TCORCIG Around 10 a.m. Friday, a gunman opened fire on a citizenship class in Binghamton, N.Y. Fourteen people were killed, including the shooter.

1. Gunman parks car, blocking rear entrance.

RELIGION Female leaders gather to highlight women who serve in the ministry. | 1D INSIDE: VOL. 191 NO. 94 | 5 Sections

High 76 Low 53

2. Gunman enters building.

3. Shoots two receptionists.

4. One pretends to be dead, then crawls under desk, calls 911; she is the only survivor to see gunman; other receptionist dies.

5. Gunman enters other room and continues shooting.

6. Twenty six people escape to basement.

7. Gunman is heard shooting near back of building.

8. Police arrive within 2 minutes of 911 call.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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EXTREME AIR

BLUE ANGELS AIR SHOW GUIDE

INSIDE KEEPSAKE POSTER A look at the mechanics of the F/A-18 Hornet and diagrams of the Blue Angels’ maneuvers.

THE PILOTS Check out the daredevil Navy pilots manning the cockpits.

GOLDEN KNIGHTS What about the parachuters? Read about the ones who choose to jump out of the plane!

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ■ Schedule ■ Where to park ■ City shuttle services ■ What to bring ■ Seating PHOTO | U.S. NAVY

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Double Farvel

Aileron Roll A full 360 degree revolution on the longitudinal axis of the plane.

The Diamond formation with two planes inverted create a mirror-image affect. The solos also fly this manuever (Fortus) with landing gear extracted.

MANUEVERS:

Inverted

What to expect

1

2

Opposing Knife Edge

Inverted

The two solos seem to intersect belly-to-belly above the general stage area. The planes are so close that it appears that they will collide.

Loop Break Cross

Diamond formation

Four of the six Angels will perform in a tight formation called the Diamond, sometimes as close as 18 inches apart and flying at speeds of up to 400 mph

Two solors join the Diamond to create the Delta formation.

The Delta does a loop, and as the planes come down they will split into six different directions, usually with smoke.

4

Solos

The two remaining Angels will alternate manuevers with the Diamond 6

Delta formation

The smoke is a biodegradeble paraffin-based oil pumped directly into the exhaust nozzles.

5

Advanced crew station decoupled cockpits available on the F/A-18 F series (Super Hornet.)

the moisture in the air, water vapor can produce clouds around the wings and plane at these speeds.

The slowest manuever.

The two solos slow down to around 120 mph and pitch the nose of the plane to a 45 degree angle.

Modifications:

The planes for the show have the nose cannon removed, a smoke-oil tank installed and a spring installed on the stick which applies pressure for better formation and inverted flying.

The plane can be returned to combat duty within 72 hours.

Characteristics: Known as a duel threat with both fighting and attack capabilities.

Fighter: Fast, lightweight and highly manueverable.

Attack plane: Able to hit smaller ground targets and fly low. Has the power to carry various bombs and can be fitted with external extra fuel tanks.

Speed: Mach 1.7 (1,200 mph.)

Combat radius: 500 nautical miles.

Fuel: 11,000 pounds. (16,000 pounds when fitted with external tanks.)

Pilots: Normally one; two on training planes.

Contractor: Northrop Corporation.

Cost: $18 million.

56 feet

15.3 feet

BOEING F/A-18 HORNET

Official plane of the Blue Angels

Folding wings make the Hornet optimal for carrier storage

First air show: Craig Field in Jacksonville, Fla., June 15, 1946. Lt. Cmdr. Roy “Butch” Voris led the squandron and flew the Grumman F6F Hellcat.

The colors: The jets are blue and gold, the official U.S. Navy colors.

No need for G-suits: Unlike in combat flying, Blue Angel demonstration pilots know which maneuvers they will be performing and can prevent blackouts by using muscle contractions to adjust to changes in gravitational forces.

Under G-force, blackouts happen when blood pools in the lower part of the body and deprives the brain of blood.

Who: U.S. Marine Corps Major Nathan Miller of Lapeer, Mich.

Experience: joined in September 2006; has more than 2,400 flight hours and 294 carrier-arrested landings.

The first plane used by the Blue Angels: The Grumman F6F Hellcat accounted for 4,497 of the 6,477 aircraft shot down by American carrier pilots during World War II.

Who: U.S. Navy Lt. Frank Weisser of Atlanta Experience: joined in September 2007; has more than 2,750 flight hours and nearly 200 carrier-arrested landings.

Narrator

How low (or high) will they go?: Top altitude is 15,000 feet; low altitude is 50 feet.

■ Gender: A record 10 of 26 demonstration jumpers are female this year.

Speed: Top maneuver speed is 700 mph — just under Mach 1; slowest speed is 120 mph. The F/A-18 can reach speeds just under Mach 2 — almost twice the speed of sound or about 1,400 mph. The maximum rate of climb of the F/A-18 is 30,000 feet per minute.

The audience: The squadron’s air shows attract 15 million viewers each year. Blue Angel pilots visit more than 50,000 people in schools and hospitals during the MarchNovember show season.

Tuscaloosa: The Blue Angels arrived in Tuscaloosa approximately 20 to 25 minutes after leaving their home base in Pensacola, Fla.

■ Notable move: After one jump, a soldier’s parachute purposely malfunctions for about 10 seconds before the jumper performs a cutaway maneuver. The dramatic move has prompted 911 calls from shows across the country.

Pick-up/dropoff points: Tuscaloosa County High School, Kentuck Park, Echols Middle School, Sprayberry Regional Education Center, Matthews Elementary, Collins-Riverside Middle School, the former CityFest parking lot at the intersection of University Boulevard and Greensboro Avenue, the former Tuscaloosa Chevrolet site on Jack Warner Parkway and the former Mack’s Bait Shop parking lot on Fifth Street in Northport.

When: Will begin at 8 a.m. and run continuously during the show.

Roadway parking

43

Shuttle service

Parking Where: Along Joe Mallisham Parkway and Industrial Park Drive.

Details: People will be required to go through security checkpoints before entering the show.

Air show

69

Echols Middle

82

Tuscaloosa Regional Airport

CollinsRiverside, Sprayberry and Matthews schools

23rd St.

Mack’s Bait Shop

5th St. Old Tavern University Blvd.

Rice Mine Rd.

Park Cityfest lot

Birmingham, the Red Eagles from Jasper and Gordo Sanders from Arley.

People will likely be able to see the planes if they aren’t on the airport grounds, he said, but won’t be able to see the maneuvers.

The sounds of the planes will be heard far outside the show. “It’s going to be loud,” Cameron said. “Very loud.”

Tickets

What to bring

The air show is free to the public, but reserved and grandstand seating is available for a charge.

It’s OK to bring:

Reserved seats: Prenumbered, assigned seats will be set up in front of the crowd line at the Tuscaloosa Regional Airport. Cost is $20 per day.

Grandstand seating: Will be in bleachers placed at the front of the crowd line. These are not preassigned and are available on a firstcome basis. Cost is $10 per day.

How to buy tickets: Pay with cash or check at the Tuscaloosa Water and Sewer business office at 2230 Sixth Street; or online at www.tuscaloosa.com with a credit or debit card. Ticket purchases are nonrefundable.

Will call: Tickets bought online can be picked up the day of the show by the main gate at the airport, near the static displays.

■ folding chairs and lawn chairs ■ handheld portable radios to listen to the simulcast of the show ■ blankets ■ cameras and video cameras ■ fanny packs, purses and bags no larger than 81⁄2-by-11 inches ■ wheelchairs ■ stroller and diaper bags for people attending with a child

leave these at home:

■ alcoholic beverages ■ coolers ■ glass containers ■ food ■ pets other than service animals ■ tents or awnings ■ bikes, skateboards, rollerblades, skates, kick or electric scooters ■ weapons, regardless of permit ■ backpacks or large bags

Schedule Red Eagle Air Sports When: Teaser routine at 11:12 a.m.; full show at 2:38 p.m.

What: The two-member Red Eagle Air Sports team flies the Talon Eagle and the Red Eagle.

The Red Eagle: A plane with a more than 250-horsepower engine; travels 180 mph while flying level and can exceed 230 mph during maneuvers; roll rate is 360 degrees per second and vertical climb is 1,500 feet.

The Talon Eagle: Biplane is one of five in the world and features a double-swept wing and a powerful engine; travels 210 mph in level flight and 250 mph during maneuvers; roll rate is 400 degrees per second and vertical climb is 3,000 feet.

Warbird flights

■ Mission: To interact with the community and assist in recruiting. “It’s a lot more than just jumping out of an airplane, that’s just our way to get to work,” said Joel Rowley, spokesman for the Golden Knights. “Ninety percent of what we do is on the ground, talking to the public.”

■ Selection: Members undergo a rigorous six-week assessment and selection program before earning a spot.

Shuttle services

When: 11:25 a.m.

Details: The KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling craft used by the Air Force for more than 50 years. The planes also refuel Navy, Marine Corps and allied nation aircraft. The aircraft has four turbofans mounted under 35-degree swept wings, which power it to takeoffs at weights up to 322,500 pounds. An operator is stationed at the rear of the plane to control the boom — the aircraft’s primary fuel transfer method.

■ The name: Coined in 1962, “Golden” stems from their reputation of bringing home gold medals and “Knights” conveys that the team had “conquered the skies” and that it represents high ideals and principals.

The Golden Knights are called the official ambassadors of the U.S. Army.

Average pilot age: 33.

Tuscaloosa County High

2 miles

Alabama Air National Guard KC-135 Flyby

FACTS: GOLDEN KNIGHTS

■ History: Thirteen army paratroopers formed the first Strategic Army Corps Sport Parachute Team in 1959 to compete in skydiving. The team performed so well that the Army officially activated the U.S. Army Parachute Team on June 1, 1961.

Getting there

Opening ceremonies will begin at 10:45 a.m. The U.S. Army Golden Knights parachute team will perform a jump with a large American flag while the Red Eagles Air Sports team circles and performs a teaser routine to start the show.

Tuscaloosa Regional Airport Manager Wayne Cameron said that he asked air show coordinator David Schultz of David Schultz Air Shows to invite as many groups from Alabama as possible, including the Aeroshell team from

Opposing Solo

Who: U.S. Navy Lt. Ben Walborn of Reading, Penn.

Experience: joined in September 2008; has more than 1,400 hours and 346 carrier-arrested landings.

40.4 feet

FACTS: BLUE ANGELS

The name: While planning a show in New York in 1946, a member of the original squadron came up with the name after seeing New York’s Blue Angel nightclub in The New Yorker magazine.

Lead Solo

Gates will open at 9 a.m. both days, with more than 60 displays of planes on the grounds, from World War I fighters to modern-day jets and home-built planes.

People will be able to visit the Virtual Army Experience, a 20,000-square-foot combat simulator that shows the jobs Army soldiers perform daily. Visitors older than 14 will be able to go on a “mission” in a Humvee simulator. People will also be able to take simulated flights and have their photos taken in fighter jets.

e.

Av

Enlarged Leading Edge Extensions aid manueverability

Who: U.S. Navy Lt. Mark Swinger of Warrenton, Va., Experience: joined in September 2007; has more than 1,700 flight hours and 260 carrier-arrested landings.

What to expect

in Ma

F-404-GE-400 Contractor: General Electric Aviation Cost: $6 Million Thrust: Up to 16,000 pounds. with afterburners Weight: 2,445 pounds.

Who: U.S. Marine Corps Major Christopher Collins of Darien, Conn.

Experience: joined in September 2008; has more than 2,400 flight hours and 350 carrier-arrested landings.

Slot

Section High Alfa

Engine:

Left Wing

The Golden Knights parachute team is scheduled to perform at 1:44 p.m. at the Tuscaloosa Regional Airport today and Sunday.

se Blvd.

Ro

New touch-sensative front display system with a larger LCD display and a digital color map were added to the cockpit

The fastest manuever in the show. A solo swoops down to an altitude as low as 50 feet, passing the crowd at around 700 mph or Mach 1, close to the speed of sound, which is 738 mph.

Ground

400 sq. feet The newest (Super Hornet) wings are 25% larger.

Who: U.S. Navy Lt. Commander Paul Brantuas of San Diego Experience: joined in 2007; has more more than 2,000 flight hours and 280 carrier-arrested landings.

Sneak Pass Depending on

Wings:

Blu eA ngel s

Surveillance Attack Radar (SARS), Ground Moving Target Indicator (GMTI) and an in-band electronic attack available on the Block II superhornets

Out of the delta formation, all six planes perform a Aileron roll simultaneously.

50 feet

Infrared search and track, allowing for night missions.

Who: U.S. Navy Commander Greg McWherter of Atlanta Experience: assumed command in November 2008; has more than 3,700 flight hours and 950 carrier-arrested landings.

Lieutenant Commander

Fluer De Lis

3

Flight Leader / Commanding Officer

Airport Rd.

The show consists of six planes performing 25 to 30 manuevers, with speeds of 700 mph to 120 mph and altitudes of 15,000 feet to 50 feet.

STAFF GRAPHICs, ILLUSTRATIONs | Anthony Bratina Photos | U.S. Navy and army

Looking up

The pilots

Sources: U.S. Navy Blue Angels U.S. Army Golden Knights General Electric Aviation Boeing Navaltechnology.com Pentagonbrief.com

When: Mustang at 11:26 a.m.; Yak 52 and Nanchang CJ-6 at 12:49 p.m.

What: “Warbird” refers to a vintage military aircraft.

P-51 Mustang: Among the best and most famous fighters used by the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II, the Mustang will be showcased at the Tuscaloosa show.

Possessing excellent range and maneuverability, the aircraft operated primarily as a long-range escort fighter and as a ground attack fighter-bomber. The Mustang was used in nearly every combat zone during WWII and the Korean War. Yak 52: The Yakovlev Yak-52 first flew in 1976, and continues to be produced in Bacau, Romania. They were originally used to train students

to fly Soviet jet aircraft.

Nanchang CJ-6: Basictraining aircraft designed and built in China for use by the People’s Liberation Army Air Force.

U.S. Air Force A-10A Thunderbolt II demo When: 11:36 a.m.

Details: The Thunderbolt II can take direct hits from armor-piercing and high-explosive projectiles up to 23 millimeters. Aircraft has a wingspan of 57 1⁄2 feet, weighs 29,000 pounds and can travel 800 mph — faster than the speed of sound. The planes are favored by the Air Force for their maneuverability at low air speeds and low altitude and their highly accurate weapons-delivery platforms. The Thunderbolt II can loiter near battle areas for extended periods of time and can operate under 1,000 foot ceilings with 1.5-mile visibility.

Greg Koontz and The Alabama Boys When: 11:52 p.m. and 1:02 p.m.

Greg Koontz: Greg Koontz got his start in aerobatic flying in Ernie Moser’s Flying Circus, where he became known for his comedic performance and “World’s Smallest Airport” stunt, where he lands on a moving pickup truck. In the comedy show, Koontz climbs into the bleachers as “Farmer Clem Cleaver” who demands a flight lesson. He “steals” a 1946 Piper J3 Cub with the crew in pursuit and eventually lands on the truck when “Grandpa” shoots a tire out. His team flies Super Decathlon planes, which exceed 200 mph.

U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress flyby When: (Saturday only) 12:07 p.m.

Air Combat Command’s B-52: A long-range, heavy bomber that is capable of flying at high subsonic speeds at altitudes up to 50,000 feet and can carry nuclear- or precision-guided conventional ordnance with worldwide precisionnavigation capability. During Desert Storm, B-52s delivered 40 percent of weapons dropped by coalition forces.

Highly effective when used for ocean surveillance, the bombers assist the

U.S. Navy in anti-ship and mine-laying operations. Two B-52s in two hours can monitor 140,000 square miles of ocean surface. The plane cruises at 275 mph and can travel up to 437 mph.

U.S. Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornet East Coast demo team When: 12:12 p.m.

Details: The fighter and attack aircraft was first flown in 1995 and is used by the Navy for day and night strikes with precision-guided weapons, anti-air warfare, as a fighter escort, for close air support, suppression of enemy air defense, maritime strikes and reconnaissance missions, forward air control and air-to-air refueling.

Gordo Sanders Roll Tide T-6 When: 12:25 p.m.

Details: A former Lt. Col. in the Air National Guard and later a FedEx pilot, Gordo Sanders served in the 1990 Gulf War and was involved in search and destruction of SCUD missiles in Iraq. During his military career, he logged more than 1,500 hours and flew aircraft that exceeded 600 mph. Sanders flies a T-6 Texan, the basic-training planes used during World War II, and has flown in competitions and air shows across the South.

Mike Wiskus’ LUCAS Oil Pitts S111B When: 12:35 p.m.

Details: Solo performer Michael Wiskus of Minnesota was the 2002 U.S. National Aerobatic Champion and a 2004 U.S. National Aerobatic Team member. His Web site describes the performance as “outrageous, high-performance, low-altitude, solo aerobatics smothered with smoke and noise.” Wiskus flies a one-of-a-kind Pitts S111B plane, a biplane that is a variation of the Pitts Special — an aerobatic plane first used in the mid-’40s and widely used in air shows in the 1960s and 1970s.

Wiskus reaches speeds of more than 260 mph.

Aeroshell Aerobatic Team When: 1:24 p.m.

Details: The team has performed across the country for more than 20 years. Pilots fly AT-6 Texans. Nicknamed “The Pilot Maker,” the planes were first used in 1938 as basic-training plane for the United States Army Air Corps and were flown by all World War II pilots who went on to fly fighter aircraft. The Texans are still used as basic-training planes and light attack aircraft in 22 countries. The plans have wingspans of 42 feet and can travel 212 mph. There are underwing attachments for light bombs and rockets. The team is sponsored

by Shell Aviation, the aviation division of Shell Oil.

U.S. Army Golden Knights When: 1:44 p.m.

U.S. Air Force C-17 demo When: 2:20 p.m.

Air Force Reserve Jet Car When: 2:33 p.m.

From 0 to 400 mph in just eight seconds, The Air Force Reserve Jet Car always outraces the pilots who try go up against it — despite the head start from driver Bill Braack. The car is powered by a Westinghouse J-34 jet engine that develops 10,000 horsepower and 6,000 pounds of thrust. Made of aluminum and magnesium, the 26-foot-long car weighs 2,300 pounds and uses 40 gallons of diesel fuel for each performance.

Mike Wiskus of LUCAS Oil Pitts will attempt to beat the car in a race.

U.S. Navy Blue Angels C-130 demo When: 3 p.m.

U.S. Navy Blue Angels When: 3:15 p.m.

Gates close at 5 p.m.

Sources: United States Air Force, David Schultz Air Shows, individual aerobatic team Web sites.

Prudence Hilburn: Bananas can be sweet, tart and exotic. 2D

Ala.Carte

W E D N E S D A Y , J U N E 24 , 2009

SECTION D

WWW.TUSCALOOSANEWS.COM

IDBITS

Red, juicy and ‘berry’ versatile

Here fishy, fishy Crackers are on-the-go staples for many tykes. Now moms can change up snack time by slipping Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Grahams into the mix. The sweet treats are made with whole grains, are free of artificial preservatives and come in crowd-pleasing flavors, such as honey, chocolate and cinnamon.

Available at major supermarkets and mass merchandisers nationwide for about $2.20 (6.6-ounce package).

By Susan M. Selasky Detroit Free Press

DETROIT | It’s strawberry time.

The sweet, juicy gems that kick off the summer fruit season are ripening. And farmers predict the strawberries could hang around longer than the usual three weeks this year.

The next fruit crops to come in will be sweet cherries in early July, then tart cherries, summer red raspberries and then blueberries.

Turkey bacon Thanks to turkey bacon, you don’t have to dig on swine or give up healthful eating to enjoy a few crisp strips at brunch. Godshall’s woodsmoked slices are 96 percent fat-free and made with turkey thigh meat cut off the bone — not processed from a paste — and each package has spent a luxe 24 hours in Godshall’s smokehouse before landing in your pan.

The 12-ounce packages are available for about $3.30 each at supermarkets nationwide and in 4-package allotments ($13) at godshalls.com.

Peaches

ROASTED STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKES

Yeild: 6 Preparation time: 15 minutes Total time: 45 minutes The biscuits in this recipe are made with whipping cream and have a delicate texture that pairs well with the warm berries.

Two breakfasts in one Why choose between oatmeal or pancakes for breakfast when you can have both? Quaker Oatmeal Pancake Mix, because it’s made from whole grain Quaker Oats, packs your stack of pancakes with the same hearthealthy oat soluble fiber as Quaker’s Instant Oatmeal.

A 32-ounce box is available for about $3.

Clanton’s Peach Jam rounds out a week celebrating Chilton County’s peach harvest

By Margaret Clevenger Special to The Tuscaloosa News

A

fter a weeklong celebration of the juicy, sweet fruit that Chilton County is famous for, the city of Clanton will host the fifth annual Peach Jam Jubilee on Friday night, with live music, play areas for the kids and good food for everyone.

“It is right downtown,” said Gay West, county extension coordinator. “Bring your lawn chairs to set up out in the street to watch the bands.”

Last year’s Jam drew 10,000 people, some from as far away as south Alabama and the Florida Panhandle. That’s a big crowd for a county whose entire population totals about 40,000. But the flavor of the evening remains genial, with an easy-going, get-to-know-yourneighbor sentiment.

“What people need to know is that it is a small-town atmosphere,” West said. “It’s safe.

It’s that warm, fuzzy feeling. If you are not in a small community but you want that feeling, this is a good place to come.”

Headlining the evening’s musical card is folk/rock group Act of Congress. The group’s latest single, “In the Middle” from their CD “Declaration,” is a bit reminiscent of Nickelback. Billboard chose Act of Congress as the winner of the 2008 “Disc Makers Independent Music World Series.”

The acoustic quartet also played at City Stages SEE PEACH | 3D

Book on beer So you know how to drink a beer: open bottle or can, pour into glass (or not), throw it back. But do you know how to taste, really taste and evaluate, what you’re drinking? And should you care?

Randy Mosher, beer writer, brand consultant and label designer, argues in “Tasting Beer: An Insider’s Guide to the World’s Greatest Drink” (Storey Publishing, $16.95) that doing so will not only expand your knowledge of this 10,000-year-old beverage but deepen your enjoyment.

“To get the most out of beer, you have to put a little effort into it,” he writes. By that he means coming to understand how the elements of hops, malt, yeast and, most important, the brewer’s art come together in the glass.

Mosher writes about beer and all its components with wit and authority in a manner that telecasts an excellent palate; to have this man explain the intricacies of beermaking is a revelation.

He lays down a base with the history of beer, bringing us up to date with the multiple factors that came together to seed the American craft brewing revolution.

After this grounding, the meat here is the discussion of beer styles across six chapters, with suggestions of bottles to try in each. His dissection of food pairings and pointers on tastings (from solo to attending a beer festival) provide practical advice to buttress those style lessons.

Along the way, he shares little gems, such as debunking advertising claims (Rocky Mountain water?

Lies.) and how to pour a beer (directly in the middle of a glass produces a rich, creamy head; “trickling down the side ... will result in a too-gassy beer with little aroma and a poor, quickly dissipating head”).

If Mosher falters, it is in taking too long to get to the act of tasting.

But the book’s format invites skipping around, nullifying that little hiccup.

1¾ cups all-purpose flour ½ cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, plus extra for sprinkling 1 tablespoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt 1½ cups heavy whipping cream, divided, plus additional milk or cream for brushing 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

NO-COOK PEACH ICE CREAM 6 medium or large ripe peaches 2½ cups sugar 1 11-ounce can peach nectar 1 12-ounce can evaporated milk 1 pint heavy whipping cream Whole milk ½ lemon

SEE BERRY | 3D

Peel and chop peaches into fine pieces. Put into large bowl and squeeze juice of half a lemon over peaches. Add sugar and nectar to peaches and stir. Cover and place bowl in refrigerator to chill for one hour. Then add evaporated milk and whipping cream to peach mixture, gently stir and pour into ice cream canister. Fill to line with whole milk and follow freezer manufacturer’s instructions. Makes five quarts.

PEACH JAM JUBILEE What: A music festival with children’s activities, tied in with the Chilton County Peach Festival.

When: 6-11 p.m. Friday Directions: From Tuscaloosa, travel east on U.S. Highway 82 to Maplesville. Take Alabama Highway 22 from Maplesville to Clanton. Cross the overpass and go straight two blocks, then turn right into downtown Clanton.

Cost: Free admission and parking. Admission to the play area is $10.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

RECIPE ON PAGE 3D: Pepper-

BAND SCHEDULE 6 p.m.: Soundshifter 7 p.m.: Blast from the Past 8 p.m.: Southern Pride 9 p.m.: Act of Congress

Strawberry Cream Cheese is a starter with fresh strawberries whipped into the spread just before serving.

STAFF ILLUSTRATION | ANTHONY BRATINA

Making frozen treats can be easy, creative and fun, like this grape pop that includes white and red grape juices.

Good bases for frozen pops include juice, fruit puree, yogurt, pudding, ice cream, sherbert, coffee and tea.

The taste of summer on a stick

By Andrea Weigl McClatchy-Tribune News Ser vice

Summer officially started Sunday. But the recent humid weather has reminded us that Mother Nature doesn’t follow a calendar.

When you are sticky with sweat, nothing tastes better than an icy treat on a stick. A pop is the perfect break from mowing the lawn, weeding the garden or playing in the yard. Even if you aren’t engaged in strenuous summer activity, it’s a nice treat while relaxing on the front porch.

But we thought we could do better than the rainbow-colored varieties in the grocery store’s freezer section.

We were emboldened to try to by two people: Summer Bicknell, owner of Locopops, a string of

MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

SAVE OVER

Mexican-inspired paleta shops in North Carolina that have served more than a half-million pops in four years, and Krystina Castella, the author of “Pops! Icy Treats for Everyone.”

“There’s a lot more to a pop than just Kool-Aid in a Popsicle mold,” Castella said.

At Locopops, Bucknell creates such flavors as Coconut Ginger, Pineapple Basil, even Thai Rice Pudding. Castella’s book offers recipes ranging from Thai Iced Coffee and Southern Sweet Tea to Tiramisu and Lychee Bubble Tea. Frozen pops offer an opportunity to have some fun with your children in the kitchen this summer, to impress your friends with a unique dessert or palate-cleansing course, or simply to indulge what Castella calls your inner “kidult.”

SEE POP | 3D

Good deals for the great outdoors.

4

$ 75 ON ALL

Find even more at Target.com/weeklyad.

99¢ lb.

1-pint Gra pe Toma toes

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10-oz. Taylor Farms Hearts of Romaine Bagged Salad Prices good through 6/27/09. © 2009 Target Stores. 069140

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Seedless Red, Green and s Black Grape

199

Mary Jo Modica: Readers’ questions addressed. 2D

Today

M O N D A Y , M A Y 26 , 2008

SECTION D

WWW.TUSCALOOSANEWS.COM

-TALK

Stubbo rn stai n?

Sleek alarm A new smoke detector from Kidde has a slimmer profile that’s less noticeable.

The Silhouette Smoke Alarm protrudes about only a half-inch from the ceiling. It’s hard-wired to the house’s electrical system and has a sealed lithium backup battery, which will last the alarm’s 10-year life.

The unit is designed to be installed when a house is constructed or renovated, not to replace an existing smoke alarm. It can be linked to other alarms so that when one sounds, they all sound.

Typically the alarm will be supplied by the builder or contractor at an average cost to the homeowner of $113 installed. The Silhouette alarm is available from electrical distributors.

Home remed ies wor

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utility ack in defen closet as — I tr the dark ag t s es — 1 carpe e against he first lin oope from with a “hom d of f to co 977 floor ts, fabrics, stains. Th e of i l o m cheap y grandm emaking” c lege home ngs are mo counter top ugh s r h , -b o e and a q t a r s h se t op er tackle u i c k a n d eas of fering rooted in d stain resc histicated, l i f e ’s t and sp y ue h s scum ill , sme ways to mome new t e old worl s remain ars, g d wists Quick s. e n s e lop t — an — w i th ly pop and e happe i d o u n a ar l ar acr sy s. oss g e imis or k n to know , that is, if A n enera w e d y not a hand. ep a jug of hat oxalic ou stran l l g J a W i a e c n v e i t v d elle w ll, tur h o i ter is l n v g e sw “Th ate ns doing a r ust r bleach an out Javelle r on Kath ey’re tried ith food. emove d oxal l e w a e n a n d tr - m Se for sta ic r, both in valid r acid is a “ other fr omefeldt, 73, ue,” said Water emed My gr s today. a gra W o . ies a and but I nd the Ammonia. odbridge, ndstill h mother die Va They’r y d a Do-i work.” e chea . t i p s u ve her now long ago, p sing be che t-yourself s -yellow ev tai ap e fr om the fr e r y d a y f a d they are er than sto n busters m medic idge, pan r e They n’t neces re bough ay s t, ine c t hest r y, attent often r equ arily a quick but ion to and i r e metic fix. tions, multip u l l o e t -s s t ep ins lous intima of elb tr uc o t e w know of fibe ledge gr ease an r o r d o t h you’re ft e dealin kind of co he type unter g with top .O it cou l d b e ther wise, g o to tha t favo od-bye rite si lk SEE S TAIN | 3D

Virtual design

STAF

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Tr ying out ever y design idea that pops into that creative mind of yours is not feasible in the real world. So why not try them in the virtual world?

House Beautiful Home Design Suite software covers home design, interiors and landscape.

Featuring user-friendly wizards and drag-and-drop design-tool options, the software allows you to take on projects from interior design to room additions and remodeling. You can design walls, window treatments, floors, furniture and lighting and see your masterpieces in 3-D and dollhouse views.

Don’t like the wall color? It can be changed using one-click decorator palettes that allow you to add a skylight or a bay window.

Using the cabinet wizard for your kitchen and bath, you can customize cabinets and add appliances. Add finishing touches by selecting fixtures and custom finishes with marble, granite, slate and more. You can choose brand-name materials, paint, art and window treatments.

Other tools include: room and roofing wizards; foundation, electrical, plumbing, heating, ventilation and cooling planners; and an automatic growth tool, which allows you to visualize an aged version of your landscape.

And if you decide that your virtual design is worthy of becoming reality, a home-estimator tool helps you calculate remodeling costs and materials.

The software is available at Best Buy, Sam’s Club and Amazon.com.

Cost ranges from $69.99 to $89.99.

r ess

Eco options Once you realize that by helping the environment you’re really helping yourself, the rest is a matter of commitment. But if you don’t know where to start, one of the first places is in your home.

Launched a year ago, the Home Depot Eco Options program is a classification that among other things helps consumers identify energyef ficient products at www.home depot.com/ecooptions.

The site lists products with the Eco Options label that certifies they contribute to sustainable forestry, energy efficiency, water conservation, clean air and/or a healthy home.

Product information, availability and SKU numbers are also listed.

Dressed up objects Why settle for functional when you can have fashionable, too?

Sonia Lucano shows readers how to turn everyday objects and throwaway items into things of beauty in “ReMake ReStyle ReUse.” She uses inexpensive materials and relatively easy techniques such as embroidery and stenciling for her projects.

For example, Lucano beautifies white ceramic plates by painting on a design of branches, adds interest to sheets and shower curtains with some decorative stitches and dresses up a mirror with etching.

“ReMake ReStyle ReUse” hit the shelves on May 20 from Watson-Guptill Publications.

It sells for $19.95 in softcover.

KEEP THESE ON HAND

KETCHUP

COOKING SPRAY

MAYO

GREEN POOL HAIR: Massage ketchup liberally into your hair, leave on for 15 minutes and rinse out with baby shampoo.

COPPER: Coat copper surface with a thin layer of ketchup and let sit for five to 30 minutes, depending on the severity of tarnish. Rinse and dry immediately.

SILVER: Cover jewelry with ketchup for a few minutes.

Don’t leave ketchup on for longer than necessary. Rinse clean and dry thoroughly.

TOMATO SAUCE: Apply nonstick cooking spray on the inside of a sauce-stained container before washing.

WHEEL GUNK: To make it easier to get brake dust off your wheels, give freshlycleaned wheels a light coating of cooking spray and the next round of black gunk will wipe right off.

BUGS: De-bug your car grille with a spritz of nonstick cooking spray and don’t fret the road trips.

CRAYON: Marks on your hardwood? Rub on some mayo and leave on for several minutes. Wipe clean with a damp cloth.

PIANO KEYS: Apply mayo applied with a soft cloth, wait a few minutes, wipe with a damp rag and then buff.

BUMPER STICKERS: To remove, slather the entire sticker in mayo and let sit for several minutes so the mayo can dissolve the glue. Then wipe the sticker off.

Source: “Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things” from Reader’s Digest.

Absorbents: Cornstarch, cornmeal and talcum powder for greasy stains.

Ammonia: The non-sudsy, unscented household version removes dried blood, perspiration, juice, felt-tip pen, urine and other acid-based stains.

Bleach: Keep two types, chlorine and oxygen (all fabric). When in doubt, use the oxygen bleach. Oxygen and chlorine bleaches cancel each other out when mix.

Glycerine: Softens hardened stains on carpets and upholstery.

Hydrogen peroxide: Use a 3 percent solution on bird droppings, feces and chocolate.

Rubbing alcohol: Removes pencil, mascara and colored candle-wax residue, even on dryclean-only fabrics.

Waterless hand cleaner: Good prewash for stubborn oil and grease stains.

White vinegar: Effective on old perspiration stains and for neutralizing pet stains and odors on carpets and upholstery.

Source: “Good Housekeeping Stain Rescue!

The A-Z Guide to Removing Smudges, Spots & Other Spills”

Treehouses go from kid fantasies to public gardens

By Virginia A. Smith The Philadelphia Inquirer

PHILADELPHIA | This spring, it seems, everyone is celebrating trees.

Three public gardens in the Philadelphia area are launching exhibits featuring treehouses and “canopy walks” — Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square,

Morris Arboretum in Chestnut Hill, and Tyler Arboretum in Media.

Longwood went first. Its “Nature’s Castles” exhibit opened April 26 with three handsome treehouses: a rustic Adirondack-style Lookout Loft, The Birdhouse in the woods and a twostory Canopy Cathedral that looks like a basilica for Tarzan.

At a preview last month, children from Pocopson Elementary School raced up the steps of the Lookout Loft, yelling in tandem, “Cool!” and “Awesome!”

“I like how the wood’s all different, not just boring, plain wood, and it’s fun,” said Troy Brown, a third-grader from West Chester, Pa. “Cool, awesome, fun — these words,

coming from kids, make public-garden folks salivate. This is an audience everyone seeks.

Sharon Lee, who helped organize Tyler’s treehouse exhibit, explains the synergy this way: “Botanical gardens and arboretums are a very safe way to introduce children to the natural world, SEE TREE | 6D

Video game review: Baseball fun on your iPod and iPhone. 2D

T U E S D A Y , A P R I L 28 , 2009

Today

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WWW.TUSCALOOSANEWS.COM

Aggressive shoes sexy and flexible

By Samantha Critchell The Associated Press

G

-TALK Attention seniors High school seniors in West Alabama are invited to submit their photos of school activities to be included in The Tuscaloosa News’ annual graduation section, to be published in late May. Send photos by May 8 of dances, classroom activities, school plays, sporting events and other significant high school events to Robert Sutton at robert.sutton@tuscaloosa news.com. Call 205-722-0234.

Rejuvenate Axe Shock and Axe Recover y are recent additions to Axe’s line of men’s shower gels. Both gels come in day-glo colors and form a thick, sudsy lather, leaving skin moisturized — but not oily — after rinsing off.

The electric blue Axe Shock has a minty, woodsy scent. Featuring menthol, the body wash has a subtle cooling effect on the skin.

Axe Recovery is lime-green with a citrus scent. The company claims the shower gel’s electrolytes will help rehydrate users, much in the way electrolytic sports drinks do.

Both Axe Shock and Axe Recovery feature matching body sprays that complement the aromas of the shower gels. As long as the user doesn’t go overboard with the sprays, the results are an understated yet masculine scent. The line also includes Axe Fever, meant to get you fired up with Brazilian hot mud and dragon fruit, while the Axe Snake Peel exfoliates the skin. All of the body washes retail for $3.99, while the body sprays are $4.99.

Have a ball A new handbag, purse, clutch — basically any accessory that can carry things — is one of life’s greatest pleasures for women. And many women would love the satisfaction of making them themselves.

“One Ball Knits: Purses” by Fatema, Khadija and Hajera HabiburRahman, ($18.95, Watson-Guptill Publications), makes knitting a little easier.

The book has 20 patterns, with skill level, yarn used on the pictured bag, materials, notes, abbreviations and more.

Correction A story on Page 1D April 21 gave an incorrect date for a free public viewing of Saturn, Jupiter and the moon from the telescope at Gallalee Hall at the University of Alabama. The viewing will be tonight at 8 p.m.

Walking with a ladylike

ATTITUDE

NEW YORK ladiators were tough, but spring’s towering, leathercovered, often-studded sandals are an even bigger kick in the aggressiveshoe trend.

The two must-have styles are clearly cousins, but there’s been an evolution, thanks in part to chunky platforms, woven textures and more sex appeal.

The “it” bag has been replaced by the “it” shoe, said Nicole Fischelis, the group vice president of ready-to-wear fashion for Macy’s.

“The aggressive shoe is not a new phenomenon. It’s been on the runway for a few seasons, but it’s more apparent because of the rocker-chick kind of mood that’s coming back into fashion.”

But skinny jeans and a leather jacket aren’t the only way to wear it. These shoes have an “opposite attraction” with delicate, feminine dresses, too.

“Fusion” is a buzz word in fashion right now, Fischelis said.

“I do think that a soft look can be complemented with a strong accessory; it is all about the balance and confidence in how it is worn,” adds Fred Allard, creative director at Nine West. “I think that the platform and studded gladiator sandals from this season can be considered aggressive as well as feminine, depending on the woman who is wearing them.”

“Ethereal spring-summer looks need an anchor that’s a little edgy,” agrees stylist Tara Swennen, who counts Miley Cyrus as a client.

Tastemakers say aggressive shoes go from daytime to evening, casual to dressy, sexy to serious.

This flexibility gives them legs SEE SHOES | 6D

PHOTOS | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

ABOVE: The aggressive shoe has been fashionable for a while. A model, above, walks a Paris runway in 2007, wearing silver-studded high heels with leather ankle straps during the presentation of the Spring/Summer 2008 Readyto-Wear collection by French fashion designer Barbara Bui. LEFT: Shoes, from left, are Nine West’s Kellers and the Kentaro and Jessica Simpson’s Delanco.

Band director’s passion for music contagious

By Ashley Boyd Staff Writer

For the first time since 1985, the Hillcrest High School band will travel to one of the most prestigious international band and orchestra conferences, the Midwest Band Clinic.

Under the leadership of band director Andy Pettus, the band has made strides in musical talent and student recognition.

There are few teachers Classroom and students in TuscalooHEROES sa who haven’t heard his Andy Pettus name. As the inspiration, mentor and friend to his Band director students, Pettus has a repu- Hillcrest High School tation that carries throughTo see video of Andy out the community.

Pettus, visit www.

“He has such a great vituscaloosanews.com. sion for his students and holds such high expectations. There is this spark about him. It was evident that he was passionate about music the day he walked in for his job interview,” said Rita Thomas, the principal at Hillcrest High.

Years before he would take on the role as Hillcrest’s band STAFF PHOTO | ROBERT SUTTON director, Pettus thought he was destined to be a basketball In addition to teaching band at Hillcrest High School, Andy Pettus gets to school at 6 a.m. player. to tutor students in math. He majored in math and music at the University of Alabama.

SEE HERO | 6D

Mary Jo Modica: Now it is my turn to deal with the deer. 2D

Today

M O N D A Y , M A R C H 9 , 2009

-TALK

WWW.TUSCALOOSANEWS.COM

AFRICANIZED HONEYBEES

MOSQUITOES

FIRE ANTS

■ Have an escape route planned in the case of a swarm attack. Take shelter in a building or vehicle.

■ Invite other pollinators into your yard by adding nectar-rich plants to the landscape. Areas foraged by European honeybees are less inviting to Africanized honeybees.

■ Do not try to remove suspect bee colonies yourself; call an exterminator.

■ Keep in mind that the noise of power equipment may trigger an attack.

■ Limit your time outdoors during the day when mosquitoes are most active.

■ Drain any standing water where mosquitoes may lay eggs.

■ Wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts.

■ Install screens on windows and doors to keep biting insects out.

■ Apply insect repellant containing DEET if you plan to be outdoors for long.

■ Watch your step. Learn to recognize probable nesting sites and steer clear.

■ Wear protective clothing, particularly boots.

■ Use bait that the ants carry to their nests.

Tray liner eases cleanup The Peel-Away Paint Tray is designed to simplify cleanup while reducing the waste associated with most paint-tray liners.

The tray has four built-in liners.

Each can be peeled off immediately after use to reveal another clean tray, for a total of five uses.

The liners can be removed while the paint is still wet, so you can squeeze the excess from the liner back into the can.

The product is made from 50 percent recycled material and contains half the materials of five typical tray inserts, the company says. The liners also eliminate the use of water for cleanup.

The 9-inch tray is available at SherwinWilliams paint stores and is expected to be carried at many Home Depot stores in the coming months. The tray sells for around $6 to $9.

Haircut for a cause Studio C hair salon at 1801 University Blvd. will donate $5 from each haircut and $10 from each color service done today through Thursday to the Rise Center. Haircuts range from $15 to $45 and color services begin at $45. The salon will also offer Tshirts for $5 with the salon and Rise logos on them.

Established in 1974, the Rise Center offers early childhood education and child development programs for children with developmental disabilities.

Call Studio C at 205-464-0516.

Skin treatment ImageMakers, located at 2810 Lurleen B. Wallace Blvd., in Tuscaloosa has partnered with skin-care company Nu Skin to offer the Galvanic Spa instrument and specially formulated ageLOC facial gels, which gives a spa treatment in 10 minutes.

Nu Skin officials said the technology can help slow the signs of aging by targeting an internal source of aging, an enzyme called arNOX that is capable of generating skin-damaging free radicals. Nu Skin research says levels of arNOX increase as people age.

ImageMakers has the Galvanic Spa technology available to analyze clients’ skin. Call ImageMakers at 205-366-1986.

‘French Country Kitchens’ Even if you can’t sit down to a dish of ratatouille at a farm table in Provence, you can still spend time vicariously in the heart of some French homes thanks to Linda Dannenberg’s new book, “French Country Kitchens.”

The book’s 65 kitchens range from rustic stone-walled rooms in the countryside to compact spaces in Paris apartments. Most share elements that are typical of the French country style: freestanding furniture and few kitchen cabinets, shelves to display serving pieces or collectibles, sturdy tables and, often, fireplaces.

And just in case you’re hungering for a taste of France, Dannenberg includes recipes from her stops, as well.

“French Country Kitchens” is published by Clarkson Potter and sells for $37.50 in hardcover.

SECTION D

TICKS ■ Inspect your body and clothes frequently.

Wear light-colored garments so you can see any ticks more easily. Tuck pants into socks.

■ Spray pesticides and repellents on boots and clothing.

Garden

dangers

BEES: The Africanized Honey Bee, left, swarms more frequently and is more defensive than its more docile cousin, the European Honey Bee, right.

As temperatures rise, so does the risk of being hurt by poisonous pests

By Dean Fosdick The Associated Press

S

ome dangerous characters may be moving into your neighborhood: Africanized honey bees, fire ants, disease-bearing mosquitoes and ticks.

It isn’t bad enough that they can sting or sicken you.

They also can kill.

The so-called “killer bees” have been blamed for the deaths of many animals and livestock along with at least 18 people since making their way into the United States in 1990. Fire ants sting millions of people annually and have been responsible for more than 80 fatalities since their accidental introduction in the 1930s. Mosquito- and ticktransmitted ailments also cause hundreds of deaths.

Many of these bothersome insects establish colonies in warm climates — Africanized bees and fire ants, in particular. Others can be found from Florida to British Columbia. That includes mosquitoes carrying the West Nile virus, and ticks that transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Lyme disease.

SEE DANGERS | 3D PHOTOS | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

FIRE ANTS: These pests will attack and eat almost anything. Using baits the ants will carry back to their colonies is a good way rid your yard of them. Also shown in the picture at top right is a phorid fly.

Wildflowers are beginning to bloom in the AnzaBorrego Desert State Park in California.

The blooming of the desert wildflowers signals the beginning of Spring for Southern California.

And this year, the signal came a little earlier than usual.

MCCLATCHYTRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

Wildflower season begins in California’s desert park

By Gar y A. Warner The Orange County Register

The word is spreading like, like, well, like wildflowers.

The wildflowers are starting to bloom in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. In a region where the seasons can seem short and mixed-up, the wildflower season at the 600,000-acre park is a sure sign that spring is on its way.

It’s Southern California’s version of Groundhog Day. This year’s season has gotten off to an early start. Blooms of brittlebush, chuparosa, popcorn flower, sand verbena, spectacle pod and desert lily have popped up in recent days, according to the Anza-Borrego Foundation and Institute.

“We anticipate the peak blooming season to hit between the third week of February

and the second week of March, depending on the weather,” Michael Rodriques, the manager of the Park’s Visitor Center, said in a e-mail message.

The park sprawls over portions of eastern San Diego County as well as parts of Imperial and Riverside counties.

Early blooms are mostly found in scattered washes around the park and at lower elevations such as the Carrizo Badlands overlook at Sweeney Pass, Indian Valley and the Bow Willow Campground.

In a few weeks, the spectacular fields will be on display. Officials suggest a visit to the northern edge of Borrego Springs on Henderson Canyon Road and at the northern end of DiGiorgio Road, about ¼ mile beyond the end of the pavement. Hikes in Borrego Palm Canyon or Plum Canyon will also bring SEE DESERT | 3D